In Wesleyan circles, some have joked that all roads lead to Bartlesville. Some roads are just a lot longer than others.
Val Callaghan (’91) may not have had the longest road to Bartlesville, but it definitely was a unique journey.
Callaghan was born in Swaziland. Her parents, Orai and Linda Lehman, were graduates of Central Pilgrim College in 1968, and they went to the mission field in Africa shortly after completing their degrees. Callaghan spent the first ten years of her life in Swaziland. Eventually, her family moved to a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, where Callaghan lived until her freshman year of college. Outside of furloughs in the States, she completed her early schooling in Africa.
Callaghan’s family was rooted in Bartlesville. Her parents were CPC graduates, and she had extended family in Bartlesville. Growing up, she visited several times, even attending Tri-State Youth Camp, where BWC students were counselors. When the time came to choose a college, the Bartlesville connection and already cultivated community gave Callaghan a good reason to choose BWC. In the spring of 1987, she returned to the States to prepare for her freshman year.
College in the States
Callaghan had spent extensive time in the States growing up, but even with that preparation, she experienced some culture shock when she arrived at BWC for her schooling. Bartlesville in the late 1980s didn’t have much in common with the big city she had grown up in.
“Growing up in Johannesburg, there was a lot to do,” she said. “I couldn’t believe when I got here that literally the streets rolled up at 9 o’clock.”
Callaghan majored in intercultural ministry. She loved her experience living overseas on the mission field and dreamed of returning after earning her degree. As a student, she participated in BWC mission trips, including a trip to Munich, where she worked with Ken and Marilyn Blake.
Like many who studied ministry and religion at BWC, Callaghan points to her classes with Dr. Mike Fullingim as being particularly impactful to her college experience. Callaghan was especially interested in studying anthropology and linguistics, and her interest was sharpened in courses she took under Fullingim.
Avenues to Serve
Although she originally planned to return to the mission field after finishing college, God opened up different doors of ministry for Callaghan. After graduation, she went to work full-time as an ophthalmic technician. After a couple of years, she returned to her alma mater to work in the enrollment office. Along the way, she got married, and in 1995, she had her first child.
She became a stay-at-home mother, caring for her children and assisting her husband’s contractor business. She kept the books and did clerical work for his company while her children grew up.
In 2003, she returned to her alma mater again to serve as an adjunct professor in the ESL program. She especially enjoyed her time in the classroom, working with students coming to OKWU from other countries who needed to strengthen their English skills before entering Composition courses. She could teach during the day while her children were in school, allowing her to fulfill multiple callings simultaneously.
In 2008, she started working full-time at The Center (otherwise known as the Bartlesville Community Center), where she continues to work as the managing director. She serves as the point person for the team, reporting directly to the trust authority that manages The Center for the city of Bartlesville.
She noted that her favorite part of her position is working with agents in New York to determine which Broadway shows come to Bartlesville for The Center’s Broadway in Bartlesville! series. The Center provides a variety of cultural and music events for people in Bartlesville to enjoy, including the OKM Music Festival, the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra, and Children’s Musical Theatre.
Although Callaghan may not have predicted the many turns that her journey has taken since she came to BWC as a student, one thing about her life is evident: her commitment to serving others in her community. As a mother, a teacher, and now a community leader, Callaghan has a long record of positively impacting the lives of others.
Val Callaghan lives in Bartlesville. She will be honored at Homecoming 2024.
