Tag: 3

Academic Excellence Spring 2026

Art Professor Jonathan Johnson was invited to present his artwork at the 14th annual conference at the American University of Florence, Italy. The theme was The Renaissance of Material Media, and Johnson’s presentation was Spells Against Acceleration: Embodied Filmmaking and the Poetics of Super 8mm Film.

Senior Public Health major Hanan Jama, was named Undergraduate Student of the Year by the Ohio Society for Public Health Education. Jama is an undergraduate research fellow at the Chisolm Lab at the Center of Child Health Equity and Outcomes Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. At Otterbein, Jama is the recipient of the Fred J. and Ann P. Kull Scholarship and the Daniel C. Thompson Memorial Scholarship.

Psychology Professor Noam Shpancer, has published Mental Fitness 101: Principles for Psychological Well-Being.

Professor John Tansey, chair of the Chemistry Department, has been elected to the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Council. The ASBMB has over 11,000 members, publishes four scientific journals, and accredits Biochemistry and Molecular Biology programs like Otterbein’s. He joins eight other councilors who are faculty at institutions like Harvard Medical School, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

New Alumni Database Coming in 2026

Otterbein is launching a new alumni database in 2026 with enhanced functionality designed to make it easier for the University’s more than 29,000 alumni to stay connected to Otterbein and each other. Otterbein needs the help of its alumni to ensure the database has the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, including:

  • Career and job changes (new jobs and retirements)
  • Advanced degrees earned
  • Address updates (mailing and email)
  • Phone updates (home and cell)
  • Weddings and births/adoptions
  • Books or research published
  • Any other exciting milestones or achievements

Alumni can update their information at: www.otterbein.edu/alumni/update-my-information.

Stay Informed and Connected to the Cardinal Community

One of the best ways to stay informed about alumni events and offerings is to connect with Otterbein on social media. Follow Otterbein Alumni on social media for inspiring stories, upcoming events, and the latest ways to engage, give back, and celebrate all things Otterbein.

The Office of Alumni Engagement regularly features social media posts that will take you on a trip down memory lane, recognize alumni accomplishments, and share how Cardinals are making an impact around the world.

Visit, follow, or like Otterbein Alumni on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Evolution of the Cover and Nameplates

100 Years Of Otterbein Towers Editors

The list below of 100 years of Towers editors represents an invaluable wealth of institutional knowledge. Each editor uncovered unique stories, crafted articles, lists, and developed a vision for the magazine. These editors gave life and longevity to Towers and helped steer the magazine into the future. The covers below (and throughout the issue) showcase Otterbein’s history and the choices each editor made to focus on an important moment in time. These decisions give readers a glimpse into the past and will guide future readers to where Otterbein is headed.

Otterbein Towers Editors
  • H. W. Troop, Class of 1923, 1926
  • L. W. Worson, Class of 1905, 1927
  • Gerald Riley, 1939-1942
  • Wade S. Miller, 1942-1955
  • Beth Mammon ’55, 1955-1956
  • Arthur L. Schultz ’49, 1956-1965
  • Evelyn Edwards Bale ’30, 1965-1973
  • Patricia Seltzer Zech ’73, 1973-1976
  • Jo Alice Bailey Povolny ’74, 1976-1980
  • James W. Scarfpin Spring, 1981
  • Eileen M. Thome, 1981-1984
  • Jack Pietila ’62, 1984-1985
  • Andrew F. Conrad, 1985-1987
  • Patrice M. Etter, 1987-1992
  • Tuesday Beerman Trippier ’89, 1992-1995
  • Roger Routson, 1995-2018
  • Jenny Hill ’05, 2024-present, managing editor
    2014-2023, associate editor
    2005-2013, assistant editor
  • Gina Calcamuggio, 2018-present, associate editor
  • Dana Madden Vigietta ’96, 2021-present associate editor

Otterbein Towers Nameplates 1926-2026

Towers magazine nameplates reflect graphic trends over 10 decades. From the “Extra Extra Read All About It!” letterpress headlines of the ’20s and ’30s, Towers Hall illustrations in the ’40s and ’50s, stylized ’60s handlettering, to the advent of ’80s desktop publishing, the nameplates reveal changing times for print publications. In the current era of digital printing, Towers has a presence online — yet another sign of the times. See more Towers archived at digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/towers.

Symposium Looks at AI Data Centers and Environmental Resources

Otterbein University held its annual Integrative Studies Symposium on Feb. 25, focusing on AI and Environmental Resources with four experts in the fields of water use, energy use, infrastructure planning, and environmental advocacy. Moderated by Professor Emeritus Kevin Svitana, Environmental Science, the symposium set the stage for lively discussions about resource needs related to Al data centers either in place or planned in central Ohio.

The experts were Michael Heyeck, an electric utility executive with 50 years of experience in the industry, as well as a former member of the Westerville City Council (1993-2025); Melanie Houston, vice president of programs for the Ohio Environmental Council; Glenn Marzluf, general manager and CEO of the Del-Co Water Company; and Brandi Whetstone, director of sustainability of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.

More than a Mission: Otterbein Students Build Community in Cuba 

Otterbein students and staff traveled to Cuba from May 7-13 for a transformative service-learning trip

Sponsored by two Westerville United Methodist churches. Led by Rev. Lucy Kelly, Otterbein’s director of faith and spiritual life and associate pastor at Church of the Master, and Rev. Pete Elliott, associate pastor at Church of the Messiah, the group spent the week working alongside Cuban churches and families through service, cultural exchange, and moments of shared generosity.

What can a week in Cuba teach you about generosity, resilience, and joy? Answering this question, a group of 19 people (including Otterbein students and staff, and local church members) traveled to Cuba from May 7-13 for a transformative service-learning trip sponsored by two Westerville United Methodist churches, Church of the Messiah and Church of the Master. Led by Rev. Lucy Kelly, Otterbein’s director of faith and spiritual life and associate pastor at Church of the Master, and Rev. Pete Elliott, associate pastor at Church of the Messiah, the group spent the week working alongside Cuban churches and families through service, cultural exchange, and moments of shared generosity.

Hands-On Help

Each day, students had opportunities to serve, from working on farms foraging mangoes and herbs, to preparing meals, delivering bags of rice and beans, and connecting with children and parents who are part of a local disability ministry in Cuba.

“It wasn’t an opportunity for charity. It was an opportunity to care with each other,” said Kelly. “We appreciated the hospitality offered to us, and we brought what we could: fellowship, prayer, music, and rice and beans that, for some, would be more than they had seen in months.”

Moments of Connection

The most life-changing moments for students involved some of the simplest exchanges. They were welcomed into local homes to distribute rice and beans but found so much more through song, prayer, and shared experiences.

Despite the language barrier, shared humanity revealed more similarities than the borders that divided them.

“We are so much more alike than we are different. Even though there is a language barrier, there is love that puts all of that aside and we were able to understand one another,” said Kyra “Coach Ky” Crook, a student success coach at Otterbein.

Otterbein student Laura Ornelas served as one of the group’s translators.

“When we were going directly to the homes, I got the experience of translating for my group. I was kind of like that bridge between people,” she said. “We sang the same songs; we knew them in English, and they knew them in Spanish.”

Giving What You Have

“There was an older woman who gave another person a mango she received,” one student shared. “Even with so little, people gave what they had to others.”

This was the biggest lesson students learned: that everyone has something valuable to give, even when they think they have nothing. Even while grappling with hardship, Cuban families welcomed everyone with endless generosity. Despite not receiving rice from their local bodegas for months, people were willing to give to others.

“There was a sense of presence, of everybody really feeling seen and heard, even across the language barrier,” Kelly said. “Nobody was showing up as anybody’s savior. It wasn’t one-sided in any way.”

The Ripple Effect

As the trip came to an end, students left with memories and a new sense of purpose and care.

“If each person is more intentional about making a positive impact, that ripple effect can go a long way,” said Coach Ky. “Sometimes all you need to do is show up, be kind, and serve, whether that’s in a food pantry, a school, or a different country.”

The experience was transformative and gave students lifelong connections with locals in Cuba, many of whom they continue to stay in contact with.

The group arrived hoping to serve. They left with something even more meaningful: a deeper understanding of what it means to belong to a global community, where generosity flows both ways and compassion speaks louder than words or differences.

“We were ambassadors of Otterbein, Church of the Master, and Church of the Messiah,” Kelly said. “But by the end, we felt like we were ambassadors for Cuba, too.”

Otterbein Alumni Couple Live a Life of Faith, Service, and Connection

Alumni Awards Winners 2022

Rev. James Waugh ’71 and Carol Carpenter Waugh ’71 pose next to a poster-sized photograph of the couple, taken when they worked at Camp Otterbein as students.

When and reflect on their journeys, their stories may seem very different at first glance. Rev. James Waugh ’71 spent his career in ministry, offering support to families navigating difficult conversations around faith and identity. Carol Carpenter Waugh ’71 traveled across the world to Sierra Leone as a student teacher, shaping her views on education, culture, and community. But together, the Otterbein alumni couple share a deep commitment to people, inclusion, and living out their values.

James and Carol met at Otterbein when it was a school known for educating “teachers and preachers,” married shortly after graduation in June 1971, and raised two daughters. Perhaps just as important as finding each other, they both found their paths to servant leadership at Otterbein.

In 1971, Carol’s life journey took her across the world to Sierra Leone, where she and a group of education majors studied under Professor Chester Addington. She lived with local college students, taught third grade at an experimental school, and navigated cultural differences that left a lasting mark.

Carol stands with a group of fellow Otterbein students traveling to Sierra Leone in January 1971.

“That experience really opened my eyes to cultural awareness,” Carol said. “It made me more open to differences and more thoughtful about how I approached others.”

Her research project focused on the country’s reliance on high stakes testing, an approach she criticized at the time and now sees mirrored in American classrooms. “They taught the test, and it wasn’t really educating the children,” she explained. “Now, here we are in the U.S. doing the same thing.”

Students in the classroom where Carol taught in Sierra Leone, 1971.

Carol stands between two friends she made in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

James was called by God to serve as a United Methodist pastor. He served two student appointments in seminary and six appointments after graduation from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.

Now a retired United Methodist pastor, James has dedicated his post-retirement years to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. After stepping away from the pulpit in 2013, he began offering sessions for parents and loved ones whose children had come out. Before the pandemic, those sessions happened in person across the Columbus area, often with just a handful of attendees.

“I always say that whoever shows up are the folks who need to be there,” James said. Since COVID, the meetings have moved online, continuing to provide a safe, listening space.

The couple agree that their faith has been a guide in their journeys. For Carol, it is about love, listening, and understanding differences. For James, it is about grace. “God’s grace is much broader and wider than most of us want to think,” James said. “We may think it is for people like us, but God loves us all. That is what Jesus came to show and live and that has informed my life and my work.”

Even as their careers took different directions — James in ministry and advocacy, Carol in education and public service — the Waugh’s have always found ways to stay connected to the community.

James wears a rainbow stole, which signifies his work with families of LGBTQ+ children in the When Kids Come Out group, as well as his support for LGBTQ+ residents and allies in the Otterbein SeniorLife Community in Lebanon.

For Carol, that meant lifelong friendships with their fellow Otterbein students. She and seven of her classmates began writing Round Robin letters after graduation in 1971. That tradition has evolved into biweekly Zoom calls. “It has been 54 years since graduation, and we still stay in touch,” she said.

Today, the Waugh’s call the Otterbein Lebanon Senior Life Community home, where James continues his advocacy and is forming a new LGBTQ+ support group.

Their shared story, one of faith, openness, and lasting relationships, is rooted in the values they first lived at Otterbein.

James and Carol pose for a recent photo.

From the Archives: Otterbein Shut Down Buckeyes in Massive Gridiron Upset 

While it may be the fantasy of every Cardinal fan, it usually ends when they wake up and realize it was all a dream, and Otterbein didn’t actually happen. But in fact, it did happen, and not only once, but three times. A shock that the Buckeyes don’t even acknowledge in their record book. 

Both Otterbein and Ohio State started football in 1890. The Buckeyes’ record that first year was 1-3, while Otterbein was 0-2. In 1891 both teams started the season with a showdown on Saturday, Oct. 17, doing battle on the Otterbein athletic fields behind Towers Hall. By that time OSU, for some reason, was full of bravado and confidence. The week before the game the mighty Buckeyes looked at the game against lowly Otterbein as a pushover.  

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. In that same year, tan and cardinal were chosen as Otterbein’s school colors.

“Unfortunately, the OSU boys were severely guyed and jeered by the spectators, because of the spirit in which they came to play,” The Columbus Dispatch reported two days later. “It had been published in a daily paper that they were going up to ‘practice on’ the Otterbein team, and they further made boasts that they would win the game by a score of 69 to 0. These things, probably thoughtless, spread among the (Otterbein) students and citizens like wildfire and caused a rather unpleasant feeling.” 

At 2 p.m., Ohio State kicked off to Otterbein to start the game. Surprisingly, the Cardinals marched down the field to the Ohio State goal line when quarterback Garst scored in exactly two minutes. Otterbein manhandled the Buckeyes the whole first half with the score being 22-0 at the half. 

The Ohio State Lantern, the student newspaper, of course, had a different view of the game. 

At call of time by Referee E. S. Bernard, Otterbein put the ball in play by a well-organized rush, which O. S. U. could not stop before ten yards had been gained. This feat the crowd cheered lustily, the ladies waving their handkerchiefs with loyal vigor. After rapid, puzzling passing, Garst, G. B., ran around left end and made the first “touch down” for Otterbein in less than three minutes from the beginning of the game. Capt. Thompson, Otterbein, then kicked “goal” amid ringing cheers. The O. S. U. ‘ s thereafter were subjected to insulting remarks and ridicule on part of the crowd, wholly unworthy of college students. Indeed, the unfair and unmannerly conduct was of such a nature as to call for a voluntary explanation and apology from members of the Otterbein Team. One person in particular, made himself especially obnoxious to the visitors and all fair-minded people by his offensive and impertinent conduct. The game throughout was but a repetition of this first touchdown. Rapid passes, splendid guarding, herculean rushes, good runs piled the lead for Otterbein, and at the end of the first half the score stood O. U., 22; O. S. U., 0. One thing was evident, O. S. U. were not playing in even their usual manner. They seemed nonplussed at the brilliant onset made by Otterbein, and were unable to recover themselves.

Otterbein kicked off to begin the second half, and Ohio State’s left halfback Beatty led the Buckeyes to their first score of the day. It began to look like the second half would belong to OSU, just as the first half had to Otterbein. “At beginning of second half O. S. U. started with the ball and were rapidly advancing to O. S. U. ‘ s goal, when Garst, Otterbein, captured the ball through fumbling of O. S. U. and started for Otterbein goal at other end of the field, Scott, H. B., O. S. U., in hot pursuit,” it was written in The Lantern. “The crowd was treated to a delightful sprint, the participants being Garst about 4 ft. 9 in. in height, Scott, 6 ft. Scott was unfortunately ‘tripped up’ by a rut in the grounds and was unable to prevent a touch down for O. U.”  

The Cardinals pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and kept pouring it on scoring 20-points, making the final score Otterbein-42, OSU-6. The victory, as reported in the Otterbein Aegis, was credited to Otterbein captain, Thompson, right tackle, who developed a new system of communicating signals to the players. 

Although humbled, OSU acted like gentlemen. However, they did try to redeem themselves by challenging the Otterbein eleven to a 100-yard dash after the game. The gauntlet was taken up, and the race pitted OSU’s Fullerton against Otterbein’s R.C. Kumler, neither of which played in the game. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Kumler easily won the race, thus sealing a total victory for the Cardinals. 

According to the 1901 Sybyl, the first edition of Otterbein’s yearbook, this was even listed as the university’s first intercollegiate track event. 

After O.S.U. had been defeated in football by a very large score, and laboring under the delusion that they had a man who could sprint some, they challenged us for (sic) a foot race, a one-hundred-yard dash. The ‘defi,’ was immediately accepted. O.S.U. presented a man by the name of Fullerton, while R.C. Kumler appeared against him for Otterbein. The result was never in doubt, and ‘Dick’ won in a ‘walk.’ 

The two teams didn’t meet again until Sept. 30, 1893, with Otterbein hosting OSU once again and winning for the second time 22-16. Two years later, in 1895, they met once again at Otterbein. After the previous two battles, the game was much anticipated according to the Dispatch.  

Both teams have in other years attained much glory on the football field and they are believed to be nearly equally matched. It is a remarkable fact that the OSU rushers have never been able to conquer the lads at Otterbein. This may have been due to the peculiar fact that these two teams have never contested two years in succession, and it may have been that OSU was unfortunate enough to go up against Otterbein when the latter was especially strong, and when she herself was especially weak. However, this may be Otterbein now stands undefeated by the state university and the lads from the latter have made up their minds to secure a victory no matter what it may cost. These circumstances prophesy one of the most exciting contests ever witnessed on a football oval and hundreds, and perhaps thousands of people will go out from Columbus to see the spat. 

Otterbein once again got the best of the Buckeyes, 14-6. But it would be the 1896 game that would be the most anticipated. 

The United States was in the throughs of a depression, “The Panic of 1893.” It was an election year with the republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley, taking on Nebraska congressman William Jennings Bryan. The depression was the main subject of debate during the campaign, with Bryan urging the country to go off the gold standard in favor of silver while McKinley favored the status quo. Bryan campaigned across the country. McKinley conducted a “front porch” campaign from his home in Canton. Less than a month before the Nov. 3 election, a “College Day” was held in Canton to show McKinley he had the support from college students and faculty from over the State of Ohio.  

The Otterbein – Ohio State game was scheduled for Oct. 12 at Otterbein. It was decided on short notice to shift the game to Oct. 17 and move it to Canton and the Stark County Fairgrounds to take advantage of “College Day.” According to The Columbus Dispatch, it quickly became one of the most anticipated events of the weekend.  

To-morrow the great football game between Otterbein and O.S.U. will be played upon the Canton gridiron. A special train will be run from this city to the scene of the contest, and it is estimated that hundreds of enthusiastic admirers of the sport will be present from all parts of the state. It is known that representatives from over 25 colleges will be on hand and the day will be given over to Mr. McKinley and football. . . Otterbein has defeated O.S.U. every time they have met in ’91, ’93 and ’95, and the rivalry between the two Columbus teams is to the swift 

The Ohio State team left for Canton at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, with Otterbein leaving at 8 a.m. on game day, Oct. 17. The Otterbein train carried over 1,000 people with college delegations from OSU, Ohio Wesleyan, Capital, Kenyon, and Denison among other schools. After both teams met with the future president it was off to the gridiron for the afternoon’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff. 

The game turned out to be a typical game played between the two schools. At halftime the score was 0-0. Both teams were playing hard tough football, but Otterbein showed the effects of fatigue from making the trip to Canton earlier that day. The Buckeyes’ play in the second half was a little more energetic, showing the wisdom of making the trip from Columbus the night before. Otterbein’s left end, Dempsey, “. . . entered the game in a dazed condition – the result of the long ride on the train in the morning – and in tackling (OSU’s) Crecelius on the sixth play of the game he received a broken nose. In spite of this he remained in the game, repeatedly making tackles that brought loud applause from the side lines.” 

In the fourth quarter, Ohio State began wearing down Otterbein. They scored 12 unanswered points in rapid succession. With five minutes left in the game, both teams and officials decided to call the game due to darkness. Finally, after three defeats, Ohio State defeated Otterbein for the first time, 12-0. 

Otterbein would never beat the Buckeyes again, though they would tie them three times. They played 19 times overall, with Otterbein having three victories, 13 defeats to the Buckeyes, with three ties. Not a good statistical record, but what a way to start — those exhilarating three days when Otterbein felt superior to Ohio State on the gridiron. 

Cardinals Athletics

Watch national champion Olivia Shore hit the wrestling mats, cheer on the nationally ranked volleyball team, or watch the football program grow under new Head Coach Dave Marquis.

Find all the latest news and schedules for your favorite sports here! >

Pack Your Bags,California is Calling!

Vance Family Photo

Alumni and Friends Travel Opportunity April 25-May 2, 2026

Join fellow Otterbein alumni and friends as we journey through the heart of California on this unforgettable eight-day tour featuring iconic cities, scenic landscapes, and rich history. From the streets of Old Sacramento to the beauty of Yosemite National Park, you’ll enjoy unique experiences like Napa Valley, coastal redwood train ride, and Monterey’s stunning 17-Mile Drive. This tour blends natural wonders, cultural landmarks, and flavorful local treasures into one exceptional adventure. Trip deposit deadline is Dec. 1, 2025.

For more information, visit www.otterbein.edu/alumni/events-travel.

Gail Miller ’66 Shares His “Forever Friends” Story

Gail Miller ’66 Shares His “Forever Friends” Story

In response to the “Forever Friends” story in the Spring 2025 issue of Towers, Gail Miller ’66 shared his own story of friendship and travel with Ron Orbin ’66.

People often comment about the trip of a lifetime and how it still resonates with them. Of course, it takes a lifetime to sift through the experiences and come up with the most memorable.

Sixty years ago, as I started my senior year, I thought about studying abroad. Perhaps it was a bit late, and I wasn’t fluent in any foreign language, but I wanted to see more than Ohio. Somewhere I read about the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon, and as a History major, the Mediterranean was intriguing. Surprisingly the Registrar’s Office had (AUB’s) Academic Catalog. As an accredited university, the language of instruction was both Arabic and English. Drawing its several thousand students (and faculty) from the Middle East, Egypt, Europe, Asia, and a few from the U.S., English was the primary common language. Pete Baker, the registrar, assured me the courses would transfer and I would have the credit hours needed for Otterbein’s degree.

I convinced a close friend, Ron Orbin (also a senior), that we needed to do this before all the pressures of life after graduation would snare us. He jumped aboard and with the two of us, that gave our parents a little more assurance that we would manage this. Our applications as special students were accepted, and we made our travel plans for (AUB’s) spring semester starting in late January. Our (Otterbein) advisors, mine in History, and Ron’s in Chemistry supported our plans and were flexible in how our coursework would satisfy any remaining requirements because we had no idea what would be offered until we arrived at AUB.

In 1966, Beirut was a bustling city of many different nationalities. The country was relatively calm, prosperous, and confident about its future, unlike what has happened since the ’80s. We had no trouble getting registered in classes that would finish our majors. We found places in a dorm and we both had Palestinian roommates. That was a wise choice as we were able to meet many Arab students and other nationalities. Some were from places that I had never heard of: Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, and many from Lebanon, France, and Egypt.

There were about two dozen undergrads who were “Americans,” but their parents were ex-pats working in the Middle East and many had never lived much in the U.S. that they remembered. We became close to many of them and they wanted to know what life was like back in the states! In many ways they were Americans who weren’t. Knowing them allowed for travel to Egypt, Syria, Jerusalem (then part of Jordan), and Athens. In most ways the college experience was similar to Otterbein. Classes, studying for tests, cafeteria, some sports, and hanging out in the evenings at some restaurants on Rue Bliss outside the university walls.

My roommate was a senior majoring in English and planning to return to the West Bank to teach in a high school. Others were studying to enter med school in Egypt or Lebanon. We learned a lot about their lives, and they, about ours. They couldn’t understand why we were at war in South Vietnam, and many of the other newsworthy problems in the U.S. in 1966. As for the political situation with Israel, even though they knew the U.S. supported that country, they believed there would be a fair resolution brokered by the U.S. for the displaced Palestinians.

Sixty years have distilled the memories, but the muezzin’s calls to prayer, the smell of street food, the interesting classes, and the casual pace of campus life remain. Yes, there were times that were boring, classes were hard, and we would miss home and Otterbein. But every day brought some new experiences and acquaintances; or figuring out what the cafeteria was serving!

Both of us would agree that the spring break week in Egypt was one of the most memorable. We visited the massive Egyptian Museum with many of the embalmed royalty, several pyramid sites, swam in the Red Sea, explored the completely unguarded antiquities at Saqqara, rode camels, and experienced the “Pharaoh’s revenge” offered free to all tourists.

The last few weeks of classes were bittersweet, knowing that we would be leaving those we had befriended, but with new confidence from living in a different culture and actually gaining 20 pounds! We had tickets to return to the U.S. from Frankfurt in five weeks, so the next chapters were drawn from (the book), “Europe on 5 Dollars A Day.” At that time, backpacking around Europe was the new summer activity for American and Canadian college students and that paperback was the blueprint.

Ron had to remain in Beirut for a few weeks, having an illness that delayed his finals. He insisted I go, and we agreed to meet at a specific location in Brussels in three weeks. Traveling alone through Syria and Turkey was a unique experience, trying to get to Istanbul without a hint of the language or route. Here the travel had to be negotiated, particularly getting across the closed border between Turkey and Syria, engaged in some dispute over territory or rebel groups. Istanbul was a two- or three-day journey by bus, and with the kindness of Turks (using sign language), I made it.

Three or four days were spent in each city that I wanted to visit on the way to Brussels. Istanbul was truly fascinating, Athens also. The trip through Yugoslavia was a throwback in time, stuck on an old steam and coal powered train for two days. Americans were not allowed to leave the train without visas. Munich offered the Hofbräuhaus beer hall and raucous evenings. Amsterdam had museums, canals, and lots of college students, some from behind the Iron Curtain. In all the cities, others on the same journey would get together to compare notes and experiences. Staying mostly in student hotels, it was easy to find others to visit the sites, find food, and hang out. It was a time when the U.S. dollar was very strong and $5 a day would work.

Ron and I met as planned and started our second journey through France, Madrid, Barcelona, and to Frankfort. We had the name of a friend while in Beirut who was to be in Brussels that summer, and when we visited his address, we had a fortunate surprise. He was elsewhere, but it was some Evangelical commune, and they needed someone to drive an old VW bus loaded with Bibles to various places in France and Spain. Running a bit short of money, they gave us some dollars and the keys. We took our time, sleeping in the van and finding our way through France.

One of the memorable overnights was at a small youth hostel deep in the picturesque Pyrenees, where the keeper was an American doctoral student at the University of North Carolina! He warned us not to go out of the enclosure at night as there were smugglers’ mule trains moving through the mountains to trade in either Spain or France.

Spain was very backward, with their dictatorship limiting economic growth, but Madrid was alive and busy. After a few days we made our way by bus to Frankfurt a day or two before our flight. While there, in a coffee shop, a juke box was playing an unusual song — “Monday, Monday” by the Mamas & the Papas. Not having heard American music for six months, it now is an indelible memory that takes me back whenever I hear it.

Now in 2025, seeing travel advertising that shows the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Acropolis, Al-Aqsa and the Blue Mosque, and many of the famous paintings in European museums, reinforces the inner voice that says, “you did it and your dream of travel become a reality.”

And that’s the message to Otterbein students today: challenge yourselves, get beyond Ohio, move beyond your fears and connect with people. The college will support your studies because there’s a world of learning out there with rewards well beyond what you could imagine!

Ron is now a retired physician in Arizona, and I’m a retired college professor living in Pennsylvania. We see each other often and talk regularly. It’s an Otterbein friendship for over 60 years and counting.

Send us your Forever Friends story! You can email your story to Jenny Hill at jhill@otterbein.edu or mail your story to: Jenny Hill, Office of Marketing and Communications, Otterbein University, 1 S. Grove St., Westerville, OH 43081.