Around the ’Bein.
Otterbein Named Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center Front, L-R: Valerie Cumming, vice mayor, City of Westerville; Rev. Vaughn Bell, board member, Westerville City Schools; Elizabeth Brown, council member, City of Columbus; James Prysock ’09, director for the Office of Social Justice & Activism, Otterbein University; Cheryl Ward, director of emotional and student support services, Columbus City Schools. Back, L-R: John Comerford, president, Otterbein University; Wendy Sherman-Heckler, provost and executive vice president, Otterbein University; Margaret Koehler, professor and chair of the Department of English, Otterbein University; Kathryn Plank, director, Center for Teaching and Learning and interim associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of university programs, Otterbein University; and Tanya McClanahan, supervisor of higher education partnerships, Columbus City Schools.
Otterbein has been selected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities as one of 23 universities across the United States to host Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Centers. Otterbein is the only institution in Ohio to receive this recognition. As a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Center, Otterbein will work with its own campus community as well as the Columbus City and Westerville City school districts to create positive narrative change about race; promote racial healing activities; and erase structural barriers to equal treatment and opportunity. Otterbein leaders were joined by leaders from Westerville and Columbus for the announcement on Feb. 19.◆
Student Voter Engagement Earns Otterbein National Recognition Otterbein University received a gold seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for achieving a student voting rate between 40-49% in the 2018 Midterm Election. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a nonpartisan, national initiative recognizing and supporting campuses as they work to increase nonpartisan, democratic engagement and full student voter participation. The challenge encourages higher education institutions to help students form the habits of active and informed citizenship and make democratic participation a core value on their campuses.◆
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OTTERBEIN TOWERS SPRING/SUMMER 2020
Otterbein Offers Professional Courses to Re-skill and Up-skill Workers Otterbein University is partnering with coaching and consulting firm ALLOY to offer three new professional development certifications that can be taken at the university: Non-Routine Leadership, Business Analytics, and Strategic Brand Management. Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted attended the announcement of the partnership held Jan. 15 at The Point. Otterbein’s partnership with ALLOY will help address Ohio’s workforce gap. Learn more at www.otterbein.edu/ professional-development
