AIIAS President-elect Dr. Ginger Ketting-Weller met with AIIAS alumni on Sabbath evening, July 13, 2019. The ‘Meet and Greet’ meeting which took place in La Sierra University, in Riverside, California, also brought together former faculty and staff of AIIAS.
Speaking before the alumni, Dr. Ketting-Weller expressed her eagerness to join the AIIAS family. She was impressed by the high standards of research presentation of AIIAS students which she noted during her visit to AIIAS last year.
The president-elect mentioned about the importance of developing the potentials of academic resources. Aside from the graduate-level programs, she also mentioned about growing multigeneration leaders through the AIIAS Academy. “It is a really powerful education in AIIAS campus and I want to be a part of it.”
Many alumni live in the Riverside area while a few others who came that evening were attending a conference event in Loma Linda.
“We were determined to attend the alumni meeting,” said alumna Dr. Octofien Sumendap who lives in Loma Linda. “My husband and I wanted to get to know the new AIIAS president and meet with other alumni.”
Former AIIAS presidents in attendance were Dr. Werner Vyhmeister, Dr. John Pesulima, and Dr. Julian Melgosa. They all agreed that AIIAS is an excellent place to serve the ‘mission field’.
The devotional talk was given by former Seminary professor, Dr. Jim Park.
A longtime secretary of the president, Puring Ragui who retired in 2015, shared about what it was like to serve under seven AIIAS presidents. Her husband, Dr. Paoring Ragui who served as VP for student services for many years, helped organize the alumni gathering.
The group enjoyed an international array of dishes during the potluck–a reminiscent of a typical AIIAS potluck, a unique flavor from every country.
Dr. Ginger Ketting-Weller will serve as the eighth president of AIIAS. Before this, she served as the dean of the School of Education at La Sierra University, in Riverside, California. Her husband, Dr. Jim Weller, former principal of Loma Linda Academy, will be the principal of the AIIAS Academy.
The Wellers are expected to arrive at AIIAS campus during the first week of August.
