Wright State Magazine 2026

Wright State MAG A Z I N E

WORLD BUILDER How Hannah Beachler ’05 went from Wright State to designing Wakanda ‘ONLY IN NEW YORK’

Inside the musical created for Wright State students

RAIDER ROOTS

2026

One family’s story of growing together on campus

A BELOVED SPACE, REIMAGINED For generations of Raiders, the Moat has been more than a campus landmark — it's been a backdrop for friendships, celebrations and shared memories. Now reimagined as the Moat at Wright Plaza, the revitalized area features a flowing water feature, new gathering areas and improved accessibility, inviting the campus community to gather and connect, while preserving a beloved space. Read more on Page 6.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT Susan Edwards, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION Andrea Wall ’11 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Bill Shepard ’91, ’15 ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING Nichole Rustad ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, ALUMNI AND DONOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Brooke Johnson Leppla ’05, ’11 EDITOR Bob Mihalek DESIGN Tricia Barger, PoppyTree Design CONTRIBUTORS Beth Anderson Dennis Bova Sarah Cavender ’20 Michael Dunekacke Amanda J. Earnest-Reitmann Staci Grant Kim Patton Greg Scharer Anthony Shoemaker ’98 Kris Sproles Sam Votaw Jane Wildermuth Chris Wydman ’94, ’97 PHOTOGRAPHY Erin Pence SPECIAL THANKS TO Emily ‘Bing’ Bingham ’16 Deena John Amy Jones ’06 Elaine Pruner Cristie Scharer Dave Stuart ’04 Wright State Alumni Association Board Wright State University Foundation Board

This is a publication of the Wright State University Foundation and the Wright State Alumni Association for the alumni, donors and friends of Wright State University.

Submit information, comments and letters to: Wright State Alumni Association 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway Dayton, Ohio 45435 937-775-2620 magazine@wright.edu

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Enhancing place and purpose Welcome to this issue of the Wright State Magazine. In these pages, you will see how Wright State University is investing in the places, programs and opportunities that define the student experience and strengthen our future. From renewed campus spaces to expanded academic and student support initiatives, these stories reflect our commitment to creating a university that attracts students, helps them succeed and gives them every reason to stay and thrive as Raiders.

I am most excited to share the renovation of the Moat at Wright Plaza, a vibrant reimagining of one of our campus’s most beloved landmarks. While preserving the legacy of a favorite gathering place for generations of students and alumni, the redesigned Moat brings new energy to campus. It reflects our belief that spaces where students gather, build community and enjoy the outdoors are essential to wellbeing, belonging and student success.

You will also read about other important enhancements across campus. The Campus Recreation Fitness Center has been transformed to support wellness and active living, while the Student Union’s new multiuse presentation room creates a strong first impression for prospective students and a dynamic setting for campus events. ReyRey Café, now located in Dunbar Library, continues to offer students meaningful hands-on business experience in one of the busiest hubs on campus.

The Sandler Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship helps students turn ideas into viable businesses through mentorship, programming and real-world opportunities.

Expanded nursing facilities will provide more labs, simulation rooms and clinical training space to prepare more future nurses, and new support for militaryconnected students reflects our continued commitment to access, affordability and student success.

Beyond campus improvements, this issue highlights the many ways Wright State students and alumni are making an impact — from career success at Lake Campus and six nationally recognized SMART scholars to research with global purpose, civic and workforce development, creative achievement in the theatre and on film, alumni giving back and a run at the NCAA Tournament.

Taken together, this impressive year shows just how committed Wright State is to enhancing both place and purpose.

By creating welcoming spaces, expanding experiential learning and strengthening support for all students, we are building a campus experience that helps attract and retain students while preparing them to make a difference in their communities and careers.

Thank you for being part of Wright State’s continued progress and promise.

Best wishes,

Sue Edwards, Ph.D. President

CONTENTS

CREDIT: CHRIS BRIT T

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18 F E AT U R ES

10 SMART paths forward

From robotics to wildfire prediction, SMART scholars are building high-impact careers in defense and research.

14 Thirsting for life

Inspired by challenges at home, a Wright State researcher is working to make drinking water safer around the world.

34 D EPA R T M EN T S 6

CAMPUS HEADLINES

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LIFE AT THE L AKE

9

THROWBACK

34

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

37

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

42

FAREWELLS

45

CL ASS NOTES

48

FROM THE STACKS

18 Designing dreams

Oscar-winning designer’s journey from Wright State student to Hollywood trailblazer is a story of resilience and reinvention.

30 Growing up Raiders

A Wright State family legacy spans three generations, shaped by basketball games, lecture halls and lifelong campus connections.

A RENEWED FOCUS ON CITIZENSHIP: How the Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development is preparing students for civic life and career success. Learn more about the center on Page 24.

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GIVE GREEN. GET GOLD!

Take advantage of the benefits.

Carry your Wright State Alumni Association Gold Card with you wherever you go! Simply download your card to your digital wallet and receive your member benefits immediately!

To learn more at: wrightstatealumni.com/benefits

Name

Member

Level

Gold Me

mber

With your $50 donation you gain access to: • Gold Member Exclusive Events • Access to the Alumni Zone, plus other discounts • Access to Wright State facilities • Eligibility for Legacy Scholarships • 15% discount at the campus bookstore • And much more!

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

WRIGHT STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Loghan Young ’18, ’20, CHAIR Doug Hull ’75, ’78, ’85, VICE CHAIR AND TREASURER Anupam Bedi ’97, SECRETARY Andrea Wall ’11, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Amanda Opicka ’07, PRESIDENT Christopher Hogan ’11, VICE PRESIDENT Keith Meyer ’01, TREASURER Karen Hunt ’86, SECRETARY

BOARD MEMBERS

BOARD MEMBERS

Linda Black-Kurek ’78 Justin Blevins ’19 Samia Borchers ’81 Chris Brookshire ’11, ’14 Kevin Chriske Michael Clark ’88 Michael Daniels David Dirksen ’88 Doug Fecher Karla Garrett-Harshaw ’84, ’13 Iwona Goodrich

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Janet Heppard ’81 Julie Jacobs ’04 Peter Julian ’71 Kristina Kean ’96 Jim Odenweller ’09, ’11 Hernan Olivas Amanda Opicka ’07 Sharon Rab ’75 Chris Snyder ’06, ’08 Eimaan Virani Brittney Whiteside ’06, ’12

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James Augustine ’83 Ben Ausdenmoore ’08, ’11 Elizabeth Ball ’08, ’10 Sam Bernard ’11 Emily Broughton ’11 David Bowman ’97 Fernando Browning ’12 A’Maria Carter ’20, ’21 Michanne Davis ’06 Teresa Ebersole ’08 Michael Howard ’11

Anthony Jackson ’21 Michelle Judson ’88 Stephanie Keinath ’06 Gina Keucher ’88, ’09 Logan Krause ’19 Erin Kunkle ’08 Anna Monnett ’83, ’87 Caroline Quiett ’14 Matt Sherwood ’11, ’13, ’17, ’22 Daniel Tieman ’84, ’87

EXPLORE WRIGHT STATE DAY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

We’re proud that you — our alumni — are the strongest legacy of Wright State.

If you know a high school student looking for their university, share your Wright State story with them.

It’s where you met lifelong friends and set yourself up for success — and they can too. Tell them they’re invited to Explore Wright State Day!

SHARE WITH A STUDENT NOW!

THE ONE WRIGHT STATE VISIT THAT ANSWERS ALL THE QUESTIONS. Explore Wright State Day gives students the complete Wright State experience. · Meet with current faculty, staff and students. · Have all academic and financial questions answered. · Learn about scholarships, aid, internships, and more. · See the actual living, dining, and rec spaces. · Visit resources for academic and career success. · Take a tour of campus.

WRIGHT.EDU/EXPLORE

EXPLORE WRIGHT STATE DAY EXPLORE WRIGHT STATE DAY EXPLORE WRIGHT STATE

RAIDER UP

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CAMPUS HEADLINES

Ten years and a new home

A beloved campus space, reimagined

Wright State unveiled a vibrant new version of one of the campus’s most beloved landmarks — now officially called the Moat at Wright Plaza — preserving the legacy of a favorite gathering place for generations of students and alumni while adding enhanced accessibility and opportunities for campus events and student connection.

The redesigned outdoor area features updated water elements, expanded seating, improved walkways and lighting, and a performance stage for concerts, celebrations and other events.

Accessibility enhancements, including ramps connecting the plaza to the Hangar and the Quad, make the space more welcoming and usable for all.

“We wanted to create a space where students can gather, build community and take advantage of being outdoors — something that’s so important for both mental and physical well-being,” said Wright State President Sue Edwards.

When ReyRey Café opened in 2015, it was a small experiment — a studentrun coffee shop giving business students a chance to manage something real.

A decade later, it’s a campus staple.

Last fall, ReyRey Café moved from Rike Hall to Dunbar Library, one of the most trafficked spots on campus. Students still run everything — operations, finances, marketing, staffing — with support from longtime partners Reynolds and Reynolds and Boston Stoker.

“The premise of the cafe has always been for the students, by the students,” said Cloe Andersen ’18, the cafe’s first COO. That mission, she said, has only gotten stronger.

From the gym to the stage

Upgraded campus spaces serve Raiders and welcome newcomers alike.

The Campus Recreation Fitness Center got a full makeover, replacing 20-year-old equipment with 88 new fitness machines and updated flooring and lighting. The redesign reflects a shift toward free weights, functional training and open floor space — and reopened to an enthusiastic response in January.

The Student Union’s new multiuse presentation room is making a bold first impression.

Anchored by a 288-panel high-definition screen and Wright brothers-inspired design, the space seats 67 — a nod to Wright State’s 1967 founding — and serves everything from high-energy campus tour presentations to gatherings with alumni and donors.

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Sandler Center fuels student innovation and entrepreneurship The Sandler Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Raj Soin College of Business is helping students turn ideas into viable businesses. Made possible by a gift from Dayton entrepreneur Jonah Sandler and his family, the center supports expanded entrepreneurship programs and an entrepreneur-in-residence who works directly with students.

The center provides access to experienced mentors, business leaders and resources that help students develop business skills and compete in initiatives such as the Wright Venture competition. By connecting classroom learning with real-world opportunities, the center prepares innovators and leaders while strengthening the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Nursing expansion will prepare more grads for in-demand careers Wright State is investing $6 million to expand its Dayton Campus nursing facilities, adding labs, simulation rooms and clinical training space to nearly double enrollment in its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to more than 700 students by 2027–2028.

The upgrades will enhance hands-on training with technology and patient simulation equipment, strengthen the university’s partnership with Premier Health and help address regional nursing shortages.

Supporting militaryconnected students The university launched the Active Duty Military Undergraduate Scholarship to help active-duty service members, National Guard members and reservists earn bachelor’s degrees.

Wright State also earned renewal of its Collegiate Purple Star designation from the State of Ohio and national recognition as a Best for Vets college and Military Friendly Silver institution.

Together, these achievements reflect Wright State’s commitment to expanding access, affordability and support for those who serve while providing the resources they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

JOIN US FOR AIR FORCE MARATHON WEEKEND Wright State University is proud to be the presenting sponsor for this year’s 30th Running of the Air Force Marathon.

Check out the festivities, and help cheer on these amazing athletes!

HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO

SEPT. 17–18

Wright State University Nutter Center

AIR FORCE MARATHON 5K AND TAILWIND TROT 1K FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 Setzer Pavilion, behind the Nutter Center

AIR FORCE MARATHON, 10K AND HALF MARATHON SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

SEE THE COMPLETE LIST OF EVENTS. USAFMARATHON.COM

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L I F E AT T H E L A K E

Students find jobs, co-ops and confidence at Lake Campus Career Hub

BY SARAH CAVENDAR ’20

WHEN SOPHOMORE ACCOUNTING MAJOR PAIGE BUSCHUR WALKED INTO THE CAREER AND INTERNSHIP FAIR THIS SPRING, SHE HAD A POLISHED RESUME, A CLEAR PITCH AND A PLAN — ALL THANKS TO A FEW SESSIONS AT THE LAKE CAMPUS CAREER HUB. SHE LEFT WITH A CO-OP AT CROWN EQUIPMENT.

Buschur’s experience reflects the Career Hub’s focus on connecting more students with employment opportunities at Wright State’s Lake Campus.

The Career Hub is a one-stop resource for career exploration, job shadowing, professional document review, interview practice, internship searches and major advising. As part of the university’s 8

WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

workforce development team, the hub also connects local industries with student and alumni candidates.

“The Career Hub is most beneficial because it shows you all of the open opportunities, and it is just up to you to take the next step,” Buschur said. “If you are unsure about your career path or even a resume, the Career Hub is a great place to start. There is a lot of help with resumes, internships and career planning.”

Suzanne Batten, career coach and assistant director for career engagement and success, said the hub has expanded services and opportunities aimed at preparing students for post-graduate success. This year alone, more than 300

students and alumni have engaged with the Career Hub, participating in activities, workshops and appointments.

The hub hosts multiple events a month, ranging from employer talks to on-campus activities. Those events have included Table Talks: Meet the Employer sessions, monthly workshops, Lunch with Lowdy and professional development programs through the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE). The hub has also expanded its SOCHE resources and webinars.

Career and internship fairs are held each Fall and Spring Semester. This spring, the hub added a hiring event in which businesses conducted open interviews for posted positions.

Other new additions include mini-internships and job shadowing activities tied to specific majors and local businesses. A semester-long internship course allows students to convert hours worked at a job into course credit, giving them a way to apply their degree field to hands-on career experience.

Halle Elwer, a senior nursing major, was among the first students to enroll in the internship course. The online course requires students to complete discussion posts reflecting on their internship experience.

“It’s so important to get on-site experience,” Elwer said. “So much of it I can’t learn in the classroom. I’m extremely grateful for the work I’m already doing, and I’m getting school credit for it.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSIT Y LIBR ARIES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES

THROWBACK

AS WE APPROACHED THIS summer’s sesquicentennial celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we looked into the archives to see how Wright State celebrated the nation’s bicentennial celebration in 1976. What we found is that the celebration was fairly muted due to it occurring in midsummer when campus is quiet with few students around. But we did uncover one interesting story that piqued our curiosity.

In our small collections, we discovered a file labeled, Jeanne Crowell, 1876 Bicentennial Mystery Letter. With a little more digging, we found a number of news clippings that would tell the story, with headlines like, “Mystery Letter Opening July 6: Writer and Contents Unknown” and “Dayton Mystery Lady Tantalizes Archivists.”

We learned that this letter was received by the Department of the Interior July 16, 1876, sealed in an envelope with the words, “Not to be opened and re-read until the 4th of July AD 1976, the 2d 100th Centennial ... A graphic centennial descriptive sketch (sic) of the celebration of the Centennial 4th Day of July 1876 at Dayton, Ohio, written by a Lady of Dayton on the eve of the 100th anniversary of AI,” (assumed to stand for American Independence), signed with the letters S.H.N. The letter was later sent to the National Archives for preservation, where they honored the wishes of the letter’s author and kept it sealed. But the letter continued to intrigue technicians at the archives,

who attempted but failed to determine the identity of S.H.N. Fast forward to 1976, and the Dayton Bicentennial Commission worked with the National Archives to bring the letter back to Dayton to be read as part of the proceedings of Dayton’s bicentennial festivities. Wright State University Library was chosen as the location for the reading.

With great fanfare, a group of over 100 curious onlookers gathered in the library to learn what secrets might have been hidden in the mystery letter for 99 years. Alas, the letter itself did not live up to the fanfare as its contents were rather ordinary, containing a general description of the patriotic decorations, parades and festivities of the centennial.

But it remains an intriguing story of a mystery letter to the future, written by Jeanne Crowell to her friend S.H. Nieman on the eve of the centennial in July 1876 in Dayton, Ohio, and opened 99 years later here at Wright State University. Those interested in reading the letter may do so by visiting the University Libraries Special Collections and Archives at the Dunbar Library. —CHRIS WYDMAN ’94, ’97

For more information about Wright State University Special Collections and Archives, visit libraries.wright.edu/special.

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SMART PATHS FORWARD

For these students, a SMART scholarship is more than funding — it’s a pathway to a new future

BY MICHAEL DUNEKACKE

N

o two paths to a SMART scholarship are the same.

Some find their way through mentors and leadership. Others lean into a talent for research. And, occasionally, there’s a long detour before the persistence pays off.

In 2026, six Raiders were selected by the highly competitive Department of Defense Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Scholarship-for-Service Program. That’s a remarkable number considering the department receives close to 9,000 applicants, and awards funds to only about 8%.

“Most of our six were already Wright State students,” said Darryl Ahner, Ph.D., former dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “And the SMART scholarship isn’t the beginning of their story. It’s enabling them to go even further.”

BUILT FOR MISSION The connection between Wright State and the defense community runs deep.

The university was founded through a partnership between the Dayton community and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The result is a campus located minutes from one of the largest and most influential military research centers in the world.

“We’re joined at the hip geographically with the Air Force base,” Ahner said.

Engineers from the base collaborate with Wright State faculty members, and students intern on base, at defense laboratories and with contractors. Many continue on to careers supporting national security.

For the students who receive a SMART scholarship, the benefits can be transformative. The scholarship provides full tuition, a $30,000–$46,000 stipend, summer research internships, healthcare and conference allowances, and a guaranteed job after graduation.

Those benefits can reshape a student’s education.

“It provides certainty,” Ahner said. “It empowers students to focus on maximizing their experience here at Wright State.”

For many students, the SMART scholarship represents access — something Ahner understands firsthand as the son of a steelworker whose father left school after ninth grade.

A first-generation college student, Ahner saw how education shaped his success, leading the Air Force Institute of Technology and then Wright State before joining Kennesaw State University near Atlanta to head a rapidly growing program.

“Wright State’s professors teach the classes. That’s not a given every place, but

RACHAEL BALLENTINE ’25

it is here,” said Ahner. “Wright State is big enough to have a lot of capability, but small enough that we care.”

Leadership will change, but the lessons — and the mission — remain.

Our Raiders’ paths to earning SMART scholarships reflect that.

MENTORSHIP OPENS THE DOOR Rachael Ballentine ’25 grew up immersed in engineering. Her parents are both engineers, and she was homeschooled. Yet, she wasn’t sure if engineering was the right fit.

One problem was that she didn’t see herself as a math person.

“I was never very good at doing calculations in my head,” she said. “I just didn’t like it and had a mental block until I got into calculus and higher math.”

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“The SMART scholarship isn’t the beginning of their story.

It’s enabling them to go even further.”

—DARRYL AHNER, FORMER DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

AVA MEGYERI

But she did like the flexibility built into the engineering program, and that was where she found her affinity for her master’s program.

“That puzzle or logic aspect is why I like computer science. There’s still the problem solving,” she said.

The flexibility, discussions with her mom and keeping an open mind helped her see the discipline differently. But it was faculty mentorship that helped her go further.

Her advisor, Michael Raymer, Ph.D., professor of computer science and engineering, has extensive expertise in neural networks and machine learning.

He helped guide her toward work that was challenging and meaningful.

Along the way, mentors helped her find opportunities. As an undergraduate, Ballentine received an Ohio Space Grant Consortium Scholarship. And Mitch Wolff, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering, was the first to introduce her to SMART. “I wouldn’t have known about it if he hadn’t told me,” Ballentine said.

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Now her master’s thesis is focused on building a machine-learning model to map and predict the spread of wildfires — research that could support environmental monitoring and emergency response.

“The fact that I got to continue something that I had already started with my same advisor was a big part of the advantage of staying at Wright State for my master’s versus going somewhere else,” said Ballentine.

She’ll work at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center after graduation.

DRIVEN BY RESEARCH Ava Megyeri’s journey began at Clarkson University, in upstate New York. When her undergraduate advisors, Natasha Banerjee, Ph.D., and Sean Banerjee, Ph.D., joined Wright State, Megyeri came to Wright State to continue her work with them and earn her doctorate.

Megyeri’s research focuses on artificial intelligence and robotics. She’s exploring how robots can interact with humans more naturally by learning from human behavior rather than relying solely on rigid programming.

“If a robot trains on how humans do something, it behaves more naturally,” she said. “That could make a person less uncomfortable around the robot.”

Her interest in robotics, and in focusing on the human elements of the outcomes, are partially inspired by personal experience.

“My grandma died of ALS,” Megyeri said. “Seeing what people go through with those diseases made me interested in how technology can help.”

The systems she studies could assist patients recovering from neurological conditions or mobility injuries. And her research has attracted attention.

Megyeri was also offered the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship but ultimately chose the SMART scholarship.

The reason was practical.

SMART scholars complete internships every summer with their sponsoring defense organization and commit to working there after graduation.

“For me, that meant I’d be gaining real experience the whole time,” she said. “And my end goal is a job.”

She’ll work at the Naval Underwater Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island, after she completes her doctorate.

“A dream of mine would be to help the medical field take the next step forward with AI and robotics,” Megyeri said.

Rogers will work with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center upon graduation.

“I want to be part of a team that creates and builds tech to contribute to society in a way that I can feel good about,” he said.

PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF Michael Rogers ’25 earned his GED at 15 and studied automotive technology at Sinclair Community College until a motorcycle accident forced him to exit. By the time he recovered, he had a young family and needed to work.

Nearly 10 years later, he was successful, but he wasn’t fulfilled. Life threw him another curve in the form of his grandmother’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s.

“We had to figure something out quick,” said Rogers. “Part of our solution was that I agreed to take on full caretaker responsibilities and, while I was doing that, I’d restart.”

He wasn’t sure how much he’d be able to do. Quite a lot, it turns out.

After he graduated from Sinclair, he followed his passions to Wright State and is now pursuing a master’s degree in electrical engineering supported by a SMART scholarship. He was also able to care for his grandmother for five years.

“When my grandmother’s situation changed, I needed to get back to work,” Rogers said, and he interned at the Air Force Research Laboratory for a year.

“I started asking people about graduate school,” he said. “I was just trying to see if there was any opportunity to go to graduate school, because I wasn’t going unless I could get it paid for.”

Now he’s working with his advisor, Yan Zhuang, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of electrical engineering, to prove that vehicles can be charged while in flight. Rogers calls it “validating continuous wireless power transfer to electric aerial platforms,” and it could change the way we all fly someday.

For Rogers, the SMART scholarship represents something more than academic recognition. It’s the power of believing in yourself. It’s proof of putting in the work.

And it is a part of the path forward.

OUR PATH LEADS FURTHER Why are so many SMART scholars from Wright State? Part of the answer is location.

Proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base means students frequently intern with defense laboratories and contractors, introducing them to programs that employ SMART scholars.

But culture matters too. SMART doesn’t fund programs; it funds people. And these students, who could probably pick almost any university to advance their education, are choosing to come to, or stay at, Wright State.

Each student described a campus environment where professors care, invite collaborative research, tell them about scholarships and encourage the pursuit of opportunities.

They’re motivated to ask questions, willing to explore options and dedicated to making a difference by solving problems that matter.

“I want to be part of a team that creates and builds tech to contribute to society in a way that I can feel good about.”

—MICHAEL ROGERS ’25

MICHAEL ROGERS ’25

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Thirsting for

life

Ghanaian international student dives into electrochemistry to help clean the drinking water of his home

BY DENNIS BOVA

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W

hile a funeral marks the end of a person’s life, in this case it also signified the start of a new life for a young man, leading him from Ghana to Wright State University.

That young man, Kwaku Nti Nyarko (pronounced: Kwaah-coo En-tea Yarko), was so moved by what he saw at that funeral that he vowed to address a national health crisis. Through his studies at Wright State, he’s closing in on that goal.

The health crisis is the number of heavy metals in the drinking water supply — levels of mercury, lead and cadmium have been rising. He knows this through his profession as an industrial quality control officer in the West African country.

Tainted water is harmful, causing kidney problems, liver and renal dysfunction, and

cancer. Driving this problem is a boom in small-scale gold mining — both legal and illegal — which introduces toxic heavy metals to the soil and water. A friend of Nyarko’s died in an accident at one of these mines, and what he witnessed at the funeral changed his life.

“At his funeral in the village, I saw newborn babies with birth defects. That struck me to do something to help my people,” he said. “That fueled my already existing thoughts to pursue my master’s in chemistry to find an approach to curb or solve this issue.”

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“Wright State truly feels like home to me. From the professors to the students, everyone makes you feel like part of a big family.”

—KWAKU NTI NYARKO

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Nyarko opened up to a family friend who, it turned out, was a Wright State alumnus familiar with the university’s chemistry program and its research on heavy metals. Encouraged by that connection, Nyarko applied and arrived at Wright State in January 2025. He is now pursuing a master’s degree in chemistry.

But not just any chemistry — Nyarko is working with electrochemistry and is developing an electrode sensor to detect heavy metals like lead and cadmium in water.

“The unique part of his project,” said Suzanne Lunsford, Ph.D., professor of chemistry, “is to synthesize nanoparticles using household items like honey, pomegranate, turmeric and ginger, which he’ll make into a paste to coat the electrode. This is called the green method, because the items are not toxic.”

The coated electrode will gauge the levels of heavy metals in water quickly

and inexpensively — showing whether the water is safe to drink.

Taking the research a step further, Nyarko is working toward eventually having the electrodes coated with a material that will remove the heavy-metal ions from the environment in a process called chelating.

“The first step is to identify the level of contaminants in the water,” Lunsford said.

“The second step is the chelating.”

BRINGING CHEMISTRY TO LIFE

All this sounds so simple a child could do it, right? Well, how about a high school student? Or at least have high schoolers grasp the concept? That’s where Lunsford and Nyarko embarked on a side development.

To bring the concept to life, Lunsford and Nyarko developed a hands-on chemistry lab for high school students.

In the experience, students tested and

BEFORE ENROLLING AT WRIGHT STATE, KWAKU NTI NYARKO WORKED AS A QUALITY CONTROL OFFICER FOR A MULTINATIONAL BEVERAGE COMPANY IN ACCRA, GHANA.

analyzed water quality using advanced instrumentation, gaining practical skills while learning more about STEM. Supported by a nearly $50,000 award from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the project, called Futures in Chemistry: Empowering Young Minds in Electrochemical Detection of Heavy Metals for Water, introduced them to advanced instrumentation to detect the toxins.

The project is also meant to inspire career exploration in fields like science, technology, engineering and math.

“Chemistry might not be in their future, but it might lead them to a place they would not have otherwise gone by taking part in this program,” said Tom Smith, a 2018 Wright State grad whose Batavia High School students participated in the project.

Nyarko, ever thinking of what he experienced in Ghana, had another kind of positive take on the hands-on lab: “Analyzing heavy metals in water is the best thing the high school students should know.”

Nyarko’s presence in the lab, not only with those high schoolers, but on a regular basis as a teaching assistant in the chemistry department, is inspiring.

“He’s phenomenal with young people,” Lunsford said. She added that he routinely volunteers for outreach activities, including any that involve high school students.

Being a good teaching assistant is admirable, but Nyarko focuses on the

reason he’s here.

“He’s always available,” Lunsford said.

“If I’m teaching a new technique on an instrument, he’s willing to stay and learn about it, where some other students wouldn’t. He’s willing to take the extra hour.”

Lunsford said that the water readily available to 45% of the people in Ghana, a country of about 34 million, includes contaminants.

“Him coming up with how to build a sensor that can detect levels of heavy metals in water is a great way to help his country,” Lunsford said. “He’s extremely bright. He’s going to be an inspiring scientist and a great professor.”

While Nyarko is inspiring, he’s also inspired.

“Wright State has helped me a lot,” he said. “The chemistry department provides me with all the necessary resources.

They’ve been supporting me in everything I do. I’m grateful to them. Wright State truly feels like home to me. From the professors to the students, everyone makes you feel like part of a big family.”

Harkening back to the nightmare of that funeral in his homeland and his reason for coming to Wright State, he added that with the help and guidance he receives, “I am on track to turn my dream into a reality.”

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Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler ’05 reflects on her Wright State education and her flourishing film career

BY KIM PATTON

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HANNAH BEACHLER has made a name for herself in the

film industry. Two Academy Award nominations and one win. Three Art Directors Guild Awards. And the list goes on.

Beachler’s story is rooted far away from the red carpets of Hollywood. It is the story of a young girl from Centerville, Ohio, who always had an eye for design. A student at Wright State University who juggled the responsibilities of being a single mother with the rigors of a demanding motion pictures program.

A story of grit, determination and perseverance. A story of a woman with a deep passion to make this world a more beautiful place.

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CREDIT: CHRIS BRIT T

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FROM FASHION DESIGN TO FILMMAKING

A gift for design runs in the Beachler family. With a father who was an architect and a mother who was an interior designer, Beachler was exposed to the design world from an early age and, by 8, set her sights on becoming a fashion designer.

“That was all I ever wanted to do,” she said.

Beachler enrolled at the University of Cincinnati to study fashion design but soon realized the field wasn’t as fulfilling as she had expected.

“It started to feel more like work than a passion, and I sort of got lost,” she recalled.

She would eventually become inspired by the ’90s music scene in Cincinnati, helping a friend make a music video on an 8mm camera they purchased in a thrift store.

“I was doing art direction with no idea what I was doing,” said Beachler.

She recalled telling her mother that she would like to work in film, possibly as a director. After her mother mentioned that Wright State had a film program, Beachler headed back to Dayton and began her studies as a motion pictures student in 2000.

Like many nontraditional students, Beachler had to balance parenthood, multiple jobs and her studies. She worked as an outreach coordinator at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and helped with filing at a Dayton law firm.

And she had a young son, Dominic, who was born in 1998.

One special moment at Wright State came in Bill Lafferty’s class when Beachler brought Dominic, who was home from daycare due to illness. As he rested on a blanket, Dominic raised his hand to ask Lafferty about his favorite Power Ranger.

“Dr. Lafferty said, ‘I like the pink Power Ranger, and I’ll tell you why.’ Then he 20

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flipped it into a color discussion about ‘Red Desert,’ which is the Michelangelo Antonioni film that we were studying,” said Beachler. “I just thought it was brilliant.”

While she rarely brought Dominic to class, she was grateful that she could.

“The film program made it so I could go to school. They made it so I could keep learning, and I could have my family,” she said. “For a young, single mother, it made life a lot easier.”

Beachler’s family and peers were also a constant source of support. She developed a close friendship with Carol Trevino, a fellow classmate and single mother of three young children.

“Carol was so creative and more mature than me and everybody else.

She had a lot more life experience, so she brought a lot more to her stories,” Beachler said. “She just had this way about her that was very motherly, very nurturing. She was always there for me, no matter what.”

On Beachler’s birthday, Trevino surprised her with a cake in the Creative Arts Center basement, where the motion pictures students would gather.

“I didn’t even know that she knew it was my birthday,” said Beachler. “I certainly wasn’t celebrating because I was trying to get projects done. She got everybody else in the program to come, and they sang ‘Happy Birthday.’”

Following Trevino’s tragic death in a car accident while working on a film in Louisiana, Beachler created a scholarship at Wright State in memory of her dear friend.

“That unconditional kindness is where the scholarship comes from, because that’s who Carol was,” said Beachler.

SETTING THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS

While Beachler initially thought she would become a director, her professors noticed

her gift for art direction. Inspired by their encouragement, she spent time in the theatre department learning about scenery and honing her skills at computer-aided design.

“It was more visual because it was almost 3D,” said Beachler. “You can turn things around and look at them in ways that you can’t do on a hand drawn blueprint.”

One of Beachler’s film projects, “Passion Fruit,” featured Trevino and her children.

After her professor told her it didn’t have to be linear, she mixed mediums and genres.

“That was my best project,” she said. “It gave me the freedom to not have to stay in a box.”

Film theory classes were her favorite, and those deep dives into cinema continue to pay off for Beachler to this day. Her command of film history and theory so impressed one producer that it helped open the door to a career-defining collaboration with Ryan Coogler.

CREDIT: CHRIS BRIT T

“The film program made it so I could go to school. They made it so I could keep learning, and I could have my family. For a young, single mother, it made life a lot easier.”

—HANNAH BEACHLER '05

“We would just watch thousands of films, which gave me a leg up when I started in the industry. I stood out in that way, because I could talk to people about films and theory and the ideas behind them,” she said. “That was nice, because you have to learn how to have a voice in the film industry.”

Wright State gave her the confidence and courage to pursue a career in the film industry, where there is far less representation for women, especially women of color. Julia Reichert, the late Wright State faculty member and Oscarwinning documentarian, is still one of Beachler’s role models.

“There are not many women doing these jobs,” said Beachler. “Seeing Julia be a strong, powerful woman — a big voice in the industry — and being successful for as long as she was, doing what she loved, is an inspiration.”

Beachler believes that Wright State is among the country’s top five film programs and ranks her professors’

passion for the art of film as second to none.

“They confirmed that it would never feel like work, like a job. It was purely from your soul and your spirit. That went into all of us. They were serious about it being a real career. It’s almost like they had a stake in us. They were invested in us,” said Beachler. “Wright State made it possible for me to do what I do.”

WORKING TOWARD A DEFINING COLLABORATION

After graduating in 2005, Beachler packed her car and headed to New Orleans, where she started as a set dresser. She was at the bottom, but she focused on learning everything, and she kept working.

“It took a while to get my first set decorator job. I can remember jumping up and down and screaming,” she said.

A few years later, fellow Wright State alumna Karri O’Reilly ’94 offered her a production designer role. After a few jobs, the work dried up. One of her mentors helped her move past the setback.

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“To the young people going to Wright State with a big dream — whatever that dream is — know that if I can make my dream come true, so can you.

You just have to look to the community around you to get there and then hold steady and keep moving forward.”

—HANNAH BEACHLER '05

TOP: HANNAH BEACHLER RETURNED TO WRIGHT STATE AFTER WINNING THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR "BL ACK PANTHER." BOTTOM: BEACHLER WAS HONORED AS WRIGHT STATE'S ALUMNA OF THE YEAR IN 2018.

“He really straightened me out,” Beachler recalled. “He said, ‘Number one, stop feeling sorry for yourself. Number two, you’re lucky to be working in the industry at all. And number three, go get an agent.’”

After about 50 agencies turned her down, Beachler shifted her focus to boutique firms and ultimately secured an agent.

The first script her new agent gave her was for “Fruitvale Station,” directed by Ryan Coogler.

That’s when everything changed.

Coogler was only 25 when filming started on “Fruitvale Station.” The budget 22

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was so small that Beachler’s lodging in Oakland during the five-week shoot wasn’t covered. She dog sat during that time, so she’d have a place to stay.

“Ryan and I got along famously,” she said. “I just knew in my heart that he was going to be an important director.”

A year later, Coogler contacted Beachler about working on “Creed.” And then came the project that would change the trajectory of both of their careers — “Black Panther.”

“I didn’t even know what it was,” said Beachler. “My son was freaking out. My agent was freaking out.”

Knowing that about 100 people were

interviewing to lead production design on the blockbuster Marvel film, Beachler thought she had no chance of being selected. She was just grateful to be in the same room with some of the biggest names in the business.

But Beachler still poured her heart, soul and pocketbook into landing the job.

“I spent every dollar I had,” said Beachler. “I was literally like, ‘If I don’t get this job, I’m going to be homeless.’ And that was real. I had put everything into it.”

The day after her presentation, Beachler was driving to the airport when Coogler called.

“He said, ‘You got the job.’ And I just

started crying,” Beachler recalled. “I’m glad he told me to pull over, because I would have wrecked. We just screamed and cried over the phone.”

She then called her agent, who was also in a state of shock. Her agent said, “You just scorched the earth in Hollywood, because they had to call everybody back and tell them that you got the job.”

A HISTORIC WIN

Even after landing “Black Panther,” Beachler still credited Wright State for her success.

“I think a lot of people in LA and Hollywood were shocked, because it usually takes years to get to that. And I kind of jumped in a really big way,” said Beachler. “And it was all because of what I learned in my training and my knowledge of film from Wright State. There were kids from NYU, USC and UCLA that weren’t doing that and didn’t have that same knowledge.”

Beachler’s work on “Black Panther” led to her first Academy Award nomination and her historic milestone as the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Production Design.

“Standing up there, I was shaking like a leaf. I was fighting back tears, and I was overwhelmed,” she recalled. “But the one thing that didn’t leave me was the thought of Carol and the fact that this is way bigger than me.”

Beachler knew that the eyes of young girls and women of color with similar dreams were on her at that moment.

“It wasn’t just me getting a gold statue, but the ripple effect that it could cause and that I wanted it to cause,” she said.

While Beachler is a trailblazer, she is far too modest to describe herself as one. She prefers to remain true to her Midwestern roots and stay grounded in an industry known for being cutthroat and soul crushing.

“You have to keep your feet on the ground and your head out of the clouds to make it through Hollywood,” she said.

“The industry can eat you up. It can gobble

you up and spit you out. Being from some place like Ohio, you will last longer because you have come from a place of being grounded.”

When she is not working, Beachler prefers to retreat to her Yellow Springs farm, not far from the Wright State campus where she first honed her craft.

Away from the world of Hollywood, she is committed to putting her passion for design into projects that will help improve the human condition.

“Design goes much deeper than just the facade of any one set,” she said. “For me, it’s: How can I turn some of these crazy ideas I have into working reality to make people’s lives better? Can I make it easier for young girls in Africa to not have to spend their day walking for water?

Can I figure out how to filter water from contaminated waterways and bring it to them? Now they only have to get an education. Maybe one of those girls will be the next big innovator. And if they’re not going to school, we’ll never know.”

In her immediate future, Beachler is busy collaborating with Coogler on a reboot of the television series “The X-Files.” She has made sure to pay homage to the original series in her design.

“I love Easter eggs. I love to put things in there for people to look for,” she said. “I can’t wait for it to come out. It’ll be even more beautiful than you’re expecting. It’s such a cool story that Ryan wrote, and I’m so excited.”

As she reflects on her life and career, Beachler acknowledges that her success has exceeded any dream that she ever had. She encourages current students to stay the course in any path they decide to pursue.

“To the young people going to Wright State with a big dream — whatever that dream is — know that if I can make my dream come true, so can you,” said Beachler. “You just have to look to the community around you to get there and then hold steady and keep moving forward. And just remember that a ‘no’ is never a ‘no,’ it’s just a change in direction.”

From her groundbreaking collaborations with Ryan Coogler to her work with Beyoncé, Hannah Beachler has become a leading production designer for film, television and theatre.

Here are just a few highlights from her burgeoning career: FILM “Fruitvale Station,” 2013 “Creed,” 2015 “Miles Ahead,” 2015 Beyoncé’s “Lemonade,” 2016 “Moonlight,” 2016 “Black Panther,” 2018 “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” 2022 “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” 2023 “Sinners,” 2025 TELEVISION “On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay-Z,” 2014 “The X-Files” Beachler is currently working on the pilot episode for the reboot of the popular series.

THEATRE “The Wiz,” 2024 Broadway revival and tour AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS Academy Awards Winner, “Black Panther,” 2019 Nominee, “Sinners,” 2026 Primetime Emmys Nominee, “Lemonade,” 2016 BAFTA Film Awards Nominee, “Sinners,” 2026 Critics Choice Awards Winner, “Black Panther,” 2019 Nominee, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” 2023 Nominee, “Sinners,” 2026 Art Directors Guild Awards Winner, “Lemonade,” 2017 Winner, “Black Panther,” 2019 Winner, “Black is King,” 2021 Nominee, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” 2023 Nominee, “Sinners,” 2026 WRIGHT.EDU/ALUMNI

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A renewed focus on

CITIZENSHIP

New Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development connects learning with civic life and career readiness

BY DENNIS BOVA

W

right State University’s Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development was designed to span big ideas — from civic responsibility to career preparation — but its mission is grounded in something practical: preparing students to engage thoughtfully in their communities and succeed in the workforce.

Launched in January 2025, the center reflects a broader statewide initiative while carving out a distinct role at Wright State. Led by Jason Anderson, Ph.D., executive director and vice president for military relationships and veteran success, the center brings together academic programming, community engagement and industry partnerships.

“This is about preparing students to be both workforce ready and civically minded,” said Anderson, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. “We’re helping develop future leaders who can connect with local industry and partners like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.”

BUILDING CIVIC LITERACY

The center’s creation stems from action by Ohio lawmakers, who established similar centers at five universities across the state.

Wright State stands out in two ways: it volunteered to host a center, and it is the only institution to include a workforce development component alongside its civics focus.

That added dimension shapes the center’s mission to “cultivate civic responsibility, cultural understanding and workforce readiness,” with an emphasis on the region’s defense community.

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One part of the center’s vision is to advance intellectual diversity, encourage open questions and the free exchange of ideas so students, faculty, staff — and society in general — can grow and develop in their civic responsibility.

“We’re promoting civic education, rights and responsibilities of citizenship here and in the community, and providing and promoting intellectual diversity — on campus,” said Deputy Director Michael Jacobs, Ph.D. A key piece of that effort is a new American civic literacy course that will become a graduation requirement in 2029. The course will introduce students to foundational texts such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” along with influential speeches by Abraham Lincoln.

The center is already extending its reach into the community. A summer seminar series trained K–12 teachers to bring enhanced civics instruction into their classrooms.

Next steps include launching new courses, an honors program in 2027 and a minor tied to the center’s mission.

CREATING SPACE FOR DIALOGUE

While civic knowledge is one priority, fostering meaningful conversation is another. The center focuses on bringing people together across perspectives, encouraging discussion, debate and mutual understanding.

“Bring people of all traits together to start having conversations

that we generally don’t do,” Anderson said. “To talk openly, debate, bridging left and right to get together to recognize the commonality that we share.”

Building on workshops the center hosted last spring, it will expand programming that invites community members to discuss complex issues.

The goal, Jacobs said, is “to create a campus culture where people can come and converse, to have public discussions meant to bring people together.”

CONNECTING LEARNING TO CAREERS

The center’s workforce development mission ties its academic and cultural work directly to career pathways — particularly in the region’s defense sector.

In 2027, the center plans to launch a bachelor’s degree program aimed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base personnel seeking to complete their undergraduate education and advance professionally.

Beyond the base, the center is building relationships with local defense contractors and industry partners, creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience. Anderson said students who gain work experience in these defense fields have a competitive advantage positioning them for success.

Jacobs sees workforce development as a natural extension of the center’s broader mission.

“You have to work together to solve problems.

Having those sorts of skills apply broadly,” he said.

“Someone who is going to be a good citizen is probably going to be a good employee, too.”

AVIATION AND A LEGACY OF INNOVATION

Capitalizing on the strong workforce development ties and Air Force connections, Wright State’s Aviation Science and Technology program has come under the center’s workforce development wing.

The program’s leadership brings deep military experience, including Deputy Director Adam Reiman, Ph.D., a retired Air Force colonel, and Aviation Program Director Diane Vitas, a former Air Force pilot.

“Having people who understand aviation is extremely beneficial,” Anderson said. “We believe the center can expand enrollment, strengthen safety and build a lasting legacy worthy of the Wright brothers’ namesake.”

The inclusion of the aviation program within the center is a nod to Wright State’s founders, the university’s close partnership with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the strength of the center’s leadership.

Like the tasks faced by our 250-year-old democracy, the center is tackling a wide breadth of challenges. And they are doing it guided by the principles that founded our nation with the passion and determination that founded this university.

“You have to work together to solve problems.

Having those sorts of skills apply broadly.

Someone who is going to be a good citizen is probably going to be a good employee, too.”

—MIKE JACOBS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CIVICS, CULTURE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

LEARN MORE

Explore more at wright. edu/civicscenter.

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‘Only in New York,’ born at Wright State The musical was written by an alum, performed by the students who inspired it

BY KIM PATTON

I

n February 2026, history was made in Wright State University’s School of Fine and Performing Arts when a new musical, “Only in New York,” premiered in the Creative Arts Center’s Herbst Theatre.

The significance went beyond a world premiere: the musical was created for Wright State students by a Wright State alumnus.

“Only in New York” is the brainchild of Ronvé O’Daniel ’06, who wrote the book, lyrics and music.

“This is very different than how shows are typically created,” he said. “Generally, you have a script before you have the actors.”

BUILT AROUND THE CAST

Instead, O’Daniel handpicked his cast through virtual auditions in 2024.

“I was looking for the best storytellers and the most engaging actors who could hold my attention,” he recalled. “It was a really tough decision, because the talent pool is tremendous here.”

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In December 2024, O’Daniel traveled from New York City to Wright State to conduct a workshop with the cast, getting a better feel for the students’ personalities, acting abilities and vocal ranges.

As soon as O’Daniel left the workshop, he hit the ground running. “I had to take all of that information back to my little creative cave and come up with a show,” he said.

He spent three months creating an outline for the musical.

“That’s probably the hardest part of the process, just knowing what you want each moment to be — and how that aligns with the whole story you’re trying to tell thematically,” he said.

“Once that was done, it was just putting words to the page.”

O’Daniel collaborated with award-winning playwright Cris Eli Blak, who co-wrote the book, and Will Stone, who helped with orchestrations and vocal arrangements. He spent a year writing the script, going through five drafts

TOP: ELISA PACHECO IN THE LEAD ROLE OF KENYA. BOTTOM LEFT: ANTHONY LUISI AS STREET. BOTTOM RIGHT: THE CAST OF "ONLY IN NEW YORK."

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RONVÉ O’DANIEL, CREATOR OF "ONLY IN NEW YORK."

“It means everything to me. This was on my bucket list. As a creative, it means the world to give back.”

—RONVÉ O’DANIEL ’06

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before landing on the final version — a dramatically accelerated timeline for a musical.

“Generally, musicals take at least three to four years. This was different, but in a great way,” he said.

For Marya Spring Cordes, artistic director of theatre and dance and associate chair of the School of Fine and Performing Arts, directing “Only in New York” is part of her vision to bring new works to Wright State audiences.

“We hope to make this a prominent part of the buffet we give audiences,” she said.

Spring Cordes credits her husband, Jamie Cordes, a senior lecturer in theatre, for suggesting that Wright State feature a graduate’s work and commission a piece performed by Wright State students.

“This is very special, because you usually get handed something and then have to make it your own,” said Spring Cordes.

With “Only in New York,” the playwright, director, cast and crew collaborated in the same room.

“I didn’t come in with any preconceived notions. Our students didn’t have any preconceived notions about their characters. We all

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figured it out together,” Spring Cordes said. “It’s the greatest jigsaw puzzle that a director could ever want with material that is truly satisfying.

It’s quite magical how it all ended up working together.”

BRINGING THE SCRIPT TO LIFE

“Only in New York” tells the story of Kenya and Andre, a young couple who are new parents juggling jobs, financial strain and whether to remain in New York City.

Kenya is a writer on the cusp of a burgeoning career whose attention is divided by being a new mother. Andre is a piano player who wants to leave New York. The audience witnesses their struggles as they raise their newborn.

“I had bounced around a lot of ideas,” said O’Daniel, “but I kept coming back to wanting to see parenthood on stage. This cast was perfect to tell that story.”

For Elisa Pacheco, who portrayed Kenya, the script hit close to home. As the mother of a young son, Pacheco understands sleepless nights and the constant pressure of juggling endless responsibilities.

“Being a mother in my real life has aided me more than anything in this part,” said Pache-

co. “I identify with Kenya a lot. Everything Kenya does is for her son, which is the same mentality I have for my everyday life.”

FROM HARLEM TO THE HERBST THEATRE

Along with the cast, sets and costumes brought O’Daniel’s script to life.

“The costumes are an important part of the show,” said costume designer Lauren Crane. “The actors use the costumes to fully get into character.”

Since Kenya takes a mixology job at the Renaissance Bar in Harlem, Crane researched clothing styles from the Harlem Renaissance to inspire her designs.

“The characters from the Renaissance Bar have 1920s-inspired makeup, hair and details on their costumes, but they still have this completely modern twist,” she said.

Crane, a design/technology major, embraced the challenge of costuming a world premiere.

“It is very intimidating to think that I’m the only one who has ever done this,” said Crane, “but it gives me more freedom to decide how I see the characters, rather than looking at what’s been done in the past.”

Crane’s costumes complement the sets created by scenic design student Maggie Slauenwhite. “Only in New York” is set in two main locations: Kenya and Andre’s apartment and the Renaissance Bar. In the apartment, Slauenwhite used cool tones to reinforce the tension and pain the couple experiences. For the bar, she used browns, reds and golds to convey the warmth and rich culture of the environment.

“I definitely wanted the apartment to have cool tones, but I still wanted to incorporate some warm elements to keep the fire, that is their family love, dimly lit,” she said.

Since “Only in New York” was performed in the black box Herbst Theatre, Slauenwhite wanted her sets to feel encompassing.

“The beautiful thing about a black box is that it’s an intimate space, and the audience is in the magic of the story because the action, lights, scenery, costumes and sound are all surrounding the audience,” she said. “My goal was to make as much of the space feel like New York City as possible and not just a black box with some scenery.”

SOUNDS OF NEW YORK

The heart of “Only in New York” is the music. Rooted in hip-hop and R&B, the score also incorporates Afrobeats, contemporary musical theatre and gospel.

“There’s a little bit of everything, and that’s on purpose,” said O’Daniel. “New York is a melting pot, and the music should reflect that.”

Music became the perfect vehicle to another element woven into the show — mixology. O’Daniel taught the cast how to work behind a bar and create cocktails while performing a song.

“Mixology was important to me, because another theme of the show is how art functions in our society,” he said. “For me, art is everything. It’s singing, dancing and acting, but it’s also culinary arts and mixology.”

“It is very intimidating to think that I’m the only one who has ever done this, but it gives me more freedom to decide how I see the characters, rather than looking at what’s been done in the past.”

—COSTUME DESIGNER LAUREN CRANE

COMING HOME

For O’Daniel, premiering “Only in New York” at his alma mater was a dream come true.

“It means everything to me.

This was on my bucket list,” he said. “As a creative, it means the world to give back.”

Noah Funderburk, who played Andre, was grateful to perform in a role for the first time.

“We are the first bodies creating these characters. These L AUREN CRANE AT WORK IN THE COSTUME SHOP. audiences will be the first to see a show like this. That’s so exciting,” said Funderburk. “It’s See how it came cool to see someone like Ronvé, who went together through our program — who has a life in the arts — come back and give us the opportuniScan the QR code to go ty he wishes he had when he was here to do behind the scenes of “Only a new work like this.” in New York,” or go to O’Daniel’s contributions to Wright State wright.edu/magazine. continue well beyond “Only in New York.”

In fall 2025, he joined the School of Fine and Performing Arts as an assistant professor of musical theatre.

“To come back in that capacity is an honor in itself,” he said. “To leave a creative footprint in this program that I graduated from — I can’t ask for anything more.”

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GROWING UP

RAIDERS 30

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FOR THE BAMBAKIDIS FAMILY, WRIGHT STATE WAS A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

BY ANTHONY SHOEMAKER ’98

F

or the Bambakidis family, Wright State University was never just a workplace or a campus. It was where evenings were spent in lecture halls watching movies, weekends meant basketball games and nachos, and three brothers grew up knowing exactly where they would go to college long before they filled out an application.

THE BAMBAKIDIS FAMILY CELEBRATES NICHOL AS BAMBAKIDIS ON RECEIVING THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, 2025.

Three decades later, those brothers are alumni. So are their wives. And now, so are other family members.

The Bambakidis family’s story is one of Greek immigrants who put down roots in Fairborn and found not just opportunity at Wright State, but a second home.

Known as Dr. B to his students, Gust Bambakidis, Ph.D., built a long career in the university’s Department of Physics, eventually serving as chair before retiring in 2007.

While Gust built his academic career, his wife, Elli, took her own educational path at Wright State, earning a bachelor’s degree in Greek in 1979 and a master’s degree in history in 1983 before building her own career as an archivist focused on Dayton history at the Dayton Metro Library.

Gust worked in Paris and for NASA in California before landing at Wright State.

“He was always in the applied field of physics, but he knew he wanted to be in

academia, and when the position came up at Wright State, he knew he wanted to be back in Ohio,” said his son Steven Bambakidis ’95.

‘WE GREW UP AT WRIGHT STATE’

For their sons, Wright State was part of childhood long before it was a college choice.

Nick Bambakidis ’93, M.D., remembers being on campus as early as elementary school, attending basketball games and campus events with his family.

“We were going to games and eating nachos in the third grade,” Nick said.

With three boys at home, the university offered a steady stream of affordable — often free — entertainment.

The family regularly attended Raider basketball games in the old Physical Education Building, where the atmosphere left a lasting impression.

“I loved that P/E building. It was fantastic,” Nick said.

Evan Bambakidis ’04 traces his early

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LEFT: GUST BAMBAKIDIS IN HIS OFFICE, FOURTH FLOOR OF FAWCETT HALL, 1978.

RIGHT: GUST AND ELLI BAMBAKIDIS, AROUND 2015.

“I really understood the value of Wright State more after I left. Wright State really got me ready for this.”

—EVAN BAMBAKIDIS ’04

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connection to those same experiences.

“A lot of our initial love for Wright State comes from exposure to the sports program, in particular basketball,” he said.

Campus life extended well beyond athletics. Gust often brought his sons to evening classes, his office in Fawcett Hall or movie screenings.

“He would take us to watch some terrible print of ‘Star Wars’ that would break, and they’d have to tape it up in the middle of it,” Steve recalled.

The boys attended department picnics, spent time in lecture halls and followed their parents’ routines. Wright State wasn’t separate from home life — it was woven into it.

“We just grew up going there,” Steve said.

“My parents’ life kind of revolved around their church community and my dad’s work community.”

By high school, the path forward felt obvious. Cost played a role — tuition remission and proximity made Wright State practical — but familiarity mattered just as much.

“For us it was just kind of a foregone conclusion,” Steve said.

Nick followed in his father’s footsteps and enrolled as a physics major. The department quickly became its own kind of family.

“I set up the labs as kind of a part-time job for the other undergraduate students,” Nick said. “And we would always study together, up there in Fawcett Hall.”

It was also where he met his wife, Kimberly, a fellow physics student. Nearly 30 years later, that connection remains one of the most lasting outcomes of his time on campus.

Like his brothers, Steve lived at home while attending Wright State, focusing much of his time on music. He performed in the pep band, jazz band and gospel choir, while also working behind the scenes at the Nutter Center.

The job gave him access to concerts, major events and touring acts — a different kind of classroom that expanded his experience beyond academics.

“I would just get to go hang out at the Nutter Center and see them set up all their gear,” he said.

Like Nick, Steve met his wife, Jenny ’96, in the Department of Physics.

“The best thing that happened to me at Wright State was meeting my wife there,” Steve said.

Evan, the youngest, followed the same path, rotating through the family’s in-law suite as each brother moved out. He earned a

TOP (LEFT TO RIGHT): NICHOL AS BAMBAKIDIS AT FAIRBORN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION CEREMONY IN THE OLD WRIGHT STATE BASKETBALL COURT, 1989; JENNIFER BAMBAKIDIS, 1997; JENNIFER WITH SONS CONSTANTINE AND L AZARUS, 2024.

BOTTOM: NICHOL AS BAMBAKIDIS IS HONORED WITH THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, 2025.

bachelor’s degree in political science, completing the trio of Wright State graduates in the family.

Through it all, their parents remained a constant presence on campus — a dynamic that made their college experience different from most.

“Most students go to college to get away from their parents,” Nick said. “They were always there.”

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

After graduating with a degree in physics, Nick initially pursued graduate studies in the field before shifting his focus to medicine.

“I like taking care of critically sick people,” he said.

He earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University and completed neurosurgical training there, followed by a fellowship in cerebrovascular surgery. His career has since included leadership roles in both clinical practice and academic medicine.

Now director and vice president of the Neurological Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, he has authored nearly 100 publications, edited multiple textbooks and served as president of the

Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

The family reunited at Wright State in 2025 when Nick was honored with the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Steve and Jenny now live in Portland, Oregon. He works in information technology for a national nonprofit focused on whole child health and serves as a clergyman in a Greek Orthodox church.

Their path has taken them across the country, including time in Alaska and Florida, but Wright State remains a defining chapter.

Evan and his wife, Stacy, stayed closest to home. He works at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where his father’s legacy still resonates.

“I had multiple people come up to me when I first got here and say, ‘Are you Dr. B’s son?’” Evan said. “One told me a memory that just made me laugh because it is so my dad. ‘One time, your dad took up all three chalkboards in the room to explain one problem.’”

That kind of impact continues to shape how the family views Wright State.

“I really understood the value of Wright State more after I left,” Evan said. “Wright State really got me ready for this.”

A NEW GENERATION OF RAIDERS

The Bambakidis family’s connection to Wright State now extends to a third generation.

Steve and Jenny’s son, Constantine, graduated in 2024 with a degree in computer science, continuing a tradition that began decades earlier with his grandparents.

Other extended family members have also attended Wright State, reinforcing its place in the family’s history.

For Evan, the appeal remains both personal and practical.

“It’s good knowing that for my own kids, we don’t have to break the bank to send them someplace to get a quality education,” he said. “Look at your dad. Look at your two uncles. Look at your cousins. We all turned out well.”

ABOUT THE BAMBAKIDIS SCHOLARSHIP Established by the family in memory of Gust, the Dr. Gust and Elli Bambakidis Scholarship supports undergraduate physics majors who are enrolled full-time and progressing toward their degrees. Learn more at wright.edu/give/bambakidis.

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A L U M N I S P OT L I G H T

Community driven FOR JOSH STUCKY ’89, COMMUNITY IS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING

BY KIM PATTON

Educator. Business owner. Community advocate. Philanthropist.

Josh Stucky wears many hats.

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His life today is a far cry from his early days growing up in the small farming community of South Charleston, Ohio, and being a student at Wright State University in the mid- to late-1980s.

As the son of a college professor and a librarian, Stucky learned the importance of education from an early age.

When he and his father began visiting college campuses, Wright State was one of

their stops. The Creative Arts Center was the first building they entered on campus.

“There was something that drew me to that energy,” recalled Stucky, who knew he wanted to be an educator but was also interested in theatre.

Stucky was immediately attracted to the diverse mix of people he saw in the Wright State community.

“Everybody was themselves on campus,” he said.

“I credit Wright State University for bringing me out of my shell. They made me realize that I have a gift that I can share. That’s what Wright State does so well.”

—JOSH STUCKY ’89

A visit to the education department solidified that he was not only on the right campus, but on the best career path for him.

“I knew right away,” he said. “The minute I set foot in the education department, I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

As Stucky pursued his dream of teaching elementary school, he became friends with a group of student dancers, actors and teachers. They ended up living together in a house on Rubicon Street near Miami Valley Hospital. They shared rides to campus and spent time hanging out together in the Rathskeller and at Cassano’s pizza at Wright State.

“Then my college life really took off,” he said. “We had a great time together. There were eight of us who lived in this house.”

It was also the beginning of something bigger. Stucky and his seven housemates — all Wright State alumni — would go on to found Dayton’s beloved Rubi Girls.

While people often mistake the troupe’s name for the ruby gemstone, it’s actually a tribute to the friendships they formed on Rubicon Street.

“We would put on a blanket, an old wig that we found in a thrift store and just do stupid shows for each other. We never intended for anything more than that,” Stucky recalled.

From their first performance in a packed downtown Dayton bar, the Rubi Girls have been selling out shows and raising life-

changing money ever since. During the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, they became a much-needed outlet for laughter.

“We figured out the formula,” said Stucky. “People would open up their wallets and their purses if they could just laugh for a minute.”

Forty-two years later, the Rubi Girls have raised over $4 million while helping more than 100 nonprofits annually. They also launched a scholarship fund and distribute six scholarships annually.

“It just keeps growing, but we’ve never lost sight of the HIV piece,” said Stucky.

“This is a gift that keeps on giving, and I will never forget those people I have met along the way who lost their lives.”

Stucky is grateful to everyone who championed the group over the years.

“The Rubi Girls, to me, is a miracle right here in Dayton, Ohio,” he said. “I appreciate the community coming and supporting us.”

MAKING HIS MARK IN EDUCATION AND BUSINESS

Before graduating from Wright State in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, Stucky student-taught at Jefferson Elementary in Dayton Public Schools. He then spent more than two decades teaching in Kettering City Schools, starting at Moraine Meadows — a small school for children of General Motors employees — where a population

of around 100 students left a lasting impression.

“My heart was always with Moraine Meadows,” he said.

Stucky always dreamed of finishing his education career where it began. For the past eight years, he has done just that, teaching Introduction to Education at Wright State.

“It’s been a full-circle experience for me,” he said.

Reflecting on his 35-year teaching career, Stucky believes energy and enthusiasm are the greatest gifts he can give students — a lesson he shares as he trains the educators of tomorrow.

“If you’re enthusiastic about it, the kids will think it’s amazing,” he said.

While teaching full time, Stucky also managed to launch one of the Dayton region’s most successful and well-known businesses — Square One Salon and Spa. Stucky and his business partners, Doug Henderson and Brent Johnson — who is also Stucky’s life partner of 37 years — recognized a need for a salon in downtown Dayton and found what they were looking for in The Cannery, a largely undeveloped space where they immediately saw potential.

When Square One opened on East Third Street in 1999, the positive response was almost instantaneous. “It was a need, and we hit at the right time,” said Stucky.

With that formula proving successful, Stucky and his partners opened a second WRIGHT.EDU/ALUMNI

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JOSH STUCKY ENGAGES STUDENTS IN DISCUSSION DURING A CL ASS IN WRIGHT STATE'S TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

“What you put out into this world, you get back. We have always been charity driven. That’s been one of the drivers for Wayne and Clover Coffee, Square One salons and the Rubi Girls. It’s all been about giving back to our community.”

—JOSH STUCKY ’89

See Josh’s story Scan the QR code to watch Josh Stucky ’89 talk about the people, places and passions that made him who he is today, or visit wright.edu/magazine.

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location in Dayton and two salons in Centerville before expanding to Columbus and New Albany.

Stucky didn’t stop with Square One Salon. In late 2025, he partnered with Tim Farquhar to launch Wayne and Clover Coffee Shop in Dayton’s South Park neighborhood, taking over the former Ghostlight Coffee space next to the Rubi Girls clubhouse.

“We wanted to keep this place alive and vibrant. From the moment we took over the space, it has been on fire,” said Stucky. “We thank Dayton, Ohio, for the support.”

To give back to the community that means so much to them, the new owners created the Coffee for Good program to support a local charity each month.

“What you put out into this world, you get back,” said Stucky. “We have always been charity driven. That’s been one of the drivers for Wayne and Clover Coffee, Square One salons and the Rubi Girls.

It’s all been about giving back to our community.”

Warm and inviting, Wayne and Clover is a community gathering spot. Stucky and Farquhar expanded the space with a conversation room, library and nooks and crannies to study.

“We listened to what people wanted, and this place is being used left and right,” said Stucky. “It’s not just a coffee shop anymore.”

FOR STUCKY, SUPPORTING WRIGHT STATE IS PERSONAL

While Stucky’s plate is more than full with teaching, managing his businesses and performing with the Rubi Girls, he still finds time to give back to his alma mater. A longtime supporter of Wright State’s arts programs, he served as chair of ArtsGala in 2025 and co-chair in 2026.

“ArtsGala gives you a taste of everything — dance, visual arts, theatre, music — all in one evening. I love that part of it,” he said. “What we need right now in our society is a push to represent and serve the arts. They are so important to the future of our society.”

Stucky is grateful to the university for helping to shape his life and the person he is today. He appreciates that Wright State opened him up to the world, introduced him to people from all walks of life and taught him that everyone — including himself — has their own unique place in society.

“I credit Wright State University for bringing me out of my shell. They made me realize that I have a gift that I can share,” said Stucky. “That’s what Wright State does so well. It opens you up to the community and makes you a part of it along the way.”

ST U D E N T S P OT L I G H T

PORTRAIT OF PERSEVERANCE From a quiet first-year to student advocate, Mylie Green finds her voice

BY KIM PATTON

TO THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW HER, it might

seem as if the odds were stacked against Mylie Green.

Born in Ethiopia, Green was adopted as a toddler by a family in Marysville, Ohio.

But she was not the only child welcomed into the Green family home. After having two biological children, her parents adopted 31 more from eight countries.

Five of the siblings have disabilities, including Green.

Green has schizencephaly, a rare birth defect resulting in a speech impediment and limited movement on the left side of her body, making everyday tasks like driving or styling her hair more challenging.

“I always have to work harder to get the same results as everyone else,” Green said.

Growing up, Green never felt defined by her diagnosis. “My disability has taught me so much,” she said. “It has taught me how to work harder and not give up — to be determined and disciplined in everything that I do.”

When it was time to consider college, Green gravitated toward Wright State University.

One of her sisters had attended Wright State, and Green knew its outstanding reputation for supporting students with disabilities. Wright State is nationally recognized as a leader in that area, offering an accessible campus and providing comprehensive accommodations and programs that promote independence and

student success.

Still, the transition wasn’t easy.

“I felt alone,” she said, “because it was difficult to adapt to my new normal.”

When Green arrived in fall 2023, she struggled to step outside her comfort zone, preferring to stay in her own space and keep to herself. That semester, she decided to serve as the student representative on the Disability Digital Accessibility Committee — an experience that helped her come out of her shell, though she remained uncertain about returning for her second semester.

“My gut was telling me to stay here,” she said.

She did, taking a completely different approach during Spring Semester.

She attended more events, spent time with friends and met new people. An elementary education major, she also joined the Dean’s Student Advisory Board in the College of Health, Education and Human Services.

“This was a great opportunity to get outside of my comfort zone,” she said.

By her sophomore year, Green made a complete turnaround. She joined the Student Government Association as her college’s senator and became the Black Student Union’s designee in the SGA House of Representatives.

Through her campus advocacy, Green is proud to represent women, people of color and individuals with disabilities.

“You don’t see a lot of people like me in

leadership roles,” she said.

The young woman who almost left Wright State after her first semester has since accomplished more than she ever imagined. Every experience has helped her persevere and move forward, undaunted, toward her future career.

“I just want to teach and help kids,” said Green, who expects to graduate in spring 2027. “I want to help people who can’t advocate for themselves.”

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Celebrating 10 Years of Giving!

GIVE BACK TO THE

PACK!

Sept. 30 – Oct. 1 — SAVE THE DATE! —

SCAN TO GIVE BACK!

wright.edu/wrightday2give

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WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

PAINT AND SIP AT HOMECOMING

HORIZON LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TAILGATE

ALUMNI SERVICE DAY AT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

SEE YOU AT OUR NEXT EVENT?

HOMECOMING BASKETBALL GAMES

INAUGURAL L AKE CAMPUS WINE FESTIVAL

It’s never too late to come back home to Wright State! We offer a variety of activities for alumni to participate in. Whether you are looking to cheer on the Raiders, golf, taste a few brews or reminisce at Homecoming, we’ve got you covered.

‘67 SOCIETY MEMBERS AT HOMECOMING

SPIRITS AND SPELLS BUS TOUR

HAVE YOU VISITED OUR EVENTS CALENDAR LATELY? Visit wrightstatealumni.com/ events for more information on how you can join the fun.

WRIGHT.EDU/ALUMNI

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2025–26 RAIDER ROUNDBALL:

A SEASON TO REMEMBER F

or the first time in program history, the Raiders won both regular season and tournament titles — advancing to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The team’s performance excited fans throughout the season and into March Madness.

The Raiders took control of the top spot in the Horizon League standings in early January and never looked back, leading the league for the final two months before wrapping up the regular season title in late February on the road.

After convincing wins in the first two rounds of the conference tournament, Wright State showed grit in the title game, fighting back from a double-digit deficit with less than 10 minutes to play to capture the Horizon League championship and head back to the Big Dance.

Wright State made its fifth Division I NCAA Tournament appearance as

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WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

a No. 14 seed against No. 3 Virginia in Philadelphia, leading by five at halftime and being up by three with five minutes to play before Virginia prevailed in the closing moments to mark the end of a historic season.

Dynamic on both ends of the floor, the Raiders collected nine Horizon League honors: • TJ Burch: Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Horizon League • Michael Cooper: Horizon League All-Freshman Team • Michael Imariagbe: Second Team All-Horizon League • Kellen Pickett: Freshman of the Year and Horizon League AllFreshman Team • Head Coach Clint Sargent: Coach of the Year

The 2025–26 Wright State men’s basketball team will be remembered amongst the Raider Nation.

RAIDER EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS

SEPT

SEPT OCT

23

30–1

VMAS Golf Outing

Wright Day to Give

Join us for the fifth annual Wright State University Veteran & Military Alumni Society (VMAS) Golf Outing sponsored in part by the Montgomery County Veterans Service Commission at Beavercreek Golf Club. Register at wrightstatevmas.com.

Join us to honor our Founder’s Day, Sept. 30–Oct. 1, as we celebrate our 10th annual giving challenge with alumni and friends. Support student scholarships and programs that are important to you.

OCT

NOV

22–29

7

Join us in 2027 as we cruise the Mediterranean!

Fall Alumni Service Day

See the world with your fellow Wright State alumni!

Dates for our 2027 trips have been released! Visit wrightstatealumni.com/travel for more information.

Alumni Service Day is an opportunity for our alumni, friends and family to give back to the community and further Wright State’s longstanding tradition of community service.

FUTURE EVENTS ALUMNI BEER TASTING January and February

ALUMNI LEGACY GOLF OUTING June

WRIGHT STATE HOMECOMING February

LAKE CAMPUS WINE FESTIVAL June

MAY DAZE CRAFT BEER FEST May

ALUMNI KINGS ISLAND DAY June

We also have travel tours, virtual events and much more. Be sure to check out wrightstatealumni.com/events regularly for updated information and ways you can attend.

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FAREWELLS 2020s Victoria Fugate ’20 Thomas Schwieterman ’23 Kalesha Scott ’23 2010s Andrew Cummings ’18 Daniel Darkow ’15 Joshua DeLong ’10 Dana Fann-Powell ’11 Matt Fricke ’10 Douglas Hanaway ’18 Porter Lyons ’18 Karin Mehringer ’12 Andrew Nagel ’11 Marjorie Unthank ’19 2000s Lillian Allen ’06 William Beachler ’06 Robert Blakey ’06 Michelle Brooks ’00 Shannyn Caldwell ’01 Scot Domina ’02 Patricia Gram ’06 Erin Hayes ’07 Nicole Jones ’04 Craig Loffer ’00 Dawn Mandalas ’02 Frank Marcucci ’09 John McClellan ’04 Karin Mehringer ’04 Courtney Rapp ’05 Clinton Rice ’00 Melissa Sears ’06 Richele Shepard ’01 1990s James Baltzell ’98 Paul Barhorst ’92 Elizabeth Brisby ’90 Gretchen Brockfeld ’98 Matthew Brown ’99 Richard Caddell ’98 Helen Carpenter ’92 Cynthia Cook ’93 Elizabeth Dunn ’97 Gordon Fenton ’96 David Herier ’94 Carl Hoff ’94 Charlene Huff ’92 Regina Hymer ’95 Henry Johnson ’95 Mark Kaskocsak ’90 Mark Kiser ’92 Marie Mansor ’90 Marianne Moore ’90 42

Theodore Murphy ’94 Ruth Neikirk ’95 John North ’90 Dorothea Pihl ’90 Dana Probasco ’94 Dianna Ramirez ’97 Mark Roselius ’92 Mark Shininger ’90 Terrence Smith ’97 Shannon Sutter ’97 Marilyn Thieman ’92 Michael Tobias ’98 David Whittington ’92 Michelle Zummo ’91 1980s Gary Albright ’82 Elizabeth Anderson ’80 Dorothy Andrews ’81 Janet Applegate ’80 Joyce Aselage ’87 Kimberly Baker-Kelley ’83 Roy Ballard ’89 Lois Baxter ’87 Merilou Bishop ’83 Barbara Brackman ’82 Elaine Brunswick ’88 Joanne Buckholder ’81 Gilbert Butler ’88 Marilyn Campbell ’80 Logan Castle ’81 William Cleveland ’83 Timothy Crommes ’89 Susan Davis ’84 Marion Deckert ’86 Helen Doyle ’82 Maxine Dupre ’85 Sandra Dysinger ’83 Barbara Faulconer ’83 Florence Flanagan ’84 Dennis Garke ’82 Robert Geist ’85 Deborah Goodman ’81 James Gossett ’82 Kea Green ’86 Linda Greenberg ’82 David Hamlin ’86 Michelle Harris ’86 Greg Harvey ’81 Elaine Hawley ’88 Brenda Henagen ’84 Barbara Hildebrant ’80 David Hovorka ’84 Robert Hunt ’82 Barbara Johnston ’84 David Kearns ’82

WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

John North ’90, ’01 John North, a proud twotime alumnus and long-time president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau of Dayton and the Miami Valley, passed away on Sept. 20, 2025. He was 57.

“John was more than a leader,” said Maha Kashani, chair of the BBB’s board of directors. “He was a trusted friend, mentor and a tireless advocate for doing business the right way. His vision and unwavering commitment to ethics have left a lasting mark on our business community and will continue to guide us for years to come.”

North had served the BBB as president and CEO since 2007. During his tenure, he won several awards and worked as a leader to create programs and services for businesses and consumers. These efforts have been recognized at the national level.

“He had this incredible commitment to ethics and integrity in the business marketplace,” Kashani said.

Before joining the BBB, North was active in the health and human services field, securing his first job as a prevention specialist with local nonprofit Unified Health Solutions. Soon after, he was selected to serve as the nonprofit’s president and CEO in 1998, where he grew the agency by securing the financial resources needed to carry out its mission.

A Dayton native, North graduated from Wright State with a bachelor’s degree in social and industrial communication and a master’s degree in public administration.

He was active in varied segments of the Dayton community. He was past chair of the Alliance of Executives and the honorary co-chair of the 2002 Annual Peace Bridge Celebration and served on the United Way of Greater Dayton Area board of trustees and campaign cabinet, the Human Services Levy campaign cabinet, and the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services board.

He also was a leader in the greater Better Business Bureau community nationwide as a member of its operating committee and the audit and compliance committee.

Most recently, North, a graduate of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Dayton program, was on the executive board of the Dayton nonprofit Solvita, which specializes in the recovery, processing and distribution of tissue grafts.

He was inducted into the Dayton Business Hall of Fame in 2025.

FAREWELLS Dan Darkow ’15

Karen Keller ’86 Joyce Kennedy ’89 Mary Kruse ’86 Linda Larmee ’85 Robert Larsen ’89 Linda Luethke ’84 Sharon Ludstrom ’80 Sally Mainquist ’82 Nancy Manns ’86 Anna Mayo ’87 Carol McPeak ’88 Phillip Mitchell ’84 Kathleen Molnar ’82 Dean Myers ’82 Don Phillips ’84 Dannie Powell ’86 Steven Roach ’86 Elaine Robbins ’80 JoAnn Robinson ’80 Marita Rogers ’82 Michael Rucker ’89 Carol Runkle ’89 Mary Schroot ’88 Mary Schuck ’80 Tracy Schurr ’84 Robert Simon ’84 Calvin Smith ’81 Luwenna Sneed ’89 Mary Sones ’87 Thomas Sturwold ’81 Margaret True ’89 Robert Wagner ’84 Amy Walbridge ’87 Dorothy Walder ’83 Constance Wilkins ’88

CREDIT: SCOT T KISSELL, MIAMI UNIVERSIT Y

Dan Darkow built a career and a community around making higher education more accessible. An advocate, mentor and leader in disability services, he turned his own lived experience into a source of support for countless students. Darkow died on Feb. 11, 2026, at the age of 32.

Living with spinal muscular atrophy and using a wheelchair since age 3, Darkow earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and a minor in computer information technology from Wright State.

As a student, he was deeply engaged in campus life, serving as a resident assistant, director of disability affairs in the Student Government Association and on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board in the Raj Soin College of Business.

In a 2015 Wright State profile, Darkow said he was committed to combining his passion for technology with his interest in student affairs to support students with disabilities — a goal that would define his career. As someone with a disability, he understood that he could relate to students’ experiences and advocate for their success.

“Wright State is all about inclusion and not exclusion,” he said. “We take people who might not have another place to go. It’s what makes us awesome and an amazing university.”

That commitment to inclusion left a lasting imprint on Wright State.

Tom Webb, associate vice president of accessibility, said Darkow’s influence helped shape both the culture and systems that support students today. →

1970s Ellen Adkins ’75 James Ash ’70 Arthur Bader ’75 Thomas Baehl ’74 Margaret Baker ’78 Elinor Benedict ’77 Marilyn Benning ’73 Diane Brennan ’79 Donald Brown ’70 Larry Buckner ’71 Dennis Bush ’70 Donald Caughey ’75 Nancy Chamberlain ’76 Donna Collins ’74 Renee Conrad ’75 Camille Cooper ’74 Thomas Copp ’72 Ronald Cory ’71 Cheryl Cox ’70 Larry Davis ’75

Forrest Delaplane ’73 Michael Denka ’74 Daria Devaughn ’77 Peter Donnellan ’74 Paul Dunlap ’71 Linda Dunn ’75 Dennis Dysert ’73 Patricia Earl ’79 Mary Ehrgott ’74 Beverly Eichenlaub ’73 Salvatore Ellinger ’74 Harold Fannin ’77 James Faulconer ’71 Julia Finley ’78 James Flynn ’74 Steven Frantz ’73 Sally Hampshire ’73 Monta Harringnton ’71 Paul Hayes ’73 Nancy Hemer ’76 Linda Hoke ’70 William Holscher ’79 Karen Howell ’72 Martha Huffman ’75 Gary Johnson ’73 Gregory Jollay ’73 Barbara Jury ’76 Kenneth Katowik ’70 Richard King ’71 Nancy Kurtzman ’73 Beverly Lavy ’79 Gary Laxton ’77 David Littlefield ’71 Mary Marcum ’76 Phillip Mathes ’73 Roland Matusoff ’71 Constance McKale ’71 Carol McKeever ’76 Steven Moore ’77 Mary Motley ’76 Gary Nagel ’75 Joyce Newcomb ’78 James Phillips ’70 Alexander Prah ’71 Elizabeth Pringle ’72 Charles Rhyan ’74 Dale Ridenour ’76 Ronald Royer ’78 Marjorie Russell ’72 Wilfred Schnier ’77 Shirley Selman ’75 Ann Seybold ’72 Lorrie Shreve ’75 Joseph Shumski ’76 Christine Smith ’72 Sherrill Speers ’73

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FAREWELLS Josephine Spoonts ’76 Howard Stears ’72 Richard Sunman ’70 Elizabeth Swadner ’76 Brenda Tamplin ’77 Thomas Tropp ’73 Carol Vendt ’76 Betty Wade ’73 Margaret Warner ’71 Steven Waterman ’78 George Watson ’76 Ruth Weidman ’74 Peter Whitson ’70 Jerry Woodruff ’73 Thew Wright ’78 Jay Young ’72 Nancy Zantal ’72 1960s Kay Artley ’69 Gary Feltz ’69 Thomas Glass ’69 James Groves ’68 Diana Sartell ’69 Roger Steed ’68 Faculty and Staff Jan Durrough Austin Connie Bajek

Donald Beelick Richard Birt Glen Buell James Branch Dr. Sean Convery ’81 William Decker David Garrety Mary Gromosiak Edward F. Haas Jr. John Harpest Dr. Nabil Hassan Charles Hathaway Frances Hilderbrand James Joseph Kane John Kimble Ernest Koerlin Edgar Lawrence ’74 John Martin Barbara Murphy Michael Ondrasek Mathew Rickey ’10 Dr. Marita Rogers ’82 Gloria Sickles ’07 Pamela Wallace-Stroble Wetona “Tony” Walchner

“Dan Darkow was a tireless advocate who fundamentally shaped how Wright State serves students with disabilities,” Webb said. “His leadership in student affairs wasn’t just about policy — it was about ensuring every student felt seen, supported and empowered to succeed.

The systems and culture of accessibility we have today are built on the foundation Dan established.”

After graduating from Wright State, Darkow earned a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Miami University in 2017.

He spent eight years at Miami’s Miller Center for Student Disability Services in roles of increasing responsibility, followed by a year as director of disability and testing services at Cleveland State University.

He returned to Miami in 2024 as director of the Miller Center, a role he held at the time of his passing.

Webb remembers him not only for his professional impact, but for the way he showed up for others every day.

“Beyond his professional impact, Dan was a mentor and friend who led with genuine compassion,” Webb said. “He had this remarkable ability to make everyone feel valued and heard. His legacy lives on not only in the programs he created, but in the countless lives he touched and the community of advocates he inspired.”

In his Wright State profile, Darkow described the role he hoped to play in students’ lives, a vision he ultimately fulfilled: “I just want to be that support system for students and someone they can come to talk about their problems and issues and help them succeed.”

IRA Charitable Rollover Gift HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT

DID YOU KNOW? If you are age 701/2 or older, you can roll over a portion of an IRA to support a charitable cause that you’re passionate about—such as educating students at Wright State University.

An IRA ROLLOVER gift could prevent you from being bumped into a higher tax bracket and may reduce future required minimum distributions (RMDs).

You can help Wright State without impacting your checking or savings account!

To learn more, visit: wright.edu/plannedgiving

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WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

CLASS NOTES

’69 ’75

MICHAEL BRIGNER (B.S.) has been

appointed as one of the commissioners to the Five Rivers MetroParks, Dayton, OH. JANET LAWSON (B.S.) was honored by

the Dayton Daily News as a Community Gem for teaching Ruskin Elementary School students about herbs and the value of plants.

’77

LARRY KLABEN (B.A.) was recognized

by Furniture Today with its Service to the Industry Award for his business leadership and dedicated philanthropy to his area, Dayton, OH.

’78

JAMES CHAPMAN (B.S.) received the

Tom Fay Lifetime Achievement Award in Coaching by the Middle Tennessee High School Swimming Association in Nashville, TN. RON SCHILB (M.ED.) works for Five Rivers MetroParks, where he oversees its witch hazel collection, one of the largest in North America.

’79

JOEY HALL (B.A.) has opened a

permanent storefront for his business, the White Seahorse in Xenia, OH. SISTER DELIA SIZLER (M.ED.) celebrated her diamond jubilee as a Sister of Charity. She is now retired and lives in Cincinnati, OH.

’81

JODY PAWEL (B.A.) won the Margaret

E. Arcus Outstanding Family Life Educator Award from the National Council of Family Relations, Dayton, OH.

’83 ’87

KENNETH DODGE (M.D.) retired from

medical practice after 42 years, Franklin, TN. MARK MCMANUS (M.D.) celebrated

over two decades of practice with Hopewell Family Medicine of Morganton, NC. JAY TILEY (B.S.) received the 2026 Materials Processing and Manufacturing Division Distinguished Scientist Award. He is head of the Materials Structures and Processing Section at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN.

’88 ’89

JODI MULLEN (B.S.N.) received the

2025 Circle of Excellence by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

JULI BURNELL (PSY.D.) is the founder

and executive director of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, a nonprofit veterinary care organization in Montgomery and Greene counties, OH. JOSH STUCKY (B.S.) is co-owner of Wayne & Clover coffee shop in downtown Dayton, OH. KEVIN WILSON (M.M.) was appointed the new director of the Springfield Symphony Chorale, Springfield, OH.

’92

MARGARET “MAGGIE” ANDERSON (MBA) joined JLL Partners of New York

as an operating partner. DAN YOUNG (MBA) announced his retirement as CEO from Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs, OH.

’93

CANDY MCCORKLE-BOUGHTON (B.A.) serves as vice president for

diversity and inclusion at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. THOMAS ROGERS (M.D.) has been named the vice president and chief medical officer at Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Medina, OH. ROBERT (BOBBY) RUBIN (M.A.) retired from Wright State University after 34 years on the faculty and has been hired by the Cincinnati Reds as a contract instructor to teach English to Spanish-speaking minor league players. He also teaches English and Spanish at Sinclair Community College.

’94

DERRICK MALONE (B.A.) was honored

by Parity Inc. as one of the top 10 African American men focused on community service and service to youth in Montgomery County, OH. JEFF WENNING (A.A., B.S.) is the new wildlife officer for Montgomery County with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Dayton, OH.

’95

ALCIA CANTINIERI (B.S.N.) was honored by Marquis Who’s Who for her expertise in clinical reimbursement and compliance for Zimmet Healthcare Services Group LLC. in Manalapan, NJ. MICHAEL GUETLEIN (MBA) is Space Force’s vice chief of space operations, Arlington, VA. STEVEN SUR (B.S.) is currently a consultant for a San Francisco-area private firm that consults on regulatory affairs of medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biologics.

’96

C. K AMARR GAGE (B.S.) was named

superintendent of the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services, Dayton, OH.

’97

ELIZABETH FERRIS (MBA) was

appointed to Wright State University’s Board of Trustees, Dayton, OH. JOHN LANGRECK (B.S.) is a founding member of Fox Consulting Group LLC and is a presenter of seminars on tax credit in Merced County, CA. SHERRILL SMITH (M.S.) received the 2024 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Advocate of the Year Award. She is the dean of the

TOM JENKINS ’97, ’99 There are plenty of halls of fame within sports and entertainment. But behind nearly every standout performer is a teacher who helped them see what was possible. That idea is at the heart of the National Teachers Hall of Fame — and it helps explain why Tom Jenkins ’97, ’99 now has a place there.

Jenkins launched his teaching career at Wright State, earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a science concentration and a master’s degree in science teaching. He spent years in the Greenon Local School District, where he helped build a thriving STEM program centered on making learning tangible and relevant.

That focus on real-world connection defined his classroom — and led to national recognition. Jenkins was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kansas, as one of five 2025 honorees.

At the core of his work as a teacher was a belief that students should understand both the range of careers available to them and where their own strengths fit.

“Our job is to make sure all kids know what careers exist, and know what they’re good at,” he said. “What I did wasn’t anything special. It just made sense. We should connect kids to their passions.”

Shortly after his induction, Jenkins was recruited to join the Montgomery County Educational Service Center in Dayton as director of career-connected learning and workforce. He also serves in the same role with Learn to Earn Dayton, a nonprofit focused on aligning education and workforce needs across the region.

In both positions, Jenkins works to expand access to career awareness and help students see clearer pathways from classroom to career.

Jenkins, a first-generation college graduate, also continues to keep strong connections with Wright State, regularly speaking with education majors.

“I’m a proud alumnus,” he said. “Wright State provided me what I needed.”

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CLASS NOTES

helping to prevent sexual violence. She is a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.

AMY WAMSLEY ’05 Amy Wamsley marked her 50th birthday on June 13, 2025, by swimming the English Channel, completing the marathon crossing after nearly 17 hours in the water. Entering from the coast of England, she covered more than 25 miles before reaching the shore of France.

For Wamsley, who earned an MBA with concentrations in management and project management from Wright State, the feat fulfilled a childhood goal.

“I first dreamed of swimming the English Channel when I was 12,” Wamsley said.

“I came across a magazine article about swimmers who completed the challenge.

At the time, I was a competitive swimmer, and I remember thinking, ‘If they can do it, so can I.’” In the year that followed, Wamsley also experienced periods of depression.

“One of the things I learned that no one told me,” she said, “is that it’s fairly common for swimmers and athletes after accomplishing something really big to go into depression if you don’t have the next thing set up.”

At one point, while she was navigating a difficult stretch, Wamsley chose to share her experience with depression on social media — a decision that became a turning point.

“Other swimmers called, texted, messaged, saying I should get back in the pool and swim for fun,” she said.

Her former swim coach reached out and said what he always told her: “Find the fun.”

So she did.

Now, “I’m doing great, feeling super positive connecting with other swimmers,” Wamsley said.

In December, she started a new role as an employee benefit manager for a Columbus-based company.

She has also set her sights on completing the 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan and the Catalina Channel to the California mainland. Along with the English Channel, those swims make up the Triple Crown of Open-Water Swimming.

Wamsley said only about 400 swimmers have completed all three. She hopes to finish the remaining two by summer 2028.

She also continues to lead two initiatives: Variegated Solutions, which provides strategic HR and business consulting services, and Amy’s SwimVenture, a nonprofit focused on promoting water conservation and challenging stereotypes about body image and aging in women.

Wamsley said her experience with depression has shaped her work with SwimVenture. “I feel so good, hopeful, so grounded, so strong,” she said.

Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. ROSHAWN WINBURN (B.A.) was honored by Parity Inc. as one of the top 10 African American men focused on community service and service to youth in Montgomery County, OH.

’98

TERRY OROSZI (B.S., M.S.) was

honored as the Top Principal Strategist of the Year in Security and Crisis Response 2025 by the International Association of Top

Professionals. JACOB SMITH (B.S.) was named as the interim CEO of University of Louisville Health, Louisville, KY.

’99 office.

’00

BROOKE PICKRELL (B.S.) joined GBQ

– Accounting Tax Services as director, tax and advisory, at their Columbus, OH, TYFFANI MONFORD (PSY.D.) received

the 2025 Gail-Burns Smith Award for

’01

MICHAEL CARTER (M.ED.) established

the Michael and Debbie Carter Center for American History: Our American Journey at Sinclair Community College in Springfield, OH. K ATHERIN NOLTE (B.S.) wrote a new book, “The Dog Who Made It Better.” She lives in Iowa City, IA. JAMIE SIMPSON (B.S.ED.) was selected as the principal for Warner Middle School, Xenia, OH.

’02

MARC AUGSBURGER (B.S.N.) was

presented with the Rhodes State College 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award, Lima, OH. TROY BAKER (B.S.ED.) is the head of school for Church Farm School in Exton, PA.

’04

KUMAR YELAMARTHI (M.S.) has been

appointed dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, TN.

’05

TANEK A WALKER (B.S.) is a nurse

practitioner and founder of Walker Wellness & Aesthetics Clinic, Houston, TX. AMY WAMSLEY (MBA) successfully swam the English Channel.

’06 ’07

HOLLY BORCHERS-ELLINGER (B.S.N.) has joined Mary Rutan Urology,

Bellefontaine, OH.

DARYN CHERRY (B.S.) was appointed

vice president of marketing for mSupply, St. Louis, MO. RYAN HAMILTON (M.D.) is part of the Parkview Physicians Group in Bryan, OH. KORRIN ZISWILER (MBA) was appointed vice president of marketing and communications for Glasshouse Realty Group, Dayton, OH.

’08

JEN HANEY CONOVER (M.A.) is

director of the Greene County Records Center and Archives, Xenia, OH. CHRISTOPHER FOX (B.S.) was appointed treasurer of the Mad River Local School District, Dayton, OH. K AREN LEVIN (M.P.H.) was inducted to the Dayton Region Walk of Fame (with her family’s foundation), Dayton, OH. ERIC RAMSEY (B.S.N.) is owner of Jubilee Real Estate LLC, Cincinnati, OH. TIM SULLIVAN (B.A.) has been named special education director at ClarkShawnee Local School District, Springfield, OH.

’09

ANU GROVER (B.S.) wrote her first

book, “My Mom is a Medical Fizzicist,” available now through Barnes & Noble.

JAMES HANEY (B.S.B.) was appointed chief financial officer at Trident Solutions, Charlotte, NC. KEITH MILLIGAN (B.S.) is general manager of The Century Bar in downtown Dayton, OH. NICOLE RIEGEL (B.A.) released her film, “Dandelion,” on Blu-ray as a limited release.

To receive the monthly Alumni Insider e-newsletter full of events and athletics and university news, update your information online at wrightstatealumni.com/updatemyinfo.

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WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

CLASS NOTES

’10

JACINTA ANYAOKU (M.D.) founded

Hibiscus Aesthetics and Wellness in Katy, TX. CODY COMMANDER (PSY.D.) is founder of Commander Counseling & Wellness in Norman, OK, and Rock Springs Psychological Testing Center in Arvada, CO. KEVIN JENSEN (M.D.) is now part of St. Mark’s Hospital Utah Endometriosis Center in Salt Lake City, UT. SALLY MILLS (M.S.) is a nurse practitioner with Dayton Children’s Hospital in the Level 1 Trauma Center, Dayton, OH. BROOKE MOORE (B.A.) has “retired” as a reporter at WDTN in Dayton, OH, after 15 years.

’11

MELANIE CAUSTRITA (M.S.) joined

Parkview Physicians Group — Cardiology at Parkview Bryan Hospital, Bryan, OH. DANIELLE LIEBER (B.A.) has published a novel, “Bitten by the North Wind.” ORION MONROE (B.A.) published a novel, “Butterfly,” in November 2025. KEVIN SCHMIDT (B.S.) is developing advanced artificial intelligence systems for the Air Force Research Laboratory, Dayton, OH. AMBER THORNTON (PSY.M.) published a self-help book, “A Parent’s Guide to Self-Regulation: A Practical Framework for Breaking the Cycle of Dysregulation and Mastering Emotions for Parents and Children.” JON-MICHAEL WILLIAMS (B.S.) was hired as executive director of operations for Piedmont Newton Hospital, Covington, GA.

’12

RYAN SCHRAMM (B.S.) was recognized

by The Christ Hospital Health Network for his dedicated service at The Christ Hospital Medical Center in Liberty Township, OH.

’13

KURT HOLDEN (B.S., M.S.), associate

vice president and chief of police at Wright State, graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.

’14

JEFF GRALEY (M.S.) was awarded a

contract from the U.S. Air Force. He is president and co-founder of Mile 2, Dayton, OH. JON GROMEK (MBA) has joined the Ignatian Solidarity Network as their inaugural director of justice formation and action at their University Heights, OH, location. BRITTANY SHYNE (B.F.A.) won the International Documentary Association Award for best director for her debut film, “Seeds.”

’15

CODY GREEN (M.D.) is associate

program director of the Adult Reconstruction Fellowship at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, Orlando, FL. RONNIE MORELAND (B.A.) was honored by Parity Inc. as one of the top 10 African American men focused on community service and service to youth in Montgomery County, OH.

’16

RAPHAEL ALLEN (B.S.) is director of

community outreach and engagement for The Springfield Foundation and a Springfield 2051 Steering Committee member, Springfield, OH. KEVIN BREE (M.D.) has joined the team at Franciscan Physician Network Surgical Specialists in Crawfordsville, IN.

DAN YOUNG ’97, JOHN YOUNG ’07 John Young didn’t expect to use his early childhood education degree to help run the family business. But today, as the self-described CIEIO of Young’s Jersey Dairy just north of Yellow Springs, he does exactly that — blending education, creativity and hospitality into an experience that draws families from across the country.

His title itself reflects that spirit. Not CEO, but CIEIO — Chief Ice Cream Executive and Inspiration Officer — a playful nod to “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”

“We’re a family fun place,” John said. “We have fun titles. CEO is way too rigid.”

John stepped into the role following the 2025 retirement of his father, Dan Young, who earned his MBA from Wright State and helped guide the business through decades of growth. Founded in 1869, Young’s Jersey Dairy has remained familyowned for generations, evolving with each new leader.

Dan, a third-generation owner, focused on expanding the farm’s appeal as a destination. Under his leadership, the business added Udders & Putters, an 18-hole miniature golf course, followed by a driving range, batting cages, a corn maze, event spaces and a carousel. Today, the farm welcomes around 1 million visitors each year.

While Dan credits his MBA experience with shaping his approach, he said its value extended beyond any single class.

“It really helped me,” he said. “I got a lot out of it.”

After working as a substitute teacher for several years, John joined the family business and found creative ways to use his Wright State education.

“I do quite a lot of teaching in my job,” he said, from guiding managers to explaining operations across the organization.

That mindset has also shaped new offerings. Drawing on his background in education, John developed lesson plans for a summer camp, now in its second year.

Designed for children ages 6-11, camps are available in food creation, sports science, farming and entrepreneurship.

While the father-son duo appreciate that several local colleges and universities are closely located to their business, Dan said one has always stood out: “Wright State always has been a favorite of ours.”

JOE THOMASSON (B.S.) has signed with the

Tofas Basketball Team in Bursa, Turkey.

’17

EMILY NICKOLAS (B.S.) joined

HealthSource of Ohio as their senior director of philanthropy, Cincinnati, OH. KEVIN PURCELL (M.D.) joined Ochsner LSU Health, specializing in hip and knee surgery, Shreveport, LA.

’18

KELLY BLEDSOE (B.F.A.) was re-elected

to the Huber Heights School Board, Huber Heights, OH. HALEE MOLLETTE (B.A.) was named a Dayton Daily News Community Gem for her involvement with Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Board of Dayton Children’s Hospital and work at Lunne Agency in Dayton, OH. ALLISON SAVOIE (B.S.) is working at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to improve the removal of carbon dioxide from the oceans.

’19

GREG NELSON (B.A.) is social media

content manager for The Lodge Activity

Center in Hamilton, OH.

’21

DECLAN FEERY (M.D.) won the

Outstanding Resident Teacher Award for the second time at UNLV while being stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, NV.

’23

SETH KELCH (B.S.B.) was hired as a

wealth advisor with Minster Bank, Minster, OH. OLGA MASSOMBO (B.S.) signed as a forward with the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, Tampa, FL. SAM SASS (B.S.) signed with the Chicago Cubs as a catcher, Chicago, IL.

’24

ALEX HUIBREGTSE (B.S.B.) is

continuing his basketball career and education at Bradley University, Peoria, IL.

Share your success with fellow alumni.

Submit your class notes and updates at wrightstatealumni.com/classnotes.

WRIGHT.EDU/ALUMNI

47

FROM THE STACKS

A Legacy of Remembrance Dayton Holocaust Resource Center supports instruction across education, ethics, medicine and social sciences

BY JANE WILDERMUTH, UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Holocaust Resource Center at Wright State University, celebrating the vision and dedication of Renate Frydman, Ph.D. A survivor of Nazi persecution who fled Germany just before Kristallnacht, Frydman has devoted her life to advancing understanding, empathy and moral responsibility through Holocaust education. Her work has shaped generations of students, educators and community members across the Miami Valley and beyond.

In recognition of her extraordinary contributions, Wright State awarded Frydman an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2009. The honor acknowledged not only her personal history but her decades of educational leadership, advocacy and service.

A founding member of the Ohio Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education in 1986, Frydman established the Holocaust Education Committee and later the Dayton Holocaust Resource Center to provide educators and students with trusted, carefully curated materials. When the center became part of Wright State in 2001, it gained a permanent academic home for Holocaust scholarship on our campus.

Frydman also spearheaded oral history efforts through the Faces of the Holocaust project, preserving local survivor and liberator testimonies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and making them freely available on YouTube and Wright State’s institutional repository, CORE Scholar.

Over the past 25 years, the Dayton Holocaust Resource Center has evolved into an interdisciplinary resource supporting instruction across education,

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WRIGHT STATE MAGAZINE | 20 26

ethics, medicine and social sciences. Its collection of books, films, curriculum guides and classroom materials addresses not only the Holocaust, but also genocide, racism, antisemitism and bullying.

The center’s impact is further reflected in initiatives such as the Boonshoft School of Medicine’s Medicine and the Holocaust elective. Students in this course examine ethical responsibilities in medicine and participate in the From Ashes to Action Humanity Project, translating their learning into community engagement and service.

Frydman generously funds the center, sustaining its growth and providing students with practical experience. Undergraduate assistants contribute to digitization, exhibit design, web resource development and oral history transcription. Recently, a graduate student in public history curated a Kristallnacht exhibit using center materials, demonstrating how it serves as a laboratory for scholarship and engagement.

This anniversary year features events that highlight Frydman’s influence, including a play based on her book, “Anschel’s Story: Determined to Live,” which tells her husband’s extraordinary survival journey. In every lecture and classroom visit, Frydman stresses the importance of individual moral choice: “If we can get one child to change his or her thought process, then we have done our job.”

As we celebrate 25 years of the Dayton Holocaust Resource Center at Wright State, we reaffirm our shared responsibility to preserve memory and promote understanding. Please visit libraries.wright. edu for more information about anniversary events and center programs.

RENATE FRYDMAN

BETH ANDERSON, DAYTON HOLOCAUST RESEARCH CENTER ASSOCIATE

EXPLORE MORE Dayton Holocaust Resource Center resource guide: guides.libraries. wright.edu/dhrc Holocaust oral history project: corescholar. libraries.wright. edu/special_ms215

2026

Announcing the winners of the 2026 Wright State Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Awards!

The Alumni Association celebrates the accomplishments of Wright State alumni. These outstanding individuals are recognized for numerous accomplishments in their chosen fields. In addition to possessing high standards of integrity and character, they have also given their time and talent to benefit the university.

Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award: Annette Kay Clayton ‘86 Alumnus of the Year Award: Medha Karri ‘21

Tony Alexander Volunteer Service Award: Tonya Mathis ’98, ’02 Graduate of the Last Decade Award: Faminaz Karazha ‘20

Outstanding Alumnus Award: Kasi Edwards ‘96, Raj Soin College of Business

Outstanding Alumnus Award: Jennifer Haney Conover ‘08, School of Graduate Studies

Outstanding Alumnus Award: Alex Gutman ’07, ‘09, College of Science and Mathematics Outstanding Alumnus Award: David R. Shoop ‘97, College of Liberal Arts

Outstanding Alumnus Award: Siobhan Fagan ‘04, College of Health, Education, and Human Services Outstanding Alumnus Award: Jackie Janning-Lask ’88, ‘94, College of Engineering and Computer Science Outstanding Alumnus Award: John Corker ‘14, Boonshoft School of Medicine

Outstanding Alumnus Award: Mitch Eiting ‘09, Lake Campus

Submit a nomination for next year’s Wright State University Alumni Achievement Awards at: wrighstatealumni.com

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