[{"id":15810,"date":"2026-10-30T14:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T18:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/?p=15810"},"modified":"2026-11-02T15:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T20:19:17","slug":"2026-inspiring-grads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/2026-inspiring-grads\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Inspiring Grads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; next_background_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#e08a28&#8243; bottom_divider_style=&#8221;waves&#8221; bottom_divider_height=&#8221;73px&#8221; bottom_divider_flip=&#8221;horizontal&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;off|40px|40px||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_4,3_4&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;1&#8243; make_equal=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#e08a00&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;2em||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_4_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_4_text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; header_4_text_color=&#8221;#e08a00&#8243; header_4_font_size=&#8221;66px&#8221; background_color=&#8221;gcid-f0c0ef61-6801-4054-8293-45d686ce6ee6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;2em|2em|2em|2em|true|true&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{%22gcid-f0c0ef61-6801-4054-8293-45d686ce6ee6%22:%91%22background_color%22%93}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<h4>2026<\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_css_main_element=&#8221;align-content: center;&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_4_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_4_text_color=&#8221;gcid-f0c0ef61-6801-4054-8293-45d686ce6ee6&#8243; header_4_font_size=&#8221;74px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;left&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{%22gcid-f0c0ef61-6801-4054-8293-45d686ce6ee6%22:%91%22header_4_text_color%22%93}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<h4>Inspiring Grads<\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||4em||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/50412241_00701_0099-scaled.webp&#8221; title_text=&#8221;50412241 00701 0099&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|25px|25px|25px|25px&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;towers_text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<p>In her commencement address, accomplished private wealth advisor Sara Ullman Pfaff \u201977 drew a powerful connection between the graduates\u2019 journeys and a principle at the heart of her profession: compounding.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_4_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_4_text_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; header_4_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_4_line_height=&#8221;1.6em&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<h4>&#8220;The concept of compounding applies to more than (interest). It&#8217;s the compounding of knowledge &#8230; Compounding of your education &#8230; And perhaps, most importantly, the compounding effect of building strong friendships, deepening family ties, and helping your neighbors.\u201d<\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=&#8221;towers_text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;]<p>These members of the Class of 2026 illustrate that principle in action. Through the combined impact of academics, leadership, service, and community, they demonstrate how the many facets of the Otterbein experience build upon one another to create meaningful success.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_4,3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_8959-scaled.webp&#8221; title_text=&#8221;DSC 8959&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|18px|18px|18px|18px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset4&#8243; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#3c86e8&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4174CC&#8221; header_3_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.7em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3>Neil Reddy<\/h3>\n<p><em>Chemistry major<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201c<\/span>Otterbein was the right fit because it allowed for \u2018stimulated self-growth\u2019 and personal development. <span style=\"color: #4174cc;\">It provided a community where I could pursue scientific research and different classes while remaining a leader in varsity athletics.<\/span> The environment encouraged me to try new things \u2014 like traveling solo to San Francisco \u2014 which helped me overcome fears and gain full control over my personal growth.<span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: left;\">\u2022 Captain of men\u2019s tennis team; received All-OAC second team honors \u2022 STEM Peer Mentor \u2022 Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society member \u2022 Conducted research alongside Professor Joan Esson, performing pigment identification, dating, and complex portable x-ray fluorescence on old Chinese paintings \u2022 Volunteer for Freedom Tails Ohio<\/h6>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#E09900&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_3_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221;]<h3>NEXT: Ohio University Heritage College of Medicine<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#fec152&#8243; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;5px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;3_4,1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4174CC&#8221; header_3_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.7em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\">Mae Meldrum<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>Equine Pre-Veterinary Studies, Biology, and <\/em><br><em>Biochemistry and Molecular Biology triple major<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201c<\/span>One of the clearest ways Otterbein helped prepare me for life after college was the preparation and mentorship I received when applying for veterinary school. The experiences, coursework, and encouragement from my professors helped me build a strong application, and <span style=\"color: #4174cc;\">I was honored to be accepted into one of the top three veterinary schools in the nation. That acceptance would not have been possible if it weren\u2019t for the support of my Otterbein community.<\/span><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2022 Accepted by eight veterinary schools \u2022 Completed Honors thesis working with lions at the Columbus Zoo \u2022 Student-athlete for women\u2019s softball team \u2022 President of Athletes in Action \u2022 Involvement in Women in Business, Athletes in STEM, Student Government, and Student Conduct Hearing Board \u2022 Van Sant Fellow \u2022 Leadership roles with Sports Pals and organizing events for Franklin County Animal Shelter and Fall Plunge \u2022 Peer Mentor \u2022 Orientation Leader<\/h6>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#E09900&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_3_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\">NEXT: Veterinary school at Colorado State University<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_8467-scaled.webp&#8221; title_text=&#8221;DSC 8467&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|18px|18px|18px|18px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset4&#8243; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#3c86e8&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#4174cc&#8221; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;5px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_4,3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein3.24.26626-scaled.webp&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Otterbein3.24.26626&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|18px|18px|18px|18px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset4&#8243; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#3c86e8&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4174CC&#8221; header_3_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.7em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221;]<h3>Hanan Jama<\/h3>\n<p><em>&nbsp;Public Health Education major<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">&#8220;<\/span>I\u2019m most proud of the consistency and courage it took to build the life I wanted here. I\u2019m proud that I didn\u2019t shrink myself. I challenged myself academically as a pre-med student, completed my Honors distinction and research, stepped into leadership roles, and said yes to opportunities that honestly intimidated me at first. But more than titles or achievements, I\u2019m proud that I stayed grounded in who I am. <span style=\"color: #4174cc;\">I learned how to lead with empathy, advocate for communities that look like mine, and pursue medicine in a way that feels aligned with my values and faith.<\/span><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6>\u2022 Named Undergraduate Student of the Year by Ohio Society for Public Health Education<br>\u2022 Presented research at several national conferences including the National Health Disparities Conference<br>\u2022 Research intern with Chisolm Lab (CCHEOR) and REaCH Labs Research Fellow at Nationwide<br>Children\u2019s Hospital \u2022 President of Eta Sigma Gamma \u2022 Student Government member \u2022 Teaching assistant<\/h6>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#E09900&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_3_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3>NEXT: Applying for medical school<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;33px|||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#fec152&#8243; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;5px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;3_4,1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4174CC&#8221; header_3_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.7em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221;]<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\">Kyle Miller<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">&nbsp;Computer Science, Mathematics, and Women\u2019s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies triple major<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201c<\/span>Otterbein gave me the facilities to fully engulf myself in all fields I found interesting and gave me additional ammunition in the form of resources to craft my own projects. Otterbein trusted me entirely in whatever I was doing. It allowed me to go all-in on my ideas and construct my own dream. <span style=\"color: #4174cc;\">Otterbein prepared me for almost every aspect of life.<\/span><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2022 Computational Science intern with Riverside Research \u2022 Orientation coordinator \u2022 Lead Peer Mentor \u2022 Computer Science lab assistant \u2022 Mathematics ambassador \u2022 Completed study abroad experiences in five different countries focusing on Art History, Music History, and Anthrozoology<\/h6>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#E09900&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_3_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\">NEXT: Pursuing a master&#8217;s degree in computational social science at the University of Chicago<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_8711-scaled.webp&#8221; title_text=&#8221;DSC 8711&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|18px|18px|18px|18px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset4&#8243; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#3c86e8&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;33px|||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#4174cc&#8221; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;5px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_4,3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein3.24.26280-copy.webp&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|18px|18px|18px|18px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset4&#8243; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#3c86e8&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4174CC&#8221; header_3_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.7em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221;]<h3>Julianna Grubich<\/h3>\n<p><em>Allied Health major<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201c<\/span>I will miss being a part of Student Government, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and a member of Otterbein\u2019s Board of Trustees. Each of these things gave me the opportunity to come out of my shell and grow as an individual and as a leader. <span style=\"color: #4174cc;\">One of my favorite things about Otterbein is the community. I met so many incredible people that care about the University and seeing others succeed. At Otterbein, it is so easy and so fun to get involved throughout campus.<span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6>\u2022 Two-time captain and two-time Academic All-OAC honoree for women\u2019s basketball team \u2022 President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee \u2022 Student trustee \u2022 Resident advisor \u2022 Recipient of <em>Excellence in Leadership \u2013 Athletics, Recreation, and Wellness Award and Jean A. Rocks-Mizia Endowed Scholarship<\/em><\/h6>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#E09900&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_3_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3>NEXT: Pursuing a master&#8217;s degree in athletic training at Antioch University<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;33px|||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#fec152&#8243; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;5px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;3_4,1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;|600|||||||&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|800|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#4174CC&#8221; header_3_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.7em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221;]<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\">Vincent Bostick<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Music Performance major<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201c<\/span>When I came to Otterbein, I never imagined I would be joining Greek life, nor gardening every Monday. This breadth of experience has been so eye-opening for me because I feel like I&#8217;ve become a complete person outside of my life as simply a musician. <span style=\"color: #4174cc;\">I&#8217;ve found a passion for leadership I never knew I had, and friendships and colleagues I&#8217;ll hold for a lifetime. I also feel like Otterbein allowed me to blossom into the musician I always believed I could be.<span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2022 Otterbein Concert Choir, including a Baltic states performance tour \u2022 Performances with Opera Columbus \u2022 Otterbein Opera Theatre \u2022 Black Student Union \u2022 Pollinators rain garden club \u2022 Sigma Delta Phi fraternity<\/h6>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.9&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_3_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; header_3_text_color=&#8221;#E09900&#8243; header_3_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_3_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<h3 style=\"text-align: right;\">NEXT: Guest artist at Denison University, performer with Opera Columbus, applying for graduate school<\/h3>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_7768-scaled.webp&#8221; title_text=&#8221;DSC 7768&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|18px|18px|18px|18px&#8221; box_shadow_style=&#8221;preset4&#8243; box_shadow_color=&#8221;#3c86e8&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; theme_builder_area=&#8221;post_content&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.8&#8243; 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a Legacy of Inspiration, Innovation, and Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_2 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_14\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_22  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_17  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><strong>For more than three decades, these are just a few of the words students, colleagues, and alumni have used to describe Joan Rocks.<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_18 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-300x200.webp\" width=\"327\" height=\"218\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15653 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: right; border-radius: 15px;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-1024x681.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-768x511.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-1536x1022.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-2048x1363.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-1080x719.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC_9151-1200x798.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 327px) 85vw, 327px\" \/>After 34 years of service to Otterbein, Rocks retired last spring with emeritus status as chair of the Department of Health and Sport Sciences (HSS), concluding a career defined by leadership, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to student success.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Rocks joined Otterbein in 1992 and served as department chair for the final two decades of her tenure. During that time, she helped transform HSS into one of the University\u2019s strongest academic programs, expanding accredited offerings in high-demand fields, improving facilities, and creating more opportunities for experiential learning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Dedicated to providing an exceptional educational experience, Rocks championed best practices across the department and built a team equally committed to student success. Under her leadership, HSS moved into a reimagined facility in 2015 featuring clinical learning spaces, hands-on training areas, and collaborative environments that support both academic excellence and community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">A certified athletic trainer, Rocks also established the Athletic Training program, served as its director, and advised the Athletic Training Quiz Bowl team and the University Student Athletic Trainers Club. She personally mentored students and helped prepare seniors each year for the Board of Certification examination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">For countless students, Rocks\u2019 influence extended far beyond the classroom.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_19  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4><strong>\u201cDr. Rocks taught my first Allied Health course during my freshman year, and she instilled so much wisdom into my life. She always talked about the importance of being a good person, doing the right thing, and having confidence in yourself because one day, if you fall short, others will recognize your character. She is one of the most caring people I have met at Otterbein.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: right; padding-top: 15px;\"><strong>\u2013 Julianna Grubich \u201926, Allied Health major, Nutrition minor and Jean A. Rocks Mizia Endowed Scholarship recipient.<\/strong><\/h5><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_20 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Throughout her career, Rocks emphasized six principles she hoped students would carry beyond graduation: <b>take ownership, lead with empathy, be prepared, give your best effort, build relationships, and care for yourself. <\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_21  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4><b>\u201cThe goal at the end of the day is to help students be successful, figure out what they want to do, and show them that consistent effort leads to good outcomes.\u201d<\/b><\/h4>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: right; padding-top: 15px;\"><b>\u2013 Joan Rocks, Ph.D., LAT, ATC<\/b><\/h5><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_22 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/NC3_3965_JRocks.2022-300x200.webp\" width=\"342\" height=\"228\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15712 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: left; border-radius: 15px; margin-right: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/NC3_3965_JRocks.2022-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/NC3_3965_JRocks.2022-768x511.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/NC3_3965_JRocks.2022.webp 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 342px) 85vw, 342px\" \/>Her impact reached well beyond the department. Rocks served as a faculty trustee on Otterbein\u2019s Board of Trustees, advised the Epsilon Kappa Tau sorority, served on the Curriculum Committee, and represented the faculty as Faculty Athletics Representative.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">A committed philanthropist, she supported numerous University initiatives and funds, including the Otterbein Fund, Turf and Track Campaign, Clements Recreation Center, Towers Renovation Fund, Marilyn E. Day Memorial Fund, Sports Medicine Equipment Fund, and Carl and Helen DeVore Memorial Humanitarian Fund.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Rocks has established an endowed scholarship in memory of her twin sister, the <strong>Jean A. Rocks Mizia Endowed Scholarship<\/strong>, and through a generous bequest intention, will establish another scholarship that will benefit an athletic training major.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Rocks\u2019 contributions earned recognition both on campus and throughout her profession. At Otterbein, she received honors including the Master Teacher Award, the Women\u2019s Forum Bread and Roses Award, and the Epsilon Kappa Tau Faculty Advisor of the Year Award. She also was recognized by the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association with distinctions including Ohio Athletic Trainer of the Year, the Service Award, the Linda Weber Daniel Outstanding Mentor Award, and induction into the association\u2019s Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">As Rocks prepares for this next chapter, her leadership legacy continues through those she mentored. Following her retirement as department chair, HSS Professor Kristy McCray assumed the role.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_23  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4><strong>\u201cHer positive embrace of always trying to make Otterbein better, whether something little or big, made the faculty and student experience better.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: right; padding-top: 15px;\"><strong>\u2013 Professor Kristy McCray, HSS chair<\/strong><\/h5><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_24 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\">Her retirement marks the end of an era, but the impact of her leadership, mentorship, and service will continue to shape Otterbein for generations to come.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_15\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_23  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_2\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 700px !important;\n    height: 800px !important;\n  }\n<\/style><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_3\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><script>\nvar x = document.getElementsByClassName(\"author\");\nx[0].innerHTML = \"CATIE CARSON \u201921, MBA\u201923, Social Media\/Multi-Media Design Specialist\";  \n<\/script><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For more than three decades, these are just a few of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":374,"featured_media":17559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-15876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Celebrating a Legacy of Inspiration, Innovation, and Impact - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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and Church of the Master: 175 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_4 et_section_regular\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_18\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_26  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_33  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Celebrating 175 Years<\/h3>\n<p><em>Header image art by:&nbsp;Emilia Wells<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_19\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_27  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_34  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">As Otterbein and Church of the Master celebrate 175 years of ministry together this year, we are honoring our past, recognizing our present, and growing toward our future together.<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_20\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_28  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_7\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"Z8N 2240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-scaled.webp 1707w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-200x300.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-683x1024.webp 683w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-768x1152.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-1024x1536.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-1365x2048.webp 1365w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-1080x1620.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Z8N_2240-1200x1800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15760\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_29  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_35 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Otterbein University founded Church of the Master in 1851, and both institutions have made intentional connections throughout their shared history. There was a time when weekly chapel was required for students, and the Church hosted graduation ceremonies. Over time, these traditions transformed, as did the connection between both institutions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In recent years, amid a time of vast change for the United Methodist Church, Otterbein and Church of the Master have been strengthening their relationship once again. The Church\u2019s commitment to full inclusion, which Otterbein was already committed to, offered an avenue of trust between the institutions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">As the relationship is in a time of regrowth, Church of the Master, which has always been a supportive resource for the Otterbein community, has looked for new opportunities to expand that support.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_21\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_30  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_36 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-300x225.webp\" width=\"373\" height=\"280\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15678 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: right; border-radius: 15px; margin-left: 1em;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-1536x1152.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-510x382.webp 510w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-1080x810.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn-1200x900.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/OSJA-cooking-led-by-Selethia-Benn.webp 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 373px) 85vw, 373px\" \/>Church of the Master\u2019s congregation has a great number of alumni who continue to support Otterbein. We maintain a wider network of connectional support between the institutions and the larger bodies of the United Methodist Church through grants and scholarships. \u201cWe are also finding new ways to share our spaces. Otterbein faculty and staff now use the Church\u2019s kitchen for classes and events, while the Church, which has limited green space of its own, is welcomed into Otterbein\u2019s outdoor spaces.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Church of the Master has also strengthened direct student support in a variety of ways in cooperation with Otterbein\u2019s Center for Student Engagement. The Church offers resources to students, including assisting with emergency bills or housing costs, purchasing groceries, partnering with The Promise House, offering pastoral care, creating student intern jobs, feeding students, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-225x300.webp\" width=\"262\" height=\"349\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15682 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: left; border-radius: 15px; margin-right: 1em;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-768x1024.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-1152x1536.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-1536x2048.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-1080x1440.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-1200x1600.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/PastaMealSpring2026-scaled.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 262px) 85vw, 262px\" \/>The Pasta Meal (formerly Spaghetti Dinner), which many alumni fondly remember, continues to excite students every fall and spring. The Church also serves coffee, tea, donuts, and gluten-free snacks every Monday morning when class is in session.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">We have more students involved in the life of the Church, and the Church is more involved in supporting the Otterbein community than we have seen in years. Students are attending worship, working with our music ministries, helping with children\u2019s ministries, traveling with Church members on mission trips, attending ministry retreats, and leading service projects through our Connecting Threads program. They are discerning their vocational call in ministry and leading in worship as liturgists, musicians, and guest preachers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The Church is helping lift voices of young adults through opportunities to share their needs, their dreams, their perspectives, their hopes, their passion for justice work, and their questions of faith and life. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The religious community at Otterbein has grown and diversified. Today, we have students who identify as Buddhist, Christian, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, Atheist, Agnostic, and more. We now have a variety of faith-based student groups, including the Muslim Student Association, Otterbein Catholic Student Ministry, and Otterbein Cru (formerly Otterbein Christian Fellowship).&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Micah-68-Ministries-300x300.webp\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15709 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: right;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Micah-68-Ministries-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Micah-68-Ministries-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Micah-68-Ministries.webp 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/>Church of the Master hosts two student groups, the Interfaith Group and M.I.C.A.H. 6:8 Ministry. This new young adult ministry stands for \u201cMany Inclusive Christians Are Here\u201d and the mission quotes Micah 6:8, \u201cDo justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.\u201d We delight in offering space for students to engage in civil conversations across differences, as well as a space for them to explore their faith.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">I am honored to have learned from so many at Otterbein, and I love being a bridge between these institutions. Our hope going forward is to continue growing together as we care for this community. Together, we celebrate 175 years of being rooted in our past as we grow toward the future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s2\"><b>All are welcome to attend Church of the Master services or events, which are listed at <\/b><b>chmaster.org<\/b><b>. <\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_22\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_5 et_pb_column_31  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_37 et_clickable  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 class=\"p1\">Watch a presentation on the history of Church of the Master connection by the Church historian and Otterbein\u2019s archivist, Stephen Grinch \u201998. &gt;<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_2_5 et_pb_column_32  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_6\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 700px !important;\n    height: 1100px !important;\n  }\n<\/style><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_23\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_33  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_7\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><script>\nvar x = document.getElementsByClassName(\"author\");\nx[0].innerHTML = \"Rev. Lucy Kelly, Director of Faith and Spiritual Life at Otterbein, Associate Pastor at Church of the Master, Ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church\";\n<\/script><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Celebrating 175 Years Header image art&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":374,"featured_media":15947,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-15944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Otterbein and Church of the Master: 175 Years - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/otterbein-and-church-of-the-master-175-years\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Otterbein and Church of the Master: 175 Years - Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Celebrating 175 Years Header image art...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/otterbein-and-church-of-the-master-175-years\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-30T18:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" 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READY: From First Year to First Career"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_6 et_pb_with_background et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_30\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_42  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_43  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"s1\">&#8220;Otterbein is one of a select number of schools nationwide to have<br \/>made this type of program a requirement for students to graduate.&#8221;<\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b><\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2014 <span class=\"s1\"><b>JOHN COMERFORD, Ph.D.<\/b><\/span>, President, Otterbein University<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_31\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_43  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_44 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/10\/READY-logo-222x300.png\" width=\"222\" height=\"300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11303 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: right;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/10\/READY-logo-222x300.png 222w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/10\/READY-logo-756x1024.png 756w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/10\/READY-logo-768x1040.png 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/10\/READY-logo.png 1012w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 222px) 85vw, 222px\" \/>Most institutions define student success by a single outcome: earning a degree. At Otterbein, success means much more. Otterbein graduates leave campus not only with academic knowledge, but also with the skills, experiences, and confidence needed for a successful career. In fact, career readiness is such a fundamental part of the Otterbein experience that it is required for graduation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">This distinct approach makes Otterbein the only university in Ohio with a four-year required career readiness program. Much more than just a career center, an alumni panel, or a resume workshop, Otterbein READY is an intentionally designed curriculum that integrates career preparation into the college journey with four years of purposeful programming, guided exploration, personal advising, and immersive experiences.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Otterbein READY ensures students can engage earlier and more directly with the real-world experiences of their future professions and apply what they are learning in the classroom from day one.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_32\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_44  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_45  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>YEAR ONE<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_46 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\">The first year of college is a time of self-discovery for most students. Recognizing that, Otterbein READY encourages first-year students to reflect on who they are, what they love to do, and what is important to them. Through intentional coursework, guided reflection, and meaningful conversations with faculty, staff mentors, and academic advisors, students begin to identify their strengths and talents, clarify their goals, and explore opportunities. These early experiences lay the foundation of their career exploration and professional development journey for the next three years.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_33\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_2_3 et_pb_column_45  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_47  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>CORE YEARS<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_48 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">During their sophomore and junior years, Otterbein READY helps students translate self-discovery from their first year into plans and action by connecting them with people and resources that support their growth as students, emerging professionals, and global citizens. Every Otterbein student completes at least one immersive experience that allows them to apply their knowledge, gain real-world perspective, and deepen their potential for impact after graduation \u2014 although many choose to complete multiple experiences. These experiences may include internships, research, study abroad, community engagement, or other hands-on opportunities, and students are encouraged to choose experiences that challenge and inspire them. Thanks to generous donors, Otterbein provides immersive experience funding for students \u00ad\u2014 so if they can dream it, they can do it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Along with their immersive experiences, these core years provide programming to deepen connections with academic advisors, staff mentors, and campus resources; continue career exploration; and develop life and work goals.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_46  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_49 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong>The five focused areas for immersive experiences are:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Internships and Professional Experiences<\/p>\n<p>Community Engagement<\/p>\n<p>Global and Intercultural Experiences<\/p>\n<p>Leadership<\/p>\n<p>Undergraduate Research and Creative Work<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_34\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_47  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_50  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>SENIOR YEAR<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_51 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\">Senior year marks the culmination of a student&#8217;s Otterbein journey and the beginning of their next chapter. As they prepare to transition into new professional, personal, and community roles, students complete the Senior Year Experience (SYE), the curricular capstone of the Otterbein READY program. In this course, they reflect on their immersive experiences along with what they have learned through their academic and co-curricular opportunities. Designed to help students synthesize four years of growth, the SYE course challenges them to connect their knowledge, skills, and experiences while building their confidence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Seniors also complete a personalized READY plan for work and life after college and participate in practical life-skills workshops, fondly called \u201cAdulting 101.\u201d They practice their networking skills while building their professional networks with alumni and industry partners. By graduation day, students leave not only with a degree, but with a clear sense of purpose and a roadmap for their future.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_52 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>READY<\/b><b> Day Major Donors<br \/><\/b><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b>Th<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s3\"><b>ank you<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\"><b> <\/b><\/span><span class=\"s5\">to the following donors for their leadership-level gifts in support of READY Day 2026 and the READY Program during the past year:<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s6\"><b>Signature Corporate Sponsor:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s7\"><br \/><\/span><span class=\"s8\"><b>Worthington Companies Foundation <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/11\/WorthingtonFoundation_Lockup-crop.png\" width=\"300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16823 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: right;\" \/><\/b><b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Additional Leadership Level Donors:<\/b><\/span><span class=\"s7\"><br \/><\/span><span class=\"s9\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/span><span class=\"s8\"><b>\u2022 Angela Falstick Centofanti \u201997<br \/><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u2022 Sean Donnelly MBA \u201907 and Kellyn Donnelly<br \/><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u2022 Cheryl Sinden, Trustee Emerita and Former Chair<br \/><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u2022 Jack Whalen \u201966 and Karen Persson Whalen \u201968<br \/><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u2022 Class of 1976 Legacy Gift<br \/><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u2022 T-Mobile Education \u2013 Headshot Booth Sponsor<br \/><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>\u2022 Westerville Otterbein Women&#8217;s Club<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_35\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_48  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_53 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-300x300.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16825 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: left;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-2048x2048.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-1080x1080.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Ready-Day_white-center-1200x1200.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/>First held in September 2025, <\/span><span class=\"s2\"><b><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">READY Day <\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\">is the centerpiece of Otterbein READY. This annual campus-wide conference brings together students, alumni, employers, graduate schools, and community partners for a day of professional development, career exploration, and networking. Students participate in seminars and workshops tailored to their year of study, while also engaging with opportunities designed to support their personal and professional growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-300x200.webp\" width=\"345\" height=\"230\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15680 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: right; border-radius: 15px; margin-left: 1em;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-1536x1023.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-2048x1364.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-1080x720.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein9-24-252951-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 345px) 85vw, 345px\" \/>The inaugural READY Day demonstrated the power of the Otterbein network. More than 150 alumni returned to campus to share their expertise and career insights with current students, while more than 100 employers, community organizations, and graduate schools participated in the Next Destination Fair, a comprehensive showcase of internship, job, service, and continuing education opportunities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\"><b><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">First-Year Students<\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\">: Focus on learning about themselves, their major, and how to prepare for their four-year Otterbein experience. The Majors and Minors Fair provides an opportunity to explore academic options across campus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s3\"><b><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">Sophomores and Juniors:<\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"s4\"> Focus on planning immersive experiences, exploring opportunities with business and community partners, and developing professional skills in their area of interest. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\"><b><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">Seniors:<\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> Focus on planning for life post-Otterbein, making meaningful connections with their life and career goals, and refining their professional etiquette and skills. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\"><b><span style=\"color: #cb1920;\">Next Destination Fair: <\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"s1\">A career and graduate school fair for all students, where they&#8217;ll meet with representatives of area businesses, community agencies, and graduate schools.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/ready\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Learn more about Otterbein READY and READY Day here<\/span><span class=\"s2\">. &gt;<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_10\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><script>\nvar x = document.getElementsByClassName(\"author\");\nx[0].innerHTML = \"JENNY HILL \u201905, Director of Communications\";  \n<\/script><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Otterbein is one of a select number of schools&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":374,"featured_media":15732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-15956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Otterbein READY: From First Year to First Career - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/otterbein-ready-from-first-year-to-first-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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Skipper Retires"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_8 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_42 et_pb_equal_columns\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_5 et_pb_column_56  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_65  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>For George \u201cSkip\u201d Ford \u201980, P\u201912 a career in college athletics was never just about the equipment. It was always about the people. <\/b><\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_2_5 et_pb_column_57  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_9\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap has-box-shadow-overlay\"><div class=\"box-shadow-overlay\"><\/div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"skipFord\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-300x188.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-1024x640.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-768x480.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-1536x960.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-400x250.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-1080x675.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-1200x750.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15889\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_43\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_58  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_66 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>After 32 years as Otterbein\u2019s athletic equipment and facilities manager, Ford has retired with emeritus status, concluding a career defined by hard work, lasting relationships, and an unwavering commitment to student-athletes.<\/p>\n<p>Ford\u2019s connection to Otterbein runs deep. A 1980 graduate, he returned to his alma mater in 1994 and spent more than three decades helping ensure Cardinals teams had everything they needed to succeed.<\/p>\n<p>From preparing uniforms and equipment to setting up athletic facilities, Ford worked tirelessly behind the scenes to support every game, competition, and athletic event. He was often among the first to arrive and the last to leave, helping create a seamless experience for generations of student-athletes, coaches, and fans.<\/p>\n<p>But Ford\u2019s impact extended far beyond his job responsibilities.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_67  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>&#8220;<span class=\"s2\">He was a presence that everyone felt. When I speak with alumni, one of the first things they ask is, \u2018How\u2019s Skipper doing?\u2019 Students who worked for him deeply valued his friendship. Student-athletes who competed while he was here deeply valued his genuine desire to help them and make sure they had a good experience. I already miss Ford\u2019s daily salute and exclamation of \u2018Hi Boss!\u2019&#8221;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong><span class=\"s1\"> \u2013 <\/span><span class=\"s2\">Director of Athletics Greg Lott<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_68 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-300x188.webp\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15890 alignnone size-medium\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 1em;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-300x188.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-1024x640.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-768x480.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-1536x960.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-400x250.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-1080x675.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1-1200x750.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/skipFord-FeatIMG-1.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/>While Ford worked countless games and events throughout his career, it is the people of Otterbein he remembers most fondly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cAs a facilities equipment guy, when we hosted the basketball national championship game, seeing the students fill the stands and the atmosphere created around the game is something unforgettable,\u201d Ford said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Last spring, Ford was honored with the Support Staff Member of the Year Award at the Cardy Awards, a fitting recognition for someone whose contributions touched every corner of the Athletic Department.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">As he begins this next chapter, Ford looks forward to spending more time with family, though leaving Otterbein will not be easy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong style=\"font-size: 22px; color: #cb1920;\">\u201cI will miss the people. The students, staff, coaches, and faculty are outstanding. This place is just a great place to be and work,\u201d<\/strong> Ford said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Though Ford will no longer be working behind the scenes on game days, Cardinals fans may still spot him on campus, cheering from the stands as his son, <strong>Brent Ford \u201912<\/strong>, announces Otterbein football and men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball games.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_44\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_59  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_12\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 700px !important;\n    height: 1000px !important;\n  }\n<\/style><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_13\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><script>\nvar x = document.getElementsByClassName(\"author\");\nx[0].innerHTML = \"CATIE CARSON \u201921, MBA\u201923, Social Media\/Multi-Media Design Specialist\";  \n<\/script><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For George \u201cSkip\u201d Ford \u201980, P\u201912 a career in 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Returns Home to\u00a0Lead Belonging Efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_10 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_48\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_64  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_73  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>When Rhonda Talford McClure \u201996 accepted the role of Otterbein University&#8217;s chief inclusion officer, it felt less like a new beginning and more like a homecoming.<\/b><\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_74 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIt is a full-circle moment for me. I am returning home,\u201d Talford McClure said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">She has more than 20 years of experience in equity and inclusion leadership, organizational culture transformation, and strategic partnership building. But she isn&#8217;t approaching her new role at Otterbein bringing all the answers \u2014 for now, she is focused on listening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cGetting to relearn the very campus that included me in the \u201990s\u201d is among her top priorities during her first year, Talford McClure said. \u201cI want to learn as much as I can from faculty, staff, students, parents and family members, and the community so I can support people in ways that make sense for them, their departments, the students we serve, and the communities we impact.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">As a cabinet-level leader, Talford McClure will coordinate efforts across the University to advance Otterbein&#8217;s Belonging Plan and foster a campus environment where all members of the community can thrive. She sees the work as one built almost entirely on collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThis will be the best part of this work,\u201d she said. \u201cMost everything, if not everything, will be accomplished through collaboration and partnerships with people across our beautiful campus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">For Talford McClure, belonging is deeply personal. Reflecting on her own student experience at Otterbein, she remembers feeling empowered to share her perspective and participate fully in campus life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cBelonging for me was being able to use my voice, speak up, and know that my perspective was going to be heard,\u201d she said. \u201cNot necessarily agreed upon, but heard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">She also recognizes that belonging looks different for every student. \u201cToday, my job is to learn what our students in 2026 need to feel like they belong,\u201d she said. \u201cBelonging is not one-size-fits-all. We all have different experiences and needs that lead us to belonging.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">As she settles into her new role, Talford McClure remains guided by the values that first took root during her time as a student.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_75  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 class=\"p1\">\u201cReturning home to Otterbein brings both deep gratitude and a clear sense of responsibility. I am energized by the opportunity ahead and committed to getting this work right through intentional action, accountability, and measurable impact.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: right;\"><span class=\"s1\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><\/span><span class=\"s2\">\u00ad\u00ad\u2014 <\/span><span class=\"s2\">Rhonda Talford McClure \u201996 <\/span><span class=\"s3\"><i>Chief Inclusion Officer<\/i><\/span><\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_49\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_65  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_16\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 700px !important;\n    height: 900px !important;\n  }\n<\/style><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div 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of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":374,"featured_media":15920,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-15912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Alumna Returns Home to\u00a0Lead Belonging Efforts - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/alumna-returns-home-to-lead-belonging-efforts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" 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Weekend 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_12 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_52\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column_68  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_11\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"8192\" height=\"5464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-117.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-117.webp 8192w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-117-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-117-1024x683.webp 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15618\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column_69  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_79 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p class=\"p1\"><strong>Otterbein\u2019s Homecoming Weekend<\/strong> brought Cardinals from across generations back to campus for a celebration of connection, tradition, and Cardinal spirit. Alumni and friends enjoyed class reunions, including the <strong>Class of 1976 50th Golden Reunion<\/strong>, special affinity gatherings, the annual parade and football game, and opportunities to reconnect with friends, faculty, and staff during <strong>OtterFest<\/strong>. The weekend highlighted the strength of the Otterbein community, honored alumni achievements and donor impact, and showcased the <strong>lifelong bonds and pride that unite the Cardinal family<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_53\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_70  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_12 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 341\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-341-1-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15750\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_80  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Cardinals enjoying time together at Homecoming.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_13 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1601\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184.webp 2400w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-2048x1366.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-1080x720.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-184-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15658\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_81  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Black Student Union Fun at the Parade.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_71  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_14 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-scaled.webp 1707w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-200x300.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-683x1024.webp 683w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-768x1152.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-1024x1536.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-1366x2048.webp 1366w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-1080x1619.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-340-1-1200x1799.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15749\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_82  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>A Cardinal family enjoying OtterFest.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_72  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_15 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-328-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15748\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_83  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>In step with the marching band.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_16 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-002-1-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15739\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_84  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Homecoming reunion with alumni, staff, and friends.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_54\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_73  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_17 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-220-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15744\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_85  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Having a ball at OtterFest.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_74  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_18 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-182-1-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15743\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_86  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Parade float fun.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_75  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_19 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-145-1-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15742\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_87  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Celebrating community service at the parade.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_55\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_76  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_20 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"8192\" height=\"5464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-095.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-095.webp 8192w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-095-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-095-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-095-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15617\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_88  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Homecoming 2026 royalty.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_77  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_21 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming OtterFest 281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-281-1-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15746\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_89  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Cardy with students and furry friends.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_3 et_pb_column_78  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_22 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"Otterbein 199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-199-1-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15755\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_90  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h6>Class of 1976 Golden 50th Reunion friends.<\/h6><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_56 et_pb_equal_columns et_pb_gutters2\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column_79  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_91 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h5 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: right;\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Class of 1977: <\/b><\/span><b>Your 50th Reunion will be in 2027!<\/b><\/h5><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_0_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_right et_pb_module \">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_0 et_pb_bg_layout_light\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/alumni\/golden-reunion-1977\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-icon=\"9\">Click here for more information!<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column_80  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_23 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1173\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"EV26092526 Otterbein Homecoming Class Of 1976 50th 145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145-1080x721.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-Class-of-1976-50th-145-1200x801.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15738\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_57\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_81  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_5 et_pb_divider_position_center et_pb_space\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_92 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h5 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\">To view more photos from the weekend visit our Flickr gallery!<\/h5><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_1_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_center et_pb_module \">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_1 et_pb_bg_layout_light\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/otterbein\/albums\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-icon=\"9\">View HCFW 2026 Photos<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_20\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 600px !important;\n    height: 1000px !important;\n    background-postion: top center !important;\n  }\n<\/style><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Otterbein\u2019s Homecoming Weekend brought Cardinals from&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":374,"featured_media":15745,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-15966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Homecoming Weekend 2026 - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/homecoming-weekend-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Homecoming Weekend 2026 - Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Otterbein\u2019s Homecoming Weekend brought Cardinals from...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/homecoming-weekend-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-30T18:15:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-02T18:26:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/EV26092526-Otterbein-Homecoming-OtterFest-227-1.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Otterbein Editorial Staff\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Otterbein Editorial Staff\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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Sky was Blue on Sept. 11, 2001"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_14 et_pb_with_background et_section_regular et_section_transparent section_has_divider et_pb_bottom_divider\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_64\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_96  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_7 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_bottom_inside_divider et-no-transition\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_15 et_section_regular et_section_transparent section_has_divider et_pb_bottom_divider\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_65\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_97  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_8 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_9 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_bottom_inside_divider et-no-transition\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_16 et_pb_with_background et_section_regular et_section_transparent section_has_divider et_pb_bottom_divider\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_66\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_98  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_10 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_11 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_67 et_pb_equal_columns et_pb_gutters3\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_5 et_pb_column_99  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_107 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h1 style=\"border-bottom: 2px solid #0a2540!important;\">The Sky was Blue on Sept. 11, 2001<\/h1>\n<p>Twenty-five years after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Otterbein hosted events on campus to provide community for those who remember that tragic day and historical perspective and personal insight for students who know 9\/11 primarily through textbooks and documentaries. Early in the week, students, faculty, staff, and alumni were invited to help place 2,977 flags on the lawn in front of Towers Hall, one representing each victim of the attacks, and their country of origin.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_2_5 et_pb_column_100  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_37\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap has-box-shadow-overlay\"><div class=\"box-shadow-overlay\"><\/div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-29-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"Image-29\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-29-1.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-29-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-29-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-29-1-768x768.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" class=\"wp-image-17345\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_68\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_101  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_12 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_bottom_inside_divider et-no-transition\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_17 et_pb_with_background et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_69\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_102  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_13 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_70 et_pb_equal_columns et_pb_gutters3\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_2_5 et_pb_column_103  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_38\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1254\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC07543-1024x1536-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"DSC07543-1024x1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC07543-1024x1536-1.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC07543-1024x1536-1-245x300.webp 245w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC07543-1024x1536-1-836x1024.webp 836w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/DSC07543-1024x1536-1-768x941.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-17376\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_5 et_pb_column_104  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_108 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>At a campus remembrance event held on Sept. 10, Director of Choral Activities <strong>Gayle Walker<\/strong> led the Concert Choir in a performance on campus. Before they sang, Walker shared her reflection of leading members of Otterbein\u2019s Concert Choir at a fundraiser at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001. Also at the 25th remembrance event, <strong>Willie Franklin \u201910<\/strong>, staff emeritus, shared reflections from campus; senior lecturer <strong>Maria Tarbell<\/strong> shared reflections from Washington, D.C.; and theatre lighting design professor <strong>TJ Gerckens \u201988<\/strong> and his wife, <strong>Stephanie Haney Gerckens \u201987<\/strong>, shared their reflections from New York City and central Ohio, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>On Friday, Sept. 11, many members of the Otterbein community joined the Westerville Fire and Police Divisions, VFW\/American Legion, and other residents at the annual City of Westerville remembrance gathering at First Responders Park. Just steps from campus on Main Street, the park is built around artifact C-40, a piece of steel from the North Tower.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_71\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_105  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_14 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_72\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column_106  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_39\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"Image (42)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1.webp 1758w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1-1080x720.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Image-42-1-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15753\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column_107  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_40\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"Choir 1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1.webp 2400w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-2048x1365.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-1080x720.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/choir-1-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-15645\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_73\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_108  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_15 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_18 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_74\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_109  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_divider_16 et_pb_space et_pb_divider_hidden\"><div class=\"et_pb_divider_internal\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_22\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n \n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 600px !important;\n    height: 800px !important;\n  }\n   \n   .et_pb_title_container {display:none !important;}\n\n<\/style>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Sky was Blue on Sept. 11, 2001 Twenty-five years&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":15752,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-17108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Sky was Blue on Sept. 11, 2001 - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/the-sky-was-blue-on-sept-11-2001\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Sky was Blue on Sept. 11, 2001 - Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Sky was Blue on Sept. 11, 2001 Twenty-five years...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/the-sky-was-blue-on-sept-11-2001\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-30T18:05:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-02T18:30:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" 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from President Comerford, Fall 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_24 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_86\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_124  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_111 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong>Cardinals,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fall is a wonderful time to be on a college campus. Students and faculty are back and hard at work in classrooms, labs, and on the playing fields. Parking lots are full, and the Cardinal\u2019s Nest is busy. Otterbein is excited to welcome nearly 750 new first-year, adult, and transfer students to campus this fall.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_87 et_pb_gutters2\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_5 et_pb_column_125  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_112 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>Those students arrive on a campus that is significantly changed after the retirement of two Otterbein legends. <strong>Professor Joan Rocks<\/strong>, who developed the Athletic Training program at Otterbein and built the Department of Health and Sport Sciences, retired after serving Otterbein for 34 years. And <strong>George \u201cSkip\u201d Ford<\/strong>, after impacting the lives of thousands of Otterbein athletes in his role as athletic facilities supervisor\/equipment administrator, retired after 32 years. Both Joan and Skip shaped Otterbein through their hard work, their care, and their commitment to serving others.<\/p>\n<p>READY is another program that sets Otterbein apart from other universities. READY is the only four-year career and professional development program in the state of Ohio in which participation is required to graduate. The most visible part of the program is READY Day, when classes are cancelled and offices are closed so all faculty, staff, and students can participate in an on-campus career development conference. Students are required to participate in immersive, high-impact practice like internships, research and creative work, study abroad, significant leadership activity, or community service. And the program works \u2014 100% of seniors who participated in the National Survey of Student Engagement reported completing an immersive experience. Even more amazing, 90% of seniors reported completing two such experiences, significantly more than our private university peers in the Great Lakes regions.<\/p>\n<p>The Church of the Master celebrates its 175th anniversary this fall. Otterbein and the Church (first known as Otterbein Station) have a history and future that are intertwined. The supportive relationship continues to strengthen. Associate Pastor Lucy Kelly also serves as Otterbein\u2019s director of faith and spiritual life and is making a huge impact on campus while the Church membership provides funds for students in need, special events, and free coffee and donuts every Monday morning!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_2_5 et_pb_column_126  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_45\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-President-John-Comerford-is-pictured-here-with-Church-of-the-Master-Senior-Pastor-Katya-Brodbeck.jpg\" alt=\"President John Comerford is pictured here with Nevalyn Fritsche Nevil \u201971 and Floyd Akins, vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement\" title=\"Otterbein President John Comerford is pictured here with Church of the Master Senior Pastor Katya Brodbeck.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-President-John-Comerford-is-pictured-here-with-Church-of-the-Master-Senior-Pastor-Katya-Brodbeck.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-President-John-Comerford-is-pictured-here-with-Church-of-the-Master-Senior-Pastor-Katya-Brodbeck-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-President-John-Comerford-is-pictured-here-with-Church-of-the-Master-Senior-Pastor-Katya-Brodbeck-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Otterbein-President-John-Comerford-is-pictured-here-with-Church-of-the-Master-Senior-Pastor-Katya-Brodbeck-768x960.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-16686\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_113 towers_caption  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>President John Comerford is pictured here with Church of the Master Senior Pastor Katya Brodbeck. Comerford spoke at the church\u2019s 175th celebration and presented a gift from Otterbein that was created at the Point in the Maker Space. The inscription reads: \u201cPraeterita et Futura Nexa (from Latin, \u201cthe past and the future are interconnected\u201d). Presented on this 27th Day of September, 2026 on the Occasion of the Church&#8217;s 175th Anniversary.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_88\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_127  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_114 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>Finally, Otterbein celebrated another great Homecoming Weekend. It is wonderful to welcome our alumni back to campus. We had a great 50th Reunion celebration for the Class of 1976.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>With Cardinal pride,<\/strong><br><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-7213\" style=\"width: 150px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/03\/PJLC-signature.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/03\/PJLC-signature.png 808w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/03\/PJLC-signature-300x189.png 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/03\/PJLC-signature-768x485.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" width=\"808\" height=\"510\"><br><strong>John L. Comerford, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_89\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_128  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_24\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\">\n<style>\n  .sub_feature{\n    min-height: 600px !important;\n    height: 800px !important;\n  }\n<\/style><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cardinals, Fall is a wonderful time to be on a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":8261,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-16682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-spotlight","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Letter from President Comerford, Fall 2026 - Otterbein University Towers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/letter-from-president-comerford-fall-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Letter from President Comerford, Fall 2026 - Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cardinals, Fall is a wonderful time to be on a...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/letter-from-president-comerford-fall-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Otterbein University Towers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-30T18:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-30T18:46:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2023\/03\/Otterbein-Seal-Featured-Image.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" 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with Melissa Dawn Simkins \u201999"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_26 et_section_regular et_section_transparent\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_94\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_134  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_119  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h1>Interview with Melissa Dawn Simkins \u201999<\/h1>\n<p>Recently, <strong>AJ Najy \u201927<\/strong>, an English and Music Performance major with a minor in Women&#8217;s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies had the opportunity to interview <strong>Melissa Dawn Simkins \u201999<\/strong>, author of the Athleadership program and the new book Athleadership: The Elite Athletic Mindset: How to Lead Under Pressure and Perform When It Counts.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_47 et_pb_image_sticky\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Melissa Dawn Simkins &#039;99 (1)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.otterbein.edu\/towersmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/10\/Melissa-Dawn-Simkins-99-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" class=\"wp-image-16704\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_120 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"background-color: #cb1920; color: #fff; font-size: 18px; border-radius: 8px; padding: 8px;\">Class of 1999<\/span> Public Relations &amp;communications Major<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_95\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_135  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_121 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>What did your time at Otterbein look like? Which clubs, classes, and\/or hobbies did you participate in? What are your favorite memories?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>During my time at Otterbein, I enjoyed being involved in many aspects of campus life. I was a member of PRSSA, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Nu Phi Chapter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">I also received a scholarship through a community service grant that allowed me to spend significant time working with the Indianola Middle School mentoring program. That remains one of my most meaningful experiences. We had the opportunity to mentor students in Columbus and give them greater access, encouragement and a vision for what college life could look like. At the same time, we learned just as much about service, responsibility, and the impact we could have on someone else&#8217;s future.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">I also worked throughout college and completed internships with Victoria&#8217;s Secret and Nationwide Insurance. Those experiences gave me an early opportunity to connect what I was learning in the classroom to the real world.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_96\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_136  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_122 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>Tell me about your book. What inspired you to write it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong><em>Athleadership: The Elite Athletic Mindset: How to Lead Under Pressure and Perform When It Counts<\/em> came from my own journey of discovering that when life puts on the pressure, you can either break or build.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">I have always seen myself as an athlete, not simply because of a sport I played, but because of the mindset. That mindset helped me navigate setbacks, uncertainty, loss, and some of the most demanding moments of my career and life.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Over the last two decades, I&#8217;ve also had the opportunity to work alongside CEOs, Fortune 500 leaders, elite athletes, and entrepreneurs. What became clear to me is that the highest performers don&#8217;t simply rise to important moments. They condition themselves for them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">My vision for Athleadership is to give anyone the ability to think, feel, decide and perform at their best when it counts most. The world often tells us leaders are born. I believe they are built.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_97\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_137  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_123 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>What are a few ways your Otterbein education helped you to write your book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>I studied public relations and communications with a minor in business, so there is a very direct connection between what I learned at Otterbein and the work I do today.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Professors such as Dr. Denise Shively challenged me to understand not only how to write, but how to communicate an idea so that someone else could see it, feel it and act on it. I learned to think about audience, message and the responsibility that comes with communication.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Otterbein also gave me room to find my voice. That became incredibly important later as an entrepreneur, speaker, and ultimately an author. Writing a book isn&#8217;t simply about having something to say. It&#8217;s about learning how to communicate an idea clearly enough that it can become meaningful to someone else.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_98\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_138  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_124 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>What advice would you give to a student interested in your field of work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>Don&#8217;t spend all of your energy trying to figure out the perfect career. Spend more time becoming the person who will be ready when an opportunity appears.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Build relationships before you need them. Ask questions. Take the internship. Volunteer for the assignment that scares you a little. Get in rooms where you aren&#8217;t the smartest or most experienced person yet and pay attention.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">And don&#8217;t underestimate the value of being someone people can count on. Talent may get you noticed, but your ability to deliver, adapt, communicate and build trust is what creates a career.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Your first job doesn&#8217;t have to reveal your entire future. Mine didn&#8217;t. But every experience can give you another rep toward becoming who you are capable of being.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_99\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_139  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_125 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>You&#8217;ve worked extensively with Fortune 500 companies, athletes and entrepreneurs while also working as a CEO and entrepreneur yourself. What are some common misconceptions about leadership that you have encountered?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>One of the biggest misconceptions is that leadership is a position or something you automatically become when you receive a title.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Leadership is a response.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">You discover a lot more about someone&#8217;s leadership when the plan changes, the pressure rises, the answer isn&#8217;t obvious, and other people are looking to them for direction.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Another misconception is that knowing how to lead means you will automatically be able to do it when the pressure is on. Knowledge matters, but access matters more. Can you access what you know when you&#8217;re tired, uncertain, challenged or under pressure?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">That&#8217;s one of the lessons elite athletes understand exceptionally well. You don&#8217;t wait until game day to decide how you&#8217;re going to perform. You condition the response long before the moment arrives.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_100\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_140  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_126 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>What do you hope readers gain from Athleadership?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>I want people to finish the book seeing themselves differently.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Not everyone will be an athlete, but anyone can become an athleader. To me, an&nbsp; athleader is someone who is willing to condition themselves to meet the moment in front of them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">I want readers to understand that resilience, agility, alignment and wellbeing aren&#8217;t fixed traits that some people have and others don&#8217;t. They can be practiced. They can be conditioned.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, I want someone to close the book believing, &#8220;I can build this.&#8221; Because the moments that matter most rarely give us advance notice. The work we do before those moments determines who shows up when they arrive.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_101\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_141  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_127 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>What led you to become a trustee at Otterbein after graduating? What was your favorite part of serving as a trustee, and how did this experience influence your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>Otterbein invested in me at an important stage of my life, so serving as a trustee was an opportunity to invest back into an institution that had helped shape me.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">What I valued most was being able to see the university from a completely different vantage point. As a student, you experience the university through your classes, friendships, and campus life. As a trustee, you begin to understand the decisions, stewardship, strategy and leadership required to ensure an institution continues serving generations of students.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">It reinforced something that has carried throughout my career: leadership requires you to think beyond yourself. You have to consider the people who are here today while also making decisions for people you may never meet.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">And it was meaningful to return to Otterbein not simply as a graduate, but to invest in students in particular.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_row et_pb_row_102\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_142  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_with_border et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_128 towers_text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">Q.<\/span>Was there a particular experience or athlete that helped shape your philosophy of applying the mindset of elite athletes to leadership?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #cb1920; padding-right: 10px;\">A.<\/span><\/strong>There wasn&#8217;t one athlete or one moment. It was a pattern I kept seeing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Throughout my career, I&#8217;ve had the privilege of working with and around elite performers in sports and business. What fascinated me wasn&#8217;t simply what they did when everyone was watching. It was what happened before that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">The preparation. The repetition. The recovery. The coaching. The film study. The willingness to practice something over and over so that when the pressure arrived, the response was already there.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Then I would walk into organizations and see talented leaders facing their own high-pressure moments, but we often approached their preparation very differently. We gave leaders information and expected performance. Athletes would never prepare that way.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">That gap became the foundation for Athleadership.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 10px;\">Elite athletes don&#8217;t become elite because someone told them what great performance looks like. They condition for it. I believe leaders can do the same.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_103\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_143  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_code et_pb_code_26\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_code_inner\"><style>\n  \n  .et_pb_featured_bg {display:none !important;}\n  \n\n<\/style>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Interview with Melissa Dawn Simkins \u201999 Recently, AJ&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":16704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[7],"class_list":["post-16692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive-web-content","tag-7"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - 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