president’s message
Passion for the Pipeline Just before Christmas, I heard Susan Price, who heads our diagnostic medical sonography faculty, share some heartwarming news: Two Kettering College students from the “Ponitz Pipeline” had just completed a great semester. Nearby Dayton Public Schools are by no means wealthy, but a lot of human effort goes into helping as many of their graduates as possible go on to college. This is where the Ponitz Pipeline comes in. The Pipeline’s name comes from a downtown high school, the Ponitz Career Technology Center, where students interested in health care careers study under circumstances favorable to their aspirations. One of these favorable circumstances is the Ponitz Pipeline — an educational enhancement meant to brighten students’ chances of achieving what they set out to do. The Pipeline has been a Kettering College service since 2007, and Price has been our Pipeline leader. With her day job in diagnostic medical sonography, she’s plenty busy, and now she is getting regular assistance from Sarah Bayer (whose own day job is in our Residence Hall). Through their efforts, the Pipeline enables Ponitz students to benefit from job fairs and job shadowing — and also from personal mentoring by College and hospital volunteers. In the course of all this, these students occasionally visit Kettering College and the Kettering Medical Center, where they benefit from the insight and affection of College faculty and staff. All of these interactions are empowering, and many of the participants do flourish — and do get into college.
THE PONITZ PIPELINE An educational enhancement meant to brighten students’ chances of achieving what they set out to do. A few Ponitz graduates have enrolled at Kettering College, and once they are here, Price keeps her eye on them. That’s why she could share two success stories with members of the College’s Administrative Council. Even though the students she mentioned walk a rockier-than-average road, they have done well. One is in the College’s LPNto-RN program and is aiming for a bachelor’s degree someday. The other — Ponitz’s 2011 valedictorian — plowed through a challenging fall semester including microbiology and earned all A’s and B’s. Price inclines to the language of “justice” when she talks about her passion for the Ponitz Pipeline. She has a bias toward people who didn’t get all the breaks. She is convinced that everyone — not just people with lucky childhoods — should have the opportunity to excel. All this is just a piece of what my colleagues at Kettering College accomplish. I am especially grateful for it because this effort really is a “passion.” What is more, it embodies the ideals of service “as a life calling” and “caring” as a value to live by. The phrases set off by quotation marks in the previous paragraphs all come from Kettering College’s defining documents — our mission, vision and values statements. They make us, and must continue to make us, who we are.
DR. CHARLES SCRIVEN, PRESIDENT
12
16 WINTER
6
2012
the magazine of Kettering College
departments 2 11 14 19 20 IBC
Campus Notes Class Notes Alumni Spotlight Partnerships Behind the Scenes Campus Candids
ON THE COVER
Kettering College alumnus Ron Miller and his wife, Pat, are living proof of the good that can come from never parting from God. (Photos courtesy of Ron and Pat Miller)
Pacesetter is published twice yearly by the public relations office at Kettering College for the alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students of the school. Pacesetter Public Relations Office Kettering College · 3737 Southern Blvd. · Kettering, OH 45429 www.kc.edu · pacesetter@kc.edu
features 6 12
Being Christ’s Hands and Feet > Couple wants others to see more of Jesus, less of them
New Alumni Night at the Dayton Dragons > Almost 150 new grads, family and friends enjoy a Dragons game last May
16
The Beauty of Belize
> South American country stretches students emotionally and professionally
EDITOR: Mindy Claggett ASSISTANT EDITOR: Amy Moretta CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Kathy Keyes, Charles Scriven, Julie Thompson PHOTOS: Mindy Claggett, Louie Ferraro, Colin Gatland, Jay Herndon, Julie Walling, Ed Mejia, Laura Willis, Lee Ann Yahle, Kettering College archives. Photos on pages 6-9 provided by Ron and Pat Miller. Class Notes photos on page 11 provided by alumni and families. Alumni Spotlight photos on pages 14-15 provided by Joanne Cross. PRINTING: Mound Printing Company, Inc., Dayton, Ohio Kettering College, born out of Adventist faith, is a fully accredited college that offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in health science education. Upholding Christ, the College educates students to make service a life calling and to view health as harmony with God in body, mind, and spirit. A division of Kettering Medical Center, Kettering College is located on the KMC campus in a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. Eighty percent of Kettering College graduates live and work in Ohio, with the majority settling in the Dayton area.
innovation. superior graduates. passion for service and health.
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campus notes
NEW FACES With retirements, departures and addition of new positions, Kettering College has had 12 new faculty and staff members since the last issue of Pacesetter.
{
{
Nathan Abbott Recruiter
Andrea Borchers
Associate Professor of Nursing
{
{
{ 2
R. Tyler Cannon Associate Registrar
Amy Drab
Assistant Professor of Physician Assistant Studies
Jonathan Engelman Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Physics
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}
}
}
Nathan Abbott, recruiter B.S. in Film Production, Southern Adventist University, 2008 As a graduate of Spring Valley Academy, Abbott grew up watching Kettering Health Network grow. He wanted to be a part of that, so when a recruiter position that also required video production experience opened up, he jumped at the chance. Prior to coming to Kettering, he spent several years in production of movies, commercials and music videos. Andrea Borchers, associate professor of nursing B.S. in Nursing, Ohio State University, 1980 M.S. in Nursing, Wright State University, 1994 Doctoral candidate in the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati Borchers came to Kettering College because she was impressed with the caring and passion for service among faculty, staff and students. She said she always has had an interest in health, health promotion and quality of life. Son Tim is an industrial engineer; daughter Emily is a physical therapy student at Ohio State University. Andrea and her husband, Sam, also had two other daughters, Kim and Ellen, who died at young ages. Borchers enjoys biking the trails and rural roads in the area. R. Tyler Cannon, associate registrar A.S. in Environmental Engineering, Sinclair Community College, 2008 B.S. in Technical Applied Sciences, Ohio University, 2010 Cannon has worked in higher education for five years. Cannon lauds Kettering College’s small-school atmosphere because “it allows students more one-on-one attention and provides an excellent education.” In his free time, Cannon likes to fish and play golf and basketball. He also is a car enthusiast — classic, new, domestic or imported.
}
Amy Drab, assistant professor of physician assistant studies A.S. in Physician Assistant Science, Kettering College, 1997 B.S. in Health Professions, Kettering College, 1999 M.S. in Physician Assistant Science, University of Nebraska, 2003 An adjunct physician assistant professor since 2009, Drab is a Kettering College alumna who wanted to give back after spending 10 years as a PA. She said she likes variety and change, and being a full-time educator is a new adventure. She and her husband, Jess, have three daughters. Drab enjoys playing with her daughters, shopping and reading.
}
Jonathan Engelman, assistant professor of mathematics and physics B.S. in Mathematics, Secondary Education, Walla Walla University, 2005 M.A. in Mathematics Education, Western Michigan University, 2008 Engleman became affiliated with Kettering College when his sister Allison graduated from here. A son of a teacher, he said he always knew he would end up teaching, and an early aptitude for mathematics made that a natural choice for his area of specialization. After a few years of teaching middle and high school mathematics, Engelman spent the past three years as a graduate research assistant, conducting research in formative assessment. He says his top hobby is cycling, and he rides to and from work whenever possible. Jonathan and his wife, Terra, have been married for six years. kettering college
campus notes
{
{
{
{
{
M. Patrick Hensley Science Lab Manager
Tuta Ionescu
Associate Professor of Radiologic Technology
Erin Banks Kirkham
Associate Professor of English
Beverley McLean
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Jennifer Rawlings Office Assistant, Division of Nursing
}
}
}
}
}
M. Patrick Hensley, science lab manager B.A. in Chemistry, Hanover College, 2002 B.S. in Secondary Education, Indiana University, 2004 Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Miami University, 2011 Hensley said he accepted the science lab position at Kettering College because it gives him the opportunity to assist with instruction in the lab and to participate in curriculum development for the lab sections of the school’s chemistry courses. In his free time, he plays basketball and tennis. He added that he’s “involved in science facts by day and reads science fiction by night.” Hensley’s position opened up when predecessor Greg Lewis left for dental school at New York University. Tuta Ionescu, associate professor of radiologic technology A.S. in Radiologic Technology, Sinclair Community College, 1999 B.S. in Health Arts, University of St. Francis, 2003 M.S. in Health Services Administration, University of St. Francis, 2005 Ed.D. in Educational Leadership/Curriculum Development and Class Instruction, University of Phoenix, 2010 Ionescu, whose first name is pronounced “TOOT-suh,” said she joined the Kettering College faculty because the school’s philosophy matches her personal philosophy. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening and volunteering at her children’s school. Ionescu and her husband, Daniel, have three children, Joseph, Sarah and Sam. Erin Banks Kirkham, assistant professor of English B.A. in English, Andrews University, 2000 M.A. in English, Eastern Michigan University, 2005 Although she never intended to become a teacher, Kirkham discovered that she enjoys teaching college students, especially helping them become better writers — even if writing is something they’re uncomfortable with. She said she came to Kettering because she wants to teach what she loves in a setting that nurtures and supports students from a variety of religious backgrounds. Outside of work, Kirkham is kept busy by her doctoral studies in in rhetoric and composition through Ball State University. Her husband, Mikael, is a first-year nursing student at Kettering College. Beverley McLean, assistant professor of nursing B.S. in Biology, Gordon College, 1985 B.S. in Nursing, Rutgers University, 1993 M.S. in Nursing, Walden University, 2010 McLean came to Kettering College in 2006 as an adjunct faculty in the nursing skills lab; in 2009, she added clinical instructor to her duties. She joined the full-time faculty in 2011. She said she has always enjoyed the teaching aspect of nursing, whether teaching a patient about medication or a diagnosis or mentoring a new nurse. In her free time, McLean likes to read, garden and watch cooking shows. She and husband, Wayne, have two sons, Joshua and Benjamin. Jennifer Rawlings, office assistant, Division of Nursing After working several years at the Kettering Medical Center Foundation and in the pathology department at Kettering Medical Center, Rawlings had heard a lot about Kettering College as a quality workplace. When the opportunity to transfer arose, she took it. Rawlings and her husband, Mark, have four children. kettering college
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campus notes MORE
NEW FACES {
}
Cathy Roth, office assistant, Division of Arts & Sciences Cathy Roth Kendra Varner Office Assistant, Division of Associate and department of radiologic sciences & imaging Arts & Sciences and Department Professor A.S. in Secretarial Science, Grand Rapids Baptist College, 1980 of Radiologic Sciences & Imaging of Nursing A secretary at Kettering College from 1984 to1991, Roth said she was thrilled when a position opened at the College again. Outside of work, Roth enjoys baking, gardening, walking and being with her family. She and her husband, Dan, also travel to Indiana Wesleyan University for the concerts of their son Zach, a music education major; they also attend Dayton Christian High School football and basketball games to watch daughter Nicole cheer. Kendra Varner, assistant professor of nursing B.S. in Nursing, Wright State University, 1996 • M.S. in Nursing, University of Memphis, 2008 After coordinating the nurse residency program at Grandview and Southview Medical Centers for two years, Varner joined the Kettering College nursing faculty in 2011. She said she came to the College because she enjoys the faith-based environment, is passionate about the nursing profession and loves nursing education. When she was younger, Varner felt called to international mission work and knew that teaching or nursing would be good platforms; she chose nursing because she loved direct care. After gaining teaching experience overseas, she decided to pursue nursing education as her specialty. Mission work has taken Varner to 17 countries. Kendra and her husband, Larry, have two sons, Drew and Aaron.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY MOVES: Longtime personnel Larry Beneke, Jennilou Grotevant, Jenny Steyn, Kay Vorholt and Carol Warner have retired. With Grotevant’s retirement, former Learning Commons director Bev Ervin has once again become the college’s academic support coordinator. Beneke’s retirement led to faculty member Frank Brewster being named chair of the department of radiologic sciences and imaging. Susan Price is now chair of the Department of Diagnostic Medical Sonography; she succeeds Joyce Grube. When former alumni relations director Cheryl Kennison took a position as director of marketing, public relations and the foundation at Bert Fish Medical Center in Florida, former Residence Hall director Amy Ortiz-Moretta accepted a new role as director of alumni and career services. Her move made the way for Jerry Mahn’s promotion to director of Residence Hall and student life, while former associate registrar Sarah Bayer transferred into Mahn’s previous position as associate director of the Residence Hall and student life. The Division of Arts and Sciences has made adjustments in its organization and is now divided into two departments. Paul DeLange is division chair and oversees the department of mathematics and sciences; James Londis is the chair of the newly created department of humanities. 4
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RESPIRATORY CARE STUDENT AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS Laurie Miller, a second-year respiratory care student at Kettering College, received scholarships from two organizations in the fall. In August, the Ohio Society for Respiratory Care presented Miller with the Charles Robinson Memorial Scholarship. Miller was nominated for the scholarship by respiratory care department chair Nancy Colletti, and she is the first Kettering College student to receive the award in the seven-year history of its existence. Nominees were judged on scholastic achievement, leadership, service and professional involvement. At the American Association for Respiratory Care International Congress in Tampa, Fla., Miller was awarded a scholarship from the Lambda Beta Society, the National Honor Society for the Profession of Respiratory Care. She received the scholarship after submitting her application and a literature review research paper titled “The Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Drugs. ” The Lambda Beta Society awards up to three scholarships each year to students demonstrating leadership and scholarly achievement in the respiratory care profession.
•••
kettering college
campus notes
CONCERT SERIES at Kettering College Annual 5K event raises funds for Good Neighbor House Sponsored by Kettering College and the Clinton Trott Society, the third annual Spring into Health 5K on April 10 garnered 125 registrants — the event’s highest participation yet. Rob Durkin, husband of nursing faculty member Adelaide Durkin, was the top finisher on the difficult course with a time of 22:28. The event raised $2,000 for the Good Neighbor House.
On Sept. 16 and Oct. 7, the Kettering College office of spiritual life and Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church teamed up to host contemporary Christian recording artists Jadon Lavik and Shawn McDonald for the first two of three concerts in a series the College introduced in the fall. The third concert, Nov. 4, featured a choir from Target Dayton Ministries for the College’s monthly Spiritual Emphasis session.
The Clinton Trott Society members presented the check to GNH executive director Cassandra Ways in May. The Clinton Trott Society is the Kettering College chapter of the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
Jadon Lavik
Shawn McDonald
The 2012 Spring into Health 5K is tentatively planned for Sunday, April 15. Information will be available on the Kettering College website, http://www.kc.edu.
Good Neighbor House, founded by eight Dayton-area Adventist churches in 1994, gives help and hope to the underserved in the Dayton community, providing food pantry services, health promotion, clothing and household items to individuals and families in need.
•••
KETTERING COLLEGE posts highest opening enrollment in school history
With 938 students enrolled for the fall semester, Kettering College posted its highest opening enrollment in the 44-year history of the school. The number eclipsed the previous high of 917, set in fall 2010. This is the fourth consecutive year of record enrollment. According to the school’s final opening report, 545 full-time and 393 part-time students had registered for fall classes. “Our enrollment goes up because our graduates are happy with their education — and the word gets out,” said Charles Scriven, Kettering College president. “Obviously, we can’t discount the current economy as a factor, but the bottom line is the quality education that our students receive here.” Kettering College had 510 students in the fall of the 2000-01 academic year — the year Scriven became president. Since then, the school has jumped 46 percent in total enrollment and 45 percent in total credit hours.
•••
kettering college
“My goal, as chaplain, always has been to minister not only to our students, faculty and staff but also to the wider communities of the Kettering Health Network and the City of Kettering,” said College chaplain Clive Wilson. “Music has the ability to transcend the divisions that dissect our context — divisions of culture, economic standing, race and religious affiliation, to name only a few. We believe that music creates a medium that is inviting, engaging and persuasive. It often conveys the spiritual journey of the artists and helps us to relate to and with their struggles, to wrestle with their questions, to be transformed by their spiritual/existential successes, and to celebrate and imbibe their insights.” This holds true for Lavik and McDonald, Wilson said. Their music speaks powerfully about the transformative power of God’s direction in the midst of a difficult and challenging life. “No doubt it is also deeply true about Target Dayton choir, a group of homeless people who understand pain and challenge but rejoice daily in the activity and the presence of God in their lives,” Wilson said. “It is their testimony of the struggle of life and the drive to thrive, eloquently communicated through music, that we seek to bring to our community to help us as we all deal with our own issues to thrive and live.” The College typically hosts at least one Christian concert per semester; the Office of Spiritual Life already is planning another for February. pacesetter · winter 2012
5
Ron Miller > yearbook photo (1971)
K
In John 15, Jesus says that apart from him, we can do nothing. 6
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ettering College alumnus Ron Miller and his wife, Pat, are living proof of the good that can come from never parting from God. The couple, who married after individually being called to follow Christ into overseas missions, have spent most of their lives seeking to serve their Savior. Through the years, they have learned what it means to wait on God during times of silence and to draw upon his strength while serving in the African bush. Now in their mid-70s, they continue this same self-sacrifice. While others their age are implementing carefully crafted retirement plans, the Millers always consider themselves “on call.” It’s been 24 years since they returned from an eight-anda-half-year mission in Africa, and they continue to look for opportunities to go back. When the overseas opportunities don’t arise, the two trained nurses put their skills to work by taking needy individuals in — loving, serving and caring for them in their Virginia home. It’s a life very close to suffering: something most would pray to avoid, but one the Millers have embraced with joy. “Loving Jesus and following Jesus is all about surrendering ourselves so that he can live through us,” Pat said. “Jesus never lived for himself.”
kettering college
Couple wants others to see more of Jesus, less of them BY JULIE THOMPSON
Consecrated by God Both Ron and Pat grew up in non-religious homes, but God moved in mighty ways to bring them close and use their lives for his glory. God was never a topic of conversation in Pat’s home, where her parents’ alcoholism seemed all-consuming. However, at 8 years old, she was introduced to God’s word when her sister discovered a Bible study and asked her to join. The two soaked in the Scripture, and when one study was over, they quickly found another one. At 16, Pat was baptized and knew she wanted to serve God with the rest of her life.
God handed her that piece in an unexpected way when, in 1969, a nursing class from Kettering College came through her department. Among all the young women in that class was Ron, a 34-yearold non-traditional male student. Ron had been accepted into Kettering’s pilot nursing program after spending his career in electronics. Like Pat, Ron didn’t grow up in a Christian home; he’d struggled after his father deserted his family when Ron was 12. He had dropped out of school after the eighth grade, but he felt an urgency to complete his education after he came to know the Lord at age 20. After being baptized, he felt a calling to serve
Ron and Pat Miller are living proof of the good that can come from never parting from God.
In 1962, she attended Southern Adventist University and earned her nursing degree. She immediately contacted the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference to express her interest in mission work. When nothing immediately arose, she took at job in the pulmonary department at Kettering Memorial Hospital and worked there until God brought the next piece of the puzzle into her path.
the Lord, but felt like he wouldn’t have a great chance of going overseas with the skills and schooling he had. So he worked as hard as he could to get his high school diploma and take courses at a nearby community college. He transferred to Kettering College’s nursing program because he figured a health care degree would make him a great asset overseas.
kettering college
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One day,
Pat drove the nursing students down to Cincinnati for a riverboat ride. Ron and Pat spent most of that eight-hour boat ride talking and getting to know one another. They talked about their goals in life and realized they wanted the same thing. Not long after, they married, and one year later, Ron graduated with his nursing degree. Despite their deep desire to serve overseas, they had to wait eight years until they were officially asked to serve. Right after marrying, they contacted the General Assembly, but at the time, the Assembly was only looking for those with master’s and doctoral degrees. The couple soon moved to California, took jobs and waited.
“...whatever you get is actually what you need.” “It was very frustrating because we would read about how they needed nurses,” Ron said. “But the Lord always puts you in situations because whatever you get is actually what you need.” In those years of waiting, they had a son and continued to network with those in the Seventh-day Adventist community. Their break came when Ron saw a friend who had just returned from Zambia, in Africa. He told his friend about his and Pat’s interest in serving and asked him to keep them in mind. The friend knew of a doctor who was taking a short leave at a hospital in Zambia and encouraged Ron to contact him. Within a few months, the General Assembly interviewed the Millers for the post and gave them the orders they had been waiting nearly a decade to hear:
They were going to
Africa.
8
pacesetter · winter 2012
Called to Africa
In February 1981, the Millers, along with their 9-year-old son, Ronald, traveled to Zambia to work in the Mwami Adventist Mission Hospital. Ron was put in charge of the leprosarium, and Pat was named principal tutor of the nursing school. It was a huge responsibility for Pat, since the hospital had considered closing the nursing school due to failing grades. She prayed for six months that God would bring another tutor to help her with the 80 students at the school, but no one ever came. So she changed her prayer. “I asked the Lord that since no one else was coming that he would give me the strength, knowledge and wisdom to do this,” she said. “And the Lord supplied in mighty ways.” Pat shared her love for the human body with her students and inspired them as they studied by setting Psalm 139 to song and singing it to them. Pat taught six classes, and only two students failed. It was the first of many times she would learn to call on God to take the impossible and turn it around for his glory. In 1984, Ron and Pat were called to Zimbabwe, where Ron worked with the Adventist Disaster Relief Association, overseeing all the clinics in the country. Pat once again took a teaching position as the only English teacher at the Anderson Adventist School. For one year, she taught up to 100 students in eighth through 12th grade. She was told when she took the job that none of her seniors would pass their exam and graduate; once more, she turned to God. “I read in my devotional one day that we don’t receive much from God because we don’t ask much,” Pat said. “So, I went to the Lord once more and told the Lord that I wanted all my kids to pass their exam.”
kettering college
She coupled her prayers with hard work, and once again God proved himself. Her entire class passed, with all but one student receiving an A or B. The couple took a four-month sabbatical in the States and returned to Zimbabwe. Ron was still overseeing the clinics, but this time, Pat had no teaching responsibilities, so she used her time visiting people in the city of Gweru. They arrived on the heels of a major rebellion in the country. Intense fighting had just ceased between two groups vying for power, and Ron and Pat found themselves helping people heal physically and emotionally from the bloody unrest. “I visited and found people from all different walks of life in Africa,” Pat recalled. “I met with them and talked to them about the Lord Jesus Christ and prayed with them.” Pat couldn’t speak their language, and they couldn’t speak hers, but she found ways to connect and care for them. On her spontaneous walks, her works ranged from distributing Bibles to helping calm the fears of a family battling a cobra in their back yard.
God was doing work in Ron’s life as well. He saw firsthand how Africans worked with so little to help so many. He also had to adjust to a new sense of time and develop a deeper use of grace toward others. “You go to help, yet sometimes you’re going not so much for those people, but because you need help,” he said. In 1991, Ron and Pat came home to the United States to care for their aging parents. While their long-term work in Africa had come to a close, their passion for being Jesus’ hands and feet to the hurting was just getting started.
Even Closer to Jesus
The Millers settled in Virginia to care for Ron’s mom and dad throughout the 1990s. During that time, they took in individuals to provide assisted living care. The work was physically draining, but Pat turned it into an opportunity to minister to their souls. After putting them in wheelchairs, she would read to them from the Bible and share her love for music by singing to them. When she wasn’t caring for those inside her home, she was visiting others who were unable to make it to church services. She would visit as many as four people on Sabbath, allowing each person to spend the first part of their time sharing about themselves. “I don’t visit people unless they are sick and can’t go to church,” Pat said. “It’s something I have felt God guiding me to do.” At the end of 2010, Ron read about a need for workers in Ethiopia. Despite their age, the Millers never felt healthier, so they decided to apply. They spent three months in Ethiopia, helping teach medical modules. In February 2011, they returned home. After decades of caring for others, the Millers’ lives took a sudden turn on Nov. 26: Ron suffered a stroke. When they realized something wasn’t right, it wasn’t the hope of medicine that they turned to first, but their faith in God and their knowledge that they could come to his throne at any hour. “I looked at Ron and said, ‘Let us pray and put this in the Lord’s hands,’” Pat recalled just days after the incident. “Nothing is impossible for God. We have had too many answered prayers to know that. So, we prayed, I dressed him, and I called 911.” Once more God, proved himself. Ron has had a positive road to recovery, although he has much work ahead to regain full strength in his right arm and leg. Once he returns home, he’ll be blessed with one amazing nurse — a woman with a heart for the sick and a hope that never fails. “We put our lives in his hands every day,” Pat said. “We live our lives striving to uphold him, so that we might represent Jesus in everything we do. We have faults, too, and we have to take them to the Lord. But as long as Christ is in the most holy place
we can always ask for his
forgiveness.”
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alumni news
Dear Alumni, It is a great honor to serve you in my new role as Kettering College’s director of alumni relations and career services. It’s an exciting time, as we’ve added career services tools for our students and alumni. As the new year begins, my objective is to provide you with an abundant range of resources to help you reach your desired potential as medical professionals. Our plan is to establish local alumni chapters in Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, and eventually to build chapters that have an alumni representative in each state. Each chapter will be designed to help you socialize and network with other Kettering College graduates and to keep you informed of exciting changes, new programs and campus activities. Additionally, we would like to provide you with several volunteer opportunities. This includes the creation of a speakers bureau, which will offer a forum for alumni to speak with current students about the challenges and opportunities that await them in the professional world. Volunteers also will have the chance to mentor individual students as they prepare for the professional world. Lastly, we have a long-term goal of creating a “first responders” medical team to support our community in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. Our commitment to your personal and professional success extends far beyond your years in the classroom, and I am pleased to play a role in helping you meet your goals both now and in the future. We would love to keep you updated on the latest activities and upcoming events, so I’d encourage you to take a moment to visit Kettering College’s page on Facebook and “like” us while you’re there. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
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ALL “@email.kcma.edu” e-mail addresses will soon change to “@my.kc.edu”. If you have any questions please call (937) 317-0095 or email adblack@email.kcma.edu
Yours sincerely, Amy Ortiz-Moretta Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services amy.moretta@kc.edu
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Attention Alumni!
kettering college
class notes Dale Tester ’04 lives in Beavercreek, Ohio, with his wife, Sandra. He works for Miami Valley Hospital as a nursing team leader.
Lisa (Keller) Villegas family Rohanna (Edwards) & “Dusty” Deal family Beth (Higgins) Tarter
1980s
Heidi (Jozic) Shull family Sonny Moretta
Lisa (Keller) Villegas ’83 is an office manager for Aviation Medicine Center, her husband’s medical practice, after working in medical sonography for 15 years. Lisa and her husband, Steven, have been married 28 years and live in Loveland, Ohio, with their daughters, Megan, 21, and Anna, 18. Lisa’s email address is slam924@fuse.net.
Sonny Moretta ’07 is a senior application analyst for TriHealth in Cincinnati. He is involved in the implementation of Epic Radiant RIS (Radiology Information System), a component of an overall implementation of Epic EMR/HIS. He lives in Kettering, Ohio, with his wife, Amy Ortiz-Moretta, and their children, Sonny and Arianna. Sonny’s email address is dsonman@hotmail.com.
Andrew Blair ’87 is president and chief executive officer at Samaritan Healthcare in central Washington. He and his wife, Robin, live in Moses Lake, Wash.
Sarah Thorpe ‘09 is a nurse at Miami Valley Hospital. She lives in Beavercreek, Ohio, and her email is sarahbeththorpe@yahoo.com.
1990s
Rohanna (Edwards) Deal ’92 and Harold “Dusty” Deal ’90 married in 1992 and live in Centerville, Ohio, with their children, Michael and Alissa. Dusty is an emergency medical specialist at Sycamore Hospital, Greene Memorial Hospital and Huber Health. Rohanna works at the Dayton VA Medical Center.
Jeanna (Reuer) Hardesty
Courtney (Keiser) Clement ’09 and Benjamin Clement ’11 exchanged wedding vows on Aug. 6, 2011, in a ceremony at Cox Arboretum in Dayton. Kettering College chaplain Clive Wilson officiated. Courtney works at Southview Hospital in Dayton, where she specializes in X-ray, CT, and MRI. Benjamin completed his associate’s degree in nursing at Kettering College.
Heidi (Jozic) Shull ’00 is a marketing specialist for Kettering Hospital’s Executive Evaluations Program. She and her husband, Chuck, live in Centerville, Ohio, with sons Jacob and Eli. Heidi’s email address is hjshull@hotmail.com.
Jeanna (Reuer) Hardesty ’10 married Kyle Hardesty on July 31, 2011. Clive Wilson, Kettering College chaplain, presided over the ceremony; Jeanna was one of his student workers. Jeanna and Kyle live in Marysville, Wash. Jeanna’s email is jmreuer@email.kcma.edu.
Carrie Campbell ’03 lives in Kettering, Ohio. Her email address is cacampbell@email.kcma.edu.
Lyndi Miller ’11 lives in Salt Lake City. Her email address is lknoblock@msn.com
2000s
Courtney (Keiser) & Jason Clement
Robert McDonald ’07 lives in Kelso, Wash., with his wife, Amber. He is a physician assistant in the orthopedic surgery department at St. John Medical Center. His email address is kissarmy74@gmail.com.
T E LL U S Y O UR NEWS !
Beth (Higgins) Tarter ’11 and Jim Higgins were married on Aug. 20, 2011, at Patton’s Lodge in Waynesville, Ohio. Beth and Jim chose College chaplain Clive Wilson to officiate their ceremony. The couple lives in Dayton with Jim’s two daughters. Beth’s email address is batarter@email.kcma.edu.
In Memoriam:
Gene Apple
Berkley Freeman
Gene Apple, respiratory care adjunct faculty and longtime Kettering Health Network employee, died on June 24, 2011. Gene is survived by his wife, daughters, and countless friends and co-workers who were inspired by his passion for life and learning. Berkeley Freeman, husband of Kettering College Bookstore manager Stella Freeman, passed away on Sept. 18, 2011. They were married for 29 years. Berkeley, who volunteered in the bookstore, always had a smile on his face and a joke to back it up. His jovial manner helped calm the students while they waited in line to purchase books at the beginning of each semester. Rachel Roberts ’05 lost her battle with cancer on Sept.12, 2011. Rachel was a quiet, sweet, thoughtful person who was well-loved by her Residence Hall friends, classmates, faculty and staff. She was 29 years old. David Triplett ’97 died in his Yellow Springs home on Aug. 1, 2011. After graduating from Kettering College, he completed a master’s degree in physician assistant at the University of Nebraska. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and daughter, Katherine.
Update us with your info online at www.kc.edu/alumni or call (937) 395.8490. To submit photos of your special life events, e-mail them to alumni@kc.edu. kettering college
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The Dayton Dragons and the Kettering College Alumni Association team up each year to throw a party for new Kettering College grads. Each new alumnus receives two free tickets and a Dragons hat. Above: Stacey (Hickethier) Page ’09 enjoys the game with her husband, Brian. Below: New grads Brooke Requarth, left, and Abbey Lorenzo.
Despite unseasonably cool conditions, almost 150 Kettering College alumni, friends and family gathered at the New Alumni Night on May 4. Graduates were featured on the video board and over the public address system, and some even participated in the entertainment skits. Human biology graduate and Nelson Award winner Cassidy Keiser threw out the first pitch. Pictured below: Heather Allread ’11, Zack Morgan ’10, Dragons mascot Heater, Courtney Keiser ’09 and current nursing student Ben Clement celebrated with Cassidy Keiser (Nelson Award winner) on the Dragons field.
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The group accepted and won the “human chain” challenge. Nursing student Mike Milleson, Jenna Landes ’11 and PA student Josh Lumpkin coordinated efforts to secure the victory.
The chilly weather didn’t dampen the spirits of new grads Craig Zart, Brian Mabry, Kyle Litteral, Jennifer Bambeck and Jenna Landes, or PA student Josh Lumpkin.
Nursing faculty member Tracy Taylor joined Kristen Homan ’11 and nursing student Alex Gillum in the fun
A GREAT TURNOUT!
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alumni spotlight
always ready to roll G R A D U AT E L E A R N S T O B E P R E PA R E D W H E N G O D C A L L S by Julie Thompson
S
ome people may not believe God cares about the finer details in someone’s life. Joanne Cross ’08 does.
It was a normal Saturday night in September 2009 when this truth became evident to Cross. She had come home exhausted from working third shift as a nurse at Kettering Medical Center and was debating whether she should crawl into bed or head to church. Her bed beckoned her tired body, but her spirit finally won, leading her to the weekly service.
After church, she was introduced to a surgeon who was sharing about his upcoming mission trip to Bangladesh.
Cross listened to his plans, and when he mentioned that his team lacked a nurse, God began to tug at her heart. She immediately offered to go, even though she had had no experience in an operating room setting, and had just a mere five days to readjust her life and hop on an international flight.
“First of all, I prayed about it,” Cross recalls the night she decided to go on the trip. “I told God that if he really wanted me to go, then he would have to make it happen.”
Cross wasn’t disappointed. Within three days, she had ordered plane tickets at the same price the other team
members had ordered months in advance. She cleared her work schedule and received her visa to travel. In just a few short days, Cross found herself standing in a makeshift operating room in a place far away.
Cross helped treat 3,500 patients that week and conduct 40 procedures — including the removal of tumors
and abscesses.
“We were in the middle of nowhere, but people heard we were there,” Cross said. “We would wake up at midnight
and hear the crowd building, waiting for us to open the next day. These people don’t speak our language, but they trust themselves to us to help make them better.”
Cross returned from the trip a changed person. Cross had developed a love for nursing at Kettering College, and now
she had a passion for traveling to the mission field. It was a transformation that only God could do, for even nursing wasn’t on Cross’ radar when she first considered her options for college.
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Born and raised in South Africa, Cross moved with her family to the United States in 2000 and settled in Chicago.
Cross’ family roots come from both Africa and England. Her parents chose to move to the United States to avoid political unrest in their family’s homeland. Cross’ quick decision to travel to Bangladesh came as a shock to her parents.
Now mission trips come along in Cross’ life much like occasional holidays. In February 2010, she and two other
colleagues from Kettering Medical Center traveled to Haiti to help in the earthquake relief efforts. Later, she joined a medical group on a mission cruise, where they stopped at different ports to provide community service. In 2011, Cross traveled to Honduras and then returned to Bangladesh.
haiti
honduras
bangladesh
Her trip to Bangladesh was a little different this time. She returned with friends she knew and with more experience.
The team stayed at an orphanage, treating people from all over the area. As the nurse in charge of registration, Cross was the first to see the crowds pushing through the gates to get help. Despite the magnitude of desperation she was witnessing, Cross had reason to believe her presence was making an impact. Each night after the clinic would shut down, the girls in the orphanage would call Cross and her friends with the little bit of English they knew.
“They would say, ‘Hey sister! Come, come,’” Cross said. “They would pull us into their quarters, and we would sit
on their beds while they put on a play for us. They were soaking up the attention and just loved having us there.”
Though Cross, 23, is just three years into her nursing career, she said she has matured and changed through her
travels and work. While other nurses are seeking steady, full-time work, Cross thrives in her job as a fill-in nurse on Kettering’s pulmonary floor because it gives her the flexibility to go on multiple mission trips each year. If there’s one thing she’s learned since 2009, it’s that she had better be ready to roll when God tells her it’s time to go.
alumni spotlight kettering college
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No matter how many hours someone spends studying a culture and its people, there’s really no substitute for experiencing it firsthand.
The OF
South American country stretches students emotionally and professionally BY JULIE THOMPSON
Megan Carr realized that when she and 20 others from Kettering College’s Vaughan-Beaven Service Learning Honors Program landed in Belize last July. Carr, a secondyear human biology student, was transfixed as she looked out the window of the plane at a whole new world. “I had never been on a mission trip or even out of the country,” Carr said. “It was just unbelievable how different it was from America. When the plane landed, there wasn’t any suction walkway that hooked up to us. We just walked off and into an airport that wasn’t all shiny, but made of wood.” The trip — the culmination of months spent studying Belize and its culture — only continued to open Carr’s eyes. The group ran six health fairs in nine days, providing minor medical evaluations to individuals and educating them on issues such as diet and exercise. For some, the trip redefined their focus for studying health care and confirmed that they were indeed traveling down the right professional path. It caused others, like 2010 Kettering graduate Jennifer Schmersal, to step out of their Western environment and appreciate the life-or-death struggles that others live with every day. “One 78-year-old man who came to one of our fairs was really underweight,” Schmersal said. “We told him that he should eat more food, and his response was, ‘I would love to eat more, but I can’t afford to. It’s either water or food.’” Human biology student Megan Carr
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The country of Belize is known for its beauty. It’s hard for tourists to pass up, with its combination of stunning natural environments — including the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and an extensive cave system — and its diverse cultural history. Yet below the stunning views are people forced to cope with easily remedied health problems due to a lack of education and an underdeveloped health care system. Kettering College became connected to Belize several years ago. It seemed like the perfect place to immerse students into a new culture. In about two hours, students could cross over to a new way of life without experiencing a language barrier, since English is Belize’s official language. The students who traveled in July first spent time in a Kettering classroom learning how to do a cultural assessment; planning how their fairs would be run; and reading How To Cook a Tapir, a book about the Mayan culture.
own two feet, said Laura Willis, coordinator of the Vaughan-Beaven Service Learning Honors Program. As the problems increase, the country’s health care system remains the same. The country continues to lack a solid health care system to diagnose and treat such problems. “If you look at our level of care in the United States and then go back 40 years, that is what it is like down there,” Willis said.
As a result, people would eagerly await the arrival of the Kettering College group to their villages and patiently wait as they set up their health fair booths. A typical fair would draw 150 to 200 people and last from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Those who came had their blood sugar and blood pressure checked and had the opportunity to learn various health care prevention tips, as well as CPR.
2011 Belize Mission Group Left to Right: Front row — David Reams ’11, Eric Abraham (human biology), José Rodriguez (PA). Middle row — Megan Carr (human biology), Ashley Howard (PA), Rebecca Boggs (respiratory care), Jenna Erwin ’07, Erica Reams. Back row — nursing administrative assistant Bea Heflin, Kyle Litteral ’11, Jennifer Bambeck (PA), Elizabeth Race (PA), nursing faculty and SLHP director Laura Willis, Jennifer Schmersal ’10, Jenna Landes ’11, Sasha Hammond Salter (human biology), Kristy Hock-McKinney ’11, Tom Davis, and BS in Health Sciences program chair Paula Reams.
Once there, the students soon learned they had a lot to offer. In the past decade, the country has started to acquire new health problems often seen only in the developed West. High blood pressure, obesity and diabetes are steadily on the rise. Some believe it comes from new eating habits that have seeped in from America. Processed foods, high in fat and sodium, have replaced fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s a switch that can seem baffling, since Belize delivers fresh fruits up to five times a year, all of which are free. The convenience of canned food may be one reason for the increase, or perhaps nationals have simply become tired of eating the mangos, oranges and limes that are always at their fingertips. The cheap cost of sweet beverages also has lured many away from paying a higher price for clean water. Meanwhile, the idea of walking for exercise loses its appeal in a country where transportation consists of a person’s
The screenings would be considered routine in the States, but for those in Belize, it was a golden opportunity. Many didn’t flinch when students had to prick their fingers multiple times; they graciously thanked the volunteers. The people of Belize gave back in their own powerful way. Each person they treated left an impression on the students and provided an opportunity for them to learn with their hands. The Mayan people, in particular, had a great impact. While some exhibited traits that would often signal hypertension or diabetes in America, others had neither. Instead, this short and stout people group suffered from joint and muscular aches and pains from the daily work of carrying wood or a child who, in the States, would be old enough to walk on his own. Students taught the Mayan people how to change the way they carried their heavy loads and provided vitamins and ibuprofen for relief.
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The 2011 Belize mission group ran six health fairs in nine days. Pictured top left to bottom right: Nursing graduate Jenna Erwin ‘07; Eric Abraham (human biology), Jenna Landes (PA); Kyle Litteral (human biology)
Originally, the group planned for five fairs, but once they got down there, they allowed for some spontaneity when the opportunity came to visit a sixth village. The decision proved to be a highlight for Jenna Landes, a second-year physician assistant student. Three hours into the health fair, a man approached her with several x-ray films of his back. Jenna asked the man, who was obviously in excruciating pain, if she could look at them and immediately recognized several major issues including compressed discs and osteoporosis. “They looked horrible,” Landes said. “I didn’t even know how he was walking around.”
“We have a great relationship with those in Belize, and that is why we keep going back. ” Jenna sought the help of a physician practicing nearby, who referred the man to a doctor in Belize City. After a consult and extra work, the man was able to have his surgery done with the financial help of an international charity. The experience made a lasting impression on Landes. “Initially, when I started PA school, I was focused on missionary medicine,” she said. “I definitely wanted to become a missionary. Then you see how much a PA can make and what kind of life they can have, and you begin to change your mind. But going to Belize brought it all back for me: This is where I need to be, and this is where I can help most. It made me think of why I am going into medicine and helped me revert back to my original dream.”
While going to Belize was a new experience for some, Paula Reams, chair of the B.S. in Health Sciences program, felt as if she were going home. Paula, who led the trip along
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with Willis, has headed many mission trips from Kettering. Over the years, she has created bonds with the people of Belize and looks forward to returning to a people she has grown to love. One of those individuals is Collet Montejo. Montejo is part owner of a hospital in Belize City, and he and his family have become good friends with Reams. Those on last summer’s trip learned a lot from his professional experience and also were blessed by his wife, Marie, who cooked for them every night. “When you develop relationships like this with people, you don’t want to consider going to another country,” Reams said. “We have a great relationship with those in Belize, and that is why we keep going back.” And this time, Reams didn’t have to leave her own family behind. For the first time since traveling abroad with students, she was accompanied by two of her children. Mission trips have always been a part of the Reams household conversation, so son David, a human biology graduate, was pleased to be able to work as a team with the Kettering students. “I don’t know if I would go on a mission by myself,” he said. “This trip was fun in that you got to hang out with others and bond while going to a third-world country to help other people.” Both he and his sister, Erica, who is now a student at Ohio State University, went on their first mission trips in their early teens. This Belize trip was the first time they both went with their mother. Like many of those on the trip, Belize helped solidify for David Reams what God has called him to do with his life. “I started out thinking I wanted to be a doctor, but then I realized I wanted to do more biology research,” he said. “This is my third time to Belize, and I enjoy going because I like to go back and see the people we know and to work together to help others.”
kettering college
partnerships Annual Scholarship Reception Connects Donors and Recipients By Kathryn Keyes, Director of College Development On Nov. 3, Kettering College honored its scholarship donors and recipients at the annual scholarship reception at NCR Country Club. Student recipients were on hand to meet scholarship donors, exchange experiences and share appreciation for their education at Kettering. Lavette Shirley, a second-year physician assistant student and recipient of the Nita Jennings and Eva Miller scholarships, stated, “I stand before you today not because of my drive or intelligence, but by the grace of God and because someone believed in me enough to invest in me.”
Scholarship donor Nita Jennings with PA student Lavette Shirley.
Nita Jennings was touched by Shirley’s words. “Listening to the student speakers gives me faith in the younger generation,” Jennings said. “Students like Lavette just need to be given an opportunity to fulfill their potential, and it gives me great joy to be part of that.” Beth Higgens received the Marjorie Brenneke Scholarship. “Since I started school in August of 2009, I have grown into the person I have always wanted to be,” Higgens said. “I have learned to provide Christian caring to my patients, and the Christian values of the school have become an integral part of my life. I absolutely love Kettering College, and not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for giving me such a great opportunity to serve him through my nursing work.”
Donor Betty Brendel; Beverly Cobb, Dean for Assessment and Learning Support; and nursing student Dana Gish, recipient of the Brendel Family Scholarship.
Charles Scriven, president, expressed gratitude for the gifts that take down the financial barriers to a Kettering College. “The scholarship reception was soul-stirring,” Scriven said. “You met donors and heard stories of students so grateful they could hardly contain themselves.”
YOU CAN BE A KEY TO SUCCESS... If you are interested in creating your own scholarship or contributing to an existing one at Kettering College, contact Kathryn Keyes, Director of College Development, at kathryn.keyes@khnetwork.org or (937) 395-8607.
kettering college
Respiratory care student Tracey Beard, recipient of the AMBUCS and Marcy Langford Memorial Scholarships, with respiratory care department chair Nancy Colletti.
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behind the scenes WHO IS
DAN SCHOUN? Dan Schoun is a professor of physics at Kettering College, but he also teaches some math and chemistry and co-teaches the course History and Philosophy of Science. He has been part of the faculty since 1999.
How did you connect with Kettering College? I taught at Spring Valley Academy for 17 years, primarily math and physics. I was trying to figure out where I wanted to go from there; I knew I didn’t want to go into administration. I even looked at medical school, but I didn’t want to miss that many years of my children’s lives. So I applied to be a student in the physician assistant certificate program at Kettering College. (Former faculty member) Edith Applegate had looked over my application and transcripts, and she proposed I bring in my résumé to be considered for faculty instead. The day I brought it in, the school’s chemistry teacher had just resigned … and the rest just fell into place. Where did your passion for science come from? I was the kind of kid who was always curious about how things worked. When I was 10 or 11, I took apart a timer that my dad had. I put it back together, and to this day, it still works. When I got to high school chemistry, I can remember asking my teacher what electricity was, and I was so disappointed that the answer was, 20
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“I don’t know.” My senior year, I took a physics class and fell in love because it answered all my questions about how things work. Then I majored in biophysics in college. What made you decide to become an educator? Between my sophomore and junior years of college, I took a year off school because God called me to be a student missionary in Japan. While I was there, I felt God’s call to be a pastor, so I decided to be a teacher because I could reach more people through the classroom environment. I have been ordained in the ministry of teaching. What else (outside of work) are you passionate about? My kids. My wife and I have done all kinds of things through the years so that our kids would want to spend time with us as adults. And they do. I also am a re-enactor for both Civil and Revolutionary Wars. I re-enact as a surgeon and talk with people about medical treatments from those eras. What’s your craziest dream? To be a U.S. Congressman. My great-great grandfather was a U.S. Congressman during the Civil War, and there are times I think, kettering college
“If I could be king and get things done the way I want them to be done …” What has been your greatest spiritual lesson? I don’t always understand, but because I have given my life to God, I can trust him with where it’s going — today, tomorrow and forever. What was the color of your first bicycle? I think it was red, but I remember a tricycle prior to that definitely was red. What book completely floored you or “blew your doors off?” Black Holes and Baby Universes by Stephen Hawking. It’s about the physics of black holes. I was just hit with amazement at how big our universe is and the implications of what we know and what we don’t know. What trinkets are on your desk? I have a little turned wooden bowl that (former faculty member) Ken Millard made; I keep paper clips in it. Who would you love to have as a teacher? Robert Hooke because he was involved in so many areas of science. He was a renaissance scientist, except he was past the renaissance. I would say Newton, but he probably would have overwhelmed me.
campus candids
Ugly Sweaters The senior sonography students had an “Ugly Christmas Sweaters” contest in mid-December. Congratulations to Gina Lepera-Murphy (far left) on her winning sweater with the giant Santa on it! Easter Baskets Nursing students pose with just a few of the 220 Easter baskets they helped assemble in April. The baskets are given annually to children affiliated with local shelters, including Erma’s House, Artemis Center, House of Bread, the YWCA and St. Vincent DePaul. Nursing Dedication First-year nursing students at the annual dedication ceremony in October. At this service, the first-year students commit themselves to the profession of nursing. It is an evening of entrance into professional nursing and a time that can help families and friends better understand the commitment that each student nurse is making. Student Appreciation Free pizza for everyone, including human biology students Jessica Roy (featured left in photo), and Davon Brogan, during student appreciation week in October. Sweatshirt Giveaway In early December, recruiters Nathan Abbott (featured left in photo) and Mike Unterseher play Santa’s elves and distribute Christmas gifts to the students — warm, fuzzy Kettering College sweatshirts. Spring Welcome Advanced imaging students Rhiannon Colucci (featured left in photo), and Ashley Allen enjoy nachos at the spring welcome event last March.
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