Inspiring Graduates of 2023

These students from the Class of 2023 represent a small sampling of the excellence heading out into the world. We congratulate our graduates and look forward to news of their future successes.

Jenna McPeek

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Equine Pre-Veterinary

“The fact that Otterbein allows me to complete two unrelated majors and make them related is special. I also value the flexibility of my schedule being at a smaller school.”

Jenna McPeek excelled on horseback and in the classroom. She is a member of Otterbein’s national championship-winning equestrian team and landed a competitive lab internship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. After graduating from Otterbein, she plans to pursue both master’s and doctorate degrees.

Jenna McPeak
Timmy Wotring

Timmy Wotring

Public Relations & Communication Studies

“Otterbein has given each and every one of us an opportunity to make our college experience what we want it to be. I’m thankful for my time at Otterbein and excited to see the growth Otterbein has moving forward!”

Timmy Wotring is a familiar face on campus as an active student leader and current president of the Otterbein University Student Government. He has worked in the Office of Admission, served as an Orientation Leader, and been active in Greek life. He found the right fit working in higher education and plans to attend graduate school for a master’s degree in higher education.

Gabriela Ahumada Mier y Concha

Theatre Design & Technology

“I love the Otterbein community. Otterbein helps you learn more and leaves you with a network you can rely on. I have honestly had so many great professors who in their own ways have helped me so much, it has truly been a pleasure being in their classes. They have taught me things that have made me a better-rounded artist and person.”

Gabriela Ahumada Mier y Concha is giving a global perspective to her theatre career. While at Otterbein, she interned with the Des Moines Metro Opera and participated in study abroad travels with the Art Department to London, Rome, and Florence. Next up, she will be attending a master’s program in fine arts in England with a focus on stage design and scenic paint.

Gabriela Ahumada Mier Y Concha
Nick Wile

Nick Wile

Mechanical Engineering

“Otterbein helped me pave my path for my career and introduced me to friends that I know I will keep for a lifetime. I learned so much about what I enjoy and what I want to do for a career moving forward from the research positions I held under my engineering professors and an internship that Otterbein helped make happen.”

When he’s not on the lacrosse field earning OAC honors, Nick Wile spends most of his time at The Point, where he has served as a research assistant for Associate Professor of Engineering Mike Hudoba’s research of DNA nanotechnology design, and as a laboratory assistant in the Biomechanics Institute. He was also an engineering intern at Aviation Medical. After graduation, he will pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a focus on biomechanics at The Ohio State University.

Hannah Sturgeon

Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Political Science

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support I had from my Otterbein family. From my friends in my classes to my supportive professors and the amazing administration, ‘Only at Otterbein’ truly is the perfect phrase.”

Hannah Sturgeon has been working as a fellow for the Legislative Service Commission with a focus in finance policy for the Ohio House of Representatives since graduating with three majors in December. In addition to serving as a student trustee at Otterbein, she was a CardinalCorps Leader and co-leader of Raise Your Voice, Otterbein’s studentled, non-partisan, voter education and registration organization. She was also involved in student government, Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma national honor societies, and Women for Economic Leadership Development.

Hannah Sturgeon
Gabe Sharrock

Gabe Sharrock

Allied Health

“The thing that I will miss the most when I graduate is my daily interactions with everyone on campus. That includes classmates, professors, teammates, coaches, food service staff, and everyone else that makes this campus so amazing. There is a sense of community on the Otterbein campus, and I am going to miss being a part of that every day.”

Soccer standout and academic all-star Gabe Sharrock plans to spend the next year working in the medical field before he applies to physician assistant graduate school programs. On the men’s soccer team, he won athletic All-OAC and academic All-OAC honors three-times, as well as all-conference, all-regional, and all-state honors.

Madelyn Nelson

Public Relations

“The individualized opportunities available on campus are amazing. The one-on-one attention with professors and staff and the opportunity to build relationships with students and teachers made Otterbein perfect for me.”

Madelyn Nelson has paved the way for an exciting career by sampling several industries as an intern: higher education with Otterbein’s Office of Marketing and Communications, professional sports with the Columbus Crew, craft brewing with Columbus Brewing Company, and a major national corporation with Southwest Airlines. On campus, she took leadership roles as a student trustee on the Otterbein Board of Trustees and recruitment chair for Sigma Alpha Tau.

Madelyn Nelson
Logan Nelson

Logan Nelson

Psychology & Criminology & Justice Studies

“The individualized opportunities available on campus are amazing. The one-on-one attention with professors and staff and the opportunity to build relationships with students and teachers made Otterbein perfect for me.”

Madelyn Nelson has paved the way for an exciting career by sampling several industries as an intern: higher education with Otterbein’s Office of Marketing and Communications, professional sports with the Columbus Crew, craft brewing with Columbus Brewing Company, and a major national corporation with Southwest Airlines. On campus, she took leadership roles as a student trustee on the Otterbein Board of Trustees and recruitment chair for Sigma Alpha Tau.

International Student Finds Success on Campus and the Baseball Field

The Journey of a Japanese student who finds his home-away-from-home at Otterbein.

HARUKI TADA ’24 chose Otterbein sight unseen, as barriers during the COVID- 19 pandemic forced the Japanese baseball player to make a college decision without ever stepping foot on campus. Once he was on campus, he found a supportive and welcoming community dedicated to his success.

A native of Tokyo, Tada began forming a unique relationship with head coach George Powell while attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Powell visited Tada three times during Otterbein’s 2020 spring break trip and became intrigued with the dual talent, who could play the infield and pitch.

“Coach Powell was such a big influence for me,” Tada said. “He made me feel really comfortable even though I had never been here. He made sure I met everyone and felt good about this new journey. I’ve never felt like I don’t fit in.”

Questions arose about Tada actually showing up when messages through WhatsApp went unanswered for most of that summer due to internet issues. But Powell received a message in August from the 5-foot-5 recruit, saying he would be in Westerville the following day.

Since that time, Powell has completed Japanese lessons on the Duolingo app and even suggested he would consider sponsoring Tada for dual citizenship down the line.

“It’s been a real pleasure watching him develop,” Powell said. “Seeing a young kid embrace our Otterbein culture and adjust to college is always rewarding for a coach, but especially Haruki’s acclimation. He brings such a positive energy and continues developing across all phases—athletics, academically, and socially.”

Tada spent his first two seasons as a backup/JV option but continues working for more opportunities on the diamond. In the classroom, he has a 3.55 cumulative GPA as a sport management major and finance minor.

“I was more nervous for the academic setting than baseball,” Tada said. “Some classes were overwhelming at first, but it’s taught me not to be shy or afraid of a challenge.”

He has formed quality relationships with many teammates, notably roommates/teammates Jamie Perebzak and Nick Plucinski.

His path recently opened the door for another player from Asia, Minseo Jang (MJ) from South Korea, to join the program at the recent semester break. The two were former teammates at IMG Academy and are now reunited.

Tada also completed an internship at IMG last summer, working as a camp counselor and on the operations side as a translator for other Japanese prospects. His long-term goal is to remain in the United States, obtain a work visa, and own a company helping more international/Asian student-athletes do what he’s done.

Haruki Tada with roommates/teammates Jamie Perebzak and Nick Plucinski

Haruki Tada with roommates/teammates Jamie Perebzak and Nick Plucinski.

Powerful Faculty Collaborations

Faculty Pairings Amplify The Power Of Collaboration

What happens when you make a smart pairing? At Otterbein, faculty collaborations are the norm but the outcomes these partnerships produce are anything but. From Integrative Studies collaborations, which bring seemingly disparate subjects together into one class, to research projects with multidisciplinary applications — faculty partnerships are inspiring knowledge, discovery, social change, and exciting studentlearning experiences. Art secrets unlocked. Global wellness initiatives. Injury prevention for senior citizens. Happiness and the good life. These collaborations highlight the expertise, passion, and purpose that double when Otterbein professors join forces.

For Department of Art and Art History instructor Janice Glowski and Professor and Chair of Chemistry Joan Esson, collaboration is a passion. In their Integrative Studies classes together, and in Otterbein’s museums and galleries, they teach that “an art project is a chemistry experiment in disguise.”

Glowski, as Otterbein’s director of museums and galleries and art historian, brings her degrees in Asian art history, comparative religious studies, and chemistry to the collaboration while Esson’s research and teaching focus includes technical art analysis and applications in environmental and clinical chemistry.

“Soon after I arrived on campus in 2014, I approached the Chemistry Department and talked about collaboration,” Glowski said. “Joan was the quickest to respond and we began a project looking at African masks in the Otterbein collection. My students recorded from where the masks originated, who used them, and the context in which they were used. Joan’s chemistry students took samples and used light fluorescence to discover what substances were found on the masks.”

The early collaboration previewed what the two departments could achieve together.

One such collaboration currently can be found in Otterbein’s Frank Museum, where art and chemistry students are working together on the C.Y. Woo Chinese painting art collection. A $98,000 Henry Luce Foundation grant procured by Glowski helps orchestrate student collaboration.

L to R: Professor and Department Chair Joan Esson + Instructor Janice Glowski making seal impressions using C.Y. Woo’s original paste.

L to R: Professor and Department Chair Joan Esson + Instructor Janice Glowski making seal impressions using C.Y. Woo’s original paste.

C.Y. Woo artwork from Otterbein’s collection.

Artwork with light fluorescence.

Top: C.Y. Woo artwork from Otterbein’s collection. Bottom: Artwork with light fluorescence.

Glowski has earned National Endowment for the Arts and Ohio Arts Council grants in support of her efforts. She has managed projects supported by the Mellon and Kress foundations and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and has curated more than 20 exhibitions.

Esson actively involves undergraduate students in her work, is the co-principal investigator on the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Cardinal Scholars Program and is the co-lead on the Choose Ohio First Cardinal STEMM Scholars Program. She also enjoys her faculty-led study abroad course to Italy to study preservation and restoration of art.

“In Milan we visit Castello Sforzesco built in the 15th century, where Napoleon’s troops later plastered over art by Da Vinci,” Esson said. “We observe the restoration work, then go see The Last Supper in town. It’s amazing.”

Another collaborative partnership involves extending Otterbein’s community to rural Ugandan communities. Since 2016, professors Diane Ross in Education and Heidi Ballard in Sociology, Criminology, and Social Justice have collaborated in communities and remote rural Ugandan schools to implement Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and Sexual Reproductive Health Education (SRHE).

Ross has been traveling to Uganda since 2009 supported by her non-profit organization — Forum For Youth Advocacy (FOYA) Uganda — to engage more than 75 students and community members to improve literacy, education, health and wellness, gender equity, and community engagement in rural Uganda. This work led to building libraries in multiple communities.

“An exciting feature of this work is that the projects support sustainable development as they align with several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” Ballard said.

Ross also was awarded a three-year Fulbright research grant to work with young adolescent development and teacher preparation. Ballard joined in 2016 to bring a global health perspective to the team. With partial funding from internal Otterbein grant awards, Ballard’s global health and sociological perspective helped to develop tools to measure the efficacy of the MHM/SRHE projects.

Ross and Ballard’s work incorporates participatory action research. In this methodology, community partnerships are developed to empower the local community members to create positive social change.

“We try to facilitate service-learning opportunities to empower American students to become global citizens,” Ross said.

In 2018, Ross and Ballard expanded their work from West Nile and Eastern Uganda to the Rwenzori Mountain region. They developed a partnership with an indigenous Bakonzo community who requested collaboration in establishing a community library, MHM/SRHE in their rural schools, and video recording of tribal elders’ climate change stories. Ballard earned the Otterbein High Impact Grant in 2022 to support the work along with FOYA funding.

“We envision a Uganda where youth are empowered to create and extend their skills and talents to build a strong future. We also hope we can contribute to an America where people value other cultures and ways of being,” Ross writes.

Professor Heidi Ballard (top far left) + Professor Diane Ross (second from top right) in Uganda.

Faculty partnerships are inspiring knowledge, discovery, social change, and exciting student learning experiences.

Assistant Professor of Engineering Elena Caruthers and Assistant Professor of Health and Sport Sciences Ashley Simons are using Otterbein’s Biomechanics Institute, created by the two departments, to study human movement. The lab is equipped with motion capture cameras and specialized software that allows Caruthers and Simons to record and analyze how people move.

Their latest work uses the lab’s camera system to focus on factors related to senior citizens’ risk of falls. Students are identifying best practices in senior citizens’ activities of daily living, including gait, rising from a chair, and stair climbing.

“We’re hoping to gather data to discover how people’s confidence levels affect their normal activities of daily living,” Caruthers said. “We have engineering and health science students working on the study, and we’re collaborating with the Lifelong Learning Community for study participants.”

L to R: Assistant Professor Ashley Simons + Assistant Professor Elena Caruthers.

L to R: Assistant Professor Ashley Simons + Assistant Professor Elena Caruthers.

Caruthers has had a passion for biomechanics ever since she was a dancer growing up but needed expertise on the clinical side. Simons is a doctorate-level physical therapist but realized she needed the biomechanical side. The collaboration was a natural fit.

The lab’s 10-camera Vicon Nexus system gives Caruthers and Simons the ability to study movement in three dimensions with great accuracy and precision. Once reflective markers are placed on various anatomical landmarks of the subject, the cameras track and recreate the subject’s three-dimensional movement. This data can then be further analyzed on a biomechanical level by examining variables like joint angles, velocities, and accelerations throughout the entire motion.

In other applications, Otterbein athletes use the lab to study, for example, their baseball pitching motions, and pinpoint specific biomechanical patterns that could be worked on to improve their delivery. But Caruthers and Simons are taking the technology to a different generation.

“By allowing us to evaluate body movement in senior citizens — to see how their joints are moving, how they use space, their velocity of movement,” Simons said, “we can correlate what we see in the physical world with the biomechanical measures in the data and perhaps help improve their movement during daily living activities to reduce the risk of falls.”

Caruthers and Simons hope to present their findings at conferences and in research journals.

Students are identifying best practices in senior citizens’ activities of daily living, including gait, rising from a chair, and stair climbing.

English Professor Jeremy Smith realized a few years ago his teaching and research interest in comparative literature would pair well with Associate Professor of History Richard Yntema’s focus on European economic and social histor y. Smith approached Yntema to teach an Integrative Studies course together, and that’s how INST 2204: Happiness and the Good Life was born.

In their course, Smith and Yntema lead students to discover how Western societies have defined “the good life” and the critical social challenges each society faced. They examine beliefs, culture, and conflicts over four eras: classical Athens, the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries, and post-World War II Europe.

Jeremy Smith Richard Yntema

L to R: Associate Professor Richard Yntema + Professor Jeremy Smith.

“ Raising questions with students about concepts such as virtue and justice provides them with more of an openness to the past by looking at it in a multidimensional way.”

– Richard Yntema

“We have a lot of common interests,” Smith said. “I always thought it would be a true integrative course to teach the great works of Western literature in tandem with Western civilization concepts. That’s what we do.”

Smith and Yntema use the texts of classic literature and history to examine ancient concepts and compare them to contemporary topics. The class integrates the study of social, political, and economic history with the close reading of works by Sophocles, Dante, Mars, and Camus.

“Raising questions with students about concepts such as virtue and justice provides them with more of an openness to the past by looking at it in a multidimensional way,” Yntema said. “Examining the past and relating it to the present highlights juxtapositions and inequalities students may not have realized before or allows them to see current issues in new ways.”

Smith has pursued his research interests in religion, philosophy, and literature throughout his career. He is the author of The Staircase of a Patron, a book chronicling the United Brethren in Christ’s presence in Sierra Leone, with a special focus on the missionary work of Otterbein graduate Lloyd Mignerey ’1917.

Yntema’s research focuses on European economic and social history. He explores the development of capitalism in Holland before 1800 in a global framework. In 2010, he was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Utrecht. In his courses he explores the Renaissance and Reformation, revolutions in early modern Europe, and global capitalism, among other eras.

The collaboration contributes a humanistic capstone to Otterbein’s Integrative Studies program and is a prime example of how Otterbein’s faculty community maintains Otterbein’s commitment to the contemporary significance of a liberal arts education.

Letter from President Comerford, Spring 2023

​Dear Friends,

We all have our little favorite memories, moments, and places at Otterbein. One of mine is at the back of Towers Hall, on the southwest corner of the building. In the mulch by the building are daylilies and I have noticed these particular daylilies are Otterbein’s first sign of spring. Their green shoots are the first to appear in February and their flowers the first to bloom in March. Seeing those green shoots appear is a better predictor than any groundhog that spring is coming.

And now it is here! Spring on campus is a frantic schedule of celebrations, performances, honorary inductions, and countless other events designed to mark the end of another school year, and for the Class of 2023 the culmination of their Otterbein education. It is exhilarating and all builds up to graduation day.

You will find some of that same energy in the pages of this magazine. Otterbein has so much going on, it can seem a little dizzying at times. But, it is all an expansion and celebration of what has always made this place so special. You can read more about the remarkable Class of 2023 — those whose first year on campus was cut short by a pandemic.

Antioch University And Otterbein Faculty And Staff
Antioch University and Otterbein faculty and staff gathered at Antioch’s Seattle Campus (in-person and virtually) for a Q&A panel discussion featuring Chet Haskell and Ben Pryor from Antioch and Wendy Sherman Heckler and Bridget Newell from Otterbein.

You will learn about how our great faculty are working across departments and disciplines to create dynamic student learning experiences. And, of course, there are always campus leaders to highlight — past and present — who have transformed Otterbein and all the lives we touch.

Leadership has always mattered. Otterbein is leading again in higher education. We are meeting the full cost of tuition for lower income students — without loans. While other schools talk about affordability, we are walking the walk.

Our formation of an independent university system is also garnering a great deal of attention. I have been asked to speak at several higher education conferences and find colleagues across the country that know of Otterbein, know of our innovative spirit, and want to learn more. We have a growing list of other institutions interested in joining the effort to expand access for adult learners and so far, the Higher Learning Commission and other regulatory bodies have been supportive.

There is a lot going on and it can feel a little overwhelming at times. But, we can each do our part — starting with my favorite daylily telling me spring is coming. And nothing can stop Otterbein when we are all pulling together.

Sincerely,

John L. Comerford, Ph.D.

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 is assassinated.

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.