In 1974, Wheaton College and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association embarked on an ambitious project – The Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. While the beginnings of construction on the expansive College Ave building was the most visible sign of the new plans, the purpose of the Center was fixed not in a building but in the diverse work of the global church. As a 1976 slide presentation promoting the Graham Center outlined, “The three basic goals of the Billy Graham Center are, first, to advance Biblical evangelism and to contribute to world evangelization. Second, to cooperate as widely as possible with all evangelical Christians in advancing world evangelization in every possible way, and third, to reflect and extend the evangelistic ministry of Billy Graham.”

Integral to plans for “advancing world evangelization” at the new Billy Graham Center (BGC) was the desire to support students “who will go from the Center with the Gospel of Jesus Christ into foreign missions, evangelistic organizational leadership, humanitarian efforts, and so many, many more wonderful ministries.” This vision took tangible form through initiatives like the BGC Scholarship program, which aimed to equip international students for global ministry leadership. In the fall of 1975, international students from South Africa, Kenya, and Australia received the first BGC Scholarship funds to begin their studies in the Wheaton College Graduate School.

Through the later establishment of additional donor-funded scholarships, eligibility was expanded beyond international students to include furloughing missionaries and pre-field missionary candidates. In 1995, the Kenneth T. Wessner Fund was also created to support ministry leaders serving in urban contexts or with ethnically diverse communities.

Over the past 50 years, the BGC Scholarship Program, now the Billy Graham Scholarship Program, has supported the education of more than 1,200 scholars. These Billy Graham Scholars represent over 130 countries across six continents, from Scotland, Israel, and Cameroon to China, Pakistan, and Bolivia. Many have come from and gone on to serve with a wide range of mission organizations and ministries, including the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), Interserve, Mercy Ships, Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Operation Mobilization, the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), Youth for Christ (YFC), TEAM, and Wycliffe Bible Translators, as well as in community health projects, local churches, and denominational leadership.

In partnership with the Billy Graham Scholarship Program, Wheaton Archives & Special Collections has conducted oral history interviews with more than 40 Billy Graham Scholars since 1985. While these scholars pursued education to prepare for their own ministries, their interviews have become a lasting gift to the Archives—preserving a rich tapestry of diverse experiences and perspectives from across the global church for future scholarship and ministry. Below, we highlight ten interviews from the collections:

Stanley Okoro (Collection 296)

Born in Nigeria, Stanley Okoro served with radio station ELWA in Liberia and Youth for Christ in Liberia and Nigeria. He received an International Christian Leader scholarship from the Billy Graham Scholarship Program in 1984 and completed an M.A. in Educational Ministries in 1986.

In this 1985 oral history interview, Stanley Okoro discusses his childhood in Nigeria, participation as a soldier in the 1967-1970 Nigerian civil war, conversion to Christianity, theological training, youth ministry in Nigeria and Liberia, Christian cults in Nigeria, and the strengths and weaknesses of the Nigerian churches. Read the complete transcript for the interview here.

Catherine Saavedra Velasco Peters (Collection 388)

Born in Parang, Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, Catherine Velasco served with Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU) and Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines (CAMACOP). She received an International Christian Leader scholarship in 1986 and completed an M.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies in 1988.

In this 1988 oral history interview, Catherine Saavedra Velasco discusses her life and ministry in the Philippines, including theological education and evangelism in the Philippines, work with “Here’s Life Philippines,” sponsored by CRU, the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Filipino culture, Muslim and Catholic communities in the Philippines, Ebenezer Bible College, and Wheaton College Graduate School. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Inge Rydland (Collection 440)

Born in Toten, Norway, Inge Rydland served with the Swedish Evangelical Mission (SEM) in Sweden and Ethiopia, serving as a teacher at Negjo Technical School and national project coordinator for SEM. He received an International Christian Leader scholarship in 1989 and completed an M.A. in Communications in 1991.

In this 1991 oral history interview, Inge Herman Rydland describes his Lutheran family’s evangelistic work in Norway, his own call to become a missionary, his departure to Ethiopia as workers with the Swedish Evangelical Mission in 1977, his work in Ethiopia as a teacher and as a community development work, the work of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, effect of the Ethiopian political situation on the church, observations on the Ethiopian famine of the 1980s, and relations between missions and the national church. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Joel Martínez Hernandez (Collection 522)

Born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Joel Martinez served as a missionary in Spain with The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) prior to receiving a Furloughing Missionary scholarship. He completed an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in 1996.

In this 1995 oral history interview, Joel Martínez Hernandez discusses his early childhood in Jaruco, Cuba, conversion to Christianity, Toccoa Falls boarding school and college, effect of service in the United States Navy on spiritual development, missionary work in Barcelona and then Madrid, Spain with Christian & Missionary Alliance, traditional church models versus cell-group based models, education at Wheaton College Graduate School, importance of holistic living as missionaries, reaching families in Spain, ministering with and through his own family. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Shura Facanha (Collection 571)

Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Shura Facanha served with Operation Mobilization at sea with the M/V Logos and with land teams in Eastern Europe and America. She received an International Christian Leader scholarship in 1999 and completed an M.A. in Missions and Intercultural Studies in 2000.

In this 2000 oral history interview, Shura Facanha discusses her family, the Assemblies of God church in Ecuador, Operation Mobilization ships, translation work, growing in Christian life on board the OM Doulos, evangelistic work in the Philippines, Papau New Guinea, Australia, working in the former Yugoslavia, beginning home office in Ecuador, balancing ministry and family life, strengths of American and Ecuadorian churches, Wheaton College Graduate School, women missionaries in OM, and the importance of pastoral care for missionaries. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Gregory M. Davis (Collection 591)

Born in Marietta, Ohio, Gregory Davis served as a missionary in Japan with LIFE Ministries prior to receiving a Furloughing Missionary scholarship. He completed an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from the Wheaton College Graduate School in 2004.

In this 2003 oral history interview, Gregory Davis discusses his family background, spiritual development, the 1972 Billy Graham Cleveland crusade, choosing LIFE ministries, teaching English as Christian outreach in Japan, differences between Japanese and American cultures, Christian conversion in Japan, missionary children and education, change of leadership with LIFE ministries; working with the Japan Church Growth Institute (JCGI), evangelism and church planting in Japan, planting fully independent Japanese churches, Japan Evangelical Missions Association, challenges and goals of church planting, lessons from the Japanese church. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Christopher B. Ladish (Collection 623)

Born in California, Christopher Ladish served as a missionary with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in  China and the Philippines and Wycliffe Bible Translators in Burkina Faso. In 2006, he received a Furloughing Missionary scholarship and completed an M.A. in Christian Formation and Ministry from the Wheaton College Graduate School in 2008.

In this 2006 oral history interview, Christopher Ladish discusses his childhood, conversion to Christian faith, joining Wycliffe Bible Translators, attending the Summer Institute of Linguistics, his translation and literacy work in the Koromfe language among the Koromba people of Burkina Faso, the characteristics of the Wycliffe organization and staff, and methods of Bible translation. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Raymond Okebaram Adonai (Collection 655)

Born in Owerri, Nigeria, Raymond Adonai was ordained by God’s Church in Christ, Poland, in May 2001, ministering to university students and serving as pastor of the Victory in Jesus Church, Lodz, Poland. In 2009, he received an International Christian Leader scholarship and completed a M.A. in Missions and Intercultural Studies in 2011.

In this 2010 oral history interview, Raymond Adonai discusses his family background and childhood in Nigeria, his conversion and the development of his Christian faith, graduate education in Poland, ministry among university students through the Christian Student Association of Poland (ChSA) and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), Pentecostalism in Poland, founding of the Victory in Jesus Church in Lodz, Poland, and impressions of the Wheaton College Graduate School. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Angkarin Pimpaeng (Collection 697)

Born in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, Angkarin Pimpaeng served with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Thailand and Hawaii. She received an International Christian Leader scholarship in 2016 and completed her Masters in Counseling in 2018.

In this 2016 oral history interview, Angkarin Pimpaeng discusses her childhood in Thailand, attendance at Chiang Mai University, conversion while a university student, work with Youth with a Mission (YWAM), attendance at YWAM’s University of the Nations in Hawaii, leading YWAM teams to Bangladesh, returning to Thailand and working with Study Abroad there, attending a TLC (Assemblies of God) church, strengths and weaknesses of the Thai church. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

Emmanuel Kwizera (Collection 725)

Born in Kigali, Rwanda, Emmanuel Kwizera served with International Fellowship of International Students (IFES), African Enterprise, and the Lausanne Movement. He received an International Christian Leader scholarship in 2021 and completed his Masters in Evangelism & Leadership in 2023.

In this 2021 oral history interview, Emmanuel Kwizera discusses his family’s background in ministry in Rwanda, the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, his own conversion and the development of his faith, his work with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), service as director of African Enterprise’s Rwandan branch and his work as AE’s missions director for all of Africa, his involvement with the Lausanne Movement, the influence of Michael Cassidy, Festo Kivengere and Antoine Rutayisire, and his impressions of the Wheaton College Graduate School. Listen to a playlist of interviews in the collection here.

The Wheaton College Graduate School will celebrate the anniversary of the Billy Graham Scholarship Program with several events across the 2025-2026 academic year. Learn more about upcoming events on the Graduate School website. Explore records documenting the history of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center and the Wheaton College Graduate School at Wheaton Archives & Special Collections through Collection 3: Billy Graham Center Records and the College Archives.