Published March 16, 2018
Coming Soon
The totality of the Wittenberg experience will shine during the Inauguration of President Michael L. Frandsen, April 5. For alumni and friends unable to attend, the event will be live-streamed here. Additional information, including the week of activities being planned to coincide with this momentous occasion, is also available on a special website, as are some fun Q&A videos featuring President Frandsen being interviewed by students.
New Programs
In response to the evolving needs of the job market as well as the interests and expectations of current and future students, Wittenberg is launching several new academic programs and partnerships to prepare students for success in their chosen field. Programs include:
Educational Studies
Students who pursue a major or minor in the new educational studies program will gain the knowledge base and skills for work in different educational settings, particularly non-certified public and private education settings such as businesses, non-profits, policy, the Peace Corps, Teach for America, AmeriCorps, etc. Click here to learn more.
Justice, Law & Public Policy
An interdisciplinary minor designed to give students the legal background increasingly demanded of professionals in the areas of social justice and public policy, this program is ideal for those interested in law school, criminal justice, environmental justice and policy issues, legal advocacy, health justice and policy issues, science policy, community organizing and non-profit work. A unique feature is the required internship or community engagement experience. Click here to learn more.
Social Work
For students who want to become leaders in social change, Wittenberg will partner with the top-ranked school of graduate social work education in Ohio to offer a 3+2 program that leads to a Master of Science in Social Administration. The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University offers paths of study that include aging; substance use disorders and recovery; children, youth and families; health; mental health; and community practice for social change.
Croci Honored
After leading Wittenberg men’s basketball to heights not seen in more than a decade, Head Coach Matt Croci ’94 was honored for his mentorship with NCAC Coach of the Year and Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year honors from both d3hoops.com and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Croci guided the Tigers to their first outright NCAC title since 2012 with a 16-2 mark against league foes and their first NCAC Tournament crown since 2006.
Optimizing Options
For Courtney Lopez ’19, a summer internship with the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Indiana sparked a new passion and a change of major. While conducting land contamination reports, night-time bat surveys and water-level monitoring, she discovered an interest in environmental science and a commitment to conservation.
Campus Ministry
Wittenberg students, faculty and staff joined in a dialogue and activist training on childhood poverty, food security, inequalities in education and homelessness last month when Wittenberg hosted a regional gathering of Propel Ohio. The leadership program promotes civic engagement and aims to inspire undergraduate students to grow into civic leaders in the state of Ohio.
Front and Center
Wittenberg’s 2017 NCAA Division III Champion Men’s Golf team was recognized during Dayton, Ohio's annual kick-off of the American tradition known as “March Madness." The “First Four,” as it's called, represents the first four games on the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. The sold-out event brings a national viewing audience and celebrates significant achievement across the state of Ohio.
Future Writers
Wittenberg recently sponsored and hosted the 2018 PenOhio Tournament, West Central Ohio’s first-ever creative writing tournament for high school teams. More than 250 talented high school students competed in writing contests and for college scholarships, including a $2,000 scholarship from Wittenberg.
Passing Of Light
Wittenberg students recently put the university’s motto into action as they participated in service-immersion spring break trips, repairing homes for families in need in several locations in Georgia in conjunction with the Fuller Center for Housing.
Global View
Wittenberg students, faculty and staff recently welcomed sought-after speaker Bishop Munib Younan to discuss the global refugee crisis. Before his retirement in January 2018, Younan served the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and was the president of Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the agency which connects the majority of Lutherans around the globe.
Moving Forward
Progress continues on the largest construction project at Wittenberg in more than a decade. The new Health, Wellness and Athletics facility will transform into a 125,000-square-foot complex as part of an expansion and restoration initiative.
Teaching Excellence
Associate Professor of English and Department Chair Lori Askeland has been elected to the Executive Committee of the Association of Departments of English (ADE). Since 1963, the ADE has been a valued source of information and professional development for chairs of its hundreds of member departments and provided important leadership for departments and the profession.
Professor of Sociology David Nibert, editor of Animal Opression and Capitalism, served as a panelist at the “Thinking About Animals” conference, the first event of its kind at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Photo: Moments of Truth Project
Alumni In The News / #LifeAfterWitt
Nuclear engineer LaTosha Johnson Bell ’07, who works for MELE Associates Inc., partners with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in the area of nuclear weapon surety and support assessments of nuclear weapon systems.
Taver Johnson ’94, one of the most decorated players in the storied history of Wittenberg football, has been hired as cornerbacks coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Photo by Columbus Dispatch