Kettering College’s Inaugural Homecoming Weekend a Success
This year Kettering College hosted its inaugural Homecoming weekend. It was a perfect weekend to welcome back alumni and reconnect another year.
Mindi Collins, Director of Alumni, reports that alumni from the 1970s – 2021 attended events throughout the weekend, catching us up on their careers and retirement. Several of these same alumni give back to our college by being scholarship donors.
She says, “After Friday night’s food truck kickoff event, alumni joined us at the sabbath service at the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist church where alumni led worship and shared testimonies of their experiences from International Medical Mission (IMM) trips while studying at Kettering College.”
Steve Carlson, Campus Ministries Director, began the panel discussion by reminding the congregation that when we serve, we are doing Jesus’ work. He added that we grow the most when we serve those who are different from us, and we are called to draw up empathy and compassion in our service to them.
The alumni panel testified that the IMM trips forever changed them as students moving into professional careers of service. They were humbled by the experience and reminded there is great work of service to be done in our neighborhoods as well.
One Kettering College graduate recounted a moment of prayer she shared with a woman on one of the trips. As they prayed, the woman relaxed, and they were surrounded by peace. All the alumni agreed they felt God called them to do those trips, and they encourage all current students to say “yes” to an IMM trip.
Following the service, a special luncheon and tea was held in the Anna May Café on campus where President Nate Brandstater offered up some Kettering College trivia to alumni and current faculty and staff. Photographs and yearbooks from the past were on display at the lunch, so alumni could reminisce and share memories of their time here on campus.
At the luncheon, Kettering College alumna Katherine Ferrell, who is now on our nursing faculty, was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for her service to our students and the field of nursing.
To end the Homecoming weekend on Saturday night, we teamed up with Kettering Health Foundation to host our second annual Scholarship Reception and Dinner to celebrate all scholarship donors and student recipients.
Tina Howard, Giving Officer, says, “Donors were able to meet their scholarship recipients and talk with them about their educational experiences and career aspirations. Scholarship recipients were honored to meet their donors and thank them in person.”
The dinner was held in the newly renovated auditorium, with about 100 attending. Howard says, “The donors were very impressed with all our renovations throughout the college and with our outstanding students!”
Mindi Collins says, “We had a wonderful time celebrating 55 years of Kettering College! We look forward to seeing our amazing alumni again next year!”
- Restructure of Student Success Center: Holistic Approach for the Whole Student
- Doris Imhoff: A Warm, Welcoming Spirit at Kettering College
- Health Sciences Professors Collaborate and Earn Grant
- Physics Professor Uses Rockets to Launch Learning
- Women’s History Month Spotlight: Dr. Paula Reams, Dean of Nursing
