Dear Alumni and Friends,
What a spectacular Homecoming Otterbein celebrated this year! If you missed it, you missed a good one. Music, tents, activities for families, and conversation sprawled across Towers lawn. There was a new parade route with floats and entrants not only from our student organizations but from enthusiastic alumni groups, too. I loved seeing the Classes of 1974 and 1969 in the parade. I don’t think their reunion fun ever slowed down!
Somehow, the Offices of Engagement and Development partnered to help organize and host even more events this year — a full house for the Alumni Awards, a gala to mark 15 years of the Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science, an ’80s Theatre Alumni Reunion, an Alumni Choir concert, and the Black Student Union’s All-Star Weekend. While much was new for the 2024 Homecoming, the constant was the spirit of Cardinals back home to celebrate the place that gave you lifelong friends, a strong start in life, and a host of memories.
I also had the chance to share my annual State of the University Address over the Homecoming weekend, which I did again online for alumni who couldn’t join us in person. What I shared with them and what I want you to know is this: while things are looking dire for a lot of higher education right now with college closures averaging almost one per week along with other schools experiencing painful cuts in faculty, staff, and academic programs and enrollment shortfalls — Otterbein is standing strong.
We were in the enviable position to have welcomed a large and diverse class of entering first year students to campus. (You can see the new class statistics on pg. 3.) While other schools gauge their exclusivity on their ability to deny students admission, Otterbein honors its role as a College of Opportunity. Not only is it the right thing to do — we’re seeing strong indicators in student success, retention, and persistence. Otterbein knows that creating diverse learning environments positively impacts the outcomes of all students.
We’re doubling down on the power of integrative and experiential education. We’ve already realized growth thanks to the addition of an Esports team, a women’s wrestling team (the fastest growing sport in the state), new recruiters for Equine and Nursing programs as well as for the Marching Band, and we’re planning the first all-campus READY Day as part of our four-year professional and career-readiness preparation program for all students. I always tell families if you want to watch life unfold — go to another school. If you want to DO — come to Otterbein.
Finally, we’re honoring our commitment to advance the common good. Our work in co-founding the Coalition for the Common Good is allowing us to serve new models of workforce development directly to employers in our region. We’re also expanding opportunities for Otterbein students with access to Graduate Early Admission Pathways, giving students a chance to shorten time and expense to a graduate degree. It’s clear that there is power in the partnerships we’re building.
My whole update, along with thoughtful questions from alumni, is available online on the Alumni/Family Engagement website at www.otterbein.edu/alumni, as well as the online version of Towers at www.otterbein.edu/towers. I invite you to listen if you’re excited about the direction Otterbein is headed.
And if we missed you at Homecoming, I hope we’ll see you back on campus soon — for a game, a theatre or music production, a lecture, the Holiday Tree Lighting, or any other great Otterbein tradition. We’re counting on your involvement and support as a proud member of our Cardinal Nation!
Sincerely,
John L. Comerford, Ph.D.