Ohio Northern University held the H.S. Lehr Society annual dinner on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, honoring new Life Lehr Members and presenting two philanthropy awards.
Founded in 1974, the Lehr Society is a special group of donors who share a common interest in sustaining ONU and its students. Annual Lehr Society members make gifts of $1,000 or more each fiscal year and Life Lehr Members are households that have contributed $100,000 or more during their lifetimes.
New Life Lehr Members in attendance received special recognition: Dr. Karen Keyse Fields, BS ’78, and Paul Fields, JD ’80; L. Gayle Gmyrek; Jay Molter, BSBA ’81 and Teresa Molter, BSPh ’81; Sandra Burns Reid, BSBA ’86; and John W. Scharer, BS ’71, and Patricia Scharer.
ONU awarded its 2025 Outstanding Corporate Partner Award to the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC).
Founded in 1950, OFIC was created to support and strengthen Ohio’s private colleges and universities. Today, the organization includes 31 members and serves more than 77,000 students across the state.
OFIC exists to help institutions like Ohio Northern University thrive. For many years, OFIC has provided ONU with annual scholarship support, making it possible for countless students to achieve their dream of attending ONU.
ONU honored the contributions of Dan Walker, BSCE ’71, Hon.D. ’19, and Eileen Walker, BA ’72, by presenting the couple with its 2025 Outstanding Philanthropist Award.
The Walkers have shown unwavering devotion to their alma mater, generously sharing their time, talent, and treasure to make ONU a beacon of opportunity and excellence.
Their love story began on campus more than 50 years ago. Dan earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1971, and Eileen received a Bachelor of Arts in social work in 1972.
Dan spent his career at Kokosing, Inc., a construction and engineering firm that he helped grow into one of the largest contractors in the Midwest. Eileen, a social worker, served with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, helping to strengthen families and communities.
The Walkers served as key leaders on the Forward Together Campaign Steering Committee, helping to guide the University’s most successful fundraising campaign in history, which raised more than $112 million for scholarships, facilities, teaching and learning excellence, and the Northern Fund.
Dan lent his expertise as an inaugural member of the College of Engineering Advisory Board, where he served for many years. He also served with distinction on the Board of Trustees, including as Board Chair. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Engineering in 2017, and an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from ONU in 2019.
“The Walkers’ contributions to Ohio Northern are nothing short of extraordinary. Their impact will be felt for generations—enriching the experiences of students, faculty, and staff,” said ONU President Melissa J. Baumann, Ph.D.