Mayor Michael T. Bivens, ’95, J.D. ’01 made history as Whitehall’s first African American mayor when he was elected in 2023. After graduating, Bivens became the managing partner of his own law firm and settled in Whitehall, Ohio. Driven by a commitment to improving the community where he and his family lived, he pursued roles in local government.
A proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served during Operation Desert Storm, Bivens earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Capital University’s School of Management in 1995. He later continued his education at Capital University Law School, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2001.
Elizabeth Caslin-Turner, M.A.Ed. ’18 is the founder of the nonprofit DNA Project, where she is committed to reshaping the mindsets of both children and educators. She also created the Five Labels Theory, which highlights the detrimental effects of labeling by educators on student success. Caslin-Turner brings her expertise to her work with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and contributes as a board member for Delta Phi Epsilon.
Caslin-Turner received her Bachelor of Arts in Educational Psychology in 2016 and a Master of Education in 2018 from Capital University. She went on to earn another Master of Education degree from the American College of Education in 2022 and is currently working toward a Doctor of Education.
Andrew Graham ’97 has built an impressive career as a musical director for some of the most iconic musicals, including Wicked, Avenue Q, and The Book of Mormon. His latest achievement is his work on the touring production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which has won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Graham graduated from Capital University’s Conservatory of Music with a degree in keyboard pedagogy and piano performance. He further honed his craft and expanded his network through the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop in New York.
Michael Hanck, M.Div. ’15 earned his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in 2015 and is currently serving as the pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio. In this role, he has focused on community care, particularly by helping individuals secure stable housing. His efforts include restoring and repairing homes, resolving evictions, and establishing a ministry that provides furniture to those in need.
Hanck also serves as a commissioner on the board of Lucas Metropolitan Housing and is actively involved in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He leads the Homeless and Poverty Justice Network and is a member of the Board of Vulnerable and Vital Congregations.
Brian Michael Murphy ’03 is an associate professor of American studies at Williams College and a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
His book, “We the Dead: Preserving Data at the End of the World,” won the Lois P. Rudnick Book Prize from the New England American Studies Association. Murphy’s writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Kenyon Review, Lapham’s Quarterly, Narrative, and in Italian translation in Ácoma, among others. A Fulbright Scholar, his work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Vermont Arts Council.