Alumni Networking Opportunities

Athletic Alumni Leadership Network

The Dept. of Athletics and the Office of Alumni Relations are proud to host many special events, fundraising opportunities and volunteer activities just for our Alumni Athletes. If you have interest in the following, please email alumniinfo@otterbein.edu with your interest.

  • Alumni Panels: Otterbein Athletics alumni professional development panel for student-athletes
  • Career Mentor: Working with the Otterbein Director of Athletics and Center for Career & Professional Development to share internships, volunteer opportunities or other professional opportunities for student-athletes available at your place of employment
  • Athletic Team Reunions: Each year, we host a variety of reunions for athletic teams during Homecoming, Alumni Weekend and throughout the year. Please review our Alumni Events page for the most up-to-date reunion information. We will also send mail and email for all athletic reunions, so please be sure your information is updated through our Update Your Information form.
  • Fundraising: Give back to support the Otterbein University Turf and Track Project, which will impact approximately 550 current student-athletes, countless future student-athletes, and the entire campus community! More information.
  • Hall of Fame: The Otterbein Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 2008 by the Athletic Department to honor individuals and teams that have made significant contributions to the success of our programs, either as athletes or in supporting roles. Click here for more information and to find the nomination form.

African-American Alumni Network

We are proud to represent the black community of Otterbein University and to share its rich heritage with you.

The purpose of the AAAN is to:

  • Foster on-going relationships, support and service for the Otterbein African American Alumni community
  • Provide the opportunity for alumni to continue to be a part of diversity growth on campus
  • Provide mentoring relationships between alumni and studentsYou can be a part of AAAN opportunities such as the Cardinal Career Network, panel discussions, community service activities, mentoring, providing scholarships, and supporting students who are part of the African American Student Union and the University. For more information please contact Frank Dobson, program director at the Office of Social Justice & Activism, at dobson1@otterbein.edu.

Cardinal Pride LGBTQIA+ Alumni Network

The purpose of this group is to provide a continuous network for alumni after school and build a community of support for LGBTQIA+ programming on campus.

Mission, Objective, and Goals

  • To support the objectives of Freezone and the LGBTQIA+ Resource Theme House through their work on campus to promote LGBTQIA+ awareness, sensitivity, and inclusion.
  • To allow for the voices of our collective past experiences to help continue to shape better campus culture and climate in the future.
  • To provide an outlet of support to alumni.

Common Book

Otterbein University has established a common reading experience for new students through a gift from an alumna, Mary Thomas ’28. The selection of books for the common reading experience reflects Otterbein’s resolve to add an academic component to new student orientation and to present itself to incoming students as an intellectual community willing to grapple with significant contemporary issues.

Since 1995, the series seeks to stimulate a year-long discussion of an academic theme derived from common book issues by exploring it in classes, residence halls, and co-curricular programming. A committee of faculty, staff, alumni and students select from over fifty books each year in an effort to find a significant contemporary work to read the next year.

Recommend books that you have read or heard about that could be a strong choice for a freshman common reading experience. Please remember that the author must be alive so we can invite the author to campus. If you have books to recommend, please send the book title and author to Amy Parsons, Library liaison for the Common Book Committee (aparsons@otterbein.edu) for consideration.

Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Library exists to help educate Otterbein students, support faculty and staff, share your love of books and reading with others, and attract gifts of books, manuscripts, library materials and financial support for the Courtright Memorial Library. Become a member of Friends of the Library today to help preserve Otterbein’s heritage, participate in the present, and prepare for the future. Find more information on the Friends of the Library webpage or contact Lois Szudy ’99, Library Director, at Lszudy@otterbein.edu or call 614-823-1414.

Greek Alumni Council

The Office of Alumni Relations recently established the Greek Alumni Council to increase communication, coordinate programming and build community toward the goal of a model community of leaders, learners and educators.

The Greek Alumni Council is comprised of Greek Alumni Presidents from all 17 Greek organizations: eight fraternities, six sororities and three NPHC organizations. If you are interested to learn more, please contact your chapter’s Alumni President or contact the Alumni Office at 614-823-1650 or email alumniinfo@otterbein.edu.

Japan Alumni and Friends Group

The Otterbein University Japan Alumni Group has been active for many years in engaging events to maintain the connection between the Otterbein community and alumni and friends of Otterbein in Japan. The Group exists for the following purposes:

  1. Creating frequent communication to enhance the connection between the Otterbein community and alumni and friends in Japan.
  2. Providing social and cultural sharing experiences for current students, faculty, staff, and alumni to enrich the value of global understanding and diversity.
  3. Encouraging the alumni and friends in Japan to support the Otterbein community consistently.

Members of this group include those who have completed their degrees, attended, or completed ESL programs at Otterbein University, and friends of Otterbein. Members also include current and former students and faculty who have attended or taught at universities in Japan.

MBA Network

The MBA program at Otterbein has been growing steadily and now, with more than 500 alumni, there is interest in maintaining contact with former classmates and professors. If you are interested in attending or planning networking events for the MBA alumni group, please join our LinkedIn group and start a discussion.

Otterbein Music Alumni Network

The Otterbein Music Alumni Network is for alumni and friends who believe in supporting and fostering the music activities, students, and faculty in the Department of Music at Otterbein University and to affirm the values of music and its heritage as a part of the Otterbein experience. For more information, contact Dr. Dennis Davenport, chair for the Department of Music.

Otterbein Nursing Alumni Network (OTT-NAN)

The Otterbein Nursing Alumni Network (OTT-NAN) is an organization through which alumni can provide and assist with student mentoring, alumni networking and unity, departmental fundraising, undergraduate recruitment, and outreach. OTT-NAN will provide an organized connection with the faculty and nursing programs at Otterbein through a meaningful relationship based on commitment and experience.  For more information, visit the OTT-NAN page.

Ott Nan

Theatre & Dance Alumni Network

Otterbein theatre alumni are working all over the world, both on and off stage in a variety of artistic, technical, and administrative areas. Some of these alumni are featured in the Entertainment section of the Towers Magazine, published semi-annually.

Westerville Otterbein Women's Club

The Westerville Otterbein Women’s Club was founded in 1921 for the purpose of raising funds for Otterbein and its students. In 1952 the first thrift shop opened in the basement of Cowan Hall. After the basement in Cowan flooded, the shop was temporarily moved to a room in Towers, eventually to a house on Maple Street, and in the 1970’s to its home at 177 West Park. As of June 2012, a total of $826,657 has been raised.

The Otterbein Thrift Shop is operated by the Westerville Otterbein Women’s Club (W.O.W.C.) to serve Otterbein University. Proceeds go directly to the University to support seven endowed scholarships and The Diamond Jubilee Grant. Capital Project gifts are given to support the mission and strategic plan of Otterbein University.

 Visit the Thrift Store webpage

For more information about joining the Women’s Club, please email alumniinfo@otterbein.edu.