Beavers All
I'm a Beaver. You're a Beaver. We’re Beavers All. And when we get together, we do
the Beaver Call.
B E A - V E R Beavers. Beavers. Go Beavers!
Bluffton has been known as The Beavers since the late 1920s when long-time coach A.C.
Burcky noted that Beavers are resourceful, accomplish more with less (“works with
twigs, building up large things from small”) and work to leave the world a better
place (“never does things any worse than its ancestors did.”)
Let us celebrate the many ways that we are Beavers All!
First MND cohort
"I'm learning so much more about the field of dietetics in general and what you will need to know as a dietitian."
Art and writing major
Basil Gates, an inspiring graphic novel author/illustrator gains experience as an art and writing major and member of literary journal editorial team.
Paid internship
Anton Miller is a paid intern for Refuge 461, a spiritual formation organization organized by Marcella Ciccotelli, a United Methodist Church pastor.
Future engineer
"The one-on-one work is a lot of help. It's a lot easier to talk to your professor when you have an issue. We can prepare and talk about my future."
Chemistry and coaching
A future as a science teacher and coach was confirmed for chemistry major J.T. Taviano by his student teaching experience and serving as a volunteer football coach.
Pre-PT internship
"It's very interesting. I'm learning new exercises people can do and the way you can manipulate one exercise to target completely different muscle groups."
Second-place ceramic
Rosanna Barber's pit-fired vase "Trial by Night" won second place at the Findlay Art League's Ceramic Show. TR Steiner, ceramics instructor, took home Best of Show.
Experience in the lab
“I’m getting a lot of experience. I’m learning about the tests, why we’re running them, what they’re for and what you can assume based on the results.”
A quest to help people
Originally a nursing major, Cheyanne Bolden switched to psychology because she likes learning about how people work. Then a summer experience led her to add a major in social work.
Filling a need
"Especially being African American, the kids need you. People with backgrounds similar to you need you because yours is a face that's not common in the teaching profession."
A summer in DC
Olivia Daugherty '24, a communication and media major, spent the summer in Washington, D.C., as a Climate Change Ambassador for the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative
Helping others succeed
Ella Meyers '26, an intervention specialist major, isn't waiting until graduation to start helping people with disabilities. She is working now with clients to meet their personal goals.
Sports broadcasting
Andrew Collinsworth '25 works as a student assistant in Bluffton's public relations office developing social media content and creating visuals such as game-day graphics.
Building an app
"There was one point I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do it. I messaged Dr. Mullins and she was, 'No, we have this.' That gave me the confidence to continue."
Intro to logistics
"Anything from hazmats to groceries. They move absolutely everything... You see semis out on the road... Now, I wonder what they're moving. It changes your perspective."
Gaining confidence
"People with drug addiction often find themselves in the criminal justice system, so having educational background in criminal justice as well as psychology will help me to help them."
Grab every opportunity
"If somebody suggests you do something at Bluffton, take their advice and do it." Advice from Jackson Clark, a business administration and marketing double major.
More than sisters
Roommates. Teammates. And yes, sisters. Brittney and Karley Ramirez create their home away from home at Bluffton.
Her future is clear
It's optometry-based and looks into how nutrition effects the health of the eye." A research project mentored by Bluffton professor of biology.
Social work internship
We're doing a lot of trauma informed care and a lot of activities around emotional regulation, but sometimes we just hang out with the kids. Other times, there's a parent-child activity."
Then to find a major
Before I even talked to anyone on campus, it just felt like home. As soon as I got out of the parking lot, I was like 'this is it.'"
Welcome to Bluffton
When Emily Buss '25 visited Bluffton University in high school, the campus community fit all her requirements--it was close to family, offered her major and provided a friendly environment.
Freelance designer
Graphic design major Matt DeRitter runs two graphic design businesses, MDR Designs, to develop logos and brand guidelines, and MRDR Graphics, which focuses on racing graphics.
Campus leader
I visited in the middle of July and decided let's give this a try. I went to the last orientation, and I was like, 'yep, I'm coming here.' I've loved it ever since."
Exploring choices
Social work major Katie Fleshman originally pursued accounting. But the major never really felt right. Then, a comment from a professor led Fleshman to further explore her choice.
Go where you are happy
Kennedy Parker '25, a communication and media major and two-sport athlete, transferred to Bluffton after a frustrating first year at a different university.
Figuring it out
Heather Sauder was initially stuck between an elementary education or accounting major. Now that she's chosen education, she's pondering between a TESOL or traditional classroom.
Teaching peace
It's been a successful start to the [Teaching Peace to Children] program. We are planning to duplicate it in the fall. It's important to familiarize children with these topics."
Competitive internship
It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's all paid. They're even paying for my living expenses. It's a full-time job doing something I actually want to do!"
Making history fun
Kyle Jolliff '26, a history major, confirmed his vocation by shadowing teachers at Ada High School as a first-year student. He gained additional experience by substitute teaching.
Purpose in the ER
After gaining experience in the Blanchard Valley Health System emergency room, nursing major Lindsey Shaw confirmed her occupational fit.
Support for med school
Caleb Bell received a $5,000 award supporting future physicians. The Dr. John Kraft Award is a loan which is canceled upon completion of the first year of medical school.
Solar Punk sci-fi
Deborah Yoder '23 earned departmental honors authoring science fiction short stories. "The Water Collectors" addresses issues such as sustainability and climate change through an optimistic lens.
Making an impact
The hardest goodbye came on the last day of student teaching for Ella Wiley, elementary education graduate. She gained experience dealing with difficult situations and knowing when to be stern.
Nonprofit field
Sarah Woods wanted to pursue a business degree but was unsure what direction it would lead her. After completing four internships, she now is focused on nonprofit management.
Consistency is key
Business is all about what you put into it. How much work you’re willing to do… [At my internship,] they’ve done a good job emphasizing what it takes to succeed.”
SI assistant
The internship is teaching me about how open my communication needs to be just so that I can get my job done and make everyone else's job easier, too."
Marketing success
Andrea Peralta Morales '23, an international student from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, was introduced to marketing through her family's business. She is honing her skills through multiple internships.
Football intern
Grace Fillinger's '23 ultimate goal is becoming an athletic director, but after her internship she developed an interest in recruiting and could see herself as a recruiter after graduation.
US Marshal intern
We want to see the world as a peaceful place, but some individuals have bad tendencies. It’s good to know there are good people who can handle these situations.”