Published: March 28, 2008 12:16 pm            

Oklahoma Christian honors its supporters with dinner

OKLAHOMA CITY — OC Associates, known as the Foundations of Strength for Oklahoma Christian University, were honored Thursday evening at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum.

The dinner recognizes Oklahoma Christian’s supporters.

“Oklahoma Christian has been blessed with record enrollment and the ability to recruit and retain outstanding faculty over the past few years and this group is largely responsible for our success,” said OC President Mike O’Neal. “This program is one of the ways we say thanks.”

O’Neal told the guests that without their support, hundreds of students would not be able to pursue their dreams, and OC would not be the outstanding institution of faith and learning it is today.

Edmond residents Bill and Sue Antwine are OC Associates who met at Central Christian College in Bartlesville before the college changed its name to Oklahoma Christian University and moved to its present location.

“We give to OC because we love the school, and because we met each other at Central Christian and were married 52 1/2 years ago,” Sue Antwine said.

The Antwines were missionaries in New Jersey and sent four children to school at OC. Three grandchildren have graduated from OC and one grandchild is about to graduate.

“My daddy and mother, Royce and Mary Mires, always contributed to the school, and when he died he left a charitable trust,” Sue Antwine said. “My three sisters and I decided to give income from the trust to help three or four students each year.”

The Antwines both retired from Guymon schools, but Bill Antwine still substitutes in the Edmond School District for second- through fifth-grades.

“I love children,” Bill Antwine said, “and I am not through helping them yet.”

O’Neal shared stories of students who have gone on to graduate or professional schools or who are helping others throughout the world.

“OC is an academic institution that is educating the mind with amazing excellence, but it also is changing the lives and hearts of the students into the image of Jesus Christ,” O’Neal said.

Among stories he shared with guests was one of students who created a chapter of Wishing Well and raised more than $35,000 in less than a year. The money has funded the construction of wells in Kenya and Gambia with two more wells on the way in other towns.

He told those in attendance that many of them largely were responsible for creating a special place like OC where exceptional young people can receive an outstanding education from Christian scholars and mentors in a nurturing environment.

“By helping them make a difference in the world, you are making a difference in the world,” O’Neal said.

Oklahoman Argus Hamilton brought an unusual perspective to the news from Washington and across the country as keynote speaker.

Guests also were entertained by the Rwandan Presidential Scholars as they performed some of their native songs. The 20 students have a cumulative 3.9 grade-point average after three semesters at OC.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.