Written by: University Relations

Orange Scott Special Recognition

The Outstanding Service Award recognizes an Oklahoma Wesleyan graduate for outstanding service to the church, community, and university. The 2015 recipient is Todd Nettleton.

This is only the second time the award has been given under the new special honor named for Orange Scott. This recognition was added in light of OKWU’s Orange Movement ministry. This ministry, named after the abolitionist and Wesleyan founder Orange Scott, seeks to educate and raise awareness about today’s slavery and persecution issues across the globe. With this recognition, we seek to highlight alums that are especially striving to serve the vulnerable, the oppressed…the “least of these”.

A 1992 graduate of Bartlesville Wesleyan College (OKWU’s predecessor), Todd is currently the Director of Media and Public Relations for The Voice of the Martyrs. At VOM, Todd works with the media to tell the stories of persecuted Christians around the world. During his 17 years with the organization, he has met with Christians who face persecution in more than 20 countries and been interviewed more than 2,250 times. He has also been on the writing team for four VOM books.

The son of missionary parents, Todd split his growing-up years between Southern California and Papua New Guinea. He ended up at an OKWU “Sneak Preview” event at the behest of his parents, graduates of OKWU predecessor, Central Pilgrim College. During that weekend, Todd was entered in the first-ever Gold Eagle Scholar Competition, and completed written and oral tests to win a full-tuition scholarship.

In the months follow the competition, Todd remembers several times where the Lord affirmed the choice he made during that weekend. When he arrived on campus after seeing his family off to the mission field, his decision to attend was confirmed again as he built relationships with the men of Epsilon. Todd recalls, “Those guys quickly became my family. We looked out for each other, we supported each other, [and] we competed with each other.” The men of Epsilon, he notes, had a big influence on his life, and many of his best memories are with that group—like the time they fit six of them (and their dates) in one vehicle for date night.

Another favorite memory, of course, was proposing to his wife, Charlotte, in front of everyone at the Valentine’s Banquet after they were named “Sweetheart Couple”. Charlotte and Todd now have two sons, Kameron and Kedrick, who both attend Christian universities.

The mission of OKWU continues to impact Todd:

“College is when my faith became MY faith. Growing up in the home of a pastor/missionary, it was pretty easy to float along on faith issues. I didn’t have to decide to go to church, because if the doors were open we were gonna be there. And while I love and treasure that heritage, each of us has to come to a point of recognizing the Primacy of Christ for ourselves. For me that happened at OKWU.”

Todd and Charlotte live in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. In his spare time, Todd enjoys reading, writing, music, travel and sports, including serving as commissioner of a fantasy football league made up mostly of OKWU alumni.