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Meet the Advancement Team

We are excited to share that the Advancement team has added some wonderful colleagues in recent months to assist with alumni and family engagement, events and conferences, and serving the needs of our donors.

We’re proud to introduce you to the new Advancement team members you might see on campus or hear from in the future.

Justin Akers

Event & Technology Coordinator
Justin works closely with clients to arrange customized event venues and provides excellent audio and visual resources for both big and small events.

To book your next event, contact Justin at akers4@otterbein.edu.

Stephanie Clark

Senior Director of Development
Stephanie creates opportunities for alumni, parents, and friends of the University to make major transformational gifts through endowments, planned gifts, and scholarships.

Contact Stephanie at clark35@otterbein.edu.

Marcus Fowler

Director of Alumni & Family Programs
Marcus directs, improves, and expands alumni and family engagement programs, both in-person and virtual, and works with the Young Alumni Board, Student Alumni Board, and long-established 50th Golden Reunion programs.

Contact Marcus at fowler6@otterbein.edu.

Carley King, ’22

Annual Giving Program Coordinator
Carley manages the Student Engagement Officers and strengthens campus philanthropy through the Student Alumni Board, Senior Class Gift, and faculty and staff giving programs.

Contact Carley at at king3@otterbein.edu.

Alexis McNeal ’23

Event and Conference Coordinator
Alexis works collaboratively with all campus partners and community members to provide convenient and comfortable spaces for events and conferences at Otterbein.

To book your next event, contact Alexis at mcneal1@otterbein.edu.

Mary Beth Metz

Coordinator of Alumni and Family Programs
Mary Beth grows engagement with alumni, families, and friends of Otterbein through virtual and in person programming and social media outreach.

Contact Mary Beth at metz1@otterbein.edu.

Thank you to the donors who are making a difference at Otterbein

The Rice Family Endowed Scholarship in Nursing has been established by Marsha Rice Scanlin ’74 to honor her grandfather, Earl Rice, and her father, Robert Rice. Scanlin saw both grandparents and her parents experience cancer, and she later became a two-time cancer survivor. The Rice Family Endowed Scholarship in Nursing has been endowed to support a nurse at the James Cancer Hospital who is a graduate student at Otterbein University.

Dr. Mary Ann Bradford Burnam H’19 and her husband, Paul, have established the Dr. Mary Ann Bradford Burnam H’19 and Paul Burnam Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship. Both Mary Ann and Paul made their careers in higher education, Mary Ann at Otterbein and Paul at academic libraries. They firmly believe that a strong undergraduate education helps prepare students for productive and successful lives and believe that Otterbein is the perfect place for undergraduate nursing students to learn, grow, and prepare for their next steps after graduation.

Childhood Memory Drives a Donor’s Passion

O.H. (Oz) Koeplin recently established the O.H. (Oz) and Dr. Priscilla Koeplin Nursing Scholarship.

“When I was a poor boy delivering newspapers over 75 years ago, the newspaper printed this message every day on the editorial page:

‘ I shall pass this way but once, anything I can do or any kindness I can show let me do it now for I shall not pass this way again
– Anon.’

During my time as city manager of Westerville, Tom Kerr, president of Otterbein University, and I established a tremendous ‘town and gown’ relationship, which is so essential when the University had a big presence in the city. A few years ago, I was in a position to fulfill the above message that I had seen every day in the newspaper as a boy. Otterbein University, in my opinion, is a top-drawer college, one of the best in its class. One that all prospects considering higher education should put on the top of their list.”

– O.H. (Oz) Koeplin, Otterbein supporter and former City of Westerville Manager

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$1 Million Gift Honors the Memory of Paul Dallas Taylor ’61

In February, JoAnn Taylor made a $1 million gift in memory of her late husband, Paul Dallas Taylor ’61. Paul was a lifelong learner and educator whose time at Otterbein — as a student and throughout his life as an alumnus — was deeply important to him. Paul dedicated his professional career to teaching at the college level in Minnesota and Texas. He and JoAnn always believed in investing in people to help them achieve their goals and dreams through higher education. The gift will support the Campus Center Renovation with a named space as well as an endowed fund for student success with the Otterbein READY program.

To learn if your company or organization matches charitable donations, please visit www.otterbein.edu/giving/how-to-give/matching-gift.

Ellen Andrews ’71 has generously supported Otterbein through funding for education majors. Andrews taught 41 years with the Elyria City Schools where she made a tremendous difference in the lives of her students. She is one of several in her family to attend Otterbein.

Former parents Dr. Roger and Betty Neff P’83, P’85 made an additional generous gift to support the Roger H. and Betty A. Neff Endowed Scholarship, established in 2005 to support undergraduate students pursuing international studies or studies that reflect a global perspective. Roger taught for 32 years at Otterbein, from 1961 to 1993, and served as the chair of the foreign language department for the last 20 years of his time on the faculty.

Board of Trustees member Deborah Ewell Currin ’67 and her husband, William A. Currin ’67, continue to generously support the Otterbein Fund through a recent unrestricted gift. In addition, their support was supplemented by a matching gift through William’s former employer.

John Bullis ’56, P’81, P’83, P’90 recently made a generous gift in honor and memory of his wife, Carole Kreider Bullis ’56, to support both the Otterbein Fund and the Bullis- Kreider Memorial Endowed Scholarship, which was established in 1996 to honor John’s parents, Cleo and John Bullis, and his late wife Carole’s parents, Margaret and Russell Kreider.

John E. Ellis ’87 was born into the world with a handicapped body but an indomitable spirit. At Otterbein, Ellis majored in radio and spent many happy hours honing his skills and teaching others at the Otterbein radio station. In his memory, his family has created the John Edward Ellis ’87 Family Endowed Scholarship to support an annual scholarship for students in communication who demonstrate a desire to develop their skills to overcome inequities and injustices and to make our world a better place for future generations. Additionally, a designated portion of the gift will be used to establish the John Edward Ellis ’87 Family Endowed Fund for Radio Communications, an endowment to support Otterbein radio communications.

Alumnus Daniel Gifford ’88, P’21 and his wife, Deanna, have fulfilled a $50,000 gift in support of the Campus Center Renovation. Daniel is part of the Gifford legacy family at Otterbein and currently serves on the Board of Trustees.

Alumnus Daniel Gifford ’88, P’21 and his wife, Deanna, have fulfilled a $50,000 gift in support of the Campus Center Renovation. Daniel is part of the Gifford legacy family at Otterbein and currently serves on the Board of Trustees.

To honor and celebrate the legacy of late professor David Jones, a group of alumni, led by a generous gift from Kyle Daniel ’04, have established the Dr. David C. Jones Memorial Scholarship. Jones taught marketing and related courses in the department of Business, Accounting, and Economics at Otterbein for 25 years. It is their hope that this scholarship continues his work of supporting and educating future generations of Otterbein students.

The Linda A. Karl Chandler ’70 Memorial Award has been created by its namesake, Linda Karl Chandler ’70, to provide internships for theatre arts students to pursue backstage or behind-the-camera work in theatre, cinema, or television. Chandler was heavily involved in theatre behind-the- scenes as an Otterbein student, and wished to honor all those who work tirelessly backstage through her gift.

Alumni couple Pamela Hudson Dominici ’68 and Robert J. Dominici ’67 made a generous $10,000 gift in support of the 1847 Minutes for Otterbein campaign during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2022, to encourage others to support the Otterbein Fund.

Grants, Corporate, and Foundation Support

Grants help to provide essential funding for new programs, research, and other areas that directly impact our students at Otterbein. Our faculty and staff have recently been awarded grants from several organizations, including:

Henry Luce Foundation

AMOUNT: $98,000

Otterbein’s Frank Museum of Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Columbus Museum of Art hold the largest known collections of art and artifacts by modern Chinese painter Wu Zhongxiong (1899- 1989), known as C.Y. Woo, who emigrated from Shanghai to central Ohio in 1964. In collaboration since 2018, these institutions have been establishing an open-source digital humanities database of the more than 1,770 objects held in Ohio C.Y. Woo collections. This grant supports painting conservation for the exhibition, photography for the exhibition catalogue and database, and undergraduate and graduate research staff for the next stages of database development.

Choose Ohio First Scholarship Support for Equine and Allied Health

AMOUNT: $462,621

Supports scholarships for Ohio students entering pre-veterinary studies, veterinary technician, or allied health majors at Otterbein University. These students will engage in cohort-based learning opportunities as well as work-based learning opportunities like internships with companies and businesses throughout central Ohio.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

AMOUNT: $377,800

Otterbein’s focus for its second grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute is on building the community needed to bring lasting cultural and structural change by increasing University enrollment and retention of students who have been historically excluded from the sciences.

Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award Honorees

The Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award was established by President Emerita Kathy Krendl and the University Board of Trustees to recognize extraordinary philanthropic leadership, service, and advancement of Otterbein’s mission. It is the highest honor Otterbein bestows upon its community members for transformational leadership and commitment. Two awards were conferred at this year’s Celebration of Otterbein event at Homecoming and Family Weekend on Oct. 1.

The 2022 Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award honorees: Mark ’78 and Deb Scott ’77 Thresher, P’05 (front row) and members of the Otterbein “O” Club including (left to right) past president Ron Jones ’61, current president Mark Granger ’79, and past president Jack Pietila ’62.

Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award honorees: Mark ’78 and Deb Scott ’77 Thresher P’05

Former Board of Trustees Chair Mark Thresher ’78 P’05 and his wife, Deb Scott ’77 Thresher P’05, met at an Otterbein football game in the fall of 1975 when Mark was a sophomore and Deb was a junior. The two began dating shortly thereafter and Deb, a music education major, selected Mark, an accounting major, as her escort when she was elected Homecoming Queen in 1976. Deb was a member of Epsilon Kappa Tau sorority and participated in choir and band while at Otterbein. Mark played basketball and was a member of Torch and Key and Tau Pi Phi honoraries. They married four months after Mark’s graduation in 1978.

The Threshers have never forgotten how their experiences at Otterbein helped prepare them for life, which has become the catalyst for their incredible support of the University over the years. The impact of their generosity can be seen in gifts to establish a scholarship fund for music education majors (Deborah and Mark Thresher Family Scholarship), a fellowship that will support experiential learning at Otterbein (Mark and Deborah Thresher Fellowship), and annual support of the Otterbein Fund. In total, the Threshers have donated a significant amount in support of Otterbein over the past 31 years.

Otterbein “O” Club Foundation

Established in 1955, the Otterbein “O” Club aids and assists Otterbein University by contributing to our athletic programs and students. That year, Robert “Moe” Agler ’48 was appointed head football coach and along with his friends, former football teammates, Edwin “Dubbs” Roush ’47 and Francis “Red” Bailey ’43, the trio received permission to establish a Varsity “O” Alumni Club. In addition to Roush, who served as the organization’s first president, and Bailey, who served as its first vice president, the original board of directors also included John Zezech ’44, Harold Augspurger ’41, and Dwight “Smokey” Ballenger ’39.

Over the last 60 years, the “O” Club has partnered with Otterbein to enhance its athletic program in countless ways. Supported by the donations of individuals, businesses, trusts, and foundations, the “O” Club has been a transformational force in improving Otterbein’s athletic facilities, benefiting not only its student-athletes but the entire campus and extended Westerville community as well. In 1981, the club created its own foundation and to date has donated significantly to support athletics programs and facilities. Major projects benefiting from their support include the Rike Center weight room in 2008, Memorial Stadium renovations in 2005, the new track and turf in 2014, and repairs to the pole vault area of the track.

Otterbein remains deeply grateful for the ongoing support of the Threshers and the “O” Club Foundation and extends congratulations to these outstanding recipients of the 2022 Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award.

Grants, Corporate, and Foundation Support

Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

AMOUNT: $31,926

Supports the conversion of art integrated chemistry lessons and activities developed for our Integrative Studies Chemistry in Art course.

Ohio Department of Higher Education

AMOUNT: $1,259,937

Funds scholarships for Ohio students who enter majors including nursing, math, math education, and actuarial science.

State Library of Ohio

AMOUNT: $46,399

Supported the installation of touchless lockers in the Courtright Memorial Library as well as the installation of a contactless book drop.

Ohio Board of Nursing

AMOUNT: $200,000

Supports efforts to address the nursing shortage within the State of Ohio. This two-year program will allow Otterbein to increase the number of clinical precepting placement positions and the number of clinical preceptors at IHA Sunbury Urgent Care Center.

SWACO

AMOUNT: $16,900

Supports the creation of a zero-waste plan for Otterbein University in conjunction with RRS Consulting Services. SWACO, RRS Consulting, and Otterbein will work together to identify opportunities across campus to implement zero waste strategies for external events held on campus.

Celebrating Excellence

Front row (left to right): Tonya M. Milligan ’90, MAE’98, James Wagner ’56, P’81, P’88, and Karen Castro ’12. Back row (left to right): Jodi West Zellers ’96, Brooke Wilson ’10, Hilary Stone MBA’20, Alicia D. Caudill ’95, and Debbie Horn, accepting on behalf of her brother, Theodore Lloyd Jones ’70.

The Cardinal community is filled with high achievers, both in the professional workplace and in service to the community. During Homecoming & Family Weekend, we were honored to recognize 11 outstanding individuals for their ongoing accomplishments and one organization for its commitment to Otterbein athletics.

Stephen Rossman H’22, a staff member in Otterbein’s Department of Communication, receives the Honorary Alumni award from President Comerford.

Learn more about the 2022 award recipients at www.otterbein.edu/alumni/.

Rising Star Award
Karen Castro ’12
Hilary Stone MBA’20
Brooke Wilson ’10

Otterbein Alumni Award
Alicia D. Caudill ’95
Theodore Lloyd Jones ’70
Tonya M. Milligan ’90, MAE’98
James Wagner ’56, P’81, P’88
Jodi West Zellers ’96

Honorary Alumni
Stephen Rossman H’22

Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award
Otterbein “O” Club
Mark ’78 & Deb Scott ’77 Thresher P’05

Become a Member of the 1847 Society During Otterbein’s 175th Anniversary

Otterbein’s 1847 Society recognizes individuals and couples who have established a planned gift to the University. During Otterbein’s 175th anniversary year, planned gifts are a meaningful way to ensure your legacy and commemorate this historic milestone. Planned gifts, at their core, are one of the best ways you can “pay it forward” to make an impact for future students and ensure that Otterbein remains a leader in higher education.

“Now that I’m retired, I’m looking at new possibilities for planned giving. I can make Otterbein a partial beneficiary of my Individual Retirement Account (IRA), and my estate will receive a charitable deduction. I’m forever grateful to Otterbein for the opportunity to complete my college degree,” said Peggy Ruhlin ’79. Ruhlin, who served on the Board of Trustees, made a generous unrestricted gift through a life insurance policy during Otterbein’s Where We STAND Matters campaign.

Planned gifts offer a way to leave assets to Otterbein that provide current and future benefits for you, and the University. Often, these gifts allow donors to make larger gifts than they may be able to make through their discretionary income. Common planned gifts include bequests, charitable gift annuities, trusts, and retirement assets.

Peggy Ruhlin ’79 supported Otterbein through a life insurance planned gift.

Learn more about how you can leave a legacy at Otterbein at www.plannedgiving.otterbein.edu/. Be sure to sign up for the free monthly eNewsletter.

Faculty Explore Common Book Topics

In September 2015, pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha went public with her team’s discovery of a human-made public health crisis in Flint, Michigan. Contaminated water exposed tens of thousands of Flint residents to dangerous levels of lead and caused the third-largest outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease recorded in U.S. history, which killed at least 12 people and sickened dozens more.

This year’s Common Book, What the Eyes Don’t See, is Hanna-Attisha’s first-hand account of her discovery and battle with her own government to expose the truth to the world.

As Otterbein’s incoming class of students reads this harrowing story, Otterbein professors will be sharing their unique expertise about the subjects addressed in the book. Among those are Professor Kevin Svitana, director of the Sustainability Studies Program and Associate Professor Rob Braun of Health and Sport Science, who teaches public health at Otterbein.

Otterbein Professors’ Insights into the 2022 Common Book

A water quality expert with more than three decades of experience as a geologist and hydrogeologist, Svitana offers a look at how the crisis happened:

“One of the failures of those responsible for the Flint water crisis is attributed to their lack of understanding of a water delivery system and the chemical dynamics of the system. While the Flint River water may not have been toxic, the chemistry of the water caused it to be corrosive to the pipes delivering the water to residents.

The corrosivity may or may not be attributed to pollution, but rather natural conditions, such as regional bedrock and soils, which can contain minerals or naturally occurring organics that can affect the water chemistry causing it to become corrosive. If the source water is corrosive, and this isn’t corrected by chemical adjustment prior to the water entering the distribution system, the corrosivity of the water begins to dissolve the pipes. If lead is part of the piping, whether it’s the actual pipe or the solder used to join copper pipes, it is dissolved into the water and travels as a lead-containing solution to consumers. This is the condition that occurred in Flint.”

In addition to how the crisis happened, the book examines why it happened. One of the main themes in the book is the environmental injustice the residents of Flint experienced. Associate Professor Rob Braun teaches public health education at Otterbein. He offers this view:

“The Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as ‘the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” However, that ‘justice’ did not occur in the case of the Flint water crisis. As you read this book and reflect on its content, I encourage you to think of all the examples Dr. Hanna-Attisha reveals that contradict the above statement.”

For more information about this year’s Common Book, visit www.otterbein.edu/commonbook/.

Otterbein Continues to Climb in National Rankings

In the U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” Otterbein jumped from 12th place to 9th, placing it in the top 6% among 166 peers in the Regional Universities–Midwest category. In 2021, Otterbein was 21st overall in its category.

Additionally, Otterbein was recognized on the following lists:

MOST INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS
Otterbein debuted at 9th in its category.

BEST UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING
Otterbein jumped from 18th place to 7th, top 5% in its category.

BEST VALUE SCHOOL
Otterbein ranked 37th in its category.

TOP PERFORMERS ON SOCIAL MOBILITY
Otterbein jumped from 121st to 67th in its category.

Otterbein has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s Colleges of Distinction. Otterbein received program-specific recognition in Business, Education, Engineering, Nursing, and Career Development. Otterbein was also recognized for Equity and Inclusion.

Colleges of Distinction’s selection process consists of a review of each institution’s first-year experience and retention efforts alongside its general education programs, alumni success, strategic plan, student satisfaction, and more. Schools are accepted on the basis that they adhere to the four distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community, and successful outcomes.

Otterbein Receives Choose Ohio First Grant to Promote Diversity in Math and Nursing

Otterbein received a Choose Ohio First (COF) grant of $1,259,937 from the State of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) to support students from Ohio entering Otterbein University’s math and nursing programs with a focus on underrepresented groups in these fields.

“We believe firmly that students who come to Otterbein will find exceptional jobs in central Ohio after graduation and contribute to the excellence of the state workforce,” said Assistant Professor Kirk Kayser, Department of Mathematics and Actuarial Science.

Travel with Otterbein to Ireland in 2023

Join us for a trip to Ireland Sept. 19–30, 2023. Space is limited for this tour.

Register today with Otterbein’s official travel partner, Warther Tours: call 330-556-4535 or email mark@travelwarther.com.

Upcoming Events

We’re always planning new and exciting in-person and virtual events for the Otterbein community. From lectures to happy hours and everything in between, you can find it by visiting www.otterbein.edu/alumni/events-travel/.

Lifelong Learning community Endowments Established

Generous anonymous donors have stepped forward to help create two endowments to support the Lifelong Learning Community (LLC) at Otterbein — one to assist with operations and programming and the other to support the LLC Scholars Award, which provides monetary assistance to Otterbein students during their final year of study.

In addition to the new endowments, the LLC recently dedicated a classroom at The Point as the Dr. Alison H. Prindle Lifelong Learning Classroom, to honor her lifetime commitment to learning and Otterbein.

For more information, call the Office of Institutional Advancement at 614-823-1305 or visit the Lifelong Learning Community Web page.