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Feature Story

May 24, 2017 | By Cole Hatcher

Ohio Wesleyan alumni enjoy the May 20 Parade of Classes, led by members of the Class of 1967 in honor of their 50th reunion. (Photo by Mark Schmitter ’12)

Reunion Weekend 2017

More than 900 Alumni Celebrate the Timeless Magic of Being Bishops

“There is a place where time stands still,” Ohio Wesleyan University alumna Megan Maurer Hill shared with fellow Class of 2002 members during this year’s Reunion Weekend.

In this place, it doesn’t matter whether you are “heavier or lighter, grayer or wrinklier” since the last time everyone met, Hill said in the social media post. 

“We picked up right where we left off when we were 20 years old,” she shared. “This place is MAGICAL. We call it OWU.”

It was a magical weekend, indeed, when more than 900 Bishops from across the country and around the world came home May 19-21 to Ohio Wesleyan.

Highlights of Reunion Weekend 2017 included the 50th reunion of the Class of 1967; the 25th reunion of the Class of 1992; Alumni College presentations where lifelong learning continued without tests or grades; and the Alumni Association’s annual “Celebrating Ohio Wesleyan” recognition program.

Those honored during the 2017 recognition program were:

Alumni Awards

Presented in recognition of longstanding and dedicated service to Ohio Wesleyan and the campus community.

  • Lloyd Ferguson ’62, a Life Trustee and emeritus member of the Woltemade Center Alumni Advisory Board.
  • James W. Pry II ’67, a former member of the OWU Board of Trustees, current member of the Woltemade Center Alumni Advisory Board, and the University’s former legal counsel.
  • Nancy Seiwert Williams ’72, a former member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and current co-chair of the Boston Chapter Leadership Board.

Young Alumni Awards

Presented to alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years in recognition of exceptional professional work, research, volunteerism, or service to the University.

  • Julie A. Peterson, Ph.D. ’07, who was honored for her work in ecology and the management of agricultural pests. Peterson’s work has an emphasis on practical applications for integrated pest management in field crops. Her research examines food web dynamics, insect behavior, compatibility of pest control strategies, and resistance management.

Distinguished Achievement Citations

Considered the Alumni Association’s highest honor, these citations are awarded to alumni who demonstrate “professional accomplishment and outstanding service to humankind.”

  • Woodrow W. Clark II, Ph.D. ’67, who was honored for his work as a longtime advocate for the environment and renewable energy. Clark was a contributor to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
  • Jo Ann Hermann Emerson ’72, recognized for her decades of public service and commitment to the ideal of “putting people first.” Emerson served as the S. Representative for Missouri’s 8th congressional district from 1996 to 2013.
  • Susan Hagedorn, Ph.D. ’67, honored for her dedication and achievement in the fields of nursing and media, and her commitment to social justice. Hagedorn has been honored with both the Nightingale Excellence in Caring Award and the Humanitarian Award from the Long Island International Film Forum.
  • Larry Hill, M.D., F.A.C.S. ’57, recognized for his more than five decades in the field of medicine, including in wartime, and his significant advances in research and accomplishments in surgery. Hill led a team of doctors in a groundbreaking 1986 operation at the University of Maryland Medical Center to separate conjoined twins.

Congratulations to all of these accomplished alumni!