AUGUST 11 MEDIA RELEASE — Megan Bowsher, MSW, LISW, clinical psychotherapist at Creative Hope Counseling in Bluffton, Ohio, will speak on the topic "Imperfect, Unfinished, and Brave: The Courage to Become Your Real Self" during Bluffton University's Opening Convocation at 10:45 a.m. on August 19 in Yoder Recital Hall.

During the event, Bowsher will invite Bluffton's incoming class to embrace imperfection, face discomfort with courage, and uncover their truest selves.

During the ceremony, faculty wearing academic regalia will welcome first-year and transfer students. The name of each new student will be called with professors presenting honor covenants signed by each student signifying their commitment to Bluffton's honor code.

"Forum is a tool for engaging students as a community of learners in broader topics that lead them to discovering more about themselves and the Bluffton community," said Dr. Gayle Trollinger, interim vice president and dean of academic affairs. This theme is especially timely these days as we seek to find ways to follow the gospel's mandate that we care for each other."

The event will kick-off Bluffton's 2025-26 Civic Engagement Theme "Who is my neighbor? Knowing, loving, and serving our neighbors." Throughout the year, Bluffton's students, faculty and staff will draw on the Civic Engagement Theme to develop a deeper understanding of how we can "break down barriers to knowing and loving our neighbors as an avenue to build stronger connections to one another and ultimately a stronger civic bond."

This event marks the beginning of the academic year and is free and open to the public. Forum at Bluffton University provides a public space for interdisciplinary discovery about the personal, local, and global challenges faced by students, faculty, staff and the Bluffton community.