Building bonds and transforming lives
Dr. Vern Wesley ministers to students in higher education while staying connected to his alma mater.
By Sarah A. Moser
MNU is much more than just an educational institution; it's a place where stories unfold, careers take shape, and lifelong bonds are forged. Dr. Vernon Wesley (’86), a professor at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Mass., and a member of the MNU Alumni Council, is a testament to the profound impact MNU can have on a person's life.
Just out of high school in Omaha, Neb., Vern joined the Army. During that time, he was saved at a Nazarene church in Puyallup, Wash. He knew the Army wasn’t a lifelong career choice for him, so he tagged along with the church’s youth group on a college visit to a nearby Nazarene university. That began the flow of letters recruiting him to various schools, but one stood out above them all: the MidAmerica Nazarene University recruiter included a personal note talking about him being from Nebraska and mentioning how close MNU was to his hometown.
“That personal touch caught my eye, got my attention, so sight unseen I decided to go to MidAmerica,” says Vern. “That note from Paul Clem made all the difference.”
Vern got out of the Army in June of 1982 and stepped foot onto the MidAmerica campus that fall.
Transformational moments
On his way to MNU, Vern had to stop at Fort Leavenworth to check in as an Army reservist. “That detour took me to campus the back way in and I got a little turned around,” he says. “I still remember coming onto campus, driving down the hill and seeing the open campus and circle drive. The first thing I noticed was there were lots of families, as I came in by myself. It was a weird yet very welcoming feeling. Everyone was friendly and eager to help.”
Vern made Lanpher Hall his home for the next several years, as he got his degree and lived in the dorms as an RA for a few years. “During this time, I felt like I was being called to ministry,” says Vern. “I stayed on that track all the way through until I went to seminary and things started to shift. I think I needed that to build a foundation as a still new Christian. That time in school helped me establish my foundation not only as a Christian but a foundation in the church of the Nazarene. I got a good grasp of this church I had just become a member of.”
Olathe became his home for the next 24 years. After undergraduate school and seminary, Vern took a job working at MNU as a Resident Educator, then director of housing. “During this time, my heart shifted away from the dream of chaplaincy to that of higher education,” he says. “I realized that the ministry I was involved in at MNU as an RE was what I wanted to do.”
Soon after, Dr. Corlis McGee, former Academic Dean at MNU, became President at Eastern Nazarene College in Massachusetts and invited him to serve as the school’s Vice President for Student Development, a role he did for the next six years while finishing his doctorate in higher education administration. Next, he began teaching in the Master’s of Higher Education program, where he now is an adjunct professor of Adult and Graduate Studies.
Vern’s story is not typical and didn’t follow the usual path, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I had a unique experience at MNU,” he says. “People don’t typically stay at the school they attended for 24 years. But for me, MNU and Olathe will always be home. A lot of my friends and acquaintances stem from those 24 years and that helps endear me to that place.”
In fact, Vern met his wife, Ribka (Tariku ’03), at MNU. He typed up her I-20, a document for international students, as part of his Admissions job. The two met at a party welcoming international students; Ribka had just arrived from Ethiopia. Ribka pursued a nursing degree, and today, she's a nurse manager for an endoscopy outpatient clinic.
Dr. Wesley's story emphasizes the value of forming relationships. His roles as a resident assistant and resident educator and later as director of housing were enriched by the connections he nurtured with faculty, staff, and fellow students. His advice to current students and recent graduates: “Get involved! Live the experience of being a college student as much as you can,” he says. “And for new graduates, know that it’s important to give back to your alma mater. It’s where you make friends, got your education, and formed who you are. You never know who you will meet and how you can help each other along your journey, so get involved as much as you can and stay connected to your alma mater.”
Vern practices just that as the Immediate Past President of the MNU Alumni Council, where he has served for four years. “Don’t discount your experience, whether good or bad, at your alma mater,” he says. “Many good things can come out of reconnecting with your school. If you haven’t come back to a homecoming, make it a bucket list to come back for at least one. We are all getting older, life changes, things happen, so make the best of what you’re given and be thankful for it all.”