Collaborating for Opportunity and Justice for All

There are not many university leaders who are willing to talk about the problems in American higher education, and even fewer willing to do something about it. On July 14, two leaders took the first step in doing the work of fixing a broken system, with a focus on contributing to society as a whole.

Otterbein University President John Comerford and Antioch University Chancellor Bill Groves, at an event livestreamed to both campuses, announced that the two universities were partnering with the intention to form a first-of-its-kind system of affiliated, independent, not-for-profit universities focused on shared graduate and adult learner programs.

The foundation of the system, and the calling card for future member universities, is the universities’ shared missions of providing access to an affordable, world-class education, while educating students to become engaged citizens advancing democracy; social, racial, and environmental justice; and the common good.

One advantage of the new system is that members will keep their distinctive undergraduate programs, branding, athletics, and student organizations. “Otterbein will always remain a residential undergraduate university built around meaningful faculty-student engagement and relationships,” Comerford said. “But given ongoing demographic trends, with decreasing numbers of high school graduates nationally for the next 15 years at a minimum, focusing only on undergraduates is not a sustainable path.”

Comerford noted that in Ohio alone more than two million adults have some college credit, but no degree.

“The system will additionally offer tailored workforce education programs with badges, certificates and other credentials to learners and business partners nationwide,” stated Comerford. “These workforce education programs not only help to keep and generate jobs in our local communities, they are important on-ramps for adult learners to pursue higher education and advanced credentials. Moreover, because the programs will be tailored to meet the specific needs of the employer, those businesses will ordinarily share in the cost of that education, improving access and affordability of higher education.”

Comerford laments the growing competition within higher education, driven by universities striving for prestige and rankings. “One of the most terrible aspects of our current model is that rather than judging universities by how they change the lives of the students they enroll, most rankings value how difficult it is for students to be admitted,” said Comerford. “The ‘most prestigious’ universities in the nation tend to admit a tiny percentage of the students who apply. Really? That’s how we share this incredible, life-changing resource, by closing the door on deserving students?”

Collaboration Over Competition

The new system prioritizes collaboration over competition. This innovative system allows the universities to expand adult learner and graduate degree offerings, to offer programs in more locations nationwide, to provide innovative learning modalities including online, low-residency, and hybrid settings, to create new opportunities for student engagement across institutions, and to enhance capacities and contain costs through shared services and improved technologies.

The system also gives Otterbein programs a national footprint. Antioch University currently has locations in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Seattle, Yellow Springs, OH, and Keene, NH.

Faculty and staff teams are working to identify which Antioch University programs will be offered in central Ohio. They are also exploring which of Otterbein’s well-respected graduate nursing and health and sport sciences programs will be offered in these out-of- state locations.

The benefits of the new system will not be limited to adult learners and graduate students. Several exciting undergraduate opportunities are under consideration, including guaranteed early admission pathways between Otterbein undergraduate programs and Antioch University’s graduate programs. Possibilities include pathways from Otterbein psychology and sociology degrees to Antioch University’s many community mental health counseling master’s programs, as well as a connection between Otterbein’s bachelor of fine arts in creative writing with Antioch University’s master of fine arts program.

Other ideas under consideration would allow Otterbein undergraduates to spend a semester or term studying at an Antioch University location, for instance, allowing an environmental studies major to spend a semester in Keene, New Hampshire, home of the environmental studies graduate program.

Otterbein faculty, staff, and administrators have been in discussions about the new system for many months. “Otterbein University and Antioch University saw a huge opportunity to be ahead of the curve, proactive, and forward thinking in what is often an antiquated, slow-to-change higher education system. They both also saw a need to do something different at a time when change is sorely needed in higher education,” said Otterbein Professor Joan Rocks, Department of Health and Sport Sciences.

For more information about plans for this new national university system, visit www.otterbein.edu/system/.

Jefferson Blackburn Smith

Jefferson Blackburn-Smith is the vice president of Enrollment Management and Marketing. He has developed and implemented new partnerships with Central Ohio school districts and community colleges to create new opportunities to underserved populations to earn a higher education degree.

Ensuring Every Student will be READY

A new career and professional development program at Otterbein University will prepare students for their futures by promoting academic and career exploration; immersive, hands-on experiences; and professional development skills like networking and goal mapping.

Understanding how critical it is for students to make these connections between their academic studies and their career aspirations, Otterbein is making the commitment that every student will go through four years of exploration, advising, and planning.

“We want our students to be ready for life after graduation,” said Jennifer Bechtold, assistant provost and executive director of Student Success and Career Development. “This four-year plan will give them the confidence and the skills they’ll need after Otterbein.”

Keeping that commitment front and center is the reason behind its name: Every Student Will be READY.

Bechtold explained that Otterbein’s signature First Year Experience (FYE) seminar courses have been reimagined with a team approach. FYE faculty will continue to help students transition to college-level learning, and now an Otterbein staff coach will join the first-year team to help students navigate time management and explore personal interests, goals, and career paths.

But the big ideas don’t end there. In addition to classroom speakers, whether in person or virtual, Bechtold said that alumni and Otterbein friends can support this initiative by offering internships and opportunities to collaborate on projects. “This will add to the program and help serve the entire Class of 2026, the first class to be part of the new Otterbein Every Student Will be READY program,” Bechtold said.

Robin Grote, associate professor of chemistry and director of undergraduate research and creative work, taught an FYE pilot course last year with the new model. She said having a staff partner enhanced the classroom experience. Grote said the students saw a team in action and began to understand that Otterbein is a network with many people across its community who want to help. “It was very representative of what it is like to be at Otterbein,” she said.

Grote believes students will be more engaged earlier in their college experiences. “Some of the best classroom experiences are when students interact with speakers. Anytime we can have visitors share their experiences related to the subject or to life – and do that in real-time – it’s much more interesting than just listening to a lecture from their professor.”

Otterbein leaders have seen first-hand how valuable immersive, hands-on experiences are to a student’s career preparation. While some academic programs like nursing and education already include those opportunities, Otterbein wants all students to have at least one signature immersive experience before they graduate.

Those experiences will vary greatly and will include everything from leadership experience to internships and study abroad. There are some funds currently in place to offset the costs of studying abroad, working a summer internship, or volunteering for community service, but program organizers say more support will be needed as the program expands to the entire student body.

Alumni Jon ’79 and Gretchen Freeman Hargis ’77 understood the importance of the Every Student Will be READY program. The couple runs the Hargis Family Foundation and were early supporters. “We believe a very important part of a college education is to prepare students on how to maximize their ability to gain employment in the field of their studies post-graduation. This initiative will provide all students the opportunity to work on these skills throughout their time as an Otterbein University student.”

According to Leah Schuh ’11, assistant director for experiential learning, the goal is to prepare students for post-graduation by increasing their access and creative focus.

“We want students to find meaning in what they did and how they can utilize that to be more prepared for employers and graduate schools,” she said. A dedicated team will help students to maximize their time at Otterbein and show them how to communicate the experience outcomes.

Schuh explained that Otterbein has a long history of combining hands-on experiences with classroom learning. Getting students READY for their futures will formalize what Otterbein has already focused on: hands-on experiences, mentorship, and guidance.

Alumni and friends can help support this exciting program by supporting the READY Fund to assist with costs for students’ immersive experiences. For more information on ways you or your company or organization could support this program or contribute to student success, please reach out to Kathleen Bonte, executive director of development, Institutional Advancement at 614-823-2707.

Chief Diversity Officer Jeff King Focuses on Community & Collaboration

Jeff King has a lot of important work to do. As Otterbein’s first chief diversity officer, he will provide leadership and vision to the strategies and policies of the institution in the crucial area of diversity, equity, and inclusion. To do so, he’s ready to collaborate across campus.

Student Affairs wants to foster a campus culture that attracts and retains more diverse students. Academic Affairs wants to meaningfully incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into the curricula of more courses. Enrollment Management wants to provide opportunities for more students from underserved school districts. The list goes on.

King knows what it takes to improve in all of these areas. He came to Otterbein with more than three decades of higher education experience in the areas of diversity and inclusion, admission, and student life.

We talked to King as he begins his new role:

We talked to King as he begins his new role:

LISTENING

to students and amplifying their voices.

BRINGING

more voices into important conversations.

TEACHING

in ways that engage students of different backgrounds.

How will you expand on the work that’s already being done at Otterbein?

It is both an honor and kind of a humbling experience to be the person chosen to lead the institution — an institution that’s 175 years old — on to hopefully even greater heights, especially as it pertains to moving toward a more diverse and equitable campus community.

What most interested you about joining Otterbein at this time in this role?

I started my career at an institution that was part of the Underground Railroad, Wilberforce University. That was my first opportunity to work in an institution that was so integral in the Underground Railroad and the freeing of enslaved Africans and African Americans. Coming to an institution that was so instrumental in that same movement set the stage for the latter part of my career.

From your standpoint, what does an inclusive and equitable campus look like?

It looks like a place where you see representation of diversity everywhere you go, and diversity does not just have to be represented in the color of someone’s skin or the way that person dresses or the gender of that person. If we are able to welcome and recognize that diversity on our campus and promote it, that’s what we’re looking for.

How will you expand on the work that’s already being done at Otterbein?

There are a lot of good things that are already going on that just need to be expanded upon. We just need to bring more voices to the table. It’s a matter of making sure that we include everyone that wants to be included, in the way in which they want to be defined and included.

How do you hope to engage with students?

We have to meet students where they are to make sure that we’re listening to the students and amplifying their voices and making sure those voices are heard. I think that’s part of why you have a Chief Diversity Officer now — to make sure their voices are being heard at the level of the cabinet and the Board of Trustees, in the community, and with the alums so their needs are being met and addressed.

What does culturally inclusive curricula look like and what is the benefit to students?

The concept of culturally responsive teaching practices, as I call it, came from a colleague of mine at Vanderbilt University, Professor Rich Milnor, who wrote a book called Start Where You Are But Don’t Stay There. If we’re doing good things in the classroom, continue those things but don’t just stay there. Make sure that you’re taking on challenges, looking from different perspectives, and employing teaching practices that will hopefully engage students that may have a different background. We can know everything that we need to know about another person’s culture but still not understand that person. And that’s where the concept of not only culturally responsive teaching practice has become so important, but the concept of cultural humility. Cultural humility is the capacity for us, as faculty and staff members, to address our students at an appropriate level where they understand that we’re not that different from who they are becoming. They don’t know that we’ve had some of the same hardships and experiences. Some of us failed calculus just like they did, some of us had difficulties getting to our 8 a.m. class just like they did. Once we can get to that concept of cultural humility, students start to understand us better and trust is built.

Are there ways alumni can get involved or support the work that you are doing at Otterbein?

I’m going to be reaching out to Otterbein alumni to talk to a group of students about your career path and what you did in your career to succeed. Talk about the obstacles that — in that same spirit of culturally responsive teaching and cultural humility — show these students that you had the same struggles that they have and now you’re a lawyer or engineer. We want alumni encouraging our students, being a network for the students so they can catapult on to their successful careers.

What do you want the Otterbein community to know that’s a core part of who you are and how you like to do business?

I hope that the faculty and administrators on this campus, as well as our students and the people of Otterbein, Westerville, and Columbus, understand that we want to work with you. If you want me to come to your class and speak to them about diversity or to have a dialogue, then I will come, I will bring others with me, and we will continue to work with you. If you decide you want to do a program, talk to my office about possible collaborations because that’s the only way I will do business. You will hardly ever see a program sponsored by this one office or this one entity; it is going to be a litany of co-sponsors working in close association that support each other.

WELCOME to Campus

Frank E. Dobson Jr., Ph.D.

Frank is the new director of the Office of Social Justice and Activism. He has served in numerous capacities in higher education, teaching, and promoting campus diversity efforts nationwide. A published writer and scholar, he seeks to promote the “Beloved Community,” and the African concept of Ubuntu: “I am, because we are.” His novels, Rendered Invisible and The Race is Not Given, probe conflict and trauma due to racism, violence, and mental health.

Most recently, he has written on Black popular culture and film, including such diverse figures as Spike Lee, Clint Eastwood, Vin Diesel, and the legendary actor and athlete, Woody Strode. Dobson has served on several social justice boards, and he believes that social justice can be furthered through communication, empathy, and grace toward one another. Along with his daughter, Jasmin, he is coauthoring a series of children’s books titled Black Legacy Lessons, highlighting African American trailblazers.

Campus Center Renovation Focuses on Accessibility

“I see this project as an opportunity to create an inviting, collaborative space for students to use, socialize in, and enjoy all three levels of this building.”

— Patrick Siconolfi,
Executive Director of Facilities Management and Planning.

As phase one of the renovation nears completion, Otterbein is seeking additional support to launch phase two. To donate to the Campus Center Renovation, or discuss naming opportunities, please visit www.otterbein.edu/give or call the Office of Institutional Advancement at 614-823-1305 to learn more about this meaningful project.

Learn more >

The Campus Center renovation broke ground in March, and now phase one of this exciting project is nearly complete with many new features for our campus community.

“The Campus Center was initially constructed in 1964, so the renovations will modernize and bring the building into the 21st century,” said senior public relations major Hope Beverick ’23. “I’m looking forward to seeing the new plaza in front of the Campus Center and the addition of the second-floor parlor.”

Associate Director of New Student Transitions Colette Masterson served for many years as the director of the Center for Student Involvement, which is housed in the Campus Center. She thinks a renovated Campus Center is important to student life. “The Campus Center is truly the living room of the campus and student experience. These renovations will allow us to enhance the student experience outside the classroom.”

The focus for the first phase of the renovation is to make the building more accessible and inviting for all members of the Otterbein community. To achieve this, major improvements were necessary, including a new elevator at the southwest corner of the building, a plaza in front of the building with improved ramps, and new restrooms on the second floor and lower level.

Campus Center Interrior

Interior finishes in the new second-floor parlor.

Student Walking Towards Campus Center

Putting the finishing touches on the front elevation and terrace.

“I see this project as an opportunity to create an inviting, collaborative space for students to use, socialize in, and enjoy all three levels of this building,” said Patrick Siconolfi, executive director of facilities management and planning.

Additional upgrades include a redesigned bookstore, new second-floor parlor and entrance to the Cardinal’s Nest dining hall, and new improvements to the lower- level theatre lobby and ticket booth.

“I think it will bring a renewed, invigorating spirit to the Campus Center. It shows the commitment of the University to invest in student spaces and make them places we want to congregate together, further enhancing the community feel of our campus. It makes me proud to be a student here,” said James Akers MBA’23, who is also the executive chef at Otterbein with Parkhurst Dining.

The Campus Center renovation creates welcoming, inclusive spaces.

Learn more >

Catie Duzzny ’21 graduated from Otterbein with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in business administration in Otterbein’s Graduate School.

Otterbein Homecoming and Family Weekend 2022

Otterbein University celebrated the 175th anniversary of its founding in 1847 with a variety of special events at this year’s Homecoming and Family Weekend. The 50th Golden Reunion classes of 1971 and 1972 came back to campus to reconnect and take a walk down memory lane. The annual Alumni Awards ceremony and State of the University Address were held in Cowan Hall as part of the Celebration of Otterbein.

Students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends enjoyed the music of The British Invasion band, Allison Asarch ’18, Alex Toth ’22, and The Blue Jays, as well as food, fun, and festivities of OtterFest throughout the weekend.

Band March

The band marches on

Time To Celebrate Otterbein's 175th

Time to celebrate Otterbein’s 175th

Alumni Reunite

Alumni reunite

Home Coming Fun

Homecoming fun

Enjoying Family Weekend

Family weekend time

1971 50th Reunion Class Photo

Class of 1971 Golden Reunion class photo

Class Of 1972 Golden Reunion Class Photo

Class of 1972 Golden Reunion class photo

Go Cards!

Go Cards

2022 Homecoming Court

Homecoming

Enjoying Family Weekend

Friends, family, & faculty celebrating Otterbein

Otterbein Football Beats Capital University 35 28.

Otterbein football beats Capital University 35-28

175th celebratory moment

175th celebratory moment

Cardinal Pride Alumni Table

Cardinal Pride Alumni Table

African American Student Union

African American Student Union

Members Of The Equine Team Join The Parade

Members of the Equine team join the Parade

President Emeriti Kathy Krendl And Professors Emeriti Dr Beth Daugherty And Dr Alison Prindle

L-R: President Emerita Kathy Krendl, Professors Emeritae Beth Daugherty & Alison Prindle

Courtright Memorial Library 50th Anniversary Celebration

Courtright Memorial Library 50th anniversary celebration

L-R: Mary Jane Stewart-Griffin ’75, Karla Courtright Banning ’70, Kristy Courtright ’68, John Stewart, President Comerford

View more photos from the weekend visit our Flickr gallery at www.otterbein.edu/hcphotos/.

Exploring 175 Years of Otterbein

Explore the timeline below to learn more about Otterbein’s history in connection to key moments in world history and the history of the United States. To read more about Otterbein’s 175 years of excellence, opportunity, and community, check out the Commemorative issue of Towers Online.

1800 – 1859

1800

First Christian denomination founded in America becomes Church of the United Brethren in Christ, led by Philip William Otterbein.

1803

OHIO BECOMES THE 17th STATE.

1847

Otterbein is founded as co-educational and open to students of all races and creeds. Women served on the faculty from the founding.

1847

Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell are born.

1855

Saum Hall

Saum Hall, the first building constructed by the University, is completed. It remained in use until 1969.

1857

In 1857, Otterbein’s first class graduates, consisting of Sarah Jennie Miller and Mary Katherine Winter (later Hanby).

1857

Dred Scott case rules that descendants of slaves are not U.S. citizens.

1858

1858 Hanby Historic Marker

In 1858, Benjamin Russell Hanby, composer of Darling Nelly Gray and Up on the Housetop, graduates.

1859

In 1859, William Hannibal Thomas, Otterbein’s first Black student, enrolls— though he leaves after one term.

1860 – 1889

1861

The Civil War begins.

1861

Thomas McFadden

In 1861, students and faculty, including science professor Dr. Thomas McFadden (at top), leave Otterbein to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War.

1870

The 15th Amendment provides voting rights for men of color.

1872

1872 Towers Hall

In 1872, the new Main Building is dedicated. It was officially renamed Towers Hall in 1956, although students had unofficially called it “Towers” for decades

1879

EDISON INVENTS THE LIGHT BULB.

1882

1882 Otterbein Baseball

Otterbein baseball team defeats The Ohio State University, 10-8. The team was disbanded due to faculty concerns.

1882

1889 Wall Street Journal 1st Issue

The Wall Street Journal is founded

1890 – 1909

1890

In 1890, Otterbein football team defeats The Ohio State University, First Founders Day celebration. 42-6

1890

1890 Founders Day Program

First Founders Day celebration.

1891

1891 Otterbein Colors

In 1891, tan and cardinal are chosen as Otterbein’s colors.

1893

1893 William Henry Fouse

In 1893, William Henry Fouse becomes the first Black student to graduate from Otterbein.

1897

Otterbein’s 50th anniversary.

1900

The Board of Trustees considers moving Otterbein to Dayton. Concerned citizens of Westerville raised money to make the major improvements necessary to persuade the board to stay. By 1906, these improvements included two new telephone exchanges, a natural gas line, waterworks, sanitary sewers, and paved streets.

1900

Basketball becomes the first women’s athletic team at Otterbein.

1901

1882 Otterbein Baseball

Mrs. Sarah B. Cochran donates $25,000 for the construction of Cochran Hall, on the condition that Otterbein pays off all of its existing debt in the amount of $65,000.

1903

1903 Wright Bros Flight

Wright brothers’ first airplane flight.

1907

Otterbein stages its first theatrical production, Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

1907

1907 Varsity Letters

In 1907, the first varsity letters are awarded in football, basketball, 1907 baseball, and track.

1907

1907 Esther Kirksey

Esther Kirksey, Otterbein’s first female Black student, enrolls.

1908

1908 Pi Beta Sigma

Pi Beta Sigma and Pi Kappa Phi, Otterbein’s first fraternities, are founded

1909

1907 Esther Kirksey

In 1909, Otterbein Band performs its first marching show.

1909

The Anti-Saloon League moves to Westerville.

1910 – 1919

1910

1910 Sigma Alpha Tau Founders

In 1910, Sigma Alpha Tau, Otterbein’s first sorority, is founded.

1911

Class of 1911 commits $2,000 for new athletic fields, which opened in 1914.

1912

1912 Kyoshi Yabe

Kiyoshi Yabe, Otterbein’s first Japanese student, graduates in 1912.

1915

The first Scrap Day competitions take place between freshmen and sophomores, including a tug-of-war across Alum Creek.

1917

Otterbein University becomes Otterbein College.

1917

1917 Tan & Cardinal

Tan and Cardinal publishes its first issue.

1917

Daylight saving time is created.

The United States enters WWI; women take on more roles on campus.

1918

1918 Otterbein Love Song

Otterbein Love Song is written by music professor Glenn Grant Grabill and his wife, Celia, both Class of 1900. It is quickly adopted as Otterbein’s alma mater

1918

WWI ENDS

1919

McFadden Science Hall is dedicated in 1919.

1919

1919 Quiz And Quill

Quiz and Quill publishes its first issue in 1919

1919

Prohibition begins in 1919.

1920 – 1929

1920

1920 Suffrage

19TH AMENDMENT GIVES WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE

1921

In 1921, Otterbein Student Council forms, giving students a degree of self-governance.

1921

Otterbein Women’s Club of Columbus and Vicinity is formed. Name changed to Westerville Otterbein Women’s Club in 1951.

1922

1893 William Henry Fouse

Otterbein celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding with a campaign to raise $2,000,000, a visit from Vice President Calvin Coolidge, and an outdoor pageant called The Spirit of Otterbein.

1924

1924 Native American Citizenship

NATIVE AMERICANS RECEIVE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

1924

In 1924, President Clippinger begins the tradition of new student orientation.

1925

Dr. Frank O. Clements, class of 1898, is elected chair of the Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Vida, established a strong tradition of transformational philanthropy to Otterbein.

1926

1926 Towers Magazine

In 1926, Otterbein alumni magazine begins. The magazine was later named Towers in 1939.

1926

VARSITY LETTERS FOR WOMEN ATHLETES ARE AWARDED.

1928

1882 Otterbein Baseball

Viola Burke becomes Otterbein’s first female Black graduate, earning her bachelor’s degree in music.

1929

1929 Alumni Gymnasium

Alumni Gymnasium opens. The building is now the Battelle Fine Arts Center, home of the Department of Music.

1929

STOCK MARKET CRASH OF 1929 MARKS THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

1930 – 1944

1931

1931 Star Spangled Banner

In 1931, The Star-Spangled Banner becomes America’s national anthem.

1932

Otterbein’s fraternities and sororities are officially recognized and allowed to use Greek names and letters in public, rather than operate as underground organizations.

1932

1932 Cap Otter Trophy

The first Cap-Otter trophy is purchased, in 1932, to celebrate the athletic rivalry between Capital University and Otterbein.

1934

Work Study program is established on campus.

1939

1939 Walter G. Clippinger

President Clippinger retires after 30 years. He was responsible for Otterbein’s first endowment and accreditation.

1941

The United States enters World War II. Approximately 500 Otterbein students, faculty, and alumni volunteered for, or were drafted into, service. Within a year, women outnumbered men on campus by a 4:1 ratio.

1942

In 1942, Otterbein welcomes Japanese-American students from internment camps to enroll.

1944

1944 Harold Hancock

In 1944, Harold Hancock, known as “Mr. Otterbein” for his knowledge of Otterbein’s history, joins the faculty

1945 – 1965

1945

1882 Otterbein Baseball

Vida Clements, class of 1901, is elected to Board of Trustees. One of Otterbein’s biggest benefactors, she later established the Clements Foundation in 1966.

1946

Returning WWII veterans lift Otterbein to a championship football season and spearhead the drive for a new stadium.

1947

1947 100th Anniversary

OTTERBEIN’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY IS CELEBRATED WITH A CAMPAIGN RAISING $640,000.

1948

In 1948, WOBC 630 AM (later WOBN) begins broadcasting music and news from campus.

1948

Joanne Van Sant “Dean Van” joins the faculty, eventually becoming dean of students and vice president for student affairs.

1955

1955 O Club

THE “O” CLUB IS FOUNDED.

1963

President Kennedy of 1965 is passed.

1964

1964 Campus Center

CAMPUS CENTER OPENS.

1964

Vietnam War begins.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed

1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed.

1966 – 1989

1968

Presidents

Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy are assassinated.

1969

First Black student group, SOUL, is formed on campus. The African American Student Union formed in 1989 and is still active today

1969

1969 Moon Landing

Moon Landing.

1970

OTTERBEIN BECOMES THE FIRST COLLEGE TO ELECT STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

1970

In 1970, four students are killed at Kent State University by Ohio National Guard troops. The tragedy forced the closure of many college campuses due to student unrest; Otterbein did not close.

1972

1972 Library

Courtright Memorial Library opens.

It was named in 1979 through the generosity of A. Monroe Courtright, to honor his parents Robert and Ada.

1974

1972 Adult Degree Program

In 1974, the first adult degree program is launched. Enrollment of adult students peaks at 899 in 1999.

1974

1974 Rike Center

Rike Center opens.

1986

Space shuttle Challenger tragedy

1989

OTTERBEIN OFFERS GRADUATE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

1993

1993 BIGALA

BiGALA, the first LGTBQIA+ student organization, is recognized by the University.

1990 – 1999

1993

1993 BIGALA

BiGALA, the first LGTBQIA+ student organization, is recognized by the University.

1995

Senior Year Experience is established.

1995

1912 Kyoshi Yabe

The Common Book Program is established through support of Mary B. Thomas ’28.

1996

1996 First Website

Otterbein’s first website goes live.

1997

1972 Library

OTTERBEIN’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY.

1998

Liquor returns to Westerville.

2000 – 2009

2001

The September 11 terrorist attacks kill nearly 3,000 people.

2002

2002 Vernon Pack

VERNON L. PACK ’50 DISTINGUISHED LECTURE AND SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE SERIES BEGINS.

2002

2002 National Champions

Otterbein wins NCAA DIII Basketball Championship.

2006

2006 Cardy

The Otterbein Cardinal mascot is officially named Cardy.

2007

“West” campus opens with the move of the Art and Communication departments to 33 Collegeview Ave. in 2007.

2007

Otterbein is one of four universities in the nation to receive the Presidential Award for Volunteer Service.

2008

BARACK OBAMA BECOMES AMERICA’S FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.

2009

Kathy Krendl

In 2009, Kathy Krendl is named the 20th and the first female president of Otterbein University.

2010 – 2021

2010

In 2010, Otterbein College becomes Otterbein University again.

2011

2011 Doctor Of Nursing Practice

First 10 students enroll in Otterbein’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program — the first doctorate degree program at Otterbein since 1895.

2016

1993 BIGALA

The Point at Otterbein, a first-of-itskind innovation center, brings education, businesses, and the community together.

2018

2018 President Comerford

John Comerford becomes the 21st president of Otterbein University.

2019

2019 Democratic Presidential Debate

Otterbein hosts a Democratic presidential debate in a transformed Rike Center. The debate is broadcast worldwide on CNN.

2020

2018 President Comerford

The Covid-19 pandemic forces campuses around the nation to move to remote learning and send students home during spring semester. By fall of 2020, Otterbein offered one-third of classes in person, one-third in a hybrid format, and one-third online. Fall, winter, and spring athletics seasons were held simultaneously in spring 2021.

2022

Logo and banner: 175 Years, Otterbein, Time to Celebrate.

OTTERBEIN’S 175TH ANNIVERSARY.

175th Commemorative Feature

BOLD
Beginnings

WE WILL NOT BE STILL

Both of Otterbein’s founders knew the value of an education. Lewis Davis is regarded as the father of higher education in the United Brethren Church. William Hanby was dedicated to his faith, his love of education, and his hatred of the injustice of slavery. Hanby and Davis were active members of the Underground Railroad.

Beneath Otterbein’s humble exterior is a bold institution forged by moral intelligence. Lewis Davis didn’t learn to read until he was 18, taught only by a blacksmith who believed in his potential. William Hanby spent the first 19 years of his life as an indentured servant until he escaped his abusive master. The experiences of Otterbein’s founders sparked their lifelong commitment to education, opportunity, and social justice – values that remain at the heart of this University 175 years later.

“All institutions have critical moments at which lie possibilities for the future. For Otterbein, such a moment came early when Lewis Davis was asked to raise money for a university and to win endorsements for it from the Sandusky and Muskingum Conferences of the United Brethren Church. The idea of a college thrilled Davis, but it set off a furious debate. Presiding over the Sandusky Conference at its meeting to discuss the matter, Bishop Russel opposed the establishment of Otterbein University. The bishop ordered Davis, “You be still.” Davis replied that he could not be still. A parliamentary battle followed in which Bishop Russel attempted to rule Davis out of order whenever he rose to speak. But in the end the convention voted for Otterbein. Davis traveled to Muskingum where he met his nemesis again and was told, as before, to “be still.” But Davis was not still, and the Muskingum Conference endorsed Otterbein the following year. Because he refused to be still, Davis secured the backing of the church and Otterbein would exist. Davis became the first president of the Board of Trustees, served for 18 years as Otterbein’s president, and was honored as the father of higher education in the United Brethren Church.”

– Kathy Krendl H’18,
President emerita, excerpted from her inauguration address, 2009

“At the General Conference of the United Brethren in Christ Church in 1845, William Hanby was elected 15th bishop of the church. Church and Otterbein leaders faced opposition to the plan of making education available to all genders and races. Bishop Hanby persevered in advancing his ideas. The fall 1847 student body was composed of four males and four females. The first graduating class in 1857 was two women. Hanby survived the bondage of indentured servitude — an experience that fired his hatred of bondage and slavery. This same boy was denied an education, and later taught himself to read and write to such a skill level as to enable him to write sermons and to write and edit articles for the church newspaper. Otterbein continues to resist injustices, promote learning for all, and to reach out and welcome diverse students to the benefit of all. Bishop Hanby had three main focuses in his life: his faith, his love of education, and his hatred of the injustice of slavery.”

– Pam Allen ’96
Former manager of the historic Hanby House

Reverend Lewis Davis

Lewis Davis

William Hanby

William Hanby

Sarah Jennie Miller

Sarah Jennie Miller

Mary Katherine Winter Hanby

Mary Katherine Winter Hanby

Rewriting the
RULES

HONORING A TRADITION OF BUCKING TRADITION

Since its founding in 1847, Otterbein has quietly been setting the pace in higher education. Those at the helm of each innovation likely didn’t see themselves as rule-breakers. But Otterbein leaders have a history of rewriting the rules with the intention of doing things better, smarter, and ensuring more opportunity. Read reflections from those with a front-row seat to some of Otterbein’s most inspired practices.

SHARED GOVERNANCE

Otterbein was one of the first in the nation to give students a voice and a vote in institutional decision-making.

“I was asked to form and chair the student committee on college governance. We asked for equal representation in the college senate, some representation on committees, and seats on the Board of Trustees. There were meetings with other committees and presentations to the student body. A joint plan emerged. This would not have happened without the openness of this university — its trustees, administration, and faculty — to new ideas, new balance, and new equity.”

-Terry Goodman ’70
Trustee emerita

INTEGRATIVE STUDIES

Otterbein’s Integrative Studies program is a nationally recognized general education curriculum celebrated as a groundbreaking model when it originated in 1969.

Integrative Studies, from its beginning as the Common Courses, was and still is, in my view, Otterbein’s most important contribution as a leader in higher education. Today’s INST curriculum continues that contribution, guiding students through its current theme, Knowledge, Action, and the Public Good.”

– Alison Prindle H’10,
Professor emerita, English and Integrative Studies

Promise House

Promise House

ADVANCING THE GREATER GOOD

Service leadership is an Otterbein tradition. Formalized efforts in the 1990s ensured Otterbein’s recognition among the nation’s best for its commitment to community service and engagement. “

“The creation of the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) set Otterbein apart. With key campus leaders’ work, Otterbein received a federal grant to help create the CCE, hire our first (and current) director, and work closely with our core community partners and faculty to develop service-learning courses. CCE student leaders also established the Promise House, our student-led community resource center and food pantry. We were among the earlier small colleges to address food insecurities for students.”

-Bob Gatti H’03
Vice president and dean of students emeritus

ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY

Known as a school of opportunity, Otterbein has a historic commitment to access. Whether co-education, students of color, firstgeneration, or those traditionally under-represented, Otterbein is committed to education as the great equalizer.

“I appreciate Otterbein’s focus on making education affordable and accessible for people who want to go to college. I am deeply passionate about providing opportunities – Otterbein’s mission really resonates with me.”

– Cheryl Herbert
Chair, Otterbein Board of Trustees

THE POINT

A convergence of education, community, industry, and government, The Point offers an evolving home to small, entrepreneurial start-ups and large industry innovations – all supported by hands-on faculty expertise and student talent.

“Creating The Point led to new programs and much more interaction with the Columbus business community.”

-Mark Thresher ’78
Chair emeritus, Otterbein Board of Trustees

The Point

“Since its founding, Otterbein has been a model for all colleges and universities. Unpretentious. Open to all. Supportive of all. Faculty and staff with diverse talents yet with a shared goal of student success. Students first. Always.”

Brent DeVore H'86

Otterbein president emeritus

A History of Striving
to Do Things Right

In 1847, Otterbein was founded by abolitionists who believed in the equality of all humans, regardless of gender, race, religion, or nationality. That spirit of striving to do what’s right is alive and continuing on campus today.

“From the early admittance of women and persons of color to recent policies toward diversity and inclusion, Otterbein has been far ahead of other institutions.

Mindy Phinney ’85, Otterbein Board of Trustees

“Otterbein does not run from diversity; it has remained true to its humble beginnings. As the University celebrates 175 years, I challenge everyone in the Otterbein family to remain committed to the principles that were part of its founding in 1847 – to provide opportunity for all and produce well-rounded leaders who make an impact in their communities.”

– Eddie Harrell ’94, vice chair, Otterbein Board of Trustees

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Otterbein’s founders, Bishop William Hanby and Rev. Lewis Davis, were active members of the Underground Railroad along with Hanby’s son, Benjamin, who wrote the anti-slavery ballad Darling Nelly Gray. Despite these roots, Otterbein’s first Black student felt far from welcome. William Hannibal Thomas enrolled in 1859 but left in 1860 after suffering discrimination and abuse. In 1893, William Henry Fouse became the first Black student to graduate from Otterbein. He was popular and active on campus. His commencement speech, A Plea for the Afro-American, highlighted his vision of equality and freedom for all. He had a distinguished career in education.

Joseph Hannibal Caulker

Joseph Hannibal Caulker

In 1896, the first international student enrolled. Born in Sierra Leone, Joseph Hannibal Caulker was introduced to Otterbein by United Brethren missionaries. A beloved member of the community Caulker died in a tragic oil stove explosion in 1900. He is buried in the Otterbein Cemetery. More than a dozen Caulker family descendants were among the 30+ students from Sierra Leone who have attended Otterbein. Imodale Caulker-Burnett ’63 was one of few Black students on campus and encountered racism, but she also found acceptance and made lifelong friends. “Otterbein gave me my first lessons on life in America and how to deal with the issues of the day. It provided a secure environment in which to grow.”

The first Japanese student, Kiyoshi Yabe, graduated in 1912. Later, Otterbein enrolled Japanese-American students from internment camps during World War II. Mary Ariki Shiba ’44 was so welcomed on campus that her brother, Joe Ariki ’46, also enrolled. Today, 23% of students are people of color.

Suffragette City

SUFFRAGETTE CITY

Suffragette, industrialist, and philanthropist Sarah B. Cochran funded the construction of a women’s dormitory in 1907. The residents of Cochran Hall led suffrage marches: “The eve of the election . . . witnessed a remarkable parade intended to encourage the devotees of women’s suffrage and to convert those opposed to this national need.”

(Otterbein Review, Nov. 9, 1914)

STUDENTS FIGHT
FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Desmond Fernandez

Desmond Fernandez ’21 organized peaceful Black Lives Matter marches in Westerville in 2020 when he was a senior theatre major. “What I thought was going to be maybe 50 people was almost 1,000 people,” he said. “It was inspiring. Not only was I protesting with my classmates, I was protesting with my teachers.”

Black Lives Matter

GENDER REPRESENTATION

Otterbein included women as faculty members and students from its founding — and was among the first colleges in the nation to do so. Otterbein’s first graduates were two women, Sarah Miller and Mary Katherine Winter.

The Otterbein community championed suffrage long before women on the right to vote in 1920. Professor Miriam Cole wrote in 1873: “It is said, ‘Interest in women’s suffrage is dying out.’ This is not true. Our students are asking questions with a desire for intelligent answers. The distance between men and women is lessening every year.”

Despite Otterbein’s founding principles, the first woman president, Kathy Krendl, was not hired until 2009, and the first woman chair of the Board of Trustees, Cheryl Herbert, was appointed in 2021. President Emerita Krendl championed women’s issues. She developed and taught a women’s leadership course to a select group of first-year students, called Miller Winter Scholars. Provost Wendy Sherman Heckler now teaches the course. “Being exposed to prominent women so early on encouraged me to reshape my perspective, be a leader, and connect with other professionals,” said Regan Donoughe ’17. In recent years, Otterbein has focused on supporting all gender identities. The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program has been an advocate and spearheaded the addition of gender-neutral restrooms on campus years before other schools. In 2015, Tau Delta became Otterbein’s first gender-neutral Greek chapter. “I am proud to be a part of a sorority where we welcome all identities – everyone deserves to find a home here at Otterbein,” said former president Reyana Bates ’21.

Womens Basketball Circa 1913

Women’s 1913 basketball team

SOCIAL JUSTICE

In the 1960s and 1970s, a wave of student activism swept the country. At Otterbein, students volunteered in under-served communities and protested the Vietnam War. They created organizations such as SOUL, which led programs and discussions about racial issues, and the Environmental Action Committee, which planned activities for the first Earth Day. And they participated in Otterbein’s shared governance system.

Today, students are more active than ever. The African American Student Union is celebrating 35 years. FreeZone brings awareness to LGBTQIA+ issues. Students sit not only on the University Senate, but also the Board of Trustees.

These students are supported by the work of James Prysock ’09, MBA ’19 and the Office of Social Justice and Activism. “We all have a responsibility and a role in social justice work,” he said. “We encourage people to get involved on campus and in your home community.”

SOUL 1974 75

SOUL 1974-75

STUDENT LIFE &
TRADITIONS

FOR THE GOOD OF OUR STUDENTS

The balance between academics and student life defines the Otterbein experience. “There was no getting lost at Otterbein,” said Debbie Ewell Currin ’67, “The ability to get to know people — for a shy girl from Cincinnati — was easy, and the warmth and encompassing feeling reached out to me, and never let go. Knowing professors would be there if I needed help and having people believe in me was encouraging. Forming lifelong friendships and meeting my husband was life changing. Best of all, having a curriculum that prepared me so well for my chosen profession to be an elementary teacher was something I benefitted from for years ahead.” While that close-knit community has remained constant, the activities and interests of students have evolved over the years.

FIRST SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS

The first literary society was established in 1851 for students to socialize around a common interest. By 1872 there were four societies — two for men and two for women. Groups of friends from these societies formed underground social clubs, resulting in the first fraternities, Pi Kappa Phi and Pi Beta Sigma, in 1909, and the first sorority, Sigma Alpha Tau, in 1910. These “secret societies” were disbanded by the administration in 1916 — but the trustees later had a change of heart, allowing social clubs on campus in 1921.

In 1932, they were permitted to use Greek letters. By 1948, more than 80% of students participated in Greek life. Today, 20% of students participate. Otterbein’s literary societies also began a strong tradition of student media, publishing The Otterbein Aegis in 1890, The Otterbein Review in 1909, and The Tan and Cardinal in 1917. Otterbein’s radio station began broadcasting on March 5, 1948. Today, there are dozens of groups on campus for academic and professional interests, community service, creative and artistic expression, and the celebration of culture and diversity.

Otterbein Students In 1901

Students in 1901.

COMMON GOOD

Bob Gatti H’03, vice president and dean for student affairs emeritus, served Otterbein’s students from 1978-2019. “I feel our students look after each other and genuinely care. Our students will always step up to take care of others.”

Organized community service took root on campus in the 1990s. Beginning in 1994, the Indianola After-School Project and Linmoor Middle School Project brought Columbus students to campus for weekly tutoring, recreation, and meals with Otterbein students. The Community Plunge started in the 1990s to introduce new students to Otterbein’s core value of service and continues today.

In 2007, Otterbein was one of four universities in the nation to receive the Presidential Award for Volunteer Service. The Center for Community Engagement opened the Promise House, a food pantry and resource center for students, in 2016. “This is a remarkable symbol of Otterbein’s heart in action. Community members give generously to the Promise House to lift student success, tackle food insecurity, and support everyday basic needs,” said Becky Fickel Smith ’81, executive director of alumni relations emerita.

Bob Gatti

“We all have a responsibility and a role in social justice work.”

James Prysock '09, MBA '19

Joanne Van Sant

Joanne Van Sant was hired in 1948 by the Women’s Physical Education Department. “Dean Van” served as dean of women, dean of students, and vice president for student affairs before retiring in 1992.

FUN AND GAMES

Scrap Day started in 1915 as a day of fun with a series of competitive field events, including tug-of-war across Alum Creek, sack races, and a bonfire. At that time, freshman students were required to wear beanies for group bonding — and as a source of teasing from upperclassmen. If the sophomores won the scrap day competitions, freshmen had to wear their beanies until Christmas, instead of Thanksgiving. The day was usually rigged against the freshmen. In the 1940s and 1950s, popular activities included “Coke dates” in Uptown Westerville and hanging out at the “Otterbarn” – an Army surplus building that served as the first student center. Their options were somewhat limited. Joanne “Dean Van” Van Sant H’70, dean of students emerita, once recalled: “No dancing was allowed on campus. No drinking of alcoholic beverages. Women had curfews and signed out and in. Chapel was held four days a week; attendance was mandatory with five absences allowed per semester. To miss more meant adding hours to your graduation requirement.” Because of the restrictions, students left campus for fun. They attended dances at the Westerville Armory and crossed the border to socialize at a Columbus bar called the Garden Inn, which remained a frequent destination through the 1990s. Since the early 1970s, late-night donut runs to Schneider’s Bakery have been one of the most popular Otterbein traditions. Mary Miller Westfall ’75 told Towers in 2000: “Women had to be in the dorm by midnight. Girls used to sneak out of the basement windows in King Hall at one or two in the morning for donuts.” Otterbein’s signature event, Homecoming, was recorded in The Tan and Cardinal as far back as 1917. In 1933, the first Homecoming queen, Marjorie Bowser ’36, was crowned. Today, Homecoming royalty are nominated by student organizations and voted on by the student body. Guests to Homecoming and Family Weekend celebrate with a parade, class reunions, tailgating, festival food and games, football — and, starting in 2021, a beer garden.

Donut

Since the early 1970s, late-night donut runs to Schneider’s Bakery have been one of the most popular Otterbein traditions.

Schneiders Donut Run
2021 Homecoming Court

Homecoming Court 2021

ATHLETIC
TRADITIONS

WE ARE CHAMPIONS ON & OFF THE FIELD

One-third of Otterbein’s students compete on one of 21 NCAA Division III athletics teams, supported by coaches who are dedicated to their success on and off the field. “Coaches are in touch with a student athlete’s mental health, academic progress, family situation, financial situation, and the impact those things have on their lives,” explained Dawn Mamula Stewart ’98, vice president for student affairs and director of athletics. “It’s all about each student’s success.”

BEGINING OF ATHELTICS AT OTTERBEIN

Ernest Barnard, class of 1895, was known as the “Father of Otterbein Athletics.”

He was a founding member of the varsity football team in 1889 and led it to a winning season in 1891 — including a victory over The Ohio State University, 42-6. Barnard had a successful career in sport management and was elected president of the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs in 1927.

Otterbein’s first unofficial baseball team competed in 1882, defeating OSU, 10-8. The team was disbanded due to faculty concerns about safety but officially reorganized in 1892.

Faculty and students leveled the first sports field behind Towers Hall and marked it for football, baseball, and tennis.

Ernest Barnard
YMCA Logo

Otterbein was the first university in Ohio to have a YMCA chapter. It was established in 1877.

WOMEN’S ATHLETICS

Early athletics were far from equal. Basketball became the men’s third sport in 1899 and the women’s first sport in 1900. The first varsity letters were awarded to men in 1907, but women couldn’t earn them until 1926, and only for tennis and track. Title IX of the Education Act was enacted in 1972 and new federal resources allowed Otterbein women to compete in more sports, including volleyball, soccer, basketball, softball, track, cross country, and tennis.

In 1992, Dick Reynolds ’65 became director of athletics. That same year, women’s and men’s athletics merged into one Department of Athletics. “I hope I’m remembered for taking the women’s teams into the realm of competitive athletics with an equal opportunity to compete. That gives me personal satisfaction,” said Reynolds.

“I remember hearing Coach Reynolds say, ‘If you’re going to do it for the men, you’ve got to do it for the women,’” said Stewart. “As a young female student-athlete, that made an impression on me.”

Women's Tennis

Women’s Tennis

PROFESSOR GARY TIREY H’90 EXPANDED THE CARDINAL MARCHING BAND, WHICH PERFORMED IN EIGHT TELEVISED PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL HALFTIME SHOWS BETWEEN 1970 AND 1990.

TRADITIONS

Otterbein joined the nation’s third-oldest conference, the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), in 1921 and currently competes against nine other OAC universities. Otterbein’s rivalry with Capital University, however, dates to 1894 when the Cardinals first played and defeated the Crusaders in football, 60-0. The tradition of a “Cap-Otter Trophy” began in 1932. In 1950, the trophy was dedicated to Otterbein student Robert Buck, who drowned in Alum Creek when a group he was with attempted to canoe to Capital to make mischief. It continued to be awarded until the late 1980s; the tradition began again in 2021. In a newer tradition, the Cole Victory Bell, donated by William ’54 and Barbara ’54 Cole in 2016, rings to mark Otterbein’s football victories.

Stadium Bell

THE GREATEST GENERATION

After World War II, returning veterans formed an OAC champion football team, which finished the 1946 season with a 7-1 record and won all its conference games. Three members were drafted by NFL teams: Edwin “Dubbs” Roush ’47, Robert “Moe” Agler ’48, and Paul Davis ’48.
For many years, members of the 1946 team and other football alumni gathered regularly. “We named it the Leather Helmet Club. We had players come back who were in their 90s and played in the 1930s,” said Elmer “Bud” Yoest ’53, athletic director emeritus. “We talked about the fun we had, not how many games we won.”

The veterans also raised funds to build a new stadium. In 1948, Memorial Stadium was dedicated to honor the 13 men and one woman from Otterbein who lost their lives serving in World War II. Many of these same veterans raised funds as members of the “O” Club to replace the stadium in 2005. The “O” Club was established in 1955 under the leadership of Harold Augspurger ’41, Francis “Red” Bailey ’43, Dwight “Smokey” Ballenger ’39, and Roush.

Stadium

The Stadium, circa 1940

OAC’S WINNIGEST COACH

Dick Reynolds ’65 became head men’s basketball coach in 1972, retiring in 2012 as the winningest OAC basketball coach with 653 wins.

In March 2002, he led the Cardinals to their first NCAA Division III National Championship. His teams previously reached the Final Four in 1981 and 1991.

Coach Reynolds

Dick Reynolds ’65

Equestrian Team

EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Seventy-five students, representing nearly every academic department, compete nationally with Otterbein’s equestrian team in threee discipilines: Hunt Seat, Dressage, and Eventing. Otterbein’s team was the 2019 Intercollegiate Dressage National (IDA) Champion team (no competitions in 2020 and 2021) and has many nationally ranked riders.

Horses At Austin E. Knowlton

ACADEMIC TRADITIONS

WE ARE a smarter way to learn

Otterbein University was founded with a single course of study for all students, which was then broken into the Men’s Course (Classical or Scientific) and the Ladies’ Course (a modified version of the Scientific Course). Otterbein offered graduate courses starting in 1883, and the first doctorate degrees were awarded in 1889. By 1895, the doctorate program was discontinued; master’s degrees continued to be offered until 1912. Today, there are over 70 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degree programs.

“It’s fascinating to reflect on Otterbein then, as a student trustee in the late 1970s, and now, finishing my 12th and final year back on the Board of Trustees. Then, nursing was new, now we offer a nursing doctoral degree. Equine was in discussion, engineering not even envisioned, and the only campus computer was in Towers Hall and ran on punch cards.”

Rebecca Princehorn '78

Trustee

EARLY COURSES OF STUDY

Otterbein University was founded with a single course of study for all students, which was then broken into the Men’s Course (Classical or Scientific) and the Ladies’ Course (a modified version of the Scientific Course). Otterbein offered graduate courses starting in 1883, and the first doctorate degrees were awarded in 1889. By 1895, the doctorate program was discontinued; master’s degrees continued to be offered until 1912. Today, there are over 70 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degree programs.

Nursing Graduates

THE ARTS GETS AN EARLY START

Rev. Lewis Davis brought the first piano to Westerville in 1852. Initially, students could take voice and piano lessons as an extracurricular activity and, in 1858, a choral society was formed. In 1873, music became part of the curriculum. Similarly, painting and drawing were offered as extracurricular activities starting in the 1850s but were integrated into the curriculum by the 1890s. In 1907, Otterbein staged its first theatre production, but it was not yet a program of study. Today, students can choose from majors in music, art, and theatre and display their talents in performances and exhibitions.

The Cast of “As You Like It” in 1907

INNOVATIVE TEACHING

Alzo Pierre and Lavelle Rosselot, a father-daughter professorial team, were pioneers of language learning. They established one of the first language listening labs in 1946 — later adding audio-visual components. The Rosselots produced conversational films with native French speakers during their travels to France. The rights to these films were purchased by Encyclopedia Britannica.

Now a keystone of an Otterbein education, Integrative Studies (IS) was innovative when it was established in 1969 as one of the first interdisciplinary, general education programs in the country. Originally called “Common Courses,” it was renamed and expanded in 1976. “I have taught dozens of IS sections, hundreds of IS students. In every class, I could see why Otterbein has made its exceptional commitment, of more than 50 years, to the general student: our liberal arts core provides the chance to study and write about the most significant ideas and experiences of human life. We take that with us for a lifetime,” said Professor Emerita Alison Prindle H’10.

In 1995, the Common Book program was established as a shared academic experience for all first-year students — one of the first such programs in the nation. A generous gift from alumna Mary B. Thomas ’28 provides each incoming student a copy of the selected book prior to their arrival and brings each book’s author to campus for a convocation. The program stimulates a year-long, interdisciplinary discussion exploring contemporary issues related to the book.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

“The Otterbein community provides great opportunities outside of the traditional learning environment. Internships, research, volunteer opportunities, lab work, sports, and student organizations all provide great non-traditional learning opportunities and a foundation for involvement, service, and growth,” said Otterbein Trustee Chris Kaiser ’77. Experiential learning began at Otterbein in 1939 through a partnership with Westerville Public Schools to place education students in classrooms — long before student teaching became standard. The first Otterbein-sponsored study abroad trip was in 1962, when a group of French majors spent a year in France. Programs were soon established in other countries. Today, Otterbein students study abroad at locations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Of her travel courses to Africa, Professor Emerita Glenna Jackson said, “Travel in African countries puts a face on what students learn about in the classroom. Suddenly, they can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel Africa — not just know about it as an object of interest.” Other immersive experiences find students involved in internships, research, leadership, and community engagement.

Otterbein Community Garden

“If we are to achieve cherished goals in every area — academic, co-curricular and administrative — we must continue to innovate.”

Thomas Kerr H’84

Otterbein president emeritus

SERVICE LEARNING

While servant leadership has long been an Otterbein value, in the 1990s, volunteer service efforts transformed into an initiative to combine service and academics.

“Starting with the faith of a few professors who were willing to embrace service learning into their courses, the Otterbein curriculum currently has over 70 service-learning courses,” said Becky Fickel Smith ’81, executive director of alumni relations emerita. “Learning in the classroom and practicing in the community enhances both the teacher and learner.”

Community Plunge

GRADUATE DEGREES

Otterbein began offering graduate degrees to fill expanding needs for advanced professionals. The master of arts in education and the master of arts in teaching programs were established in the 1980s. The master of science in nursing was added in 1993. The master of business administration was added in 1997. Responding to a national initiative of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the Department of Nursing launched the University’s first doctorate degree since 1895. The first doctor of nursing practice class enrolled in March 2011.

Graduate Students at Commencement

PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships have been key to some Otterbein programs. In the 1970s, the University partnered with Grant Hospital in Columbus to offer associate degrees and registered nurse (RN) certification. Other programs grew from this partnership, including the bachelor of science in nursing major in 1979 and nurse anesthesia program in 2010. More recently, Otterbein’s zoo and conservation science program was made possible by partnerships with the Ohio Wildlife Center and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. In 2016, The Point at Otterbein brought together partners from the government and business sectors to create new experiential learning opportunities for students and establish the Department of Engineering, addressing central Ohio employment needs.

Engineering at The Point

LECTURE SERIES

Otterbein hosts several annual lectures, including the George W. and Mildred K. White Science Lecture Series, Graduate School Lecture Series, and the new Kathy A. Krendl Distinguished Lecture Series. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Vernon L. Pack ’50 Distinguished Lecture and Scholar-in-Residence Series. Thanks to the generosity of Pack, each year a distinguished lecturer or scholar-in-residence visits campus to address important current issues that inspire the Otterbein community to reflect on ethical, spiritual, and social concerns. Speaker expertise has varied greatly, including the likes of Native American activist and environmentalist Winona LaDuke; cognitive psychologist Dr. Steven Pinker; and Pulitzer Prize- winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM AND PRACTICING IN THE COMMUNITY ENHANCES BOTH THE TEACHER AND LEARNER.

BECKY FICKEL SMITH '81

96%

Class of 2020 employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation

96%

First-time pass rate of Otterbein graduates taking the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam

#12

Overall, America’s Best Colleges 2022, Midwest Regional Universities*

#18

Best Undergraduate Teaching, America’s Best Colleges 2022, Midwest Regional Universities*

#23

Best Value School, America’s Best Colleges 2022, Midwest Regional Universities*

*U.S. News & World Report

175 YEARS OF GENEROSITY

How Philanthropy Has Shaped Otterbein

The story of philanthropy at Otterbein is the story of its people: their generosity, their investment of time and commitment, and their selfless philanthropic support. These gifts have enabled the University and its students, faculty, staff, and alumni, to persist and thrive over the last 175 years.

One of the earliest records of philanthropic support that impacted Otterbein dates back to 1838, when Matthew and Peter Westervelt donated 27 acres to create the Blendon Young Men’s Seminary. By 1845, the vision for the school had stalled and the land and buildings were sold for $1,300 to three trustees from the United Brethren Church. In April 1847, Otterbein University was founded on the land.

From humble beginnings, Otterbein grew as supporters invested in the University. In 1854, as enrollment increased, Jacob Saum donated $1,600 to build a new residence hall, Saum Hall. Around the same time, Otterbein began construction of the “Main Building” to house a chapel, recitation and society rooms, and a small library — only for it to be destroyed by fire in 1870.

Supporters within the Otterbein and Westerville communities raised the money to replace it with an Administration Building (now known as Towers Hall), which was dedicated 150 years ago in 1872. In 1900, the shared history of Otterbein and Westerville almost ended when the Board of Trustees proposed moving the University to Dayton. Westerville citizens mobilized to raise $3,500 and lobbied for an additional $7,000 of support from the Columbus Board of Trade for improvements to Westerville’s infrastructure. This groundswell of support cemented town-gown relations.

Recognizing the impact of group philanthropy, theWesterville Otterbein Women’s Club was founded in 1921. Alumnae, former students, faculty, and faculty wives hosted teas and special programs to raise money and honor Otterbein women. The club opened its Thrift Shop 70 years ago in 1952 and donated proceeds back to the University. As of the club’s 100th anniversary, the group had donated more than $1 million.

For its Diamond Jubilee in 1922, Otterbein set out to build a $2 million endowment. To meet a $250,000 challenge grant from the Carnegie Foundation, Otterbein’s supporters rallied to raise $500,000. By 1929, the endowment had grown to $1,095,000.

After World War II, another philanthropic group was formed by the returning veterans who enrolled at Otterbein. They raised money for the original Memorial Stadium and, in 1955, started the “O” Club. The club has donated more than $7 million to support Otterbein athletics, including building projects.

Major capital campaigns have combined large and small gifts from thousands of supporters to advance Otterbein. In the 1990s, the $30 million Campaign for Otterbein focused on renovating Towers Hall, increasing the endowment, and providing programmatic support. The campaign culminated with the 150th anniversary of Otterbein in 1997.

Most recently, the Where We STAND Matters campaign raised $52.7 million and created The Point, Otterbein’s state-of-the-art innovation center. More than 10,000 donors participated in the campaign, including 5,550 alumni. Over the years, many donors have embraced the call to help students by creating and supporting endowed scholarship funds and donating unrestricted gifts to the Otterbein Fund, which have been critical to Otterbein’s success.

The story of philanthropy at Otterbein would not be complete without mention of the largest individual gift, made by alumna Mary B. Thomas ’28. In 2001, the University received an unrestricted estate gift of $6.3 million from Thomas, a former trustee who previously endowed Otterbein’s Common Book program. The University now bestows its highest honor, the Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award, to recognize individuals and groups for transformational philanthropic support.

Mary B. Thomas

MORE NOTABLE PHILANTHROPIC GIFTS TO OTTERBEIN

In the 1890s, supporters including the Rike family of Dayton raised $15,000 to build the Association (“Sosh”) Building.

A Carnegie-endowed Library opened in 1908 and is now home to the Office of Admission.

Dr. Clyde E. Cowan donated $400,000 in 1948 to build Cowan Hall.

A new library was built on the site of Saum Hall in 1972. It was named Courtright Memorial Library in 1979 thanks to a generous donation by A. Monroe Courtright ’40 in memory of his parents, Robert and Ada Courtright.

The Rike Center was built in 1974 with a generous gift from the Rike family and support from the Kresge Foundation.

Built in 1928, the Alumni Gymnasium was transformed into the Battelle Fine Arts Center in 1979 with a gift from the Battelle Memorial Institute. Recently, the center received a facelift with support from Virginia Phillippi Longmire ’55, and new auditorium seating funded by Morton Achter H’00 and Barbara Chapman Achter.

Roush Hall was dedicated in 1993, thanks to a gift of $2 million from Edwin “Dubbs” ’47
and Marilou Harold ’45 Roush as part of the $6.5 million Cornerstone for the Future Campaign.

The Clements Recreation Center was dedicated in 2002, supported by a $3.5 million donation from the Vida S. Clements Foundation and a gift of $500,000 from the Freeman family in memory of Harold ’23 and Ida Freeman and John ’50 and Margaret Eschbach ’50 Freeman.

The Shear-McFadden Science Center was renovated in 2009 with $3.7 million of philanthropic support.

Otterbein opened a new equine facility in 2009. In 2012, the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation donated $1.5 million to name it the Austin E. Knowlton Center for
Equine Science.

THE POWER OF AN OTTERBEIN DEGREE

The VOICES OF ALUMNI LEADERS AND SCHOLARS

Otterbein alumni say that what happened for them here — the mentoring, opportunities, and knowledge — continues to shape and guide their success as they advance their professions and the public good. Otterbein has a history of changing lives and launching great futures.

“The University gave me an opportunity to achieve a great education along with contributing to the moral compass that has helped guide me through life.”

MICHAEL DUCEY ’70
Independent Director at Apollo Global Management, Inc., Otterbein University Trustee Emeritus

Dee Hoty '74

My Otterbein degree was an entry to the greater world and opportunities available around me. I will always be grateful for my Otterbein experience — it helped me become the person I am today.

DEE HOTY ’74

Three-time Tony Nominated Broadway Actress

Dee Hoty '74

Otterbein turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made — from the outstanding faculty, to the lifelong relationships established with fellow students, the Otterbein experience made a lasting impression.

EDDIE HARRELL ’94

Regional Vice President and General Manager at Radio One, Otterbein University Trustee and Vice Chair

Debbie Currin

“We are all important, not one above the other, but we all stand on an equal playing field.”

DEBBIE EWELL CURRIN ’67
Folk Artist, Community Leader, and Otterbein University Trustee

Alicia Caudill

My Otterbein experience allowed me to find my professional calling and inspires in me the will to make my little corner of the world a better place.

DR. ALICIA CAUDILL ’95

Executive Vice President for Student Affairs at the College of Charleston, South Carolina

Cory-Michael-Smith

I felt that I became an actor at Otterbein and I undoubtedly became a more full and better person. This place is nourishing. It stands for kindness. It stands for inclusivity.

CORY MICHAEL SMITH ’09

Film, Television, Stage Actor, and Producer

Annie Ames

“Education is so important, and we must protect the places that do it well and take care of their students. That’s Otterbein.”

ANNIE AMES ’86
Retired Central Ohio Business Leader, Otterbein University Trustee Emerita, 2019 Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award Recipient

Richard Fetter '73

Otterbein helped me become comfortable with being uncomfortable. This allowed me to think of things I would have never thought of and to try things I would have never tried.

RICHARD FETTER ’73, PH.D.

Co-founder of Tillery Capital, Former Dean of the Lacy School of Business, Associate Professor of Marketing at Butler University

Jeff Wilson

The power of an Otterbein degree didn’t teach me what I needed to learn, but courageously how to learn. With that knowledge, opportunities became limitless and my biography began to surpass my wildest dreams, all while remaining in humble and unconditional service to others.

JEFF WILSON ’85

Senior Regional Vice President and General Manager at Radio One

Karen Freeman Sewell

“For me, the power of an Otterbein Degree is generational connections-”

“I have Freeman, Eschbach, and Sewell Otterbein families from the 1900s to the present! Those connections have given me the power to promote Otterbein to the world.”

KAREN FREEMAN SEWELL ’79
Coordinated a national effort for recognition of America’s marching band directors in the 2022 Rose Bowl Parade to honor her late husband and Otterbein alumnus, Mike Sewell ’79.

Ichilda Watkins Dickerson

I attained enhanced critical thinking, emotional intelligence, increased financial stability, and career advancement as a respected leader in my field. My Otterbein degree prepared me for a world where understanding how to apply a multidisciplinary perspective is a valued asset.

ICILDA WATKINS DICKERSON ’88

Healthcare Policy Strategist, Adjunct Professor at Franklin University and Central Michigan University, Immediate Past Chair of Otterbein Alumni Council

Mike Mckinney

Otterbein gave me the ability to communicate, think critically, and to relate to people in all walks of life.

MICHAEL MCKINNEY ’86

Director of Global Security at McKesson Corporation, Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent

Maggie Ellison

“A degree from Otterbein means standing up. It means standing for, standing in, standing on, and standing out. Otterbein educates the whole person and its students make the world a brighter place.”

MAGGIE ELLISON ’10, MBA ‘19
Vice President at Event Marketing Strategies, Otterbein Alumni Council Chair Elect

Letter from President Comerford, Spring 2022

​Dear Friends,

There is something about place. In the early days of the pandemic, I tried working from home. But I did not like it. And it wasn’t just the distractions of three kids and a dog. I didn’t feel like the president of Otterbein at home at our kitchen table. I felt disconnected. So I quickly came back to the office well before campus had generally reopened. I had all of Roush Hall safely to myself, but I had a sense of place again. I could see Towers Hall, walk the campus, thank the facilities and police staff still doing their work, and connect to our purpose.

Part of that for me is knowing the same spaces were occupied by legends of our past. I will never know Lewis Davis, William Hanby, Mary Katherine Winter Hanby, Sarah Miller, William Fouse, or Kiyoshi Yabe. Yet, I know they are
here. Each of them and thousands of others left their legacies here. Legacies that live on. We are caretakers of those legacies and we are charged to advance their work.

The legacies that made Otterbein what it is today have a common theme – boldness. Imagine starting a college in a tiny frontier settlement not yet even a town. That’s bold. Opening it to men and women and putting them in the same classes. Bold. Recruiting Black students, even as most Black Americans were still enslaved. Bold. Rebuilding when most of the campus was lost to fire. Bold. Offering an education to Japanese Americans who were being vilified and interred during World War II. Bold. Inventing the first truly integrated curriculum in the country, giving students equal voice in governance, launching into new fields from nursing to engineering. Bold, bold, bold.

We take these moments in our history for granted now. We know the outcome — Otterbein being on the right side of justice and growing over time. But, those outcomes were not certain when the bold decisions were made. There have been countless moments in our history when we came to a fork in the road and faced a choice. One direction was cautious, stayed, expected, and followed the crowd. The other was risky, innovative, and put us into a position of leadership. You know which path we took — over and over again. Bold. And, as Robert Frost would say, it has made all the difference.

It is now our turn to stand at the fork. We face the aftermath of a pandemic, economic uncertainty, inflation, a demographic decline in the number of high school graduates, and shifting workforce demands. I can tell you the path most colleges are taking. It is as if they are following a sign, “hope things get back to normal,” that draws them ahead. Normal is recruiting high school students with merit aid and campus amenities that have little to do with learning. Normal is the good ol’ days when families paid full price without asking about outcomes, where meeting the budget just meant raising tuition on students with few choices but to pay.

Let those other colleges take that path. I am absolutely convinced it is a dead end. Otterbein will be bold.

Our path is serving new student populations left behind by high tuition and purely merit-based aid. It is serving first-generation students, caring more about changing lives than prestige or hollow accolades. Our path takes us to adult learners in more graduate and degree-completion programs. It does so in partnership with other colleges — community colleges and four year colleges — in recognition that most students do not follow a straight-line to a bachelor’s degree. Our path is wide and allows plenty of room for those who thought a private college education was out of their reach. The bold path challenges us to link our academic programs directly to career preparation for every student. And that we do so with corporations and employers at our side.

There are risks. We will travel alone as other colleges crowd around an ancient and failed business and educational model. We will make big bets and investments in the future and not every idea will work. We will ask for your trust and your support.

But, we will not go backwards looking for “normal.” As we move forward, mindful of the choices that shaped this special place, I hear our forebearers whispering in our ears…it’s time to be bold.

Sincerely,

John L. Comerford, Ph.D.

President Thomas J. Kerr

Otterbein University is mourning the passing of President Emeritus Thomas J. Kerr IV on Aug. 6, 2021.

Kerr joined the faculty in 1963 and served as president from 1971 to 1984.

“Tom was dedicated to service and lived that out at Otterbein. Everyone who knew him was better for it, including me. I am proud to have called him a friend and to continue his work of caring for Otterbein and our students,” said President John Comerford.

Kerr was born Oct. 8, 1933, in Columbus, Ohio. He received a bachelor’s degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University in 1956, a master’s degree in history from the University of Buffalo in 1959, and a doctorate degree in social science from Syracuse University in 1965.

He came to Otterbein as an assistant professor of history. As a faculty member, he was active on campus committees and served as acting academic dean for seven months from 1969 to 1970.

Kerr was selected from a pool of 117 candidates to become the 18th president of Otterbein in 1971, when he was only 37 years old. In his inauguration program, it was noted that although he was “young in years,” he already had “a wide range of experience as a scholar, teacher and college administrator.”

As a president, Kerr was known as a builder of ideas, implementing innovative programs that established Otterbein as a leader in higher education—programs that other universities would later implement.

When he accepted the position in 1971, Kerr laid out his plans for his future presidency in a statement, which partially reads: “Private colleges face financial problems stemming from rising costs and increased competition for students. Progress cannot come primarily through growth but must come through reassessment of our present programs. We must also conceive imaginative new programs responsive to the needs of both our rapidly changing society and our students who become its future leaders. We must develop a flexible curriculum combining study and action.”

In response to his insights about the future of higher education, Kerr launched the University’s nationally acclaimed Integrative Studies curriculum, which remains a model curriculum in higher education today, as well as the continuing education program for adult learners. He also launched Otterbein’s signature programs in nursing and equine science. He created new partnerships for Otterbein, many of which remain strong today.

In a 2014 interview, Kerr said, “The sense of total community and its educational impact, both the curricular and the co-curricular programs, create a unique and really outstanding environment. That community goes out in rings to the metropolitan area, into the larger country and the world.”

Viewing students as future leaders, Kerr valued the role of students in governing the University. As a faculty member, he was involved with the reorganization of the University’s governance system. During his presidency, Otterbein became the first university in the nation to have students and faculty seated as permanent, voting members of its board of trustees.

“The most important thing you could do in your decision-making process came in the recruiting of faculty and staff members and making sure that they would continue the traditions of the community and decision making in the community, which was a very open governance system…involving students. It was a learning experience at all levels and a unique system when it was implemented in the late ’60s, and has continued its tradition today,” Kerr said in 2014.

Kerr also led changes to facilities, often with a focus on strengthening the arts at Otterbein. In 1972, he dedicated the new library, which was named the Courtright Memorial Library seven years later and houses the Becker Gallery for art on the lower level. When the Rike Center was built in 1975 to address changing needs for Otterbein’s athletics program, the shift allowed the Alumni Gymnasium to be renovated into a hub for arts on campus. The gymnasium was reborn as the Battelle Fine Arts Center in 1979. Another advancement in the arts was the addition of the scene shop to Cowan Hall in 1982, which provided space to build more elaborate sets for Otterbein’s theatre productions.

During Kerr’s presidency, the endowment rose from $2.9 to $6.9 million. After his retirement from higher education at the age of 50, he continued to raise money to fund higher education initiatives. He later served as president of the Grant Medical Center Development Foundation in Columbus, Ohio.

An editorial in The Columbus Dispatch at the time of Kerr’s resignation announcement stated, “Thomas J. Kerr IV, president of Otterbein College, will end his 13-year tenure in June on a high note. At a time when many small private colleges are in serious trouble, Kerr leaves the Westerville institution with an increased enrollment, substantially greater endowment support, new buildings completed and a number of new programs in place geared to changing educational needs.”

Kerr remained involved with Otterbein after his retirement, attending events and even researching and speaking about Otterbein’s history to alumni audiences and the Westerville Historical Society. The Presidents Gallery exhibit on the second floor of Towers Hall displays his research on the other presidents, as well as Kerr’s own achievements as the 18th president.

In a 2014 interview, he stated, “(Otterbein) is a university of opportunity and it has provided countless opportunities for students—sometimes second chances—and the strength of the sense of community is so exceptional that it distinguishes it from many other schools.”

He added, “I’m certainly proud that I had the opportunity to serve (at) a university that has so many successful graduates and so many successful stories of their experiences when they were students here.”

President Emeritus Kathy Krendl recognized her predecessor’s impact on the university. “President Kerr’s legacy lives on in the essential and distinctive character of an Otterbein education and its commitment to being accessible to a diverse population of students. His vision for the institution continues to serve as an important touchstone.”

Bob Gatti, vice president emeritus for student affairs, said, “Tom Kerr was a gentle, thoughtful, kind person who, along with his wife, Donna, loved Otterbein.”

He is survived by his wife, Donna Kerr; children, Thomas Kerr V, Cheryl Kerr Coleman, and Kathleen Kerr Hansen; and eight grandchildren.

See More Photos of
President Thomas J. Kerr →

Passing the Light of Learning

Retiring faculty leave behind a legacy for new faculty to continue

As students and alumni know well, Otterbein faculty members do more than lecture behind a podium. Faculty devote their lives to guiding their students through mentorship, research, networking, and other support that often extends beyond graduation. The work of Otterbein’s faculty members leaves a timeless impression on students and often shapes the direction of their careers and lives.

At the end of the 2021 academic year, seven highly respected and long-serving faculty members retired. Between them, they committed a combined 201 years of service crafting Otterbein students to go into the world and make a difference.

These retirees are passing the light of learning onto newer faculty members, ensuring the Otterbein experience they helped to build will continue for generations to come.

Also retiring but not profiled is Professor Lou Rose, who joined the faculty of the Department of History and Political Science in 1991. Rose continues to serve as the executive director of the Sigmund Freud Archives, a role he has held since 2015.

Send these retiring professors a message about how they impacted your time at Otterbein. Post on social media using #OtterbeinTowers.

Each week during Otterbein’s TuesdayTakeover, students talk about who their favorite professor is and why. Check it out every Tuesday on the university Instagram.

36 Years

Barbara Schaffner

Associate Provost, Graduate School, Professor, Department of Nursing

Among the group of retirees, the longest-serving faculty member is Barbara Schaffner. She began her career at Otterbein in 1985 and, for the past 36 years, has worked in the Department of Nursing and The Graduate School, helping countless students leave Otterbein ready to serve others.

As a pediatric nurse and nurse practitioner, Schaffner’s favorite courses were the clinical related courses that taught child health at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Additionally, Schaffner has advised and advocated for young faculty through the years. She has the following words of wisdom for new faculty:

“My advice would be to maximize your reach as faculty through the department into campus-wide activities, so you understand and participate in the full campus experience. Use all the expert educators on campus for ideas, mentoring, and to provide you with constructive feedback on teaching and working with students.”

35 Years

John Kengla

Senior Instructor, Leadership Studies Program

John Kengla has been instrumental in deepening Otterbein’s involvement with Columbus City Schools (CCS) over the years.

“In 1989, along with members of Otterbein’s Education Department, I established the Linmoor-Otterbein Scholars Program, which engaged students attending Columbus City Schools’ Linmoor Middle School in summer programs emphasizing learning and attending college,” he said.

He also established the Ubuntu Mentoring Program (2006-2016), which brought CCS students to campus for mentoring sessions and dinner with college students. “By centering our program on group mentoring, the Ubuntu Mentoring Program was able, over the 10-year period, to serve students attending six CCS middle schools and two CCS high schools.”

When reflecting on the footprint he left at Otterbein, Kengla wants to be remembered for his teaching of First Year Seminar, Senior Year Experience, and Integrative Studies courses, along with helping Columbus City Schools students learn about future opportunities and college.

29 Years

Glenna Jackson

Professor, Department of Religion and Philosophy

Glenna Jackson wants her legacy to encompass inclusivity and scholarship. “Otterbein and I have been a great match. It has strengthened me, and I hope I did the same.”

Her favorite memory is seeing her students make connections — especially during her time in Africa watching her students’ minds at work through educational trips.

Her advice for new faculty is: “The most important thing is to be excited and passionate about teaching and your particular discipline. There is a ripple effect from enthusiasm from a leader onto whomever is being led, particularly in a classroom. Excitement is contagious.”

29 Years

Denise Shively

Senior Instructor, Department of Communication

During her Otterbein career, Denise Shively has been deeply committed to experiential learning. She has taken students on trips to serve across Ohio, the United States, and even Africa to expand their education while enriching the lives of others.

“Some of my favorite times have been with First Year Seminar students in New Orleans when we worked on painting houses following Hurricane Katrina; working with colleague John Kengla and Senior Year Experience students serving breakfast at So Others Might Eat in Washington, D.C.; and helping build a classroom block at a school in Nkhoma Village in Malawi with Integrative Studies students and Glenna Jackson.”

She has left a tremendous mark on campus and outside of the classroom, she has impacted the entire Otterbein community with her caring spirit. “I would love for students, colleagues and alumni to remember how I care deeply about them as individuals and Otterbein as an institution.”

21 Years

Regina Kengla

Senior Instructor, Coordinator of  Writing Services and Supplemental Instruction, Academic Support Center

Regina Kengla has played an invaluable role providing extra-curricular academic support to students to help them succeed in their classes and teaching Integrative Studies courses and courses related to her work in the Academic Support Center.

“I love teaching Integrative Studies, Argumentative Writing — all the courses I’ve taught. Groups in my Integrative Studies class designed service-learning projects, and it was exciting to see them bond, create their projects, and develop their understanding of and commitment to the public good,” Kengla said.

She sees the Otterbein community come together when her past students connect with current students. “I have so many good memories of my students, and several have come back to meet with my current students, like Valentina Dixon ’13, who has worked tirelessly to tell of her father’s wrongful incarceration; Bertha Jaramillo-Alfaro ’19, currently a paralegal focusing on immigration, constitutional, family, and civil rights; and Tony Bishop ’15, whose work in politics led to him becoming the executive director of the Ohio Black Caucus.”

17 Years

Terry Hermsen

Professor, Department of English

Terry Hermsen taught poetry, com-position, and literature at Otterbein, and was named Ohio’s co-Poet of the Year for 2009 for his book, The River’s Daughter.

He often incorporated his passion for sustainability into his work on- and off-campus, and hopes his legacy at Otterbein will reflect that.

“I hope that I will be remembered for my efforts to encourage genuine climate change action on our campus and in our region.”

Hermsen’s words of wisdom for new faculty are: “Dream big … and seek connections with faculty in other departments. My favorite part of teaching at Otterbein was the willingness of colleagues — and students! — in other departments to collaborate on interdisciplinary projects.”

New Faces, Same Commitment

As beloved faculty members retire, new members are making their mark. In their relatively short time on campus, these professors have made a big impact.

2018

Aida Odobasic, assistant professor in the Department of Business, Accounting, and Economics, was named the 2021 New Teacher of the Year at Otterbein. She describes her teaching philosophy as being centered on creating an atmosphere in which students feel empowered, engaged, and ready to take ownership of deep and meaningful learning.

“I enjoy Otterbein’s close-knit community where I was able to feel at home relatively quickly after I joined in 2018. Also, I enjoy working on projects, events, and in committees with colleagues across different departments and disciplines,” she said.

Odobasic loves to teach Principles of Microeconomics and challenges her students to develop critical thinking by asking thought-provoking economics questions.

“It is exciting since it is typically the first time students are exposed to the field of economics and some find it fascinating and decide to take more economics classes. I love those moments.”

2019

In only two years, Alexander Rocklin, assistant professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy, has developed a new major for students, opening more opportunities within his department.

“At Otterbein, I have had the opportunity to create an exciting new interdisciplinary major, philosophy and religion. In our major, we ask big questions and develop skills in conversing across differences of worldview and life experience — giving students a deeper understanding of the views of peoples around the world and helping them develop their own answers along the way.”

Madelyn Nelson ’23 is a public relations major from Coshocton, OH. She is involved with the Student Alumni Board, Host and Tour Program, and Sigma Alpha Tau. She is an intern in Otterbein’s Office of Marketing and Communications.