Issuu

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

RICH HISTORY. BRIGHT FUTURE. Anniversaries are a time for celebration—and an opportunity to reflect. That’s true for wedding anniversaries (Ronda and I just marked our 15th), and it’s true for colleges as well. This year, Kettering College celebrated its 50th anniversary, and to commemorate this event, we have created a special edition of Pacesetter—packed with history, alumni memories and stories about the people who established this institution. After 50 years, Kettering College is stronger than ever. Why is that? It’s in our DNA. Within this learning community’s DNA are three bases that form the foundation of our success: a commitment to excellence, a passion for innovation and a desire to serve others. The commitment to excellence began in the early 1960s, when Eugene Kettering and his wife, Virginia, set out to establish a hospital and a college that would commemorate the ideals of Eugene’s late father, the inventor Charles F. Kettering. Impressed by the Seventh-day Adventist philosophy of health care, they asked the members of the Adventist community to build and operate what would become Kettering Medical Center — with a common goal of giving the people of the Dayton area the finest general hospital we are capable of building. The Ketterings also envisioned a school that would prepare young people for satisfying lives of service here and in other institutions in various parts of the world. This college — Kettering College — welcomed its first students in 1967. With Charles F. Kettering as our namesake, it is no wonder that innovation has been a driving force throughout our history. In the last few years, Kettering College has developed online classes and graduate programs, high-tech simulation spaces and exciting new partnerships. These innovations are an investment in our students, designed to help them fulfill their potential for providing outstanding patient care.

But preparing students involves much more than teaching clinical skills. It also means helping them discover service as a life calling. During their years with us, many students embrace this calling by traveling to remote villages in South America, by volunteering at medical clinics close to home, or by simply learning how to comfort a patient in distress. As they embark on their careers, our graduates understand that the call to health care is not merely what they do, but who they are. These experiences not only transform the people and the communities where our students serve — they transform our students as well. As we look beyond the celebration of our heritage to the challenge of carrying out our mission over the next 50 years, a similar cycle of reciprocal transformation between Kettering college and our students will continue to inspire us to develop new programs, new approaches to teaching and learning, and continual improvements in the preparation of students for a life dedicated to service through health care. Blessings, Nate

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION & SERVICE

Nate Brandstater, Ph.D., President

2 10 THEN

NOW

SPECIAL EDITION

17 DEPARTMENTS 18 22 25 26 28

Campus Notes Alumni News Partnerships New Faces Campus Candids

2017

The magazine of Kettering College

ON THE COVER:

2 A STRONG FOUNDATION

Celebrating 50 years of excellence, innovation, and service at Kettering College.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS: It started with 99 freshmen... 6 Kettering College of Medical Arts’ evolution through time as names change, programs are added and enrollment grows.

EDITOR: Jessica J.W. Beans ASSISTANT EDITORS: Lauren Brooks and Breana Soliday Haughton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jessica J.W. Beans, Nate Brandstater, Lauren Brooks, Breana Soliday Haughton, Robert Hoover, Teresa Simmons, Chelsya Waworuntu and Leigh Wilkins ALUMNI RELATIONS: Teresa Simmons PHOTOGRAPHY: Jessica J.W. Beans, Lauren Brooks, Breana Soliday Haughton, and Scott Robins. All older photos were submitted with permission from the Alumni Relations office.

at the helm 10 A50pastyears and present look at the biographies of the presidents who have led and continue to lead Kettering College forward as it expands its academic offerings and experiences increasing enrollment.

Memories through the decades 13 Five accomplished alumni share their stories about how their experiences at Kettering College have led them to the careers they navigate today.

Pacesetter is published twice yearly by the public relations office at Kettering College for the alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students of the school. Pacesetter Public Relations Office Kettering College · 3737 Southern Blvd. · Kettering, OH 45429

& Now 17 AThen compact compilation and look back at some Kettering College memories and what they look like today.

kc.edu · pacesetter@kc.edu

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Kettering College, born out of Adventist faith, is a fully accredited college that offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in health science education. Upholding Christ, the College educates students to make service a life calling and to view health as harmony with God in body, mind, and spirit. A division of Kettering Medical Center, Kettering College is located on the KMC campus in a suburb of Dayton, Ohio.

innovation. superior graduates. passion for service and health.

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I T S TA R T E D W I T H 9 9 F R E S H M E N . . .

Kettering College of Medical Arts opened its doors in 1967 to 99 freshman students who were eager to learn and make their mark on the world. Hopes were high and tuition low at $25 per credit hour; living in the residence hall cost just $30 a month. With the College’s 23 full- and part-time faculty members, these students began a grand adventure fueled by a commitment to excellence, a passion for innovation and a desire to serve. AUSPICIOUS BEGINNINGS The idea of establishing a school like Kettering College of Medical Arts was conceived in the mind of Charles F. Kettering. Born in 1876, Kettering spent most of his life tackling tough questions and pursuing innovation. Though he is most remembered for his research and development in the automotive industry, the last 13 years of Kettering’s life were marked by a deep interest in medical research and improved treatment techniques. After Charles died in 1958, his son, Eugene, and Eugene’s wife, Virginia, donated

35 acres from the family estate with the intention of building a hospital and a college to commemorate Charles Kettering’s name and ideas.

goal of giving the people of the Dayton area the finest general hospital we are capable of building,” Eugene Kettering said at the time.

Though Eugene and Virginia were not Seventhday Adventists, they had an admiration for the Adventist health care philosophy and asked the Adventists in the community to build and operate the hospital. “We and the [Adventist church] have pledged our faith to each other in our common

The vision for the hospital included establishing an educational institution that would be “involved in preparing young people for satisfying lives of service here and in other institutions in various parts of the world.” Construction began in 1961, and the hospital opened three

years later, followed by the college in 1967. Day-to-day leadership for Kettering College came from an early “dynamic duo,” George B. Nelson and Anna Mae Vaughan. As the school’s first president, Nelson, an experienced hospital administrator, oversaw the planning and building of the institution. Vaughan directed the school’s nursing program for its first 13 years. It was her vision that the school be a

junior college offering curricula in a variety of health careers, as well as in arts and sciences. This was in contrast to the traditional medical training model, which included apprenticeship, in-service training and service-oriented lectures.

HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE Enrollment at Kettering College almost doubled in its second year as aspiring medical professionals embraced the school’s

A STRONG

50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION DID YOU KNOW? In 1972, music class was offered as an elective.

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innovative approach to higher education. Over the years, the rapid pace of change in medicine has fueled myriad changes at Kettering College, causing the school to launch new programs and discontinue others. One of the most significant additions was that of the physician assistant (PA) program, which began offering an associate degree in 1973. The first of its kind in Ohio, the program grew rapidly; in 2006, the program

offered the school’s first master’s degree program. The launch of the PA program was followed by the introduction of an evening nursing program in the 1980s and a two-year associate degree in medical sonography in the 1990s. Kettering College offered its first bachelor’s degree in 1997 and its first doctoral program, in occupational therapy, in 2015. Also that year, the respiratory care program accepted its first cohort of three-year

baccalaureate students. A close relationship with Kettering Health Network allows students in these programs and others to train and even work part time in the network’s hospitals. Today, Kettering College is broadly recognized for producing highly skilled, workforceready graduates. Many of the school’s departments have 100 percent job placement for graduates. In addition, Kettering College grads have pass rates of more than

DID YOU KNOW? In 1974, the college had a gymnastics team. 90 percent on state and national licensure board examinations. Making the transition from being a two-year associate degree junior college to a baccalaureate school in 1997 was a watershed event for Kettering College. Twenty years later, the school is achieving impressive national quality rankings and adding doctoral degrees.

In 2015, the Brookings Institution ranked Kettering College No. 1 in Ohio (16th in the country) for being a “value-added” school based on earnings data for alumni. And in 2017, for the third consecutive year, University Research & Review named Kettering College a Best Value School based on cost, accreditation, variety and quality of school programs, and student satisfaction.

FOUNDATION

AND SERVICE AT KETTERING COLLEGE... Pictured clockwise from top left « Photo 1: Nursing students in the classroom. Photo 2: Charles F. Kettering and Eugene Kettering with a diesel train engine from the 1950s. Photo 3: George B. Nelson with his own special shovel at the KMC ground breaking. Photo 4: KMCA exterior in 1964. Photo 5: Anna May Vaughn at the first KCMA Nurse Capping Ceremony. Photo 6: The 1974 Kettering College gymnastics team. Photo 7: Students, staff and faculty gather around the front of the college sign. Photo 8: Music class offered as an elective to students in 1972.

A N D C O N T I N U E S T O E V O LV E . . . kettering college

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A COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION

50 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION AND SERVICE AT KETTING COLLEGE

A STRONG FOUNDATION

As the school’s academic offerings expanded through the years, its physical plant did not, undergoing only modest renovations by the early 2000s. Visionary leaders knew it was time for a new era of educational modernization and state-ofthe-art technology. Thanks to a $4 million gift from local philanthropist Oscar Boonshoft, the school broke ground on what would become Boonshoft Center for Medical Science. This five-story, $22 million facility added large classrooms with leading-edge audio-visual equipment; multiple science labs; a new medical sonography department; and a twolevel library, among many other improvements. This upgrade, along with the school’s popular baccalaureate programs, led to significant enrollment growth. Enrollment climbed each year between 2009 and 2012, and the college set student enrollment records, with the peak occurring in 2012 at 981. At the same time, these years translated into unprecedented graduation rates, culminating in an alltime high of 308 Kettering College graduates in the 2013-14 school year.

DID YOU KNOW? In 1971, general assemblies included skits for the students. 4

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In 2011, Kettering College of Medical Arts changed its name to Kettering College to reflect the evolving nature of the institution’s offerings and in anticipation of establishing more undergraduate and graduate programs.

IN 2011, KETTERING COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS CHANGED ITS NAME TO KETTERING COLLEGE.

service needs of the local, regional, national and/ or global communities. This training prepares students for community service and mission trips to such diverse regions as Guyana, Zambia, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Peru, and Dayton, Ohio. These mission trips gave impetus to the school’s International Medical Missionary (IMM) program, established in 2015, which encourages all students to use the skills they are learning in the classroom to serve people in other countries who lack access to basic medical care.

A PASSION FOR SERVICE

Kettering College students have never waited until graduation to live out this high calling. For example, in the school’s early years, the Sigma Zeta sorority organized a special Christmas for a family in need, and the Student Association organized and sponsored philanthropic projects around the Miami Valley. In April 1974, following the devastating tornado that struck the heart of Xenia, Ohio, Kettering College students volunteered to provide food, water and medical care.

The Anna May VaughanWinton Beaven Service Learning Leadership Program, established in 2002, epitomizes the school’s emphasis on community service.

WINTON BEAVEN

New buildings and high-tech equipment are important, but they are secondary to Kettering College’s highest aim: helping students embrace their life calling to serve others. This emphasis on service is rooted in the school’s Adventist faith, which encourages each person to emulate the qualities of Jesus Christ, who treated all people with kindness, compassion and empathy.

Named for two pillars of Kettering College’s founding and early development (Beaven was the school’s second president), the program elevated community service, mission and the development of skilled leadership to a highlevel academic endeavor. Students selected for the program participate in a course of study that explores and stimulates critical analysis of the

Kettering College students continue to participate in service projects and special events closer to home, such as the Spring into Health 5K, which raises money for a local social service organization. Another favorite event is a block party sponsored by the school, Kettering Health Network and Kettering Adventist Church, along with the Potter’s House, a West Dayton church. There, students, health care professionals and local volunteers provide basic health services to more than 800 local residents. A brief retelling of history can never fully capture all that Kettering College has meant to its students, faculty and administrators; nor can it count the lives that Kettering College-trained nurses, radiographers, occupational therapists and others have touched. But the values so deeply ingrained in this institution will continue to shape students as they pursue “satisfying lives of service,” wherever their training and willingness may take them.

DID YOU KNOW? Student-faculty basketball was one of several sports offered along with tennis, gymnastics, skydiving, and cycling in 1974.

Pictured clockwise from top left: Photo 1: In 2015, Kettering College’s 47th commencement honored 40 years of its physician assistant program. Photo 2: Kettering College’s campus featuring the Boonshoft Center for Medical Science, which opened in 2006. Photo 3: A student-faculty basketball game, 1974. Photo 4: Nursing graduate Sunny Vu ’15 educates young people on different health practices. Photo 5: KCMA’s second president (1970-1983), Winton Beaven. Photo 6: OTD students give back to the community through their very first OT service day in 2017. Photo 7: A 1971 general assembly meeting skit. Photo 8: Kettering College has experienced significant enrollment growth and unprecedented graduation rates. Photo 9: Science labs offer Kettering College students hands-on learning experiences.

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THE FIRST 25 YEARS...

1967-1992 1ST GRADUATION CLASS: » 61 nursing, 3 respiratory care, 2 radiologic technology students. » Medical office assisting program begins. School opens with 99 students. First classes: general education, nursing, radiology, respiratory care.

1967 1968

1969

» Clinical dietitian program has first graduates. » Physician assistant program starts.

1970 1971

1972 1973

1974

301

STUDENTS ENROLLED

1975 1976

1977 1978

1979

GRADUATION AT FAR HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH: largest graduating class with highest grades in college history.

KCMA CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY

» Commuters make up 65 percent of student body.

» First camping trip. » First talent show. » Student Association begins.

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» First graduates from environmental management program. » Groundbreaking for Kettering Adventist Church. » Church moves from college gymnasium. » Winton Beaven begins his tenure as president. » First graduates from the medical office assisting program.

» Medical technology laboratory begins. » First graduating class of physician assistants.

PETER BATH BECOMES THE 4TH PRESIDENT OF KETTERING COLLEGE

1980

1981 1982

1983

1984 1985

1986

1987

1988 1989

1990

1991

1992

» 1986 yearbook dedicated to Margaret Rodenburg, Ph.D.

» New parking lot makes Kettering Medical Center more accessible. » Physician assistant program celebrates 10 years. » Winton Beaven retires as president. » Administrative dietetics program begins. » Diagnostic imaging modalities program begins.

REACHED 500 ENROLLED STUDENTS

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A N D U P T O T O D A Y. . .

1993-2017

» The Professional Nursing Dedication Ceremony was known as “The Capping Ceremony” and is an old tradition that dates back to when Kettering College of Medical Arts first opened in 1967. The ceremony dedicates the nursing student to the profession of nursing.

1993

1994

» New sonography skills lab opens. » Staten Family Learning Laboratories, a remodeled space that includes the physician assistant lab and new skills lab for medical sonography, opens.

» College expands into the new Boonshoft Center. » PA program transitions from bachelor’s to master’s degree.

CHARLES SCRIVEN BECOMES THE 5TH PRESIDENT OF KETTERING COLLEGE

START OF THE

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HEALTH PROFESSIONS

1995

PROGRAM

1996 1997

» First PA graduating class with bachelor’s degree. » First BSHP graduating class.

1998

1999

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

» Approval for Kettering College expansion. » Anna Mae Vaughn-Winton Beaven Service Learning Leadership program begins. The first Med Camp was held.

» Name of Kettering College of Medical Arts officially changes to Kettering College. » New tradition: Kettering College alumni night at Dayton Dragons game.

Groundbreaking for the new Boonshoft Center for Medical Sciences. 8

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In February, after a one-year interlude with Alex Bryan at the helm of Kettering College, Nate Brandstater becomes the seventh president.

2014

FIRST 5K RUN

2015

2016

2015

2016

» University Research & Review names Kettering College a Best Value School for the third consecutive year. » College launches the new Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and Pre-Occupational Therapy. Kettering College hosted multiple events in celebration of its 50th ANNIVERSARY

2006

2007 2008 2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

KETTERING COLLEGE SETS STUDENT ENROLLMENT RECORD AT

9 8 1 » Charles Scriven retires from his 13-year tenure as president. » Record enrollments translate into unprecedented graduation rates, culminating in an all-time high of 308 Kettering College graduates.

» Kettering College launches its first doctoral program, occupational therapy, in the fall. » Respiratory care program takes a major step forward and accepts its first cohort of three-year baccalaureate students. » The Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. based think tank, ranks Kettering College 16th— one spot behind Harvard University — in its measurement of the quality a college or university delivers to a student regardless of the students’ characteristics.

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PAST & PRESENT PRESIDENT BIOS

50 YEARS AT THE HELM

KETTERING COLLEGE’S LEADERS

H AV E B R O U G H T K E T T E R I N G CO L L E G E

TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

“History is replete with numerous instances where the right person appeared at the right time to accomplish something important for the welfare of mankind.” Winton Beaven, second president of Kettering College

Over the past 50 years, seven people have served as president of Kettering College. Kettering College’s leaders, all from different backgrounds, have brought Kettering College to a new level—all focusing on the spirit of innovation set forth by Charles F. Kettering.

1966

William C. Sandborn

In 1966, William C. Sandborn, academic dean of Salem College in West Virginia, was hired as the first president of Kettering College. Sandborn saw the college as a challenging and exciting undertaking. Two years later, Sandborn celebrated with 66 graduates as they received their diplomas. Firmly grounding the principle of service that has characterized Kettering College since its inception, Sandborn encouraged graduates to seize the “opportunities offered by the Master for service to Him” and William Sandborn, Kettering College’s first president, sits behind his desk.

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“prepare to minister to suffering humanity like our Master did.” In December 1969, Sandborn died of a heart attack. As Kettering College’s charter leader, Sandborn saw the College’s enrollment grow to 230 students in its first two years. He established a secure foundation on which his successors would build to fulfill the College’s mission and serve the greater Dayton community as the region’s preeminent health care education institution.

1970

Winton Beaven Winton H. Beaven succeeded Sandborn in July 1970, coming to Kettering College from Columbia Union College, where he had been president. Beaven presided over an era of growth and progress at Kettering College. With an inspirational leadership style, Beaven maintained the standards of excellence that Sandborn had established. During Beaven’s tenure, Kettering College expanded its program offerings from four to 13 as the faculty grew to more than 90 full- and part-time teachers. Kettering College received its initial accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1973. The accreditation was reaffirmed five years later and continues to the present day.

50 Perhaps Beaven’s most significant achievement was the founding of the physician assistant program under the guidance of Clinton Trott. One of the first programs of its kind in Ohio, the physician assistant program grew rapidly. It later became the first graduate degree, with the College conferring its first master’s degrees in physician assistant studies in December 2007. During his 13 years as president, Beaven oversaw the expansion of the college to more than 492 enrolled students, including a record 154 graduates in 1983, the year of his retirement. The Service Learning Leadership Program now bears his name.

Winton Beaven laughs with Kettering Medical Center’s president, Robert Willett.

1983

Robert Williams Robert Williams succeeded Beaven in 1983. Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Andrews University from 1978 to 1983, he had built a distinguished career in higher education. He and his wife, Lee, opened their home on a regular basis to students, faculty and staff. As an administrator, Williams gave program directors the confidence and the freedom to do their jobs, and served as a genuine advocate of the faculty, said Bev Cobb, former program director in the Division of Nursing.ii He helped align faculty salaries with those of peer institutions, which improved morale and helped the College attract highly qualified faculty. Enrollment continued to grow to a new record in 1989, reaching nearly 600 by the time

Williams retired in 1990. The college paid tribute by bestowing upon him the status of honorary alumnus “in recognition of [his] gentle guidance, dedicated vision, and devotion to the future of [Kettering College].” iii Williams’ respect as an educator and administrator of a hospital-affiliated institution of higher education extended well beyond Kettering College. He was later asked to assist in the creation of what is now the Adventist University of Health Sciences, affiliated with Florida Hospital.

Robert Willliams speaks with a faculty member in his office.

1990

Peter Bath Peter Bath succeeded Williams in 1990. With a Doctor of Ministry degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Bath had come to Kettering 10 years before to accept a position as youth pastor at the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist church. He took on the role of senior pastor six years later, serving in that capacity until moving to the College.iv Bath presided over the transformation of Kettering College of Medical Arts from an associate degree-granting junior college to baccalaureate institution — a direct response to increased demands in the health care field. Kettering College’s administrative leadership made the decision to create what would become known as a “two-plus-two” Bachelor of Science

completion program for all of the College’s existing programs plus an option for interdisciplinary studies. Throughout the 1990s, enrollment remained steady between 500 and 600 students. But at the turn of the century, the College’s student population increased by one-third. With more and more students populating campus, Kettering College was about to dramatically change. Bath accepted a call in 2000 to become the senior pastor of the Sligo SDA Church in Tacoma Park, Maryland. In 2017, Bath returned to Kettering Health Network to serve as the Vice President of Mission and Ministry.

Peter Bath was Kettering College’s fourth president, who served for 10 years.

Mitchell, Brian C. “Why Become a College President?” Huffpost. Dec. 17, 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-brian-c-mitchell/college-president_b_4452587.html. Accessed June 28, 2017. Interview with Beverly Cobb, former program director of the Division of Nursing, May 3, 2016. 1990 KCMA Pacemaker, p. 3. iv Heidi Shoemaker, “Kettering Church Celebrates 50th Anniversary, Church History,” June 12, 2014, Visitor Magazine, www.columbiaunionvisitor.com/node/291 v Ibid. vi “Kettering College names new president,” Dayton Daily News, February 3, 2014, http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local/kettering-college-names-new-president/ndBSh/ i

iii

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2000

Charles Scriven After a brief period in an interim role, Charles Scriven, at the turn of the 21st century, became the fifth president of Kettering College. Scriven presided over one of the greatest educational expansions of Kettering College, both academically and physically, in its history. With his experience in educational development and innovation, Scriven contended that to maintain its culture of excellence, continue its academic transformation, meet the needs of an economy that “has favored the development of heath care,” and address the “changing culture of Dayton’s work force,”v Kettering College needed to expand its physical plant. Thus, with the support of Kettering Medical Center, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation, the city of Kettering, and philanthropist Oscar Boonshoft, the first major expansion of Kettering College of Medical Arts began in 2002. Groundbreaking for the Boonshoft Center for Medical Sciences occurred in July 2004. For two years, offices and departments played musical chairs; student parking became a challenge; and the noise

of construction disrupted class schedules. However, the dividend exceeded the displacement. The Boonshoft Center for Medical Sciences symbolized Kettering College’s commitment to producing graduates who see their professions as not just a livelihood, but a call to service. The growth in the College’s enrollment and academic offerings coincided with Scriven’s retirement at the end of the 2012-13 school year. In his time as president, Kettering College had been transformed: multiple baccalaureate programs; the first major expansion of the College’s physical plant; creation of the first graduate-level degree; and laying the groundwork for the formation of the first doctoral-level curriculum. “When I look ahead,” he said, “I imagine a school that will one day enroll 1,000 students. But most important, I imagine a school that never flinches from the challenge of becoming better and better at what it does.”

Charles Scriven, also known as “Chuck,” breaks ground along with other administrators for the Boonshoft Medical Center in 2004.

2013

Alex Bryan In April 2013, Alex Bryan was named the sixth president of Kettering College. Bryan was the senior pastor at Walla Walla University Church in College Place, Washington, for the previous four years. In addition to teaching in the schools of theology and business, he was a member of the president’s cabinet, where he acted as an advisor for vision and strategy. With a passion for education, learning and leadership, he accepted the role of president at Kettering College. His main objective was to work with Kettering College faculty and staff to continue to grow and improve the educational opportunities.

He focused on innovation and mission. Kettering College began preparing to add a doctoral program in occupational therapy. However, after a year, Bryan discerned a call to return to Washington. He said he appreciated his tenure at Kettering College: “Adventist higher education has a long history of preparing men and women to make a rich, Christ-centered difference in the world. I am thrilled to be a part of this work.”

Alex Bryan, speaking at Winter Convocation welcoming students back to school in January 2014.

2014

Nate Brandstater Nate Brandstater became the College’s seventh president in February 2014, having been an associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of chemistry at La Sierra University in Riverside, California.vi During the first three years of his tenure, curricular growth at Kettering College grew. In the fall of 2015, the occupational therapy doctoral program began, and the respiratory care program took a major step forward and accepted its first cohort of three-year baccalaureate students. Since 2014, the ranking organization University Research & Review has named Kettering College a “Best Value School,” a designation Brandstater says reflects the College’s commitment to its students and quality of education. More recently, Brandstater has strengthened the partnership between Kettering College and

Kettering Health Network to provide full-time students with patient-centered job opportunities while they are still in school through career fairs and networking opportunities with hospital managers. “Value — particularly value to our students, their families and their employers — drives everything that we do,” Brandstater said. “Our drive to innovate has never fit the health care environment better than it does today.” From the vision of Charles F. Kettering, Kettering College has formed, grown and excelled. With a history of both innovation and service, the College now looks forward to a future of additional master’s and doctoral degrees.

Nate Brandstater poses with the George Nelson Award recipient, Ricardo Chujutalli at Kettering College’s 48th Commencement Ceremony. 12

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Roger Rickel in class during his time at KCMA.

TH R O U G H T H E D EC AD ES

Kettering College gave me a great start on a career path at Kettering Health Network over the past 42 years.

Roger Rickel ’76 ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL SERVICES,

I WAS FORTUNATE to have my college career start at Kettering College in 1974, graduating from the respiratory care program in 1976. As I look back, Kettering College gave me a great start on a career path at Kettering Health Network over the past 42 years. The quality of the program at Kettering provided a solid start to other undergraduate and graduate degrees that have allowed me to progress, with experience, to the level that I am at currently as administrative director of clinical services for Kettering Health Network.

KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK

The other aspect of Kettering College is the Christian atmosphere and professors that take a genuine interest in their students’ success. Kettering College is also where my wife graduated from the nursing program and spent 32 years as a registered nurse in various areas at Kettering Medical Center. The smaller atmosphere and caring faculty make a major difference in your success, whether you are just out of high school or a more mature adult furthering your education.

Roger Rickel and his wife, Sherry (Brown) Rickel, who is also an alumna. »

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A career can be a winding path that is often

contingent upon choices and decisions. The foundation with my nursing degree helped prepare me for my wonderful career in saving lives. Patti (Turpen) Niles ’81 PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTHWEST TRANSPLANT ALLIANCE, DALLAS TIME FROZE AS I STOOD in the middle of an operating room where nearly 20 people hustled about, just minutes before. I reflected on the life of the person before me: How would this person feel becoming a hero and saving seven lives? After working nearly 40 straight exhausting hours to make these miracles happen, I felt elated for the seven people while saddened for the life lost before me. As I took a moment to take it in, I thought about my journey that brought me to that moment. It isn’t as if you say, “I think I’ll work in organ transplants one day.” I’ve often wondered how different my journey would have been without my days at KCMA. A career can be a winding path that is often contingent upon choices and decisions. The foundation with my nursing degree helped prepare me for my wonderful career in saving lives. I was fortunate to work in an ICU while attending KCMA. After graduating, I moved to a small town and worked in a rural hospital in the ICU. I was the only RN on my shift. While I do not think this was wise for the hospital,

Pictured left « An impactful moment 10 years earlier with her first organ donor changes Patti’s path. She boards a helicopter transporting a donor organ in 2000—the start of this phase of her career.

I was hungry to learn all things possible. I couldn’t read enough. 14

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I somehow felt prepared. I was hungry to learn all things possible. I couldn’t read enough.

One conversation with Anna May Vaughan has always stayed with me. She talked about using your intuitive skills before reaching for the technology. Just feeling a patient’s radial pulse can give you a quick assessment. I have used this analogy throughout my career. I still function in a common-sense manner.

I worked ICU for about 10 years before I saw my first organ donor. It was one of the impactful moments of my career. A mother had just delivered a baby and threw a pulmonary embolism and suffered a prolonged anoxic event and was pronounced brain dead. The family wanted her to be an organ donor. My career took a turn. Today, I run one of the largest organ donor programs in the country. I am known for turning organizations around and having dramatic results. Often, I am asked how I do it. I am passionate about what I do and have always felt compelled to make the right choices. I was once told a good nurse is defined by what and how she cares for others behind the curtain, and this still resonates in my business practice.

Kettering served as a springboard for me into a love for learning and growth in a profession I truly feel called to serve. Tiffany D. Thompson ’11 CLINICAL NURSE MANAGER, KETTERING MEDICAL CENTER

I was so excited to participate in Mrs. Applegate’s amazing anatomy and physiology class. How many freshmen have the opportunity to work with cadavers in their first year? Lorinda Loftonbrook ’91 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GLOBAL REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT ESTÉE LAUDER

KCMA … those four letters always bring a smile to my face. They bring memories of starting my adult life, my path forward and ultimately my career. I have wonderful memories of so many classes and teachers. Mrs. Applegate, Mr. Rule and Dr. Rodenburg top my list. I was so excited to participate in Mrs. Applegate’s amazing anatomy and physiology class. How many freshmen have the opportunity to work with cadavers in their first year? I worked in the library from the beginning and then moved on to work for Mrs. Applegate. I learned so much from each and every teacher, project, class and job that I had at KCMA. When I started at KCMA, my goal was to be a pediatrician. My career path changed along the way, and I ended up finishing my education with a master’s in biology,

specializing in parasitology. Yet another change led to a job with a Canadian cosmetic company called MAC. I also didn’t imagine that science and cosmetics had anything to do with each other. Well, that was 20 years ago, and I’m still working in cosmetics. I have a wonderful career with the Estee Lauder Cos., and you know what? Science has a lot to do with cosmetics. We have a very large global research and development team with chemists, biologists, environmental scientists and Ph.D.s doing research and everything in between. We research new products, develop and test them, execute claims substantiation and ensure that those products are compliant in the 150 countries where our 35 brands are sold.

91 11

Thank you so much to every teacher, staff member, student and friend for providing these memories, and happy 50th anniversary to KCMA! Pictured above left « Left to right: Barbara Bussey, Lorinda Lofton-Brook, Nancy Ludwig. Barbara was a year behind Lorinda at KCMA.

COMING TO KETTERING COLLEGE was truly a spiritual decision for me, and one that changed my life forever. Knowing I wasn’t spending my life doing what God had created me to do, under conviction and feeling his call on my life, after much prayer, thought and deliberation, my husband and I made the decision for me to leave my corporate position and go to nursing school. The only school I had peace about was Kettering College, so that’s the only place I applied. After 20 years of being out of school, I was accepted into the nursing program.

From that point on, it was as if God opened the gates of heaven, and immeasurable provisions and blessings were given to make nursing school not only possible for me, but a place where I thrived. In my time at Kettering College, God showed up big. There were so many confirmations that I was where he wanted me. I ended up graduating the associate program with honors and eventually finished a BSN and a master’s in nursing leadership, and I have plans to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Kettering served as a springboard for me into a love for learning and growth in a profession I truly feel called to serve. Not long into my career as a professional nurse, I was promoted into a nursing leadership position. Again, this wasn’t my plan, but God’s plan. I am now able to look back and see how all the years I spent in the corporate world prepared me for the position I serve in now. Amazing how he works out all those details even when we don’t understand what’s happening. I’m eternally thankful for His continued guidance and for the gift he gave to me in Kettering College.

kettering college

James (Jim) C. Zedaker ASSOCIATE DEAN AND FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

As I travel professionally, I am always proud to say I am part of the Kettering Health Network. KCMA allowed me to develop lifelong relationships, both personally and professionally. The PA program is a program I am proud to be affiliated with.

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IN 1989, my close high school friend Tracy (Goodman) Coy told me about this program she was going to begin at Kettering College. She was going to be a physician assistant and suggested that I consider it also. We had known each other since third grade and went to EMT school together while we were still in high school. As long as I could remember, she was going to go to medical school, but now she was going to do this. I had never heard of a PA, but if it was something to make Tracy change her career path, I wanted to explore it as well. So began my first time at Kettering College. At the time, Dee Morris was the program director. She came across as funny and supportive and seemed very kind. Around this time, I had also just recently finished paramedic training and was working for the Kettering and Sycamore Medical Centers as a paramedic. I was looking for my next step. I attended one semester and was doing well academically but was easily distracted and was more interested in being a paramedic. I was discussing this with one of my firefighting colleagues who told me that Huber Heights was hiring firefighters. The next morning, I put on a suit and tie to pick up an application. They had actually given the exam the previous night, but the chief who was on duty was so impressed that I wore a suit and tie that he interviewed me on the spot and sat me at his desk to take the exam. I scored well and was invited to come back that evening for the fitness portion of the exam. I finished in the top three and was offered a position as a career firefighter/paramedic. I withdrew from Kettering that week but found myself returning 12 years later.

I had already completed my bachelorâ€™s degree in management and human resources, so in 2001, I began taking my prerequisite courses and returned to the PA program in 2002, graduating in 2004. Since then, I have had an amazing career as an emergency medicine PA. My first position was at the University of Cincinnati, where I built on my knowledge and experience and received an introduction to academic medicine. After a few years, I came back to the Kettering Health Network at Grandview and Southview Medical Centers, which also has a strong academic medicine heritage and broad residency program. In 2008, I retired from the Air Force Reserves, where I served as an instructor in medical education at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center. Following retirement, I wanted to continue as an educator and accepted my first faculty position at Indiana University. It was there I had the opportunity to become involved in the new program accreditation process. I followed that up becoming the founding director at Ohio University, where we established a new program in Dublin, Ohio. The culmination of those experiences led me to my current role as the associate dean and founding director at the Florida State University PA program. I continue my current affiliation with the Kettering Health Network, occasionally practicing at Grandview, Southview and now Preble County emergency departments. I also am a regional director for Envision Physician Services, which allows me to create a bridge between academics and clinical practice. As I travel professionally, I am always proud to say I am part of the Kettering Health Network. KCMA allowed me to develop lifelong relationships, both personally and professionally. The PA program is a program I am proud to be affiliated with. There has always been something special about Kettering graduates that makes them stand out.

I had a fantastic career as a firefighter/ paramedic. Unfortunately, an injury forced me to seek new career options. I had been following the career of my friend Tracy, who graduated from the PA program in 1992, and she seemed to be doing very well. After exploring my options, seeking advice from my mentors and researching the PA profession, there was no doubt that I needed to finish what I started in 1989.

THEN & NOW

kc 50

A LOOK BACK AT SOME KETTERING COLLEGE MEMORIES AND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE TODAY THEN

NOW

THEN

NOW

1967: Ernest Newfield, one of the original radiology instructors, teaches students

2016: Radiologic sciences and advanced imaging professor, Taryn Talbott, teaches students on the new MRI simulator

1967: Students lined up at the original bookstore

2017: The recently renovated bookstore which is now called the “Campus Corner”

1968: The original main lobby

2017: The new student lobby

1970: A medical office assisting student typing up and transcribing dictation

2017: A physician assistant student taking notes on her laptop during class

1971: A campus carnival that took place

2017: Kettering College’s carnival

1975: The original main entrance to the college

2017: Kettering College’s main entrance

1974: Dr. Margaret Rodenburg teaching chemistry class

2015: A human biology student learning in chemistry class

1975: Class of 1975 at their commencement service

2017: Class of 2017 commencement service

1984: A nursing dedication and capping

2017: Nursing dedication and capping

1995: The library with the first computers or CRT’s

2015: The current library with several desktop computers kettering college

CAMPUS NOTES

49th

COMMENCEMENT HONORS

198

GRADUATES

Pictured above, top to bottom » Photo 1: The Class of 2017 commencement procession. Photo 2: From left, nursing students Katie Overholtz and Becca Wiley. Photo 3: Dr. Jonathan Velasco, a graduate of Kettering College and a surgeon in the Kettering Physician Network, gives the keynote address. Photo 4: Sonography graduate Maria Mitter receives the George B. Nelson award from Loren Agrey, former Dean of Academic Affairs.

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ON APRIL 29, Kettering College conferred degrees and certificates on 198 students at the school’s 49th commencement ceremonies. Dr. Jonathan Velasco, a graduate of Kettering College and a surgeon in the Kettering Physician Network, gave the keynote address. The ceremony also commemorated Kettering College’s 50th anniversary. Sonography graduate Maria Mitter received the George B. Nelson award, presented to an undergraduate who exemplifies the mission of Kettering College by making service a life calling and viewing health as harmony with God in body, mind, and spirit. The award is named for the founding president of Kettering Medical Center. “God has made it clear to me that whatever I do in the ultrasound field is work for helping Him and His people,” Mitter said. “In Matthew 25:37-40, God says that anything you do for His brothers and sisters you do for Him. I feel this verse encompasses the meaning of health care to me, and it emphasizes the importance of providing for others, whoever they may be.” The five nominated students received a monetary award and certificate. Physician assistant graduate Mara Kohls

received the Margaret L. Rodenburg award, which recognizes a masterslevel student for scholarship and professional growth; compassionate Christian service; leadership; a professional interest that exceeds customary academic requirements; and a commitment to quality and lifelong learning. During a yearlong volunteer teaching assignment in Pohnpei, Micronesia, Kohls discovered the need for primary health care providers. While pursuing her master’s at Kettering College, she remained active in service, and after completing a mission in Peru in 2016, she returned to Trujillo, Peru, for a clinical rotation in one of the most underserved hospitals in the country. She was active in the Clinton Trott Society and helped to raise more than $10,000 for Good Neighbor House. Longtime sciences and mathematics professor William Rodenburg established the award in honor of his wife, Margaret, a longtime chemistry professor, who attended the commencement ceremony and presented Kohls and the other nominees with monetary awards and certificates.

CAMPUS NOTES

STUDENTS, VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE SERVICES, EDUCATION AT DAYTON HEALTH BLOCK PARTY ON APRIL 8, Kettering College, the Kettering Adventist Church and the Kettering Health Network (KHN) collaborated with the Potter’s House, a West Dayton church, in hosting a block party focused on health. Students, health professionals and local volunteers provided health screenings, dental education, food, shoes, face painting, games and other activities to more than 800 local residents. “The people of the community may have needed this, but so did we,” said Jasmyne Martin, a junior nursing student. “We needed to see there are people right under our noses who need to know about what we do. We needed to see that the unavailability of decent health care and community is much closer to home than we think. This is where we start with our ministry, and what better way to do it?” Students said the opportunity was highly rewarding. “It was amazing to see how the event brought a lot of people together to serve a common goal and purpose,” said Sonoka Fanwar, a junior nursing student.

Pictured left, top to bottom « Photo 1: Nursing student Jasmyne Martin paints faces. Photo 2: Snow cones were handed out to members of the community. Photo 3: Anisha Mathi, left, a 2015 physician assistant graduate, and Megan Kindred, a family medicine resident at Grandview Medical Center, answer health questions at the Ask-a-Doc booth.

kettering college

CAMPUS NOTES

RAISES $10K FOR GOOD NEIGHBOR HOUSE

KETTERING COLLEGE’S NINTH ANNUAL SPRING INTO HEALTH 5K attracted 475 participants and raised $10,366 for Good Neighbor House, a nonprofit organization that provides food pantry services, health education, clothing and household items to individuals and families in the Dayton region. Students in the physician assistant studies department have organized the event since its start in 2009. “We had a great turnout this year,” said Victor Brown, Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “The weather was phenomenal, and it seemed like everyone had a great time.” Three-fourths of the funds raised at the event go to Good Neighbor House, founded in 1994 by eight Dayton-area Adventist churches; one-fourth goes to the Physician Assistant Student Professional Development. The event will be held again on April 8, 2018.

Pictured clockwise from top » Photo 1: The physician assistant class raised over $10,000 for Good Neighbor House and assistant student professional development. Photo 2: The start of the 5k run/walk. Photo 3: Physician assistant student Krista Basso gives physician assistant student Olivia Kwiatkowski a medal she won for her age group. Photo 4: Popcorn was one of the many foods offered during the event. Photo 5: Physician assistant student Kathryn Sharits at the Wellness & Fun Fair. Photo 6: Philly Pretzel Factory in Centerville, Ohio, provided pretzels to all the race participants. Photo 7: A balloon artist was a part of the event. Photo 8: Physician assistant students Jessica Mace, left, and Sara Ruch at the registration booth.

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CAMPUS NOTES

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kettering college

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI, FAMILIES, FRIENDS CELEBRATE 50th ANNIVERSARY AT DAYTON DRAGONS GAME Members of the class of 2017 and their families and friends joined area alumni for the 11th annual Kettering College Alumni Night at the Dayton Dragons game on May 9. At the event, which also commemorated the College’s 50th anniversary, they received free Dayton Dragons caps and concessions. Maria Mitter, a 2017 sonography graduate and recipient of the George B. Nelson Award, threw out the first pitch. Teresa Simmons, the alumni relations director at Kettering College, organized the event. “Celebrating our 50th anniversary with the Dayton Dragons was especially meaningful,” Simmons said. “Alumni Night was the perfect place to celebrate alumni and the future of Kettering College.” Between innings, the alumni section was chosen to participate in a beach-ball volleyball game against the adjacent section. “My family and friends had so much fun,” Mitter said. “We definitely enjoyed ourselves playing volleyball and watching the game.” The Dragons beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-3.

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Pictured above starting top left « Photo 1: Sonography graduate Maria Mitter throws out the first pitch. Photo 2: Sonography graduate Maria Mitter with a Dayton Dragons player. Photo 3: From left, nursing graduates, Paige Raney and Amber Williamson were among the 55 alumni, friends and family members who attended the 2017 Dayton Dragons event. Photo 4: The alumni section participates in a mini volleyball tournament against the adjacent section. Photo 5: Alumni relations director Teresa Simmons. Photo 6: A friend of the alumni department. Photo 7: Nursing graduate Maria Mitter with friends and family. Photo 8: Kettering College President Nate Brandstater and alumni relations director Teresa Simmons with the Dayton Dragons mascot Heater. Pictured right » Maria Mitter was given the ball she threw out as the ceremonial first pitch.

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI NEWS “ CELEBRATING OUR 50th ANNIVERSARY WITH THE DAYTON DRAGONS WAS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL. IT WAS THE PERFECT PLACE TO CELEBRATE ALUMNI AND THE FUTURE OF KETTERING COLLEGE.

”

kettering college

— Teresa Simmons, alumni relations director at Kettering College

CLASS NOTES

1960s Janis (Gersonde) Newberry ’69 lives in Fenton, Michigan, with her husband, Gary. She is retired but working part time as “train the trainer” for certified nursing assistant students.

1970s Barclay Smith ’77 is now retired and living in Battle Creek, Michigan, with his wife, Marilyn.

1980s Rebecca (Wolosuk) Woolridge ’80 spent 35 years in critical care/ emergency room nursing across the country and in Saudi Arabia. She and her husband, Michael, now live on a small farm in Virginia. Dennis Case ’80 is a member of the staff at the Homer Stryker, M.D., School of Medicine at Western Michigan University, working in clinical skills. He and his wife, Rebekah, live in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His email address is dlc9532@hotmail.com.

1990s Lisa (Peters) Amyx ’90 is a registered nurse at Fort Hamilton Hospital. She has two children; daughter Hailey is a sonography student at Kettering College.

Rock Hodde ’94 is a travel-

lives in Riverside, Ohio, with her husband, Carl.

2010s Michaela (Nixon) Wehr ’10 lives in Galloway, Ohio, with her husband, David. She is a senior specialist with Cardinal Health. Her email address is michaela. wehr@cardinalhealth.com.

Annette Powers-Kilburn ’11 works for Benchmark Human Services, which manages group homes for people with developmental disabilities. She is the only nurse for the northwest Ohio and central Ohio offices, covering seven counties. She announces the birth of two grandchildren in the summer of 2016. She writes that she also is helping her husband, Dan, study to become a respiratory therapist. They live in Covington, Ohio. Her email address is apowerskilburn@ benchmarkhs.com.

Andrea (Seman) Jez ’14 lives in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, with her husband, Steven.

Cherith Chase ’16 lives in

is a model of care design consultant. She lives in Middletown, Ohio, with her husband, Rick. Her email address is karinsuebenner@ gmail.com.

pacesetter · special edition 2017

died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016. Formerly of Kettering, he had lived in Estero, Florida, since 2007. He was a board-certified physician assistant, practicing in dermatology for 34 years; he spoke nationally, published research and taught dermatology. He had a variety of interests including photography. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Phyllis.

Jennifer L. (Shade) Price died Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. A 1981 Kettering College graduate, she retired from Kettering Medical Center in 2011 after a 31-year career. She is survived by her husband of 35 years, Ken D. Price; son Kenneth M. (Yen) Price; daughter Krista L. (Loren) Zander; and four grandchildren.

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Elaina (Groh) Truster ’14 has

2000s

Karin (Dale) Benner ’03

Jeffrey Neef

lives in Dayton, Ohio, with her husband, Elisha. She is a labor and delivery nurse for the Kettering Health Network. worked on a cardiac step-down unit for the past five years. She has two children, Caroline, 3, and Charlie, 1. She is now doing open-heart education and writes that she plans to earn a master’s or become a nurse practitioner.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

IN MEMORIAM

Kristen (Hine) Shannon ’14

ing respiratory therapist based in Ashland, Ohio, after working 20 years in Florida. He says he enjoys the new assignments and meeting new people. Rock’s email address is rockhodde777@gmail.com.

Kimberli Eddy ’02 lives in

Anna (Kroll) De Guzman ’09

Hudsonville, Michigan. She is a registered nurse at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Her email address is cherith.chase@helendevoschildrens.org. » Share your news with us at ALUMNI@KC.EDU. » Update your info online at KC.EDU/ALUMNI

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PARTNERSHIPS

When unexpected hardships hit during college, students often think they have no option but to drop out. To ensure that students have other options, Kettering College created funds that provide assistance in situations of temporary financial crisis.

RACHEL BARTLET / Nursing Student Eva R. Miller Scholarship Recipient

HANNAH REECE / Radiology Student Richard Longacre Memorial Scholarship Recipient

“The scholarship has afforded me time to focus on being a student and a future health care provider.” » HANNAH REESE/RADIOLOGY STUDENT

Scholarships such as the Eva R. Miller Scholarship and the Richard Longacre Memorial Scholarship assist with tuition and fees. For pressing needs outside books, tuition and lab fees, the College instituted the Kettering College Student Assistance Fund in 2009; it helps to bridge a gap by paying for non-tuition items like uniforms, groceries and gasoline. “The sonography program has benefited greatly from the Student Assistance Fund,” said Susan Price, program director for diagnostic medical sonography. “Our students face the same issues as all people in our community. Divorce, homelessness and family tragedies have all occurred. If it were not for the student assistance fund helping students with immediate needs, I believe many would have been forced to drop out. These are students

who are now successful health professionals. I can’t thank you enough.” Scholarships—particularly those designated for students with need—help students to balance studies and family. “The scholarship came at a time when I was in serious financial hardship,” wrote one scholarship recipient, Rachel. “It was an answer to earnest prayer. It allowed me to continue with my classes and to divide my focus solely between my family and my studies, instead of having to add employment in that split. Thank you for becoming a part of my success story.”

PARTNERSHIPS

DR. SUSAN PRICE Medical Sonography Program Director

SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS PLACE KETTERING COLLEGE IN REACH, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF NEED

Another student, Hannah, wrote, “The scholarship has afforded me time to focus on being a student and a future health care provider. I cannot begin to express enough gratitude for what this scholarship has done for me.”

To learn more about or giving to the Student Assistance Fund or special scholarships, please contact Monica Meilinger, director of annual giving, at monica.meilinger@ketteringhealth.org

kettering college

NEW FACES

TAYLOR BARTRAM

THOMAS J. BIRK

SEAN R. BYRD

MICHAEL DAVIS-CHESHIRE

MIRANDA BERTIE DICKERSON

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RYAN HAAS

IDAMAE JENKINS

TAYLOR BARTRAM, associate chaplain intern Taylor Bartram said the care and mentorship of all of his teachers and chaplains led him to want to help other young people grow in their understanding of who God is. After being a student chaplain at Andrews University from 2013 to 2017, he decided to continue this work at Kettering College because he “believes in what this school is trying to do through creating an environment that fosters learning and values pursuit of God.” Bartram said he likes to play basketball, listen to music and explore new places — especially if they involve ice cream. THOMAS J. BIRK, chair and professor, physical therapy Thomas Birk became involved in physical therapy when he participated in collegiate sports and realized that he wanted to find the most effective means of preventing and recovering from injury. Eventually, he developed a passion for sharing clinical expertise with others as a licensed health care professional. Kettering College’s team-oriented administrators and faculty attracted Birk, as did the College’s affiliation with Kettering Medical Center and Kettering Health Network. Birk follows the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Orioles and enjoys reading 20th-century American history and keeping in touch with his two grown children. He is married to Cindy Birk. SEAN R. BYRD, assistant to the director of health sciences After retiring from the U.S. Air Force and working as a team coordinator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Cincinnati, Sean Byrd joined Kettering College. She says she was excited to be able to freely express her love for Christ at work. Her position also places her closer to her parents. In her free time, Byrd loves to read. MICHAEL DAVIS-CHESHIRE, assistant professor, occupational therapy Since 1995, Michael Davis-Cheshire says, he has valued mentorship and now considers it both a duty and a privilege to mentor others, particularly in his role educating occupational therapists. He enjoys woodworking, cooking, baking and binge-watching TV shows. He and his wife, Rhonda, who also is a faculty member in occupational therapy, have three children. MIRANDA BERTIE DICKERSON, assistant professor, nursing Miranda Bertie Dickerson has taught nursing since 1998 and says she often thought of expanding her teaching role. After working at Ohio State University and in Atlanta and Dayton, she taught as an adjunct faculty member before accepting a full-time faculty role at Kettering College. She enjoys hiking, boating and spending time outdoors with her husband, Matthew, and two children, Olivia and Ian.

RYAN HAAS, enrollment counselor Ryan Haas says he sought out Kettering College for the opportunity to have an interactive job. Previously, he was an alumni and donor relations assistant at Loma Linda Health. Outside work, Haas spends his time biking, running and backpacking. He also does scuba diving and has swum with humpback whales. His goal is to read a book each week, alternating between nonfiction and fiction. He is married to Courtney Haas, the missions coordinator for Kettering Health Network. IDAMAE JENKINS, clinical coordinator, radiologic sciences and imaging Prior to working at Kettering College, Idamae Jenkins was an X-ray technician at Miamisburg Family Practice, Far Oaks Orthopedists, Dayton Children’s and Kettering Hospital. She also was a PACS manager and general radiology manager at Dayton Children’s. She says the best part about being a radiology technician was to be able to look at an X-ray and know where it was located in the body. Jenkins was attracted to teach at Kettering College because of her desire to have a direct impact on the same program she graduated from. In her free time, Jenkins reads and enjoys trying out new Asian restaurants. Jenkins, a University of Michigan fan, is married with two stepsons, one daughter-in-law and one grandson. ERICKA KISTLER, chemistry instructor Ericka Kistler found her passion in teaching chemistry as a teaching assistant at Purdue University. She says the focus and community of Kettering College inspired her to empower students to apply science in their careers. The oldest of six siblings, Kistler reads creative fiction, swims, watches movies and plays board games. MARY MATESE, assistant professor, nursing Mary Matese enjoys teaching and nursing, specifically in mental health. She chose to work at Kettering College because of its reputation for quality. She loves reading, playing the violin, working in her garden and spending time with her 15-year-old daughter, “the greatest gift ever given to me.” DANIELLE MCPECK, assistant professor, occupational therapy Danielle McPeck has been an occupational therapist in Ohio since 2008. First as an adjunct faculty member and now as an assistant professor, she has welcomed the opportunity to see students grow in knowledge in the field. She says she appreciates the spiritual aspect she can provide in her work at Kettering College. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Patrick, and her dogs.

NEW FACES

ERICKA KISTLER

MARY MATESE

CINDY PRATER, assistant professor of nursing Cindy Prater was a clinical adjunct educator and faculty member in the nursing skills lab before accepting a role as an assistant professor of nursing. Previously, she was a nurse and case manager in the Kettering Health Network. She says she loves working at Kettering College because she can combine her desire to help people with the challenge of being a great educator. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Warren, five Yorkshire terriers, two cats, two daughters and two grandsons. PHILIP SMITH, medical simulation technician Philip Smith’s main function is to develop and run highfidelity simulations for a more immersive and realistic learning experience for Kettering College students and faculty. Smith is married and has two daughters, the older of whom lives in Zambia, working in the Peace Corps as an agricultural advisor to farmers in the southern province. Smith says he loves the outdoors and recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. BRANDON TAYLOR, IT support specialist Brandon Taylor says he has always had a passion for technology and enjoys the challenge of troubleshooting issues. He previously worked at Sinclair Community College, so he was familiar with the higher education setting and enjoyed working with students and faculty. “I enjoy building computers, PC gaming, playing with my two rescue dogs and going to any level of baseball games and coaching,” he says. SHAWNYA A. WILBORNE, adjunct faculty, diagnostic medical sonography program Shawnya Wilborne is developing curriculum and overseeing labs for residents and medical students seeking advanced knowledge and training in diagnostic ultrasound. Wilborne said she has always felt a connection to Kettering College, which launched her professional career in diagnostic ultrasound. The mother of three sons, Wilborne has been married for 21 years to Tyree Wilborne. SHAWNYA A. WILBORNE

DANIELLE MCPECK

NEW FACES

JOSEFER MONTES, Dean of Undergraduate Affairs Prior to coming to Kettering College, Josefer Montes spent five years as dean of the School of Business at Walla Walla University in Washington and five years as director of education at Antonelli College in Mississippi. Montes’ passion for education began when he was a business professor. He says Kettering College is a great opportunity, a great organization and an awesome community. He is married to Heather Montes and has two children, Camden, 10, and Caroline, 4.

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JOSEFER MONTES

CINDY PRATER

PHILIP SMITH

BRANDON TAYLOR

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CAMPUS CANDIDS

RADIOLOGIC SCIENCES & IMAGING

Valentine’s Day FUNDRAISING BANQUET

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY MARCH

FIND ADVENTURE AT THE KETTERING COLLEGE CARNIVAL!

pacesetter · special edition 2017

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CAMPUS CANDIDS

CLASS of 2017

Pictured clockwise from top » Photo 1: The radiologic sciences and imaging class of 2017 during its April dedication. Photo 2: Students celebrate Kettering College’s 50th anniversary during a Valentine’s Day fundraising banquet. Photo 3: At graduation April 29 at the Dayton Convention Center, Kettering College awarded 18 associate degrees and certificates; 137 bachelor’s degrees; and 40 master’s degrees. Photo 4: Sonography professor Rachel Moutoux congratulates a student during the sonography dedication. Photo 5: Christian artist JJ Heller performs in concert Feb. 3 at the Kettering Adventist Church. Photo 6: Victor Brown, Dean for Student Life and Enrollment (left) and Loren Agrey, former Dean for Academic Affairs participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march with Kettering College students. Photo 7: Jessie Brown, ANP of Kettering Physician Network and Terra Engleman, Executive Assistant to the CEO of Kettering Health Network, zip line during the Kettering College Carnival, an August event celebrating the start of the

CAMPUS CANDIDS

Congratulations!

JJ HELLER

Gem Time! YOU MUST

CHECK OUT THIS PERFORMANCE! https://youtu.be/DDItpqMrkuw

CAMPUS CANDIDS

2017 GRADUATION APRIL 29th

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academic year. Photo 8: At the fall convocation, Kettering College President Nate Brandstater, faculty and staff from Kettering College, and executives from Kettering Health Network perform the U2 song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”(view the video at https://youtu.be/DDItpqMrkuw). Photo 9: From left, nursing students Fiorella Chujutalli, Zoe Ting and Sonoka Fanwar with the Dayton Dragons mascot Gem at Kettering College.

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Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

PAID

Dayton, OH Permit No. 635 3737 Southern Blvd. Kettering, OH 45429

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