Shipherd's Record Stories

The University of Olivet offers a relationship-based education to students, but those connections don’t end after graduation. Alumni become ambassadors of the College as they enter the world into professions and communities across the nation and beyond. The strategic priority “Engage Beyond Our Hill,” focuses on The University of Olivet’s growth beyond campus, setting goals…

The University of Olivet holds nearly 178 years of deeply-rooted history, but continuous growth and evolution are required to ensure the College meets today’s students' unique needs. As the third strategic priority in the strategic plan defines, the College must take what it has planted and nurture it to ensure quality. Many initiatives underway include…

A strategic priority of the College is to “Grow the Tree.” Therefore, strategic outcomes will focus on expanding programs, increasing enrollments and resources, and improving undergraduate retention rates. One way the College can increase enrollment is by broadening the type of students it serves. For example, adult professional and graduate programs offer unique opportunities for…

For something to prosper, it must have healthy, strong roots. From   its beginning, The University of Olivet vowed to provide an education that enriches lives intellectually, morally and spiritually to a diverse campus community, regardless of gender, race or socioeconomic status. Building a sustainable and prosperous future does not mean we disregard this mission and…

John Morrison isn’t your typical undergraduate college student. He can build a house; lay a concrete fl or; fly a drone to gather data on the extent of cherry orchard infestations; identify fish swimming in lakes and streams; talk wildlife management, chemistry and biology; and shoot clay targets. This 24-year-old transfer student now has his…

Top Military Friendly School The University of Olivet was named a 2021- 22 Top 10 Gold-Level Military Friendly School by VIQTORY Media. Olivet ranked fourth for private schools not offering a doctorate degree. The College was also named a 2021-22 Military Spouse Friendly® School by VIQTORY Media, one of only 194 colleges or universities nationwide…

Dr. Tim Hodge, a 1983 The University of Olivet graduate, was appointed chair of the The University of Olivet Board of Trustees on Oct. 15, 2021. Hodge is a distinguished emergency medicine physician and U.S. Navy veteran whose commitment to The University of Olivet has remained strong. He has served as a member of the…

Why should I go to college? How do I access financial aid opportunities? What classes should I take? Where do I go for tutoring support? Who do I ask for help? [caption id="attachment_42344" align="alignright" width="300"] MacKenzie Hillsburg[/caption] These are just a few of the questions that likely worry first-generation (first-gen) students. Being a first-generation student…

The University of Olivet is woven into Priscilla Dhanapal Mohl’s lifelong journey, just as her passions for helping others and doing good. Mohl first came to The University of Olivet from India in the 1970s as a sociology major and French and English minor. She later returned to earn her secondary teaching certificate in 1986.…

Judith Tellez-Gonzalez ’13 grew up in Emilio Portes Gil, a small town in central Mexico nearly 2,000 miles from The University of Olivet. She first heard of OC when a group of students traveling during the Intensive Learning Term visited the community organization in which Tellez-Gonzalez was serving at in 2003. Four years later, a…

“Here I could make a name for myself,” said Lamontriale Hale ’01 after arriving in Olivet as a high school senior. Hale was participating in a youth program at Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. that was designed to link students to tutoring and mentoring resources and provide college placement support. The program took students…

When you hear the words “foster care,” or “adoption,” what do you think of? Do your first thoughts go to the children who have been removed from their homes, separated from loved ones? Or, do you think about the struggling parents who, despite their love for their children, just cannot provide necessary care? Maybe you…

[caption id="attachment_42314" align="alignright" width="300"] Dr. Erica Pearson, LPC, NCC, director of counseling health and wellness[/caption] Mental and physical well-being are an essential part of a positive educational experience, and The University of Olivet is committed to providing a welcoming and safe environment for all Comets. Recently, the College expanded on previous community partnerships with local…

The University of Olivet’s criminal justice program is regarded as one of the best in the state of Michigan, with social justice and relationship building embedded in the curriculum. Students are required to take courses that focus on racial, ethnic and gender inequalities. They have honest discussions on diversity, equity and fairness with faculty members…

We’ve all heard it; we’ve all said it: 2020 has been a year like no other. Together, we’ve faced a pandemic, stressed over our finances and jobs, worried about our children’s education, listened to our leaders play the blame game instead of uniting for the citizens' benefit, and watched in horror as cities burned and…

The preservation of science and history around the Northern Great Lakes region of Michigan is in good hands. Ed Retherford ’69 arrived at The University of Olivet in 1965 from a family steeped in their love of nature and already an avid outdoor and fishing enthusiast. Retherford recalls his maternal grandfather taking him out on…

Danielle Chauvin ’12 knew The University of Olivet was the place for her immediately when searching for a college to attend. “The University of Olivet was the perfect place for me. Its idea of Individual and Social Responsibility has always resounded with me,” Chauvin said. Chauvin instills the The University of Olivet values of “Be…

[caption id="attachment_39540" align="alignright" width="300"] John Hollowell[/caption] The University of Olivet’s psychology program is designed with real-world lessons, networking options, internship positions, research experiences, engagement with honor societies and much more. These opportunities prepare students for success post-graduation as many pursue careers or additional education. Two psychology alumni recently used their degrees as a launchpad to…

Eakamon “Andy” Oumtrakool, Ph.D., assistant professor of business administration, and Areerat “Poy” Lertchaipitak, Ph.D., assistant professor of business administration, are experts in their field and dedicated advisers, but those aren’t the only ways they enrich the The University of Olivet community. Oumtrakool and Lertchaipitak are originally from Thailand, and the couple proudly shares their culture…

When Mona Hinamanu ’17 stepped into an interview for her dream job at Google last year, her nerves were undoubtedly high, but something just felt right. After an extensive interview process leading to a job offer, Hinamanu knew her gut feeling was correct — she had found where she was meant to be. “One of…