Olivet College welcomed one of its largest incoming classes in history this fall, with 420 new students joining the student body. Along with the student growth Olivet is experiencing, seven new faculty members were also added to the instructional staff at the college.
Meredith Dodson, M.F.A. Director of Writing Program
Assistant Professor of Writing
As a member of the insurance industry with more than 26 years of experience, Tom Humphreys was ready for a change of pace. As luck would have it, in the fall of 2015 Olivet College had an opening for an assistant professor in the Risk Management & Insurance (RMI) program. Just one year later, in the fall of 2016, Tom will be focused on much more than teaching as he starts his new role as director of the program.
History is Dr. Nikki Magie’s forte, who works as an assistant professor of social science and archivist at Olivet College. She specializes in archival research and is a master of organization when it comes to sifting through more than a hundred years of information.
Magie has worked to transform what was once a library storage closet of documents, transcripts, yearbooks and other artifacts into an orderly collection of historic gems that have helped to shape our college’s identity.
In 2007, Mike Fales, director of service learning and campus ministries, had an idea. He established an alternative spring break for Olivet College to test if students would be willing to give up their spring break to help a community in need. Ten students signed up, and the experience has only grown from there. Today, these trips range from weekend excursions to week long adventures and take students across the country to help communities in need, or aid in disaster relief efforts.
Michael Oyster, a 1977 Olivet College alumnus, led a storied career before returning to his alma mater to serve as its executive-in-residence in 2012.
As a former CEO of publicly traded and private companies, a multinational corporate executive and entrepreneur, Oyster brings a wealth of experience to the college’s Business Administration Department.
“Music is an outlet, a mental break in your studies. Over half of our instrumental musicians are not music majors; they are studying to be insurance agents, biologists and teachers. All were strong students in their high school music programs, and continuing to play is a natural fit for them."
KayDee Perry runs a tight ship. She is the teacher-education preparation specialist in her department. With a primary focus on the physical education courses at Olivet College, she mentors countless students seeking to teach physical education when they graduate.
