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CIU Welcomes New Church Planting Chair
CIU’s College of Intercultural Studies welcomes
Dr. Victor Cuartas to the faculty. Cuartas assumes
the Elmer V. Thompson Chair for Missionary
Church Planting that was previously occupied by
Dr. Mike Barnett who went to be with the Lord in
August of 2015.
Cuartas is originally from Cali, Colombia. For over
20 years he served in church planting and mission
work in Colombia, North America, and North
Africa. For the last 10 years, he has taught missions
at Regent University. Cuartas earned a Doctor of
Ministry degree from Regent and is completing
a Ph.D. in Missiology through the Oxford Centre
for Mission Studies (Middlesex University). Having
served as the director of research for COMINHA
(Latin American mission network), Cuartas has contributed a number of scholarly
articles in both English and Spanish and is the author of the book, “Empowering
Hispanic Leaders.”
Dr. Ed Smither, dean of the College of Intercultural Studies says that as a Latin
American missiologist, Cuartas will bring an even greater global perspective on
mission and church planting to CIU, and added, “I think Mike Barnett would be
pleased.”
Tilton Retires after 42 Years
As co-workers gathered around Roger Tilton to wish him well in retirement, the venue
was particularly meaningful. He stood in the middle of the Ram Shack, the popular
student hang out that Tilton helped transform from a campus bookstore just a few
years ago.
“We tried to develop (The
Ram Shack) to meet the
needs of our students,” the
departing business manager
said. “This is all about
students.”
Tilton held a number of staff
positions on the business
management side of CIU for
42 years.
Tilton’s longtime supervisor, Vice President Keith Marion, noted that over the years,
many students wanted to work in the bookstore under Tilton’s management, even
though the work was hard and the hours inconvenient. Turns out Tilton and his wife
Polly were inviting the students to their house for meals.
“I learned that Roger and Polly took care of the students,” Marion said. “And then I
got to know some of the students who worked for Roger, and found out they became
a part of his family.”
Former Mayor Named
CIU Community
Ambassador
Former Lexington, South Carolina mayor
Randy Halfacre is CIU’s new community
ambassador. Halfacre served as mayor
from 2004 to 2013 leading the town
to become one of the fastest growing
municipalities in South Carolina. He is
also a former president and CEO of the
Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors
Center, and assisted in the establishment
of the MidState Chambers Coalition.
Halfacre’s professional career includes
managing business development for
Lesesne Industries in West Columbia,
South Carolina, and for 30 years he held
a number of leadership positions in
South Carolina state government, retiring
as deputy director of the Department of
Labor, Licensing & Regulation.
At CIU, Halfacre will communicate the
mission and vision of the school to the
Columbia area while cultivating donors
among individuals and corporations.
He says he became interested in CIU
after learning about the breadth of CIU’s
academic programs.
“I’m going to be using my contacts
to broaden the understanding and
awareness of CIU while generating
resources to expand the mission of CIU,”
Halfacre said.
Dr. Victor Cuartas
Roger Tilton
Randy Halfacre
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