Advising Collaborative

Carisa Ash
800-DTS-WORD (800-387-9673)
Director of Student Advising
cash@dts.edu

Worked at DTS since: Spring of 1999

Welcome to DTS! I am an “older sister” who enjoys serving students through the Advising Center. Why do I say “older sister?” I began my journey at DTS fall 1998 with the hopes of completing the Th.M. by spring 2002. However, the Lord had other plans! I completed the Th.M. in 2003 and then began a Ph.D. in Theological Studies. I still hope to graduate soon. Resultantly, I’ve been given wisdom that comes from just hanging around for over a decade and mostly through trial and error. My single greatest piece of advice: follow God, trust His faithfulness, and hang on for the journey of a life time! Please let us in the Advising Center walk beside you on your journey.

Two things stand out in my DTS experience: (1) faculty, and (2) good friends. And, well, I interact with both of them here at the Advising Center. I continue to experience the encouragement of faculty members who have the Kingdom in their focus. What a privilege to watch them as they continue to encourage other students to keep their eyes looking north. I also work with friends who daily challenge me to seek God’s clear guidance for my life and the lives of the students God places on my path. I regularly see the Spirit’s work not only through me, but also through those with whom I work. Have you ever experienced a ministry where people trip over one another in an effort to serve each other? I see this through the staff here in the Advising Center and hope you too can see this through us.

We exist for the greater Kingdom of God and to move you toward lifelong service. So, come on in share your ministry vision and let us encourage you along the way!

What are your hobbies or outside interests?
I enjoy the outdoors and especially fishing.

What do you do on your day off?
On my days off, I enjoy sleeping in, watching good movies, spending time with friends, serving in the church and enjoying the great outdoors.

What are your favorite foods?
I love most things peanut butter, enjoy cups of good coffee on the porch with friends on a nice morning, and like meat and potato type meals.

What is your favorite television show of all time?
Frasier, Friends, and Criminal Minds top my list of favorite television shows.

What is your favorite piece of literature?
I can’t point to a single book that tops my reading list. However, Charlotte’s Web, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Tell Tale Heart all grabbed my interest at an early age. My current reading interests range from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, to Bavinck’s Essays on Religions, Science, and Society, to the psychological-detective mystery books of Jonathan Kellerman.

What is your favorite musical artist/group/genre of music?
Grab my MP3 player and you will quickly become confused. What is Carisa’s favorite music? My music preferences range from 70s-80s rock, of which Bob Seger is my all time fave, to contemporary country, and folk (like the Civil Wars). When it comes to Christian music, I enjoy the solid theology found in the traditional hymns and in more contemporary groups like the David Crowder Band, Derek Webb, Ambassador, and Andrew Peterson.

Who is the person you admire most and why?
While I admire a few people, Robert Raikes is near the top of the list. He truly understood what “no kid left behind” meant in Christian Education. His story challenges me to reach the “least of these” with solid theology.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I think Ireland would be a cool place to live, at least based on the pictures I’ve seen. However, I dream of living in a log house in the middle of the woods and near a lake. The autumn colors are vibrant, there’s always snow at Christmas, the spring colors are vivid, and the summer days are pleasant. If you know of this place, please let me know!

Garland Dunlap
800-DTS-WORD (800-387-9673)
Academic Advisor
gdunlap@dts.edu

Worked at DTS since: September 2011

Greetings! We’re glad you’ve stopped by to visit our little corner of DTS. We love having visitors, sharing stories, and giving out chocolate…err, vitamins. Our job is to provide options and ideas you may have never considered. Please come and see us so that we can dream with you and help you develop a strategy to achieve that dream. We provide creative solutions for out-of-the-box ministries, and degree completion plans for unusual circumstances. Give us a try!

I appreciate the Seminary’s commitment to understanding (as much as we can) the Triune God and all that He has communicated to us. I especially love the creativity and vision of the Christian Education department, who has taught me to teach others to love God, through Jesus, at all times using all means. The professors here are some of the friendliest, kindest, most gracious people I’ve ever met, and this is one of the only places where I can have a serious theological discussion and an analysis of the latest superhero film in the same conversation.

Come see us early in your degree program; let’s develop a strategy for success. We want to see you walking across that stage!

What are your hobbies or outside interests?
I greatly enjoy reading, comic books (generally Marvel but I do follow certain DC artists and writers), Legend of the Five Rings, Fluxx, movies, writing, staring at the ceiling, playing with my child, hanging out with my wife, cooking, experimenting with cooking, and eating – not necessarily in that order.

What do you do on your day off?
Play with my son and enjoy my wife’s company.

What are your favorite foods?
Italian, Chinese, Thai.

What is your favorite television show of all time?
Firefly – the best show ever cancelled in one season.

What is your favorite piece of literature?
Two: Till We have Faces by C.S. Lewis and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.

What is your favorite musical artist/group/genre of music?
I appreciate Classical (Beethoven) the most, but I tend to enjoy a pretty wide variety.

Who is the person you admire most and why?
My wife. She has two Master’s degrees, is an administrative genius and she puts up with me.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Probably Italy, for no other reason than it seems to have good food, friendly people and rich history.

Coleman Ford
800-DTS-WORD (800-387-9673)
Academic Advisor
cford@dts.edu

Jenny McGill
800-DTS-WORD (800-387-9673)
International Student Advisor
jmcgill@dts.edu

Worked at DTS since: November 1999

I have experienced DTS life as a single student, spouse of a student, as a staff member and adjunct faculty member. Hopefully, if you have a question, I have an answer! You can learn more about my background on my faculty page.

What are your hobbies or outside interests?
Hiking, foxtrotting, globetrotting, foreign films.

What do you do on your day off?
Hiking, which is sometimes hard to do in Dallas!

What are your favorite foods?
I'm a big fan of fruits and vegetables; bread fresh from the oven.

What is your favorite television show of all time?
Of all time? That's a tall order. At present, Dr. Who (with Matt Smith).

What is your favorite piece of literature?
Historical dramas, biographies.

What is your favorite kind of music?
Eclectic. World music.

Who is the person you admire most and why?
The many named, but unknown to me, who have been persecuted for their faith.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Most anywhere, so long as it is within a 45 minute drive from an international airport.

Josh Gibb

Academic Advisor, DTS-Houston

What are your hobbies or outside interests?

What do you do on your day off?

What are your favorite foods?

What is your favorite television show of all time?

What is your favorite piece of literature?

What is your favorite musical artist/group/genre of music?

Who is the person you admire most and why?

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Jessica Vaughan
214-874-4444
Administrative Coordinator
jvaughan@dts.edu

Worked at DTS since: February 2011

We are so excited to have you as part of the DTS family! If you haven’t been by the Advising Center yet, please come by to see us! I would love to help direct you to the right person and even help you set up an appointment to speak with one of our academic and faculty advisors.

I am so thankful to be part of the DTS family! It is truly an environment that seeks to help see every student through to their graduation. We are here to serve you where you are now and help you prepare for where the Lord is leading you.

We would love to meet you, so don’t hesitate to come by with any questions that you have or even just to say ‘Hi’!

What are your hobbies or outside interests?
I really love to cook and bake. I also love just being outside and enjoying God’s beautiful creation. I am really interested in environmental issues and can spend hours reading about how to become a better steward of what our creator has given us dominion over. I also love listening to my records!

What do you do on your day off?
I absolutely love my days off because I am able to be with my sweet daughter all day. I love going to the park with my husband and daughter and pretty much just relaxing with my family.

What are your favorite foods?
There are too many to name (I seriously LOVE food) but I would have to say Mediterranean food is my favorite. I am also a huge fan of really good macaroni and cheese and cake batter ice cream.

What is your favorite television show of all time?
I Love Lucy, hands down. Although I recently got addicted (yes, I watched all 7 episodes in one day) to Once Upon A Time that is new this season.

What is your favorite piece of literature?
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books but I am also an insanely huge fan of the Harry Potter series.

What is your favorite musical artist/group/genre of music?
This is a very unfair question because I can’t pick just one favorite! I love jazz, bluegrass, classical, and anything that you can dance to. Ella Fitzgerald is probably one of my favorite singers, along with Sufjan Stevens and Florence and The Machines.

Who is the person you admire most and why?
Most definitely my mom and dad. We didn’t have much growing up, but they always put themselves last and loved my siblings and me with such dedication, we never thought we needed anything more. Their love for our Savior and complete faith in His goodness, regardless of the circumstance, is so inspiring.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
This is a very difficult question because I would love to live in so many places. Budapest, Italy, Peru, Oregon, and Colorado are at the top of my list though. My hope is to someday live somewhere with an ability to ride my bike most everywhere that I need to go and still have more than concrete surrounding me.

Karen Holder

Director of Financial Aid

What are your hobbies or outside interests?

What do you do on your day off?

What are your favorite foods?

What is your favorite television show of all time?

What is your favorite piece of literature?

What is your favorite musical artist/group/genre of music?

Who is the person you admire most and why?

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Sara Rosenbeck
214-841-3632
Student Accounts (Billing)
srosenbeck@dts.edu

Worked at DTS since: June 2005

It is awesome that you took the leap of faith and came to DTS. My husband and I took the same leap in 2004, and we are so glad we came to DTS. You may be wondering how do you make payment on your student account? My semester costs how much? Take a deep breath. I am here to help! I handle student account questions and can assist you with making your payments to your student account. My office is located in the Advising Center on the first floor of Walvoord Student Center, and the Cashier is located on the third floor of Davidson Hall. With my help, the help of the DTS Financial Aid office, and the Cashier in the DTS Business office, we will help you achieve paying your student bill.

As a professor’s wife once stated, “Your seminary friends will always be in your life, but your other friends may come and go.” My husband and I developed a unique bond with the friends, staff, and faculty that supported us through the Th.M. degree program. These relationships will be cherished forever. If you find yourself in a certain circumstance, find a fellow student, DTS staff person, or a DTS faculty member to talk through your circumstance. It is most likely that the person has gone through the same situation. The relationships you develop at DTS will be there for you to lean on when you need the support and confidence to get through your studies and later on in your ministry after you have graduated DTS.

Your ministry training at DTS is a precious time of your life. Take full advantage of the opportunities God opens for you while at DTS!

What are your hobbies or outside interests?
Movies, baking, cooking, walking, spending time with my husband or friends, traveling, and watching college football especially, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

What do you do on your day off?
If I am not taking a day trip with my husband, then usually it is a “me time” kind of a day or a day filled with a tasks/errands list to scratch off.

What are your favorite foods?
A meal consisting of a steak grilled medium-well, baked potato, salad with ranch dressing, dinner rolls with butter, and a slice of pie.

What is your favorite television show of all time?
Little House on the Prairie

What is your favorite piece of literature?
Any literature made into a movie. Otherwise, literature and I seldom connect.

What is your favorite musical artist/group/genre of music?
Christian artists and groups like Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, Petra, but I also like the old traditional hymns and any kind Christmas music which can be listened to all year long.

Who is the person you admire most and why?
My husband for his unconditional love, his leadership, his faith, and his ways of enjoying life to the fullest. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). And my parents for training me up in the way I should go in many areas of life.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I enjoy the four seasons. So, if I could live where I have Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, I am good.

Kasey Smith
214-841-3557
Financial Aid Receptionist
ksmith@dts.edu