Excellence in all programs
Excellence in academic programs comes not only from the curriculum but from the faculty
who teach it. While many have come and gone through Bluffton’s history, the one thing
that always remains is the quality relationships both in and out of the classroom
between
students and faculty.
Von Hardesty, a 1961 graduate, transferred to Bluffton in 1959.
Hardesty became a professor at the university where he was known for his engaging lectures on European intellectual history. He was also given the Professional Achievement Award from Bluffton in 1987.
“Bluffton had a wonderful academic climate, so it was inspirational for me – the real
turning point for me, really. Studying under Bob Kreider, of course, was a real inspiration
because he had such an interest in the past and what he brought was a real vivid sense
of history and the importance of it. I became quite dedicated to that as a discipline.”
-Von Hardesty ’61
George Rable graduated in 1971 and credited all of his success to John Unruh.
“He took somebody from a very modest background—someone who needed all kinds of advice—and he saw something in me that was worth cultivating. Anything I’ve achieved I would always trace it back to John Unruh’s influence.”
A history major, Rable was pushed to graduate school by Unruh and felt very prepared for it after taking Unruh’s classes.
“John was an extremely nice man, but a very demanding teacher. Like my wife [Kay (Kohli ’72) Rable] and I always say, he changed our lives.”
Brea Quellhorst-Barrett ’12, MAEd ’22 was a social studies education major at Bluffton. After teaching for a few years, she felt called to special education. She returned to Bluffton to earn her intervention specialist licensure, but ended up getting her master’s as well.
Her master’s journey was difficult due to some requirements from her school district, but her Bluffton professors supported her the entire way.
“I remember Professor Tim Byers saying ‘you are doing the absolute best you can. You’re doing something a lot of people wouldn’t have the courage to do – just hang in there.'”
Dr. Gayle Trollinger was also impactful to Quellhorst-Barrett’s experience.
“My Bluffton professors were there to support me, and make sure that I knew I was doing what I was supposed to. I am forever grateful for their support through that time.”
“The campus is not only for black students but for the education and cultural enrichment
of the entire campus and the entire Bluffton College/University community.”
- Larry Milan ’73
Some alumni, like Larry Milan ’73, used his educational knowledge from Bluffton to jump start his career.
“The maturity factor in Bluffton and also the discipline of study where I really learned to embrace and enjoy my academic studies was a challenge I had to overcome. I really got excited about English literature and applying it to life. Health courses weren’t just about sports, but we learned about human anatomy and physiology, and it led to me becoming an athletic director and an athletic trainer for the varsity sports.”
Passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, Milan spent much of his time at Bluffton advocating for black students.