Orrville - What was once a potato field is now a thriving educational facility. Forty years since its inception, founders, supporters, alumni and friends gathered on Sept. 7 at Wayne College to celebrate its meaning to the community and their own lives.
"It's a good day in so many ways," said Luis M. Proenza, president of the University of Akron, commemorating 1972 as the year "a different kind of seed" was planted, "accomplishing so much more" than could have been imagined.
William M. Sherman, the senior vice president, provost and COO of the University of Akron, called Wayne College "a gateway of economic prosperity," whose founders "knew what a college education could do" and "held fast ... to make a dream like this a reality."
"Our students receive a world-class education in their own backyard," Sherman said, making "the Akron experience" available locally.
Wayne College had 900 students in 1982, just a decade after its founding, more than 2,500 by 2011, "and even more in 2012," Sherman said.
To Wayne College's founders, supporters and their families, Neil Sapienza, the interim dean of Wayne College, extended his appreciation for "significant, often life-changing" contributions to the lives of thousands of students over the last four decades.
"I don't know of any other college that can boast they have over 400 founders," Sapienza said, recognizing the assistance of hundreds of people in addition to the 34 primary Wayne College establishers.
"They imagined a brighter future for this entire region," he said.
Many of those most closely associated with the birth of the branch campus shared their sentiments via video and from among the audience.
"Akron University was willing to go the whole route to get a branch," attorney John Johnson said.
"It was just a total community effort," said R. Victor Dix, publisher emeritus of The Daily Record.
David Noble credited his father, businessman Don Noble, with compelling interest in the economic development in Wayne County and in making workforce education "available to as many people as possible."
"The very day it was open was a momentous occasion, said Marchelle Suppan, CEO of Dunlap Community Hospital, recalling "a special memory."
"Back in 1972, there were not a lot of barrier-free buildings at that time," she said; but Wayne College not only was beautiful, it was also "100 percent barrier-free," able to be navigated on their own by those needing handicap-accessibility.
"(That) made (a) tremendous impact on me," she said.
Wayne College was a milestone for Lydia Stahl, executive director of People to People Ministries, recounting her memories for guests.
As the first member of her family to attend college, she found Wayne College affordably priced, "close to home, and the professors made it just like family," she said.
One of the courses she took was public speaking.
"Look -- it pays off," she quipped, noting, seriously, "Some of these classes last a lifetime."
"I was not prepared I was going to be emotional," said Jenni Reusser, president of the Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce, expressing pride in the community of Orrville.
"I was so happy to take summer courses (at Wayne College), get my (Ohio State University) degree early, get a job and support my husband, Paul (through college)," Reusser said.
Reusser recalled the ribbon cutting for Wayne College she saw from her spot on its front lawn.
"I remember the excitement of that day," she said.
The branch's location in Orrville was "a big deal in the papers and community conversation," Reusser said.
Its not just the academic curriculum that makes Wayne College an asset, but also the community events, including concerts, banquets, book studies and other enriching opportunities, she pointed out.
"I have been educated in many ways through the University of Akron Wayne College," Reusser said.
Lynn Moomaw, director of operations and adult education at the Wayne County Schools Career Center, discussed the link between the Career Center and Wayne College, personally commending the branch for being "user-friendly," with a "quality of instruction (that is) exceptional. I always felt I had a very good value for my education."
"We've been able to save thousands of dollars having staff trained there," said Suppan.
Wayne College is "a huge addition to the quality of life in Wayne and Holmes counties," said Glenda Lehman-Ervin.
"I don't know too many places in the nation that can do that in a community like this," said Wayne County Commissioner Scott Wiggam, referring to the ability to attend a quality high school, get a degree in an institution like Wayne College, and then go to work in a Fortune 500 company.
Phyllis Wiebe, retired after 30 years with Wayne College, helped fill a time capsule to be opened in 2047 with items including a flash drive, a 40th anniversary T-shirt, tie-dyed to represent the SSRq70s, notes from current students and an anniversary program.
State Sen. Larry Obhoff and state Rep. Ron Amstutz delivered commendations from the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate.
"These things don't just happen on their own," Amstutz said of the collaborative effort. "This is a community that gets it done."
Along with Proenza, Karl Stroh, the first University of Akron Wayne College graduate, unveiled a plaque bearing the names of the 34 founding leaders.
Refreshments were served, tours of the campus were offered, and alumni with 30 or more credit hours from Wayne College received complimentary anniversary T-shirts.
While distributing T-shirts, Connie Massaro, a teacher at Edgewood Middle School in Wooster City Schools, said back when she was the mother of a new baby, "I took just a couple of classes at a time (here). As we could afford it, I would take another class."
Massaro eventually went on to earn a master's degree from the University of Akron.
Visitors also had the opportunity to record their hopes for the future of Wayne College.
"We'll post those on our website," said Regina Schwartz, community relations manager.
This article was from The Daily Record
Reporter Linda Hall can be reached at 330-264-1125, Ext. 2230, or lhall@the-daily-record.com.
See photos from the event on facebook!