t has been just over five months since taking office July 1. Words such as surreal, challenging, exciting, intense, fun, and very busy all come to mind when I look back.

It has been a delight and pleasure to return to the institution that started my passion for higher education. When I walk around campus, it feels so good to be home. While some things are very much the same, others have changed. The first time I heard the bells of the Manchester Chime ring, I got chills as a flood of memories returned.

I have been incredibly impressed by the people who work at Manchester. Some have worked at Manchester for most of their careers, and some are brand new. For example, Jill Biehl, administrative assistant for admissions, has been at Manchester for 49 years, and I worked with her when I was a student employee almost 30 years ago!

resident Stacy Hendricks ’96 Young first heard about Manchester from her high school accounting teacher, Marvene Pippenger ’64c. Pippenger would often talk about her alma mater and, according to Young, “it became clear that if you wanted to do accounting in Indiana, you would come to Manchester.”

She quickly became involved on campus, hosting a radio show on Manchester’s radio station, volunteering for admissions, and attending accounting and business club meetings. Her twin sister, Tracy Hendricks ’96 Martin, who initially went to Ball State University, saw how involved Young was at Manchester and decided to transfer. Once she arrived at Manchester, the twins hosted a 50s and 60s radio show together on Sunday nights, which would occasionally have call-ins from professors.

The two also taught aerobics together. One of Young’s most memorable student experiences was having the football team attend their class as part of the team’s spring training.

anchester’s 2022-2027 strategic plan is organized around three major themes: distinctively Manchester teaching and learning, focused investment and growth, and being an inspiring place to learn and work. Each theme involves three strategies, and those strategies are put into action through multiple initiatives.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees in October 2022, the plan was developed by people from all areas of the Manchester community, and was created based on what is important to them. This mission-driven plan serves as a guide to ensure that, years from now, the University can continue graduating persons of ability and conviction.

President Stacy Hendricks ’96 Young immediately embraced the strategic plan upon her arrival, making it one of the focal points of her first few months.

anchester University students, faculty, staff and leaders celebrated the official inauguration of Dr. Stacy H. Young as the institution’s 16th president at a formal event on Friday, Nov. 10.

More than 300 students, staff, faculty, community guests, and family members of President Young attended the ceremony. Among the distinguished guests and speakers were Dottie King, CEO of Independent Colleges of Indiana; Patty Grant, executive director of the Community Foundation of Wabash County; and Professor of Business Timothy Ogden ’87, who taught Young when she was a student at Manchester. Young’s high school accounting teacher Marvene Pippenger ’64c, who encouraged her to attend Manchester, was also in attendance.

Since the beginning of her presidency, Young has stressed the importance of “leaning in” to the Manchester experience, and that point was driven home during her inaugural address.

velyn “Evy” Stouffer Bowman ’42 is one of Manchester’s oldest living alumni. At 104 years old, she has lived out the Manchester mission and remains actively connected with her alma mater..

“I loved every minute of my life at Manchester—it was so enriching,” Bowman said.

Bowman grew up just a few miles from Lena, Ill., where she attended high school. As a teenager she was involved in a wide variety of school activities, from typing teams to music and drama to literary clubs. “I liked everything about school except history and chemistry,” Bowman said.

Her commercial teacher and principal, Mr. Sprague, was a particular influence on her early years. He entered the school in the district commercial contest each year, and his students performed well—Bowman included. She participated in the shorthand and typing contests, and her teams took home medals for a first-place finish at the district and regional level and second-place finish at the state level. These skills proved to be extremely helpful throughout her life; she eventually earned part of her tuition at Manchester by serving as secretary to the dean of the school.

anchester is finding inventive new ways to increase sustainability on campus. Students from the environmental studies and peace studies programs completed on-campus internships this past summer, building and maintaining several new gardens, including a keyhole garden, and doing work in the North Manchester community.

Interns Kora Beasley, Colleen Caylor and Andrew Kreps are all juniors at Manchester, and all are actively involved in both academic programs. They dedicated their summer breaks to supporting efforts to make campus and the wider community a healthier, more sustainable and accessible place to live and work.

Each of the students became involved with these projects in a different way. Caylor needed to complete an internship for her environmental studies major, although the vision for the internship was quite different in the beginning. When Katy Gray Brown ’91, professor of peace studies and philosophy, became advisor for the environmental studies students, the internship was reworked.

he official groundbreaking for Manchester University Fort Wayne’s $20 million expansion was June 16, 2023.

The expansion will add more than 32,000 square feet of space and state-of-the-art capabilities to Manchester’s Fort Wayne operations, strengthening Manchester’s commitment to its neighbors in northeast Indiana and expanding its educational opportunities in health careers that are in high demand. Key aspects of the expansion will include the creation of an interprofessional clinic, which will provide students and faculty with hands-on opportunities and experience serving a high-need population in the region.

New additions to the location include state-of-the-art physical therapy teaching labs, research and classroom spaces, nursing simulation and skills laboratory, and a variety of versatile collaboration areas for students. The University will replace the existing façade to include a new entrance and two-story addition. There also will be a significant bump-out on the back of the second floor faculty and staff suite and a new café and patio.

Nordman was a three-time All Great Lakes Region Honoree in cross country and helped lead Manchester to Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) cross country championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. He was the 2013 HCAC Men’s Runner of the Year.

Stocker was a Great Lakes All Region Honoree in cross country, four-time HCAC Champion, and holds Manchester’s record in the Distance Medley Relay. Like Nordman, he helped lead Manchester to HCAC championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.