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Brookabella, Staff Writer | November 12, 2026
Cool Shows and New Roles
Creativity, leadership and humility are all words that any organization aims to have, but one department on campus has made some exciting changes to structure itself around those three words
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GO Week is a Go!
By Brookabella Horner, Staff Writer
As the autumn winds bring the change of season to MVNU, Spiritual Life also introduced a new change in chapel: GO Week. GO Week was the latest type of week-long chapel event that covered a large variety of mission work topics and invited students to take up the great commission given in Matthew.
This new focus week in chapel and beyond challenged and encouraged students to participate in local ministries as well as ones that require some traveling. Riley Shaw, a senior, noted, “This week has been such a great way to hear real life experiences from pastors and people who have made that great step into the unknown to reach souls for Christ.”
Through GO Week, students were able to get acquainted with the idea that their ministry doesn’t need to stay in their own backyard, and that sometimes being uncomfortable with their calling is exactly why they have that calling in the first place.
“I somehow feel like I have been nudged this week to go and do some form of ministry I’ve never felt led to before; and although it’s a big step, it’s one I feel can push me in ways I’ve been needing,” Shaw said after GO Week wrapped up.
While some students feel an exciting rush of motivation to chase the mission life, one student felt that GO Week advocated for leaving the United States and not working on the body of Christ in their own walls. “Being in chapel this week has made me think about all of the churches and organizations here that need refining,” stated the anonymous student. “It almost feels too risky and problematic … we need to work on what’s going on here before we tackle everything else out there.”
Although mission work can feel equally exciting and dangerous, MVNU considers letting others know about the word of the Savior to be of extreme importance, both here in the U.S. and around the world, and encourages students to find out the ways they’re being called to ministry, wherever that may take them.
Cool Shows and New Roles
By: Brookabella, Staff Writer
Creativity, leadership and humility are all words that any organization aims to have, but one department on campus has made some exciting changes to structure itself around those three words. The MVNU theater department has added new leadership roles that push students and staff to make each rehearsal, prop building day and performance encourage and foster Christ-like qualities.
Senior Destini Rose, the theater department's social media manager, claims that the addition of a certain role has shifted focus in a great way. “There has been a great effort to include Christ in the center of our fun this year! We now have a chaplain [Kate Carter] as a part of our leadership team to help keep us accountable for this effort.” Not only has the theater department added a chaplain, but they also hired alumni and former actor Zane Menzie as a director for shows.
“The changes that I’ve seen this year are interesting,” Menzie said, reflecting on his time as director. “As we have graduated a ton of leaders, it has required new people to step up into the leadership roles which has been super cool to see.”
It seems Menzie has been an immense help to the theater program as well as an inspiration for new and returning students. One student involved in theater remarked that “Zane has made rehearsals and practicing seem much more lively” and that “hiring Zane for the position as a director has been one of the greatest things to happen to MVNU theater.”
While MVNU theater has been experiencing many positive changes, they also are experiencing some challenges that can make it difficult to make each performance better than the last. Current challenges include limited work space, a small publicity platform and the moving of a small costume closet. Rose stated, “Right now we are left to our own devices… students building sets, lighting cues, sound system set up—everything.”
Through wins and woes, ups and downs, one thing can surely be said about the theater department: they are creative in finding new ways to turn an old stage into a place where people from all over can come and be immersed in a world like they’ve never experienced before.
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An On-Air Legacy: WNZR Reaches 40 Years
By Olivia Skillings, Staff Writer
WNZR radio is celebrating 40 years of radio ministry this year, Oct. 1, marking four decades of providing listeners with encouraging Christian music and messages. Since 1986, WNZR has
spread God’s Word through the airwaves and through interacting with Knox County communities.
The dream for a college radio station on the campus of Mount Vernon Nazarene College began in 1982. The college submitted an application to the FCC for a broadcast license, which was approved four years later, allowing WNZR to officially go on the air on Oct. 1.
The effort to bring this dream to life was led by Dr. Henry Smith, WNZR’s first station manager.
He exclaimed that he is “proud to see WNZR keep the faith and keep it alive over time because
things don’t just get done on their own. It takes people with passion to work.” He specifically
mentioned Joe and Marcy Rinehart as being champions for the passion that drives WNZR and
praised them for how they have “caught the vision.”
Dr. Smith also stated the importance of students learning about broadcasting while studying
communication. He explained that WNZR doesn’t just impact its listeners; it greatly impacts
MVNU’s communication students.
The passion to serve others through radio ministry has been passed down through staff and
students for four decades. Current student Brock Hankins had this to say about the anniversary:
“Growing up, WNZR was the station my family and I listened to, and it played a huge role in
inspiring me to pursue an education in radio. I’m so honored to be a part of this radio ministry
and can’t wait to celebrate 40 years!”
Current staff and students held WNZR’s 40th Year Anniversary Celebration on Oct. 1 with
listeners, community members, friends and family. The celebration included a WNZR museum,
photo booth, dinner, Round Hill Dairy ice cream and many more activities.
For 40 years, WNZR has carried on the passion for radio ministry that began so many years ago, committing itself to sharing God’s word with the community and preparing the next generation of media professionals.
Generative AI Use on Campus Prompts Student Concerns
By Daniel Russell, Staff Writer and Zoey Hover, Editor
With the growing use of generative AI for promotional material like social media posts and posters on campus, some students—particularly graphic design majors—are beginning to raise concerns. With the rise of AI technology in the past several years, MVNU introduced a policy for classes to limit the use of AI in classrooms except in certain situations; but this policy did not carry over to non-class-related content, allowing for this increase in AI promotional material.
“I feel equally parts frustrated and saddened by seeing it on campus,” Will Clark, one of MVNU’s graphic design majors, stated, and described AI as “unappealing, lazy, derivative [unoriginal; copied from other material] and ultimately dishonest.”
In a similar vein, Ryan Satterfield, another graphic design major, said she reconsiders attending events that use generative AI for marketing. She stated, “It makes me, like, not want to like have any part in that if I can tell it's obviously been AI-made and there’s no personal input to it.”
Clark and Satterfield are not alone in their sentiments about generative AI use in creative work and marketing. According to a 2026 study from Rival Technologies, a research software company, “74% of Gen Z react negatively when they realize a brand’s marketing was made with AI, and only 8% react positively.” Similarly, a 2025 Pew Research Center study concluded that “Younger Americans are far more likely to have a negative reaction to finding out a song or painting [creative work] was done by AI and not a human.”
“I would always encourage accounts to be authentic and human when possible,” stated Dana Petitt, MVNU’s Social Media and Digital Content Manager, who does not use AI in any of the social media accounts she manages. While she does not personally believe in using AI and said she cannot fully attest to the reasons behind using it, she said that she thinks that those who do utilize it do so because “it’s quick if they don’t feel confident in their design capabilities.”
Rather than turning to AI, Clarke encouraged those who want to design something to “ask a graphic design major or an art major to assist. Even if they can’t do it themself, I’m sure they’d be willing to give tips to help however they could.”
Petitt said that though AI’s “polarizing” nature has sparked conversation on campus, there is no official policy addressing its use in promotional materials like posters or social posts, and currently no “extensive talks about an overarching policy for social media and AI use.”
Pettit also said that she believes AI can have its place in areas like “analytics” and “graphic design copywriting,” and Satterfield said she is not entirely against its use either. “Graphic designers now use AI as a tool for that [generating ideas] and other things, and it can be helpful to us. It’s just without regulations and everything it can be a problem,” Satterfield stated. “I think with regulations on it, it would be a lot less scary.”
Editor’s Note: The Lakeholm Viewer’s goal as a campus organization and news source is to remain fair, balanced and objective. During the process of writing this story, the staff writer attempted to interview sources who have used or are using AI, but we either received no response from these sources, or the sources declined to comment.
To Learn and to Serve: Education and Relationships Blossom in the CSS
By Zoey Hover, Editor
This fall semester, the Center for Student Success (CSS) welcomed multiple new staff members and broadened its services with the addition of a new kind of tutoring, opening the doors to exciting new relationship and education opportunities for students to take advantage of.
The CSS, found in the midst of the Thorne Library’s vibrant and energetic atmosphere, is home to a wide variety of services, from one-on-one tutoring sessions to group Supplemental Instruction sessions, and the many tutors, coaches and mentors seeking to help students make it through the ups and downs of the college journey as smoothly as possible. Among these individuals are the CSS’s three new student success coaches – Macyn Hanzie, Marissa Hamilton and Timothy Elder.
Hanzie explained that student success coaches meet with many students “one-on-one” and assist them not just academically but spiritually, mentally and emotionally. “I first and foremost just love it to be a space where they [students] can confide in me and trust me and then the rest really follows… Truly, once all of us as coaches get to make a connection with someone, there’s always something good that comes out of that.”
Hanzie, who also serves as MVNU’s assistant women’s basketball coach and formerly worked as a middle school Bible teacher, said she enjoys her new role as a student success coach. “I just love getting to know other people and loving people… and just enjoy having people pop in my office and say ‘hi.’”
Hamilton—who grew up in nearby Fredericktown and worked as a College Credit Plus adviser at NC State College—said she also greatly enjoys working in the “positive environment” of the CSS. She said that she loves being a student success coach because she loves being able to be “a cornerstone in helping the student… and being a part of that student’s journey… whether that’s even just as a listening ear.”
Under the guidance of the student success coaches and through the efforts of several student tutors, the CSS now offers a new service: English Language Support. Cara Boyd, the Director of Student Success and Accessibility Services, stated that the CSS “started offering English support services for students who don’t speak English as their first language and just need some help navigating the college setting in English.”
She said that the service actually began last year with one student tutoring another who needed some assistance with English as a second language but has now blossomed into a service that can be scheduled with specially trained tutors.
Whether a student needs academic assistance or just wants some help navigating college life, the CSS, with its many services and encouraging staff, provides an excellent place to grow in knowledge and community.
