Published September 9, 2023
Countdown to Homecoming
We look forward to seeing you on campus as we welcome alumni, families, and students to celebrate Homecoming, Reunion, and Family Weekend, Oct. 5-8. Festivities include athletics competitions, tailgating, live music, campus tours, fraternity and sorority open houses, and brunch for the 50th-, 60th-, and 70th- reunion classes, as well as the President’s Reception to celebrate the success of the Having Light Campaign and the first-ever Launch: Career-Driven Conversations for Alumni, Students, and Parents.
Additional highlights include:
- Reunion classes (1953, 1963, 1973, 1983, 1998, 1993, 2003, and 2013) will have special tents at the Tiger Tailgate, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. We encourage you to seek out your friends and classmates!
- Alumni, students, and families are invited to register for the CBS (Concerned Black Students) Affinity Social and Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.
- Communication and Digital Media alumni are invited to help the department celebrate 20 years at the “Communication and Digital Media Turns 20” Tailgate tent on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Launch: Career-Driven Conversations for Alumni, Students, and Parents
Join the Launch event where the entire Wittenberg community comes together to participate in career vocation cluster sessions led by our expert faculty, Friday, October 6. Students can sign up for clusters that interest them. Parents and alumni are invited, too. During Launch, parents can engage in career readiness conversations with their students, while alumni can share their inspiring Wittenberg liberal arts success story. Learn more and register here by Sept. 18.
Tiger Tailgate Spots Still Available!
Register today for the Tiger Tailgate at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 7. Enjoy live music with The Weekend Effect and Steel Pan Palooza; try delicious treats from local food trucks EAT, Sweet Concessions, and Skyline Chili; and connect with alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff. All tailgates must be registered.
New for 2023! Experience the stress-free, ultimate Tiger Tailgate. Register today to secure your complimentary premier package, including a 15’ x 15’ tailgate area, 10’ x 10’ tent, table, custom banner, two chairs, and one parking pass. Spots are limited!
Having Light: The Campaign for Wittenberg University closed on June 30, 2023. Because of alumni and donors like you, we raised an unprecedented $113.3M, making this the largest comprehensive campaign in Wittenberg’s history. Over the past few years, these donations have helped the institution navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce historical debt, build the state-of-the-art Health, Wellness, and Athletics facility, and provide support for our operating budget and student scholarships. These donations have helped to sustain Wittenberg to the present, yet there is more to do. Thank you for joining us in this important work.
President's Reception: Dessert Under the Stars
Friday, October 6, 2023
7 p.m. (Presentation at 7:30 p.m.)
Hollenbeck Hall, South Lawn Tent
Welcome to the Class of 2027
More than 400 new students arrived on campus for the annual Welcome Week, held Aug. 24-27. With programming focused on belonging, engagement, and home away from home, participants mingled with peers, met with faculty and staff, and learned about college life before classes started on Aug. 28. See full photo gallery.
Partnering from the Start
Wittenberg has elevated its advising model where dedicated student success advisors form the core. This fall, incoming students were paired with one of six new success advisors, all of whom will personally help students navigate their Wittenberg experience and further their career development. Also, the University’s new partnership with TimelyCare, a 24/7 student-centered virtual care platform, will give even greater access to mental and medical health care.
Wittenberg Series
Wittenberg is excited to celebrate the 39th season of the Wittenberg Series. Offering the campus, Springfield community, and greater region a diverse selection of guest lectures and world-renowned performances, this year’s Series began with the traditional Opening Convocation featuring a keynote address by Brian Yontz, Wittenberg’s provost and a professor of education, on Friday, Aug. 25, in Weaver Chapel.
Global Perspective
Maria del Mar Aponte Rodriguez, former director of the Center for International Programs at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, began her role as the new director of international education on Aug. 21. Rodriguez, who goes by MdM, replaces JoAnn Bennett, who retired in early August, following 35 years of dedicated service.
Reviving Mock Trial
Back by popular demand, Wittenberg once again will boast a Mock Trial team. The team is up and running, this time under the direction of newly hired coach and attorney Chris Leapley and in partnership with the Department of Political Science and Office of the Provost.
#LifeAtWitt
Wittenberg students excelled at a variety of internships this summer.
As an intern with the Akron RubberDucks, a Minor League Baseball team, Jack Houck, class of 2025, spent the summer building a solid foundation for working in a professional sports business environment. #LifeAtWitt
Michael Vrbanac, class of 2024, worked as a biological technician with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex on Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. #LifeAtWitt
Read more #LifeAtWitt stories here.
#LifeAfterWitt
Lessons from a good professor, golf, and inspiration from Wittenberg’s motto led Todd Gailar ’96 to establish The Acres in Evendale, Ohio, two years ago with Corey Myers ’04.
Read more #LifeAfterWitt stories here.
Connect with Your Alumni Association
The Wittenberg University Alumni Association Board is here to serve the alumni community by supporting programming and welcoming suggestions that will help alumni feel more connected to and involved with the University. Do you have something you want to share with the Alumni Association Board? Submit this form to voice ideas, feedback, and suggestions to an Alumni Association Board member.