Range Rider, Spring/Summer 2002 Page: 2
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which he found very encouraging. He arrived in
Abilene the day before the other incoming students
and was picked up at the bus station by Stacy
(Vaughn) Martin '96/01, his admissions counselor.
This experience is still important to Ty, whose love for
HSU stems from the small, personal things the school
has done to provide and care for him.
Ty has been very active on campus, participating in
New Student Orientation and studying business
relations in China. He will graduate in December
2003 with a BBA in economics and finance, and will
eventually move home to Brazil (although he'd also
like to try living in China or Australia for a while).
Contact Ty at carv5349 @hsutx.edu.
WEN KUO, a senior chemistry major and math
minor, was born and raised in Northeast China, nearClockwise from top:
Ty Carvalho,
Masika and Ty
Smith, Wen Kuo.Russia, a place he describes as "half frozen." At 13,
he moved to Beijing for a few years before coming to
the U.S. His father once lived and worked in a
Chinese restaurant in Abilene, and arranged for Wen
to get a job at the same restaurant. One of Wen's
regular customers was a Cooper High vice principal
who arranged for Wen to enroll as a junior at
Cooper.
His first year was very frustrating, as he tried to
learn English and communicate with his peers and
teachers. However, some very special people stepped
into Wen's life, offering him friendship and a home
away from home. Jana (Davis) Watson '81, his math
teacher, saw and encouraged Wen's aptitude for math
and science. She and her husband, Rodney '81,
pastor of Lytle South Baptist, took Wen under theirwings. Their support and Wen's success on the TAAS
tests led him to attend Hardin-Simmons.
Wen believes his success is due to the under-
standing and patience of professors who have
worked with him to develop his English.
As Wen has learned about Christianity, he
believes HSU has changed him in many ways. He
had never been introduced to spiritual things nor
heard of Jesus Christ. Required Bible courses and
friendships with Christians have developed his desire
to be like those he has met. "I see that Christianity is
not just a religion but a way of life," Wen said.
Wen is very proud of having become an
American citizen last July, and even more proud of
his adopted country since the September tragedy.
After graduation and a trip home to China, Wen
hopes to return to Texas, and use his ability to speak
Chinese in business or government work. Contact
Wen at kuol518@hsutx.edu.
MASIKA ZAWADI (BUSHU) SMITH was born
into the Nande tribe in Kinshasa, Zaire
(Democratic Republic of Congo), to parents
who have worked for Campus Crusade for
Christ for over 20 years. As the oldest of
four, and the only girl, Masika devel-
oped an international perspective early
on. In 1990, her family moved to
Nairobi, Kenya, so her father could
pursue a master's degree. Masika
began to learn English, studying at a
French school with students from
around the world.
Masika, like many in her country,
saw the U.S. as "heaven on earth," where
everyone is rich, buildings are tall, streets
are clean, and everyone is happy and
beautiful. She began to dream of and pray
about coming to the U.S. to study Her father said
they could not afford to send her, so she prayed for
financial aid. Campus Crusade for Christ provided a
gift to her parents, because of their years of service,
for the exact amount Masika needed to fly to the U.S.
Her cousin in Chicago found a job where Masika
could live in New York and work as a nanny while
studying at a local college.
She traveled from there to Chicago to Cisco Jr.
College (a distant cousin lived in Abilene). All the
while, God provided the resources and friends to help
her along. In Abilene, at Crossroads Church, she met
Ty Smith whom she married in July 2000. They
entered HSU that fall as students.
Masika earned her B.A. in psychology in May
2002 and plans to pursue a Ph.D. Ty will graduate
with a B.B.S. in applied theology in December. They
hope to do international work-perhaps in her home
country. Contact Masika at mzawadi@ yahoo.com.SU RANGE RIDER I SPRING/S1UMMER 2002
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Hardin-Simmons University. Range Rider, Spring/Summer 2002, periodical, 2002; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117114/m1/4/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library.