Chapel

A sunny spring day in eastern Pennsylvania was a welcome blessing to the graduates that waited anxiously to receive their diplomas in front of their friends and families. The beautiful Green Lane Commons was alive with anticipation as Valley Forge Christian College hosted the 74th Annual Commencement Ceremony and presented the graduating class of 2013.

The day started with a wonderful Baccalaureate service. In the Flower Chapel, the graduates listened to encouraging speeches from Dr. Bill Clarkson (Business Department Chair and Senior Class Advisor) and fellow classmates Jennifer Duncan and Adam Yaros. These three speakers started off the day of celebration with a great balance of reminiscence and anticipation. 

Hundreds of graduates and their supporters then sat under the shade of the tall Green Lane trees as Dr. Kevin Beery, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Don Meyer, President, presented this year’s graduating class. Upon being conferred, students became recipients of their associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees and had officially "graduated".
 
Before receiving their degrees, the audience of graduates, family and friends had the privilege of hearing commencement speaker Dr. Mark Batterson, lead pastor of the National Community Church in Washington, D.C. and author of The Circle Maker. He reminded the graduates that this wonderful occasion was not just the end of one season but the beginning of a whole new journey. Dr. Batterson encouraged listeners to step out in faith and follow the Lord’s will into the next phase of life.
 
The breakdown of the 154 graduates by degree included four students who received master's degrees, 145 students who received bachelor's degrees and five students who received associate's degrees. In addition, 49 students graduated with scholastic honors, achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. VFCC faculty also inducted 12 students to Sigma Chi Pi membership in the Honor Society of Assemblies of God Colleges and Universities for their high scholastic achievement, Christian character and leadership potential.

After Dr. Batterson spoke, graduates crossed the stage one-by-one to shake the hand of Dr. Meyer and receive their diploma. Soon afterwards, caps and tassles went flying up in the air as celebratory cheers and congratulations rang out among those who had completed their education at VFCC.
 
The presence of the graduating class of 2013 will not be forgotten, as they have given the gift of a red dogwood tree to VFCC which will be planted and commemorated with a plaque on campus. This gift continues a 74-year-long tradition at VFCC of each graduating class presenting a tree to the College.
 
Congratulations to the Class of 2013. The prayers of the entire VFCC community are with you as you step forward into this new season of life.

If you missed 12 Angry Jurors, then you missed an outstanding theatrical performance. In April, Curtain Call – the student-led drama club at Valley Forge Christian College – featured an impressive adaptation of the renowned play 12 Angry Men.
 
This intense story about a murder trial and its twelve jurors was recapped in the production's "playbill" as summarized below:

Twelve Angry Jurors, adapted from the teleplay Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose, is a dramatic production centered on guilt, innocence, and the measure of a human life. A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. It looks like an open-and-shut case, until one of the jurors begins to ask questions that open the others’ eyes to different possibilities. As testimonies and evidence are re-examined, arguments grow heated, tempers are short and each juror reveals the true nature of his or her character. A verdict must be reached but can each of the twelve angry jurors put aside his or her individual prejudices to make the final life or death decision?
 
A talented cast of 15 VFCC students performed this production with a high degree of skill. Leading the way with extraordinary performances were sophomores Chris McNaney (Juror Number 8) and Myke Smith (Juror Number 3). These two, with an impressive showcase of emotion and sincerity, seamlessly captured the attention of audience members, who could not help but be drawn into the gripping plot. 
 
Fans of the original 12 Angry Men would have been pleased with Curtain Call’s variation of the 1950s teleplay. In addition, the cast successfully impressed newcomers to this intense story. Director Lindsay Merkel '09 and Assistant Director, student Loren Metallo, did an exceptional job leading the cast to a successful closing production for the 2012-2013 academic year.
 
Curtain Call truly highlighted their skills to the VFCC community this year – with two impressive productions and a number of performances by Activate Improv Ministry (which falls under the umbrella of Curtain Call). It is evident that God has placed many talented students within the group. Be sure to look for upcoming drama events here at VFCC in the 2013 fall semester.

The Valley Forge Christian College Music Department showcased its annual Spring Concert on April 20, 2013. The VFCC Spring Concert is perhaps one of the most uplifting spring celebrations on campus and is an extraordinary way to start a new season and bring joy to all of those in attendance. As with all other ensemble productions, VFCC students and faculty displayed tremendous skill in musical performance – entertaining and impressing both the VFCC and surrounding community.
 
Guests were welcomed to the VFCC campus with beautiful trees covered in the fresh blooms of spring. Upon entering the Flower Chapel (a suitable name for such an event), spectators were engaged with beautiful sounds. 
 
The concert program included joyful marches and overtures performed by the Wind Ensemble, as well as festive music sung by the College Choir that included excerpts from the Easter portion of Handel’s Messiah, celebrating the resurrection and reign of Jesus Christ. In addition to the more traditional pieces, the choir presented contemporary pieces, including powerful worship songs such as Let God Arise, One Thing Remains and Great I Am.
 
The Spring Concert was more than just uplifting music that celebrated the arrival of this long-awaited season – tradition and sentiment were woven into the event as well. One of the long-standing traditions included conductors Leone Bilotta and Dr. William DeSanto handing over the baton to two seniors who each had the privilege of conducting one final piece in their last concert at VFCC. The seniors included Michael Skinner (Wind Ensemble, percussionist) and Elizabeth Ebron (College Choir, alto).
 
As stated in the event program, “Excellence in performance is encouraged” by the Music Department of VFCC. Clearly this mission is instilled in each student and achieved in every performance.

All Patriot athletes entered the Flower Chapel on April 27, 2013 for the ESPY Award Ceremony, but only a handful left as 2013 ESPY winners. The crowd, dressed in black tie apparel, was presented with the athletes who had earned recognition for excellence in performance and character. This free event (which was open to all Valley Forge Christian College students, staff, friends and family) focused on the achievement of our Patriot student athletes over the course of the 2012-2013 academic year.
 
Student athletes from ten different Patriot teams cheered for their fellow teammates, as award winners were announced throughout the evening. Recognition awards included Best Sport Athlete, Best Intangible Athlete, Best Newcomer, Best Teammate, Best Scholar-Athlete, and Best Team, among others.
 
A number of Patriot athletes received multiple awards recognizing outstanding performance. John Luchon (Men’s Golf) and Amanda Reich (Women’s Basketball) were each honored with two ESPYs, while Courtney Farabee (Women’s Volleyball) walked away with three.
 
The highly desirable Best Team award was given to the Men’s Patriot Basketball team – which had displayed a high level of dedication, tenacity, toughness and technical ability this season.
 
Among the most highly coveted awards was the Obie L. Harrup Athlete of the Year, which recognizes one male and one female athlete who had displayed excellence in athletics, academics, ministry, service and leadership at VFCC. Recipients of this year's awards were Philip Bishop (Men’s Golf) and Sarah Stark (Women’s Soccer).
 
In addition to athletic performance awards, there was recognition for non-performance roles, such as Best Coach (Ronshea Vargas, Men's and Women's Cross Country) and Best Staff Fan (Yung Park, Residence Director).
 
The Athletic Department at VFCC seeks “to prepare student athletes for the journey of discipleship through athletics by pursuing excellence in skill, teamwork, leadership, Christian character and servanthood.” Those students who had successfully pursued this excellence were recognized after a year of hard work and discipline.
 
Congratulations to all ESPY winners.