Jonda Alumnus to receive Alumni Award at 2021 Homecoming

George Liston enrolled at Otterbein in the fall of 1948 as an art major with a minor in English. While at Otterbein, he also enlisted in the Naval Air Reserve during the Korean War. George graduated from Otterbein in 1952 and a year later married alumna Jane Devers. After his military service, George earned his master’s degree in education from Miami University of Ohio in 1958 and attended the London Business School. 

George went on to have a distinguished career as an art educator for nearly four decades. His dedication to his students and passion for his community were unmatched. In his own art classrooms, George made community service and outreach a priority. He partnered with several organizations, including Save the Children and Kettering Hospital, for class projects. Through these projects, he helped his students learn the power of art, the importance of giving back, and opened their eyes to others’ life experiences.  

One of George’s students said: “George was a dynamic art educator, making art come alive for his students. I remember making the decision to follow in his footsteps at that time. There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to spend the rest of my life sharing my love of art with others, just as George had shared his passion with his students.”  

George has influenced generations of art students and teachers. He has also served in several leadership roles, including president of the Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors, president of the Ohio Art Education Association, and chair of the Board of Directors for FirstDay Federal Credit Union. He has earned several awards, including the Ohio Art Education Association Art Educator of the Year, State of Ohio, Ohio Senate Accommodation Award as Chair, Kentucky Colonel, and Columbus College of Art and Design Honorary Art Educator Award.  

Throughout his illustrious career, George never lost sight of his connection to Otterbein and was always looking for ways to give back. He and his wife, Jane, were involved in the Dayton Otterbein Alumni Association and often attended the June Bug Jamboree. Around 2010, as chair emeritus of the Advisory Board of Lifelong Learning, George collected information from Sinclair Community College’s Lifelong Learning program, which was the impetus and model for Otterbein’s Lifelong Learning Community, which now has more than 200 participants each year.