2023-24 University News
College of Distinction
For the fifth year in a row Bluffton has been recognized for excellence in undergraduate education considering factors such as student engagement, teaching excellence and community involvement.
National recognition
The National Strength & Conditioning Association has again approved Bluffton's strength and conditioning program. Bluffton students are eligible to take the CSCS credentialing exam.
Celebrate success
Commencement speaker Glen Guyton, Mennonite Church USA executive director, encouraged 147 Bluffton graduates to celebrate how far they have come before stressing about the future.
Student scholars
Outstanding students were recognized for academic achievements, including those completing departmental honors projects, at the annual Academic Awards and Honors Forum.
President's Ambassadors
President's Ambassadors to serve during the 2024-25 academic year have been selected. These students will assist in recruiting prospective students, greeting campus guests, and engaging alumni and donors.
Faculty research
Faculty development of computational simulations supporting climate study, literature research and installation of a permaculture garden will be supported by research grants.
Celebrating success
"Success is a Choice" was the message given at the 2024 Athletics Award forum. Awards were presented to standout senior student-athletes and a dedicated supporter of Bluffton athletics.
Play in MLB stadium
Bluffton University baseball will travel north, all the way to Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, to take on the Alma College Scots on Wednesday, April 24.
Speaking peace
Jenna Juarez advocated for including meaningful daily activities for elders in her winning speech during the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest.
Spring Fling Concert
Bluffton University's music groups will come together for a spring concert featuring fun and familiar tunes at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 21, in Yoder Recital Hall.
Oratorical Contest
Students selected to participate in the annual C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest will prepare an oration that applies a peace-church perspective to an issue of contemporary concern.
Kim Fischer Dedication
The Kim Fischer Press Box at Bluffton University Softball Field, to be dedicated on Saturday, April 6, honors the legacy of Kim Fischer, Bluffton's winningest female coach.
French Concert
Dr. Bo Young Kang will be conducting Bluffton University's Masterworks performance of French composer Maurice Duruflé's "Requiem" at 2:30 p.m. on April 14 in Yoder Recital Hall.
Civic Engagement '24
Dr. J. Walter Paquin, professor of social work, will present the annual Civic Engagement Forum explaining the importance of making choices that enhance emotional well-being.
Athletics Awards
Bluffton University will recognize its top student-athletes at the annual Athletics Awards Forum, featuring a presentation by author and former basketball coach Jamy Bechler.
Nature: the main event
A climate activist and Pueblo descendant, Sarah Augustine, co-founder of the Coalition for Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery, presented "So We and Our Children May Live."
Gambling Addiction
Bluffton University's Virtue-Driven Athletics program invited Patrick Chester to help student-athletes gain awareness of sports betting and pinpoint the signs of gambling addiction.
Brass Quartet Concert
Under the direction of Dr. Roy Couch, the Brass Quartet will perform a variety of pieces including "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Sweet Caroline" on April 7 in Yoder Recital Hall.
BUILD grant
Dr. Cherie Hocanson and Jordan Hamilton will discuss training education prep candidates on the five components of effective reading at the Colloquium on April 5 in Stutzman Lecture Hall.
Pots and PCs
Rosanna Barber, Mikayla Bockrath, and Matt DeRitter, will showcase their most prominent work in their senior art exhibit "POTS and PCs," April 2 through May 4.
Spiritual wellness
Spiritual Life Week focused on cultivating an awareness of peace. Lindsay Horn '19 was guest speaker for the week.
Town Hall events
Town Hall events
Historic partnership
The pursuing of a merger of Bluffton University operations with University of Findlay is announced. Pending all regulatory approvals, the merger is anticipated to be completed by fall 2025.
Pride and Prejudice
Audience members will be transported to the Regency era of England during the play and be taken by surprise by this version's comedic twist.
Exploring the Eclipse
Dr. Luke Myers, associate professor of physics, will discuss the upcoming total solar eclipse with attention to the physical, historical and cultural aspects of the phenomenon.
Great Minds Grant
The Great Minds Fellowship Grant will provide up to $10,000 in financial aid to Master of Social Work students who are pursuing careers in high-need areas.
Drug Detection
Dr. Charles Daws, professor of chemistry, will discuss projects he worked on to measure the quantity of drugs present instead of just whether they are present.
Knowlton Scholarship
Reagen O'Brien has been awarded the Austin E. Knowlton Memorial Scholarship, valued at more than $16,000 over four years.
Harmony in Crisis
Sarah Augustine, climate activist and Pueblo descendant, invites consideration of indigenous wisdom for faithful ecological solutions for the current climate crisis.
Closed for eclipse
For the safety of the research team and our campus community, Bluffton University will be closed to the public on April 8, 2024.
Spring play cast list
Tickets are available for "Pride and Prejudice" theater production at Bluffton. Abby Bush and Carter Ritchey play the lead roles in this effervescent adaptation of the Jane Austen novel.
Spiritual wellness
Ancient practices of meditation will be explored during Spiritual Life Week as ways to cultivate spirituality and bring peace. Lindsay Horn, a 2019 Bluffton graduate, will be the guest speaker.
Activismo
Phil Sugden, art professor at Bluffton, and Carole Elchert, retired communication professor at Findlay, present a documentary on the political resistance of Cuban artists.
NIL and social media
Ways to navigate two hot-button issues in college athletics—name, image, likeness (NIL) deals and social media use—were given to student-athletes.
Promoting Peace
In honor of the late C. Henry Smith, Dr. Robert Brenneman will discuss what can be learned from the peacebuilding practices of Central American Anabaptist-Mennonite congregations.
Future of Fair-Trade
Dan Alonso, CEO of Ten Thousand Villages, will share his journey of volunteer service to leadership for the organization that transforms lives around the world.
Commencement 2024
Glen Guyton, Mennonite Church USA executive director, will speak at the Commencement. As the first person of color in the role, he has 30 years of experience to share.
Winter Concert
The Winter Instrumental Concert, directed by Dr. Roy Couch will include wind band music with themes of hope, joy, Black History Month, and a tribute to Philip Glass.
English Festival
The English Festival offers students a day of writing, reading and hearing fine literature. During the event, Maurice Broaddus, will describe how Afrofuturism looks in communities imaging the future.
J Denny Weaver memoir
"This book traces the development of my development as a theologian--from a small boy from a quite conservative Mennonite Sunday school to the publication of 'The Nonviolent Atonement.'"
Senior art exhibit
Kelly Bilen, Jenía Freewalt, Adrianny Ruiz Suarez and Amanda Scott, will showcase their most prominent work in their senior art exhibit "Reflections," Feb. 19 through March 22.
New science major
Gain a broader understanding of the natural and built worlds through the new environmental science major. Students may become involved in the management of the Nature Preserve.
Who is in the suit?
Who served as J. Denny and Jenny Beaver for 2023-24?. Find out Friday, Feb. 16, between the women's and men's basketball games against Defiance College.
Alumna speaker
Amanda (Fogle '05) Sigmon, Girl Scouts of the USA council partner manager, shared tools to build a growth mindset, helping people thrive instead of spiraling in times of difficulty.
K-5 literacy event
Students in grades K-5 are invited to explore literacy centers, earn prizes and receive a free book at "Dive into Reading" at The Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center.
Scholarship winner
Adeline Thorn, a senior at Smithville High School, has been awarded the university's full-tuition Presidential Scholarship, valued at more than $144,000 over four years.
Digital Development
Roy Couch will discuss how the development of digital software affects the creative process during his Colloquium, "The Possibilities of the Digital Sound Palette in Music Creation."
Recovery Process
Jesse W. Jackson III, the school improvement coach and author, will help students build resiliency while adapting to and recovering from trauma during this presentation.
Mental health grant
On-campus student mental health services will be available thanks for a grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education's Mental Health Support Funding Program.
Stand firm in chaos
"Embrace failure" was just one piece of advice given by business executive and Bluffton alumna Bethny Ricks during the annual Presidential Leadership Forum.
Theological Memoir
In his book release "New Moves: A Theological Odyssey," J. Denny Weaver, shares how his career as a theologian shaped his nonviolent understanding of Jesus' atonement.
Growth Mindsets
Amanda Sigmon '05 will present the Forum, "Grow Through the GRIT- Developing Your Growth Mindset," offering a healthy path to addressing organizational changes.
AI and Creative Writing
Tobias Buckell, instructor of English, will share, "Can Artificial Intelligence Write Decent Creative Fiction?" during the spring 2024 Colloquium series.
56th Student art show
The best works of art created during Bluffton University classes or supervised independent studies will be displayed during the 56th Annual Juried Student Exhibition.
Choose your attitude
Pastor Steve Terry pressed the importance of a positive attitude and leading a life of impact during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Forum.
Historical context
100 years of Middle East conflict between will be explored by Dr. Martina Cucchiara in a special evening Forum. The goal is an informed engagement with the current conflict.
Leadership Forum
Bethny Ricks, a business executive, author, speaker and Bluffton alumnae, will present the Forum, "See Your Way Clear: Leading Through Chaos."
MLK Forum
Pastor Steve Terry, New Life Church of God, Fort Wayne, Ind., will present, "The Impact of a Positive Attitude" for the MLK Jr Day Forum.
Alumni email
"Email for life" will no longer be provided to Bluffton alumni due to increasing cyber security concerns. Alumni accounts will expire March 21, 2024.
Masterworks rehearsals
"Requiem" by French composer Maurice Durufle will be performed for the Masterworks Concert in April. Vocalists, high school age and older, are invited to attend rehearsals beginning, Jan. 16.
Engineering pathway
Students interested in studying engineering may take foundational courses at Bluffton and transition to Wright State University's Electrical Engineering program.
Grassland restoration
A two-year, $100,000 Protect the Planet Grant from Cenovus Energy will fund the continuing invasive-species removal and native-plant restoration at the Nature Preserve.
Engineering partnership
Earn dual degrees focused on engineering from both Bluffton and Ohio State University. Students may access resources from both universities with this new partnership.
Brave conversations
Andrea Flack-Wetherald, social worker, author, comedian and 2010 Bluffton graduate, shared tips for holding difficult conversations and explained how these conversations can lead to wellness.
'Messiah' soloists
Val Sibila, Kira McGirr, Frederick A. Peterbark and Max Pivik will be soloists for the 2024 performance of Handel's "Messiah" on Sunday, Dec. 10. Free tickets are required.
Messiah
Bluffton University will present its 129th performance of Handel's "Messiah" at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, in Yoder Recital Hall.
Novel release
An author event celebrating the release of Tobias S. Buckell's novel, "A Stranger in the Citadel," will be held at 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30 in the Reading Room of Musselman Library.
Grant funding
Bluffton received $130,000 in Great Minds Fellowship Grant funding as part of a statewide effort to encourage more students to pursue behavioral health-related professions.
Alumni honored
Athletics Hall of Fame and Alumni Awards were presented to Greg Wannemacher '77, Dr. Ruth Abaya '05, Rich Bindernagel '79 and Dr. Michael Anthony '07.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees met in October for their annual fall meeting. During the meeting, President Jane Wood provided an update on the strategic plan and shared new initiatives.
Paragon Springs
First staged 23 years ago and set nearly 100 years ago, "Paragon Springs" was chosen by director Dr. Melissa Friesen because the issues presented transcend time.
It's okay to fail
2007 alumnus David Glick returned to campus for Spiritual Life Week. Glick provided the Forum and Chapel messages and worked with students as they explored the theme "Be Rooted."
Ecological history
A Forum juxtaposing attitudes from the Renaissance with today's climate crisis will be followed by an evening performance of "Music and Poetry for a Regenerative Earth."
Theatre cast list
The lure of capitalism and the greed of small-town-self-interest will be explored in the Bluffton University Theatre presentation of "Paragon Springs" by Steven Dietz.
Corporate Partnership
A 20% tuition discount on graduate programs is just one of the benefits provided by a new corporate partnership between Grob Systems, Inc., and Bluffton University.
Alumni weekend
Along with cheering on the football, volleyball and swim teams, the Beavers will host alumni gatherings, food trucks, Beaver Tail-Gating and more for homecoming and alumni weekend.
Cross Cultural Forum
Students who participated in spring 2023 short-term cross-cultural experiences spoke during Forum.
2023-24 Enrollment
Bluffton University enrollment for 2023-24 includes 205 new traditional undergraduate students (up from 172 a year ago) and 54 new graduate students (a 50 percent increase.)
$1.8 million gift
“John and Erma (Stutzman) wanted their generosity to extend beyond their lifetime and the financial gift from their estate will have the potential to create this type of legacy.”
State of the University
President Jane Wood announced a major gift, explained how the state of each student directly impacts the state of the university and shared successes from the year.
Constitution Day
Judge David A. Rodabaugh, Lima Municipal Court, discussed the recent Supreme Court decision for 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis. The case dealt with matters of free speech, nondiscrimination and LGBTQ-rights.
Join the chorus
Perform Handel's "Messiah" with the Bluffton University community on Dec. 10. Vocalists high school age and older are invited to join the chorus. Weekly rehearsals begin Oct. 3.
U.S. News ranking
"U.S. News & World Report" once again named Bluffton University to the top tier of Midwest Regional Colleges. This is Bluffton's 26th consecutive year to be ranked.
Marketing and mental health
Bluffton graduate Charlene Coughlin, spoke in Forum on the connection between marketing and mental health. If authentic, positive marketing is the right thing to do and good for business.
Pahl art exhibit
Using color, organic forms and lines, Kathleen Pahl explores intersections of life and death and our relationship with the unknowable. The exhibit begins Sept. 25.
Emotional health
Instead of looking to social media for a diagnosis, the panelists encouraged audience members to seek help from a licensed mental health provider.
Make wise choices
Make positive choices and always get back up if you fall, "because falling happens." Alumnus Thomas E. "Tucker" Lott gave this advice during the annual Opening Convocation.
Opening convocation
Thomas E. "Tucker" Lott, an alumnus, consultant, storyteller, investor and mentor, will be the featured speaker as the class of 2027 is welcomed during Opening Convocation.
Preserve restoration
Invasive shrubs are being removed at the Bluffton University Nature Preserve to support biodiversity and provide resources for birds, small mammals and insects.