Students whose lives have been disrupted by war continue their education in the Dayton area

Kettering College, a health care college affiliated with Kettering Health, is admitting up to 50 students from Ukraine this academic year. Our sponsoring church created an “Education Emergency Plan” in March 2022 as the Russian invasion began in Ukraine and asked Adventist colleges and universities in North America how they could help support students.

As the president of the college, I felt compelled to assist these students whose educational pursuits were abruptly halted by war. I began to ask colleagues here and throughout Kettering Health for their input on this proposal because we do things here as a family. I wanted to make sure our entire organization and our community together could wrap our arms around a plan and these students whose lives were torn apart by this war.

Every email response I received from colleagues was in full agreement to pursue this endeavor. I was transparent that I did not have all the answers about how we would support Ukrainian students, but they agreed we should act on faith. In the words of our namesake, Charles F. Kettering, “Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.” With these words as our guide, we began. 

Bringing international students to Kettering College is not a new process; however, bringing them from a war zone was certainly unchartered territory. Students were coming from a country where official transcripts from closed schools were now difficult to obtain and unable to be translated since vital Ukrainian offices have been closed.

Nearly every international enrollment process had to be altered because of roadblocks. Ukrainian men were not allowed to leave their country, unless they were students, so border patrol needed more documentation that these students should be granted permission to leave their country. They couldn’t even travel to embassy interviews without approval from their commanding officers! Students were not able to be tested in English in their country because the centers were shut down, so they had to travel to other countries to complete that.

Each day presented new obstacles to the students and our team who was trying to bring them here. There was no roadmap—just a goal and a joint willingness to make it happen. I am thrilled that nearly 30 students have arrived this semester, and up to 20 more will be arriving this winter.

The Ukrainian students’ grit, determination and gratitude are truly astounding. The students who are more proficient in English translate to the ones who are still strengthening their skills to ensure no one is left behind. Professors and peers have rallied around them to surround them in support and friendship. They are residing in our residence hall and have social events each week to help learn about our culture and to share theirs with us. It is a blessing to have them with us and to watch them succeed in a safe environment and to report back home to their families this assurance. 

I said yes to lead this charge, and I am grateful our campus and Kettering Health leadership has followed. We understand the power of serving others and saying yes in faith, even when the answers are not clear. As we provide education and hope to the students, they, in turn, will teach us in countless ways in the coming years.

Nate Brandstater, PhD, serves as president at Kettering College, a faith-based health care college in Kettering. His administrative experiences guide his efforts to help develop students, faculty and staff. He has an A.B. in Chemistry from Occidental College, an MBA from La Sierra University, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UCLA.