Heather McPherson has been elected Third Vice-President of the Illinois State Bar Association Berlin won Under Age 37 on the Board of Governors Please direct questions to Kim Weaver. Congrats to Heather and all of the other winners who are willing to serve the lawyers of Illinois Contrats to those who ran and were willing to put forth their efforts to share their vision and advice for making the ISBA the great organization that it is Login to post comments Advertising Opportunities The 32nd annual ILR School McPherson Honors and Awards Dinner occurred April 29 at the Statler Hotel Opening remarks were made by ILR Dean Alexander Colvin The names of award recipients were presented by Kevin F Conaty Professor in Strategic Human Resources and Director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies The MacIntyre Award for Exemplary Undergraduate Teaching & Advising was presented to Robert Smith, professor of Economics, while the Graduate award was given to Ben Rissing associate professor of organizational behavior The Robert N. Stern Award for Teaching & Mentoring was given to Kate Bronfenbrenner Students who received awards based on scholarship leadership and service to the community include: SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence Ives-Felix Kaufman-Sophie Seidenberg Memorial Senior Award Additional faculty and staff awards include: General Mills Award for Exemplary Graduate Assistant Teaching Smith Award for Staff Advising and Mentoring Lou Jean Fleron Award for Engaged Learning Game Recap: Baseball | 5/1/2025 4:42:00 PM Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here 2025 By: MC Admin From front row from left – Colleen Appel Paul Ullom-Minnich and back row from left – Bruce Appel Not pictured are Lori Appel-Flores and Joelle (Neher) Appel The McPherson College Citation of Merit award recipients for 2025 are Richard Brindle ’72 Mark Appel ’78 and Kathy Burkholder ’82 (posthumously) Bruce Appel ’83 and Joelle Neher Appel ’84 These recipients exemplify the college’s mission of Scholarship and Service through their lifelong commitment to the values they developed as students at McPherson College The college honored this year’s recipients at the Evening of Recognition banquet hosted by the Advancement Office on April 25 at the McPherson Community Building The McPherson College Citation of Merit is the highest award recognizing the most distinguished alumni for lifetime accomplishments in service to profession The recipients are recommended by the Alumni Awards Committee and are approved by the College Board of Trustees Richard Brindle graduated from McPherson College in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in history Rick participated in varsity basketball and student government he served in the Colorado and Connecticut Air National Guard from 1972 to 1978 as a staff sergeant Rick’s professional career was in oil production retiring from Texaco after 22 years and more recently working as a consultant He focused on streamlining and reducing horizontal drilling costs supervising over 150 horizontal wells over the past 27 years He was recognized many times for his work and was part of the first team sent to Russia to repair wells and stimulate production in Siberia He has dedicated much of his life to helping others Rick volunteers with Healing Waters International assembling water purification units that are sent to Africa and Central America He regularly assists the Orphan Grain Train which distributes clothing and supplies to mission sites in the former Soviet Bloc The Brindles are long-time members of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock where Rick served as president for five years The Brindles have supported McPherson College in many ways contacted fellow alumni about attending Colorado gatherings and have been loyal members of the President’s Giving Club for over 30 years Paul and Marla Ullom-Minnich have been serving the rural health needs of McPherson County The practice they founded with two other physicians and staff convenient on-campus access to health care In addition to their busy medical practice Paul and Marla are involved in their community Paul is a Network Site Coordinator for the Office of Rural Medicine and a preceptor for medical students and residents for the Kansas University School of Medicine and Marla is a clinic assistant professor volunteer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and co-director of the South-Central Kansas Medical Education Network at the Kansas University School of Medicine in Wichita Paul also serves as the medical director for the McPherson County Health Department Paul helped start the Haiti Medical Project and continues to raise funds and is the chair of the working group that manages the project Both are active in the McPherson Church of the Brethren Marla was a leadership chair and served on the pastoral search committee Marla was a member and chair of the Outdoor Ministries Team for the Western Plains District and Paul served on the Association of Brethren Caregivers Board and the Church of the Brethren Mission Advisory Board Both have also given their time to mentor McPherson College students interested in health care careers Paul also served on the college’s Board of Trustees for 20 years and both were recognized with the Young Alumni Award in 2002 The Appel family was recognized collectively as active and generous alumni The Appel siblings and their spouses remain connected to McPherson College through their engagement and philanthropy immigrated to the Unites States from Denmark and cultivated Appel Farm in Iowa While none of their children took on the family business the siblings have been intentional about stewarding and transitioning their inheritance and legacy in ways that align with their shared values and generosity The eldest of the Appel siblings attended McPherson College for two years and graduated from a Minnesota university with a degree in elementary education Colleen has passed on her talent and love of writing to students during her 21 years as a public school teacher and she has used it to focus her work and life on service learning and community involvement Colleen is an active volunteer in her church and community organizations dealing with grief Gayle is a retired associate professor at Kansas State University She directed the Center of Aging and is currently the part-time Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs for the College of Health and Human Sciences at KSU she has shared her considerable experience with McPherson College consulting with the new Health Science program Gayle is also an accomplished artist and the Manhattan Watercolor Studio group president Rick is the executive director of the Kansas Leadership Institute a mentoring program for new school administrators at Kansas State University He is the former superintendent of Lawrence Public Schools where he was recognized as the Kansas Superintendent of the Year in 2014 He was honored by the college in 1996 with the Young Alumni Award and currently serves on the McPherson College Board of Trustees Mark graduated from McPherson College with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and studied plant pathology at Kansas State University He worked at the Appel family farm before starting a career in construction he was a design engineer for a national company worked as a director of program development and management at Kansas State University before her passing in 2021 Mark is active in his church and the president of his homeowners’ association Bruce Appel ’83 and Joelle Neher Appel ‘84 Bruce is a professor and head of the Section of Developmental Biology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Wallach Chair of Pediatric Stem Cell Biology He was awarded the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes Outstanding Investigator Award It is an eight-year grant to fund his lab’s research on nervous system development Mark volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and the Northern Plains Brethren Disaster Ministries Rebuild Joelle earned a master’s degree in acupuncture at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and treats patients at her clinic in Denver She has been an active community volunteer with the Denver School of Science and Technology and Stand for Children in Denver After receiving a master’s degree in professional counseling Lori has spent 30 years working in family preservation and as a case worker for individuals with developmental disabilities the first in the state of Kansas and Arkansas where she volunteers for the Women’s Club of Pensacola donating food and helping with fundraisers A recording of the Evening of Recognition Awards dinner and program can be found here. 1600 E. Euclid McPherson, KS 67460 800.365.7402 By Claire HoffmanFarrar, Straus and Giroux: 384 pages, $32If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org There are two kinds of Angelenos: Those who’ve heard of Aimee Semple McPherson and those who should a beloved figure and a celebrity — hard to achieve as a Pentecostal preacher in the early 20th century Her improbable success and unlikely downfall and what her story says about belief and self-invention and fame The still-standing Angelus Temple across from Echo Park Lake sparked my curiosity years ago I learned that McPherson built it and held pageant-like sermons there walked into the sea and was thought drowned Spoiler alert: Weeks later she appeared alive and her story (she’d been kidnapped) didn’t match up with the scandal that emerged (she’d allegedly been off in a love nest with a married man) Claire Hoffman’s superb new biography “Sister She has a keen sensitivity toward McPherson’s religious beliefs and wide knowledge of the times in which she lived she follows the future evangelist through early marriages mother Minnie marched through a terrible snowstorm into her church and held her baby Aimee aloft and pledged the girl’s life to God Minnie was devoted to the Salvation Army because of the church’s dedication to evangelizing and doing good works both mother and daughter would leave husbands behind for their church activities eventually traveling America together in a car painted “Jesus Saves!” Fortunately Minnie married well enough that when her daughter needed help Aimee was a dynamic teen drawn to a secular world until she saw Robert Semple Smitten by him and enraptured by the practice of speaking in tongues which was thought to be channeling the divine Aimee was pregnant and recovered; Robert did not dying in Hong Kong before their daughter Roberta was born Friends chipped in to bring the widow and baby home; the pair reached Minnie in New York City in 1910 she went out on the streets of New York to share the good word Yet they married and she dutifully moved with him to Providence He wanted her to cook and clean and raise their family — they’d had a son together Hoffman has done a marvelous job of reading through Aimee’s voluminous florid writings and creating a narrative that works for the modern ear “The loom of life seemed then to be but a tangled maze whose colorings had suddenly plunged from mountain-tops of sunlit glory to the depths of a seemingly endless valley of bewildering gloom.” Hoffman paraphrasing her state of mind in Providence “During this time Aimee described herself as profoundly lonely the emotion coming over her in those days like a ‘terrifying grip.’” Harold packed up the kids in the car and they drove to Florida where she could preach It was not easy — they slept in fields and pitched a tent for her sermons she was a curiosity; as one who welcomed all races Aimee was developing her own religious schema — she preached joy and love; said that everyone could connect to God personally; and that Jesus was about to reappear on earth She traveled widely as her reputation grew When Harold burned out on being the helpmeet to the rising star She and Aimee arrived in Los Angeles in 1918 Pentecostal principles repackaged with her own gloss Her audiences grew in Los Angeles and on the road She was chasing records set by the popular fire-and-brimstone evangelist Billy Sunday; where he preached damnation Books Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America Matthew Avery Sutton Harvard University Press: 352 pp. calling herself “Sister Aimee” (rather than Her attire was exceedingly modest — full-length white dresses topped by a blue cape She laid on hands and people said they were healed She was so beloved that her followers didn’t mind when she and Harold quietly divorced She captured the hearts of Angelenos and was swamped by donations making a few key decisions that would help Aimee through tough times Aimee built what was called her Million Dollar Temple the grand Echo Park church that opened in 1923 she solidified her reputation for putting on a great show she had a station built on site so she could broadcast live The day she theatrically wheeled a motorcycle on stage press photographers just happened to be there It was a good time to be a good story in Los Angeles with her modest demeanor and overflow crowds She learned to cultivate her press relationships She was so well-known that people called out to her on the street (Davis Guggenheim) What happened next is told by Hoffman Aimee went for a swim at Venice Beach while her secretary waited on shore during which a diver died when his equipment failed Crowds of her distraught followers gathered along the beach one of whom drowned when she threw herself into the sea to follow Aimee to the next world Sightings were reported; tips flooded into Angelus Temple which offered and then rescinded a $25,000 reward Thirty-three days after Aimee’s disappearance her mother held a funeral service for her; 20,000 people attended “Aimee’s disappearance had made national news but her resurrection made global headlines,” Hoffman writes Aimee’s story was this: She had been walking on the beach and went to aid people who asked for help moved her from one safe house to another and threatened to sell her into sex slavery in Mexico walking 22 miles across the desert until she found a house around 1 a.m. Minnie and McPherson’s distraught children went to meet her in Arizona Media outlets raced each other by plane to be the first to get a photo of the miraculously alive evangelist the crowd welcoming her was estimated at 50,000 to 150,000 people district attorney (who would himself be jailed for corruption) publicly questioned how a woman of her renown could be grabbed off the street The physical evidence strongly suggested that rather than hiking across a blazing desert after enduring weeks of torment Aimee had gotten out of a car and walked a short distance to be discovered Aimee and her supporters demanded the kidnappers be found and brought to justice high-stakes investigation that soon spun out of control A grand jury inquiry into whether charges should be brought against Aimee’s kidnappers — but which actually served to challenge her tale — was conducted publicly This unusual circumstance meant each twist and turn of the story played out in the headlines and perhaps for the first time in her life was unable to use her words to sway an audience but let it be known they didn’t believe her a woman came forward claiming she knew that Aimee had been in a love shack in Carmel with Kenneth Ormiston Ormiston had been seen flirting with Aimee quite publicly and he’d left his job shortly before her disappearance Aimee wasn’t kidnapped at all; she’d been hiding out at a romantic cottage trailed by newspaper reporters whose race for scoops effectively helped him gather evidence who’d stayed beyond the reach of the press Keyes was reluctant to push the matter forward but the story was being spun out like a trial in the press A zigzag of courtroom drama and media scoops ensued a blind lawyer being approached by an agent of her kidnappers an overlooked ransom note and a twin who claimed it was her sister impersonating Aimee in Carmel a trunk Ormiston left behind while fleeing reporters appeared to contain Aimee’s underthings Aimee had coached the twin to convincingly be her double to support the story And the blind lawyer died in a car accident Aimee maintained that she’d been set up by L.A.’s underworld the people involved in dance halls she’d protested Hoffman speculates that Aimee might have taken a nod from them possibly resorting to payoffs in order to get free of her legal problems Obituaries Famed Evangelist Believed Victim of Heart Attack Her reputation was bruised, but Aimee survived. She continued to preach at the Angelus Temple, and continued to draw adoring crowds. She still did good works, running L.A.’s largest soup kitchen during the Depression. And she still hit the road, traveling to reach new audiences. Today, we are accustomed to religious leaders being exposed for hypocrisy, but in 1926, Aimee’s story was a must-read thrill ride. As it is again today in “Sister, Sinner.” Kellogg, a former books editor of the L.A. Times, is a writer and editor in Los Angeles. Books Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application he married Tracy (Shelly) McPherson and together they had 2 children and three older brothers and two sisters-in-law He was the brother of Karen (Brad) Weidenhamer Phillip “Mike” (Shirley T.) McPherson and Marcia (Dale) Stoffer; brother-in-law to Pat (Mary) Shelly Russell (Catherine) Perdue; and sisters-in-law great and great-great nieces and nephews that meant the world to him Herb was an enthusiastic guitar player who performed in his church's praise band He also had a passion for riding motorcycles with friends and spending quality time with his family and friends Herb was known for his conscientious nature and willingness to assist others in need he focused on connecting others with Jesus Pastor Rob Starnes and Pastor Rick Cryder will officiate a funeral service at 12 Noon on Monday Visitation will be two hours prior to the service from 10 a.m A burial will follow the funeral in Huntsville Cemetery EICHHOLTZ DARING & SANFORD FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTER BELLEFONTAINE is honored to serve the McPherson family and encourages anyone to share a fond memory or message of condolence at www.edsfh.com Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Revival of the ‘profoundly moving’ Irish pub drama will open at the Olympia theatre in Dublin before arriving in London this autumn Brendan Gleeson will make his West End debut this autumn in a revival of The Weir, directed for the first time by its playwright Conor McPherson whose films include The Banshees of Inisherin and Paddington 2 described McPherson’s play as “profoundly moving He will play one of the four men sharing stories in a remote Irish pub with a woman who has newly arrived in the area The Weir will run first at the Olympia theatre in Dublin from 8 August to 6 September and then at London’s Harold Pinter theatre from 12 September to 6 December. Gleeson performed at the Olympia theatre at the start of his career and his last stage appearance was in its 2015 production of the family drama The Walworth Face appearing alongside his sons Domhnall and Brian and then to play in the West End for the first time at the beautiful Pinter theatre,” said Gleeson who called The Weir “one of the rarest plays around” based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling 2008 novel and the 2012 film will open at a new theatre in London’s Canary Wharf “I can hardly believe it’s 30 years since I wrote The Weir – and about 30 years since I first met the wonderful Brendan Gleeson,” said McPherson “It’s an absolute honour to bring this play to life again with one of the great titans of Irish acting.” The Weir’s co-producer Kate Horton described it as “a beautiful play about human connection the endurance of hope and the essential power of storytelling” — Police have identified the woman found dead on a sidewalk in Hopewell early Saturday morning as 57-year-old Renee Goode was later arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder and other crimes associated with Goode's death Neighbors near South 7th Avenue and Texas Street reported being awakened by yelling followed by a loud pop Crime Insider sources say Goode was shot and the gunman walked away leaving her next to a car in an area not far from a playground It's a shame that we got crime on crime out here in Hopewell they found the woman on the sidewalk with obvious signs of head trauma The crime has some parents in the area concerned about violence occurring so early and close to home you can be sitting in your house and you know why can't we just come to some type of resolution Hopewell Police asked anyone with information about the deceased to call Lead Detective Cameron List at 804-541-2284 or the Hopewell Prince George Crime Solvers hotline at 804-541-2202 This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share. This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Three people were injured in a shooting on April 20 following an Easter event at Gainesville's TB McPherson Park According to a Gainesville Police Department news release attendees were leaving the park at 1717 SE 15th St The suspect is described as a Black male who was wearing red shorts and a gray hoodie State news: After shooting, a subdued return for FSU students with tears and flower-lined walkways GPD officers at the scene provided aid to the victims until personnel from Gainesville Fire Rescue and Alachua County Fire Rescue arrived one person suffered life-threatening injuries while the other two suffered non-life-threatening injuries Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call GPD Detective Cpl Matt Quinn at 352-339-0506 or 352-393-7670 To submit an online tip visit www.stopcrime.tv 2025 By: Tina Goodwin McPherson College recognized the academic and leadership achievements of students and staff at the Annual Awards Convocation on April 30 Who’s Who in the McPherson College Class of 2025 Thanks for visiting Missouri to Charles & Veda Shockey (Wood.) She attended Fort Osage High School where she learned about her passion for the medical field Christine worked for many local hospitals in Obstetrics as an OB Technician She started her career at the Medical Center of Independence Christine was well liked and loved among co-workers She enjoyed spending time with her daughter Her favorite hobbies were running errands on Saturday mornings and watching the Kansas City Chiefs win (she was always hoping for an interception!) Christine is survived by her only daughter her sister Kathy Swayne (Shockey) and multiple nieces and nephews and always a shoulder to lean on in the time of need She was known for being the type of person to give you the shirt off her back even if she didn’t have much to give She made sure the people in her life knew they were loved and was always giving everyone a silly little nickname (even if sometimes they were a little inappropriate.) She dedicated her life to God which was evident in her involvement with her Bible Study Fellowship group she loved attending on Wednesdays She was always the first person to raise money or help out someone in need One could say her love language was gift giving She loved watching the wildlife outside her window which she always thought was a sign from God Christine’s celebration of life will be held on January 31st 2025 at Speaks Suburban Chapel on 39th street Jude’s Children’s hospital in lieu of flowers Brendan Gleeson will make his West End debut starring Conor McPherson (Girl From the North Country)'s The Weir is getting a West End revival at London's Harold Pinter Theatre with McPherson himself set to direct the work for the first time Performances will run September 12-December 6 The West End run will be preceded by an engagement at Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre August 8-September 6 Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin, Paddington 2) will star in the play about four men bantering in a pub in rural Ireland whose merriment is disrupted by the arrival of Valerie a woman with a personal and affecting story to share "The Weir is one of the rarest plays around," says Gleeson in a statement "The last time I appeared on stage was 10 years ago at the beautiful Pinter Theatre—and to work with Conor on his profoundly moving and ultimately hopeful play.""I can hardly believe it’s 30 years since I wrote The Weir—and about 30 years since I first met the wonderful Brendan Gleeson," adds McPherson "It’s an absolute honor to bring this play to life again with one of the great titans of Irish acting I’m hugely looking forward to directing my play for the very first time and sharing this production with audiences in Dublin and in London very soon." Kate Horton Productions and Anne Clark's Landmark Productions are producing Visit TheWeirPlay.com for tickets Noah Himmelstein will direct Matthew Puckett's original musical Neumann is the Tony nominated choreographer behind Hadestown and Swept Away one Tony winner is playing the trumpet while the other is channeling Madame Rose Due to the expansive nature of Off-Broadway and institutes have been revealed by the industry stalwart Thank You!You have now been added to the list Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you 1965 and was the son of the late George and Jane (Damrath) McPherson.  Tommy was raised in Woburn and was a graduate of Woburn High School He was the founder and owner of Eastern Ambulance of Woburn He also formerly worked for Comcast and Keolas Tommy had a great interest in meteorology and was an avid fan of BZ radio He was the beloved husband of Marianne (Thompson) with whom he shared 23 years of marriage He was the loving father of Benjamin McPherson and his wife Sara He was the grandfather to Isabella and Elizabeth McPherson He was the brother of Sheila Perrault and her husband Fred and the uncle of Conor He is also survived by his mother-in-law Yvonne Thompson (late husband David).  Relatives and friends are invited to attend Arrangements are in the care of the McDonald Funeral Home donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice.  Prepare for your health care career with top-ranked programs state-of-the-art facilities and unmatched opportunities for clinical training Explore world-class research programs that advance the health sciences and attract national recognition we work with The University of Kansas Health System and other regional partners to provide high-quality We build partnerships throughout the state to find new ways to improve the lives of Kansans Our community-based efforts extend across the country and around the world Our three campus communities offer unique social events and cultural attractions—the perfect backdrop to our world-class education programs The University of Kansas Medical Center's mission is to improve lives and communities in Kansas and beyond through innovation in education Collaboration will include joint projects to aid in building a pipeline of rural students interested in medicine and other careers in health care The University of Kansas School of Medicine has announced a partnership with McPherson College a four-year liberal arts college in central Kansas KU School of Medicine’s campus in Salina will be the focal point for this collaboration which aims to increase both interest and access on the part of rural Kansas students McPherson College and KU School of Medicine-Salina will explore partnerships in academic health science scholarships health care career development and community health resources “Rural health care is in crisis,” said Tyler Hughes “This collaboration is aimed at helping rural students have access to the pathway that leads to a satisfying career in the medical field Teamwork between KU School of Medicine-Salina and liberal arts colleges in Kansas will aid in building a pipeline of excellent medical professionals for rural patients throughout our state.”  McPherson College students will have increased access to KU School of Medicine’s Scholars in Health Program which provides guaranteed admissions for qualified undergraduates staff and students from Salina will visit McPherson College as guest lecturers in classes and at pre-professional organization activities KU School of Medicine also will provide a scholarship for a McPherson College student to participate in mentored student research and team-teaching experiences The partnership also aims to develop new service projects co-host tabletop simulation events and facilitate connections between McPherson College undergraduate researchers and KU School of Medicine faculty and students “The collaboration will offer a wide range of opportunities for McPherson College students,” said Michael Schneider “Building a partnership with KU School of Medicine expands opportunities for our students statewide and allows us to work with KU School of Medicine admissions on joint recruitment efforts These initiatives will help better prepare students for careers in rural health care.” 913-617-8698khawes@kumc.edu NEWS AND MEDIA RELATIONS We use cookies to analyze our traffic & provide social media features. Visit the KU Medical Center Privacy Statement for more information By closing this window & browsing this site 2025 By: Tina Goodwin McPherson College and the University of Kansas School of Medicine are partnering to promote rural healthcare in Kansas this collaboration will provide students with experiential “The collaboration will offer a wide range of opportunities for McPherson College students,” said McPherson College President Michael Schneider “Building a partnership with the KU School of Medicine expands opportunities for our students statewide and allows us to work with KU School of Medicine admissions on joint recruitment efforts These initiatives will help better prepare students for careers in rural healthcare.” McPherson College and KU School of Medicine’s Salina campus will explore partnerships in academic health science scholarships The collaboration also aims to establish partnerships with the Health Occupations Students of America organization McPherson College students will have increased access to KU School of Medicine’s Rural Scholars and Urban Scholars programs providing guaranteed admissions for qualified undergraduates and students from KU’s Salina campus will visit McPherson College as guest lecturers in classes and at pre-professional organization activities The collaboration will also facilitate connections between McPherson College undergraduate researchers and KU School of Medicine students KU School of Medicine will provide a scholarship for one McPherson College student to participate in mentored student research and team-teaching experiences dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Salina “This collaboration is aimed at helping rural students have access to the pathway that leads to a satisfying career in the medical field Teamwork between KU School of Medicine-Salina and liberal arts colleges in Kansas will aid in building a pipeline of excellent medical professionals for rural patients throughout our state.” McPherson College’s commitment to healthcare education continues to grow In addition to its well-established natural science program the college launched a new Health Science program in 2020 The college also partnered with the McPherson Center for Health to provide hands-on learning experiences in clinical and non-clinical areas of the hospital McPherson College received $2.1 million in congressionally directed funding from Senator Jerry Moran to support rural and community health initiatives 2025 at home with his family by his side. He was born July 14 and Charlsa “Pat” (Davis) McPherson both precede him in death along with his grandmother Tony attended Rye High School. He loved all football but his favorite was the Denver Broncos and never missed a game if the Broncos weren’t playing then he rooted for the Minnesota Vikings Tony and his wife became sole owners of Mac’s Paint and Body and Towing in 1982 after running it with his dad from the time he was 17 years old He enjoyed the outdoors and being out on the ranch He loved his family and having family gatherings was his favorite Trista (Michael) Handlos and their daughter Teagan Nicholas (Pauli) McPherson and their children Cody Jennifer (Mark) Lindemann and their sons Aidan and Tyler Jillian (Sam) Coker and their children Haleigh and Trenton (Sarah) McPherson and numerous nieces nephews and friends who love and will miss him.  The Celebration of Life Service will be held 2025 at 1pm at First Church of the Nazarene on 84 Stanford Ave; Pueblo Private Family Burial will be held at Roselawn Cemetery Family is accepting floral arrangements and/or cash donations Image: djcodrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net The All-SEC kicker didn't play much last fall after ongoing health issues wreaked havoc on his season McPherson is hopeful to see the field this year just being back for spring practice," McPherson said "All that hard work and all the time we spent trying to figure things out Just finally seeing the fruits of what we’ve gone through it’s awesome to finally be back out there." McPherson said the end of Auburn's 2024 season brought the possibility he wouldn't play football again ‘This isn’t about football anymore,’" he said "It was really more about the bigger problem I never thought I wouldn’t play football again McPherson was listed at 150 pounds during his freshman season but he said the one time he played in 2024 he was 15 pounds lighter — after losing 10 to 15 pounds that week He said he weighed as little as 110 pounds though the initial thought was that it may have been Crohn's disease The treatment required surgery to remove his colon "I wouldn’t be here or playing football again without the surgery I think it was definitely the right decision for me and my family When doctors told McPherson he could play football with an ostomy bag if "I’m not able to go out there and do my best Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter The episode can be seen on CBS affiliate stations on Sunday at 8 a.m “We are thrilled to be featured on this distinguished and beloved news program,” McPherson College President Michael Schneider said “It’s the perfect format to highlight a degree program that makes McPherson College unique and introduce this hidden gem of the Midwest to a wide audience.” CBS Sunday Morning is one of America’s most widely watched and respected television news magazines followed McPherson College students to the Amelia Island Concours in February 2024 and visited campus in March for the story that focuses on the one-of-kind automotive restoration technology degree program The program made news in August 2023 when its student-restored 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet placed second in class at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance It was the first time in the Concours history that a student entry received one of its coveted awards “The Path to Pebble,” a documentary detailing the program’s incredible journey to the Pebble Beach awards podium has been released and can be viewed on the college’s website Legendary television host and comedian Jay Leno is the only college or university in the U.S with a bachelor’s degree in automotive restoration This has helped the school gain the support of noted car collectors like Leno and other important figures in the classic car industry With job placement outcomes nearing 100 percent graduates of the program work in all facets of the automobile collecting world Last year, McPherson College announced a transformational gift of $1.5 billion that created one of the largest endowments of any small liberal arts college in the United States. With this historic endowment, the college has the resources to focus on campus building projects like the new 55,000-square-foot Campus Commons that will be complete in June 2025 and its remarkable Student Debt Project The Student Debt Project combines financial literacy education and matching funds to help students reduce and eliminate college debt at graduation of Enola left his home surrounded by his loving family to enter into Heaven on Sunday Ken worked at Appleton Papers until it closed He loved the work and made life-long friends there He was a member of The Sons of the American Legion and considered Christian Life Assembly his home church (Justin) Risser of Lititz; two granddaughters Kayla and Brianna Risser; siblings Mark (Kris) and Sandy (Adam); and a host of other family members and friends Ken took such delight in his family—his wife his granddaughters as well as his large extended family He loved attending the annual McPherson Reunion and informal gatherings with the Neff side of the family In Ken’s world--Holidays were for family Ken loved going for drives to see wildlife and shared some very special times with his wife doing just that He watched his son play pool and recently recounted how he felt seeing his daughter for the first time in her wedding dress He loved going to his granddaughters’ activities like plays Times with his brothers and sister were plentiful and memorable We sure don’t know all of them but here are a few:  The crew from Appleton always held a special place in his heart He loved going to the gatherings they had at Bill’s there were some neighbors that really looked out for each other and Gabe—thanks for loving Ken and Annie so well he and Annie made new friends including Carol who sweetly looked out for them spotting deer and long walks in nature before his lungs stopped allowing it He loved watching movies and spent this Christmas Eve with his family watching Mr Popper’s Penguins and laughing and laughing He loved Jesus and was excited to see him face-to-face He loved his parents and cared for them both so well through the end of their lives he and his mom spent time together daily watching the birds He loved to laugh and almost always laughed harder at his own jokes than anyone He was known by many names depending on the person: Ken and Daddy Buns (let us stress—that one was only by his wife!!) The world is a little duller without Ken in it A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday 2025 at 11:00 am at The Gettysburg Pike Campus of Daybreak Church Visitation will be held from 9:30 am until the time of service at the church Since Ken loved the Eagles and Football in general—we invite you do wear your favorite football gear donations may be sent to Thornwald Home (442 Walnut Bottom Rd Carlisle PA 17013) with “Activities—Smiley Fund” in the memo line The Smiley Fund was set up in honor of Ken’s dad and provides animatronic pets for residents—Just like his dad had Please consider signing the guest book on this page No doubt York gets elevated to the roster for Monday night's game in Dallas (8:15-Cincinnati's Channel 9 and ESPN) as McPherson goes to injured reserve for the first time in his four-year career with a right groin injury McPherson felt a twinge while kicking an extra point barely ten minutes into Sunday's game against the Steelers but he still had eight good kicks in him until the gun went off didn't kick last season and was released by the Commanders after missing wide right from 47 and 56 yards in the opener on his only field-goal tries McPherson calls it his most significant injury since he tore a quad in high school but he expects to recover fully and is encouraged no surgery is needed "Adrenaline is an amazing drug," McPherson said Wednesday McPherson says he felt something when he kicked his second extra point But he was able to make three more PATs and a 38-yard field goal as well as take the ensuing kickoffs that included one onside attempt but I knew it was something semi-serious when I couldn't put much pressure on it during the tests," McPherson said of how it felt after the game "The good news is it's let the body heal by itself." McPherson has missed one game in the NFL when he joined most of the starters in sitting out the 2021 regular-season in Cleveland who went on to a massive postseason he made every field-goal try and his last-play kicks put them into the AFC title game and the Super Bowl but it wasn't bad enough to miss games and it got well going right to rehab." With five games left and staring at a four-game stint on IR what he characterized as his "up and down season," looks to be over "I feel like it's going to end on a high note and kind of carry it over into next season," McPherson said It all started so gloriously with the birth of his daughter back in March and a fast start to the season where he made his first three 50-yarders capped off with the 51- and 48-yard misses in the fourth quarter Nov But he remains perpetually upbeat after making all his kicks Sunday "I think we were well on our way to being more consistent," McPherson said "I think we had a good feeling where we were we went into last Sunday's game with a couple of keywords Go out and have fun playing football with your friends." he also sees a silver lining and already anticipates getting built up physically for next year "God works in mysterious ways," McPherson said but I think it's going to be a great one to learn from and look back on "It's going to give me a chance to work on my body more and get it stronger." The NFL 2025 season schedule will be announced on Wednesday the league announced during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft The Bengals welcomed rookies Demetrius Knight Jr and Dylan Fairchild to Paycor Stadium Saturday But it's not exactly like they're strangers Dax Hill may have had his option exercised Wednesday for the 2026 season but it was a day he spent exercising for about three hours to make sure he's ready for 2025 2025 By: MC Admin One-of-a-kind classic automobiles will be displayed during the 25th Annual C.A.R.S Club Motoring Festival at McPherson College on Saturday Organizers expect 450 cars from across the country to participate a few unique cars are expected on the field which won America’s Most Beautiful Roadster at the Grand National Roadster Show this year Three McPherson College alumni worked on the award-winning car for Rad Rides by Troy Other cars include those from the General Motors collection —the 1959 Corvette Stingray Racer Concept Making this car show unique is that alongside the rare classic cars, automotive restoration students also present vehicles they are restoring. The students and their projects were recently featured on CBS Sunday Morning, https://www.mcpherson.edu/programs/auto-restoration/cbs/ and incredible cars together in one place for the biggest event on campus,” said Devin Roff “It draws all types of cars in a one-of-kind student-run show that everyone puts lot of effort into.” In addition to the wide variety of classic automobiles the event will feature entertainment provided by the McPherson College Jazz Band and the McPherson High School Jazz Band The awards presentation will begin at approximately 2 p.m home of the McPherson College Automotive Restoration Program Complimentary trolley service will be available between campus and Main Street from 9:30 a.m Food trucks will also be available on campus to purchase food and beverages Car enthusiasts are encouraged to participate in a Cruise-in on Friday on Main Street in McPherson beginning at 6 p.m No registration or entry fee is required for this event which serves as a sneak peek at what will be on the show field and an opportunity for any car or motorcycle owner to display their rides in an informal show Pre-registration for Saturday’s event is available online or on the day of the show; however, only vehicles pre-registered are entered for judging. Details are at www.mcpherson.edu/autorestoration/cars The McPherson College Board of Trustees approved a motion to increase the portion of the college’s endowment allocated to its student-managed investment portfolio bringing the fund’s total valuation to more than $1 million students in the college’s Investment class have gained real-world financial experience managing a portion of the college’s endowment What started as incremental $100,000 investments in both 2012 and 2013 has grown over time to approximately $700,000 with the latest increase pushing the portfolio over the $1 million mark “It’s a huge vote of confidence in what we do and trust in the class that Rod Gieselman built during his tenure on the business faculty,” said Duke Rogers no other KCAC-affiliated institution offers this kind of real-world hands-on experience where students get to trade in real money It raises the stakes and accountability much more than simulators or alternative modalities for teaching the concepts if the client doesn’t see the growth or doesn’t like or agree with the decisions made with the fund they retain the right to terminate our services It doesn’t get more real-world than that.” The student investment fund has paid dividends beyond just the fund’s growth The unique class gives students real-world experience in investing before they graduate offering marketable skills they can list on résumés it has benefited student recruitment and retention The investment class is offered each spring and is required for business majors with a focus on finance its reputation also attracts students outside the business program he decided to explore other options and added a minor in business administration to his biochemistry major he took the investment class and was part of the first class to manage a portion of the college’s endowment Managing real money with real consequences fueled his excitement about investing Skinner is a certified financial planner and a member of the McPherson College Board of Trustees serving on the financial affairs committee the class was the spark that led me to my future career,” Skinner said “It was exciting to see it come full circle for me when the students presented to the board of trustees.” students make a presentation to the financial affairs committee walking members through the process and structure of the class and an assessment of the portfolio’s overall performance and Kevin Dodd represented the Spring 2024 investments class and presented the annual report at the March 7 “My favorite part of the class was doing the research on current events and seeing how they would translate into what was going on in the market,” said Zarkh given what might happen in the next year with tariffs what stocks are going to do well and what are not.” About 30 stocks are assigned to students who do research and make recommendations to the entire class All students in the class vote on whether to buy “The class teaches you to do your research,” said Lauer “Just because everyone else thinks a stock looks good “It teaches you to do your due diligence before investing in a stock,” added Kevin Dodd “It helps us look at the ratios and know exactly what they mean.” Each stock has a binder that is passed down to the next class for analysis The students have maintained an 11% average annual return on par with professional investors and the S&P 500 the student portfolio earns a modest management fee that supports the Business Club activities such as trips and the annual protocol dinner Thanks for visiting Click To Call departed this life to be with the Lord on Monday where there is no more suffering and no more pain to Johnnie and Bronzella Mcpherson in Portsmouth He was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him where you were guaranteed to find him dancing and singing to his favorite old school R&B hits His voice could be heard across the room calling out to someone to turn the music up as he would grab a family member to join him on the dance floor He had an uncanny ability to light up a room with his infectious smile If Donald wasn’t spending time with family Donald was always passionate and dedicated to his career he began his career in construction at Vico Construction Corp With over 40 years of experience and expertise Donald continued to take pride in his work never slowing down until he became physically unable he worked as a Pipelayer with A&W Contractors Inc. where he often shared his wisdom and knowledge with younger employees Donald leaves to cherish his memories his loving wife Sr.; son Shawn Donte Grant; and step-daughter Janae Lynette Trusty He also leaves to relish the memories that have been etched into our hearts and minds: his grandchildren and sister Valencia Renee Best (Milton) as well as a host of nieces and nephews we give thanks to God for his rewarding life Preceded in joining the Lord are his mother Johnnie Earl McPherson Jr.; and his daughter It is with great sadness that I have to say goodbye to my brother Donald It was only recently that we were blessed to find out we were brothers Although we never met face to face the love between us was automatic and authentic I only wish we could have shared a moment between brothers that I could keep in my memories I pray that God opens his arms wide as my brother comes to Him Ralph I’m Donald’s nephew davontay it’s crazy how I hadn’t heard of you My uncle had a mission that could not be completed My father told My uncle to take care of my brothers and I I’ll never forget the times My uncle and I had together just the two of us Gainesville leaders discussed Easter Sunday’s shooting at TB McPherson Park during a regular General Policy Committee meeting on Thursday intending to tighten the permit policy that allowed the event to happen.  The shooting left three people injured with a 20-year-old female still in critical condition The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) released a video and asked for help to identify the shooter GPD Chief Nelson Moya told the City Commission on Thursday that the department is aggressively pursuing leads and hopes to quickly bring a resolution to the case.  The discussion on TB McPherson Park was added to the agenda while another item about economic development was pulled but pavement-pounding journalism is not free Join your neighbors who make this vital work possible City Manager Cynthia Curry gave a timeline for how the event was allowed along with the history of events at TB McPherson Park.  Curry called the park a critical asset for the community but recalled the serious discussions the City Commission and staff had concerning events in the area a program called Peaceful Sundays had grown over the years and became unmanageable The city cracked down on the event, and Curry noted that in 2024, Peaceful Sundays stopped at TB McPherson Park The event would start in February and run through August on each Sunday Curry said the surrounding community needed a rest from the traffic and noise that were generated These events often acted as catalysts for roving parties around Gainesville that were problematic for the GPD Commissioner Ed Book said he spent many Sundays at TB McPherson Park when these events happened Despite the city restrictions in that area worked through the permit process in order to happen The permit said the event would bring around 400 people and last until 7 p.m.  Curry said she never saw the permit request and would not have approved it She said the city’s failure was allowing the event considering all the history with Peaceful Sundays and the city’s concerted efforts over the past few years She said it wasn’t a box that failed to get checked but someone stopping to have some common sense and bring the permit to her or someone who would know the context and know that the event might be more than it appeared she said the event should have been shut down once it became clear that more than the permitted 400 people had shown up both in the park and lining the surrounding streets City leaders said cars were parked along the road for half a mile with some people arriving the night before to get a good spot Curry also said these events at TB McPherson Park have a regional draw Moya said the event was about to end when organizers asked for an extension an influx of people started arriving and gathering outside the park Curry said her disappointment was not being brought into the loop on the permit application when events at the park had been such a concern in recent years She said her first actions will deal with disciplinary issues that arose related to the event She did not specify what those issues were “You all appointed me as the city manager “And when I feel like I have been slapped in the face and this is probably more transparent than I need to be right now I’m not going to put up with it.”  Moya said previous history didn’t come into play when looking at the permit application just the numbers provided by the event organizer He said the department didn’t let the permit go far enough to get a policy decision from the city manager the city of Gainesville decided to make a policy switch and moved all special event permits from the Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department to GPD The police department now coordinates with other city departments to approve or deny any event permit whether at TB McPherson Park or anywhere else in Gainesville Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut said no one has an adult Easter egg hunt She said the Easter celebration had happened at TB McPherson Park the day before and had occurred without a problem She asked at what point do officers call for backup when a supposed 400-person event is clearly larger He said it’s difficult to disperse large crowds once they’ve already formed especially with the gridlock in a setting like TB McPherson Park When dealing with Peaceful Sundays and roving parties that would happen he said GPD would anticipate and get there very early to disperse the crowd before it reaches an unmanageable size Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker discussed requiring wanding participants and future events like for football games or even commission meetings Book said the organizer bears some responsibility as well He said he’d like to see the city be able to hold organizers responsible when their permit applications don’t line up with reality Book added that the city has made large gains in stemming gun violence in the last two years He said the city can’t take two steps backward now but added that it’s been a terrible month and a half to go backward Commissioners seemed to agree that the event would never just be 400 people having an Easter egg hunt Commissioner Casey Willits said the city anticipates these crowds at UF games or when winning the national championship He said it was a breakdown in city staff to realize that more people would show up “It sounds like our steps aren’t adequate enough to recognize what we think is going to be a problem,” Willits said “We have institutional knowledge; we know.”  Again City Manager passes the buck to someone else on her staff The huge problems in Gainesville start with the elected leadership who then pass their incompetency to the who they appoint as city managerial leadership There has been little concern for competency in local government by the electorate for decades All decisions controlled by failed ideology Did the person or people who approved the event’s permit know that there were past issues at TB McPherson Park or did they just follow the regular process You can’t blame them if they were following regular protocol I do think the organizers should be held responsible when the information they put on the application is grossly under estimated It is very sad that there always has to be people who ruin an event that should be fun My heart goes out to the young woman and her loved ones I hope they catch and punish the shooter very quickly McPherson,would have been horrified and angry about this repeated occurance He would never have agreed to such large gatherings in such a small venue My grandfather wasn’t about ‘the culture’ but he did value good sense and providing safe opportunities for young people I do hope that organizers and city officials work on a solution Join your neighbors who make this work possible McPherson, Kan. – McPherson College Director of Athletics Josh Daume announced today (Apr.10) that Josh Nichols has resigned from his position as Head Women's Basketball Coach after leading the Bulldogs for seven seasons Coach Nichols has accepted a head coaching position at a high school in Oklahoma that allows him to be closer to his aging parents as they face health issues "Although this is somewhat unexpected we certainly understand and support Coach Nichols' desire to be closer to family at this time," stated Daume including three-time unanimous All-KCAC first-teamer Brittany Roberts He has also coached over 25 KCAC scholar-athletes and led the Bulldogs to three KCAC tournament appearances "Coach Nichols has been an outstanding representative of McPherson College during his entire tenure consistently going above and beyond expectations in his role as a basketball coach," Daume continued "He has recruited quality student-athletes served the college in various ways outside of his coaching role and been a tremendous asset to the McPherson community." "I'd like to thank former AD Andrew Ehling and President Schneider for the opportunity to be the Head Women's Basketball Coach at McPherson College I'd like to thank all the players who have come through this program during my time at MC," stated Nichols "Although I was looking forward to the coming season an opportunity arose that allows me to be closer to my family during a difficult time I'll always cherish my time in McPherson and look forward to supporting the program moving forward." A national search for a Head Women's Basketball Coach will begin immediately Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Show Search Search Query Submit Search Don't Miss Print Los Angeles has always been a city that prefers reinvention to tradition making it the ideal incubator for new religious movements its distance from the centers of institutional power made it a place where identity could be fluid growing,” wrote the critic Louis Adamic in the 1930s “It has halitosis and osmidrosis; and to kill the stench it gargles religious soul-wash and rubs holy toilet-water and scented talc between its toes.” Scholars of religion have marveled at the city’s ability to create myriad new belief systems — from the Pentecostal revivals on Azusa Street in the early 1900s to the wellness gospel of the 2000s and beyond doesn’t just reflect spiritual trends — it manufactures them and exports them to the rest of the world Among L.A.’s self-realized religious innovators She is arguably our city’s founding godmother of reinvention she was looking to channel her connection to the divine into what today we might call a platform The “lady preacher” drove into town with only “10 dollars and a tambourine.” In the backseat were her two young children Claire Hoffman’s superb biography traces the life of Aimee Semple McPherson a star preacher whose legacy lives on in L.A despite a scandal-enshrouded disappearance in 1926 McPherson had spent the last few years living hand to mouth holding tent revivals across America centered on her Pentecostal gospel and building a following of believers who saw the 28-year-old woman as touched by heavenly gifts her mother served as the ballast to her spirit-filled wanderings mapping the road ahead and building a substantial subscriber base for their fledgling magazine “The Bridal Call.” The two drove across the country’s new highways without a man to accompany them a fact that would only add to McPherson’s mythology as a godly swashbuckling adventurer As they cruised past orange groves and oil wells Aimee was filled with dreams for the future — of sunshine of easy living and of the multitudes who might come to see her preach “I had the feeling that here I would meet my destiny.” Los Angeles in the 1920s was the perfect place for McPherson to build a following fertile ground for radical ideas about how to connect God and self It was not only one of the fastest-growing cities in the world but one of the fastest-growing cities in the history of the world a barren basin that stole enough water to reimagine itself as a paradise whose city fathers marketed its sunny weather when they had little else to sell it morphed from a violent outpost to one of the wealthiest places on the planet To borrow a perfect analogy from historian Kevin Starr Los Angeles was “the Great Gatsby of American cities.” It would take McPherson just a few years to reach the heights of power in L.A she founded what is arguably America’s first megachurch which still welcomes believers on Glendale Boulevard she started one of the first Christian radio stations where the main auditorium seated more than 5,000 multiple services and other programming went on all day and her dazzling approach of combining theatrical spectacle with the gospel made her the precursor of the 20th century’s televangelists McPherson presented salvation through her legendary “illustrated sermons.” She rented costumes and scenery from nearby Hollywood studios and drew on popular culture and everyday events She depicted life in Los Angeles as biblically prophesied and infused with meaning palm trees — whatever it took to bring biblical truth to life on her stage The whole point was to dazzle and overwhelm Aimee’s sermons were soon considered the best show in town She was one of the first in the modern era to understand that faith fame and spectacle were not contradictions Readers respond to Patt Morrison’s recent piece on the L.A But despite her incredible ambition and achievements she walked into the ocean at Venice Beach and vanished Tens of thousands gathered on the sand to pray for her and the city’s headlines chronicled the tragedy like a soap opera Aimee wandered in from the deserts of Mexico to a backyard in Arizona telling an unbelievable story of being kidnapped where she was soon prosecuted for making the whole thing up — along with her mother an alleged lover and a schizophrenic look-alike female grifter who had been sleeping at Aimee’s parsonage a judge listened to evidence on every aspect of McPherson’s life — from her business practices to her romantic life to the size of her ankles McPherson kept preaching and growing her audience gospel and showmanship burnished a sales pitch that remains at the center of L.A.’s allure Even as the city navigates its recovery from devastating natural disasters it is still a place where people arrive with hopes of revival seekers are manifesting their dreams: There’s a better you available in the City of Angels Claire Hoffman is the author of a just-published biography of Aimee Semple McPherson Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation (opens in new tab) 5 May 2025 23:36:47 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); We keep you informed. 17-year-old Kayla McPherson facetimed UNC women’s basketball head coach Courtney Banghart she would miss much of her first season at North Carolina her scholarship spot could be rescinded.  They would help her with the recovery process and the court would be waiting for her when she was healthy.  A season and a half into her college career the redshirt junior guard has shifted to a different role: a captain and an invaluable “She is comfortable using her voice to teach encourage and challenge and has built the necessary trust in order to do all three,” Banghart said.  McPherson started playing basketball when she was four years old Georgia and became friends with Ella Chancey and it was evident to Chancey — who now plays softball at South Carolina — that McPherson was a great athlete Chancey focused on her softball career but she continued to play basketball and experienced firsthand McPherson’s development into a strong leader.  the teenager became an extension of the coaching staff encouraging the team and offering advice to her teammates.  Chancey isn’t surprised that McPherson’s dream is to one day coach basketball.  “She has all the qualities to do it,” Chancey said “She's a great leader and she really makes the people around her better so I could definitely see her just stepping into that role post college or post a professional career.” Experiencing the injury in high school hasn’t made the second time around any easier All she has to do is put her head down and work But it has been challenging to learn how to cope with being away from the game she’s dedicated her entire life to It's taken an emotional toll on her.  “I've played basketball for a long time,” McPherson said I'm a huge family person and I think as I've gotten older and dealing with these things it's okay to take time for yourself if you need it.” Adapting to the injury has also meant translating her role as a point guard  — the leader on the floor — to off the court.  When former Tar Heel forward Jaelynn Murray graduated she bestowed the job of leading the pregame chant in the tunnel to McPherson who has carried the responsibility for the past four years.  With her natural talent for projection and her experience moonlighting as a student coach in high school McPherson has become a leading voice in practice and on the sideline during games first-year Lanie Grant and sophomore Reniya Kelly. McPherson completes her rehab outside of practice times to make sure she can be fully present.   “Kayla’s basically my position coach,” Kelly said What distinguished McPherson from much of the actual coaching staff is how recently she has been in the position of her teammates But she’s also played against their opponents.  McPherson rejects the idea that she is a teacher but she wants to be someone that her teammates can come to “I've been able to see basketball in a different light,” McPherson said “So I've been able to try to share those things I've learned with my teammates while I'm off the court.” Graduate forward and fellow captain Alyssa Ustby and Banghart agree that the guard’s basketball IQ has had a positive impact on the development of the team.  Ustby has spent the most time as McPherson’s teammate at UNC Over the course of their four-year relationship she has witnessed the guard’s growth while dealing with injuries.  “I've had the joy of being able to watch her develop and kind of be the bridge between players and coaches because she understands the player perspective of how it feels to play and then she also understands the coaching perspective of how they want us to play," Ustby said Coaching was never McPherson’s first aspiration More than a year after her most recent knee surgery both in terms of basketball and in her lifestyle She hasn’t given up on getting back on the court at North Carolina or even to play professionally.   But she hasn’t gotten her fill of coaching She has loved every single second of getting to learn from her coaches if God is willing and the universe is willing to be able to play professional basketball at whatever level,” McPherson said “I am still just focused on the college level at this point @BeckettBrant @dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Tanyel Gumushan A new production of Conor McPherson’s The Weir will see Brendan Gleeson return to the stage for the first time in a decade Set across an evening in a rural County Leitrim pub the Olivier Award-winning play sees the regulars share stories about folklore and fairies with a young woman recently arrived from Dublin the piece will be staged for four weeks in Dublin before a limited run in the West End The performance will mark Gleeson’s West End debut in the show staged by Landmark Productions and Kate Horton Productions He said: “Conor McPherson’s The Weir is one of the rarest plays around The last time I appeared on stage was ten years ago at the beautiful Pinter Theatre – and to work with Conor on his profoundly moving McPherson added: “I can hardly believe it’s thirty years since I wrote The Weir – and about thirty years since I first met the wonderful Brendan Gleeson It’s an absolute honour to bring this play to life again with one of the great titans of Irish acting I’m hugely looking forward to directing my play for the very first time and sharing this production with audiences in Dublin and in London very soon.” Further casting and the creative team are to be confirmed The Weir will play at the Harold Pinter Theatre from Thursday Tickets for the London run are on sale below Get the best deals and latest updates on theatre and shows by signing up for WhatsOnStage newsletter today!