Published April 20, 2017
Keynote Speaker
Sandra L. Postel 鈥�78, a leading authority and prolific writer on international water issues, has been selected to present the keynote address at the university鈥檚 167th Commencement Exercises on May 13. Currently the director of the independent Global Water Policy Project, she was named one of the Scientific American 50 for her contributions to science and technology.
Re-Accredited
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) recently re-affirmed Wittenberg's accreditation, a process that occurs every 10 years and ensures that the education provided by the university meets quality standards.
Top Honors
Capping off a day-long Celebration of the Liberal Arts on April 7, the annual Honors Convocation recognized the achievements of students and faculty members in academic and co-curricular activities. Mecca A. Abdul-Aziz '18 was named Alma Mater, an honor bestowed upon a junior woman on the basis of character and integrity, service to the community, concern for others and high standards of scholarship. Lucas E. George '18 was named Alma Lux, an honor bestowed upon a junior male student who possesses qualities of leadership, scholarship and service.
Engaging Donors
On April 8, more than 130 Wittenberg scholarship recipients, family, friends and scholarship donors gathered for a special luncheon to meet one another and remind students that behind every scholarship, there is a generous donor family that is helping to provide their Wittenberg education. Interim President Dick Helton served as the keynote speaker along with scholarship recipients, Zach Lough 鈥�17 and Victoria Ladipo 鈥�19, right.
Summer Academy
The university will again be offering the Wittenberg Leadership Academy from June 25-28. Designed for high school students entering grades 11 and 12, the program explores leadership through every lens while helping students build skills to stand out in the college admission and scholarship process. Nominate a student now for this popular summer experience.
Style Show
The Wittenberg Guild will present its 61st annual Scholarship Style Show beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, in the Center Dining Room of the Benham-Pence Student Center. With a theme of "Pretty in Pink," the show, which includes brunch and a silent auction, seeks to promote Wittenberg and raise funds to provide scholarships for local students to attend the university. All are invited to attend.
Teaching Excellence
Professor of Psychology Jeff Brookings has received the 2017 Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teaching, the highest recognition Wittenberg bestows on its faculty. A member of the faculty since 1979, Brookings teaches courses in community psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, psychology of personality and psychological testing.
Assistant Professor of Psychology Nancy Woehrle was recognized with the Omicron Delta Kappa Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award during the university's annual Honors Convocation, April 7. A member of the faculty since 2012, Woehrle has focused her research on understanding the neural underpinnings of human psychological capacities.
Alumni In The News / #LifeAfterWitt
A two-time Pushcart nominee and self-described "traveler, dreamer, foodie, professional wanderer, and fan of life," Rebecca Gummere '75 has written a powerful new essay on the loss of a child in the April 2017 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich has appointed Lance Himes 鈥�94 to serve as acting director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). An attorney with the Ohio Department of Health for more than 10 years, Himes has served as ODH鈥檚 chief legal counsel since 2011 and served as acting director of the department in 2014.
Nicole Perry 鈥�14, a doctoral student in the Department of Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University, is one of 100 doctoral students in the United States and Canada selected to receive a $15,000 Scholar Award from the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Recipients are selected for their high level of academic achievement and their potential for having a positive impact on society.
Lasting Legacy
Betty Dillahunt 鈥�46, emerita director of athletics and a beloved professor, coach and administrator at Wittenberg for 36 years, passed away on March 26 at the age of 95. A pioneer in women鈥檚 athletics, she blazed the trail for female athletes at Wittenberg, founding the field hockey program and coaching an amazing nine different sports programs.