Alumni Board
Meet Your Alumni Board
Our alumni board is working hard to make sure you remain a part of OKWU’s vibrant community for years to come. Reconnect with the OKWU family today.
Janell Westveer, President
Janell (Brannon) Westveer is a 1987 graduate of OKWU, currently enjoying a semi-employed lifestyle since moving to Bartlesville three years ago with her husband Tim. Professionally, she worked in higher education for 15 years, primarily in workforce development training. Her last job was with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry developing competency-based training programs.
Tim and Janell have been married for 30 years and have two children.
Eric Mills, Vice-President/President-Elect
Eric Mills (Class of ’92) serves as the President of Faces With Names International, a ministry designed to help orphans and widows move beyond a life of survival, and thrive, to fulfill their God given purpose. Eric also serves as the US Pastoral Director for Orphan Sunday & Stand Sunday with the Christian Alliance for Orphans.
Eric holds his Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and is an ordained pastor in The Wesleyan Church. His previous experience at OKWU includes serving in the Enrollment Services Office, Coaching the Men’s Soccer Team, and serving as an Adjunct Professor.
Eric is thankful for the foundation OKWU set as a student athlete to prepare him for almost 30 years in ministry. Eric loves OKWU and is an avid follower and supporter of OKWU sports.
Eric and his wife Susan are adoptive parents and reside with their three children in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Sandra Kent, Past President
Sandra (Sandy) Kent is a 1992 graduate of OKWU and is honored to serve the OKWU Alumni Association as Alumni President.
Sandy holds a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University and has been in education for over twenty-eight years. She was an elementary education teacher for eight years, a principal for fourteen and a half years, and has been the Executive Director of Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma since 2014. One of her most noted achievements was being awards the 2008 Oklahoma National Distinguished Principal of the Year.
She and her husband, Thad, a 1992 OKWU grad, have lived in Bartlesville for 28 years. They have lived in Bartlesville for the past twenty-eight years, where they have been actively involved in the community including membership at Bartlesville First Wesleyan Church.
Andrea Novak, Member at Large
Andrea Novak graduated from Bartlesville Wesleyan College in 1993 with a degree in Management of Human Resources. She went on to work at Arvest Bank for 45 years, retiring in April 2019.
She and her husband, Dan, live in Bartlesville.
Jeremy Little, Member at Large
Jeremy graduated from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 2002 with a degree in Pastoral and Youth Ministries and married Melissa, also a graduate of OKWU, that same year. Jeremy served full time in youth ministry in various churches for 12 years before they moved back to Bartlesville in 2013. Jeremy currently serves as one of the Worship Pastors at First Wesleyan Church in Bartlesville as well as a full time photographer for the Patriot Auto Group. Jeremy and Melissa have 2 children, Caleb (2007) and Olivia (2012).
Leeann Little, Alumni Relations
Leeann Little obtained her B.S. degree in Business Administration from OKWU. She currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the President, Jim Dunn.
Her previous experience at OKWU includes serving as the Director of Financial Aid and as an Enrollment Services Counselor. Her prior experience with alumni includes serving on the OKWU Alumni Association Board from 2004 to 2010. After completing her term, she was awarded the Alumnae of the Year Award in 2010. She has also served as a Retirement Distributions Manager at Fidelity Investment in Las Colinas, Texas, as Director of Operations/Human Resources at World Hope International in Alexandria, Virginia, and as Director of Missions and Outreach at New Life Church in LaPlata, Maryland.
Charissa Dunn, Alumni Relations
Charissa Dunn (class of ’82) retired from the position of Director of Alumni Relations and Grant Writing in 2023, after stepping down as Assistant Professor of Education at OKWU in 2020.
She counts it an honor to have instructed students at the junior high school and high school levels for 12 years and at OKWU for 26 years. While a member of OKWU’s teacher preparation program, she was thankful for God’s direction as she supervised more than 350 student teachers throughout the years. Prior to teaching, Dunn was on staff at BWC for six years, serving as administrative assistant to the Dean of Students, Athletic Director, and Financial Aid Director.
Aaron Bunker, Alumni Director
Aaron Bunker, a 2007 graduate, returned to Oklahoma Wesleyan University in June 2012 and has since taken on various roles focused on student development and engagement.
In 2024, he added Alumni Director to his OKWU resume. Bunker also serves as the Director of PATH Development, leading a team that assists students in navigating college life. With his extensive experience, Bunker is committed to fostering strong relationships with alumni and supporting their continued success. OKWU alumni can look forward to a fresh take on alumni engagement.
