Inauguration Presenters

Rev. Kenneth V. Daniel

Since 2011, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Daniel, MPA, NHA, has been president and CEO of United Church Homes (UCH), a national nonprofit sponsor of residential, long term, and rehab services for older adults and the disabled. Founded by the United Church of Christ in 1916, UCH has over 4000 residents and 1400 employees in 15 states and 2 tribal nations in Nebraska and Minnesota. Dr. Daniel earned a Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, a Master in Pastoral Counseling from Moravian Seminary, and a Master of Public Administration from Marywood University.  He also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Heidelberg University. Dr. Daniel is a trustee and past interim president of the Lancaster Theological Seminary. Dr. Daniel is married to the Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel, Senior Pastor of Evangelical Reformed UCC in Frederick, Maryland.

Corey Cockerill

Dr. Corey Cockerill is a professor of agriculture and communication at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. She received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 2006 in the areas of environmental sociology and communication, and prior to her academic appointment, served as the electronic communications manager at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Her research focuses on natural resource management and conservation policy, and her work has been featured in several recent book publications including Global Degradation of Soil and Water Resources in 2022 and Introducing Global Issues in 2016 and 2021. Dr. Cockerill served for 6 years on the board at Energize Clinton County, a nationally recognized and award-winning community development organization, and has held memberships with the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), the Soil and Water Conservation Society, the Association for Conservation Information, the International Association of Business Communicators, and the Outdoor Writers of Ohio. She is the recipient of the 2012-13 Student Government Association award for teaching excellence, the 2013 OHIO Magazine Excellence in Education Award, and the 2021 SOCHE Faculty Excellence Award. She resides on a farm in Leesburg, Ohio with her husband and two children.

Brittanie Clair

Brittanie Clair is a fourth year student at Wilmington College, graduating in May with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education Studies with a minor in Psychology. She recently finished her term as the Student Body President. “I enjoyed every minute of it,” she said. Brittanie has worked in multiple offices during her time at WC, including the Office of Diversity & Inclusion as well as the Student Affairs Office. During her senior year, she has served as a Resident Assistant and currently hold that position in an upperclassmen residence hall.

Douglas Woodmansee

Douglas Woodmansee is active in Wilmington Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, currently serving as Clerk of the Wilmington College Committee. He is a member of Wilmington Friends Monthly Meeting, currently serving as Clerk of Trustees. He resides in Wilmington with his wife, Patricia Thomas, and spends time assisting his mother in the management of the family farm in Highland County. He received his Ph.D. in Zoology from Iowa State University in 1986 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Indiana University School of Medicine in 1988. His research work focused on opportunistic parasites affecting persons with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). He joined the Wilmington College Department of Biology in 1991 and retired in 2018.

Brandi James

Brandi James is a 2018 graduate of Wilmington College who currently is nearing completion of a chemistry Ph.D. at the University of Cincinnati. The College’s faculty staff and members of the Class of 2018 will fondly remember Brandi’s vocal rendition of “Rise Up,” which she performed with members of the College Chorale at WC’s 142nd annual Commencement on May 12, 2018.

Dave Weininger

Dave Weininger possesses a bachelor’s degree from Ohio Northern University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in mathematics from Bowling Green State University. In 1985, he began as an assistant professor of mathematics at Heidelberg University and retired from Heidelberg University in 2015 as Provost.

That same year, the Heidelberg Board of Trustees granted him the rank of Emeritus Provost and Professor of Mathematics. He maintains close friends at Heidelberg and treasures their friendship as well as his time there.

Chukuka S. Enwemeka

Chukuka S. Enwemeka is the Founding President of James Hope University, Lagos, Nigeria. Before joining James Hope University, he served as Provost and Senior Vice President of San Diego State University for four years, and as a Distinguished Professor and Dean of the College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee (UWM) for five years. He joined UWM after serving more than six years as Professor and Dean at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), Old Westbury, New York. Before his tenure at NYIT, he was Professor and Chairman of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Kansas Medical Center for 10 years.

Dr. Enwemeka earned his Ph.D. from New York University, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. As a seasoned academic, Chukuka is one of the foremost authorities in the use of lasers and light technologies to eradicate bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed research and professional publications and holds several US and international Patents on light technologies. Selected media coverage of Professor Enwemeka’s academic works includes reports by Reuters, CBS News, United Press International (UPI), Entrepreneur, Photonics, Forbes, Fox Business News, Science Daily News, WebMD, The Nigerian Guardian, Gulf News, Daily India as well as television interviews by CNBC, PBS and NABNTV.

Peggy J. Sturdivant

In 1982, began her professional career in the higher education field as the Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Wilmington College. In 1987, joined the Cincinnati ATP Championship (now the Tennis Masters Series Cincinnati) as the Marketing and Ticket Manager. In 1991, started independent business consulting in the areas of marketing, budgeting and operations, with specialty being the use of technology solutions to enhance systems and increase efficiency.  Consulted exclusively with the Oral Care R&D group at Procter & Gamble from 1997 – 2012, then retired at the end of 2012.  B.A. from Wilmington College, and an MBA degree from Xavier University.  Peggy joined the College’s Board of Trustees in 2013 and served as chair from 2018 through 2021.

Gina Beck

 Gina Beck, soprano, has been a voice instructor at Wilmington College since 2008 and director of Wilmington College Chorale since 2015. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Education, Music 7-12, vocal and instrumental from Wilmington College where she performed in Wilmington College Chamber Singers, Community Chorus, Chorale and Collegium. Gina discovered her passion for choral conducting when she had the opportunity to serve as the student conductor of Chorale, and later pursued an M.A. in Performance, Choral Conducting, at Wright State University, where she assisted the directors of Women’s Chorale and Collegiate Chorale on several occasions.

In addition to teaching at Wilmington College and 27 years at her private music studio, Gina is heavily involved with regional and community theatres in Wilmington, Dayton and Cincinnati. Her career spans over 40 years and includes directing, music directing and vocal coaching, as well as acting. Some of her favorite roles are Janet van de Graaf in The Drowsy Chaperone , Dot in Sunday in the Park with George , Eva Peron in Evita , Fantine in Les Miserables and Cunegonde in Candide, just to name a few. Gina has the privilege of sharing the Wilmington College stage with her students from time to time, as well.