By: Whitney Knight
On Dec. 16, 2020, Professor Steve Clouse lost his battle with COVID-19. It was a loss that rippled through the MACU community – and one that is still felt on campus today.
“I think about him all the time,” said student Endri Copa, who was a part of Clouse’s discipleship group on campus. “He was like a father to me. We used to talk about everything, and he was always listening carefully.” He said Clouse guided him not just through his coursework, but through his life’s work. “He taught me how to be a better person and face situations with a different mentality. There were times where I was feeling frustrated or sad due to personal problems, and every time I came out of his office with a big smile on my face and lots of positivity,” Copa said.
Athletic Director Marcus Moeller said there are few people who have impacted the lives of MACU students more deeply and intentionally than Clouse.
“His purpose was to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and push young people to places they didn’t even realize they could go,” Moeller said. “Steve did these two things through consistent acts of service. His willingness to serve the smallest and biggest needs of our students tightly knit him into the culture of our campus.”
To honor Clouse’s heart for students and his passion for MACU Athletics, the new basketball coaching suites in the Gaulke Activity Center were named in his memory. The Steven Clouse Office Suite is located in the northeast corner of the gym, which recently underwent a remodeling. Clouse’s family, including his wife, Patty, were given replicas of the plaques that now hang outside the office walls during a special ceremony between basketball games this season.
As an avid sports fan, Clouse rarely missed a MACU sporting event. Moeller recalled how when Clouse was really excited and proud, he would stand up emphatically and clap hard in support of his beloved Evangels. “He rooted on the university’s student-athletes on the court, fought for their best off the court and was a more loyal friend and fan than any of us deserved,” Moeller said.