Annual State of the College address shows how Adrian College is educating locally, globally
Posted Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Author: Brad Heineman - The Daily Telegram
ADRIAN — Students, faculty, staff and friends of the Adrian College community heard several campus highlights earlier this month during the college’s annual State of the College address, delivered by Adrian College’s 17th President Jeffrey Docking April 4.
“A Legacy of Excellence: A Future of Promise” was the title of Docking’s address, which included recaps of academic and athletic success stories from the current 2024-25 school year, and key transformations that will take place around the college for the 2025-26 school year and beyond.
When looking back on the current school year, which has only a handful of weeks remaining before the May 4 Spring Commencement, Docking praised the 600 freshmen who enrolled at Adrian College at the start of the fall 2024 semester.
“We really have had a great year,” Docking said. “... For us to continue to bring in 600 freshmen is amazing.”
The number of first-year students at AC — who represent 39 states, 22 countries and six Canadian provinces — continues to climb upwards even when the state of Michigan is expected to lose almost 20% of its high school senior class over the next few years, Docking said.
Student retention at Adrian College is nearly 92% from the fall to spring semesters.
The college also unveiled several new majors and graduate programs for students in commercial music, nutrition, tactical strength training, high performance coaching, AI-driven management, cybersecurity, business analytics and others.
“We are really growing the number of majors that students can select,” Docking said.
Three new athletic teams will soon be debuting in competitive cheerleading, Division III club baseball and club wrestling.
Master’s programs at Adrian College ‘are booming right now’
Traditional master’s programs at Adrian College will soon be combined with the use of artificial intelligence and new master’s offerings.
Some of the master’s degrees that currently can be achieved from Adrian College include the fields of human resources, health care administration, finance, accounting, marketing and general business. Starting in the fall 2025, master’s programs will expand to include cybersecurity, business analytics and artificial intelligence.
“By integrating these high-demanding areas into our program, we ensure Adrian College students are well-equipped to tackle the challenges of the modern business environment,” said Cheryl Nutter, associate professor of accountancy, business and economics.
Adrian College is doing its part to “embrace and leverage concepts, instead of shying away from relevant content,” Nutter said, which is one of the main goals for why the college is expanding its master’s programs.
Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA), for example, has several benefits including a median annual salary of $125,000 compared to around $75,000 for those with a bachelor’s degree, it was reported during the State of College.
Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute to partner with Adrian College
The city of Adrian will soon house a fourth institution of higher learning.
In addition to Adrian College, Siena Heights University and Jackson College, the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI), which became fully accredited and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in August 2024, will become Lenawee County’s fourth institution of higher learning.
SBWI, which launched its flagship wood design program in 2020 and was born from the woodworking mind of Luke Barnett, has launched a 20-year, $48 million campaign to provide hands-on woodworking skills through construction of a brand-new campus.
This new campus will allow SBWI to create partnerships with colleges and universities like that of Adrian College to provide hands-on learning for students, which can lead to a lifelong impact, Barnett said.
“When students interact with physical materials, their depth of understanding increases,” Barnett said. “Hands-on learning develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills that textbooks alone cannot teach. It promotes creativity, resilience and adaptability.”
Art, business engineering, architecture, interior design, leadership, project management and teacher education are some of the opportunities for collaboration between SBWI, Adrian College and student learners.
All guests in attendance at the State of the College address received four wooden coasters free-of-charge from Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute.
Adrian College expanding services globally with Henry Ford Health
Educating students in Michigan will continue to be at the forefront of Adrian College’s mission, but the college will soon be taking healthcare studies to India through a new partnership with Henry Ford Health.
Educational and medical assistance will be provided in the Delhi region of India as part of a global healthcare administration program being piloted by Henry Ford Health and Adrian College.
Henry Ford Health and Henry Ford Innovations currently operate a hospital in India, and a new medical campus is being proposed for Delhi, that will accommodate undergraduate students and working professionals with the skills necessary to thrive in India’s rapidly growing healthcare sector.
“Adrian College has a robust healthcare administration program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, making us well positioned to fill this gap,” Antonis Coumoundouros, dean of graduate studies and continuing education at Adrian College presented during the State of the College.
The healthcare administration curriculum will include a comprehensive 12-month online program for working professionals in India. At the conclusion of the program, participants will have the opportunity to engage in practices at Adrian College and at Henry Ford Health for hands-on training in healthcare administration.
The curriculum also allows for students to choose courses for undergraduate studies in India and allows for internships for Adrian College students to travel to India to apply their learning skills in real-world settings.
Subjects to be offered in India as part of the partnership include finance, accounting, economics, human resources, marketing and quality management. Specialized topics also will be offered including healthcare information technology, hospital design and planning, healthcare operations and health ethics.
High-Performance Coaching and Operations major coming to campus
Another recent partnership will see Adrian College offer a brand-new coaching major to students.
Input and shared guidance from Phil Osaer, head of goaltending, scouting and development for the Detroit Red Wings, has helped in the creation of Adrian College’s new High-Performance Coaching and Operations major, which will instruct students on cutting edge performance strategies, strong communication and leadership skills, as well as science and data to drive decision making.
The program, as it is being developed, is being created with the mindset of providing a hands-on learning environment that will prepare students for the coaching world whether that be in the college ranks or professional athletics.
There is a shortage of high caliber coaches, Tina Claiborne, AC athletic training professor and sports medicine director, said. It is anticipated that 42,000 job openings will be projected yearly over the next 10 years for both high-performance coaches and scouts, Claiborne said.
“Coaching is no longer just about training and motivation,” Claiborne said. “The profession demands technical expertise, business acumen and emotional intelligence.”
Administration and management skills also will be part of the program’s curriculum. There are more than 50 sports teams at Adrian College.
Participation, growth with downtown Adrian
Downtown Adrian is going through a multi-year revitalization and Adrian College is part of the redevelopment.
The Parkhouse Project, which was highlighted during the State of the College by Jay Marks, Downtown Adrian Main Street executive director, is one of several enhancements being made to historic or vacant structures in downtown Adrian.
The Parkhouse Project is a revitalization effort that will transform a neglected three-story department store into a modern space featuring loft apartments for student housing, classrooms, an entertainment area, retailers, restaurants kiosks and a beverage center.
Marks called the project’s development a hub for living, education, entertainment, food and social interaction.
“This adaptive reuse of over 50,000-square feet is contributing significantly to the rebirth of our downtown,” Marks said.
The building being revitalized for the Parkhouse Project is the former Hamerman’s Furniture & Carpet building at 117 S. Main St.
Downtown Adrian is committed to growth and evolution, Marks said, through programming, events, new stores and additional apartments that “bridge Adrian College’s campus and the Adrian community.”
Freshman student wins 2025 Creativity Award, $1,000
This year marked the 13th annual Creativity Award for Adrian College, which encourages students, staff and faculty to submit the most creative ideas on campus to improve the community.
All finalists receive a $50 gift card, and the winner earns $1,000 along with an annual disbursement of $10,000 from Adrian College to fund the idea’s creation.
There were 81 submissions for 2025, according to Travis Erxleben, assistant professor for ceramics and 3D design, and department chair for art and design. Of those 81 ideas, five finalists — including the husband-and-wife team of Nathan and Stephanie Gordon — were described during the State of the College address.
Freshman student Blessing Duri, a Bachelor of Science and biology major, won the Creativity Award with his concept of a virtual reality mental health and stress relief lounge. In this space, Erxleben described, students can use guided meditation, nature simulations and interactive wellness activities to achieve relaxation and mental wellbeing during stressful times.
Last year’s winning idea was the installation and opening of an Amazon hub inside the Caine Student Center on campus where students can easily and readily pick up their delivered packages.
Additional presentations from the State of the College included a review of study abroad possibilities being offered to Adrian College students through the newly renamed Dr. Robin Luana Bott Institute for Study Abroad, as well as a human-interest story that closed out the April 4 afternoon event.
The journey of current junior student, Prince Thole, a finance major and economics minor from Zimbabwe to Adrian College, was shared with Thole calling his journey to Adrian “far from ordinary” and describing it as a testament to the power of “faith, perseverance and the unwavering support of the people God has placed in my life.”
To view the hour long 2025 State of the College address in its entirety, visit the Adrian College TV channel on YouTube.
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LenaweeHeineman.
Original Article: https://www.lenconnect.com/story/news/education/2025/04/15/adrian-college-hosts-annual-state-of-the-college-address-april-4-2025/83080130007/
