Features - The Echo

Igniting a passion for the local church

By Kendall Beck · Friday, Sept. 27, 2024

You’ve likely heard whisperings — if not shouts — about it. The “town and gown” phenomenon often puts academic institutions up against their neighboring communities in a struggle to navigate such a delicate relationship. As a university with a gospel-centered mission, Taylor University’s leadership must decide how best to leverage their connection with and position in Upland and Grant County. This is where the local church comes in.

Ahna Neideck runs each race with a heart of gold

By Elise Hoylman · Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024

Fifth-year senior Ahna Neideck is leaving an impact in every moment of the Taylor cross country program. She is taking the opportunity to use the gifts God has given her for one last season at Taylor.

From South Main Street to South Korea

By Marco Aguirre · Monday, Sept. 23, 2024

One Taylor student, all of South Korea. Junior David Voss spent the spring semester of 2024 studying abroad at Handong Global University in Pohang, South Korea, located in the southeast of the country. He stayed with other exchange students during his travels.

Wade Frances: Walking with hands open

By Charlotte Ostric · Monday, Sept. 23, 2024

Wade Frances knows his role as student body president is a calling.

Reflections abroad: Oxford and Orvieto

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024

Last spring, incoming senior fraternal twins Danielle and Alethea Pritchard, left Taylor’s campus to embark on a trip of a lifetime — or in this case, the trips of two lifetimes.

Men of Wengatz Hall welcome Jacob Neu

By Marco Aguirre · Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024

A new year, a new hall director. Jacob Neu’s goal is to be a good role model for Wengatz Hall by fostering the community and culture of the building as well as growth for each person.

Montgomery: Story behind the speaker

By Marco Aguirre · Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Aspiring biologist, cross-country runner, enthusiastic learner. Senior Damon Montgomery has been chosen as the student commencement speaker for Taylor’s graduating class of 2024.

Sutherland celebrates 35-year career

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Ron Sutherland, special assistant to the president, is officially ending his three-decade career at Taylor. After his retirement last year, the president asked him to stay another year to see through some of the construction projects he was instrumental in starting.

CCO offers interview, career readiness

By Marco Aguirre · Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Are you unsure of what career you’re going into after Taylor? The Calling and Career Office (CCO), located in the Boren Campus Center, is an organization that connects students to internships and careers they may be interested in pursuing. Some of their other services include help building a resume, finding out one’s skill set and even exploring one’s interests to determine how they can help.

Philip Byers: Preparing citizens of heaven

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, May 8, 2024

We don’t often dare to imagine that we’d end up working in the same place where we went to school — or even that our mentors could be our employers. For Philip Byers, this became a reality this year as he stepped into the role of Halbrook Chair of Civic Engagement Elect, positioned under his long-time teacher, mentor and friend, Tom Jones.

Tennis Club cultivates competition, fun

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Involvement in intramural, club and just-for-fun sports plays a large role in making life at Taylor “life to the full.” Tennis Club is no exception.

Behind the scenes, beyond the screens

By Samuel Jones · Wednesday, May 1, 2024

“I like technology, but I like working with people,” Chris Jones, vice president and chief information officer, said. “The other hat is emergency management.”

Aubrie Swain pursues identity in Christ, seeks to glorify God

By Noelle Yew · Tuesday, April 30, 2024

From a tough basketball player to a child of God, freshman Aubrie Swain can testify to her shift in identity at Taylor University. Swain moved to Alabama from Fort Wayne, Indiana after seventh grade. There, she was introduced to basketball. Growing up with three older brothers, she had no choice but to be involved in sports.

Groeling: Stewardship of creation at TU

By Marco Aguirre · Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Taylor’s love for the environment is in the hands of this steward of creation. Starting at the end of last year, sophomore Josh Groeling became president of Stewards of Creation, a student-organized club that dedicates itself to promoting a love for God’s creation of the natural world and our calling to let it prosper.

The celebration of an artist’s journey

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Each year, seniors in the art department collaborate to consider how they might showcase their portfolios to colleagues, friends and family. Historically, the seniors have been separated between groupings of their different art majors; the illustration, graphic design and photography students’ showcase usually takes place at a different time than that of the studio art, art therapy and art education students. This year, the art seniors chose to come together: one show, one night.

Ilium captures an unprecedented year

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, April 17, 2024

A year like Taylor has experienced this 2023-2024 academic year will no doubt make its mark in the history books — but it’s not just historians who care about what’s been happening in the cornfields of Upland, Indiana.

Unity formed abroad brings unity home

By Samuel Jones · Wednesday, April 17, 2024

The lady in the teal dress and little white heels turned and beckoned for them to come in. She found them seats and turned on a fan. The group was underdressed, crazy, sweaty and wet. They were standing out in the street, listening to music. It was Good Friday. A team of 14 from Olson Hall with two leaders was in the final days of their trip to the Dominican Republic (DR) in a city on the northern side of the island called Santiago.

Pursuing calling and creativity post-grad

By Kendall Beck · Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Calling, career, creativity — these are not just ideas that senior Olivia Heinen encounters in her job as lead graphic designer for the Calling and Career Office (CCO) on campus, but also as she considers what she might want to pursue following graduation from Taylor this spring.

Verhagen embraces academia

By Samantha Saad · Wednesday, April 10, 2024

From Upland to Massachusetts, from Ireland to Scotland — he didn’t know if his doctorate in theology and philosophy would lead him to a career in academia. Yet Koert Verhagen, assistant professor of philosophy and religion, took a leap of faith.

From the loop to the streets of Los Angeles

By Marco Aguirre · Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Over the Fall semester, a group of five Taylor students, including senior Aidan Merck, starred in their adventure abroad in the town of the silver screen. Merck is a film and media studies major who spent this past Fall studying abroad in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, to intern with two different documentary companies.