The pages of this issue of the Pacesetter depict the great faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of our college, overcoming the challenges and seizing the opportunities of the past year. Together we have become stronger, closer, more open to new ideas, and more focused on our mission and on student success. This year has reminded us to be grateful for the small things in life that turn out to be the most important, such as spending time together face to face and seeing each other smile –things that we continue to learn really aren’t that small.
Although we are seeing progress and a return to life as it once was pre-COVID-19, it is also exciting to see the positive ways in which the pandemic has inspired us to change and grow as a college. In-person classes and training have largely resumed, while expanded and enhanced online and digital learning and student support offerings have kept our students on track and added to their experience. Our offerings of digital and remote, academic and student life services have ensured that even in these uncertain times, every graduate is ready for licensure and the world of professional healthcare.
The continuation of COVID-19 has not been the only collective hurdle in our world. There has been racial and civil unrest, political divide, war in Ukraine, and the continued scourge of mass shootings and violence. The year has proven, once again, it is essential to focus on our mission of serving others as an expression of our faith-based identity. The challenges of this extraordinary season lead me back to a Bible verse from Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Giving up is not in the DNA of our students, our faculty and staff, or our college. In the work of our current faculty and staff, I regularly see playing out the question asked by the first faculty here and recounted by visionary academic leader Anna May Vaughan: “Have we met God’s expectations of us for our students?” It is a true honor to continue to bring that vision to life by helping our students answer the call to a life of serving in healthcare.
That commitment to our mission this year has brought us victories alongside the challenges. We put our strength together and conducted our first campus-wide Service Day this past year, proving serving others together is the best way to thrive. Our international mission, cultural and elective rotation trips are happening once again to help our students grow into global citizens with servants’ hearts. Kettering College has received a Collegiate Purple Star award for our initiatives that make earning a college degree for veterans more accessible. We are both humbled and proud to serve those who have served their country. We are also proud to be welcoming up to
50 students from Ukraine this academic year. Their lives and education have been halted by the war there, and we know welcoming them onto our campus is the action we needed to take. We ask for your continued prayers as we make them feel welcome, safe, and happy.
The year behind us has reinforced the necessity to continually learn and grow. As a higher education institution, this is something we embrace, not only in the classrooms but in our communities and beyond.
Honoring the faculty and leaders who have served before us, we hold ourselves accountable to be humble learners and listeners. In doing so, we learn how to best serve each other and our students to learn how we can walk alongside them as individuals. The conversations we have started in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee illuminate the beauty of God’s diverse world. I look forward to continuing conversations and activities that work to celebrate our differences and bring God’s love to the forefront.
To all Kettering College students, faculty, staff, and alumni, I sincerely thank you. Now more than ever, I appreciate your support, hard work, and faith this past academic year. At times, I am sure it seemed like the climb was impossible, but we have done great things. We have found our strength— in ourselves, each other, and in God. We have learned the work is never done. More importantly, we have been reminded it is an honor and a privilege to do the work together.
God Bless,
Nate Brandstater, PhD, President
As we have navigated the new world COVID-19 has brought to us, we have been reminded we are stronger and better when we work together. Although we are not at the end of the pandemic, we look back and share what we have learned personally, professionally, and spiritually.
Six Kettering College PA students traveled to Sierra Leone, West Africa, to work in a hospital as an elective rotation. Read about how their eyes and hearts were opened as they served others and had life-changing experiences.
Service learning is an important component in our curriculum to help students grow into strong professionals and citizens. Students, faculty, and staff worked together at Service Day, a new campus-wide initiative that puts the idea of serving others into practice.
Editor-in-Chief: Courtney Dove
Creative Director: Rebecca Ingle
Contributing Writers: Nate Brandstater, Marge Brenneke, Mindi Collins, Courtney Dove, Donald Harvey, Rebecca Ingle, Leigh Wilkins
Designer: Lance Matthews
Alumni Engagement: Mindi Collins and Tina Howard
Printer: Think Patented
Photography: Joel Granados, Lauren Brooks, Breana Soilday, and Louie Ferraro
None of us could have been prepared for the new world COVID-19 created nearly three years ago. We watched the news in confusion, assuming it would clear up shortly and we could return to our comfortable routines. Instead, society shut down overnight, and the world waited to see what would be next.
We adjusted as we lived life day by day to learn which restrictions would be in place and how it would alter our lives. We had no roadmap, and we are still not done. Carrying a mask has become second nature to most of us as we navigate our new world, waiting for an official end and victory to be declared.
It is impossible to remain unchanged by a global pandemic.
The biggest hurdles of COVID-19 are seemingly behind us now, but as new variants reveal themselves, we continue to live in a space of anticipation. Many people are experiencing a range of emotions as they look back at the hills we have climbed. There is relief at all we have conquered. There is also grief for the loss and hardships, and anxiety at the lack of social
interactions and uncertainties.
Undoubtedly, the pandemic disrupted our lives and led us to create new ways of doing things while pushing us to appreciate traditions and each other even more. It is impossible to feel unchanged. Many of us now find ourselves looking back and noticing that the whirlwind of emotions,
The pandemic has taught us to be more flexible and creative, even when it is daunting. The world quickly withdrew and moved school and work online. Students and teachers had no choice but to adapt, assisting each other in this new change that occurred overnight.
Health Science Chair and Associate Professor Elizabeth Golba was already teaching and earning her doctorate degree online. She says, “I was already familiar with Zoom and was able to help faculty learn how to use it. The blessing of being
Although our academic programs continued, and students and faculty were finding their way in this new online space, there was a general feeling of disconnect that comes with being removed from social interactions and community.
Ben Hotelling, Associate Dean of Student Success, points out, “We love to plan events that drive student engagement with us and
a college community based on faith, mission, and vision is that we all pulled together to help faculty who had never taught online to quickly transition to online courses.”
Our ability to acclimate to teaching and learning online has shown us we can do it, and we now see that mode of delivery has advantages for students. Dean of Academic Affairs Scott Bennie observes, “The college’s faculty and staff have been phenomenal in their approaches to meeting the needs of the students in a more virtual, and often blended,
challenges, and triumphs have inevitably affected us personally, professionally, and spiritually.
Although we are not completely at the other side of this pandemic, it feels natural to pause where we are and take stock of the invaluable lessons and insights we have gained that will help us continue to grow.
environment. These moves are reflections of Kettering College’s progression toward being a more student-ready college.”
Tuta Ionescu, Radiologic Technology Chair and Professor, appreciates the addition of online and virtual tools to engage her students. She says, “I found virtual meetings to be a blessing for the students who are out of state or unable to come to campus. Scheduling classes, answering their questions, and connecting via the internet was a plus and continues to be so.”
each other. When we were in the middle of COVID-19, we were trying to plan events in a way that wasn’t always conducive to driving high engagement. I am thrilled to see more students on campus now – and finally seeing some smiles is always a plus.”
As we inch our way back to each other, he has noticed students appreciating the in-person
connections they’ve craved. Hotelling says, “I think students really struggled learning behind a screen and not getting to engage with their peers in a traditional sense. As students have come back to campus and been more willing to interact in person, they appreciate the small things. We don’t need to host large, impressive events– all we need to do is allow them to get together.”
1 | Respiratory Therapy students work together in the simulation center to intubate a mannequin.
2 | Tuta Ionescu, Radiologic Technology Chair, explains the radiology program to a group of potential students at the Explore Kettering day.
3 | A Physician Assistant student receives her white coat at a ceremony.
4 | Graduates congratulate each other at the winter 2022 commencement ceremony.
“COVID-19 was the great reset and people found what is truly important to them.”
— Ben Hotelling
Ashley Neu, Director of Career Services & Student Development, has learned to take things as they come. She notes, “With COVID-19, everything changed in the matter of a few weeks, and we all had to learn to be flexible and adjust to these drastic changes quickly. It taught me not to take anything for granted and to appreciate all the blessings I currently have in my life.”
Our campus did not close, and our students continued to do the work necessary to succeed. Tuta Ionescu was impressed by students who continued to work in hospitals in dangerous times. She said, “They had to walk into hospitals a few times each week, knowing that COVID-19
numbers were very high, that they, themselves, could get sick, and knowing that they would see a great deal of suffering. We prepare our students to cope with loss and illness, but this took it to new levels.”
As the pandemic moves closer to being behind us, several of us are discovering ways in which we have become stronger, more determined, and resilient in the face of adversity. Dean Bennie points out this will be an ongoing process that does not end once the pandemic ends. He says, “Though we’d like to believe COVID-19 is fading off in the background, the reality is that we’re learning how to work through the challenges that it has and will continue to bring.”
When COVID-19 came into our lives, most of us were forced to slow down. This slower pace has led us to examine our lives more closely. Campus Ministries Director Steve Carlson has spoken with an increasing amount of people who have noticed a spiritual deficit in their lives they hadn’t detected when life was moving fast enough to ignore it.
He notes: “Students—humans in general, really—only ever ask the big questions in life when they are in a position that’s uncomfortable, and COVID-19 certainly delivered discomfort. Students in the past few years have begun to ask
As we come out from behind our screens and tiptoe back into society, we are grateful for the return to a world that resembles where we were over two years ago. Aside from masking policies when COVID-19 numbers increase, our campus feels the way it once was. Our international mission, cultural, and elective rotation trips have returned. Social events, worship, and commencement ceremonies that were once
questions such as: ‘What about my life am I proud of? What can I do to push me closer to who I want to be? What does my faith look like in a real tangible way?”’
Although he would never want COVID-19 to happen again, Carlson admits he has experienced and witnessed spiritual growth as a result of people feeling forever changed. He says, “Sometimes the best things that happen to us are the most painful. So many of us, including myself, can never go back to the way things were before COVID-19, both good and bad. We’ll never look at the world the same again.”
delegated to Zoom calls or drive-throughs are now face to face—a promising sign that we are recovering.
Students, professors, and staff gather in person in a return to the “old days,” but a change is evident. Sometimes it feels even better than the old days. We gather now with a strength and resilience we perhaps hadn’t recognized before
“Our students showed us just how resilient and determined they are to succeed.”
— Ashley Neu
we were made aware of our abilities and grit.
We know now we can adjust, grow, and overcome, because we have. What is perhaps more valuable is we have been reminded we can succeed only when we work together, ask for help, and pray for guidance. Whether in quarantine, adapting to new restrictions, or having anxiety of what tomorrow holds, we have proven we can stand strong even when we have
no idea what is next.
As we move forward to what we hope are more carefree days, we will carry the lessons of the pandemic with us. We are grateful for the ways COVID-19 has molded us to be better, while breathing a sigh of relief at the return of familiar traditions and rituals. We look ahead with humility, and we are changed. We are better, stronger, and ready for life’s uncertainties, with our masks in hand, just in case.
1 | Students gather for a photo at a Welcome Day.
2 | Gerson Hortua, IPE Simulation Center Simulation Technician, congratulates a group of graduates.
3 | Admissions Counselor Sharné Lazarus conducts a tour of the campus while explaining our various programs.
4 | Physician Assistant students explain their researched projects to each other at the Poster Presentation.
5 | A group of students serve at Target Dayton Ministries with Campus Ministries.
6 | A Physician Assistant student discusses protocol with an instructor.
7 | Nursing Division’s Simulation Center Technology Coordinator Phillip Smith, and IPE Simulation Center RN Coordinator Beverley McLean welcome potential students to the Simulation Center for a tour.
Six Kettering College Physician Assistant (PA) students took advantage of an elective rotation that took place far beyond our nation’s borders. Students willingly paid thousands of dollars to help those in need in the impoverished country of Sierra Leone in West Africa.
Professor Dr. Scott Gardner has lived in Sierra Leone and had told his students about the work he did there at the hospital. They became interested when he announced Kettering College would be making another trip to assist the hospital there. Elective rotations have been a long-standing tradition but were suspended during the height of the pandemic.
PA student Cody McMillan said, “I felt God pushed me to do this trip. With COVID-19, there was so much uncertainty if we’d be able to go, but I just knew from God I would be going, and this was something I was being sent on to open my eyes to something else.”
All the students’ eyes and hearts were certainly opened. Dr. Gardner notes students were exposed to the world on this trip. Even the poorest people in America are rich by Sierra Leone’s standards, and our students were immersed in this environment for over two weeks as they put their medical skills to work.
For 16 days, they stayed at the primitive hospital with no running water or air conditioning in often 100-degree heat with 90% humidity. Students went out at night to collect rainwater in buckets to replenish the supply. Electricity was scarce and sleeping with mosquito nets was a necessity.
They served in various capacities at the hospital where staff is limited. They helped distribute meds, admit patients, assist with surgeries, and remained on call throughout the night. Essentially, whatever was needed, our students stepped up and did it, often completing tasks they had never done before back home.
Students conducted a mobile clinic by teaming up with other hospital employees and traveling to villages 30 minutes away. They parked their unit under a mango tree to serve people who had no access to healthcare. At no cost to the family, students treated countless children for malaria, worms, infections, rashes, and other acute illnesses that likely would have gone untreated due to a lack of transportation or other financial restrictions.
The mobile clinics gave the PA students a chance to show extra care to their patients and their families. They often played soccer, frisbee, and jumped rope with the village children, giving the mothers a chance to enjoy seeing their kids laugh and play.
The harsh reality of not having adequate medical care in Sierra Leone became something the students felt the weight of as they strived to help but often could not. All students gave CPR to at least one child on the trip, and quickly had to brace themselves for witnessing difficult situations. In fact, Dr. Gardner says in just over two weeks’ time, the students experienced more death on this trip than they ever have here in the States.
PA student Alexa Brouhard admitted there was sadness and frustration that came with serving in the hospital. She said, “I found it hard not to compare what the treatment would have been if we were treating these patients in America. We did everything we could with what we had access to, but in those moments of defeat, I could not help but be angered by the disparity in resources.”
Students had a debrief session each night where they were able to give feedback to Dr. Gardner about what they had learned and witnessed that day. They often
4 | Dr. Scott Gardner and his wife Bekki Gardner stayed at the primitive Sierra Leone hospital for 16 days with PA students (left to right): Alex Simon, Alexa Brouhard, Alyssa Johnson, Cody McMillan, Paige Combs, and Morgan Reagans. 3 | Morgan Reagans and Alyssa Johnson (left to right) take a moment to play with children from a village at a mobile clinic. 2 | Dr. Scott Gardner and PA Student Alexa Brouhard take a much-needed break from the oppressive Africa heat and humidity in a hospital without air conditioning or running water. 5 | Two toddler girls play on their mothers’ laps at the mobile clinic. Children often visited the clinic for ailments that would have otherwise gone untreated. 1 | Local school children made fast friends with the PA students.discussed the challenge of seeing illnesses, that would be easily treated in America, instead escalate to life-threatening, simply due to the lack of resources in Africa. Each student wanted to do more for the people they were serving and had to wrestle with the reality that resources were limited.
Even amid sadness and frustration, the students are quick to say there was joy, faith, and hope in Sierra Leone.
The students and other staff soon became quite attached to a 9-year-old orphan named Ibrahim. He was brought into the clinic with a hemoglobin level of 1.6. (In America, 12 is the number we strive to maintain.) He was lethargic and very near to death. The students rallied together and soon realized one of them, Cody McMillan, had the boy’s blood type and could donate his blood.
They jumped into action, going above and beyond any standard medical protocol, and delivered the life-saving blood to this child. As Ibrahim received Cody’s blood, the change was immediate. His hemoglobin count went up and energy and life returned to his face.
McMillan emphasizes he does not want to sound like a hero from this experience. It is evident the powerful experience has landed deep within him as he recounts the story with tears in his eyes. He says, “It was the most touching experience of my life. It was amazing that God put us at the right place at the right time…when we were surrounded by so much death, this child represented hope for us.”
Student Morgan Reagans developed a very close bond with the boy, taking him on long morning strolls in his wheelchair after the group’s daily worship. She keeps in contact with Ibrahim’s grandmother and is pleased to report Ibrahim is doing very well.
Alexa Brouhard tells of the deep-rooted faith and love of the people she served there. She recounts the story of an 8-monthold patient she and a classmate lost after a lengthy attempt at resuscitation. The students and the child’s parents were devastated. In Sierra Leonean culture, it is custom to have
“Students experienced the raw faith and spirituality of people. They now understand people are the same, with the same fears, love, emotions, and personalities. They might look different and have a different culture, but our humanity ties us together.”
— Dr. Gardner
in the front (left to right): Alyssa Johnson, Morgan Reagans, Alexa Brouhard. Men in the back row (left to right): Alex Simon, and Cody McMillan (who donated life-saving blood to Ibrahim on this trip).
2 | Alexa Brouhard assisting with an inguinal hernia repair on a patient.
4 | This elective rotation trip offered a bit of downtime outside of the long, challenging work hours, giving students time to climb mountains and explore Sierra Leone with locals. Bottom Row (left to right): Paige Combs, Alex Simon; Top Row (left to right): Peter Turay (hospital employee), Cody McMillan, Alexa Brouhard, and Alyssa Johnson
the deceased buried by sundown on the same day. Since they had an outstanding hospital bill, they were unable to take the body home until the dues were paid. A bystander witnessed this conversation and paid the bill in full without knowing the family.
A couple of hours later, the same man who paid the bill received news that his own daughter would soon die from metastatic cancer. It became clear quickly this is a culture where everyone cares for each other with profound love, faith, and respect—no questions asked. Brouhard stated, “In a region of the world where poverty is so prevalent and so damaging to society, acts of kindness and pure selflessness stand out more than anything. In this culture, the importance placed on material possessions takes a backburner. You are blessed and live a rich life if you have strong relationships with your family and friends.”
One might assume the most prevalent emotion on this trip would be sadness for the people of Sierra Leone, but the students agree they came away from the trip feeling envious of the culture, noting the strength they saw was astounding.
Morgan Reagans echoed this sentiment, saying her intention was to go and help people, but what she realized a couple of days into the trip was that the people in Sierra Leone were making far more of an impact on her than she would ever be able to do for them through their tightknit culture, strength, and deep sense of spirituality.
Now that students have returned, Dr. Gardner has observed they are feeling a “reverse culture shock,” meaning now that they see how others live, they are shocked at the excess in this country. They continue to process their experiences—both joyful and challenging—in West Africa. PA student Paige Combs admits her time in Sierra Leone was not something she was fully prepared for, and she is still figuring out how to articulate what she experienced to friends and family.
The PA students agree the trip was something that helped them grow in countless ways academically, spiritually, and personally. When asked if they would go back, they all answer with a resounding, “Yes. Absolutely.” They would pay over $3,000 to go to a country to see suffering, serve in primitive, challenging conditions, and hold onto hope even during times of utter frustration and sadness? Yes, they would.
This trip to West Africa has given students new eyes and hearts, giving them a life-changing experience that will serve them well as they serve others. They are future PAs who are now armed with even more empathy, understanding and love for their patients. Those qualities are something we can talk about in a classroom, but to experience them firsthand is something that will truly live on in these students as they move forward with the spirit of Sierra Leone nudging them on.
“I left the trip feeling immensely grateful for everything I have in the U.S. but also feeling quite jealous of pieces of their culture, because I think we as Americans could learn a lot from them and what they prioritize.” — Morgan Reagans
The COVID-19 pandemic has decreased an already-scarce nursing workforce nationwide. Although we’ve progressed toward a less acute stage of the pandemic, the nursing shortage remains. Our job as a higher education institution is to be aware of the needs of the world and our community and assist wherever possible. Training more nurses is one way we assessed we could deliver help.
Kettering College is now offering a new Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A-BSN) track. The A-BSN allows students to complete their degree in four semesters. The full-time, 15-month track is ideal for college graduates seeking a career change and a desire to serve in healthcare.
Applicants to the A-BSN track must have a bachelor’s degree in any major and have completed seven prerequisites, including pathophysiology, statistics, developmental psychology, chemistry, microbiology (with a lab), and anatomy & physiology I and II (both with a biology lab).
“The pandemic has highlighted the need for well-trained, compassionate bedside nurses, and by expanding our nursing program, we hope to bring more people into the profession as soon as possible,” says Dr. Paula Reams, Dean of Nursing at Kettering College.
Reams says, “Our A-BSN is delivered in two seven-week sessions for four consecutive semesters and features the same curriculum as our other BSN tracks. It’s an intensive course of study with classes and clinicals that will keep students very busy six days a week—so busy that we advise not having a job outside their schooling. The payoff is that students earn a BSN degree very quickly, in what we expect will continue to be a very hot job market for nurses.”
The college has expanded its faculty, staff, and classroom/study spaces to accommodate 32 A-BSN students per year. Academic advisors will offer assistance to ensure students stay on target with their coursework and receive the support they need to successfully complete the program.
“The college has long been a pipeline for employment at Kettering Health,” says Jennifer Schull, Executive Vice President and System Chief Nursing Officer. “We hire hundreds of nurses a year at our hospitals and outpatient centers, and in 2021 more than half of them were new Kettering College nursing graduates.”
Nurses who graduate from Kettering College can anticipate high demand in the job market, with an average starting salary around $65,000. Shull says, “Nurses find a supportive, family atmosphere at Kettering Health, where leaders help them succeed personally and professionally throughout their careers.”
“Kettering Health will always be looking for nurses who have a heart for serving others, practice exceptional care, and exhibit God’s love with every interaction.” — Jennifer Schull
A-BSN Track: One of 4 Tracks to Become a Nurse
The A-BSN is one of four nursing tracks and part of a strategic plan to eventually double the number of students in the school’s nursing program. In addition to helping address a widespread nursing shortage, this expansion will increase the pool of wellqualified job candidates for nursing positions at Kettering Health.
Reams says, “Our four nursing tracks provide options for people in many stages of life, with added flexibility to fit their educational pursuits around their job and family responsibilities.”
In addition to the new A-BSN track, the nursing tracks also include:
A prelicensure BSN (BSN-P) track for recent high school graduates or transfer students, which can be part-time (five years) or full-time (three years). Additionally, there is a direct admit option for high-performing high school students.
An LPN-to-BSN track for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) pursuing a BSN degree—available part-time (five years) and full-time (three years).
An online RN-to-BSN track for nurses with an associate degree or equivalent who are already working in the field (students can take up to five years to complete this track). This program was recently ranked #3 in the nation.
In addition to expanding its nursing program offerings, Kettering College is focusing on affordability. Tuition for the online RN-to-BSN track has been lowered to $325 per credit hour. Benefit-eligible Kettering Health employees using education assistance receive an additional $75.00 per credit hour discount. Benefit-eligible Kettering Health employees (must work 20 hours a week) in the other nursing degree tracks may be able to receive a 30 percent KH education discount and $7,000 in annual tuition assistance.
These savings are available to Kettering College students working in any benefit-eligible role at Kettering Health—from LPNs, RNs, and health unit coordinators to patient transporters, office assistants, and food service staff. The goal is to help students cover as much of their costs as possible, so they have little to no debt when they graduate.
With more ways than ever to become a nurse through our university, we look forward to educating more compassionate nurses to serve in a lucrative field that has proven to be indemand, fulfilling and financially rewarding.
4 | A nursing student gets valuable feedback on her work during a simulation event. 3 | Jennifer Schull, Kettering Health System Chief Nursing Officer describes a stethoscope to nursing students as “an instrument of healing and connection.” 2 | A nursing professor sits next to her child during the nurse dedication ceremony. Pictured Logo | Our online RN-to-BSN nurse program is ranked as one of the top 3 in the nation for already-working nurses advancing their education. 1 | Nursing students get hands-on experience to prepare them to enter the workforce or transition to nursing from a different career.
We are excited to announce our new partnership with the Ohio Department of Education to make higher education more affordable for students in Ohio. Beginning in Fall 2022, students in Ohio will have a new scholarship opportunity to offset some costs of obtaining a nursing degree from Kettering College.
The Ohio Department of Higher Education announced they are awarding Kettering College funds for the use of the Choose Ohio First (COF) scholarship program. COF is part of Ohio’s strategic effort to bolster the state in the global marketplace of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM). COF awards scholarship funding to selected Ohio colleges and universities to support undergraduate and qualifying graduate students in innovative academic programs.
Kettering College President Nate Brandstater says, “Kettering College is honored and humbled by the amount of support given to us by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. This partnership will allow us to serve our community by helping more students pay for a high-quality education at Kettering College.”
This need-based aid will grant 30 eligible and qualifying students with $3,000 in tuition per year ($1,000 per semester). To qualify, students must:
Be an Ohio resident
Be a new or currently enrolled student in our nursing program
Submit a FAFSA (to determine financial need)
Meet all program acceptance and/or good standing requirements
Several potential students, particularly of low income and minority communities, are often unable to pursue their dream of obtaining a college
education without financial assistance. In collaboration with the COF Program, Kettering College will enable more students from diverse populations to achieve their healthcare career goals.
Randy Gardner, Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, said, “Kettering College has a well-respected tradition of supporting students through work-based and service-learning. I’m excited that they will be able to enhance their efforts through new Choose Ohio First scholars.”
We look forward to extending this financial opportunity to our nursing students to make higher education increasingly attainable.
4
1 | Jeanette Little, Associate Professor, Nursing, explains the tradition of the blessing of the hands at the nursing dedication ceremony.
2 | Nursing students take part in a simulation activity to get hands-on experience for their careers.
3 | A respiratory therapy student follows medical protocol on an infant simulation mannequin.
| Radiology students put their skills and knowledge to work on each other to help build their comfort and confidence in the workforce.
5
A new transfer scholarship has been announced for students looking to make a switch to attend Kettering College beginning Fall 2022. The Kettering College Academic Achievement Transfer Scholarship is a four-year renewable scholarship for transfer students in select programs. This scholarship is intended to make healthcare education at Kettering College more accessible and affordable for transfer students and is based on their college GPA.
Colleges nationwide have experienced a steep decline in transfer students over the last two years, most likely due to the pandemic. “We know that many students may have wanted to transfer to Kettering College to pursue a healthcare career but the instability in the world and personal or family financial instabilities may have stopped them from making a necessary switch” says, Adam Brown, Dean of Student Success.
| Among other majors, students studying human biology are eligible for the Academic Achievement Transfer Scholarship.
6 | A student conducts a sonography on a peer.
This scholarship is automatically awarded to transfer students based on their cumulative college GPA. Students can receive between $5,000 - $8,000 per year. To qualify, students must:
Transfer to Kettering College from another higher education institution Be pursuing a degree in nursing, health sciences, respiratory care, human biology, sonography, or radiology
Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA at Kettering College to continue to receive the scholarship
Jessica J.W. Beans, Associate Dean of Enrollment and Communication, observes, “With the current employee shortages in the medical field, we know many students are ready to change their majors to attend a college that will launch them into a healthcare profession to aid in this crisis.”
She continues: “At Kettering College, we set up our students for success in passing their licensing exams and in outstanding job placement rates in hospitals. We hope this scholarship helps transfer students make a worth-while choice to attend Kettering College and will make the pursuit of a healthcare degree more affordable.”
Both the Choose Ohio First and The Kettering College Academic Achievement Transfer Scholarship have been put in place with the sole purpose of assisting determined students in their healthcare career pursuits. By building into our students, we are investing in our state’s long-term economic growth. Most importantly, by extending more higher education opportunities to those in the medical field, we are helping solve the serious shortage of healthcare workers nationwide, starting in our own community.
“We hope this scholarship makes this transition more accessible, so that transfer students can choose Kettering College as the place to complete their college degree and start their healthcare career.”
— Adam Brown
Thirteen Kettering College nursing students and one nursing faculty member were inducted into the Zeta Phi chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society. Kettering College was approved to be added onto the local chapter, which also includes Wright State and Wittenburg University.
Thanks to the dedicated work of Associate Nursing Professor Marisa Blahovich, and the support of Dean of Nursing Dr. Paula Reams, our nursing students and faculty can now be members of an honor society that is highly regarded nationwide. After being inducted over Zoom, the inaugural inductees attended a breakfast gathering to receive their white and purple cords to denote their prestigious membership.
Founded in 1922 by six nurses at Indiana University, the honor society was created to encourage the sharing of resources, knowledge, and the funding of nursing research—the first U.S. organization to do so. Their current mission remains to this day rooted in those founding principles: “Developing nurse leaders anywhere to improve healthcare everywhere.”
To be considered for a Sigma nomination, students must have completed 50 % of their nursing classes and be in the upper 35% of the class. Nursing leaders must have their BSN and have demonstrated nursing achievement in scholarship, leadership, or service.
Being inducted is a special honor and an impressive accomplishment to add to students’ resumes as they graduate
and look for work. It shows dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence. Initiation into this distinguished global collaboration of nursing leaders is a promise to continue to share knowledge and offer continuous support to fellow nurses.
One hundred years ago, six women had the ingenuity to put their hearts and
minds together to spearhead this innovative organization. Since its inception in 1922, Sigma has continued to grow and thrive, fostering upcoming and current nurses. We are honored that some of our students and faculty are now carrying this torch to the next generation, as they learn, grow, and serve as nursing leaders globally and in their own communities.
“The founders of Sigma Theta Tau chose the Greek words meaning love, courage, and honor, as they believed them to be the enduring values that are at the root of the nursing profession.” — Marisa Blahovich
This year as the number of patients with COVID-19 spiked, and an increasing amount of Kettering Health staff became sick, Nursing Assistant Professor Dr. Cynthia Hammond created a new way for the Wellness class she teaches to help in an unconventional way.
Kettering Health Main Campus called our nursing division to see if anyone had any out-of-the-box ideas of how to assist the hospital during this time of staff shortages. Dr. Hammond replied, “Yes, I live outside the box.” And with that, she proposed taking her nursing students from her Wellness class and exposing them to a unique opportunity to collaborate and assist.
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The students volunteered every week for 15 weeks, serving 18 different departments such as surgery, cardiology, oncology, emergency, radiology, materials management, and nutrition services. She admits students were hesitant to take on a project that wasn’t focused solely on nursing, but their reflection papers display the powerful lessons this project taught them.
Serving in departments beyond their own took off their blinders to see the whole picture. It showed them the foundation of hospital operations to illustrate that working in a hospital is “inclusive of more than one task and one person.” Hammond adds, “Being a nurse means having to understand your patients’ needs and experiences, but it’s also understanding those of your colleagues to better support each other to go in as a force together.”
“Support yourself, support your peers, and then serve others.”
— Cynthia Hammond
FEATURED 1 | Nursing students looked beyond their own focus to help support other departments during the pandemic, helping them to appreciate and understand all departments.
2 | Nursing students in a Wellness class assisted in various departments where help was needed at Kettering Health Main Campus when COVID-19 caused staff shortages.
Dr. Hammond’s Wellness class also created health public service announcement (PSA) videos for grades K-8. She has distributed over 40 PSAs to schools around the area. During COVID-19 when school visits were limited, these videos have proven to be an effective, ingenious way to continue to promote holistic healthcare to youth.
As the global pandemic hit, and the need for ventilators was prevalent, the world became more familiar with respiratory therapists (RT) and the work they do, but a career in respiratory care is not as popular as perhaps one in nursing.
Alisa French, Respiratory Care Chair and Associate Professor, points out it is a relatively new profession that truly began in the 1960s as new technologies were developed specific to breathing. She adds that nurses, for example, are needed for all areas of care, whereas respiratory therapists are specific to breathing, so not everyone is aware of it as a profession.
However, respiratory therapists are an integral part of caring for patients of all ages. Many graduates from our RT program have cared for patients during COVID-19. Even as the pandemic winds down, the need for respiratory therapists remains, and employment of RTs is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade, with an average starting annual salary at just over $62,000.
Professor French recounts a time when she worked at a children’s hospital as an RT. Immediately following an emergency delivery, a baby who was blue due to lack of oxygen was quickly handed off to her. She said her training kicked in and she conducted compressions and intubated the infant. The baby’s color came back, and she still remembers the emotion of that moment where she was able to help breathe life into someone who could not do it on his own.
When those types of scenarios occurred in her career, she would go back and look at the babies she helped in the nursery. She felt deep gratitude for having been able to put her skills to work, and she revisits those memories with a smile and joy on her face now years later. She says that being an RT is amazing because you see the effects of your work and service.
Kettering College’s RT program is among a select group of programs that is recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) to receive the President’s Award for Excellence in Credentialing Success Award. Our program has been awarded as a result of our students’ consistent success rates over the years, our accreditation, meeting or exceeding CoARC thresholds, and for our 100% credentialing success rates.
Meeting these standards translates to high-quality education for our students who want to impact people’s lives in a meaningful way by being an RT. French says, “We know we’re a vital part of patient care and the team dynamics. Patients appreciate us because we bring relief and comfort, and it is so rewarding to work hands-on with patients.”
• They like being a part of a team, working alongside nurses and other healthcare professionals.
They appreciate not having to stay on the same floor all shift. They care for a variety of patients around the hospital.
They often work with children, as they are more often impacted by cardiopulmonary changes when they’re ill.
An RT works on a patient from the waist up only.
They love working with the patient at the bedside, forming connections with them and their families as they work towards healing.
There is a variety of work to be done each day with patients with varying needs.
Kettering College RT students often give feedback that they appreciate our relationship with Kettering Health because of all the up-to-date information and technology available to them. Our new lab, currently in construction, has an estimated completion date of Fall 2022.
The respiratory division will have an open house to showcase the new high-tech labs as well as a blessing of the space. We look forward to the continued success of this program and all the lives our respiratory students will touch.
1 | RTs often say they enjoy the variety of their work and being able to see the effects of their work in patients.
Certificate pictured | Kettering College’s respiratory program has received a President’s Award of Excellence for its high quality and proven success rates.
Professor French shares the reasons alumni say they feel fulfilled working as an RT:
1 | Phillip Smith, Beverly McLean, Marisa Blahovich, and Gerson Hortua of the IPE Simulation Center presented their research at an international conference in Los Angeles.
2 | Phillip Smith (pictured) and Gerson Hortua prepare to demonstrate a perimortem C-Section on a mannequin to share knowledge with participants.
3 | In addition to presenting their materials, our IPE Simulation Center team was able to learn from other healthcare professionals at the conference to bring that information back to Kettering College.
In January 2022, members of the InterProfessional Education (IPE) Simulation Center represented Kettering College at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) in Los Angeles, California. The IMSH organizers selected our team to participate in two presentations:
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“Improving Mastery Learning Simulation through Student-Led Debriefing in Nursing Care of Children: A Pilot Project,” presented by Associate Nursing Professor Marisa Blahovich and Director of IPE Simulation Center Beverley McLean.
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“Improved Low-cost Perimortem C-Section for the ER Education Training,” presented by IPE Simulation Technician and Technology Coordinator in Nursing Phillip Smith and IPE Simulation Technician Gerson Hortua.
The discussion led by Blahovich and McLean has been approved by the Institutional Review Board to continue as a research tool to see if the educational format they presented can be replicated in other classes and programs.
The technical piece that Smith and Hortua presented is for a mannequin that simulates a perimortem C-Section, which is performed during cardiac arrest in a late-term pregnant patient. The primary goal is to increase the chance of successfully resuscitating the mother and improving fetal survival.
Although this is an extremely rare occurrence, Hortua and Smith say, “Nurses and trauma personnel need to be trained and ready for the high stakes.”
The IPE Simulation Center team are innovative researchers. They share their findings with others to make healthcare advancements both at Kettering College and beyond. The team’s work allows our students to be prepared in a clinical setting by taking part in medical simulation. The intent is to get students comfortable in common medical situations and educate them on rare occurrences, so they can be confident to deliver necessary care at all times.
“We want our nurses and physicians to be experts in their professional work.”
— Gerson Hortua and Phillip Smith
The most effective instructors are those who understand different learning styles and take those into account when creating lessons that will be engaging to a variety of students.
Some learners can sit in a classroom and absorb all the necessary information disseminated to them in a lecture, while others prefer kinesthetic learning, which is physical, hands-on learning often conducted within a group to solve problems.
Math and Physics Professor Dr. Jonathan Engelman acknowledges this need for diversity in pedagogy. Physics and fun might not be a pairing some students would venture to make, but Dr. Engelman has proven this is obtainable. He accomplished this in a very innovative way by conducting a rocket launch with his class.
Dr. Engelman facilitated the first ever model rocket launch with students enrolled in Survey of Physics. He has been involved in model rockets for several years, which led to his interest in high power rockets. His personal interest soon evolved into an idea to add rocketry to his physics curriculum. He said, “Model rocketry is for all ages and all ability types.
I joined the local rocket club last spring and since have learned about how much they do to help anyone learn about model rocketry.”
Once Dr. Engelman created the idea to conduct a rocket launch to illustrate the laws of physics to his class, he then began to collaborate with the National Association of Rocketry for their launch assistance. As the rockets launched and hissed up to the sky, the crowd comprised of faculty, staff, students, and their families, pointed up, smiling and congratulating each other on their success.
By thinking outside the four walls of a classroom, Dr. Engelman has founded an event where students not only learned but also created camaraderie with peers as they worked toward common goals. The rocket launch proved to be so successful he plans to continue incorporating this into his curriculum in the future.
She first earned a master’s degree in education that focused on curriculum and development, using that knowledge to grow and engage her students throughout the years both online and in person. Four years ago, she took the step forward toward obtaining her doctorate.
When she was 18 years old, Dr. Taryn Talbott, EdD first walked through the doors of Kettering College. She earned her Associates of Radiology and Bachelor of Science in Advanced Imaging, and enjoyed her experience so much, she came back to the college. Dr. Talbott has been teaching here since 2005 and recently accomplished something off her self-proclaimed bucket list: completed her doctorate degree in education.
Studying for a doctorate degree along with working full time and having a personal life can test the limits of anyone. Add the uncertainties of a global pandemic, and it becomes even more admirable that Dr. Talbott reached her goal with no setback.
Her research in her program focused on working with participants, and during the pandemic, what were once normal standards, procedures, and policies were being changed on the spot for safety precautions. This sometimes-daily adaptability forced her to be flexible and accommodating. She says, “The stress of it all showed me my strength, even in times of adversity.”
Knowing the power of action, she embraces this sentiment when speaking to anyone thinking of going into a doctorate program. She says, “If you’re even thinking about going into a doctorate program, the most opportune time is now. Stop thinking about it and just get started on that path. Is it going to be hard? Yes, but by tackling it on a day-by-day basis you will have a different lens to reflect on the accomplishments as you complete the degree.”
Dr. Talbott’s doctorate in education has opened many new opportunities for her. She is able to use the areas from her doctoral studies in knowledge transfer for both students and professor development as a teacher and instructional designer.
Collaboration is a key component in higher education and something we value at Kettering College. Putting minds together for discourse and knowledge exchange allows professional educators to bring their area of expertise to the forefront for the greater good of the college.
Scott Bennie, Dean of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer, meets each month with a group of 12-15 education professionals to divide and conquer scholarly work they could not accomplish on their own. They start each meeting with simple conversation and curiosity with a common end-goal in mind: to find answers to research questions that will help higher education professionals reach their students most effectively.
“It’s all about contributing our piece to the research pie (aka, area of expertise) and building that with others.”
The material his group created soon turned into an academic article that was accepted and published in the Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice titled, “Organizational Structure and Resources of IPE Programs in the United States: A National Survey.” Dean Bennie and his team used a mixed methodology of quantitative survey and qualitative analysis to identify relationships among interprofessional
education program organizational factors.
Their data turned into their second accepted article. It was published in Journal of Allied Health, titled, “The Slow Creep Back: Threats and Opportunities for IPE Posed by COVID-19.” This article examined the data collected from 21 U.S. IPE programs to discover three primary themes: (1) Transition to a virtual environment; (2) Uncertainties and fears regarding finance and program sustainability (3) Opportunities
for improvements in programming, delivery, instructional design, experiential learning, and assessment.
Dean Bennie believes we are all responsible to lead by example, and he hopes to do this by continuing to put his mind and time towards collaborating with others to best engage our students and each other.
“I am constantly pushing myself to learn. As educators, we are eternal students.”
54th Commencement Ceremonies First without COVID-19 Restrictions in over Two Years
Kettering College conferred degrees and certificates upon 65 students at the winter commencement ceremony on April 29, 2022 at SouthBrook Christian church in Miamisburg, Ohio, and 145 students at the summer ceremony July 15, 2022 at the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton, Ohio.
As a result of the pandemic, the world acknowledges the sacred work healthcare workers do now more than ever. This sentiment was echoed by President Nate Brandstater at both commencement ceremonies— the first without any COVID-19 restrictions in over two years.
The feeling of gratitude, excitement, and relief resonated throughout the afternoon as recipients accepted their degrees after years of hard work with the added obstacles of a worldwide pandemic.
President Brandstater addressed the graduating class, stressing the importance of this career path:“Over the last 2 years of unprecedented challenges and disruptions, people all over the world have acknowledged a truth: healthcare is a calling, and the people who are called to it are heroes.”
He went on to talk about students’ “transformational journey” saying, “You are not the same person you were when you began this journey. Neither is our college, and neither is our world.”
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An occupational therapist celebrates her degree.
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Graduates gathered at the Schuster Center in Dayton, Ohio for Kettering College’s summer commencement ceremony.
One of 54 BSN recipients prepares for the ceremony.
Winter commencement’s speaker was graduating radiology student Richard Courtney Rasmussen. He said he felt a difference at Kettering College and was drawn to its inclusive learning environment and culture. He stressed that students here are taught values—that patient care is people care whether someone is at their best or worst.
Graduating with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Grady Hedrick was the speaker at the summer ceremony. He reflected on the strong bonds he has created with his classmates, as a result of the pandemic and being pushed to new limits. He added he hopes to serve others as a way of serving Jesus as he begins his career.
With no masking policy in place, it was even easier to see the joy on students, faculty, and families’ faces as the afternoons ended to commemorate the journey of these heroes. We thank them all for their service and are grateful for their giving hearts.
Students rise to receive their diplomas.
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Students wait at the auditorium doors for the moment they’ve been working hard to reach.
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Kettering College President Nate Brandstater congratulates the 2022 graduating class for being strong through a global pandemic and not giving up.
Two radiology students show off their decorated hats with the captions, “You can breathe now,” and “Landon, Mommy did it!”
Graduating
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after
commencement ceremony.
With no COVID-19 masking restrictions in place, the joy was especially easy to detect on students’ faces.
The Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program at Kettering College is a busy place for good reason. With an enrollment waiting list, a 100% graduation rate, and an average starting salary for graduates around $85,000, occupational therapy is proving to be a viable career path.
An occupational therapist helps get patients back to normal life or finds ways to create a new normal life. Imagine you were in a car accident or had a stroke and have sustained injuries or impairments. Seemingly small everyday tasks like getting dressed or making dinner can become difficult.
An occupational therapist’s job is to show the patient ways to adjust until they are fully healed or ways to change their routine if their capabilities are forever altered. They help patients develop, recover, improve and maintain the skills needed for daily living and working. These specialized healthcare professionals work patiently to see progress and instill hope once again to those facing a setback.
Kettering College’s OTD program is filled with students who have answered the call to help patients. The program is a culmination of classroom learning (didactics), research, and hands-on fieldwork experience, taking three years to complete.
Second-year students spend a year researching a chosen topic that is precepted by faculty. For all scholarly and research projects, students must complete Kettering Health’s Institutional Review Board process for project approval prior to conducting their project and disseminating the findings.
At the end of their second year, they present their group research projects and have their White Coat Dedication Ceremony. This signifies the completion of their didactic portion of the program before sending them out to fieldwork/clinical placement. They
pledge to be dedicated to their future patients and their profession. They then move into Level II Fieldwork and their Doctoral Capstone Project, leaving one year left of the program to complete.
Students spend 18 months researching, creating, and implementing a chosen topic for their final Doctoral Capstone Project posters. They get matched to a site and collaborate with a site mentor and a faculty mentor for the capstone. This is an advanced knowledge project that is completed after two Level II fieldwork experiences.
Both second and third year OTD students presented their researched work. A sense of gratification and accomplishment was evident not only for students but also for faculty and staff who have supported and encouraged these students toward success.
Families and friends were invited to share in the joyful accomplishment. Congratulatory hugs and tear-filled eyes were a sign of relief and pride at completing such an academically challenging program, especially during a time of such uncertainty during COVID-19.
The day after the research project presentations, third year OTD students attended a traditional pinning ceremony where they are formally welcomed into the profession by accepting the pin. At this year’s pinning ceremony, the program included reflections on the last three years as the graduating students faced several obstacles that come with a worldwide
pandemic and rigorous classes that didn’t stop despite it. Faculty reinforced the notion that living and attending college through a pandemic has prepared these new occupational therapists for this current moment to stand strong.
The graduation ceremony followed the Pinning Ceremony to officially welcome 27 new occupational therapists into the workforce. They’ll move on to jobs in areas such as: Acute Care; Inpatient Rehab; Pediatrics; Mental Health; Hand Therapy Clinics; and Skilled Nursing Facilities/Extended Care Facilities.
We are proud to see students go out into the world and answer their call to bring comfort and confidence back to patients who so desperately need it. We admire all our students’ grit, determination, and compassion as well as those who led them these last three years through unchartered territory.
1 | The White Coat Ceremony signifies the OTD student’s commitment to their field and future patients.
2 | President Nate Brandstater congratulates an OTD graduate at the commencement ceremony.
3 | The Pinning Ceremony is a formal welcome into the field of occupational therapy and an exciting pre-cursor to the commencement ceremony.
4 | An OTD student presents her research and findings to faculty and staff.
5 | OTD students spend 18 months researching, creating, and implementing a chosen topic for their final Doctoral Capstone Project.
6 | Kettering College welcomed 27 new occupational therapists into the workforce at this year’s graduation.
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This year has pushed and stretched us in ways we could not have imagined. Between COVID-19, mass shootings, racial unrest, war in Ukraine, and our own personal obstacles we face, life can be overwhelming if we lack support. We can feel ill prepared for the waves that knock us over as we watch the news, talk with loved ones, or wait to see what the next precaution will be to end the pandemic.
Being human means being vulnerable to the world around us, and the world around us is imperfect. Crises happen that are beyond our control. Life challenges us, and often the only thing we have control over is how we react, cope, and move forward, even when we don’t have answers.
Faith in a higher power is something many of us seek out to find peace and strength as we endure life’s stressors. For students who are often juggling work, family, and school, stress is a weight they have found is difficult to carry on their own. On the faith-based campus of Kettering College, we believe open discussions about spiritual wellness are just as important as discussions about academic success.
Campus Ministries Director Steve Carlson meets with students every day and genuinely listens as they speak. When they ask to talk with him, he invites them to share whatever they feel they need to. He considers this to be sacred work as he helps guide them to discover what God might be doing in them.
He acknowledges everyone’s faith journey is “super individualized.” He says, “We all process things differently, have different personalities and comfort levels.” Coming to faith, growing in faith, or simply holding onto faith when it’s not easy is not a one-size-fits-all journey.
Although Kettering College is a Seventh-day Adventist institution, our students have a variety of faith backgrounds, but they feel comfortable talking to Steve about their spiritual questions. He meets them where they are on their spiritual paths, never pushing theology or making them feel ashamed for where they are in their faith or lack thereof.
He has spoken to students who have no faith, but they have asked to attend the Adventist church with him as they tried to figure out if having a faith community might be something they are looking for. Steve says, “I don’t bring them to convince them to believe what I believe, but so they can have a place where they can start processing their curiosity in faith.”
“We’re not talking theology—this is about how they authentically feel right now and honoring what they feel God is doing in their hearts, whatever that might be.”
There is no magic wand to wave to suddenly accomplish spiritual wellness. Steve encourages students to question their lives with the goal of taking steps towards their own understanding and action. He asks them:
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Are you finding things that fill your soul?
Are you getting wrapped up in the world so much that you’re getting overwhelmed?
Do you have a spiritual outlet—That doesn’t have to be church if that’s not where you are in life, but do you have people who point you towards a solid understanding of your morals and how they impact you?
Do people challenge you and speak truth to you when you’re forgetting?
Steve Carlson’s job is to listen as students tell him that life is problematic. He doesn’t try to convince them otherwise—that would be a lie. He is open and honest with students who are overwhelmed and seeking a deeper faith or an entry point into faith. He acknowledges seeking spirituality is an individualized, sacred journey. As he meets with to students, he prays for God to work through his words and actions to help students uncover their own spirituality they can cultivate and carry with them long after they leave our campus.
1 | Our focus on spiritual growth often leads to long-lasting friendships between faculty and alumni.
2 | Our entire faculty believes in the importance of supporting students to grow spiritually. Steve relies on others to surround our students in encouragement.
3 | Steve’s work helps students start a conversation with God on their own time. Joy is often a biproduct of his work!
4 | Students meet up at Starbucks throughout the school year to get to know Steve. This opens the door to conversation.
5 | Steve Carlson meets students where they are on their spiritual journey and listens carefully.
Spiritual health is not an equation or a list that tells people what they need to do. It’s sitting with people in their unique, vulnerable moment.”
— Steve Carlson
Service is at the core of Kettering College. We serve our students and each other to demonstrate the importance of this. Service learning is how we connect service to something more than one-time volunteer work. We are interested in building into our students as we introduce them to the value of service. In a sense, we are serving them in the process by modeling the behavior we hope for them to adopt and carry with them.
Tuta Ionescu is the liaison for the Service pillar where she helps bring service to life to integrate it into curriculum. She points out we do activities not just so we can use service as a pedagogy and we can maintain our accreditation, but because we want to be good people and instill this value in our students as well.
Dr. Ionescu says, “We want to have measurable outcomes, but those are for us behind the scenes. What students need to see is this is what they are going to become.”
“Service is one dimension of becoming a leader and professional. This is our mission as an institution, so we must do the work that supports that mission.” — Tuta Ionescu
1 | Nearly 500 participants worked together all day at Service Day 2021 to help revitalize local nonprofit organizations, so they can better serve our communities.
2 | Two students prepare to head to their assigned location to serve for the day after breakfast and a group prayer.
3 | Volunteers helped clean and organize at various locations. The pandemic had left nonprofits in need of help, as their volunteer numbers dropped during the last year.
4 | Radiology students cleaned up litter along the Great Miami River and bike path.
5 | This was the first campus-wide Service Day that joined the forces of everyone to make a larger impact with our work.
6 | Students expressed feeling great joy with seeing their accomplishments at the end of Service Day.
Our hope for integrating service learning is that students start to climb the steps of Blooms Taxonomy, a classification of learning outcomes. We hope for them to:
1 ) 2 ) 3 )
Begin to apply this learning in a meaningful way, and
When they graduate, they will know how to assess the needs of a community and evaluate how to help.
Campus Ministries Director Steve Carlson points out spiritual growth is often a strong bi-product of serving others. He says, “Whether it’s on a Christian or a general moral basis, our hope is students begin to understand the importance of service and find the desire to keep acting on it as a part of their own identity.”
— Steve Carlson
Aside from service, our other pillars are faith, leadership, and scholarship. The education our students receives is holistic, pulling importance from each of these pillars. We are preparing students to see this is what they were made for, and when they leave, it continues to be a part of their life.
Dr. Ionescu says, “By the time a student graduates, of course, they will be competent. We’ve established that because we have benchmarks and requirements, but here at Kettering College, we want more. We want students to walk away knowing they got more. Alumni say time and again they got so much out of it all and are feeling the benefits now that they are carrying out their education out into the world.”
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“If we are implementing service in the core of all we do, they will leave being a better person, better healthcare professional, human, and citizen.”
Divisions of our college have done their own individual service-learning projects in the past, but Tuta Ionescu had the idea to combine forces and create a campus-wide Service Day on September 28, 2021.
She said this was one of the most beautiful experiences she’s participated in at Kettering College. “This was the first time we picked one day and included every program in a community service endeavor,” she said. “A lot of brainstorming, planning, and prayer went into this event. What was beautiful, though, was the work the service-learning committee was willing to invest to make this day successful.”
The Service Day served more than 40 organizations, including Montgomery County Solid Waste District, Homefull, Dayton Boys & Girls Club, and The Dayton Food Bank. According to Ionescu, the best part was seeing how happy everyone was to participate, and how willing they were to jump in.
Sarah Brandell, PA Assistant Professor, is the co-chair of the ServiceLearning Committee. She says she is grateful to have a team working to bring the college community together for the second year of Service Day to make this another successful event on September 20, 2022.
This year’s event anticipates 600-700 participants, including the student body of all departments as well as the faculty and staff of the college. Service Day 2022 will support upwards of 40 organizations such as: SISCA, Therapeutic Riding Institute, Crayons to Classrooms, Good Neighbor House, Dayton Metro Library, Homefull, and City of Kettering Parks.
When faculty, staff, and students link arms to serve each other and our community, the importance of service becomes apparent. It becomes a living, breathing action to incorporate human compassion and intention into a rigorous academic program.
1 | Professor Elizabeth Golba walks with students to their assigned work location. Our faculty and staff walk the walk with our students!
2 | Several students tended to a garden that accompanies a food bank in Dayton, Ohio.
Throughout their time at Kettering College, students have several opportunities every year to serve others to accompany their curriculum. From service trips overseas to projects in their own communities, service is at the heart of all we do. Time and time again, students who have graduated tell us how much this opportunity has enhanced their education and personal growth.
“I did my service learning project at Spring Valley Academy. We made a presentation to an elementary school class. This was very important to my education because it helped me develop critical thinking skills. It allowed me to take what I had learned and share it with other people in my community.”
— Austin Lawless“Service learning had a large impact on the education I received at Kettering College. We taught kids about all the bones in the human body. Watching their faces and seeing the pure joy was so humbling. It is so special to know those kids might grow up one day to do what I am doing as a result.”
— Emily Keetonto support service members. Chancellor Gardner said, “Kettering College is to be commended for its efforts to support its veteran and service member students and families. I’m pleased to have them among our very first Collegiate Purple Star recipients.”
The sole purpose of the Collegiate Purple Star is to establish military-friendly criteria and ensure colleges and universities are adhering to them to
Randy Gardner, Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education announced this year’s creation of the Collegiate Purple Star designation for Ohio colleges and universities. This designation was created to recognize the value and importance military families bring to Ohio higher education.
Ohio is now the first state in the nation to adopt a Collegiate Purple Star designation. Kettering College is honored to be one of only 33 higher education institutes who has been selected to receive the prestigious award after successfully showing we have programs and resources put in place
best serve those who have served our country. It is a way of reminding them they have our support, and Kettering College is proud to help assist our country’s military to make education as accessible and achievable as possible.
Kettering College President Nate Brandstater said, “Through this Collegiate Purple Star designation, we pledge to support those who have pledged to defend our constitution and serve our country.”
“This is a commitment to honor the service of our veterans, to welcome them to our campus, and to serve them in a way that gives special consideration to their circumstances and their needs.”
— Nate BrandstaterThe Ohio Department of Higher Education set forth the following eight criteria to be met for consideration in the designation process:
Create a culture of trust and connectedness across the campus community to promote wellbeing and success for veterans.
Ensure consistent and sustained support from campus leadership.
Implement an early alert system to ensure all veterans receive academic, career, and financial advice before challenges become overwhelming.
Coordinate and centralize campus efforts for all veterans, together with the creation of a designated space for them (even if limited in size).
Our services will help welcome the men and women who have sacrificed so much and show our gratitude not only by our words but also through our actions. We
Collaborate with local communities and organizations, including government agencies, to align and coordinate various services for veterans.
Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track information on veterans, including demographics, retention, and degree completion.
Provide comprehensive professional development for faculty and staff on issues and challenges unique to veterans.
Develop systems that ensure sustainability of effective practices for veterans.
will proudly surround them in confidence, encouragement, and prayer to help them succeed, as we do with all our students. As our military students pivot from one
courageous calling of serving their country to the next courageous calling of serving in healthcare, we salute them, and look forward to serving them on our campus.
1 | Kettering College has received the Purple Star Award for our commitment to making veterans feel welcome and surrounded by a community of support as they earn their degrees with us.
How often do you throw confetti at a coworker or student to make them feel special? The answer is, “Almost daily” for two employees in our Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) department. Power-duo Pam Wilson, Site Office Coordinator/Clinical
Coordinator and Mary Kay Cobb, Admissions Counselor/Office Assistant, work together to make sure the department runs smoothly with professionalism— with the bonus of laughter, love, and yes, confetti.
The camaraderie and strong work ethic is apparent between Mary Kay and Pam, and people beyond the department have noticed. Mary Kay was awarded employee of the month in February, and Pam followed her to take the same award in March.
— Pam Wilson
They believe in doing whatever it takes to care for others. They say, “If it needs to be done, we do it.” This synergistic support exudes a positive energy to anyone who walks through the door, most importantly, students.
This dream-team makes sure they do small things every day to encourage students and make them feel special. An inspirational quote is chosen and posted by the front door. Students enjoy special treats like a hot cocoa bar, and when it’s someone’s birthday, they will get confetti thrown at them while everyone cheers.
It’s a tradition that has come to be cherished by everyone at the OTD department. This personal attention is an extension of the familial bond Mary Kay and Pam have established over the last six years together. They know the power of feeling seen and are sure to deliver the same gift to anyone they encounter.
“We are always offering support to each other and lifting each other up, mentally, physically, spiritually— the whole person.” — Mary Kay Cobb
The women take the fact that Kettering College is a faith-based organization to the next level. They take time to pray together often. When they have struggles at work or at home, they are open to showing up for each other through the power of prayer. They find strength and guidance without the fear of feeling judged or being vulnerable.
Mary Kay says, “God brought me here to meet Pam. I thought it was just a job, but it was a relationship.” In typical dynamic-duo fashion, they look at each other to share a knowing look of appreciation and nod in agreement.
1 | Pam and Mary Kay view each other as family. They prove that bringing your best self to work is contagious—they each were awarded Employee of the Month for two consecutive months.
“It’s not every day you work with someone who always has your back and wants you to be your best.”2 | Pam Wilson, OTD Site Office Coordinator/Clinical Coordinator, makes students and colleagues feel seen and special while having a positive outlook on life. 3 | Mary Kay Cobb, OTD Admissions Counselor/Office Assistant, throws confetti at people on their birthday and posts encouraging quotes at the front door.
Kettering College views a job in healthcare not just as a career but a sacred calling. Our students sometimes feel that call right after high school, but several experience life or other careers first before answering that call. In fact, the average age of a Kettering College student is 25, so we are re-defining what a “traditional” student looks like in higher education.
Recent sonography graduate, Paig Hermiller got married after high school, and worked as an STNA for ten years. She had attended another college and struggled to keep her grades up. Paig says she had always wanted to go into sonography but didn’t have the courage to pursue it until after her divorce.
She admits it’s never easy to talk about divorce, but she is clear it is not the event that defines her. After walking through such a challenging time, she knew it was time to do something for herself. She says going back to college was her “Paig Empowerment Mode” because she finally took a risk toward doing something that was in her heart for ten years.
“When I started Kettering College, I was a shell of a person, just going through the motions,” Paig says. “I didn’t have a good academic background, and I lacked confidence.”
Because of her past academic probation, she frequently met with Dr. Bev Ervin in Academic Support Services to ensure her success. She credits Dr. Ervin for mentoring her to believe in herself. This personal focus and attention were something Paig had not experienced at her previous college, and her grades drastically improved, so much so that she was asked to be a tutor.
When asked by Dr. Ervin, Paig laughed it off, and said, “I’m not a good student.” Dr. Ervin simply replied, “Yes, you are. Let’s just try it.” Paig took the next step in the
“Paig Empowerment Mode” and began tutoring others toward the same success she was working towards.
Paig’s determination kept building to get her to where she is today: a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sonography and a full-time job in a career she worked so hard to reach. She says her program was not easy, but students have the support that helps them be the best they can be.
A faith-based organization is something she didn’t know she needed until she
discovered how helpful it was. She says, “Having teachers praying with you before an exam—you don’t think that means anything to you, but at the end of the day it means a lot. Those little touches make a huge difference.”
From feeling broken and unsure to being a strong student who has answered the sacred call to healthcare, Paig Hermiller has proven you can do anything no matter where you are in life, if you believe in yourself and have supportive people to walk alongside you.
“You wouldn’t get this support and personal focus at a bigger college. It feels like a family here.”
Educating ourselves, each other, and our students on matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a meaningful part of not only how we serve each other at Kettering College but also how we serve others, no matter where we are.
Dr. Shanese Higgins, OTD Program Director and Associate Professor, has been an integral part of the DEI discussions over the past several years on our campus’s DEI committee as well as nationwide on the American Occupational Therapy Association’s DEI committee where she serves as the vice chair.
She leads thought-provoking conversations that challenge others to consider new thinking. Dr. Higgins educates us and our students that DEI is recognizing others’ lived experiences and history, especially when they differ from our own. DEI in healthcare is about providing open and loving care to everyone, even if their biases are aimed directly against us. The end goal is not anger but education.
“As a healthcare provider, I don’t want to just give lip service that you have a different experience. I need to understand how your experiences inform your healthcare decisions and meet you where you are.” — Dr. Shanese Higgins
Dr. Higgins started the DEI conversations on our campus, and now Nursing Assistant Professor Dr. Cynthia Hammond is continuing them. Together with President Brandstater, they have expanded the DEI acronym to DEIA, adding acceptance into the mission. She says, “Acceptance means showing love, no matter what.”
Dr. Higgins acknowledges we often live in our bubbles of comfort, not realizing the way we are doing things or the things we say affect others who have a different lens in life because of their experiences. “We know what we know and assume everyone feels the same way. Looking at yourself introspectively is where DEIA starts,” she says.
She points out being curious is scary for a lot of people because it pushes us outside our comfort zone, but it is a key component for growth. When we learn, we grow, and our blinders slowly begin to come down.
She feels DEIA is God saying we need to do better. She says, “We get hung up on things we don’t agree with or understand in each other, and then we start being judgmental and stop being loving. God asks us to love everyone equally and fairly.”
Dr. Hammond is honored to continue the work and conversations for which Dr. Higgins laid the groundwork. She wants Kettering College to be a visionary leader as we carry out this work that holds each of us accountable for how we care for each other.
1 | Dr. Shanese Higgins has led the charge to make positive changes on our campus and beyond for DEI. She is passionate about educating people on acknowledging how others experience life.
2 | Dr. Cynthia Hammond embraces something she calls “diversity softly” where no one is lecturing or getting angry about DEI matters—they are simply sharing experiences to help each other find common ground.
“This is not a man-made thing—this is a God thing.” — Dr. Cynthia Hammond
Greetings, Kettering College Alumni! This past year has been a great year reconnecting with alumni in-person and establishing some key components to the alumni association to foster growth and engagement.
We re-established the Kettering College Alumni Board—our board members love the college and are a very talented group of people. The Board is already working on great ideas to build resources for our alumni and opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Next, we took our first regional trip to California to visit our alumni and had a great time. We reconnected with some recent grads and some of our alumni who were a part of our first few PA classes and nursing classes.
Finally, we are getting ready to have our first annual Homecoming Weekend on September 30 – October 1, 2022. We hope you join us for a great weekend with alumni, faculty, and staff at the Kettering College campus. For more details go to kc.edu/homecoming
I do have a favor to ask all of you—we need your updated information! We need your personal email address and current mailing address. Scan the QR code, share your professional accomplishments, job changes, promotions and awards, or personal milestones, such as advanced degrees earned, marriages, and births. Let us know!
I am excited for the year ahead and the continued opportunity to work with our Board, and our amazing alumni to continue our mission of creating meaningful, lifelong connections.
The Kettering College Alumni Relations program hosted its first Recognition and Reconnecting Week (R&R Week) October 18-22, 2022.
R&R Week was a week of events and activities on social media to recognize the great accomplishments of each program and reconnect our alumni to their alma mater by giving them the opportunity to share their stories.
The programs had Live Facebook events, interviews with faculty, plus tours of the simulation labs, our new Anna May Café,
and Student Learning Commons. We also posted videos and stories from our alumni on social media. We ended the week with President Nate Brandstater sharing the “State of the College” address.
We appreciated the presentations from faculty highlighting what is new in their programs, and we especially enjoyed sharing stories from our amazing alumni who are all doing great work serving their communities.
Didn’t get to be involved in our R&R week? Join our Facebook page!
“I am going to marry that girl,” I said, and I did. I am, however, getting ahead of myself, so let me give a little background. My name is Donald Harvey, and I am a Kettering College alumnus of the class of 1970. I attended Kettering for two years and earned an associate degree in general education.
Even though I was in the general education program, I knew that I wanted to further my education. I had always been interested in biology, and one of the faculty, Robert Russell, taught zoology and inspired me a lot. He had previously been at Walla Walla College, in Washington State, and informed me if I wanted to get a degree in biology, I needed to go to Walla Walla. From that time on, that was my goal.
I worked in the janitorial department of the hospital, in which one of my jobs was to dustmop, mop and wax the floor of the basement hall, connecting the college with the hospital. I worked during the evening when there was less foot traffic. There was a young lady in the nursing program that I had seen several times in the hallway. We had spoken a few times, nothing serious, but one night that all changed.
Her name I learned was Shirley Habada, and as she had done many nights before, she came walking down the hallway, as I was waxing the floor. I only did half of the floor at a time, so if someone came along, they could walk on the half not being waxed. Shirley walked along and when she got to where I was waxing, she walked right on the half of the floor I had just waxed. As she walked by me she turned and winked. At first, I was shocked, then angry and then I knew I was in “love.” That is when I said to myself, as I stated in the beginning,
The chance for a marriage to last that long, when the two people were that young is very small. We both praise God that He brought us together, and has kept us together all these years. My plan was to get a bachelor’s degree in biology from Walla Walla, and then apply to medical school, but God had other plans. Jeremiah 29:11 has been one of my favorite Bible promises, and I have seen it all through my life. “I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.
I was voted as the class sergeant at arms our senior year. We were given a silver tea set by Mrs. Kettering as a class gift. Her desire was for it to be sold and the funds given to the school. The set was given to me for safe keeping, until it was sold. I took it home and put it in the hope chest that I had purchased as an engagement gift.
A relationship between Shirley and I developed over the next several months, and I did ask her to marry me. I informed her that my plan was to go to Walla Walla College, so I could continue my education. How the proposal happened is a story I do not have time to tell. Suffice to say, Shirley accepted my marriage proposal, and we have been married now for 51 years. We were both 19 at the time.
A week after graduation, Shirley and I got married, and the next day we started on our journey to Walla Walla, over 2300 miles away. The tea set was safely packed in the hope chest, and there it remained for over 50 years! Life continued, and instead of becoming
a doctor, I became a science teacher. God changed my plan for what He wanted me to be, and I have been very blessed over the years. This year is my last year teaching, after 48 years.
This past summer, my wife and I were going through some things trying to downsize in preparation for retirement. She was going through her hope chest, and asked what I was going to do with the tea set. I told her rather than sell the set, I would contact someone at the college to see what should be done with it.
I was connected with Mindi Collins, the director of Alumni Relations and Special Projects, and made arrangements for getting the tea set back where it belonged. The set never was sold, but it is now on display where other students can see it as a part of the history of Kettering College.
Both Shirley and I are grateful to the faculty and staff that were at Kettering College for the excellent education we received. May the current faculty and staff be empowered with God’s Spirit to continue the legacy.
“I am going to marry that girl.”
Randy Pence ’77 (physician assistant studies) retired and moved from Fresno, California to Phoenix, Arizona.
Rudolph Quackenbush ’79 (nursing) is now a retired ER RN, no longer working, living in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Michael Gilbert ’91 (physician assistant studies) obtained a new position at Aptiva Health.
Marylynn Batchelder ’92 (respiratory care) moved from Paradise, California to Newcastle, Oklahoma.
Estella Wetzel ’99 (nursing) moved from Kettering, Ohio to Beavercreek, Ohio as a Regional Nursing Clinical Faculty, where she will use her doctorate in nursing practice degree.
Sarah Pearson ’12 is now an EMS Outreach Educator for DCH.
Milfred Abraham ’09 (radiology) moved from Huber Heights, Ohio to Wilmington, Ohio.
Kurt Hamlin ’21 (physician assistant studies) moved from Tipp City, Ohio to Miamisburg, Ohio.
To submit your news for Class Notes, email alumni@kc.edu.
Giving Day is a way for our donors, faculty, and staff at Kettering College to help lift students up as they work towards their healthcare education goals. We recognize the importance of healthcare service, and Giving Day is one way of showing gratitude and support to those who take this on.
This year’s Giving Day was March 23. More than 110 donors consisting of alumni, faculty, staff, and friends raised over $30,000. Funds raised help support the following:
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The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Scholarship Fund
General Scholarship Fund
Student Assistance Fund
General Fund
These funds provide direct financial support to Kettering College students to help make their journey to a career in healthcare a bit smoother. An additional $2,000 gift was made to the DEI Scholarship Fund when we hit 55 donors for the day. Other challenges throughout the day, like the Early Bird Challenge for the first gift of the day, unlocked even more money for the DEI Scholarship Fund and the Student Assistance Fund.
Tina Howard, Kettering College Giving Officer, notes: “Our alumni, friends, faculty, and staff as well as the network leadership really stepped up and helped us have the most successful Giving Day ever. We had a lot of first-time alumni and donors who had never made a gift to the college before.”
36 pacesetter • 2022 1 2
FEATURED
1 | Several Kettering College faculty members, staff, alumni, and Kettering Health administration supported Giving Day. Pictured from left to right: Nate Brandstater, Kettering College President; John Nunes, Kettering College Director, Division of Online Learning, Professional & Continuing Education; Paula Reams, Kettering College Dean of Nursing; Sharlet Briggs, Kettering Health Main Campus President; Courtney Dove, Kettering College Director, Public Relations & Marketing; and Jessica Beans, Kettering College, Associate Dean of Enrollment & Communication
2 | Over $30,000 was raised at our second annual Giving Day!
3 | Tina Howard, Kettering College Giving Officer, states we had several first-time donors participate in this year’s event.
4 | Our first donor of the day was Phil Parker, KC Board of Directors
Kettering College welcomed its first class of students in 1967. Marge Neumiller Brenneke was a nursing student in that inaugural class. After graduating, she went on to enjoy a fulfilling career before recently retiring. She continues to give back to our institution in gratitude for her beginnings and recently contributed funds to create the Anna May Café for students, named after our first director of nursing, Anna May Vaughan.
Here is a letter from Marge reflecting on why she gives back to support students who are working hard to reach their healthcare career goals, as she herself was at one time. She continues to be grateful for those who encouraged her and finds fulfillment in paying this gift forward to students setting out on a similar path as hers.
In 1967 when I applied to be admitted into the new Kettering College of Medical Arts to study nursing, I was a 24-yearold who had made some questionable decisions and as a result I was floundering.
I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I was not at all sure the college would accept me as a student. Then I met and interviewed with Anna May Vaughan, the first director of the nursing program at Kettering College. She was kind and she saw something in me that helped me set and achieve goals.
It must be a daunting undertaking to start a new college that was connected to
a hospital that was only a few years old. When I look back, it is amazing to me to realize how much every instructor and administrator gave of themselves to help us students become successful. I am so proud of what this college has become and for what the college and hospital mean to the community. I live in the Northwest now, and during my infrequent visits, I am truly impressed with the growth.
The instructors in the nursing program gave me a strong base. I may not have known all the answers to medical problems that arose in my career, but because of that base I could always find the solution and the confidence to act. With my 2-year degree, I frequently was promoted beyond some of my colleagues with more education. Much later, I worked full time and went to school at night to get a BA in Health Care Administration.
So, you may ask why I became a supporter of Kettering College. The answer is simple – I give Kettering College full credit for all success that I have in my life and my career as a nurse. And it has been a wonderful life and fulfilling career. I’m retired but I still identify as a nurse. I specifically give thanks to Anna May Vaughan and colleagues who accepted me into the first nursing program.
When it became obvious that the students needed a place to relax, study, grab something to eat, meet with faculty or
friends, I was given the opportunity to honor Anna May and contribute to the making of the Anna May Café. A thoughtful job was done on the design, and I hope it contributes to the students’ educational experience. I think it is a delightful space.
My husband, Stephen, and I feel strongly that it is our duty and responsibility to appreciate and give back to the institutions that made it possible for us to be successful in our careers. One of the ways we help students is by setting up scholarships for deserving students. Every year we get letters of thanks telling us how that help impacted their continuing education. I may sound selfish, but it gives one great joy to know that you are impacting a student’s life and helping them on their journey toward a successful fulfilling career.
— Marge Neumiller Brenneke, Kettering College Inaugural Nursing Class of 1969If you are interested in making an impact in the lives of our students, contact Tina Howard, Giving Officer, at (937)395-8607; tina.howard@kc.edu; or visit kc.edu/giving
1 | Marge Neumiller Brenneke graduated in 1969 with a nursing degree and went on to enjoy a fulfilling career and furthered her education.
2 | Kettering College welcomed its inaugural class in 1967.
3
| Marge and her husband Stephen now live in the Northwest and are enjoying traveling in their retirement. Together they give back to the institutions that helped them succeed to pay their gratitude forward.
Hillary Allen
Emily Cowell
Katherine Ferrell
Jerry Cervantes
Courtney Dove
Matt Allman
Michele Dock
Admissions Counselor, Admissions Office
Associate Director, Student Life & Activities
Assistant Professor, Nursing
Assistant Professor, Nursing
Director, Public Relations & Marketing
MPAS, PA-C, Director of Program Assessment
Student Account Representative, Finance
Renee Fite
Joel Granados
Rebecca Ingle
Samantha Fullen
Kimberly Hatcher
Drew Kistler
Alison Giese
Jason Howard
Vic Kovacs
Online & Outreach Coordinator, Online Learning & Continuing Education
Communications Specialist, Public Relations & Marketing
Communications Specialist, Public Relations & Marketing
Instructor, Radiologic Sciences & Imaging
Assistant Professor, Nursing
Workstation Administrator, Information Technology
MPAS, PA-C, Assistant Professor
Workstation Administrator, Information Technology
Senior Developer Analyst, Information Technology
Sarah Bayer has been the health coordinator and has now added the role of the associate registrar.
Laura Kosch was an admissions counselor and became the director of Disability Services and Title IX coordinator.
Sarah Shultz has recently moved from student accounts to be an admissions specialist.
Julienne Caldwell worked in the IT department and has transitioned to the IPE Simulation Center as a simulation technician.
Haritha Moturi started working as an admissions counselor and was moved to be the CRM administrator.
Katherine Ferrell transitioned from an adjunct nursing faculty member to be an assistant nursing professor.
Justina Or joined as an adjunct nursing faculty member and has become an assistant professor in the Division of Online, Professional, and Continuing Education.
Shawnya Wilborne was an adjunct faculty member and is now an assistant professor in diagnostic medical sonography.
Renee Fite joined as a dean’s assistant and transitioned to be the Online and Outreach coordinator within the Division of Online, Professional, and Continuing Education.
Robert Reeder was the associate registrar and has become the registrar.
Taryn Talbott was the Advanced Imaging clinical coordinator and has transitioned to be the instructional designer in the Division of Online, Professional, and Continuing Education.
For nearly 25 years, Dr. Beverly J. Ervin, PhD has been helping students at Kettering College believe in themselves. She started teaching in the respiratory therapy program in 1998, then moved up to Director of Clinical Education for the Respiratory Care Program, but the majority of her career has been as the Director of Academic Support Services.
This July she took the step toward the next chapter in her life: retirement. She says, “Kettering College has been a great place to spend a life’s calling. This has always been so much more than just a job.”
Dr. Ervin oversaw academic coaching, coordinating tutoring services, and assisting students with disabilities. She says she loved seeing the victories in students and will miss this. She has seen countless students succeed and move on to careers in healthcare and would often run into them at hospitals. She reflects, “When I saw them graduate and move on to work in a hospital, and they cared for me or a loved one, it had gone full circle.” She often told them, “I have helped you, but now you’re helping us.”
This was the work Dr. Ervin has been passionate about, and she admits she has mixed feelings about moving on to retirement. She looks forward to the future
“I remember a particular class of respiratory students whom Bev was willing to meet with even after academic support was closed for the day. She tutored the group for several weeks after-hours, provided snacks, and prayed with them. I witnessed numerous occasions where Bev always prayed with the students before their tests in academic support.”
— Elizabeth Golba
that holds more time with family but admits she will miss the people at Kettering College.
She will travel with her husband and keep trying to master their tandem bike together. She’ll find more time to play the French horn and participate in water aerobics. She looks forward to caring for her elderly mother who lives nearby.
During her career here, Beverly has been known for her deep commitment to students and colleagues, constantly exuding encouragement. She says, “If I can encourage someone to be their best and do something they didn’t know they could do, I’m happy.”
From students who needed a boost of confidence to faculty who have gone back to school to earn another degree, Bev has always been there to instill confidence. She has been known to tell anyone who needs encouragement, “You can do this.”
She has been working with Laura Kosch to pass the torch to her. She sees Laura putting students’ needs at the center of all she does, which is exactly what Dr. Ervin did her entire time here. In words familiar to Dr. Ervin, she tells Laura, “You can do this.” And she believes it, as she always does.
“Bev’s contributions at the college could fill up pages, but it is how she did so that was the real difference. She always had the students’ best interest at heart. She was always kind, considerate, and thoughtful and consistently demonstrated and reflected the Christ-like character she has been blessed with.”
— Scott Bennie
“Bev’s wisdom, expertise, and advice always derived from a holistic approach to the student’s performance: clinical, academic, and personal. She was a true professional and a friend. We are very thankful for Bev, for her efforts, and for the legacy she leaves behind.”
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1 | Bev spoke to radiology students as part of their Strategies of Success (SOS) initiative. During the pandemic, she turned the talks to videos that were shared online with students. In this video, she advises students on how to organize their schedules to set themselves up for success.
2 | Dr. Beverly Ervin, PhD, was known to spend one-on-one time with students to make sure she understood how she could help them reach their goals and develop strong study and life skills.
3 | Kettering College President Nate Brandstater presents a Faculty Excellence Award to Dr. Ervin for her commitment to students and her colleagues.
4 | Dr. Ervin (left) participated in her last Kettering College commencement ceremony in July 2022 before she began her much-deserved retirement. Her legacy here will be lasting.
1 | From left: Nursing Division Dean Paula Reams; Radiologic Science Associate Professor Taryn Talbott; and Health Science Chair and Associate Professor Elizabeth Golba take a moment for some fun before the 54th commencement ceremony.
2 | Kettering College Student Life took a weekend trip to Hocking Hills for fun and fellowship. We are all grateful trips such as this have returned after over two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
3 | Two occupational therapy students enjoy a game of corn hole at their Summer Bash.
4 | From left: Librarians Pam Stevens, and Kathy Salgado love helping students and faculty find the resources they need to reach their goals.
5 | Kettering College President Nate Brandstater discusses our plan to bring in 50 Ukrainian students Fall 2022 to continue their studies at our university. To support the Ukrainian Student Initiative, contact Giving Officer Tina Howard at tina.howard@kc.edu
6 | A Physician Assistant student receives his white coat at a ceremony and celebrates with his family.
7 | Dean of Student Success Adam Brown welcomes a group of students at orientation.
8 | Radiologic Technology students anticipate their dedication ceremony together.
9 | Campus Ministries returned to in-person House Collective activities where students and faculty gather to share a meal and worship in various homes.
10 | From left: Katrina Hill, Director of Admissions; Haritha Moturi, CRM Administrator; and Laura Kosch, Director of Disability Services, prepare for a student enrollment event on campus.
11 | Two Physician Assistant students work together to solve problems during a medical simulation event.
12 | Students gather for lunch outdoors on campus—a sight we all missed during COVID-19!
3737 Southern Blvd. Kettering, OH 45429
Giving Day is a single-day campaign where alumni, faculty, staff, and Kettering Health leadership work together to raise funds for scholarships. Your contributions help our students pursue their dreams of working in healthcare, so please join us!
Homecoming Weekend: September 30 and October 1, 2022
Come back to KC to reconnect, celebrate, and reminisce with your fellow alumni. There is still time to join us! Visit kc.edu/homecoming
Non-Profit
For more information, visit kc.edu/alumni.