Since I was born in Texas and raised in Arkansas I consider myself a southern boy through and through. Like my parents before me, I graduated from Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, TX. While they received degrees in education, I chose a different route and finished a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in management. However, after teaching English as a second language in the Czech Republic for one year, serving as Chaplain at Ozark Adventist Academy for two years, and teaching middle school in South Korea for six months, I realized that God had also called me to be a teacher.
On March 3, 2011, I moved to Berrien Springs, MI, and started my master’s degree at the Seminary on May 9. Thirty days after I arrived in Michigan, I met a beautiful young woman in Sabbath School named Sarah Gane. We fell rapidly in love and became husband and wife on June 3, 2012. We are excited to continue our journey together, which will include my finishing a PhD in American church history—specifically early Adventist history.
Shortly before my wedding, on May 14, 2012, I began working at the Center for Adventist Research (CAR) and joined the digitization team. My primary responsibility was to scan photographs. While it may surprise some, this job actually requires quite a bit of research. Unfortunately, people are not always identified, full names are not always provided, and the building or location where the photograph was taken is often not given. Even when a person’s name is provided it is necessary to figure out his or her full name and year of birth and death so that a subject heading can be created (if one does not already exist). For example, take a look at the “J. Warren Bacheller collection of Adventist Pioneers” on CAR’s website. I spent several days working (especially on the bottom two rows of people) on that one image alone, and a few people still remain unidentified! In addition to this type of research, I have also had the opportunity to work on some special projects here at CAR. I have studied the history of church organization and mission work for the 150th anniversary of the organization of the General Conference, gathered information for a display about Uriah Smith, and researched the history of Battle Creek photographers so that we can more accurately date some of our older pictures.
On September 1, 2014, I began a new job here at CAR. I am now one of the staff members and work as a research/writer for an up-and-coming project known now as the Adventist Digital Library (ADL). This new opportunity allows me to investigate a variety of topics. What I am most excited about is that I will be able to share what I learn with numerous others through the new ADL website which will hopefully launch next summer. I also look forward to sharing the information I discover now with my future students when I enter the classroom once again.
Kevin Burton, Staff Assistant / Kevin loves to dive deep into research.