Malone University welcomes students with livestreamed academic convocation

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A full list of student honorees can be found in the program for Convocation, and Provost Greg Miller shared a few accomplishments of note, which include:

●    2021-22 President’s Scholarship winners: Abigail Bontrager ’25 and Ariana Manos ‘25
●    2021-22 Visio Scholarship winners: Alaina Davis ’25 and Macy Jackson ‘25
●    28 recipients of the Emma and J. Walter Malone Scholarship (Class of 2025)
●    24 new Honors students joining a returning cohort of 78 Honors Program students
●    150 Great Midwest Academic All-Conference Team athletes

Broadcast via livestream, Malone University President David King, Ed.D., welcomed students back to campus and shared his hopes for the months ahead.

"No matter who you are or where you came from, you are welcome here, and we're glad you're here," said President David King.

Now entering his final year as President, King’s Convocation address reflected on the heart and character of Malone through the lens of the final sentence of the University’s final Foundational Principle:

“God's grace is evident in our communal life as we seek to live out this calling in a broken world.”

King challenged students, faculty, and staff to evaluate the societal expectations of dualistic thinking, erosion of concern for the common good, and loss of duty of care, and to respond as Jesus would respond: with a spirit of reconciliation, beauty, and hope.

“How can we repair the fractures in the hurting world around us? As the Apostle Paul charged us in Galatians, the Fruit of the Spirit allows us to live out our individual callings in the world around us. Even when the currents of culture are overwhelming, we can lean into what we know is true,” King said.

(Read by Bryan Almestica ‘22, president of the student body: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26, New International Version)

“Culture says we should convince, but reconciliation calls us to listen,” said King. “Culture says we should disassociate from those with whom we disagree, but reconciliation calls us to extend hospitality. Culture says we should stigmatize and vilify those who are different than we are, but reconciliation sees everyone as image-bearers of God.”

What does this look like at Malone?

“We must begin where we are,” said King. “Our objective at Malone is to equip you to serve Jesus and mentor you to live in the Fruit of the Spirit so that you will confidently live out your own calling in a broken world.”

Elizabeth Patterson Roe, director, Center for Intercultural Studies and professor of social work, shared this benediction in closing:

“As we live and learn in community here at Malone University, I pray that God will strengthen you to have all that you need for the academic year ahead, that you will know Christ, and that you will make Him known as ambassadors of reconciliation. As you bring beauty to the broken world, may the God of Hope fill you with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control so that you may overflow with the power of the Holy Spirit. Go in peace."