Eighteen inches. That’s the distance senior psychology major Rachel Styffe’s grandparents, June and Emil, were required to keep between one another when they were students at Biola in 1948.

“The rule was that guys and girls had to be 18 inches apart at all times,” June said. “We could only be together in the dining hall and library on Wednesdays.”

As they tour campus each year for Grandparents Day, it’s clear that times have changed.

The Styffe family’s Biola heritage spans three generations. Rachel’s grandparents, parents and siblings have all attended the school.

“We have a running joke in the family — when choosing a school, you could choose Biola, Biola or Biola,” Rachel said.

BEFORE BIOLA

The Styffe family’s roots were planted in Biola in 1948, when Emil and June attended the school’s original campus in downtown Los Angeles. Their lives wove together in the years before their time at Biola..

The couple became acquainted with one another through mutual friends. Emil was not yet a Christian and June was dating a non-Christian. June recognized she could not marry the man she was dating unless he became a Christian, so she made a vow to God.

“The night the guy came over to say he wouldn’t [convert], I sat on my bed and said, ‘Lord, this is going to be over. Please help it to be over. If you release me from this guy, I will even go to Biola and Africa,’” she said. 

Shortly after her vow, Emil became a Christian. June and Emil started dating and quickly became engaged to be married. As their relationship progressed, June remained committed to her vow.

“When [Emil] proposed to me soon after we started dating, I said yes, but I told him that promised the Lord I would go to Biola,” she said. “I already applied.”

As a new Christian himself, Emil supported June’s commitment and decided that he, too, would attend Biola. The couple attended classes in the year leading up to their marriage.

CONTINUING THE LEGACY

At the time, Biola’s rules for married students required them to take a year off of school after their marriage. June and Emil did not immediately return to Biola. Emil completed his education at The Master’s College. June received her teaching credential at a California State University but continued her education and took courses in administration at Biola over the years.

The youngest of June and Emil’s three children, Glenn Styffe, carried their legacy on as he completed his B.S.N. at Biola. He met, and later married, fellow nursing student Elizabeth Ainslie.

Growing up, Rachel always knew she wanted to attend Biola. She continued the Styffe legacy and will graduate fall 2014 with her bachelor of science in psychology.

Biola’s commitment to theology and biblical integration has informed generations of the Styffe family. Glenn and Elizabeth became deeply involved in missionary work in Africa through Saddleback Church.

June even accompanied Glenn on a trip, which fulfilled the second clause to the vow she made to God years ago.

As Rachel completes her education, she enjoys the stories and rich history her grandparents are able to share.

“It’s great to hear them share stories about their time at Biola and all the crazy rules they had back then,” she said.

And for some rules, like that 18-inch policy, Emil and June found a way around them.

“We didn’t want to observe the 18-inch rule,” June said. “The elevator that went up all 13 floors was automatic, so that was one way we could steal a moment to smooch.”