Faculty/Staff Service Award
The Faculty/Staff Service Award recognizes a former Bluffton faculty or staff person (alumni or non-alumni) who during his or her time on campus fostered a spirit of community through personal relationships with others. This individual provided mentoring and inspiration to students, guiding them down their life's path.
2026- nancy schweingruber
Nancy Schweingruber has spent much of her life building community through service, relationships and a commitment to lifelong learning. Her years at Bluffton were marked by a deep connection to the university and the surrounding community, where she found meaningful ways to welcome, support and bring people together.
One of Nancy’s most significant contributions was her 16 years as director of Bluffton’s Institute for Learning in Retirement. What began after she and her husband, Don, learned about the program at a conference grew into a thriving community of lifelong learners. She recruited volunteer moderators, developed courses and field trips, wrote and distributed program materials, and welcomed participants each year. The program grew from about 60 participants in its first year to more than 100, eventually reaching capacity. Courses explored everything from literature, music and art to politics, mythology, nature and international cultures. For Nancy, however, the greatest reward was the relationships. Participants became friends, formed a dinner club and remained connected long after the program ended. She continued visiting former participants in nursing homes and attending their funerals, describing the group as “another family.”
Nancy and her husband Don, emeritus vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Bluffton University, also devoted more than 20 years to BASIC groups, creating lasting friendships and experiences with generations of Bluffton women. What began as a small group grew into a community that shared meals, attended weddings and traveled together, including an unforgettable trip to Ecuador. Many of those relationships continue today, a testament to Nancy’s gift for staying connected and making people feel valued and included.
Beyond Bluffton, Nancy served 20 years on the local school board, attending student events and supporting schools and families throughout the community. She also helped organize Reaching Women, an annual community-wide women’s retreat that brought together women from churches throughout the region, growing to nearly 100 participants.
Whether through lifelong learning, service, friendship or simply showing up for the people around her, Nancy has made a lasting impact on Bluffton. She credits the community’s welcoming spirit and the relationships she formed here to make Bluffton feel like home; transforming what began as a new experience into a place she ultimately never wanted to leave.