president’s message Jesus and Vince (Lombardi) Training is not the whole point. The whole point is good people. At Kettering College, teachers, faculty and staff set their sights on a goal anyone can understand: superior graduates. By this, we mean graduates who know what they’re doing in the healthcare workplace — and who do it out of heartfelt passion for service and health. Saying this is easy. Succeeding isn’t. More than a year ago, the board of directors asked the College to think again about the work that we do here: “The mission statement says you are educating students into health care as a life calling. As you do this, what are your dreams? What are your highest ambitions? What do you really hope for?” A conversation ensued. Everyone at the College got a chance to chime in. What came out of it was the new vision statement I was alluding to at the beginning. The board endorsed it, and now this defining document spells out our highest ambitions, briefly and memorably: “Innovation. Superior graduates. Passion for service and health.”
At Kettering College, teachers, faculty and staff set their
We dream of graduates who shine like the stars. We want them to shine because they’ve got the knowledge and skills they need — and because they really care about service and good health.
sights on a goal
anyone can understand:
superior graduates.
Do graduates like these grow on trees? Will this dream come to pass just because we hope it will? No. That’s why we’re also ambitious about innovation. We must be relentless about improving how we learn, and improving how we teach
and interact with the students we send off to the front lines of human need. It’s a lot to wish for, a lot to take on. I can practically hear you saying, “Hey, that vision statement is way over the top. You want graduates — and employees — who are … well, who are practically like Jesus. If you believe all that will happen, you’re dreaming.” Yes, a vision like the one we’ve adopted is a stretch. But this brings to mind Vince Lombardi, the storied coach of the Green Bay Packers. He said that if you aim for perfection, you’re bound to be disappointed. He famously added, “But if you chase perfection, you’ll catch excellence.” Exactly.
DR. CHARLES SCRIVEN, PRESIDENT
Pacesetter 4 departments 2 8 12 13 16 IBC
Campus Notes Class Notes Alumni Spotlight Partnerships Behind the Scenes Campus Candids
On the Cover Kettering College’s annual MedKamp gives Adventist high school students a chance to get “hands-on” with the school’s focus on health care. (Photo by Louie Ferraro.) 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.kcma.edu pacesetter@kcma.edu
W IN T ER 2010
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features 4
MedKamp brings students face to face with Kettering College and health care
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Alumni Weekend 2010
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Casting a vision for Kettering College’s future
Revisiting memories and creating new ones
New vision statement sharpens leadership’s focus
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Wreckage to restoration: A nursing student’s journey to new life, new hope EDITOR Mindy Claggett ASSISTANT EDITOR Cheryl Kennison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kathy Keyes, Susan Knouff, Charles Scriven, Julie Thompson PhOTOS Mindy Claggett, Louie Ferraro, Colin Gatland, Jay herndon, Cheryl Kennison, Ed Mejia, Julie Walling, Laura Willis, Jennifer Wilson, Lee Ann Yahle, Kettering College archives. Trauma doll project photos (Page 3) provided by Brian Mabry. Photo of Jackie Phillips (Page 12) courtesy of the City of Middletown. Photos with Susan Knouff’s story (Pages 14-15) provided by author. Photo on page 16 provided Moretta family. PRINTING Mound Printing 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.
Cert no. SCS-COC-001333
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campus notes New Faces >> > Science lab coordinator Gregory Lewis
Marianne Bovee > Enrollment services counselor Four new faculty and staff members have joined the Kettering College family since our last issue of Pacesetter. Enrollment services counselor Marianne Bovee joined the admissions office staff in July after Kathy Myers moved to an administrative position in the nursing department. Bovee held accounting positions for eight years at Milo Adventist Academy in Days Creek, Ore., and Upper Columbia Adventist Academy in Spangle, Wash., before moving to Dayton. She has a bachelor’s degree in business accounting from Taiwan Adventist College. Bovee and her husband, Jeff, principal of Spring Valley Academy in the Dayton area, have two children. Kristie, 19, is majoring in biology at Andrews University, and Ryan, 15, attends Spring Valley. In her free time, Marianne does oil paintings. Gregory Lewis became Kettering College’s new science lab coordinator at the start of the school year. Lewis works in the chemistry lab, preparing chemicals and materials for the chemistry 2
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> PA office assistant Tracie Watts
Tracy Taylor > Nursing Faculty and biology lab sessions and manages the inventory. Lewis graduated in 2010 from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, with a bachelor’s in biochemistry. “Extensive undergraduate lab experience taught me the skills needed for this position, and the opportunity to be involved with organizing and preparing labs sparked my interest when I was looking for a job after graduation,” Lewis said. Lewis enjoys running, reading, puzzles, watching movies and playing video games in his spare time. He also is his graduating class trustee of Ohio Wesleyan. After five years as a clinical adjunct faculty member with the Kettering College nursing department, Tracy Taylor joined the faculty full time last summer, teaching primarily the Wellness and Health Alterations in Children course. Taylor also has been a staff nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Miami Valley Hospital since 1997. “As a staff nurse in the NICU, I began working closely with our nurse educator, who also was a KE TTE RIN G COLLE GE
clinical instructor,” said Taylor. “She encouraged me to try working with students in an instructor role, so I began a five-year stretch as adjunct faculty.” Taylor earned a master’s degree, then joined the NRSA 130 and 221 teaching teams. Taylor also has worked in the Kettering Medical Center special care nursery, in home care for maternity newborns at Fidelity Health Care, and in the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Medical Center. She earned her bachelor's in nursing from Wright State University in 1992 and a master’s in nursing education from Walden University in 2010. Tracie Watts is a new office assistant in the physician assistant department, coming on board at the start of the school year. Watts had spent the previous four years as a teller at Butler Heritage Federal Credit Union. She also worked in an administrative capacity for a local attorney. Watts enjoys reading on her Kindle in her free time. She and her husband have two children.
campus notes Clinton Trott members make trauma dolls In October, seven physician assistant students — Brian Mabry, Courtney Overstreet, Josh Lumpkin, Caroline Strait, Christa Guggenbiller, Katie Radkowsi, and Rebekah Soroosh — from Kettering College’s Clinton Trott Society participated
COLLETTI hONORED FOR LEADERShIP IN RESPIRATORY CARE FIELD Nancy Colletti, chair of Kettering College’s respiratory care department, was elected president of the executive committee of the Lambda Beta Society for 2011-2013. This national professional honor society for respiratory care was formed in 1986 to promote, recognize and honor scholarship, scholarly achievement, service and character of students, graduates and faculty members of the profession. Kettering College is one of 138 Lambda Beta chapters across the United States. > Nancy Colletti Colletti has served on the executive committee since June 2000, holding office as secretary/treasurer from 2008 to 2010 and president from 2002 to 2004. In December, Colletti also was named to the board of directors of the Ohio Society for Respiratory Care as the junior representative from the western district. In the fall, she was chosen state captain of the American Association for Respiratory Care’s “Drive4COPD” campaign. Launched in February 2010, Drive4COPD aims to help millions of people identify symptoms of COPD and take action. As state captain, Colletti helps coordinate COPD screening events throughout Ohio.
Second Annual Bead for Life event raises money for impoverished women In December, Kettering College English professor Jill Evans organized Kettering College’s second Bead for Life fundraising event, raising more than $6,000. Based in North America and Uganda, Bead for Life has partnered with industrious women living in extreme poverty. The women make vivid beaded jewelry out of recycled paper to be sold around the world. They also make organic soap and lip balm. Profits from BFL sales are invested in projects that fight poverty and improve access to health care, affordable housing, vocational training and micro-credit entrepreneurial development.
in the City of Kettering’s “Make a Difference Day” by assisting the Kiwanis Club in making trauma dolls. These dolls are used by local hospitals to help children demonstrate where on their bodies they hurt and to comfort children at the hospital with a sick or injured parent. The Kiwanis Club has an annual goal to make 200 dolls; with the Trott Society members’ help, they were able to meet that goal. The Clinton Trott Society is Kettering College’s chapter of the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
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MedKaMp brings students
by Julie thompson
with Kettering College and health Care
at an age when most boys are still dreaming of professional
sports, Daniel DeBardeleben decided he was heading to medical school. he was 14 and had just finished reading Desire of Ages, a book on the life of Jesus. By the time he closed the back cover, it was clear to him that entering the health care field would help him live a life much like his Savior.
Three years later, at Kettering College’s 2007 MedKamp, DeBardeleben said he experienced a confirmation of his calling. “I knew Kettering College was perfect for me,” DeBardeleben said. “I was drawn by the strong focus on academics and Kettering’s faith community. Today, DeBardeleben is a junior at Kettering College, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human biology. When he isn’t studying, he’s worshipping. DeBardeleben joined the Kettering College Choir, and also created a small Bible study with other students. DeBardeleben is one of nearly 35 students whose journey at Kettering College began through MedKamp. The program, which started in 2006, pulls Seventh-day Adventist high school seniors from all over the country for a 24-hour event, experiencing Kettering College from the residence hall to the cadaver lab. MedKamp has grown from a quaint recruitment weekend with one prospective student to more than 120 attendees from as far away as California and New York. The idea has become Kettering College’s top recruitment tool for Seventh-day Adventist students and has helped
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boost the number of Adventist students attending Kettering. Before MedKamp was launched, only 9 percent of the school’s student body was a part of the denomination. Today, almost 13 percent of enrolled students are affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The recruitment staff wants that number to grow to 25 percent as they build their relationships with Seventh-day Adventist academies around the country. “Increasing the number of Adventist students helps build diversity among our student body, which
^ Daniel DeBardeleben KE TTE RIN G COLLE GE
^ Katie Lenz (center) with fellow diagnostic
medical sonography graduates, Esther (left) and Anna (right) Kroll.
is heavily made up of residents from the surrounding counties,” said Mike Unterseher, director of recruitment. “And perhaps more importantly, it helps keep the faith we were born out of strong and our mission alive.”
an evolving idea MedKamp started small. Since the idea for it came about late in the year, its marketing yielded just 30 registrations. The number dwindled with cancellations, and by MedKamp weekend, just one prospect remained: Katie Lenz. Lenz and her mother had purchased plane tickets from Washington state to Dayton. They feared MedKamp would be canceled, but recruitment staff assured them the show would go on. Lenz received the red carpet treatment, and by the time she got back on the plane, she’d made her decision: diagnostic medical sonography at Kettering College. Lenz graduated in 2009 and took a position as a sonographer at Wilson Memorial hospital in Sidney, Ohio. While she attended Kettering, she helped out at MedKamp and was a champion of what Kettering College has to offer. She’s still regarded as “MedKamp mascot” because she was the first attendee.
“I think MedKamp is very valuable to prospective students,” Lenz said. “It gives students a good look at what goes on at the College. They get to talk personally to teachers and current students. I used to talk to them a lot about our teachers and how good they are and how willing they are to give you the extra time.” Lenz told prospective students about every detail, including the cool perks in the dorm like the free use of a washer and dryer. She also loved the deeper details like how teachers would pray before class. The 2006 MedKamp was the beginning of something really good. Each year has provided opportunities to grow and change. The recruitment team also discovered that, instead of going after individual attendees, its
^ Tony Passerallo
best bet was to bring students by the busload from Seventh-day Adventist academies. “The first rule of recruitment is to get the student on your campus,” said recruiter Brandon Kennison. “MedKamp is a great way for us to get large numbers of students on the campus at one time.”
closing the sale MedKamp isn’t an ordinary college visit. Students are greeted with subs for dinner and are placed in a game-show atmosphere intended to get their minds thinking. The next day, their knowledge is put to the test in the College’s realistic settings. They tour classrooms, meet teachers and walk through labs. high school students on the fence about health professions quickly find out if the field is up their alley as they touch a real brain and view a cadaver. Such careful planning spoke to Tony Passerallo when he attended MedKamp as a high school senior in 2007. Tony, who had natural strengths in math and science and considered following his dad’s footsteps into banking, spent the year job-shadowing individuals in various KE TTE RIN G COLLE GE
careers, and after spending a day with his uncle at the Cleveland Clinic, he discovered a love of health care. At MedKamp, he was impressed with how staff and students listened and cared about his individual situation. “I looked at one other school, and the biggest thing I realized was that no one gave me the time of day,” Passerallo said. “No one (at the other school) was excited to show me around and tell me what they had to offer.” MedKamp not only solidified where Passerallo was going to school, but also helped him narrow down what degree he wanted to pursue. Now a senior at Kettering College, Passerallo is on target for his bachelor’s in human biology in April and will begin a master’s in physician assistant studies at Kettering in May. “My parents always said if you find something you love, then you’ll never work a day in your life,” Passerallo said. After the guidance they received at MedKamp, Passerallo and many other students have found just that.
is scheduled for sept. 25-26. call 1-800-433-5262 for more information.
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alumni weekend Alumni Weekend 2010: Oct. 22-23 Revisiting memories and creating new ones
Awards dinner reception
^ ^ Sue Parks Shoemaker ’69 and former staff member Jerry Shoemaker
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^
Now taking place every four years, Alumni Weekend Oct. 22-23 was full of opportunities for Kettering College alumni to interact with each other and spend time at their alma mater. The activities began on Friday evening with a family-friendly pasta dinner held in the College gymnasium, followed by a dessert reception and fellowship. Both events allowed alumni to spend time on campus and see the improvements that have taken place. The Saturday church service at the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist church featured alumni, and all were invited to a potluck in the fellowship hall afterward. The weekend ended with the 2010 Alumni Awards dinner at the Dayton Country Club, where President Charles Scriven presented this year’s awards. More than 200 people attended the festivities. Each year since 1987, the Kettering College of Medical Arts Alumni Association has recognized outstanding alumni. The distinguished alumni awards — Alumnus(a) of the Year Award and the Rising Star Award — are the highest honors bestowed by the Alumni Association; they recognize graduates for professional achievements, contributions to society and support of the College. The Alumnus(a) of the Year Award recognizes a lifetime of achievement, while the Rising Star Award recognizes recent graduates who have accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time and demonstrate future potential. This year the Alumni Association also named an honorary alumnus.
Jeb Sheidler and Charles Scriven
^ Beth Maxwell ’99, faculty, with daughter Kate
Alumnus of the Year Jeb Sheidler, assistant professor of physician assistant studies at Kettering College, was named Kettering College Alumnus of the Year. Sheidler graduated from Kettering College in 1991 with a degree in physician assistant studies. In 2004, he earned a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from the University of Nebraska. Sheidler has worked in a variety of health care settings including orthopedic and emergency medicine; served on the PA faculty at Wayne State University; and was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) in 2009 for his outstanding contributions to patient care and the profession during his 17 years as a physician assistant and PA educator.
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^
Lisa Villegas ’83, Denise Carter ’73, professor Margaret Rodenburg Stephen Roller ’05 with wife Lydia and daughters Averi and Addison.
^
^
David ’81 and Kay Starkey ’80 with daughter Karin
^ Todd Christie and Charles Scriven
^ Larry Beneke and Charles Scriven honorary Alumnus Rising Star Todd Christie, a physician assistant at Southwest Cardiology, was honored with the 2010 Kettering College Rising Star Award. Christie, a 2002 graduate of Kettering College, earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Professions with a concentration in physician assistant studies. He then earned a master’s in physician assistant studies from the University of Nebraska. He worked in primary care at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton and served as a preceptor for physician assistant student primary care rotations. Christie had his work published in 2009 in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and served on the speaker’s bureau for Abbott Pharmaceuticals.
For his outstanding service to Kettering College, his longtime commitment to the College and his ability to reflect the mission of Kettering College, Larry Beneke, chair of the College’s radiologic sciences and imaging department, was named an honorary alumnus. Beneke began his imaging career at Kettering Medical Center in 1974 after completing training and a degree in radiologic technology in southern California. He already had a bachelor’s degree in biology before serving with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps for four years as a medical corpsman. Beneke made his move to the College in 1985. In addition to serving as a member of the faculty and chair of radiologic sciences and imaging, Beneke has gone beyond his title, serving as the primary construction liaison for the College during the major renovations over the past few years.
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class notes
?
What’s your story
To have your information included in future Class Notes, update your information online at www.kcma.edu/alumni or call (937) 395-8490. To include photos of special events in your life (births, weddings, etc.), e-mail photos to alumni@kcma.edu.
___ 1970s
Sharon (Morris) Renk ’76 and her husband, Norman Renk ’77, live in Olathe, Kan. Sharon is a nurse in a pediatric office. her e-mail is nrenk@comcast.net. Gary Bullard ’79 is a physician assistant at hurlburt Field Clinic. he and his wife, Brenda, live in Niceville, Fla. Gary’s e-mail is gary3putt3@aol.com.
___ 1980s
Cheri (Cramer) Parks ’82 works for Kettering Medical Center as a pulmonary function technician. She lives in Carlisle, Ohio, with her husband, Chuck. David Randall ’83 lives in Dayton, Ohio, with his wife, Linda. he is the national sales manager for InnoMed Technologies. he writes that he is pleased that seven of his relatives are graduates of Kettering College, including his daughter, Alyssa Randall Stec ’03. David’s e-mail is dhrdrum@hotmail.com. Susan (hatfield) Owens ’85 is a case manager for Texas home health hospice in College Station, Texas. her brother John Welling ’10 is a graduate of Kettering College’s respiratory therapy program. Susan’s e-mail is sowensrn51@ yahoo.com.
___ 1990s
Michael Stephen Jackson ’91 lives in Port Orange, Fla., with his wife, Deborah, and their four children, Chelsea, Alex, Katrina and Evan. Michael is a nurse at Florida hospital Altamonte. Donald Bodiker ’94 and his wife, Ida, live in Beaufort, S.C. Donald is a clinical analyst for Beaufort Memorial hospital. 8
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Donald’s e-mail is don_ida_Bodiker@ hargray.com. Rock hodde ’94 lives in Melbourne, Fla., where he works for Palm Bay hospital as an advanced respiratory therapist. Rock’s e-mail is rockstar1@cfl.rr.com. Roland Fisher ’95 recently completed his BSN through Indiana Wesleyan University. he is working at Good Samaritan hospital in Dayton, on the IV/PICC Team. Roland’s e-mail is west4onegardens@windstream.net. Dannelle Estridge ’97 lives in Dayton, Ohio, where she is a triage nurse for CareSource. Dannelle’s e-mail is dragondani73@yahoo.com. heather (Rowe) Tinsley ’98 and her husband, Bryan, live in Bay Village, Ohio. heather is an emergency department research coordinator for Metrohealth Medical Center.
___ 2000s
Myriah Decker ’01 lives in Redlands, Calif., with her husband, Brian. Myriah is an acute rehabilitation nurse manager at T Kids Specialty health Care. her e-mail is mdecker126@gmail.com. Shoshanna (Matthiesen) Egbert ’01 lives in Redmond, Ore., where she is a nurse at St. Charles Medical Center-Redmond. her e-mail is wa_native@yahoo.com. Vanessa (Miller) Foster ’01 lives in Miamisburg, Ohio, with her husband, West. She is a nurse at Kettering health Network—Sycamore hospital. Vanessa’s e-mail is nessalynn_rn@yahoo.com. Jennifer Krasovic ’02 has returned to the United States after living overseas KE TTE RIN G COLLE GE
for two years. She is a physician assistant at Foundation Skin Surgery and Dermatology in Wilmington, Mass. Jennifer’s e-mail is jkrasovic@gmail.com. Erica (Masters) Bradley ’04 is a physician assistant at Nationwide Children’s hospital. She lives in Pickerington, Ohio, with her husband, John. Erica’s e-mail is edc381@sbcglobal.net. Shelley (DePew) henderson ’06 works for Cincinnati Bone and Joint Institute as a radiologic technologist. She lives in Franklin, Ohio, with her husband, Steve. Shelley’s e-mail is ganderrun@aol.com. Amy Dean-Wojcik ’06 married John Wojcik in 2007. They welcomed daughter Isabella on April 3, 2009. Amy also completed her master’s in physician assistant studies in 2009. She is a neurosurgical physician assistant at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wis. her e-mail is jjw3ald@hotmail.com. Dawn Parton ’10 is a nurse at Trihealth Inc. She and her husband, Shawn, live in Lebanon, Ohio. Dawn’s e-mail is daparton@email.kcma.edu. Sarah Wischmeyer ’10 lives in Ottawa, Ohio. She is a physician assistant at Findlay ENT. her e-mail is slwischmeyer@ email.kcma.edu. Christy Wolfe ’10 and her husband, Clark, live in Miamisburg, Ohio. Christy is a nurse at Miami Valley hospital. her e-mail is clarksgirl99@msn.com.
ON
MpS
ThO LiE
by Ju
EvERy ORGaNizaTiON STRivES TO CREaTE iTS OWN viSiON — WhaT iT hOpES TO BE iN ThE fuTuRE aNd hOW iT WaNTS ThE WORLd TO BE aS WELL. That vision can be powerfully conveyed in a string of sentences or just a few words. It inspires those inside the community and defines their purpose for being a part of it. A year ago, the executive board at Kettering College sat around a table and decided it was time to reshape, fine-tune and better craft its vision statement. Its statement, which consisted of 20 words in two sentences, didn’t seem progressive enough for where the College was already headed. Once known as a two-year technical school, Kettering College has transformed over the years. Today, it is regarded as a higher learning institution, offering certificates to master’s degrees. The College’s faculty and campus have advanced as well; it was time to create a vision that reflected these changes. The board’s discussion spawned a series of lunches and small-group meetings between Dr. Charles Scriven, College president, and various members of the College community. The College’s vision was discussed over food, between classes and one-on-one. In the end, it came down to eight words: Innovation. Superior graduates. Passion for service and health. While most won’t ever see the school’s
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vision statement, they’ll see some of its effects. Perhaps the most noticeable will be the school’s name, which officially has become Kettering College, shedding the words “of Medical Arts.” “This is who we are and where we are going,” Scriven said. “Innovation is seen in our classrooms, where teachers are creating curriculum to effectively prepare students for an ever-changing health care environment. Those students are then graduating, most of the time poised to be the best among their peers, but most importantly eager to serve with a Godgiven passion.”
INNOVATION Innovation is happening every day at Kettering College, from the technology being used to new methods being created in the classroom. “If you’re not innovating, then you’re not teaching,” Scriven said. “Professors have to think of fresh ways to communicate material all the time.” It’s an important approach for Kettering professors as they begin to teach classes aimed at higher degrees. Kettering continues to expand its offerings. Most recently, it added a Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, which is one of the only degrees PACES ETTER Winter '10
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in the nation that offers all modalities of the skill on the bachelor’s level. The College is in the final stages of approval for a three-year bachelor’s degree in nursing. As the College begins to broaden its offerings with more bachelor’s and master’s degrees, it becomes increasingly important for Kettering College faculty to be ahead of the game. One important aspect of staying ahead concerns the degrees that the faculty themselves hold. It’s required that 25 percent of Kettering’s professors have a doctorate in order for the school to teach courses at the bachelor’s level. The number of professors who have that degree or who are getting it has significantly increased over the past several years, said Bev Cobb, dean for assessment and learning support. “Twenty-five years ago, when I started here, I could count on one hand the number of people who had doctorate degrees,” Cobb said. “Now to see that number more than double is both heartwarming and encouraging. It is a major part of our transformation from what people have perceived as a school giving technical training to one of higher education.” Currently, more than a dozen professors have doctorates. That number is expected to double in the next year or so as other professors graduate from the programs they are in right now. Professors who have completed their doctoral work also bring a level of knowledge with them regarding research. While Kettering College is not a research institution, it is an important skill that professors can pass on to their students, who will need to know how to effectively do it in order to stay ahead in their profession, Cobb said. The increasing quality of curriculum and faculty matches the College’s commitment to investing in facilities. One of the most significant facility improvements was the building of the Boonshoft Center for Medical Sciences, 10
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a five-story, 41,000-square-foot addition that houses a student center, learning center, computer labs and science laboratories. The building not only gave the school a new face along Southern Boulevard, but also allowed the school to expand its offerings in the sciences and offer a baccalaureate program in human biology. Since the completion of the $22 million Boonshoft Center, the College has made $3 million in additional facility improvements, including the creation of the Anna May Vaughan Center for Nursing Education and renovation of several other classrooms and labs. In 2011, the school’s underground connection with Kettering Medical Center will have a whole new look, signaling the shared commitment of the hospital and the College for health care innovation.
SUPERIOR GRADUATES Every year, an average of 250 students are handed their diplomas at Kettering. While graduates leave with expertise in their chosen areas of study — sonography, nursing, respiratory care, radiology, physician assistance and medical imaging — they join professions that far exceed the boundaries of disciplines they’ve studied. Over the years, Kettering College graduates have entered into a variety of professions and held impressive positions. Some have gone into business and become executives and owners. Others have moved into leadership roles in hospitals, including presidents, chief executive officers, chief financial officers and chief nursing officers. Many have taken their Kettering degrees and pursued additional education to become physicians, dentists and lawyers. There are graduates who have opened their own businesses and others who have become published in textbooks and in books focused on health care. Many have given back to their community by taking public office as a county commissioner, judge or public health official. It’s
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not uncommon for graduates to be recognized at national conferences and by governing bodies. Kettering College has recognized 26 outstanding graduates with its Alumnus/a of the Year Award. It is a lifetime achievement award presented to those who have demonstrated leadership in their fields, continued their education, supported the College and carried out Kettering’s values and mission. “The achievement of our alumni is really what tells Kettering’s story best,” said William Nelson, dean for academic affairs. “We can offer a competitive, quality education, but not until our students walk out the door do we know that we are doing it right.”
PASSION FOR SERVICE AND hEALTh If all Kettering College offered was a good education, then it wouldn’t be much different from many other medical schools across the country. Kettering’s goal is to help its students make service a life’s calling through several means including their health care professions. It’s a natural outgrowth of the Seventh-day Adventist faith. In 2010, students took their growing health care knowledge and helped at homeless shelters, health fairs and road races held for various causes. Many gave training to increase the awareness of health issues such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Students who excel in the classroom and want to take their passion for service to an even higher level are invited to become a part of the Vaughan-Beaven Service Learning honors Program. The program, started 10 years ago, provides students with a variety of service opportunities such as domestic and international mission trips. Laura Willis, coordinator for the honors program and assistant professor in the Division of Nursing, said the program is a testament to Kettering’s commitment to service.
“We are fortunate to have this program at a college the size of ours and to have it so well-supported,” Willis said. “The College will do whatever it takes to get its students out there and doing good things.” The most recent international mission was to Belize; the next will be to Trinidad. Students help educate people on health issues and perform minimal procedures, all with what they are able to carry in a suitcase. Students who traveled to Belize worked with a sonography machine the size of a laptop. In five days, they did more than 300 procedures and were able to detect many problems that would otherwise have been unknown. “It has certainly strengthened my faith to be able to lead these students and to be the hands and feet of God,” Willis said. “They are learning to provide for people who have less than we do and to do it with minimal tools.” Part of the vision statement that Scriven would like to see grow is the College’s commitment to better health. “If we are going to be a health care business, then we have to be attentive to health and start to think in terms of exemplifying a healthy lifestyle,” he said. “I want all of our students and leadership to know that we stand for and expect healthier lifestyles than the average worker in the industry.” Scriven said the change can come in simple ways. At Christmas, he changed his traditional gift to his staff from candy to nuts. he also wants to see programs that offer incentives to students and staff to work on improving key health indicators such as body mass index and cholesterol. Sometimes, those who deliver health care don’t practice what they preach; Scriven wants to see Kettering College lead the way in changing that trend. It’s part of a vision he believes in and one that is already unfolding.
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in the spotlight by J ulie t homPson
Alumni Spotlight
Jackie Phillips ’95 Providence, Persistence obedience, faith oPened doors, says city health commissioner It may appear that Jackie Phillips’ career success has been a result of being in the right place at the right time. That’s not how Phillips sees it. The 50-year-old sees her rise from a part-time help Me Grow program. Only six weeks into the orthodontic assistant and single mom to the new job, the department’s nursing director resigned, Middletown health commissioner as the result of and she was asked to consider the job. obedience. And there’s only one she’s willing to Jackie again found herself surrounded by give the glory. support. her superiors didn’t think twice about “I have been so blessed all my life, and I give the fact that the position required a master’s all the glory to God,” Phillips said. “Throughout degree that Jackie did not have, and they my entire journey, people were put in place to helped her map out a plan to get it. She earned help me. I have learned that you have to be a bachelor’s degree from Miami University and a obedient to God in your life, and your path will master’s from Wright State University. be carved out.” This past June, another door opened: She Phillips entered Kettering College in 1991 was promoted to health commissioner. As Jackie after realizing that her job at a Dayton-area looks back, she marvels at God’s hand and his orthodontic office wouldn’t be enough to pay sovereignty. Determination and hard work got bills and support herself and her 2-year-old her through years of study, family deaths and daughter. her employer encouraged her to personal health issues, she said, but it was God’s pursue a nursing degree by providence that sustained her. taking night classes and offered her goal as health “I have learned that you to make her schedule as flexible commissioner is to use her have to be obedient to God experiences to educate as possible. Flexibility and the generosity the public. She’s also of friends and supervisors – who in your life and your path passionate about carrying at times even lent money when out the department’s motto will be carved out.” tuition was due – allowed her to promote, protect and to press forward and graduate prevent. Jackie said one of in 1995. Upon graduation, Jackie began looking her challenges will be making the public more for opportunities in Middletown, a city where aware of what the department does since most she has lived since age 9. The city’s health of its work is in prevention. department received a cardiovascular grant and “My goal is to make people understand hired Jackie as a part-time health educator to and be aware of what public health is and the teach the community about heart disease. importance of it,” she says. “People hear about She liked it so much that when a full-time it when there is an outbreak, but we are here all position in the department’s vital statistics area the time, keeping people safe and making sure opened up, she jumped at it and was hired. the places where they go are healthy.” In 1999, she was chosen to be one of the first nurses to work in the department’s newly funded
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partnerships Generosity in action at scholarship reception by K athy K eyes , Director of College Development
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Each fall, Kettering College offers an opportunity for student scholarship recipients to Diagnostic medical meet the benefactors who made their scholarships sonography student possible. At this year’s event Oct. 7 at Moraine Taylor Warha, recipient of the Farm, students had the chance to say thank you, holmes Family and donors had the chance to see the difference Scholarship, with they’ve made in students, the College and the Sharon Longo future of health professions. Holmes and As relationships formed between donors and Richard Holmes. scholars, the benefits of scholarship support became apparent. Donors saw firsthand how their philanthropy was benefiting our talented and deserving students and helping the College attract top students who align well with the College’s mission and vision. For the students, the evening provided the opportunity to say, “Thank you.” Nursing student Tiffany Thompson, ^ Suzanne and John Coleman with Tiffany Thompson (nursing), recipient ^ Nita Jennings with nursing student who received the Margaret Brenner of the Margaret E. Benner and Robert Nicole Petry, the recipient of her scholarship. Memorial Scholarship and the Robert Dudick Memorial Scholarships. Dudick Memorial Scholarship, was the event’s featured student speaker. “Margaret Brenner was an extraordinary, determined and God-fearing woman,” Thompson said in her remarks. “Having been chosen to receive a scholarship in her honor is an incredible privilege. I hope I am able to adequately represent the spirit she embodied and continue her legacy of genuine Christian nursing care and dedication. … Not only has ^ Sarah Silver (nursing), recipient of the Ruth this scholarship been an awesome financial blessing Gelford Ryle Scholarship, with donors Ruth to my family and me, but it also has strengthened our Gelford Ryle and Cheryl Gelford Holland. faith. Since I made the decision to leave my career and go to nursing school, God has provided for every need we’ve had — and right when we’ve needed it. I am so thankful to the Kettering Medical Center CREATE A SCHOLARSHIP Foundation, Kettering College and especially Suzanne Coleman for their generosity.” If you are interested in creating your own Suzanne Coleman ’71 (Nursing) established the scholarship or contributing to an existing scholarship in memory of her mother, Margaret one at Kettering College, contact Kathryn Brenner ’73 (Nursing). Keyes, director of College development, at “From a donor’s perspective, the opportunity to kathryn@khnetwork.org or (937) 395-8607. meet the scholarship recipients and their families was wonderful,” Coleman said. “The caliber of the students who receive these awards and the difference they are making and will continue to make in those patients they touch underscore the investment in these students that will yield eternal benefits.”
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perspectives Wreckage to restoration:
A nursing student’s journey to new life, new hope by s usan K nouff , nursing student I’m the youngest of 4 daughters. When I was 5, we moved into a new house my dad helped build — in the country, right across the field from my grandparents. Our home was surrounded by 20 acres of fields, streams and woods I loved to explore. I rode my bike down the hill behind our house, through the pasture field and back to the woods. I had a vivid imagination and got lost in my land of make believe. I loved being outdoors, playing ball, playing with my dogs or following my dad around as he watered trees or fed our horses. Our family was close. We were well-disciplined kids with chores and set bedtimes; we ate supper together. Some evenings, Dad would turn on the television to Little House on the Prairie. We went on family vacations to Montana, Colorado, and Utah. My favorite was hiking down into Fable Valley, Utah — a two-hour drive up a mountain and an hour hike down. We stayed there a week, hiking and finding cliff dwellings, pieces of clay pots, arrowheads and even hieroglyphics. Every day of every summer, my cousin Maggie and I met up on our bikes at Classic Treats, the Dairy Queen of our small town. We would eat and then ride to the pool. Maggie is only 9 months younger, and we’d been inseparable. We spent the night at each other’s home any chance we could. Unlike at our house, she and her siblings were allowed to watch scary movies and stay up late. We each envied the other. Once, we convinced our parents to allow us to switch homes for a week. We both came from the experience with a greater appreciation of our own lives and families. My family went to church on occasion but not regularly. I was baptized as a baby, and I was confirmed when I was 12. I remember asking my mom questions about stories in the Bible, but she said she didn’t know, and it was left at that. There were occasions my parents made an effort to get us all to go to church, but eventually we would be back to sleeping in, though both sets of grandparents — Heft and Roll — were churchgoers. Religion was not part of the conversation on the Heft side, but when we stayed with them, we always said prayers with Grandma before bed. Grandmom Roll talked to us about Jesus often. It made my mom uncomfortable, and that discomfort rubbed off on all of us. I found her a little weird — I suppose I correlated weirdness with Jesus since she was the only one I knew who talked about Him. I was raised with Christian values, but I didn’t understand God, Jesus, prayer or religion.
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”The love and caring of the program's instructors and students
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has promoted my true transformation into a ’wounded healer.’” I felt I was living the Brady Bunch life. Then, when I was 15, my uncle Jim, Maggie’s dad, was diagnosed with colon cancer. I quickly snapped out of the fairytale world. My mom, a home health nurse, moved in with Jim and his family for the last three months of his life. I started experimenting in risky behaviors — smoking, drinking and drugs. Life was in such a state of chaos that I don’t think my parents had the strength or ability to recognize that I was drifting down the wrong path. Jim died March 24, 1998 — a week before I turned 16. I ran wild with independence. At the end of April, my sister’s best friend Chris drowned. Two weeks later, my classmate Doug was killed by a train. In January 1999 my dad moved out of the house, leaving just my mom and me. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, I went from exploring my world with awe to a world fallen apart. Later that year, my dad lost his job. He started driving a semi-truck and was gone all through the week and home on weekends. I didn’t see him much at all.
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That same year, my mom started having falls, lost part of her vision and struggled to write her own name. She had an MRI and was diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer. I don’t know how long it was before they corrected the diagnosis from cancer to multiple sclerosis. In my mind, she was the next person I would lose, and I was already lost myself. I turned to friends, drugs and alcohol to ignore the mess. Most days when I came home from school, my mom would still be in her pajamas and in bed crying. I stopped coming home after school. Somehow, I managed to graduate from high school in 2000. I attempted college, but my lifestyle was not conducive to college, and I moved back home with my mom. Thankfully, she forced me to get a job, so I began working at the local bank. At work, I was a seemingly innocent, smiling girl. My coworkers had no idea what my lifestyle was like. I started to wish I could be that “together” girl all the time. I made multiple attempts to change my lifestyle, but I failed.
ii Over the years subtle changes happened within me. I got straight A’s at Sinclair Community College; I studied frequently and seldom drank. In time, I began work toward an associate’s in nursing at Edison Community College. I became an STNA in a long-term care facility, and caring for others made me realize the person I wanted to be. In November 2005, a life-changing event took place at the kitchen table with my Grandma Heft. She looked at me and said, “Susan’s sad.” I broke down crying. I told her how bad my relationship was with my fiancé. I told her about his drinking and mine. She listened and then she talked to me for the first time about her father, an alcoholic. I broke off my engagement.
The next month, my sister Angie, a Christian, gave me the book How to Find a Man worth Keeping. It was written by a Christian woman. I didn’t want anything to do with religion, but I read it because I liked her writing style, and I figured I could skim over the “churchy stuff.” Looking back, that was when God began softening my heart to Him. I was interested in finding a nice man who would treat me well. In January 2006, Angie and her husband Eric invited me to church. The sermon that day was about being lost. I listened as the pastor explained how God would go to any length to find just one of his lost sheep. God was speaking directly to me, and I wanted to believe that I was loved by God — by someone. After church, I wanted to know more about God, faith and religion. I found a Christian website that explained that all a person needed to do was open his/ her heart to God and invite Him in. They even provided a prayer for anyone wishing to do so right then and there. Tears rolling down my face, I read the prayer out loud and begged God to save me. That day I did find a “man worth keeping.” I finally knew God. God has healed layer after layer of brokenness within me. In July 2006, as part of my clinical rotation for the nursing program, I acted as a companion at Camp Courageous — a hospice program for kids 5-18 who had suffered the death of a loved one. I was a companion for a 12 year-old girl whose dad had died of cancer. That girl reminded me so much of myself. As I helped her through her grief, God healed the unreconciled grief within me. Angie once told me, “I’m really proud of you for taking this so seriously.” It was serious. God had saved my life from certain destruction. I’m now married to my best friend, Joel. He’s one of those people who are inherently good —a Christian who always follows the rules. He knows of my past and thinks no different of me because of it. He taught me that it’s okay to forgive myself; he’s shown me what it means to love unconditionally. There’s no doubt in my mind that we have a marriage arranged by God. I am grateful for God’s guidance to Kettering College. Through the RN-to-BSN completion program, my passion and zeal for nursing have been restored. The love and caring of the program’s instructors and students has promoted my true transformation into a “wounded healer.” I think back to the girl before I knew God. I don’t even know her. My faith journey has been relatively short from my perspective, but it’s obvious to me now that God has been with me all along. He was just waiting for me to turn to Him. By the grace of God, I am the person He created me to be. i i i
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behind the scenes Who is
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Moretta? Amy Moretta is the director of student life and the Residence Hall at Kettering College. She has been on staff at the school since 1999.
how did you become involved with the Residence hall here? I attended my brother’s Kettering College graduation in May of 1999 but never imagined that I would be living in the dorm just a few months later. When a friend mentioned the job opening, I inquired about the position that same day, and here I am. What is the funniest prank a dorm student has ever played on you? I was the victim of a premeditated Silly String attack early one Sunday morning. What is your favorite thing about your job? I love hanging out with the students and hearing their stories. What is the one thing that most people don’t know about you? I have introverted tendencies. What is your favorite food? My grandmother’s rice and beans and my uncle’s handmade pizza. If you could go back and change
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anything about your life, what would it be? I would attend Kettering College and graduate from the nursing program, just like I originally planned back in the 1980s. What is your fondest memory of your childhood? It’s difficult for me to pick just one memory,but I loved visiting my great-grandmother’s house. I would sneak a peek into her fridge to see what goodies she had for me. This was a very big deal because my mom was on a health kick and had removed all traces of sugar from the house. I was desperate. What goals or dreams do you have yet to accomplish? I plan to graduate from the University of Dayton with my master’s degree in community counseling, pass my boards and someday travel the world with my family. What was the last movie you went to see? Megamind. Who have been your mentors in
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life? What have you learned from each of them? My mother has been a pillar of strength throughout my life. She taught me to measure my words carefully and to care for those in need. My three living grandparents also taught me to maintain an unwavering faith in God and his plan. If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be? Eagle. What is your guilty pleasure? Dark chocolate. The darker the better. What family tradition have you carried on with your children? We celebrate the Epiphany on Jan. 6. Christian tradition claims this as the day the wise men visited baby Jesus. My children set out bowls of water for the camels on the eve of Jan. 6. The next morning, the water is gone, and as a symbol of gratitude, the magi leave presents for them.
campus candids
To celebrate National Physician Assistant Week in October, Clinton Trott Society members Sheela Patel, Brian Mabry, Ashley Howard, Irina Williams and Christa Guggenbiller provided bagels to the faculty, staff and students.
candy during Student Appreciation Week in October.
biology students Jay Kaiser (left) and Brennan Kelly ^ human (right) prepare to chow down on giant soft pretzels and cotton
Dove Award-winning Christian music artist Ginny Owens performed at the October spiritual emphasis session and put on a concert at Kettering Adventist Church that evening.
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During the annual nursing dedication ceremony on Nov. 5, first-year nursing students use lighted candles to signify “passing of the torch.�
Nursing student (front) receives some help moving into her dorm room in August.
Radiologic technology students Codi Trick (left) and Anna Jaynes (right) enjoy fresh popcorn at a welcome in September.
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