Published September 12, 2020
Wittenberg Alumni and Friends,
Less than a month ago, we resumed in-person classes as we kicked off the new academic year, August 17. This was a huge undertaking that required the efforts of everyone in our community and the leadership of two committees, which included alumni physicians Alan Stewart ‘69, Dave Hopper '63, and Laurice Moore '95. As a result, multiple measures were put in place that made it possible to bring our students back together safely in August. Three weeks in, and we are adjusting daily to our new reality, which I recently shared more about in Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s press conference Thursday.
As is the situation at many colleges and universities, we do have cases, and we are having to pivot at times as we did this week when we announced two weeks of remote instruction starting Sept. 7. However, as we make these types of decisions, we do so with every intent of still providing learning and engagement opportunities for our students, campus, and alumni. Our Office of Student Development has continued to offer socially distant activities that allow students to be together safely, and our Office of Alumni Engagement is working on an incredible virtual Homecoming & Reunion Weekend experience, October 2-4, for our alumni and friends. More information on the event is below, and I encourage you to attend.
If we have learned anything during this pandemic, it is to be comfortable with the unknown. Each day brings new wins and challenges, but as we have said from the start: We’re In This Together.
Best regards,
Mike Frandsen
175th Anniversary Virtual Homecoming Weekend
Wittenberg alumni and friends are invited to celebrate 175 years of passing light during our Homecoming & Reunion Weekend virtual events. View the schedule and RSVP at our Homecoming website.
Highlights include the continuation of our Virtual Alumni College with a timely conversation about democracy and elections in a polarized United States, the launch of our Alumni Tiger Talks series with presentations from two alumni speakers, and last but certainly not least, our 175th anniversary celebration video and live toast with President Michael Frandsen.
While this isn’t what anyone had expected or planned for Wittenberg’s 175th year, we are still determined to honor our heritage and celebrate our impact. Even though we are not together on campus, we are all together in spirit. We hope you’ll join us for virtual events and visit our Celebrating 175 Years! website to make a gift to help ensure the University is a beacon for seekers of knowledge and justice for years to come.
Witt "Why You" Mock Interview Program
Are you interested in serving as an alumni evaluator for our fall 2020 session of the "Why You" Mock Interview Program? Alumni evaluators participate in virtual mock interviews with students to help prepare for their future internship and job searches.
This program is hosted by Wittenberg Career Services and will have 30-minute slots in which alumni can sign up to participate over three days, October 7-9. Alumni are welcome to sign up for multiple sessions and will be contacted with scheduling info and a pre-event training video. Complete this form by Oct. 2 to volunteer.
Tigers Supporting Tigers
Brian Armstrong ’03, Jen Armstrong '04, and their family have been working hard to support Wittenberg while outfitting fellow alumni and future Tigers. Since the beginning of their fundraiser on August 18, the alumni community has come together and purchased 930 tees resulting in a collective contribution of $9,000 to Wittenberg! Brian intends to keep the fundraiser open through Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 2-4, 2020, and has a goal to sell more than 1,000 tees and contribute over $10,000 to Wittenberg.
Stop by the shop to purchase your tee and support Witt! There are tees for both alumni and legacies with sizes for adults, kids, toddlers, and infants. Plus, they just added a hoodie to keep warm as the weather gets cold.
Faculty News
Award-winning professors Julius Bailey and Brian Yontz engaged in a virtual dialogue as part of the annual Opening Convocation, the traditional kick-off of the new academic year. The video presentation included remarks from President Michael Frandsen, Provost Michelle Mattson, and Vice President of Student Development Casey Gill, and an invocation from University Pastor Andy Tune. Bailey and Yontz participated in a follow-up Q&A with students in the First Year Seminars. Both videos can be viewed here.
Gone Caving #LifeAfterWitt
A new card game that allows players of all ages to explore a cave pays tribute to the late Horton Hobbs III, professor emeritus of biology. Jared Embree ’02 and Ken Irwin, former Wittenberg reference librarian and assistant professor, collaborated with four others to create the game in honor of Hobbs, whose image appears on the biologist hero card.
Institute for Public Humanities and Sciences Launches
Thanks to the innovative thinking of Nancy McHugh, professor of philosophy and department chair, Wittenberg is now home to the new Institute for Public Humanities and Sciences, the first such institute of its kind among Ohio liberal arts colleges. Designed to combine the academic role and the public-facing role of the University’s mission, the institute will create opportunities for students and faculty through a range of collaborative activities. Read full story here.
Attention Alumni Educators: Get Witt Swag
We are excited to kick-off our Alumni Educator outreach with the hope of placing the Wittenberg University name in K-12 school systems across the country. We encourage you as an employee of any school system (public or private); teacher, administrator or staff member to complete the Wittenberg Alumni Educator Form and get FREE swag for your classroom and/or school.