By Dr. Daniel Steele ’02, alumnus and long-time friend

In the winter of 1979, a Houghton College freshman boldly walked into the Willard J. Houghton Library, grabbed the list of America’s one hundred most successful men and started handwriting them letters.

Unable to meet the ongoing financial obligations, James “Jamie” Rogan had exhausted all other payment options. Sending out 100 letters asking for financial support to finish his education, Jamie leaned fearlessly into the goodness of God, trusting that someone, somewhere, would give him a helping hand.

This kind of boldness is frightening and unfamiliar to most of us, but it paid off for Jamie Rogan. When he returned to campus in the spring, he still didn’t know how he was going to pay for school. He then learned that his letter-writing had paid off. A stranger who didn’t know Jamie, but did know of Houghton College, offered to annually pay whatever remained of Jamie’s bill. Through God’s provision and the help of a stranger, Jamie completed a degree in biology with minors in chemistry and psychology, graduating with the Houghton College Class of 1983.

Jamie attended Georgetown University School of Medicine where he attained his MD, and he went on to become a doctor in a private practice in rural Indiana. Dr. Rogan never forgot the kindness and generosity of his benefactor and he committed himself to paying it forward. Dr. Rogan could have easily satisfied himself with donating scholarship funds or accepting interns in his private practice, but Dr. Rogan isn’t one to take the easy way out of a commitment. In the 1990s, Dr. Rogan was put in touch with a troubled young man named Danny – me. I was in desperate need of an exit from a very dangerous lifestyle and in need of a mentor to see him back on a safer, healthier path. Dr. Rogan offered both. I lived with Dr. Rogan on his farm through my high school years. I elected to attend Houghton and came to Christ while a student. Dr. Rogan continued to mentor me through college and helped me finance my education. I graduated with a bachelor’s of science in biology and minors in psychology and Bible. After completing medical school at the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, I became an emergency medicine physician in New Hampshire while also pursuing medical missions work around the world.

Dr. Rogan’s brand of fearless compassion and generosity didn’t stop with me. In 2018, another young man was inspired by Dr. Rogan to attend Houghton. Malachi Yaeger, a graduate of the Class of 2022, approached Dr. Rogan for a letter of recommendation while applying to Houghton. When asked why he wanted to attend, Malachi responded, “Dr. Rogan, I want to grow up to be like you. You said Houghton had a significant influence on you, so that’s where I want to go.” Throughout Malachi’s studies, he kept in touch with Dr. Rogan, interning and shadowing at Dr. Rogan’s practice in Indiana, not only learning how to care for patients, but also delving into the business side of medicine to learn the complexities of things like billing and health insurance. After completing his degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, Malachi was accepted to the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he is currently pursuing his MD.

Dr. Rogan had offered Malachi a low-interest personal loan to help him pay for his studies at Houghton. After four years of observing Malachi’s dedication and hard work, Dr. Rogan wrote off the debt, ensuring Malachi went into medical school without any school loans.

Dr. Rogan’s fearless support of hurting, troubled and disadvantaged young men reached well beyond Malachi and me. Over the years, he’s supported last-dollar scholarships for students who couldn’t afford a Houghton education. Since the 1990s, when he began learning about reactive attachment disorder amongst orphans, he has fostered 26 young men on his farm, one of whom he adopted.

This kind of fearlessness doesn’t grow in a vacuum. Dr. Rogan reflects on the impact of Houghton giants such as Professor Gordon Stockin, Professor Fred Trexler ’64 and our late president, Dr. Daniel Chamberlain. He describes them as solid men of God, faithful and intelligent, compassionate and genuine. Dr. Rogan also shares about the impact on his life of the young men he’s mentored, who held him to a high standard and required him to live a life that set them a good example.

Dr. Rogan has come a long way from what he describes as “the poor boy who couldn’t afford pizza” to the compassionate, generous, fearless man of God he is today. Houghton’s FEARLESS Award is presented to one whose life journey and testimony clearly represent what it means to be a fearless follower of Jesus Christ, displaying the fruit of the Spirit and expressing supreme confidence in the power of God to overcome challenges and adversity. Dr. Rogan, in honor of your fearless dedication to mentoring young men and your fearless generosity in supporting their educational aspirations, it is my privilege to award you Houghton University’s 2024 FEARLESS Award.