“I don’t spend a lot of time looking back, I like looking forward,” said ACU chancellor Dr. Royce Money. When Dr. Phil Schubert officially took over responsibilities as president of ACU on June 1, of this year, former president Royce Money transitioned into his new role as university chancellor. The new position has given Money and his wife, Pam, the opportunity to travel and teach a bit. Here is a look at where in the world the Moneys have been in the past few months and where they’re headed next.
Vermont:
On Memorial Day weekend, the Moneys left for a two month trip to Vermont. “That was a kind of getaway and persona vacation time,” said Royce Money. The Moneys have spent time in Vermont at least every other year for the past ten years. “We prefer mountains to oceans,” said Pam Money. After a quiet summer in the northeast, the Moneys were back in Abilene for about three weeks.
Oxford:
ACU study abroad students living in Oxford this past semester had the unique opportunity to learn from ACU’s former President in his first time to teach in twenty years. The Moneys left for England on September 10, where they first joined the class for a week-long tour in northern England that tied into Royce Moneys three-week intensive course, Survey of Church History. Â Time in Oxford and class trips to both northern England and Spain allowed the Moneys time to get to know the students they were living with. “Interacting with students was a highlight,” said Pam Money. “Royce and I love college students.”
Abilene:
The Moneys returned to west Texas soil on October 23. Since then, Royce Money said he has quickly settled into his new responsibilities. “My primary role as chancellor is fundraising and making new friends for the university and keeping in touch with old friends,” said Royce Money. The university chancellor also said while he enjoyed every minute serving as ACU President, that chapter is now closed. “Without the responsibility of multi-million budgets and 800 employees, and public relation issues flowing through the office, I’m free now to focus my attention on things that will have the potential to have lasting change on ACU,” said Royce Money. Meanwhile, Pam Money has spent time catching up with friends and family. “It’s amazing how many people didn’t know where we were,” she said.
Leipzig:
The Moneys will extend their study abroad experience by visiting the newest ACU study abroad site in Leipzig, Germany at the end of March. Royce Money will again teach a course on church survey, this time not far from where Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the church doors in Wittenburg, Germany. “That is the cradle of the Protestant Reformation,” said Royce Money. “It is a place filled with historical discoveries.” This will provide one more chance for Royce Money to teach after a long absence. “It really feels good to be back, I really love interacting with the students,” he said. After joining the class trip to Turkey, the Moneys plan on returning to Abilene in the beginning of May.
Looking forward:
While thoughts of Africa have been mentioned for the future, nothing has yet to be set in stone, said Royce Money. But no matter where they go next, both Royce and Pam Money stress the importance of learning from an international experience. Together, they have visited around 25 countries in 46 years of marriage. “It’s very valuable to have experiences that are different than the ones you grew up with,” said Pam Money. Both agreed that understanding differing perspectives from people of different places and cultures changes the way you think. “The way God sees the world is with no borders,” said Royce Money in chapel Monday. “We wanted to learn how various perspectives deal with the Lordship of Jesus.”