Published April 12, 2018
Light Illuminated
During an inaugural ceremony steeped in tradition and reflective of the university’s mission, Michael L. Frandsen, Ph.D., was formally installed as ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥â€™s 15th president on April 5. Watch video, read recap of the ceremony, and check out all the week's inaugural festivities by clicking link below.
Time To Celebrate
The sixth annual Celebration of Learning, followed by the annual Honors Convocation recognizing the achievements of students and faculty in academic and co-curricular activities, was a highlight of Inauguration week. More than 130 students showcased their academic work, offered music and dance performances, and gave TED-style talks.
Service-Centered
Students, faculty and staff also participated in Celebrate Service 2018 as part of Inauguration week festivities. Activities included decorating the living spaces of residents of Oesterlen Services for Youth in Springfield and packing 85,000 meals in a 24-hour Lesotho Nutrition Initiative Packing event.
HWA Update
Progress on the Health, Wellness and Athletics facility continues. Leave your legacy in a place visited daily by hundreds of students and in a way that inspires new generations to support the athletic tradition at ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥. Make a gift toward a locker or a brick in honor of your time at ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ or in memory of a loved one.
Tiger In The Hall
For the ninth time, ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ will be represented when the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame inducts its 13th class of inductees in May, which will include former Tiger head coach Bill Brown ’73, who won 483 games and seven North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular season championships between 1993 and 2016.
Postcard Project
Along with faculty, staff and current students, more than 200 alumni shared their ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ experience with 3,000 admitted students through the annual Postcard Project. The Offices of Alumni & Lifelong Engagement and Admission thank you for partnering with us in our efforts to influence students to choose ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥.
Commit to Witt
Get ready to show your love for ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ and Commit to Witt! The fifth annual Commit to ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥Day of Giving will kick off at midnight on Wednesday, April 25. Your gift can transform lives and make dreams a reality.
Inner Warrior
Before arriving at ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ last fall, first-year student Jack Hollinshead had already made an impact in his hometown community of Mayfield Village, Ohio, with the My Inner Warrior Foundation (MIW), which he created to provide greater opportunities to youth involved in inner-city baseball programs.
Teaching Excellence
Associate Professor of Mathematics Adam Parker has received the 2018 Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teaching, the highest recognition ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ bestows on its faculty. Parker has taught a wide variety of courses in mathematics for both majors and non-majors since he joined the faculty in 2005 and currently serves as chair of the department of mathematics and computer science.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Alyssa Hoofnagle ’09 was recognized with the Omicron Delta Kappa Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award during the Honors Convocation. She teaches courses in mathematics and statistics and conducts research in the fields of Lie algebra and combinatorics.
Kate Polak, assistant professor of English, is receiving national attention for her latest book, Ethics in the Gutter: Empathy and Historical Fiction in Comics (Ohio State University Press, 2017).
Alumni In The News / #LifeAfterWitt
A study-abroad experience in Osaka, Japan, during his junior year at ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ affirmed 1974 alumnus Don Wood's interest in Asian art and ignited his more than 30-year career in curation at the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) in Alabama.
John Shumate ’99 recently became the new vice president of marketing at Eastbay and will be responsible for overseeing all marketing efforts and leading all sales and brand initiatives for the Eastbay brand.
Learn More
Homecoming 2018
Reconnect, reminisce and reflect on your time at ÃÛÌÒÖ±²¥ during Homecoming, Oct. 4-7, 2018. If your class year ends in a 3 or 8, this is your reunion. The Class of 1968 will also celebrate its 50th with a special reunion dinner on Saturday, Oct. 6.