Ken Sternad ’77 knows a thing or two about the OWU legacy. Throughout his upbringing, the core values of Ohio Wesleyan were instilled in him by his father, George Sternad ’48. George was an ardent supporter of Ohio Wesleyan, who “bled purple for Fiji and red and black for OWU.” Still, Ken didn’t expect to attend Ohio Wesleyan because “it was the 1970s and you tried not to do anything your parents wanted you to.” But George requested he at least visit the campus and once Ken experienced “the students, life on campus, the involvement,” he committed to attend Ohio Wesleyan, to be followed two years later by his younger sister, Allyson “Pookie” Sternad Hotz ’79.
Like his father, Ken joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and found it an important place for learning, growth, and social activities. There were numerous responsibilities that accompanied being a member of the fraternity, including expectations for grades, assigned jobs in the house, community involvement and showing respect for the house mother. The expectations of membership in the fraternity pushed Ken and his Fiji brothers to work harder. “The secret to success in life, and what I have told my own children, is to friend up, to be around people who make you better. That’s exactly what happened to me in the Fiji house.” The lifetime friendships cultivated in the Fiji house continue to this day, including through an annual golf outing with Ken and other Fiji brothers.
From an academic perspective, Ken’s time spent in the Journalism Department at Ohio Wesleyan was formative. Journalism professor Verne Edwards was “one of the five most meaningful men in my life.” Verne encouraged all of his students to pursue a journalism experience over the summer, “almost a precursor to the OWU Connection today.” Verne also encouraged Journalism majors to pursue another academic interest or major to give them a greater perspective on their careers. For Ken, this led to a double major in Journalism and Politics and Government, with a minor in Economics, a foundation which served him well throughout his career. “I learned to write crisply, succinctly and communicate from the first sentence.”
When asked about advice he’d give to first-year OWU students, Ken encourages a focus on education, while keeping a balance to enjoy their time in college. “You can’t have one without the other.” Ken’s own second term at OWU was not his strongest “because I wasn’t balancing things.” He also encourages OWU students to get involved on campus. “Take advantage of the things the university has to offer. Don’t just sit in your room, get involved in sports, music, Greek life, there’s just so much to offer.” Ken would also meet his future wife at Ohio Wesleyan, Judy White Sternad ’77, and they have now been married for more than 44 years.
When he reflects back on his time at Ohio Wesleyan and his involvement with the university since, Ken feels the importance of leaving the university in a better place than you found it. Ken’s involvement as an alum began as soon as he graduated, helping with recruiting prospective students to his leadership on the OWU Board of Trustees today. “When you’re young you’re focused on your career. Starting a family, buying a house, you may not have the resources to contribute to the university in a meaningful way. One way you could make your mark is by making an estate commitment. It was a great way for me to make a meaningful gesture to OWU even though I couldn’t do it at that time with a checkbook.”
From his vantage point on the Board, Ken appreciates the role unrestricted giving can play in allowing the university to adapt to evolving priorities. “It’s become very clear the university needs to be flexible, since conditions change and things change we’ve got to be able to pivot and address market conditions.” Ken and Judy have taken this to heart in their own giving, both annually and through their estate commitment. “We make commitments to immediate priorities, such as the Residential Renewal and the Slocum Hall renovation, but fully half of my giving is unrestricted.” This extends to their estate giving, which will be split between the Sternad Family Scholarship and the University’s greatest priorities at the time. In this way, Ken has ensured that the values passed down to him will continue into the future of Ohio Wesleyan.