Winger helps us access the arts … 11
New Initiatives Fund allows for innovation … 14
Wellness and Sport Performance Center is for everyone … 16
Funderburg supports 21st century learning …18
The Manchester Fund supports mission … 22
Endowment keeps us strong … 24
’ve lived in North Manchester my entire life. I spent the last four years studying peace studies and English here at Manchester. During my final semester of college, I decided to stay a little longer, accepting the position of communications specialist in the Office of Strategic Communications.
Sure, I stayed because it was easy. I didn’t have to immediately worry about finding a place to live, buying a car, making new friends, becoming acclimated to a whole new organization. I stayed because Manchester is familiar.
But I also stayed because Manchester is the place that showed me my own potential, the place that encouraged and allowed me to be bold. I didn’t feel like I could be bold until I came to Manchester. I never could have imagined that one day I would be co-editor of the University newspaper or asked to speak on a panel in front of a crowd about my research on AIDS activism. It was here that I truly discovered and learned to celebrate my own talents and passions.
Co-Editors:
Chloe Leckrone, cnleckrone@manchester.edu
Anne Gregory, aggregory@manchester.edu
Designer: Brenda Carver
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Send news of weddings, births, deaths, new jobs and promotions, academic and professional degrees, church and community service activities, awards and achievements, and changes of address to:
Email: alumnioffice@manchester.edu
Phone: 888-257-2586 (ALUM)
Mail: Office of Alumni Relations, Manchester University, 604 E. College Ave., North Manchester, IN 46962
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From Fall 2022 orientation through Spring 2026 commencement, distance pathway students will spend a total of 14 weeks on campus. They will also complete two weeks of lab training activities in their second and third years and eight weeks of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in their fourth year before graduation. Distance pathway students will interact regularly online as a cohort just as on-campus students will have in-person interactions within their cohort.
hese are exciting times at Manchester!
This fall we’ve announced a $45 million comprehensive campaign, toward which we’ve already raised nearly $37 million. In October, the Board of Trustees adopted a new strategic plan and committed to a $19 million expansion of our space in Fort Wayne. During Homecoming we dedicated our new Chime Tower, which will quickly become an iconic part of our North Manchester campus.
Our campaign theme – Manchester Bold: The Future is Ours – points us toward a bright future, one grounded in our mission, focused on serving our students, and connected to the communities and world around us. It is a campaign rooted in justifiable optimism about our future and one that we can attain by continuing to be Bold in action and in aspiration.
Being Bold is nothing new at Manchester.
More than 130 years ago, we won what would today be called an economic development competition by raising $10,000 to bring the Roanoke Classical Seminary to North Manchester. That was our first campaign, equivalent to $328,000 today.
In 1948, we launched the first peace studies major in the world, believing, boldly in any era, that there are alternatives to violence in settling our differences.
Fifty years ago, we started a groundbreaking environmental studies major, just one year after the first Earth Day was celebrated.
onstructed in 1952, Otho Winger Memorial Hall sits not-so-quietly on East Street. At almost any hour of the day, sounds of instruments tuning can be heard by those passing outside. A haven for the arts at Manchester, Winger provides a space for students to express themselves and explore their creativity.
Junior Danielle Carlson is an active member of the Spartan Pride Marching Band and has spent plenty of time in Winger. Though the marching band does not hold practices in Winger, Carlson often uses the space when meeting with their director or friends.
One of their earliest Manchester memories was visiting campus for just the second time during their Music at Manchester weekend, when future MU students meet music faculty and current students, tour the facilities and audition for ensembles.
“I was anxious,” Carlson said. “But the moment I walked into Winger I saw the Music Department staff and some of the other Music Department students and I felt really welcomed. I ended up having an amazing two days here, and it was a big part of my decision to come to Manchester, because of the experiences those days brought.”
anchester University must be nimble and seize opportunities that quickly align its offerings with the needs of today’s students.
The New Initiatives Fund enables Manchester to explore ideas and help the great ones grow.
One example is the Nursing Program, offering traditional and accelerated options.
It comes at a critical time when the nation needs more well-rounded health care professionals ready to provide ethical, evidence-based and compassionate care for diverse individuals and communities.
“I decided to go into nursing because it has been my dream since I was little,” said Eri Tamada, who moved from California to Indiana to enroll in the inaugural class of Manchester’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She already had a degree in graphic design, and the 16-month program is specifically for those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field and would like to pursue a path toward becoming a registered nurse.
hen you add up all the Manchester students involved in NCAA Division III, intramural and recreational sports, you’re talking about hundreds of Spartans. And that doesn’t include those who simply want a healthy lifestyle.
The sheer numbers have created a crunch for wellness and conditioning resources.
Check out the Leicester ’36 and Jean ’37 Brown Fitness Center in the Physical Education and Recreation Center (PERC) and you’ll see someone at every station at almost every hour.
Manchester students simply need more space and equipment for healthy fun, to train year-round, to build habits that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
“This is an area where you can have an impact on our students, every day,” said Melanie Harmon, vice president for advancement.
underburg Library, which has been serving students since 1966, is nestled in the heart of the North Manchester campus.
“College libraries like Funderburg are special because they provide a middle place, somewhere between the formality of the classroom and the casualness of the residence hall, where students can focus on their work while surrounded by like-minded peers,” said Darla Haines, library director.
Her thoughts are echoed by Alexandra Blackwood, a senior who has been a student worker at Funderburg for the past two years.
“Funderburg has been the consistent place I can go to in the ever-changing sea that college is,” she said. “Not only has Funderburg helped me find resources I need through its online database, but I have found a group of people I can fall back on if I need help or guidance with almost anything.”
Wine was looking for someone to help with the painstaking job of cleaning and cataloging more than 500 ethnographic art objects that had been stored in a maintenance building. Vorndran accepted the challenge and began in Spring 2017.
“Working side by side with someone through the summertime heat and humidity of a non-air-conditioned space is eye-opening, especially if your work involves box after box of dusty, if not moldy, objects,” Wine said. At times, it became oppressive, overwhelming. “At those times of deflated enthusiasm, I would look to Zoe, who would lead with the words, ‘COME ON, we can DO this!’”
Their work eventually garnered the attention of the 3D project coordinator at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Library. The resulting collaboration was a project to scan about 75 of the art pieces and upload the 3D images onto computers to create the virtual Ethnographic Art Collection.
he most useful and influential people in America are those who take the deepest interest in institutions that exist for the purpose of making the world better.”
One of the many things that sets Manchester apart is the enduring interest of those who wish to help those who come after them.
Producing graduates who make the world a better place is the reason we exist. It is our mission. The Manchester Fund is the place where your gifts – large or small – can stretch to make the greatest impact.
It is no secret that tuition alone has never covered the full cost of a Manchester education. When students have higher-than-average financial need or experience cuts in government aid, The Manchester Fund is there.
The Manchester Fund ensures that the University can focus on teaching and learning while having the flexibility to handle day-to-day realities.
anchester’s endowment is about the future. It’s about making a Manchester education possible for students now and students to come.
For smaller, independent institutions that are tuition-dependent like Manchester, a strong endowment helps maintain financial stability. The endowment ensures that the University has permanent assets that create a stream of revenue and have an enduring impact.
Endowed funds can help provide students with unforgettable experiences: studying abroad, performing service learning, conducting undergraduate research or completing a professional internship.
Gifts to the endowment can be restricted or unrestricted.
Restricted endowment gifts are funds designated to be used in a specific way by the donor. This may include support for a particular department or financial aid for students in a certain field of study. These gifts can be named to honor the donor or a loved one to commemorate a family legacy or an important individual.
avid Waas ’47 said it is a happy coincidence that three generations of his family had special reunions at Homecoming this year.
The professor emeritus of history had his 75th, daughter Deborah Waas ’72 had her 50th, and granddaughter Erin Gratz ’97 had her 25th.
As David begins naming all the family members in multiple generations who attended Manchester, it is evident that they cover many graduation years.
The Manchester connections began in 1914 and ’15 with his parents. Three generations have graduated from what was then Manchester College. The fourth generation? David says the great grandkids are a still too young to commit.
Deborah Waas spent her first year of college at the University of La Verne in La Verne, California, before deciding to switch to her father’s alma mater.
“I knew I would get a quality education at Manchester,” she said, “and the family pull was really strong. My father, my sisters, my grandparents, my aunts, my mother – a lot of people in my family attended Manchester.”
he dedication of the Manchester Chime took place at Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 22. The Chime was constructed on the Manchester University Mall over the summer. The tower houses Manchester’s historic bells, formerly in the Administration Building. The Chime includes the original bells, refurbished and tuned, and four additional new bells. 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the Chime.
The first song played on the Chime since its removal from the Administration Building was “Fanfare for Manchester” composed and performed by Debra Lynn, professor of music. The new setup is played using an electronic keyboard housed in the Cunningham Academic Center.
At the dedication, registrar emerita and longtime Chime player Lila Hammer spoke about the hundred-year history. In the 1920s, alumni and friends of Manchester raised $8,700 to purchase the original Chime. It was installed on Aug. 11, 1922.
Now the tradition continues, as new generations of Manchester students will experience the Chime’s songs for the first time.
A time capsule was also buried underneath the Chime, similar to the one found in a cornerstone of the Administration Building earlier this year. Among the items put in the time capsule were a Manchester water bottle, a class schedule, a list of current faculty and staff, an acorn, Manchester Bold campaign information and a COVID-19 mask.
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Deaths* As a member of Otho Winger Society, this donor included Manchester in an estate plan or established a deferred gift with the University.
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1930s *Lois Berkebile ’38 Roop of North Manchester, Dec. 16, 2019
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1950s Donald Heitzman ’57c of Mishawaka, Ind., Sept. 12, 2022
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Class Notes1940s Angela Sollenberger ’40 Stinebaugh and Vernon Stinebaugh ’41 of Lancaster, Pa., observed their 80th anniversary Aug. 16, 2022. Professor emeritus of music at Manchester, Vernon taught music education, violin and conducted the Manchester Symphony Orchestra during his 31 years at the college. Angela taught elementary school music in North Manchester for 35 years and often accompanied her husband on piano. The Stinebaughs met as students at Manchester and married in 1942.
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The Rotary Club of North Manchester has bestowed honorary membership upon David Waas ’47, professor emeritus of history. The honor is for meritorious service and embodying Rotary ideals, which include promoting peace in the world.
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1960s Philip Compton ’64 retired in April after 25 years as pastor of the Rhinehart United Methodist Church. He and LaDonna Shively ’65 Compton now reside at the Mennonite Maple Crest Villas in Bluffton, Ohio. They just celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary.
This year’s recipients of the Alumni Honor Award, the highest recognition bestowed on a Manchester graduate, were Rex Miller ’69 and Beverly McEntarfer ’73.
The recipients of the Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award were Nick Kenny ’11 and Samantha Chapman ’12. This is awarded to alumni age 31-40 who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their careers, contribute to the betterment of their community and its citizens and retain a strong alliance with Manchester.
Trip highlights include:
Day 4 – Visit Gruyeres, Montreux, and Gstaad, including a panoramic train ride
Day 6 – After leaving Bern, on your way to Innsbruck, you’ll travel through Liechtenstein
Day 8 – You’ll visit Bavaria, Germany to tour the Linderhof Palace
Book now to save $150 per person! The cost includes round-trip flight from Indianapolis International Airport, air taxes and fees/ surcharfes and hotel transfers.
Check out the flyer for the trip here or visit the trip website here. To place your reservation with Collette call 1-800-581-8942 and refer to trip #1131851.
Bob graduated from Manchester with a degree in sociology in 1952. He then earned a master’s degree in social and technical assistance from Haverford College in 1953, and later earned a Master of Social Service degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1960. He completed his Ph.D. in sociology and social work at the University of Michigan in 1970.
Hoffman was dean of students at Manchester for 14 years before becoming president at McPherson College in Kansas, a sister school to Manchester, in 1976. Passionate about his work at McPherson, he served as president for 20 years before retiring in 1996. During his years teaching and administering, he also served terms as moderator for the Church of the Brethren districts of Michigan and of South-Central Indiana.
MU Engage expands the possibilities for connections among Manchester graduates. “Sure, we have the MU Facebook page, but this is a space just for alumni to connect and interact on a different level,” said Director of Alumni Relations Megan Julian ’07 Sarber.
The platform has a number of different functions, the largest of which is the alumni directory. When a person registers, they add their class year, degree, location and job. They are also asked what they are open to helping with, whether that be mentoring, resume review, answering industry and career questions or just grabbing coffee. A quick search can easily bring up someone in a person’s job field, an old friend or a favorite professor. Current Manchester students are also encouraged to use MU Engage to find job, internship or mentoring opportunities.
wo sculptures in Petersime Chapel come from the hands of Burkards Dzenis, a Latvian artist who studied in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in the Paris studio of Auguste Rodin. Working primarily in marble, granite and bronze, Dzenis became a professor at Latvia’s national academy and directed the Latvian Museum of Art.
Using proceeds from an egg incubator co-invented with his father, Ray Petersime was able to bring more than 1,000 displaced persons from Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia and Germany to the United States. A member of the Church of the Brethren, and of Manchester’s Board of Trustees, Petersime also donated money for construction of what is now called Petersime Chapel.
