Alumni & Friends
Scott Moncrieff, Ph.D.
, August 19, 2008
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Proving once again that PUC graduates go on to accomplish a variety of wonderful things, Scott Moncrieff, Ph.D., class of 1982, has recently published his first book, entitled Screen Deep. The book is a collection of commentaries on certain items of popular culture — such as American Idol, Crash and GQ Magazine — from a Christian perspective. This is not to say, however, that Dr. Moncrieff claims to have the answers regarding the morality of these topics. He is merely, as 1 Thessalonians 5:21 suggests, “testing everything.” “The bottom line question,” he says, “is, what impact is X having on my life? Is it consistent with where I want to be headed?”
Non-fiction is not the only genre in which Dr. Moncrieff has published his work, however. Aside from several articles he has written, he has also had a number of poems appear in various publications. His ultimate goal is to get a book of poems published. Although he realizes the market is “extremely competitive,” he is confident that if he writes enough good ones, “they’ll be forced to publish my book.” In the meanwhile, he will still need to pay the bills. Luckily, Dr. Moncrieff — along with the majority of writers — has a day job. As a professor in the Andrews University English department, he is thankful that his profession allows and encourages him to pursue his own writing. Aside from that, he says, “I also get a big kick out of it. It’s one of those jobs that is as interesting as you make it.”
Dr. Moncrieff’s interest in English took root during childhood, but he did not discover or refine his writing skills until later. “I liked to read from an early age… however, I developed whatever craft I have in college and after,” he admits. He credits PUC and his professors for gifting him with the tools and skills needed to succeed, not just in college but also in “graduate school and beyond.” Having started college as a journalism/public relations major, he remembers Herb Ford prominently as the one who introduced him to the craft of writing. Later, after he made the switch to English — due to an admittedly unwarranted belief that “PR persons were spin-maestros” — he entered the mentorship of Norman Wendth, who, aside from being a “fascinating lecturer…he made me want to do my best work.” Of course, he says, there were other good teachers, but he could probably fill a book mentioning all of them.
“I generally had a great experience at PUC,” Moncrieff says, and not just because of the academic opportunities the college opened for him. He was also involved in writing for the Campus Chronicle, for which he was a columnist his senior year. Aside from this, he remembers fondly the many golf games he enjoyed alongside Dean Boyd, Dean Brizendine, Dr. Zytkoskee and other “PUC linksters,” as well as the many ways he was blessed spiritually. If nothing else, PUC will always be the place where Dr. Moncrieff met his wife, Lilia Peverini ,’82, which, he attests, “was worth the tuition.”
Non-fiction is not the only genre in which Dr. Moncrieff has published his work, however. Aside from several articles he has written, he has also had a number of poems appear in various publications. His ultimate goal is to get a book of poems published. Although he realizes the market is “extremely competitive,” he is confident that if he writes enough good ones, “they’ll be forced to publish my book.” In the meanwhile, he will still need to pay the bills. Luckily, Dr. Moncrieff — along with the majority of writers — has a day job. As a professor in the Andrews University English department, he is thankful that his profession allows and encourages him to pursue his own writing. Aside from that, he says, “I also get a big kick out of it. It’s one of those jobs that is as interesting as you make it.”
Dr. Moncrieff’s interest in English took root during childhood, but he did not discover or refine his writing skills until later. “I liked to read from an early age… however, I developed whatever craft I have in college and after,” he admits. He credits PUC and his professors for gifting him with the tools and skills needed to succeed, not just in college but also in “graduate school and beyond.” Having started college as a journalism/public relations major, he remembers Herb Ford prominently as the one who introduced him to the craft of writing. Later, after he made the switch to English — due to an admittedly unwarranted belief that “PR persons were spin-maestros” — he entered the mentorship of Norman Wendth, who, aside from being a “fascinating lecturer…he made me want to do my best work.” Of course, he says, there were other good teachers, but he could probably fill a book mentioning all of them.
“I generally had a great experience at PUC,” Moncrieff says, and not just because of the academic opportunities the college opened for him. He was also involved in writing for the Campus Chronicle, for which he was a columnist his senior year. Aside from this, he remembers fondly the many golf games he enjoyed alongside Dean Boyd, Dean Brizendine, Dr. Zytkoskee and other “PUC linksters,” as well as the many ways he was blessed spiritually. If nothing else, PUC will always be the place where Dr. Moncrieff met his wife, Lilia Peverini ,’82, which, he attests, “was worth the tuition.”