Taylor University Celebrates Roth Center for Missions Computing Ribbon-Cutting

On November 21, 2025, Taylor University formally celebrated the opening of the Roth Center for Missions Computing (RCMC) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Pat Gelsinger, former CEO of Intel and a long-time leader in the tech industry. As part of his campus visit, Gelsinger spoke in Chapel, took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and engaged with students and guests at a luncheon hosted by the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Department. As part of the day’s festivities, the University conferred an honorary doctorate upon Gelsinger in recognition of his heart for Christ and his exemplary leadership in the field of technology.

The Center’s new name honors former professor Wally Roth ’59, founder of Taylor’s CSE Department and a longtime friend of Elaine Vandermeulen and her late husband, Gordon ‘65. Originally named the Computer Assistance Program in 1980 and renamed the Center for Missions Computing in 2007, the Roth Center for Missions Computing received its current name following a transformational multi-million-dollar gift from the Vandermeulen family in 2023.

For more than four decades, Taylor faculty and students have partnered with mission organizations around the world, developing software, equipping missionaries with technology skills, and solving complex data challenges. With the Vandermeulen gift, the Center is poised for an even greater impact on the global Church.

To lead this work, Dave Hines now serves as Director of the Roth Center for Missions Computing, a role previously held by faculty balancing full teaching loads. "I am building on the work of others who came before me," said Hines. "And with this funding, we can expand, in a more sustained fashion, the work we’ve always been doing."

Missional Purpose

The Vandermeulen gift significantly broadens opportunities for CSE students by providing scholarships for practicums and internships with mission organizations. In 2026, 47% of CSE interns served in mission-focused roles.

Students have contributed to projects such as:

• Developing AI chatbots with SIL Global for Bible translation tools

• Monitoring global water pumps with SonSet Solutions

• Enhancing open-source mission-focused CRM and finance software with LightSys Technology Services

"These scholarships provide a new resource to empower our students to serve global missions. A pipeline of skilled, mission-minded students is a gift we can give to the missions community," Hines emphasized.

The gift also supports new RCMC Scholars, student workers who serve year-round with missionary tech partners. The first two scholars are currently supporting Waha, a mobile platform used by 52,000 Bible study groups worldwide, and Megavoice, which distributes Bibles on portable audio players across Africa and Asia.

Through the Center, students also participate in the LightSys Code-a-Thon for Missions, the International Conference on Computing and Missions (set to be hosted at Taylor in July 2026), and J-term trips, including an upcoming project with Love Justice International in South Africa.

Reflecting on the ribbon-cutting, Hines shared, "It’s an honor to celebrate with those who have shaped the Center’s past and who will be part of its future. This moment demonstrates Taylor’s commitment to serving mission organizations and shows potential partners what’s possible through the Roth Center for Missions Computing."