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May 24, 2022 | By Ericka Kurtz

Nearly 900 Bishops came to campus May 13-15 for Reunion Weekend. Among the weekend's highlights was the traditional Parade of Classes. (Photo by Paul Vernon)

2022 Reunion Weekend

Alumni Return to Campus to Celebrate Being Bishops

For the first time since 2019, alumni celebrated Reunion Weekend May 13-15 at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Nearly 900 alumni gathered to visit their beloved alma mater and to reconnect with lifelong friends during a double reunion weekend for classes ending in ’1, ’2, ’6, and ’7 including the 50th Reunion for the Class of 1972.

A highlight of Reunion Weekend was the Celebrating Ohio Wesleyan program, during which the OWU Alumni Awards were presented. The 2021 and 2022 award recipients include:

Alumni Awards

  • Catie Butt ’91
  • Dan Glaser ’82
  • Jim Goode ’67
  • Carol Hilkirk Latham ’61
  • Diane Petersen ’66
  • Diana Poos Roach ’72

Young Alumni Awards

  • Kristen Lear ’11
  • Dan Sharpe ’06
  • Andy Warnock ’06

Distinguished Alumni Citation

  • Joseph Boltinghouse ’40 (posthumously)
  • Dan Glaser ’82
  • Larry Heinzerling ’67 (posthumously)
  • Carol Hilkirk Latham ’61
  • Amy Marasco ’76
  • JoAnn Verburg ’72
  • Joseph Wanjui ’61
  • Beverly White-Seals ’72

Bishops are invited to visit owu.edu/nominate to nominate alumni for future OWU Alumni Awards. During Celebration Ohio Wesleyan, President Rock Jones gave a State of the University update and Alumni Board member Julie MacMillan ’88 recognized Reunion Class Giving.

Ohio Wesleyan also honored its Founders’ Circle and Associate Founders’ Circle members during a ceremony Friday afternoon in Branch Rickey Arena. Founders’ Circle was established in 1998 to recognize those alumni and friends who have made a significant philanthropic investment in the future of Ohio Wesleyan, with lifetime giving of $1 million, or $500,000 for the Associate Founders’ Circle. Founders’ Circle members George Conrades ’61 and Patricia “Patsy” Belt Conrades ’63 presented medallions during the ceremony. The following donors were recognized:

Associate Founders’ Circle

  • Richard Alter ’61 (posthumously)
  • Joellen Brown ’75 (posthumously)
  • Jason Downey ’02 and Liz Long Downey ’06
  • Professor Lyman L. Leathers (posthumously)
  • Tom Simons ’88 and Lorraine McCann Simons ’90
  • The Smalley Foundation, represented by President Marie Eslinger Horowitz ’74
  • Earl Spiller ’56 and Elinor Spiller ’56
  • John H. Wing ’55 (posthumously)

Founders’ Circle

  • Nick Calio ’75 and Lydia Keller Calio ’77
  • Kevin McGinty ’70 and Nancy Collinson McGinty
  • William Myers ’55
  • George Romine ’67 and June Romine
  • Kara J. Trott ’83

Special Founders’ Circle recognition was given to member Doug Dittrick ’55 who has lifetime giving of $5 million and to members John Fairbanks Milligan ’83 and Kathryn Bradford Milligan ’83 who have lifetime giving of $10 million.

During the weekend, Ohio Wesleyan dedicated the Richard Alexander ’82 GIS Lab, in honor of David Hickcox, Ph.D., who served as an OWU professor of Geology-Geography from 1978 to 2014.

Reunion Weekend also featured the All-Alumni Picnic and the Parade of Classes. Other all-alumni events included the Blue & BBQ Kick-Off Celebration on Friday evening, which featured the musical talents of Jasey Schnaars ’72 as well as an After Party under the Stars with McGuffey Lane on Saturday night.

Alumni enjoyed a variety of other events during the weekend including their Reunion Class parties and dinners; Coffee, Career, and Croissants with Career Connection; Greek Reception; OWU Sustainability Tour; Tower Society Ice Cream Cart; Museum Dedication of the Historic Ross Art Museum Building; and much more.

Check out the 2022 Reunion Weekend collection on Flickr for fun photos of Reunion Weekend 2022!