Published October 20, 2016
Nearly 750 alumni returned to campus to enjoy a glorious Homecoming Weekend, complete with reunion gatherings, alumni awards, the Hall of Honor, student performances and plenty of Tiger victories. At the same time, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our alumni and friends affected by Hurricane Matthew.
Onward and Upward
Looking back on the week leading into Homecoming, I believe we are definitely experiencing a renewed sense of energy at Wittenberg. In addition to kicking off the public campaign launch of our new Health, Wellness & Athletics Restoration and Expansion Initiative, the Board approved March 24, 2017 as the official groundbreaking. Thanks to the generous support of lead donor Alicia Sweet Hupp ’82, we also celebrated the naming of COMPASS: Sweet Success Center. Located on the main floor of Thomas Library, the center has already assisted more than 1,200 students since the semester began. We also celebrated the generosity of late alumna Lois Huebner, who, at age 107, left Wittenberg $2.6 million, all of which will be endowed to fund music scholarships for deserving students. Indeed, it was a tremendous week. - Dick Helton, Ph.D.
Racial Realities
Associate Professor of Philosophy Julius Bailey continues to receive national praise for his latest book, Racial Realities and Post-Racial Dreams: The Age of Obama and Beyond. The book provides critical exploration of wealth and poverty, mass incarceration, voting rights, gender discrimination, Islamophobia and immigration, and more.
Engaging Citizens
Wittenberg faculty are examining every angle of this historic election season in their classes, in conversations and in the community. Rob Baker, professor of political science, recently spoke with NPR about the power of local citizens to effect change.
Tricky Talks
Professor of Political Science Ed Hasecke ’97 reflects on social identity theory during a contentious presidential race, keenly aware that his kids are listening.
Alumni in the News / #LifeAfterWitt
Lisa Pan ’96, a psychiatrist in Pittsburgh, Pa., and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, recently had a breakthrough in her research on treatment-resistant depression in young people. What she and her fellow researchers discovered may lead to promising new treatments for depression. Photo credit: Rebecca Droke/Post-Gazette
A Facebook post by 1991 alumnus Bob Cornelius about his autistic son Christopher having no friends at school went viral last month, catching the attention of national and international news outlets and resulting in an outpouring of support for Christopher.
The Search For A President
Board Chair Jonathan Eilert '93 has announced that the Search Profile for Wittenberg's 15th President is complete and now posted online. If you can identify persons who would be strong candidates (or those who might know potential candidates), please forward their names to our search consultant, Tom Courtice, at tom.courtice@gmail.com. All members of the Wittenberg community are encouraged to participate in this critical first step of the search process. Feel free to email Rev. Eilert at presidentialsearch@wittenberg.edu with any questions. Thank you for your interest, your involvement, and your support.
Stitch In Time
Ever since second grade, Michelle Pettit ’16 had a dream of becoming a teacher. But like a garment that needs a few alterations, her dream didn’t fit quite right. It wasn’t until her Wittenberg professors noticed her passion and talent for costuming that Pettit considered turning her hobby into a career path.
CABLE Confidence
Students and alumni celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Communication and Business Leadership Experience (CABLE), a professional development opportunity open to communication and business majors and minors.