Lynne has always loved IWU, thanks to the involvement of two IWU graduates in her conversion. She believes her years here were the best of her life, and the friendships she formed here have blessed her ever since. She also believes IWU grew her spiritually, preparing her for ministry.

Lynne has been a children’s pastor for 16 years and has helped develop children’s ministry curriculum while working for David C Cook. She also works in children’s ministry at Church of the Highlands in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she lives with her family.

Whenever she visits Marion, Lynne loves to wander IWU’s campus with her kids, remembering her time here and the ways it has impacted her life.

2024 Alumni World Changer

In 1980, Gary joined the Air Force, where he served in several roles before leaving active duty in 1999. He continued his service as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee in the USAF Reserve before returning to active duty in 2002, before being deployed twice to Afghanistan in medical command roles.

Walker later became Director of Healthcare Operations for the Air Force Medical Support Agency, where he oversaw health care operations at seventy-five facilities and led a project to improve medical treatment facility inspection criteria.

Later service included championing numerous improvements across the Air Force Medical Service, advocacy for wounded warriors, leading the suicide prevention program, and more. In 2016, Walker retired, concluding a three-decade career of dedicated service.

2024 Alumni World Changer

Kim first became involved in mission work when she moved to a small West African village at the age of nine. Since then, her life’s work has been reaching those with no access to the Gospel. Kim has lived in Sierra Leone for most of her life, serving in a variety of leadership roles.

Kim serves as the president and CEO of Accessible Hope International, which she founded in 2009. Through this organization, Kim reaches people with disabilities in Sierra Leone and around the world with the hope of Christ.

Kim also leads retreats and spiritual formation experiences for ministers of the Gospel, helping them grow closer to Christ. Kim travels the world teaching, training, and consulting to equip the global Church to better reach the unreached.

Before IWU, Michelle focused on her career and family, attending church more as part of a routine than anything else. Once she began her program through IWU, however, Michelle was challenged to prioritize her relationship with Christ and see life as more than a series of routines. Thanks to having the support and resources she needed to succeed, Michelle began to see things through the lens of Christ – a shift which impacted all areas of her life.

In 2007, she graduated from IWU with a Master of Science Management.

William arrived at IWU in 1987 to begin his master’s program and has never left. Graduating in the spring of 1989 with his Master of Management degree, he returned as an adjust professor that same December. Throughout the past thirty-five years, he is proud to have helped teach and mentor thousands of IWU students.

Although Brown considered delaying his second master’s degree due to life and work complications, his faith in God never wavered. When he completed it in 2024, he became IWU’s first Advanced Virtuous Business Solutions graduate.

Brown has also served in the United States Air Force, 9/11 recovery efforts, multiple hurricane recovery efforts, Customs and Border Protection, and—after receiving a cancer diagnosis at 54—went on to form the Marian County Crusaders football team which he led to a championship victory. Even so, Brown firmly believes all his career achievements are due to God’s vision for his life, rather than his own efforts.

Amie has worked in the public sector as a government contractor, a small business owner, and a federal employee. Bowman graduated from IWU’s online Doctorate in Organizational Leadership program in 2021.

She fondly remembers her summer seminar, particularly meeting her cohort and professors in person and getting to spend time with them. She says that God used the coursework at IWU to reveal His plan for her future, leading her to leave the public sector and ultimately become the executive director of a nonprofit. Bowman is proud of having had the courage and faith to articulate and evaluate her values and make changes to align her life and work with them.