I still remember as I was looking for colleges, what attracted me to Juniata was its sense of community on campus, besides its academics. Tom Kepple’s approachable persona has created that sense of community. One of the subtle things about President Kepple is that he goes out and tries to talk to every student on campus, whether that’s during Friday night events, during lunch at Baker or on the quad while he is on his way to a meeting. I remember during freshmen orientation, I talked to him for about five minutes or so, and at that point I was taken aback by the fact that I had the opportunity to talk to the President. His
vision and leadership, along with his willingness to listen to us and act on concerns of the student body, is what defines Juniata today.
—Jigar Patel ’08, instructional media and communications specialist, Tuscarora Intermediate Unit
One of the stories that will be retold over the years is that during his frequent walks on campus Tom would take the time to pick up trash that he saw in flower beds, on the walks or in the quad. Without breaking stride or disrupting a conversation he would see the trash, pick it up and dispose of it. It sounds like a little thing, but it is the great example of leadership by example, and showed both his desire to keep the campus beautiful and his willingness to be active in making that happen. It also demonstrated for all of us that he and his office are not above the campus, but part of the campus. He is not above doing everything and anything necessary for our success, including picking up the trash.
Photo: J.D. Cavrich
Photo: Candice Hersh
Presidency Considered
63
2013 Fall-Winter
—Rob Yelnosky ’85, vice president, finance and operations