Published Oct. 26, 2017
Writing Excellence
Wittenberg's Writing Center was recently certified by the College Reading and Learning Association鈥檚 International Tutor Training Program. 鈥淭he certification is an acknowledgement of the work we do to prepare our advisors for working with writers,鈥� said Director Mike Mattison. "Quite simply, we've got one of the best writing centers in the country at any level."
For the 500th
In commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, Wittenberg will host a series of special events, including the annual Kenneth H. Sauer Luther Symposium presented by Luther theologian Joy A. Schroeder and a re-enactment of Martin Luther's posting of his Ninety-Five Theses.
Taste of Witt
From Graeter鈥檚 Ice Cream to Mother Stewart鈥檚 Brewery, alumni entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry returned to campus to showcase their products and talk with students about their successful journeys during 鈥淭aste of Witt.鈥� The first-of-its-kind event at Wittenberg is part of the university鈥檚 new entrepreneurial-inspired programming series called Enlight, which reaffirms the university being ranked 46th among the 鈥淢ost Entrepreneurial Colleges in America鈥� by Forbes Magazine.
Mission-Driven
Three alumni have embarked on a transformative, year-long journey in international service with the ELCA鈥檚 Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program, continuing a legacy of Tigers who have served in the program over the years. Lauren Elwell 鈥�17 will teach English in Madagascar, Nichole Martinez 鈥�17 will teach in Argentina, and Deanna Torstenson '17 will serve in Hungary.
Dream Achieved
Heather Rucker, class of 2019 from Chicago, Ill., didn鈥檛 let limited funds stand in the way of making her dream of studying abroad come true. The recipient of three scholarships for students studying abroad, she is now immersed in Japanese language, culture and history at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan.
Teaching Excellence
Assistant Professor of Communication Kelly Dillon is receiving international attention after her co-authored research article examining the impact of popular culture on children鈥檚 curiosity with guns hit the media. The study aimed to determine the immediate effects of exposure to movie characters with guns on children鈥檚 unsupervised play with guns.
Alumni In The News / #LifeAfterWitt
Just four years after launching his protein bar company in the basement of his parents鈥� home, Peter Rahal 鈥�08, co-founder and CEO of RXBar, recently sold the business to Kellogg Co. for $600 million.
Meet The Board
The three members of the Wittenberg Board of Directors featured in this edition are: R. Andrew "Andy" Bell, James Henson '75, and Robert E. "Bob" Ness '63.
Bell is currently a senior vice president at Marsh & McLennan Agency, L.L.C. in Springfield. Previously, he was president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Ohio and was director of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America. Bell is active on numerous boards throughout the Springfield/Clark County area, including Global Impact STEM Academy, the Clark State Foundation, the Springfield Family YMCA, United Way, Springfield Foundation, Springfield Rotary Club and Security National Bank.
Henson is the senior managing director and general counsel of RED Capital Group in Columbus, Ohio. Previously, he was principal at Pelerin Financial and at Stonehenge Holdings Inc. He specializes in complex structured financings and bond refundings and holds a law degree from the University of Dayton. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors, Henson has served as a volunteer for the Office of Advancement and has hosted regional alumni meetings.
Ness is chairman of ODW Logistics Inc., a third-party logistics provider that supports businesses in the health and beauty, food and beverage, manufacturing and consumer packaged goods sectors. A member of Phi Mu Delta fraternity, he has served as a volunteer for the Office of Advancement. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1985, the Class of 1914 Award in 1994, and the Medal of Honor in 1997.