Who is Josh?

While most students were sleeping early last Monday and Tuesday mornings, Caroline Loan was up, dressed and standing in front of Fast Break with about 40 other members of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Moments later, chalk in hand, Loan (freshman-elementary education) was in Chambers scrawling "Well, Josh is . . ." across as many chalkboards as she could.

But students are still asking, "Who is this Josh guy anyway?"

"I think Josh works part time at Hills," ventures Chris Spielvogel (junior-speech communications).

"I only saw a Josh quote once, in 111 Forum. No one erased it and I was half tempted to get up and erase it myself," said Mark Baker (junior-landscape architecture).

"All those Josh sayings on the black boards? I have no clue what they mean, but I'm curious as all hell," said William Robb (junior- general arts and sciences).

"Tempted" and "hell," words Robb and Baker unwittingly used to react to the Josh propaganda, are ones Josh McDowell uses in his line of work. The born-again Christian, author and speaker, will be coming to the University for two days on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 to talk to students on subjects ranging from sexual temptation to hell.

Until he arrives, members of the sponsoring group, Campus Crusade for Christ, are busy preparing and informing the University for his coming.

Three different messages have appeared on various chalkboards in the Forum, Chambers and Willard buildings, and on overhead projectors in Schwab Auditorium, says Marhea Ruzanic, (sophomore-exercise and sport science) chairwoman of the chalkboard committee for the Josh Campaign. Messages about McDowell were stamped in the snow drifts in front of Pattee Library and on the HUB lawn, she cheerfully adds.

"The first written message was simply 'Josh.' The second was 'Remember Josh?' the third was 'Well, Josh is . . .' "

The idea of chalkboard writing came from Ken Eluck -- better known as the "Headman" or " McDowell's Right Arm" -- explains Ruzanic. He came to the University to explain to the group's committee heads how the "brain-teasing" advertising campaign works.

The Josh flyers, one aspect of the brain-teasing campaign, contain quotations taken from Josh's speeches or books written in bold white lettering on black background. Slogans such as, "These days many people are having sex, but few are making love. Hear Josh," and "How can so many meaningful relationships yield such a small sense of meaning. Hear Josh," were also Eluck's suggestions, explains Ruzanic.

As of April 1988, McDowell had spoken on more than 700 college campuses in 74 countries, reports the Conservative Digest. He has spoken to University students twice since 1977, making the 1990 visit his third appearance.

Tim McGill, a director for Athletes in Action -- a subgroup of Campus Crusade for Christ -- claims to have seen McDowell in action many times both live and on videotape.

"When I was a college student, many moons ago, at Kent State in Ohio I was affected and inspired," he said. "He has tremendous rapport with the crowd and will talk to students before and after the speech."

His talent as a speaker is second to none, according to Glen Bayley, director of Alliance Christian Fellowship.

"He's one of the best. He attracts large crowds wherever he goes," he says.

He managed to attract crowds of about 300 to 500 people in Daytona Beach during Spring Break 1989.

Ruzanic says last spring about 140 crusaders went to Florida on Operation Sunshine. While there the group had the opportunity to hear McDowell give a talk in an old church.

"We had a fantastically awesome time," gushes Ruzanic as she recounts her trip to Daytona last year."Our main focus is to share the gospel with other students. Down there we find it's a prime opportunity to reach so many students from all around the country."

She says mostly crusaders attended the McDowell lecture, but there were some non-members, who, after being approached by members on the beach, came to the lecture.

As for Loan, the dedicated student who woke early to write those chalkboard messages, she says she cannot wait to see McDowell.

"I really hope I get a chance to meet him in person. He is a great speaker," she said.