Words: Juliana Bacote ’24
Photo: Kayla Ruchti
HoneyRock, Wheaton College’s Center for Leadership Development, celebrated 75 years this spring. HoneyRock officially became the base for the Northwoods Campus of Wheaton in February 1951. Harvey and Dorothy Chrouser worked with many partners to launch the leadership school at HoneyRock by June of that year. Often referred to as “a place apart,” HoneyRock is known for sacred spaces, authentic community, holistic engagement, and spiritual rhythms. HoneyRock staff have expressed gratitude for God’s faithfulness as generations have been shaped at HoneyRock, a legacy which lives on through students, campers, parents, alumni, and donors. Anniversary celebrations included a birthday party on Wheaton’s campus, which featured a birthday cake, party favors, photo ops, and door prizes.
Wheaton professor Dr. John
Dickson’s documentary The First Hymn was shown in cinemas nationally on March 24 and 26. The film tells the story of the discovery and revitalization of the first hymn with musical notation and features members of the Wheaton College community, including the Concert Choir and members of the Symphony
Orchestra. The First Hymn was pre-screened on campus in April 2025 followed by an encore showing in
October 2025.
In January, the Wheaton College Art Department’s Walford Gallery presented “XOXO,” an exhibit by Cayce Zavaglia ’94, a textile artist and painter. “XOXO” was a collection of textiles, prints, and other mixed-media works by Zavaglia that centered on the subject of her parents’ divorce and its effects. Zavaglia also described the collection as a love letter to Wheaton College, where she first pursued her calling as an artist.
In February, the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra presented Echoes of Aslan, a concert experience featuring musical reflections on learning, friendship, and imagination, including the world premiere of a new orchestral work by Wheaton College Professor of Music Emeritus Dr. Howard Whitaker. The program was conducted by Associate Professor of Music Dr. Benjamin Klemme.
During the spring semester, Arena Theater presented productions of Arms and the Man in Februaryand Well in April. Directed by Kailey Bell, Arms and the Man is a satirical comedy that explores the ideals of romantic love, heroism, nobility, and war. Well follows a young woman who sets out to answer questions about what it means to be well. The play was directed by Mark Lewis.
The Wheaton College Graduate School’s Doctor of Ministry program has two new concentrations: Leading the Church on Mission; and Innovation, Diversity, and Sustainability. Leading the Church on Mission will focus on leadership, church revitalization, and the changing mission of the local church and begins in fall 2026. Innovation, Diversity, and Sustainability will equip ministry leaders to navigate the shifts shaping the future of the American church through practical frameworks and strategies. It will begin in spring 2027.
The Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, embarked on an international tour from May 11–20 in Northern Ireland and England, where the ensemble participated in events that explored the ministries of friendship and imagination in the life of C.S. Lewis. The “Through the Wardrobe” tour included visits to C.S. Lewis’s birthplace and Oxford home, master classes, and performances at churches and premier performance venues.
While there is still work to be done, the Faithfully Forward campaign continues to see considerable momentum toward the $275 million goal thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents, and other supporters of the College.
Here is an update on our progress as of May 2026.
To check the latest progress and learn more about the campaign, please visit wheaton.edu/forward.
