Meet the 2021 Alumni Award winners

JonCarlos and Gabriella Velez

The Larry C. Bach Award

For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through fine arts

Serving as Worship Pastors at Emmanuel Christian Center in Minneapolis since 2013, JonCarlos ’18 and Gabriella (Evans-Jones ’12) Velez are a part of Emmanuel LIVE, a worship movement birthed out of their local church. They are passionate about worship, songwriting, ministry, and raising up the next generation of creatives. In 2017, the husband-and-wife duo founded and launched the School of Artistic Refinement (SOAR) to provide arts education for young students of all backgrounds. JonCarlos and Gabriella embody servant leadership, leading with integrity and Christ-like character in each new endeavor they take on. In 2016, they advanced through rounds of the popular TV show “The Voice” (Season 12) but withdrew because continuing would have required lengthy time away from their family and ministry. The couple met singing on their youth worship team when they were 13 years old. JonCarlos and Gabriella have been married for nine years and have three children.

Chris and Monica DeLaurentis

The F.J. Lindquist Award

For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through church or church-related ministry, mission, and service

In 1993, Chris ’91 and Monica (Takjbakh ’91) DeLaurentis opened an inner-city Minneapolis church in their apartment, welcoming 35 people, most of them dealing with addiction or homelessness. Within a month, their apartment was overwhelmed by the 100 or more people showing up for services. Having overcome addiction themselves, the DeLaurentises’ history of teamwork in apostolic ministry is evident as they have continued to minister to people coming from difficult situations in two major cities. ICCM Life Center helps transform the lives of impoverished people through the power of Jesus Christ. The church serves in the heart of an area with the highest poverty, addiction, and poor health rates in Minnesota. The DeLaurentises have had to adapt, adjust, and sacrifice, but they have never wavered from God’s calling and purpose. In a time where flashy and polished often garner the limelight, these two have served some of the most under-served people in Minneapolis and for several years at their Chicago campus. Their ministries reach up to 1,000 people each week through their urban ministry center, outreaches at prisons and homeless shelters, and other programs and services, including the 4-T Life Change Process that provides skills to overcome cycles of poverty and addiction. Chris and Monica live in Minneapolis, have been married for 30 years, and have two grown children.

Bill Svoboda Jr.

The Ivan O. Miller Award

For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through career and community

From launching his first business during college in 2004 to impacting over 3,000 people per day through his software company, Bill Svoboda ’06 is an entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and leader. Svoboda helps high-performing companies and individuals embrace change and achieve maximum results through his work as a sales and leadership expert. He started his first business—CoEd Monkey— selling t-shirts from his college dorm room and later co-founded CloseSimple, a software company serving title and escrow companies. He strives to help others in all he pursues. Svoboda lives in Minneapolis and spends time outside of work volunteering at Substance Church and non-profits. He has served North Central University by working on several committees, speaking in classes, and being an NCU Alumni Board member for eight years.

David Hopkins

The Dr. Roger Sorbo Award

For demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through arts and sciences

David Hopkins ’92, M.Ed., has worked in the Broadcast Center at Princeton University for 23 years and has been the Associate Director of AV Services for 11 years. He is the founder of NLYM, a consulting firm offering services for high-quality multimedia for churches, schools, and businesses, and is also a part-time adjunct professor at Esperanza College of Eastern University. Hopkins considers himself a “tech evangelist,” passionate about helping people conquer their fears of working with technology. He is a creative problem-solver whose work has included people management, course creation, and production operations. He volunteers his services for Global Renewal, Inc., an organization focused on boldly proclaiming the gospel, planting new churches, and bringing freedom for those in bondage. Hopkins and his wife, Nicole, live in Mount Holly, New Jersey, and have two children.

Note: The 2021 winners were selected from candidates nominated by alumni in 2020 since Partners for Progress was canceled, and no awards were given last year due to the pandemic.