Alumni Spotlight
John Harper '77
Major: Political Science/Public Administration
Occupation: Vice President, General Services,
American Electric Power, Columbus, Ohio
Esther (Mayfield) Harper '77
Major: Nursing Science
Occupation: Registered
Nurse, Neo-Natal ICU (retired)
Though the war was winding down by 1972, the ominous prospect of changing to an all-green wardrobe and wading through rice paddies in Vietnam was overwhelming as John Harper considered the certainty of his pending induction. His best option, he thought, was to find a college near his home in Denver where he could join ROTC and delay the immediacy of his active duty. A friend told him about Evangel, and although it was not his first choice, he decided to attend after learning ROTC was offered.
That same spring of 1972, Esther Mayfield also found herself facing the choice of where to go to college. In one hand, she had an acceptance letter from the University of Maryland offering a full tuition scholarship. In the other, she held a $1,000 scholarship for being named Potomac District CA of the Year. The CA scholarship carried one condition; it was only redeemable at an AG institution of higher learning. She felt a stirring in her heart . . . although there would not be a full scholarship, she would enjoy the friendships that she would make with other Spirit-filled believers. and God would have to provide. the funds.
John studied political science and public administration; Esther's major was nursing science. As freshmen, they They met in Dr. Turner Collins' biology class, where they paired up on a an ear-lob inspection genetics experiment. After a three-year courtship they married and lived in the Perkin Apartments.
When Esther finished her training at Burge School of Nursing, they moved to Tulsa. Esther became the primary breadwinner, while John completed an MBA at Oral Roberts University. She specialized in prenatal care at St. Francis Hospital, where she worked for 18 years. For many years, she flew helicopter neonatal emergency transport missions for the small hospitals in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
During the time that John was working on his thesis, he joined the local electric utility as an analyst. They were barely 30-something and had two kids, a dog, a mortgage and an Astro van. "Our lives were blessed," said John. That's the Reader's Digest version, but there's more to this story that can be found by clicking on http://hometown.aol.com/johndharperjr/myhomepage/index.html
In the fall of 1988, John went "back home" to Colorado to attend his uncle's funeral. There he met up with his old friend and mentor, Lowell, who also was the father of his high-school girlfriend. They exchanged stories of the past 16 years, and when Lowell learned that Esther was originally from Indiana, he said, "My best buddy from World War II was from Indiana . . . he was my best man in our wedding . . . I haven't heard from him since 1948 . . . that's been 40 years."
Come to find out, Lowell's old friend was Esther's father. The hand of God became more than theology in an instant, and Evangel College became a critical crossroad in the omniscience of a caring and purposeful Father.
John has worked for American Electric Power (AEP) for the past 25 years. John and his family spent three years living in England while he worked as the senior American executive on the Board of AEP's United Kingdom subsidiary. They returned to the U.S. in 2000. Currently, he is the Vice President of General Services and a director with the Columbus International Visitors Council. In June 2004, John spoke to the International Conference on Renewable Energy in Bonn, Germany, as chairman of the e7 Technology Diffusion Working Group. The e7 is a nonprofit international organization of leading electricity companies that is dedicated to promoting sustainable global energy development.
Today, John and Esther live in New Albany, Ohio, with their two teenage daughters, Jennah and Jannessah. Their son, Justin, is a sophomore at Evangel. Their oldest daughter, JaHannah, graduated from Wheaton College last spring, and is a first year med student at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Esther spends the best parts of her day as a volunteer in the local school. Her greatest pleasures are the endless hours she spends as transport director and shopping mentor for her teenage daughters.