President Matt VandenBerg

09/04/2026

Yesterday, Ohio Wesleyan University announced more than $94 million in gifts and pledges in FY ’26, setting a new all-time record for the second consecutive year. That follows a record-breaking $69.4 million in FY ’25.

A number this large deserves context. Donors direct most gifts to specific purposes. Much of their giving builds our endowment and strengthens OWU over generations. Multi-year pledges unfold over time.

Results like these reflect generations of talent and diligence. Colleagues have built relationships with alumni and friends over decades. Our faculty, staff, and students have given people compelling reasons to believe in OWU’s future. And our donors are investing with extraordinary confidence and vision.

I am deeply grateful to all of them. This is a remarkable time to be a Bishop.

08/31/2026

08/26/2026

They made it.

More than 520 new students from 34 states and 17 countries have joined the Ohio Wesleyan University community this fall. Among them are our newest international students and global nomads, who navigated an unusually difficult path to get here.

We are proud of their persistence, grateful for the perspectives and experiences they bring, and very glad they are Bishops.

We are equally grateful for the extraordinary care provided by our New International Student Orientation Leaders and by Lisa Ho (happy birthday, Lisa!), Yegor Sorokin, Hannah Burr, and Andrea Ryan in our International and Off-Campus Programs office.

International students have been an essential part of OWU since the 1800s. They continue to make us stronger and better.

08/26/2026

Welcome back to all students, faculty, and staff. Such a joy to see the gorgeous campus of Ohio Wesleyan University come roaring back to life. Bonus: I enjoyed being an impromptu student in Dr. John Krygier’s outdoor class today. It’s a beautiful day to be a Bishop. And it’s going to be a great year!

08/21/2026

Today we welcomed more than 520 new Bishops to Ohio Wesleyan University and shared remarkable news: For the first time in 14 years, OWU’s incoming classes have topped 500 students in consecutive years. OWU expects its largest total enrollment in more than a decade.

Our trajectory reminds me that institutions gain momentum when they are clear about who they are, confident about where they are going, and relentless about delivering for students.

And I’m deeply grateful to our admissions team and to the faculty and staff across OWU who have made clarity, confidence, and relentless student focus a bedrock of how we work.

The OWU renaissance is real.

Welcome, Class of 2030.

05/17/2026

I’m thrilled that Dr. Trevor Bates will join Ohio Wesleyan University as our new Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Ventures. We sought a leader ready to step into one of the most expansive and consequential advancement roles in liberal arts higher education. Dr. Bates will move fluidly across the entirety of his new portfolio, bringing the instincts of a chief executive, the track record of a transformative gift closer, and the vision to match our institution's ambition. OWU is building something rare, and Trevor is exactly the leader this moment deserves.

05/07/2026

I am so very proud of and pleased for my colleague and friend, Dr. Karlyn Crowley. She will be a phenomenal leader for Kalamazoo College, and they are fortunate to have her. I look forward to cheering her on!

Kalamazoo College has named its next president. Meet Karlyn Crowley, a nationally recognized liberal arts leader who will start July 1.

04/18/2026

A local fraternity is sticking by its core value of service, and having fun doing it. https://nbc4i.co/4tRRzbg?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_NBC4

04/10/2026

Mary McCann studied at Ohio Wesleyan University, followed what was true for her, and co-founded the Atlantic Theater Company. Over the past 40 years, Atlantic has earned 2 Pulitzer Prizes, 2 Grammy Awards, and 28 Tony Awards. She is an acclaimed actor, entrepreneur, and teacher who has spent four decades proving that creative ambition and institutional discipline are not in conflict.

That is what our motto, “In your light, we shall see the light,” looks like in a life.

On May 9, Mary returns to Delaware to address the Ohio Wesleyan Class of 2026. We selected her because her story is one we want our graduates to carry forward: find what is actually true, build something that lasts, and give it to others.

We are proud to welcome her home. Link in comments.