Adrian College has more than 1,200 visitors on campus for Sneak Peek Day
Posted Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Author: Mickey Alvarado
Adrian College welcomed more than 1,200 students and family members to campus Friday, July 10, for its annual Sneak Peek Day, where visitors learned about student life, explored residence halls and connected with various departments ahead of the fall semester, which begins Aug. 24.
During the day, 412 incoming students from an expected class of 600 received their fall class schedules and had the opportunity to meet their new roommates, faculty and staff. Visitors also toured the athletic facilities, the Arrington Bookstore, Ritchie Marketplace and the freshman quad.
Frank Hribar, Adrian College Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs, addressed the visitors during two welcome sessions and told them that Sneak Peek Day was intended to give them a first look at what their college years will involve.
Hribar said most people think Sneak Peek Day is just another pre-enrollment admissions event, but that’s not how he sees it.
“I believe today really is the first day of your future as an Adrian College Bulldog, students,” Hribar said. “Imagine we’ve given you a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. What’s the first thing you do after placing all those pieces on the table in front of you?”
Someone from the audience shouted, “Find the edges, the corners.” Another suggested grouping and coordinating the colors.
“Psychologists have studied this and suggest the very first thing everyone does is look at the picture on the box,” Hribar said. “Looking at the picture gives you a sense of what you’re building and where you’re going. In many ways, college is very much like that. You begin with the end in mind. We ask you to think about Sneak Peek Day 2026 as the picture on the box.”
Hribar encouraged students not only to observe but also to participate, ask questions, meet faculty and introduce themselves to someone they don’t know.
“Imagine yourself living here because today isn’t about looking at Adrian College; today is about beginning your Adrian College story,” Hribar said.
Isaiah Hayward, of Toledo, Ohio, chose Adrian College to study construction management and play wide receiver on the football team.
“It’s close, and they made it feel like family, like home,” Hayward said of his decision.
Allie Root and Luke Bishop were members of the track team at Dundee High School, and both decided to join the Bulldogs. Root plans to study interior design, while Bishop plans to study secondary education.
“I like the environment,” Root said.
“I just like it around here,” Bishop said. “It’s a good place to be.”
Mattea Bingaman, of Mendon, said she was recruited by the Bulldogs softball team. She plans to major in psychology.
“The town is pretty, but the campus is beautiful,” Bingaman said, adding that she is excited to join the softball team.
Amelie Werman, of Garden City, chose Adrian College to study biology and play on the volleyball team. She said what really drew her to Adrian College was the beauty of the campus.
“Even the drive here was really gorgeous,” Werman said. “The environment seemed amazing. I met a lot of really good people, including the volleyball coaching staff and the girls on the team. I just really like the people there, and I felt like this is somewhere I can see myself fitting in.”
Dustin Krasny, a former Adrian College Board of Trustees member, Lenawee County Commissioner and District Director of Operations for U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, was invited to share some thoughts with students during the welcome sessions.
“The first is this,” Krasny said. “Leadership begins long before you have a title. Too often, people think leadership starts when you’re elected president of an organization, named captain of a team or hired as a manager. But real leadership doesn’t begin with a title. It begins with your choices. Leadership is showing up when it’s easier to stay home. It’s treating others with respect when no one is watching. It’s taking responsibility when things don’t go your way. It’s helping a classmate succeed, volunteering for a difficult assignment, asking thoughtful questions and having the courage to do what’s right even when it’s unpopular. Titles may recognize leadership, but they don’t create it. Character creates leadership.”
His second point was: “Opportunities belong to those who show up prepared.”
Krasny said those opportunities don’t always come with advance notice.
“Success often comes down to preparation meeting opportunity,” he said. “The student who has done the reading gets asked to help with research. The student who consistently shows up earns the recommendation. The student who volunteers gains the experience that becomes the first job offer.”
Krasny's third point was to remember they are joining a community with a remarkable legacy.
“Every one of you now is part of the Adrian College family, a network of graduates making a difference every day across Michigan and throughout the country,” Krasny said, adding that Adrian College alumni are leading businesses, educating future generations, serving in health care, protecting communities, practicing law, innovating in technology, coaching athletes, serving in public service and strengthening nonprofit organizations.
“One day, sometime in the future, another incoming class will sit right where you are today,” Krasny said. “They’ll hear stories about Adrian College graduates making an impact. The question is: What story will they tell about you? Will they say you made your campus better than you found it? That you lifted others up? That you pursued excellence? That you led with humility? That you used your education to make a meaningful difference? Your story begins today.”
Krasny said he expects students will earn a degree in the next four years but hopes they will leave with much more.
“I hope you leave with confidence built through challenge,” Krasny said. “I hope you leave with friendships that last a lifetime. I hope you leave with the courage to lead before anyone asks you to. I hope you leave understanding that your greatest success will never be measured solely by what you achieve for yourself but by the positive impact you have on others. Welcome to Adrian College. Lead before you’re asked. Prepare before opportunity arrives and never underestimate the difference one Bulldog can make in this community, across our nation and wherever life takes you. Congratulations. Welcome, and go Bulldogs!”
Scott Westfall, an Adrian College sport management professor and successful business owner, also spoke during the welcome sessions.
Westfall said that, to be the best they can possibly be, students need to step out of their comfort zones.
“I’ve always loved the quote that growth begins where your comfort zone ends, and I think that’s true,” Westfall said. “So, what does that mean? That means maybe not living in this world quite so much. Putting those things down, extending your hand, introducing yourself first, asking questions, get out in the community, become part of something bigger than yourself. I really do encourage you all to do that.”
The final speaker, Andrea Milner, Adrian College Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, encouraged students to take time during the day to meet faculty members, who had set up stations on the Mall.
“These faculty are experts in their fields,” Milner said. “They’re highly credentialed, highly experienced and their goal is to share their knowledge with you and put you on the path to success.”
Milner told the students Adrian College’s motto is “No victory without work” and the institution’s Ribbons of Excellence program supports that belief.
“Through your academic journey here, you will have the opportunity, through those Ribbons of Excellence, to care for humanity and our world, develop a desire for lifelong learning, evolve your critical thinking skills, cross boundaries and disciplines and develop creatively,” Milner said. “So again, students, welcome. We look forward to supporting you through your next four years at Adrian College.”
For more information about Adrian College’s academic programs or to register for a campus visit, go online to adrian.edu.
