A note to our Tiger Bytes readers

As you may recall, we posted a survey back in April to gather your thoughts about this blog. Just shy of the one-year anniversary of Tiger Bytes, we wanted to find out what you liked, what you didn’t, and how much of a role Olivet’s official blog plays in your lives.

Your feedback was interesting, candid, and incredibly helpful. We found that there are a few features our readers really like, while the other weekly articles could easily slip away without much hubbub.

Since Tiger Bytes’ inception, we’ve also been measuring the traffic to this blog. It’s clear that we have several faithful readers, but in comparison with our other University channels, the readership is relatively small and has not grown over time. Meanwhile, traffic to http://www.olivet.edu/ continues to increase every month, and the number of Facebook fans and Twitter followers we have has skyrocketed over the past year.

It is for these reasons that ye old Tiger Bytes writers are signing off for now. We’ve had a lot of fun with this blog and getting to know you. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve uncovered a lot of trivial trivia together. Perhaps someday, we’ll have the pleasure of meeting you face-to-face in a Tiger Bytes reunion.

Your favorite features are not going away, but will simply be moved to other places, like http://www.olivet.edu/, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube . And now that we have more time on our hands, we’ll be introducing new features in each of those places. Be sure to check us out!

(Cue Boys-To-Men’s “It’s So Hard to Say Good-Bye”)

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and an awesome summer! And don’t forget to stay in touch.

All the best,

Heather Day, editor

(on behalf of writers Casey Manes, Kate Morgan and dozens of guest bloggers)

P.S. We didn’t want to leave you hanging on our final Trivia Tuesday answer. On May 25, 2006, in Madrid, Spain, 300 self-proclaimed geeks arranged themselves to form a human replica of Pac Man. Now there’s a good use of time.

Editor's Choice: Best of 2009

By Heather Day

It’s eerily quiet on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University. Students have already cleared out after finishing up their finals last week, and many faculty and staff members have taken the opportunity to get a head start on Christmas vacation.

Of course, the most dedicated of us are diligently working until the campus officially closes at noon on Wednesday. It just so happens that my “diligent work” includes combing through YouTube for the best ONU videos of 2009. (You can enjoy the fruits of my labor below.)

As we close out the 2009 calendar year, I’d like to thank all of our readers of Tiger Bytes for allowing us this forum to impart wisdom (and a little useless trivia) from our beloved ONU. Since launching the blog in June, we’ve enriched the lives of more than 6,500 different readers in 56 countries and territories around the world. To paraphrase the Oscar-winning actress Sally Field, “You like us, you really like us!”

On a personal note, I hope this season allows you the joy of spending time and building memories with the ones you love. More than that, I pray you take this time to draw closer to the One who loved you enough to send His Son to the world as your Savior.

In observance of Christmas and New Year’s, your Tiger Bytes writers will be taking a brief hiatus from changing the world one blog at a time. So, in order to tide you over until we return in January, here are a few of my favorite ONU posts from 2009:

Favorite Features

Globe winders

Professor Atkinson travels the world

50 states. 50 races.

An ambitious dream for a non-runner

How many baseballs?

The stories behind the collection

Jet setter

Finding balance as family man and fighter pilot

Go-to guy

Mike LaReau spearheads new “Early Alert System”

In the habit of grace

Changing the world through an unlikely calling

Along dusty roads

One woman’s journey from a poor, African village to college president

Favorite Videos

Olivet Pong Shots
The pong shots heard 'round the world: This video has been viewed more than half a million times, and was featured on numerous sites, including those for ESPN, the New York Times, and Sports Illustrated.

Medicine Ball Shots

Not wanting to miss out on all the fun, the A-Team produced this hilarious feature spoofing the original ONU pong video.

4 minutes to Ollies Follies

As titled, this video was shown four minutes before the start of Ollies Follies 2009, as part of Director of Campus Recreation Matt Smith’s grand entrance. Actually, he would have missed out on the whole event were it not for the heroics of his favorite four-year-old.

Mr. ONU 2009

Self-proclaimed band geek and tuba aficionado Robert Weston Siscoe’s gives us his video entry as part of his campaign for the title of “Mr. ONU 2009.”

Class of 2010’s Ollies Follies Performance

Using a New York theme, the Class of 2010 shows why seniors always have the upper-hand at the annual Ollies Follies Talent Show.

ONU Gospel Choir
Filmed at the Church of the Nazarene’s General Assembly in Orlando, Fla., this video showcases the talents of Olivet’s Proclamation Gospel Choir.

Favorite Flickr Photos:

All dressed up for the "Tacky Prom" skating event

Even after a tough loss, the Tigers are glad to sign autographs for their young fans.

Spirit-led worship at the Holiness Summit

Practice for "Tiger Championship Wrestling"

Preparing for the Army Physical Fitness Test

Ceramics Class

Oklahoma!

Commencement 2009

Toby the Tiger makes at new friend at General Assembly in Orlando, Fla.

Standing room only in McHie Arena for the first chapel of the 2009-2010 school year

Putting on his game face for Homecoming 2009

Favorite Tiger Bytes Posts

Tuesday Trivia

Use your head

64 years of b-a-a-a-d luck

Word of the Week Wednesday

Namby-Pamby

Sternutation

Abstemious

Throwback Thursday

1995

1985

1948

Five on Friday

Travis Powers

Matt Moore

Faith Newman

Guest Features

“Everyday Giving" by Jen Stout
How a life-changing encounter at the dollar store led to a year of random acts of kindness.

“Oh be careful little fingers what you type” by Bradley Buhro
Why you should think twice before updating that status — it’s public and permanent.

“My Frugal Adventures” by Melissa Fuhrmann
Furhmann discusses how she uses her stockpiling method to live comfortably AND give to
those in need — all on $10 a month.

“Three ways to Safeguard Your Marriage” by Kent Olney
Olney shares three practical ways to divorce-proof your most important relationship.

---

What a great year it's been! We're looking forward to an even better 2010.

As always, if you have ideas for Tiger Bytes, we'd love to hear from you. Write us at askus@olivet.edu.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Heather

Heather (Quimby) Day '02 is the director of marketing communications for Olivet Nazarene University and serves as the editor for The Olivetian, http://www.olivet.edu/, Alumni & Friends E-news and Tiger Bytes.

Editor's Choice: November 2009

I have noticed something extraordinary going on in the world around me over the last few days — gratitude. Genuine, heart-felt, honest-to-goodness gratitude.

I first noticed the paradigm shift on Thanksgiving morning, when I logged onto my Facebook account and looked over my friends’ updated statuses. In a forum where rants, complaining and cynicism normally abound, I saw something refreshingly different: gratitude.

For example…

[Friend] is thankful; though my wallet may be empty, my fridge is full, my life is full, and I want for nothing.

[Friend] The Lord has been faithful to my family and provided us with many blessings, for that I am very thankful.

[Friend] is truly blessed, and duly grateful.

There was not a single negative status among them!

The spirit of appreciation continued at church on Sunday. Person after person gave praise-filled testimonies about God’s goodness in their lives. Many, who by the world’s standards had every reason to complain, said that it was through the most difficult of circumstances when they saw His hand at work most clearly.

Now, of course, I’m not naïve. I know it’s not by coincidence that gratitude would make an appearance on a holiday revolving around “thanks.” And maybe, for some, the thankfulness will be short-lived as they return to the “real world” of work, running errands and finding the perfect gifts for everyone on their mile-long Christmas shopping list.

Even so, it was a heartwarming to see that for so many, Thanksgiving was still about more than turkeys and yams. It was still about more than football and extravagant parades. Thanksgiving was a time to remember the things that are most important to us — and the God who provided it all.

Thanksgiving is over, I know. But I pray the spirit of gratitude is not. I can think of no better way to head into the advent season than with a grateful heart.

Speaking of the things I love, here are a few of my favorite online features from the month of November:

Oh be careful little fingers what you type
Guest feature by Bradley Buhro ’95, as featured on Tiger Bytes

Bradley kicked off what turned out to be an extraordinary month of guest features with this insightful article about the permanent – and very public – nature of online posts. When you put something out in cyberspace, it’s out there, for the world to see, forevermore. The damage of those things we would have once muttered under our breath is now multiplied many times over when we choose to broadcast our private thoughts in a public forum.

Kinda makes you think twice about grumbling in your status, huh? Kinda makes me want to read this “Editor’s choice” over at least ten more times, lest I have to live with an embarrassing typo for eternity.

“God, please, not again!”
Guest feature by Tina Bruner, as featured on Tiger Bytes

Though awed by the clarity, Tina didn’t exactly jump for joy when God whispered, “adoption” in her ear one Sunday morning. The mother of sons ages 20 and 16, and having already gone through the arduous process of adopting an infant daughter from China just a few years prior, she knew she didn’t have the energy for another baby.

But God didn’t have a baby in mind.

In this powerful example of God’s providence and timing, Tina shares the journey she and her husband went through to meet their 11 year-old daughter.

In the habit of grace
As featured in the November issue of Alumni & Friends E-news

I loved this beautiful story about Sister Margaret Robbins, who doesn’t really care what the world thinks about her. After all, she’s used to the stares and snickers as she rides her bicycle through Central Park, her black habit flapping in the wind.

What she does care about is being exactly where God wants her to be. And because of her obedience, she’s changing the world, one woman – one baby – at a time.

Throwback Thursday: 1964
As featured on Tiger Bytes

Throwback Thursday has become one of my favorite days on our blog, and I can objectively say that because I have never had a hand in picking the pictures or writing the captions.

In fact, I was at a conference in Boston when one of our blog writers extraordinaire picked this picture and posted it along with a captioning contest. Truly, I snorted out loud — in the middle of a workshop — when I opened my laptop and saw the pic of the day.

Kudos to our own Steve Case (physical sciences professor) who we declared the winner, and offered ONU merchandise to, BEFORE we knew his identity.

Stay tuned for more caption contests in the near future!

Heather (Quimby) Day '02 is the director of marketing communications for Olivet Nazarene University and serves as the editor for The Olivetian, http://www.olivet.edu/, Alumni & Friends E-news and Tiger Bytes.

Editor’s Choice: October 2009

For as long as I can remember, I have always referred to fall as my favorite time of the year. Colorful foliage. Pumpkin patches. Gathering with friends and loved ones around a campfire while sipping hot apple cider or warm cocoa.

I tried to remind myself of all these things today as the high speed winds whipped my umbrella inside out, leaving me drenched in the midst of the driving rain. Ah, autumn in Chicago. There’s nothing quite like it.

On the other hand, the rain did give me a good excuse to stay inside and catch up on my online reading. Here are three of my favorite online features from the month of October:

We are what we eat
Guest feature by Dr. Bethany Mills, as featured on Tiger Bytes

What I love about Bethany is that she is an incredibly sweet person, but also not afraid to tell it like it is. In this article about healthy eating, she uses purple monkeys as an example of why if you really want to lose weight, you should start by eating the pie.

ONU students take part in reinstating vital grant funding
As featured on olivet.edu

OK, I know what you’re thinking. Anything that includes “grant funding” in the title is probably not qualified to make it on list of interesting reads.

But here’s what I thought was so cool about this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that I should sign a petition or contact my local senator as the solution to a major issue. Too often, I’ve internally rolled my eyes, dismissing this as wasted effort. This story succinctly shows just how wrong I’ve been, and illustrates the power of banding together.

All the answers, part 3

By Raechel Myers ’05, as featured on her blog, “Finding my feet”

It was by chance that I stumbled upon this article after one of my co-workers pointed me to one of Raechel’s earlier, laugh out posts, “What’s a Mama to do?” (which, you should also read, by the way.)

Having read about some of her heart-breaking trials from the past year-and-a-half, I was deeply moved by Raechel’s response to a reader’s question: “How do you stay so strong in your faith?” With complete candor, she beautifully describes the hope we have as Christians.

Heather (Quimby) Day '02 is the director of marketing communications for Olivet Nazarene University and serves as the editor for The Olivetian, www.olivet.edu, Alumni & Friends E-news and Tiger Bytes.

Editor’s Choice: September 2009

It’s been a busy day on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University! Today, we had the pleasure of welcoming two very different groups of visitors: Red Carpet Day attendees (high school sophomores, juniors and seniors) and guests for Prime Time Day.

Red Carpet Day-ers are always bursting with energy as they experience campus life and college classes for the very first time. I remember feeling the same way — though it seems like ions ago — when as a senior in high school, I snuggled up in my sleeping bag on a freshman girl’s dorm room floor. I don’t think I slept a wink that night; I was so excited about coming to ONU as a student the next year.

Today, as I greeted senior citizens for Prime Time Day, it struck me that they had the same giddiness about them. Time and again, they told me how excited they were to be visiting the ONU campus. One woman told me how much she’d loved the place since she attended in the 1950s.

How interesting it was to experience excitement at both ends of the spectrum. One group was giddy because of the possibilities. The other, because of all the memories.

It just made me all the more thankful to be somewhere in the middle — treasuring what has been and looking forward to what is to come.

Here are some of my favorite online features from the month of September:

ONU Expert: Director of Academic Support
As featured in the September edition of Alumni & Friends E-news

This interview with Dr. Sue Rattin, director of academic support, is chock-full of practical tips for parents of college students. From preparing your child for effective time management, to dealing with the emotions of an empty nest, the insight from this educator and mother of two is a must read for parents who have — or ever will have — students attending college.

Does the novel have a future in an electronic age?

Guest feature by Joseph Bentz on Tiger Bytes

Sure, I’d heard of electronic reading devices for books. However, it had never once occurred to me that novels could, or should, become truly interactive experiences. In an age bombarded by Twitter, Facebook and Ritalin, Bentz proposes intriguing implications for the evolution of the written word.

Common Green Sense
Guest feature by Craig Manes on Tiger Bytes

Ok, I admit it. I want to be “green,” but with the exception of a few canvas shopping bags in the back of my minivan, I haven’t quite gotten around to making it a priority. Maybe some of you can identify.

In this fun read, Manes shares what compelled him to start caring, and offers the rest of us manageable baby steps toward becoming environmentally friendly.

Olivet Medicine Ball Shots
As featured at Ollies Follies 2009

On an otherwise normal day last April, I saw the Olivet Pong video for the very first time. (If you haven’t seen it yet, click here .)

Produced by four fun-loving students without any video editing experience, that hilarious/impressive short film went on to become a YouTube hit, with nearly half a million views. It was also featured on sportsillustrated.com, nytimes.com, and a half-a-dozen other sites.

Any good video deserves a sequel, and this time, the A-Team rose to the occasion. Their video isn’t quite as … well… impressive. But it is funny. And it just goes to show what a cool group of administrators, faculty and staff we have calling the shots – pong, medicine ball or otherwise — at ONU.

Heather (Quimby) Day '02 is the director of marketing communications for Olivet Nazarene University and serves as the editor for The Olivetian, www.olivet.edu, Alumni & Friends E-news and Tiger Bytes.

Editor's Choice: August 2009

In the last week-and-a-half, the campus of Olivet has taken on a completely different energy. I have to say, I love it!

People often ask me if things slow down for the Office of Marketing Communications during the summer break. The honest answer is “no,” we keep just as busy while the students are gone — sometimes we're even busier.

That said, it’s completely different when the students are not here. It feels like something is missing, like we are in a holding pattern until their cars start pulling back on to campus, packed to overflowing with dorm room decorations and school supplies. Now that the school year is officially underway, it feels like everything is as it should be. We can all get back to our most wonderful business as usual.

Welcome back, students! I’ve missed you.

Here are a few of my favorite online features from the month of August:

Five on Friday: Sandy Begley

As featured on Tiger Bytes

I have the distinct pleasure of getting to know so many incredible men and women who work behind the scenes at ONU. Sandy Begley is one of the coolest among them, and we were thrilled to feature her in our weekly “Five on Friday.”

Being a proud grandmother to three doesn’t stop Sandy from trying out the latest gadgets and gizmos. She is an inspiration to us all, defining what it means to be a godly woman who sees every day as an opportunity for adventure.

Three ways to safeguard your marriage
As featured on Tiger Bytes

What does it take for a marriage to survive in the midst of a divorce-plagued society? Dr. Kent Olney proposes three keys: devotion, practice and avoidance.

Written by one of my all-time favorite professors, this article is a must-read for husbands and wives seeking practical tips for enriching and preserving marital bliss.

What’s ONU?
The new admissions site found at http://www.seewhatsonu.com/

ROTC cadets living in a boot? Dr. Bowling popping up and waving out of the top of Burke? Chap Daddy cruising down University Ave. on his motorcycle? This new site produced by the Office of Admissions cracks me up just looking at it.

Beyond the silliness, though, this new site designed for prospective students is a wealth of information for future Olivetians and their parents.

How many baseballs?
As featured on http://www.olivet.edu/w.olivet.edu/ and in the August edition of Alumni & Friends E-news

I suppose my draw to this story is partly due to my own personal experience with collector mania. It’s nice to know there are other wives out there who have given up an entire room of the house to sports memorabilia (thanks, honey!).

But besides that, I found this tale of Byron Buker and his love for all things baseball to be particularly endearing. To him, the massive collection of baseballs, cards and other items is more than just a mass of items collecting dust on the shelf. Each piece carries with it a memory and a story.

Pictures of First Chapel
As featured on Flickr

It was an amazing feeling to be a part of opening chapel on the first day of classes.

With an undergraduate student body of approximately 2,500, we have surpassed the point where the students, faculty and staff can gather together as one community in Chalfant Hall. So for the past few years, the first two chapels of the year have been held in McHie Arena. Then, for the remainder of the year, the students are split up on a rotating schedule to attend two of the three weekly services held in Chalfant.

On that day, I arrived about 10 minutes before the service began, and the arena was filling in quickly. As 9:35 rolled around, students were still pouring in, trying to find seats. When all was said and done, there were several of them who had to stand without seats in the track above, because there was simply no room.

What an incredible thing to observe such a sea of potential gathered in one place! What incredible emotion was evoked as thousands of voices raised together in united praise to our Maker!

Yes, it was an awesome experience. And it made me that much more excited about the not-so-far-off day when we will be able to gather together on a weekly basis, under one roof, with enough seats for EVERY student, because of the construction of Centennial Chapel.

Heather (Quimby) Day '02 is the director of marketing communications for Olivet Nazarene University and serves as the editor for The Olivetian, www.olivet.edu, Alumni & Friends E-news and Tiger Bytes.

Editor's Choice: July 2009

After a relatively quiet month, there’s a buzz of excitement on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University today. The Chicago Bears have officially moved in, and the first practice of pre-season training camp is this afternoon at 3:00.

What’s my role in it all? Mostly, to stay inside and keep the marketing projects rolling. Sigh…

At least there are plenty of great online features to enjoy from the comfort of my office chair. Here are some of my favorites from the month of July:

Holy Spirit leads at General Assembly
As featured on http://www.olivet.edu/

The months leading up to General Assembly were filled with meeting after meeting to plan and finalize details for Olivet’s trip to Orlando. So after all that preparation, I thought I knew exactly what I was getting into.

Boy was I wrong.

The Holy Spirit moved throughout our plans and agendas to create an unforgettable assembly we won’t soon forget. This article by Kate Morgan sums up the experience quite nicely.

And make sure not to miss the link in this article for the spontaneous celebration of Eugenio Duarte’s historic election to the position of general superintendent. It was an incredible moment for the Church of the Nazarene and touched all of us at Olivet very deeply.

Read the story

50 states. 50 races.
As featured on http://www.olivet.edu/ and in the upcoming August issue of Alumni & Friends E-news

I’ve read this article by Casey Manes a few times now, and I go back and forth on my feelings about Kelly’s goal to run 50 half-marathons in 50 states. Partly, I think it’s crazy. But more than that, I think it’s incredibly cool.

If a self-proclaimed non-runner can pull this off, surely I can go on a quick jog around my neighborhood.

Kudos, Kelly! You’re an inspiration to us all.

Read the story


Faculty Changes
As featured on YouTube

Ok, so admittedly this video is slightly old, as online videos go. But I didn’t discover it until July 1 and then simply couldn’t resist putting it on my list.

Featuring an Oscar-worthy performance by theatre professor Jerry Cohagen, as well as several all-star faculty cameos, this video will have you laughing from the moment you click “play.” It was produced by Cohagen and fellow Communication professor Mark Bishop for an ONU faculty meeting that took place shortly after Dr. Gregg Chenoweth was named the new dean of academic affairs.

Watch the video

The future of Olivet
As featured in Olivet’s “General Assembly” collection on Flickr

Between the Alumni & Friends breakfast and the Olivet booth in the exhibition hall, we had the pleasure of interacting with thousands of alumni, friends, and future ONU students while at General Assembly in Orlando.

Of course, it goes without saying that some were a bit cuter than others. There were tons of adorable photos, but here are a few of my favorites:

Did I miss something?
Editor’s choice is made up of online stories, videos, pictures and more created by ONU students, faculty, staff and alumni. Tell us your favorites from July in the “Comments” section, or e-mail me at hday@olivet.edu to make a recommendation for next month.

Heather (Quimby) Day '02 is the director of marketing communications for Olivet Nazarene University and serves as the editor for The Olivetian, www.olivet.edu, Alumni & Friends E-news and Tiger Bytes.

Editor’s Choice: June 2009

By Heather Day

Whew! As I write this first monthly edition of “Editor’s Choice,” I’m standing in hot and sweaty Orlando for the 27th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene. Boy, it feels good to enjoy some AC for a few minutes!

I’ve met some incredible people while I’ve been down here, and I can’t wait to share some of their stories with you soon on www.olivet.edu and in upcoming issues of The Olivetian.

In the mean time, here are some of my favorite features from the month of June:

With God at the Center
As featured in the summer “Olivet at General Assembly” edition of The Olivetian

I first met Kelly Brillhart ’09 when she was working as a student ambassador on the second floor of Burke Administration Building. A sweet, attractive and always-smiling girl, she never once struck me as the kind of person who had overcome struggles with self-image, eating issues and alcohol.

In this beautifully transparent story, Kelly gives a firsthand account of how she tried to fill her life with all the wrong things — only to realize it was Christ who was missing all along.

And while you’re flipping to Kelly’s story (pg. 10), make sure to check out the beautiful photography in this issue of The Olivetian. These photos, mostly taken by adjunct photography professor and Image Group owner Bill Jurevich, are some of my favorite we’ve ever published.

Read this story


Surprise Delivery
As featured on www.olivet.edu and in the July edition of Alumni & Friends E-news

As the mother of a toddler, I’ve heard my fair share of labor stories — but I’ve never heard one quite like this! Only Charryse (Blom) Brooks ’04 and husband Tim ’03/MA ’05 had their tale deemed worthy of the Cincinnati Enquirer’s “Story of the Year,” and only Charryse and Tim can affectionately refer to daughter Mackenzie as the Driveway Baby.

Read this story


Miracle Drugs
As featured on reaganiscold.blogspot.com

A friend told me about this ongoing blog called “Into the Wild” by Reagan Taylor ’09, who is spending the summer as a camp counselor in Echo Ranch Bible Camp in Auke Bay, Alaska.

I found this particular post about praising God through the drudgery both amusing and insightful. Plus, I learned a delightful new ditty about squirrels.

Read the blog


Maria
As featured on YouTube

When casting directors first called Chad Hilligus ’03 to see if he’d be interested in being part of the 50th Anniversary World Tour of West Side Story, he was in the middle of rehearsals for a show in San Diego — so he auditioned via video. This rendition of “Maria” is what ultimately landed him the role of Tony.

Watch the video

Heather Day is Olivet’s director of marketing communications and serves as editor of The Olivetian, www.olivet.edu, Alumni & Friends E-News and Tiger Bytes.