Alumni Profiles
Liverett’s book depicts country music stars
A Ripple of Hope premieres at The Paley Center for Media in New York
Anderson alumni, staff, and students rally around quadruplet family
Liverett’s book depicts country music stars
By Deborah Lilly
David Liverett BA ’68 has completed his ninth book. After illustrating a collection featuring gospel music greats, he has now turned to country music. As with his previous book, he offers a biography of 217 country singers accompanied by his own sketches of the artists.
Liverett didn’t grow up as a fan of country music, but he was the son of a fan. “My dad played the guitar and harmonica at the same time, and I grew up listening to country music through him,” he explains. Liverett, on the other hand, enjoyed the folk and rock music of his era. Then in 1968, he began working for the Gaithers and became entrenched in gospel music. Liverett thinks of his latest book on country music as a tribute to his father.
Working on the book may have endeared country music to him a bit. His book includes singers made famous by the Grand Ole Opry as well as more contemporary artists, including each member of Rascall Flatts.
Liverett didn’t take much time to rest between projects. As soon as Those Grand Ole Country Music Stars was finished, he began working on his 10th book about questions people have for God.
A Ripple of Hope premieres at The Paley Center for Media in New York
By Chris Williams
A Ripple of Hope, a documentary film created by Covenant Productions at Anderson University, premiered at The Paley Center for Media in New York City on April 1. A panel discussion followed the screening and featured director Dr. Donald Boggs, general manager of Covenant Productions and chair of the Department of Communication Arts; Kerry Kennedy, human rights activist, author of Being Catholic Now, and daughter of Robert F. Kennedy; Rory Kennedy, filmmaker and daughter of Robert F. Kennedy; Harold Ford, Jr., professor of public policy at Vanderbilt University; and Jeff Greenfield, senior political correspondent, CBS Nightly News. The screening was also attended by Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy.
The documentary relives April 4, 1968, the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. At the time, Robert Kennedy was in the midst of a presidential campaign that was attempting to bridge racial and economic divisions. As word of the assassination spread, riots and fires erupted in cities across the nation. Though urged to cancel a rally before a mixed crowd in the inner city of Indianapolis, Robert Kennedy refused. The threat of violence was very real. But the few, simple words he spoke that night are credited with creating a sense of calm that averted violence during chaotic days following Dr. King’s death.
“I found it personally moving to have conversations with the Kennedy family as they graciously received and celebrated this work,” said Dr. James L. Edwards, president of Anderson University, who attended the New York City premiere. “They were moved and grateful to us for having produced such an authentic project to preserve a significant part of the story of Robert Kennedy.”
In recent months, A Ripple of Hope has been screened at a number of film festivals around the country. The film has been featured at the New Orleans Film Festival; Ojai Film Festival in Ojai, Calif.; and the Durango Film Festival in Durango, Colo. The film garnered the Audience Choice Award at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, Ind., and the Best Documentary Award at the Harvest Moon Film Festival in Muncie, Ind. More information and future screening dates are available at www.rippleofhopemovie.com.
“I think this is an extraordinary documentary. It is made with such integrity and sensitivity,” said Kerry Kennedy. “Not just anyone could have made this documentary. It had to be made by someone who understood that moment, and the importance of that for our country. But it goes way beyond an historical piece. It is really a piece about moral courage. And so I am just delighted to see it and to bring my children to see their grandfather in that light.”
The Paley Center for Media, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public. For more information, visit The Paley Center for Media online at www.paleycenter.org.
For information visit www.rippleofhopemovie.com.
Anderson alumni, staff, and students rally around quadruplet family
By Lindsay Conner
Going through a can of formula a day and more than 150 diapers per week is child’s play for the Thompson family. Suzy (Rojas) Thompson BA ’98 and her husband, Ted, welcomed quadruplets Isaac, Jude, Lucia, and Dahlia into the world on Christmas Eve. The two boys and two girls arrived after Suzy carried them for an impressive 33 weeks and two days, spending three months on bed rest (two of them in the hospital).
During Suzy’s pregnancy, her close friends from AU set up a volunteer network via LotsaHelpingHands.com, where volunteers could sign up to prepare meals for the family. Now the site is a place where people can volunteer to help with feedings, laundry, and diapers for a few hours now that the babies have arrived.
Sending support in the form of gift cards, diapers, and formula, the Anderson community rallied around the Thompsons. “People have been so generous in praying for us and keeping me encouraged when I was in the hospital,” Suzy said. “Some were acquaintances who found me on Facebook, and not necessarily people I’d kept in touch with.”
The sophomore honors cohort at AU adopted the Thompson family as a service project, coming every Saturday evening to help for a couple hours. “They help with chores that take me a while, like sterilizing all the bottles and pacifiers,” she said. “Currently, there are some Anderson employees I didn’t know before who have become some of our favorite helpers — just really good people.”
Despite having so many helping hands around, Suzy still wishes she had an extra set of arms. “Even when just two of the babies need something, it can be overwhelming. When they all need my attention and I can’t give it to them, just having another person here is such a huge help.”
The quads are on a four-hour schedule, which means waking up and feeding each baby at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., 8 p.m., and once in the middle of the night. Even if there are four helpers for a shift, Suzy says it works best to stagger the babies’ feeding times. “Because if there’s no one here to help later and I’m by myself, it’s pretty terrible when they’re all hungry at the same time,” she said.
Though the babies are on a regimented feeding routine to keep things running smoothly, Suzy and Ted say their own diets are out of whack. “We definitely forget to eat all the time,” Suzy said and laughed. “My aunt and uncle have come to stay for the weekend and it’ll be Sunday before I realize that I haven’t offered them a meal one single time while they’re here. Because I didn’t eat a meal either — I just grabbed some chips.”
So how much have the Thompsons spent on all those diapers? “Actually, not very much so far,” Ted said. “We’ve been blessed with people donating diapers, some people who bring a pack every time they come to help.” Suzy’s AU friends from out of state have sent shipments from Diapers.com, while others have shared their barely-used preemie clothing with the Thompsons.
“Almost every single person who has wanted to help has been related to AU in some way,” said Suzy, who also serves on the university’s alumni council. “I don’t know what I’d do without a community like Anderson.”
