Dear Alumni and Friends,
Otterbein is in the business of changing lives.
It’s what we do. We do it with success because of the exceptional people who share in the work every day — professors, mentors, coaches, and counselors.
Take Otterbein women’s soccer coach Brandon Koons ’93, MAT’98, P’23 as an example. The winningest coach in Ohio Athletic Conference women’s soccer history isn’t writing a book about the art of winning. Instead, this coach is sharing his advice after 26 seasons of coaching at Otterbein in hopes of helping students, families, and other coaches remember what’s most important about caring for and motivating young athletes and why he thinks losing focus of that is how you lose players and kill their passion.
Otterbein changes lives with its new ideas that push boundaries and enrich the educational experience. The driving force of our innovation is focused on expanding opportunities for students. The Graduate Early Admission Pathways program is just one example of the benefit of the Coalition for the Common Good to Otterbein and our students.
You can see evidence of this transformation in some of the seniors of the Class of 2025. It’s not only what they’ve done or how much they’ve achieved or even what their plans are post-graduation — all of which are impressive. What strikes me is how much our graduates say they’ve grown and what their teachers, their courses, their experiences, and their friends have meant to them in learning about who they are and who they have the potential to be.
Make no mistake. Lives are also changed with the help of faithful friends and the Otterbein bond they share. From roommates whose post-graduation adventure led to a lifetime of memories to the multi-generation “Round Robin” tradition that created a scholarship fund. We also remember the legacy of several Cardinals whose loss is felt by those who respected, valued, and cherished them. Throughout their lives, Vernon Pack ’50, Mark Thresher ’78, P’05, and Bill Evans ’56, together with their friends and families, offered this University and our students more than we might ever expect.
These leaders were modest and understated in their generosity. They credited Otterbein for giving them something important in their youth and then spent their lives giving back far more. They enriched our community with traditions, progress, a visionary eye, and the steadfast belief that, with some investment, Otterbein’s best days would always be ahead of us. Otterbein is far better, as am I, for the legacies of these forever friends.
Thanks to all of you for your friendship to Otterbein, now and in the days ahead. Our Otterbein community of scholars, leaders, and friends remains a welcome symbol of integrity, possibility, and good.
Sincerely,
John L. Comerford, Ph.D.