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Otterbein Named Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center

Front, L-R: Valerie Cumming, vice mayor, City of Westerville; Rev. Vaughn Bell, board member, Westerville City Schools; Elizabeth Brown, council member, City of Columbus; James Prysock ’09, director for the Office of Activism and Social Justice, Otterbein University; Cheryl Ward, director of emotional and student support services, Columbus City Schools. Back, L-R: John Comerford, president, Otterbein University; Wendy Sherman-Heckler, provost and executive vice president, Otterbein University; Margaret Koehler, professor and chair of the Department of English, Otterbein University; Kathryn Plank, director, Center for Teaching and Learning and interim associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of university programs, Otterbein University; and Tanya McClanahan, supervisor of higher education partnerships, Columbus City Schools.

Otterbein has been selected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities as one of 23 universities across the United States to host Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Centers. Otterbein is the only institution in Ohio to receive this recognition. As a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center (TRHT), Otterbein will work with its own campus community as well as the Columbus City and Westerville City school districts to create positive narrative change about race; promote racial healing activities; and erase structural barriers to equal treatment and opportunity. Otterbein leaders were joined by leaders from Westerville and Columbus for the announcement on Feb. 19.

VIDEO TIME CODES
    > 00:10 – Welcoming remarks, James Prysock, MBA
    > 01:30 – John Comerford, Ph.D.
    > 05:00 – Valerie Cumming
    > 12:20 – Cheryl Ward, LPCC-S
    > 19:21 – Rev. Vaughn Bell
    > 23:08 – Elizabeth Brown
    > 29:58 – Closing remarks, John Comerford, Ph.D.

Speaker Quotes

James Prysock, MBA

“We have learned a big secret at Otterbein, that I’ll fill you in on. When you gather the right people to do the right work, great things are possible.”

“As we start the conversation about the work we’ll be doing together as a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center, I can assure you that the work will be intentional, innovative and inclusive.”

 

President John Comerford

“If you know anything about Otterbein, you know that we are not afraid of doing the right thing before it’s popular.”

“Today, we’re still not afraid to take on the big issues in society. We’re tackling access and affordability and workforce development. We are taking on success for traditionally underserved undergraduate populations. We’re integrating the liberal arts and have been a leader in that since the 1960s. And so today we get to add one more to that list, and I have got to say it has the most intimidating title of anything we’ve ever tried: Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation.”

“We all recognize from times in our lives where we learn a new perspective, where we see something from a new angle, where we meet someone who is different from us and understand the world and where they come from, and we see the world differently after that moment.”

“We hope and believe this will creates a real regional movement that will transform our communities for the better to and make sure that everyone has the opportunities that they deserve.”

“We are one of 23 campus centers in the country and the only one in Ohio.”

 

Valerie Cumming, Vice Mayor, Westerville City Council

“When a college accepts a designation as a Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Center, that college takes an enormous step towards the brighter, better future Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed about.” by Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville)

“If you are a person of color [in Westerville] your median household income is closer to $65,000 than $90,000. Your son or daughter is less likely to graduate from high school or receive a bachelor’s degree. The poverty rate for people of color in our community isn’t 5%, it’s 18%.”

“…Diversity is not something we celebrate one day or festival or month out of the year but recognize and respect every single moment.”

“…At the end of the day we are all one community. And this designation from TRHT Enterprise shows that we are a community that is willing to have these difficult conversations, to admit to these uncomfortable truths and to do the work to build the best possible city for all of us.”

 

Cheryl Ward, LPCC-S, Director of Social-Emotional and Student Support Services Columbus City Schools

“…through this transformation process, our collective selves will transcend and give space to a stronger world. Where we value human life because it is human life.”

“Otterbein has been an authentic and intentional partner with Columbus City Schools, providing opportunities for our students, staff and community. Their commitment to ensure our students have a sense of belonging on this campus and are essential to the fabric of this institution, speaks to their belief in the value of their human life, their narrative, and the power of their contribution to humanity.”

 

Rev. Vaughn Bell, Board Member, Board of Education Westerville City School District

“It is truly our hope that this new TRHT partnership will be beneficial in helping us to create welcoming, diverse and inclusive learning communities…”

“…As we move forward, in truly, transforming our community, from not just a community but to becoming the beloved community.”

 

Elizabeth Brown, President Pro Tempore, Columbus City Council

“We know the statistics that the zip code where someone is born is often predictive of how long they’ll live, whether to one-year-old, 65-years-old or 95-years-old. We know it’s predicative of whether you’ll graduate college or perhaps serve time in prison. We know it’s predictive of what kind of life-time earnings you have…zip code is almost a nice way to say it; we are talking about racism that manifests every day in our communities.”

“I’d like to set a new standard for what a good education is. I have a four-year-old and a one year old, and by the time they go to college, I want them to be looking at measuring institutions not based on some statistics in the US News and World Report, but whether a campus is reckoning with big issues like racial healing.”

“…Otterbein looks at its students as its best resource, that they can really come together and lead in tough conversations because the university supports it. So, Otterbein is right for this ambitious work, because your students are your guide. I know that when I step foot on this campus and I am grateful to be a part of it.”

“Most of us in this room acknowledge that racism exists today, but to embark on a project of racial healing is not to say that racism exists but to look inward at how it exists. Not the legacy of racism, but the presence of racism. The present day racism that continues to divide communities, lead to disproportionate access depending on what zip code and skin color you are born into and saying we are not willing to accept that fate anymore.”

 

Related Link:

Otterbein SRNA Volunteers in NYC ICU for COVID-19

A Life-Changing Perspective

In April, Monica Arce ’21, a senior nurse anesthesia student in the Graduate Nursing program at Otterbein, volunteered to work in the fight against COVID-19 as a frontline ICU nurse in New York City. This is a brief reflection, in her own words, of her experience.

I am a senior SRNA at Otterbein who has been out of clinicals for the past couple months due to COVID-19 response.

I have always been someone who needs to serve and to use my skills to the best of my ability. In April, I volunteered to go to New York City to work as a frontline ICU nurse in the fight against COVID-19. It was very challenging mentally, physically and emotionally, working 21 long 12-hour shifts, with no days off.

The patients were the sickest people I have ever seen in the most chaotic and overwhelmed care. We were short-staffed, low on supplies and had minimal working equipment. We worked together to overcome challenges that healthcare workers should never have to face. I was honored to work alongside some of the bravest, most knowledgeable and inventive nurses I have ever met. We came from all over the country with one mission: to keep people alive and let no one die alone. Most nights that was all that we were capable of doing.

These were some of the worst nights of my life, but the generosity and gratefulness of the community kept us coming back shift after shift. My perspective of humanity has forever been changed. I have been humbled beyond words. I have cried more in the past month than I have in my entire life. I have held more hands and said more final goodbyes than most people do in a lifetime.

I am a different nurse and human because of this experience. I know that every day for the rest of my life I will be caring for someone. And I know that when I am needed, I will be there. Because that is what nurses do, we respond to the call.

We asked Arce if there was anything in her Otterbein experience that helped prepare her for what she experienced.

Aside from my classes and education, I have always been encouraged by my professors to seek out opportunities, to be a leader and to have grit. We are encouraged to live above the line, to strive to be all that we can be and to take ownership of what we do. Not only do they encourage us to be outgoing, to be leaders and to care for others, but they also teach us to care for ourselves.

The staff of my CRNA program has supported me through many things over the past couple of years. They have encouraged me and treated me like family. I feel blessed to be a part of Otterbein.

Alumni on the Frontlines

Cardinals are offering essential services to their communities during the pandemic.

When Otterbein alumni graduate, they go into their communities inspired to make a difference. Today, alumni across the country are contributing to the fight against the coronavirus in many ways. From the healthcare providers, researchers or first responders who are working to overcome the virus to the teachers who are educating our children during the most difficult circumstances — and everything in between. Their service to the greater good is needed and appreciated now more than ever.

Drawing with Mr. J

When Jonathan Juravich ’05 was named Ohio Teacher of the Year in 2018, his passion for art education found a wider audience. Now his online series, “Drawing with Mr. J” is reaching out to students wherever they are during this health crisis, engaging them in short, themed drawing challenges to promote social and emotional skills.
“A year ago, we started work on a concept that would invite children to explore and discuss their feelings through silly drawing prompts. When the series was rolled out this winter, we had no idea that it would be so timely,” Juravich said. “There are currently only six episodes, but those episodes have hopefully prompted some important conversations between parents and their kids, and ome great drawing fun. We are all experiencing a vast array of emotions right now, and how we feel changes constantly. But, how do we begin to have a conversation unless we know how to identify and describe our feelings? That is what I hope we are doing, playing a small part in this moment.”

Check out his videos at www.wosu.org/mrj.

Covering the Crisis

A new program hit TVs in Ohio in March, and quickly became so popular it is the subject of international news articles, memes, t-shirts and even a song or two. That program is Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s daily coronavirus briefings, live every weekday at 2 p.m. Three Otterbein alumni have been actively involved in the program — Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler ’89 and Statehouse News Reporter Andy Chow ’08 are on Ohio’s PBS and NPR stations every day with live coverage of the briefings; and Megan Wycuff ’11 is deputy director for The Ohio Channel, the broadcasting arm of Statehouse News, which airs the daily briefing.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most important tools people can have is information,” Chow said. “We believe that the coverage we’re providing for Ohio’s NPR and PBS stations has played a vital role in bringing that information to people around the state. Although covering the coronavirus can be somber and turbulent, it’s been a privilege to sit alongside Karen and carry out this important work.”

Find more information at The Ohio Channel.

Pictured (left to right) is Andy Chow, Megan Wycuff, and Karen Kasler in the studio of The Ohio Channel at the Ohio Statehouse.

Saluting Our Healthcare Professionals and First Responders

From nurses like Sophie Allen Wei ’19, who is caring for COVID-19 patients at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, NY, to researchers like Sophie’s husband, Derek Wei ’19, a grad student at Cornell testing antiviral drugs against the virus, Otterbein alumni are making a difference in the lives of people directly impacted by the virus.

“Amidst the fear and uncertainty of these times, I have found purpose in knowing that my ability to care for COVID-19 positive patients in my community goes far beyond providing medical care,” said Sophie. “These patients, among thousands of others across our nation, are separated from their families for multiple weeks and, in some cases, months. In my position, I have the opportunity and responsibility to update my patients’ loved ones as they fight this virus and communicate messages of hope and love.”

“Spending the last two months working in a lab focused on SARS-CoV-2 has shown me the enormous efforts many people are making during this time. Researchers across the nation and world are coming together to share knowledge to combat this pandemic. While there is still much work to be done, it is encouraging to see the strides that have been made in understanding this virus and disease. I am blessed to have had the privilege of working among such great minds,” said Derek.

Mary. B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award

OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY HAS SELECTED JAMES A. AND KATHLEEN C. RUTHERFORD P’99 AS THE 2020 RECIPIENTS OF THE MARY B. THOMAS COMMITMENT TO OTTERBEIN AWARD.

For more than two decades, Otterbein Trustee Emeritus Jim Rutherford and his spouse, Kathy, have been true leadership and service ambassadors for Otterbein. Jim is a first-generation graduate of Denison University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He co-founded Goal Systems International, a computer systems software and information technology services company in Columbus in 1976 and has served on the boards of a number of public and privately-owned companies. He has also been a trustee of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Case Western Reserve University. “Going to college changed the trajectory of my life,” he said.

Jim and Kathy raised two sons: Mark, a 1995 CWRU engineering graduate, and Keith, a 1999 business graduate of Otterbein. It was Keith’s experience at Otterbein that showed Jim and Kathy the impact of the Otterbein community and inspired them to begin creating opportunities for other students.

Jim’s tenure as a trustee (2012-2018) saw the launch and successful completion of the Where We STAND Matters campaign, which raised more than $52 million for the University. Jim and Kathy were also key personal investors in that campaign.

In 1997, Jim and Kathy established the James A. and Kathleen C. Rutherford Endowed Scholarship, and they have continued to bolster the endowment so that more first-generation students with financial need can meet their academic and leadership potential. “Kathy and I want these students to use their education to go out and do good things,” said Jim. “It doesn’t matter if they make a lot of money — we want them to be competent and leave the world a better place.”

To launch and help support the Where We STAND Matters Campaign, the Rutherfords made a $500,000 commitment: a multi-year $250,000 grant to “raise awareness of the University both locally and nationally to ensure the University’s viability and competitiveness in a challenging market environment” plus a $250,000 bequest. Their longtime annual support for the University’s Otterbein FUND shows they realize the impact of unrestricted annual gifts. They are among the founding members of Otterbein’s Joanne Van Sant Society, which honors donors who make annual gifts of $1,000 or more each fiscal year.

“We’re helping deserving students lead successful lives,” Jim said. “When they become successful, they can help others become successful. To Kathy and me, that’s how philanthropy works.”

The Rutherfords will be honored at an alumni awards ceremony during Homecoming celebrations in September.

 

Past Recipients:

2019: Annie Upper Ames ’86
2018: Thomas C. ’63 and Sarah K. Morrison
2017: Wendell Foote ’60
2017: Dr. Thomas R. ’51 and Jean Hostetler ’54 Bromeley
2015: John ’68 and Susie King
2014: Dr. William E. ’48 and Helen Hilt ’47 LeMay
2012: Vernon L. Pack ’50
2011: Vida S. Clements Foundation
2011: Ernest ‘38 and Neva Fritsche
2011: Dr. Edwin ’47 and Marilou Harold ’45 Roush

Otterbein Classes Move Online

Distance Learning

by Will Elkins

Click of a mouse, clack of a keyboard: these noises have now become synonymous with the 2020 Spring semester at Otterbein University as students moved their academic pursuits off-campus and into their homes.

With the growing spread of the COVID-19 virus, Otterbein made the tough decision to send all students on campus home and begin online distance-learning beginning with the official announcement March 17.

“We were really hoping, slim hope we realized, that we could be back together in person this semester, but it is increasing clear that this is not going to happen.”

That’s University President John Comerford addressing the campus community in a video update on his Twitter account, @otterbeinpres.

“We’ll be doing that unfortunately for the rest of the semester. So we will miss you but it seems unavoidable at this point that that’s how Spring 2020 is going to go.”

Students resumed their coursework from remote locations, many choosing to head back home with their parents to carve out a workspace among their family also working from home during the statewide response.

Junior nursing student Elise Schneller returned to her home in Radnor, Ohio, just northwest of Delaware.

“As you can tell, Ohio is currently under a lockdown, but that’s not stopping us from doing our work from home.”

In a video update on how students are adjusting to their new classrooms, Schneller gives a quick tour, a look inside her house, complete with mom working from a reclining chair, dad and brother taking refuge in the basement to complete their work and the family French bulldog offering moral support.

Schneller says despite the brief interruption of the semester she and her fellow students haven’t lost any ground.

“We’re doing great actually. We’re taking part in our online classes through Blackboard Collaborate, we’re catching up on our sleep, we’re doing any extra homework and exercising when we can. My dog also followed us down in case you couldn’t tell.”

The Ohio Athletic Conference, Otterbein’s conference for all Division III sports, decided to end the Spring season and canceled all post-season play on March 12, coinciding with other NCAA shutdowns.

Dressed in his 2020 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship t-shirt, senior distance runner and Actuarial Science Mathematics major, Jacob Thompson records a video update from his, according to him, own private and quiet home office.

“Yes, things are going well. It’s obviously an adjustment, but not just for us but our professors as well.”

Even with his season ending sooner than he expected, Thompson still has the student-athlete mentality that applies to these ever-changing situations.

“Work hard, be patient, be positive, keep your head-up. We’re going to get through this. Norman Vincent Peale said: “change your thoughts and you can change your world.” So stay on the grind and finish out the semester strong. Good luck.”

For everyone at Otterbein, the changes have been many, the outcomes uncertain and the timeframes have varied. But through all of this, as President Comerford said in an email to campus, “Through all of this, Otterbein faculty, staff and students are still looking for ways to help, and keep spirits high. Thank you. Those words don’t fully articulate what I want to say, but they’re the best I have.”

 

 

What Your Scholarship Support Means to Me…

In the Words of Otterbein Students

Each spring, Otterbein brings together our generous scholarship donors with the students they support. While safeguards required the cancellation of this year’s scholarship luncheon, Otterbein scholars were eager to share their gratitude in writing. We are sharing a selection of those letters here.

Otterbein celebrates those who give — and those whose lives are changed — now and for the future.

Da’Viona Fowler ’22
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Major: Public Relations and Health Communications
Scholarship: Kaitlin Steinour ’15 Communications Endowed Scholarship

When I was applying to go school, I was always afraid that I would not be able to go to college to pursue my career. Receiving this scholarship has helped me tremendously and I do not have to worry about how I am going to pay for school. I am in PRSSA and have visited places like L Brands and The Blue Jackets arena to see how public relations works behind the scenes. I have an internship in the Office of Marketing and Communications at Otterbein and they are helping me so much with getting real world experience. By doing this I can build up my resume, so I can reach my goal to work for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. I am very thankful for this scholarship and without it I probably wouldn’t be here at Otterbein University. Thank you so much for this scholarship!

Allison Caudill ’21
Hometown: New Albany, Ohio
Major: Nurse Anesthesia
Scholarship: David L. Davis Nurse Anesthetist Scholarship

When I got accepted into the nurse anesthesia program at Otterbein, I did what any good graduate student would do to prepare: I paid off all outstanding debts, made a budget and saved like crazy. Unfortunately, life can be full of curve balls that can make a joke of best laid plans. After getting accepted to the program, a family member fell ill which added extra responsibilities onto my plate. The emergency funds I had saved were spent in only a few months after moving my parent in with me and I wasn’t sure how we were going to make it work. Getting awarded your scholarship money came just in time and went so much further than just my tuition or school supplies, as it also gave me a little bit of stress relief in such a chaotic time. Thank you for setting up the scholarship fund and for helping me be a successful student, as well as a good daughter.

Fernanda de la Fuente ’22
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Major: Mathematics
Scholarship: Norris Scholarship Fund

I would like to thank you for your generosity in your donations. I am very honored to have this scholarship opportunity. I will be graduating early — this would not have been possible without you. You have made it affordable for my parents and me, and I can’t stress enough how thankful we are. This semester I was able to pay for college without the help of my parents which is important for me because they can focus on my sister’s tuition; she is in her first year at college and her expenses are higher than mine. The fact that I can relieve my parents of the stress of my own tuition makes me happy. I am motivated to do my best here at Otterbein and I hope to not disappoint my family and you, my donors.

Hannah Wright ’19
Hometown: Grove City, Ohio
Major: Public Relations and Health Communication
Scholarship: Kaitlin Steinour ’15 Communications Endowed Scholarship

I was one of the first recipients of the Kaitlin Steinour ’15 Communications Endowed Scholarship last year. Your scholarship impacted my journey in many different ways. I will start off by saying college probably wouldn’t have been possible for me without assistance, so I want to say that I am beyond thankful. This scholarship was part of my great Otterbein journey, a journey that made me who I am today: a professional marketer, with so much to look forward to. I graduated in spring 2019 and am a digital marketing specialist at a marketing and communication agency in Columbus. I am beyond passionate about healthcare and being able to make a difference for a patient or family. Thank you for making these dreams possible!

Kaeris Cicchino ’22
Hometown: Westerville, Ohio
Major: Business Administration
Scholarship: Michael-LeMay Scholarship

I am a business administration and management major with a French and marketing minor. This is my second year at Otterbein and it has been nothing short of amazing. After this semester I will have completed three internships, so I’ve gotten a lot of real-world experience. My goal while being here is getting the most out of every opportunity. I plan to study abroad in France in spring 2021, something I could never dream of if it wasn’t for Otterbein. I fell in love with Otterbein and all that it offered me when I visited as a high school junior, but I never thought I could afford it or get in. Because of generous people like you, I got a chance to show Otterbein why I was right for them. Thank you for giving me a chance to better my future as a woman in business, and the chance to get an education and make an impact on the world. Thank you for the contribution you’ve made on my life.

Nicholas Hassinger ’20
Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio
Major: Accounting
Scholarship: Michael-LeMay Scholarship

Thank you so much for the opportunity you have provided for me. Otterbein was my dream school as soon as I was on the campus. I plan to return next year to finish my MBA and complete my CPA exams. I started the Wealth Management Club on campus to help teach students personal finance and network with people in the business field. I was also treasurer of Alpha Sigma Phi. During the summer and winter breaks, I have interned in the tax department of multiple companies. Without the help of the Michael and LeMay families, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all of this. I wanted you to know I appreciate your support and have made sure it has gone to good use.

Highlighting the Helpers 

During difficult times, Cardinals step up to help others.

Cardinals shine in difficult times — through their compassion, their generosity and their resolve to make a positive impact on the world. During the coronavirus pandemic, many people are experiencing times of need. These people are there to help.

 

Lana Troyer ’22

In March, Otterbein made the difficult decision to take classes online and send students home to protect the campus community from the coronavirus. In the middle of adjusting to this new reality, some Otterbein students stepped up to serve the central Ohio community by offering childcare for the families of overwhelmed first responders, with the help of the Columbus Firefighters’ Union, Columbus City Council member Elizabeth Brown, and Senior Instructor Dan Steinberg in the Department of Communication.

Communication major Lana Troyer was one of the students who stepped up. “My whole motto through this was help those who help others. If there was anything big or small that I could do to ensure our first responders and their families were being taken care of, that was my priority,” she said. “Volunteering hasn’t begun yet, but I have been in contact with a firefighter and we’re making the proper arrangements.”

 

The Promise House Team

Otterbein’s Promise House is a student-led resource center and food pantry committed to helping peers overcome socioeconomic barriers to student success. While many students left campus, the needs of the 63 students who stayed on campus and those who live near campus remained great. To continue to address these needs, the Promise House moved to a pre-packaged pick-up protocol to protect both shoppers and volunteers, and even provides recipes for students using the shelf-stable food. The protocol mirrors those being used by many Ohio pantries. Currently, the team is growing fresh produce in the hoop house at the Otterbein Community Garden and readying the landscape for the summer growing season to provide food for both Otterbein students and neighbors.

“Otterbein has a long-standing commitment of caring for its community. It’s who we are. It’s what we do,” said Melissa Gilbert, Otterbein’s associate dean of experiential learning and director of the Center for Community Engagement. “Students rely on the Promise House. As businesses close temporarily due to the state mandated health precautions, students are losing their jobs. They’re worried. Supporting one another is why students created the Promise House and why we’re stepping up our efforts now.”

 

Winston Spiker ’20

The disappointment of missing out on the celebrations and camaraderie that mark the end of a student’s senior year could get some students down, but not Winston Spiker, a psychology major and offensive lineman for the Cardinals’ football team. Instead, he made the most of the situation by serving his community. When his service-learning course was moved online, Spiker moved his service from Westerville to his hometown and joined his mother, who is the head cook at Adamsville (OH) Elementary School, and other volunteers to help food-insecure children.

“We are providing weekly care packages of food for the students that go to Adamsville Elementary, which is where I went to elementary school,” Spiker said. “Adamsville is a very tight-knit community of only 114 people, so when people are in need the town bands together and jumps in to help. The power of community during times like these is inspiring. I feel fortunate that Otterbein really instills those values in us even more.”

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A Different Viewpoint

While the pandemic is a shared experience, these students’ stories are unique.

A pandemic is a shared experience, but many people have unique stories within that experience. Classes moved online, being separated from family and friends, losing the chance to compete at the national level. These students each have a unique view on what it means to be a Cardinal during the coronavirus.

 

Tom Greensall ’20, MBA

An MBA student from the United Kingdom (which is only second to the U.S. in number of cases), Tom Greensall is balancing adjusting to online learning, being an ocean away from his family, and missing the opportunity to walk across the stage at commencement on May 2.

Still, in the midst of this international health crisis, he chose to volunteer to deliver for Meals on Wheels and is looking forward to completing his capstone class this summer. “When our new reality hit, I wanted to help out in any way I could. I did some research and saw that Meals on Wheels was being inundated with requests from people who needed their services — at times over 100 new applications a day. The work with my internship had been put on pause, so I decided to use this time to volunteer and do my part to help.”

 

John Posey ’20, Psychology

It wasn’t an ideal situation for philosophy major, John Posey, to remain on campus when residence halls were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as a member of the National Guard, he was one of 63 students who received a special extension to stay through the end of the semester.

Despite the emptiness, Posey was sad to leave and valued the extra time he had on campus. Posey said the decision to postpone the in-person commencement ceremony was no surprise to him. Even though he wasn’t able to follow the senior tradition of walking across the stage during graduation ceremonies, Posey is reminded that this is still a time for celebration for all his Class of 2020 colleagues. “I acknowledge these are unpredictable times, but I will always feel that Otterbein has helped me to challenge myself beyond what I thought I could do, no matter where, when or how I was learning. Otterbein taught me so much in terms of human interaction and personal growth. I feel those lessons have made me a more well-rounded student, job candidate and individual.” This summer, Posey will begin Officers Candidate School.

 

Drew Kasper ’20, Exercise Science

Cardinals wrestler Drew Kasper did not get his final chance to win a NCAA Division III national title, but he hopes his story can help the next student athlete accomplish that.

Kasper delivered a college record of 108-13, including a 62-2 mark after moving up to heavyweight as a junior and an undefeated Ohio Athletic Conference record with two Central Regional titles. He was ranked No. 1 in the country almost his entire senior season, but because of the NCAA shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, his season was cut short. Kasper has battled depression, a learning disability and early career setbacks, but those things did not stop him — and this pandemic won’t stop him either. Kasper will have a WWE tryout through his brother Jacob later this summer in Orlando, FL. “I did everything I was supposed to do,” Kasper said, “ but I hope and know the future holds happiness.”

 

Related Link:

Andrew Wendruff Discovers World’s Oldest Scorpion Fossil

When it comes to fossils, Andrew Wendruff, an adjunct professor in the Otterbein Department of Biology and Earth Science, is a rock star. Wendruff, as part of his doctoral research at The Ohio State University, uncovered the oldest-known scorpion species from a collection of fossils discovered 35 years ago. The scorpion, which lived 436.5 to 437.5 million years ago, had the capacity to breath in water and on land. Read about the discovery at this link.

Andrew Wendruff, adjunct professor, Biology and Earth Science

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Otterbein Offers Professional Courses to Re-skill and Up-skill Workers

Otterbein University is partnering with coaching and consulting firm ALLOY to offer three new professional development certifications that can be taken at the university: Non-Routine Leadership, Business Analytics and Strategic Brand Management. Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted attended the announcement of the partnership held on Jan. 15 at The Point. Otterbein’s partnership with ALLOY will help address Ohio’s workforce gap. Learn more at otterbein.edu/professional-development.