LETU Alumni Conversations

Join us as we sit down with two recent graduates, Deborah Osomo ('17) and Caroline Pop ('20), to talk about their memories from LeTourneau's Teacher Education program and their stories since graduating. We are excited to have Dr. Kathy Stephens, former Department Chair and Professor of Teacher Education, joining us for this conversation!

Links:

Find out about LeTourneau's Teacher Education program here: www.letu.edu/education

Deborah Osomo's "The Purposeful Educator" Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-mVnVSO73nIGz12yZ7YZAg 

This week is a special look at the pilots and maintenance crew who serve our US Presidents and their staff.  We're joined by Todd DeGroot ('86) and Imie Mark ('00).  Both DeGroot and Mark served in the United States Air Force following their time at LeTourneau University.  Eventually, both were stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, where they served with the 89th Airlift Wing - the squadron that serves the office of the President of the United States.  DeGroot flew Air Force Two during the Bush and Obama presidencies, while Imie served as a maintenance lead for Air Force One under President Obama.  

Joining us this week is David Tesser ('95), Assistant Professor of Applied Aviation Science here at LeTourneau University..

Today, Todd DeGroot serves as a B-757 Captain and Fleet Technical Pilot for Fedex.  Imie Mark and his family just returned from a four year assignment in Papua New Guinea, where Imie served as Maintenance Controller and Deputy CEO of the aviation program for Ethnos 360.  Currently, the family is on furlough in the United States and Imie is serving as an adjunct instructor in LeTourneau University's aviation program.

Links & Resources:

Find out more about LeTourneau University's Aviation program: www.letu.edu/aviation

Find out more about aviation careers with Fedex here: https://careers.fedex.com/fedex/jobs?keywords=aviation&page=1

Find out more about Ethnos 360 here: https://ethnos360.org/

View video of this conversation here: https://fb.watch/1Av4cx0JCj/ 

Today, two recent alumni - Tamara Birasa ('17) and Charity Mutesi ('17) - join us from their homes in Rwanda to talk about their time at LeTourneau, their stories since graduation, and to hear from them about faith and ingenuity in Rwanda.  Tamara, an Aviation Management graduate, works as a Corporate and Strategic Planning Analyst for RwandAir, the national airline of Rwanda.  Charity, an International Business graduate, worked for a non-profit in the United States immediately after graduation.  She then returned to Rwanda, where she started a retail business in home appliances.  She is currently finishing up a Masters in Leadership and Organizational Management. 

Sarah Epling, the Director of Intercultural Engagement & Development in our Office of Global Initiatives, joins Daniel Ostendorff, a member of our Alumni Relations team, for today's conversation.

Note: Apologies for the poor audio in portions of our conversation.  

Find out more about studying at LeTourneau University as an international student - including the admissions process - by clicking here.

Listen in as we sit down with this year's Missionaries in Residence (MIR) - Jonathan ('90) and Becky ('92) Woodworth - and last year's MIRs - Steve ('95) and Becky ('95) Cochrane - to talk about LeTourneau's MIR program, the important role it plays on campus, and their own stories of how God took them into the mission field in Africa and Alaska, and the impact of their time at LeTourneau.

NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, some of the audio early in the conversation is not clear.  We were able to fix this shortly into the conversation.  Our apologies for the inconvenience.

Find out more about Straight Up Missions here: https://straightupmissions.com/

Find out more about Echo Ranch Bible Camp here: https://echoranch.org/index.html

Catch-up on past conversations with our amazing alumni!

View video here: www.facebook.com/LETUAlumni/videos

In today's episode, we sit down with Bill Kennedy ('85, Industrial Management), President/CEO of the San Franciscan Roaster Co. and Vincent Purvis ('12, Business Marketing), co-founder and co-owner of Silver Grizzly Espresso, to talk about their time at LeTourneau and the challenges and opportunities of taking on a dying business and launching a new business in the specialty coffee industry.  

Resources:

Click here to find out more about studying Business at LeTourneau University.

Click here to learn about the Entrepreneurial Experience at LeTourneau University.

Find out more about how the work the new LeTourneau University Foundation is doing to help alumni with their legacy and estate planning in a way that reflects their faith and commitments.

Click here to sign-up for news and upcoming events connected to our 75th Anniversary and Homecoming & Family Weekend 2021.

Purchase tickets for the Sandi Patty concert at Homecoming & Family Weekend 2021 by clicking here.

Listen and subscribe to the Snapshots podcast, where LeTourneau faculty share their journey's of faith and about their time at LeTourneau by clicking here.

View the video of this conversation on our LETU Alumni Facebook page by clicking here.

Join us as we talk with Sam Skielnik ('87), Field and Launch Support at Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Misty Pearson ('08), Mockup Manager in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA, about their experience working in the space industry - from space propulsion to the International Space Station, from powering rockets to training astronauts! Norman Reese, a 1991 alumn, former NASA employee, and current Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering here at LeTourneau University, join us as co-host for this conversation.

Find out more about studying Engineering at LeTourneau University here: www.letu.edu/engineering

View the video of this conversation on our LETU Alumni Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/LETUAlumni/329356581547873/ 

Resources:

Sign-up for news and upcoming events connected to our 75th Anniversary and Homecoming & Family Weekend 2021 at www.letu.edu/homecoming 

Checkout this article about about Nelson Bates ('64) work on the Apollo missions and Kieth Splawn's ('97) work on space suits in the Fall 2019 NOW Magazine: https://issuu.com/letourneauuniversity/docs/now_mag_fall_19_-_singles/12

View the videos of last year's Apollo Missions 50th Anniversary event at LeTourneau University here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/249092325121870/910699175981428

Join us as we talk with Eva Stephens and Andrew Mitchell, two 2018 Nursing graduates, who are currently working in a COVID ICU unit in Alabama and ER in Texas. We are excited to have Alecia Spurlin, a senior Nursing student at LeTourneau University, join us as a co-host. #LetourneauBuilt

LeTourneau University is home to an incredible Nursing program, with a 100% NCLEX pass rate three years in a row! Find out more at www.letu.edu/nursing

View the video of this conversation on our LETU Alumni Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/LETUAlumni/329356581547873/

From fresh cut flowers to machine cut PPE, we are so excited to get to talk with Sarah Jo Eversole (2004, founder and florist at Everbloomfields.com) and Jonathan Palmer (2007, owner and CEO of Autometrix.com) to hear how the COVID-19 pandemic has created opportunities to serve their customers and their communities in new ways. Join us for a great conversation this Thursday!

Find out more about Everbloom Fields at www.everbloomfields.com and follow "EverbloomFields" on Instagram.

Learn more about the work Autometrix is doing and download the PPE design files at www.autometrix.com.

View the video of this conversation on our LETU Alumni Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/LETUAlumni/329356581547873/

Join us as we talk with Michael Gaines Jr. ('08) and Dr. Josh Wymore ('08) about the career search - from your first job to a mid-career pivot.  Co-hosted by Dr. Rachel Olshine Frazier, the Director of Career Services, and Dr. Daniel Ostendorff, Alumni Relations Officer and Associate Professor of History at LeTourneau University. #LeTourneauBuilt

View the original Facebook Live video of this conversation here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/LETUAlumni/329356581547873/

Find out more about today's guests:

Michael Gaines Jr. (LinkedIn), The Voice of NOV's Podcast: https://www.nov.com/about/nov-today-podcast

Dr. Josh Wymore (LinkedIn): https://www.joshwymore.com/