Adrian College Sneak Peek Day draws more than 1,100 visitors
Posted Friday, July 18, 2025
Author: Mickey Alvarado
Adrian College welcomed more than 1,100 students and family members to campus on Friday, July 11, for its annual Sneak Peek Day. Visitors explored residence halls, learned about student life and connected with various departments ahead of the fall semester, which begins August 25.
During the day, incoming students obtained fall class schedules and had the opportunity to meet their new roommates. Visitors were able to check out the athletic facilities, the Arrington Bookstore, Ritchie Marketplace and tour the freshman quad and new additions to campus.
The College scheduled two welcome sessions in the morning because of the large number of visitors. Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking spoke to both sessions about aspiring for excellence during their undergraduate years.
Docking began by telling the students he understood what they were going through as they transition from high school to college.
“Students, this is exciting and frightening all at the same time,” he said. “We get it. You’re going through a lot of different emotions. There is so much coming at you right now, so I’m just going to simplify this and talk to you about one single word — excellence. When you arrived on campus today, we hope that you looked around and said, ‘This is excellent, look at these beautiful flowers, look at this perfectly edged grass, look at that science building!’ We hope the way that you’re treated today is excellent.”
He told the students that the environment of excellence at Adrian College wasn’t created as an end in itself.
“We do it because we want you to be surrounded by excellence, because you are at a time in your life where you have some really important choices to make,” Docking said. “And you can decide to be excellent. This is the perfect time to do it. You are going from being a kid to a young adult. This can be a great transition point in your life if you take the time to reflect and say, ‘I want to take that next step. I want to up my game. I want to be excellent.’”
He told the new students they should be proud of themselves for going to college and giving themselves the opportunity to stand out in a job market increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI). Docking noted that some CEOs are predicting that AI will eliminate half of all white-collar jobs in the U.S. over the next several years.
“How can you not be part of the fifty percent of employees lost to AI?” Docking said. “You know what the answer is? Be excellent. If you’re excellent, you’ll be just fine. Those who strive for excellence will always have a job, a great life, and command a great salary one day. Those are the kind of leaders we like to produce at Adrian College.”
Jim Mayzes knows a bit about excellence. He graduated from Adrian College in 1981 and went on to be a head football coach for 25 years at Southview High School in Sylvania, Ohio, where he led the Cougars to a state football championship. Southview named its new turf football field in his honor last year.
His son, Will, decided to follow in his father’s footsteps because of the culture at Adrian College. He will major in education and join the Bulldogs football team.
“I came here because of the relationships I’ve built with the coaches and the history my family has with Adrian College,” Will said. “Coach [Joe] Palka and his assistants really care about the game. That’s why I’m here.”
Jim said he didn’t push Will toward Adrian College and let him decide on his own.
“Will had some other opportunities,” Jim said. “But coach Palka and his assistants had a good deal to do with his decision. They are the kind of great people he wants to be around.”
Elizabeth Sliman of Imlay City, Michigan, decided to see if Adrian College would be a good fit for her after being told Siena Heights University was closing as she entered her sophomore year.
“They are really working with Siena Heights to try to ensure that the financial stability is there, which is a big thing for me,” Sliman said. “And I’ve heard the biology program here is really great.”
She said another reason she was interested in going to Adrian College was that Siena Heights’ marching band director had recently moved there.
“Dan [Kesterke] is also a big reason I’m considering Adrian College,” she said. “I really enjoy him. I think he really cares about his students.”
Adrian College’s interior design program brought Addi Carr to campus from Port Huron, while Richmond, Michigan, native Cooper Honold said he came to Adrian to wrestle and study athletic training. His main reason was Adrian College’s relatively small size.
Benjamin Tufts of Swanton, Ohio was looking for a college with a strong engineering program and a solid football team. During his visit, he was most impressed with the campus.
“It’s just a gorgeous campus,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”
His father, Kevin, said he was pleased with his son’s decision to attend Adrian College.
“The culture seems like a great fit for my son,” he said.
His mom, Renee, was happy with how things turned out as well.
“Everything happened the way it should have,” she said. “This is absolutely where he needs to be. From start to finish, it feels like family here.”
Erin Stoll’s father, Tom, said Adrian College’s high rankings and reputation had him feeling good about his daughter’s decision to study teacher education there. She’s coming from Hillsdale, Michigan.
Eric Bush, a Perrysburg High School graduate, came to Adrian College because of its education program, and to earn a defensive tackle starting position on the football team.
A trio of soccer teammates decided to stay together and compete for the Bulldogs soccer program. Victoria Siegan of Troy, Charlotte Pouget of New Baltimore, and Mya Giffin of Madison Heights said they came to Adrian because of its small, close-knit community.
Frank Hribar, Adrian College’s vice president for enrollment and student affairs, said attendance exceeded expectations.
“We welcomed more than 450 of our anticipated 600 new students and their families to campus,” Hribar said. “There’s nothing better than seeing the excitement on the faces of students as they explore their future home.”
Adrian College faculty and staff were available throughout the day to answer questions and help students prepare for the fall semester, which begins with Welcome Weekend on Friday, Aug. 22.
“At its core, Sneak Peek Day is designed to foster relationships and help students feel at home,” Hribar said. “Our hope is that each student leaves campus feeling excited and equipped for the year ahead, with a clear sense of the opportunities, support and growth that Adrian College provides.”
For more information about what Adrian College has to offer, or to register for a campus visit, go online to adrian.edu.
