If you are an alumnus of the Department, we want to hear from you! Please take a minute to write a quick note telling us what you're up to these days! Send it to the Department of History, Politics and Society, La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, CA 92515.

* Please note that the information provided below represents the most recent data that we have available to us, some of it dating back to the mid-1990’s. This will be updated in the near future.

Marilyn Fagal Thomsen (BA 1974; MA History 1976): "I am director of communication at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. I do media relations, edit Fuller Focus Magazine, manage the seminary's web site, and direct a department with five and a half (F.T.E.) employees that produces 400 publication projects a year. My second book, Wedgewood: Their Music, Their Journey, was published in February of 1996 by Pacific Press. Articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Healthcare Forum, Public Relations Journal Women of Spirit, Liberty, Signs, and "Points to Ponder" in Reader's Digest. I live in Los Angeles with my husband, Calvin (LSU BA 1975), and two children, Stephen (ten) and Julianne (seven). Calvin is senior pastor of the Vallejo Drive Church in Glendale." 

(William) Douglas Steinman (BA 1973): "I studied medicine at LLU, graduated in 1979, and married LLU-SM classmate Beverly Way, a graduate of Pacific Union College (1976). We took residencies in family practice at Hinsdale Hospital in Illinois, followed by five years of mission service in Guam. After returning to the states in 1988, we worked for FHP in Utah until October 1994 when we made our last and final move to the Grants Pass, Oregon area. We both work part-time in the local urgent care clinic and devote the rest of our energies to raising our two sons, Brandon (ten) and Eric (eight), as well as "farming," sailing, and other various outdoor recreations." 

Warren L. Fish (BA 1956): "In October of 1995 I retired from my OB-GYN practice here in La Grande, Oregon. My wife Gerda and I greatly enjoyed our last reunion at La Sierra University, especially seeing our classmates and friends. I am still assisting in surgery, and both Gerda and I enjoy traveling, walking, reading (history, of course!). I am especially enjoying a good night's sleep for the first time in a long time." 

Jim Zackrison (BA 1980,1985 [?]): "I am now a visiting fellow to the Americas Division of the Institute for National Strategic Studies of National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. My wife, Leila (Haddad), '82, is director of the Bone Health Diagnostics Center, and owns two rheumatology practices. My son, Erik, is in kindergarten." 

Dr. Dan Harris, Jr. (BA 1965): "I am currently living in Redding, CA, with my wife, Harri Joan. She received her MA from LLU in 1965 and works as a consulting dietitian. I am the Northern California branch manager for the Combined Insurance Company, a division of AON Corp., which provides health and disability coverage." 

Richard W. Ludders (BA 1962): "Heidi and I have been serving as missionaries on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the past six years. We recently accepted a call to transfer to the Saipan Adventist Clinic, where we plan to continue our work in the field of dentistry." 

Joel Sandefur (BA 1994): Joel is currently studying law at the University of Virginia. He reports that his classes are interesting and challenging, and he is also enjoying the friendly and laid-back atmosphere at his law school. 

Roger Steppe, Jr. (BA 1982): "Greetings from Merced, California, to my professors and mentors. Kindest regards to Dr. F. Hoyt and Dr. Dehner Ross. I am completing my seventh year as president and developer of Auberry Rehabilitation Hospital in Atwater, CA. Since 1983 I have purchased six health care facilities and achieved ownership of an 82-bed Rehabilitation Hospital Outpatient Center. I have also received full National Accreditation for Acute Levels of CARE." 

Lee and Jackie Meadowcroft (BA 1991,1992): "Iackie and I are still happily married and recently celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. We both feel a strong connection to the History Department in that we are both alumni and were married by former professor Dr. Ron Graybill (with no fewer than two other history alumni in the wedding). Currently, we are on leave from our professions to travel and teach English throughout Asia. Jackie finished her MA in 1995 and has been a high school histoiy teacher in the Oregon Public School system for three years. I finished my JD in 1994 and worked in law this past year." 

James Nix (BA 1969): "After 21 years at LLU, most if it being charge of the Heritage Room and Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office, I transferred to the White Estate's main office at the General Conference in 1993. Shortly after arriving at the G.C. I was made a member of the G.C.'s and N.A.D.'s Sesquicentennial Committees planning the denomination's 150th anniversary of 1844 commemoration activities. I chaired the planning committee for the large commemoration weekend of October 22, 1994 at the William Miller farm. I also chaired the planning committee for the 140th anniversary weekend at Battle Creek in 1995. Throughout 1994 I wrote a weekly column about the Millerites for the Adventist Review. My book, Early Adventist Singing was also published in 1994. From 1991- 1995 I served as president of Adventist Heritage Ministry, an organization that buys and restores historic Adventist sites. I also contributed to the 1996 revision of the SDA Encyclopedia. At the 1996 Spring Meeting of the General Conference Committee it was voted to ask the Ellen G. White Estate to become the official preserver, promoter, and nurturer of SDA history for the G.C. I have been assigned to oversee that project. In so doing I am currently helping to organize the White Estate's new Heritage Awareness office that is to be established effective on or about January 1, 1997." 

David Pendleton (BA 1989) was elected on November 5,1996, to the Hawaii State House. He will represent the state's fiftieth district, which includes Kailua and Kaneohe. David's ascendency into Hawaiian politics follows his completion of a J.D. at USC, and a short stint as La Sierra University's Dean of Students. 

Christian Johnston (BA 1995) is presently a second-year law student at Pepperdine University. 

Leslie Reeves (BA 1995) is presently in the first year of a master's program in history at California State University, Chico. 

Alison Rice (BA 1996) is currently in the first year of a doctoral program in comparative literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Alison spent the summer of 1996 at the University of Notre Dame in a Pew Younger Scholars Program.