I wouldn’t mind initiating some kind of “student watch” on this blog, though I fear many of my former students wouldn’t necessarily appreciate it. My feelings of affection and sometimes pride (not the kind that pretends that I have anything to do with it, but the good kind) may not be reciprocated. But I’ll do one anyway and if the fallout is too great, I may resist in the future.
There are a number of IBEX students who have gone on to do Ph.D. work, but Preston Sprinkle may be the first to actually finish. We had one student get his M.D., but that’s cake compared to a Ph.D. in biblical studies, in my opinion (just add up the number of years it takes). Preston was well on his way to great things when he passed through IBEX in the wonderful fall of 1999. He later married another IBEX alum and since completing his Ph.D. has accepted a professorship at Cedarville University. He is interviewed at this blog, and you may note the mention of his semester in Israel. Elsewhere, you can read about his doctoral dissertation. He is clearly brilliant. May the Lord bless his teaching, his family, and his walk with Christ. He married into one of my favorite families, but that’s a story for another day.
I was a freshman when Preston was a senior. I had no classes with him and didn’t know his academic ambitions at the time, but I was always impressed by his tenacious workouts in the weight room and his hustle and intensity on the baseball field. I distinctly remember a time when we were ending a practice with non-observed base-running drills and many of the guys were slacking off and running only 80-90%. Preston was pedal to the metal, as always, and after a couple guys didn’t give it everything, he spoke up and said something like, “So we’re going to jog just because the coaches aren’t around?” I think he said this right before he took off at a dead sprint around the bases. That was nine years ago, and I remember it clearly. If he worked as hard at Aberdeen as he did at every aspect of baseball, he wouldn’t even have to be very smart to be successful. Thanks for this update, Todd.
Gunner,
That’s crazy! I think I actually remember that. I had to work hard on the ball field to make up for my lack of natural talent!
Todd,
I actually forgot to mention on Jim’s post that it was in IBEX, and under your teaching in particular, that my desire to be an Evangelical scholar really took shape. You always alerted us to the necessity of precision in the classroom, and warned us not to just give the “easy answer.” Thanks Todd! You have been a great catalyst in my life!
Preston
prestonsprinkle@cedarville.edu
Congrats Preston!
i like the update Todd!!