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The Wren Effect

A Legacy Being Replicated Across Generations

The Wren Effect is a phenomenon experienced firsthand by countless student-athletes over the past 30 years. It’s the impact that associate professor and former coach Kirk Wren had on them while at Ottawa University that is now rippling through their adult lives and careers to impact those they teach, coach, and serve.

Wren started at OU as an exercise science instructor and coached both men’s and women’s cross country and track and field for 22 of his 30 years. After leaving the track in 2018, he continued as associate professor of exercise science and sports leadership and currently serves as lead faculty for physical education. One of his greatest honors was a stint as co-athletic director with his mentor, the late Coach Andy Carrier. Wren was inducted into OU’s BAHOF in 2021.

The Wren Effect showed up early in his career as a recruiter and a coach.  “I went to 100 counties in Kansas to find those diamonds in the rough and recruit them,” he said. Beyond how fast they were or how far they could throw, Wren was looking for the athlete that had good character. “I recruited state champions, sure, but it was more important to have that student that showed up on time, worked hard, had a good attitude, respected his team, and made OU look good.”

The recruits soon learned that Wren was only looking for what he possessed himself and gave back to them twice over. Whether coaching them in the classroom or on the field, he gave them A+ material to help then become A+ individuals. He used his quirkiness to impart knowledge, provided unique travel opportunities, challenged their abilities and conceptions, and helped them through life’s ups and downs. Along with wife Annette and two sons Nathaniel and Jonathan, Wren supported the students every step of the way by sharing the family’s farm life, as well as feeding and housing them to give students a home away from home. All to make them better athletes and better people.

“Taking a kid who can’t perform to one who excels is addicting,” says Wren. And the student athletes exceled for one simple reason – the person was more important to Wren than the performance. Once the students knew that, they gave him everything they had.

The Wren Effect is now rippling through new generations of students and athletes across the country because of those Wren has impacted at OU.

Justin Garrard ‘09 is paying it forward as the executive director of Adam’s Camp in Colorado, where they “empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through transformative camp experiences.”

“Great coaches don't just develop athletes, they develop people,” shared Garrard. “I had the privilege of being coached by Coach Wren from 2005-09 into an All-American, then I coached alongside him from 2010-12. That led me to inspire many other young men and women at other coaching stops, including William Jewell College (’12-’15), University of Pennsylvania (’15-’16), Florida State University (’16-’18), and recently Valor Christian High School (’24-’26). Thanks to his passion, I am still pursuing the sport, having just fallen short of the 2024 Olympic Trials for the Marathon and starting my Master’s career next year.”

Not surprisingly, the Wren Effect has now created the Garrard Effect on youth like Griffin Mazesk, one of Garrard’s former athletes. “Coach Garrard is more like a father than a coach,” he intimated. “He goes far beyond the workouts and seeks to understand each person as a child of God. When I was going through a rough time, he instantly sensed my pain and took time out of his practice to walk with me. That type of dedication is innate. He has not only made me a better athlete, but a better man of God. When someone motivates you to change who you are, you know they are special.”

Jeo Mendez ‘15 is another who experienced the Wren Effect. He is the director of vocational services at Ascendigo Autism Services, a non-profit in Carbondale, Colorado. “Coach Wren is one of the top 2-3 most influential people in my life,” recognized Mendez. “He took a kid from Rifle, Colorado, who didn’t have a lot of good male role models, and was interested more in me than my running. He cared - that’s what stuck with me. He taught me to be a leader and how to build others up. I would run through a brick wall for Coach Wren.”

Mendez went on to teach elementary school in Rifle, Colorado, for a year and high school in California for a couple of years, producing an athlete who holds the 800-meter record and another who won a CIF championship. But it is in his current role that the Wren Effect has glaringly become the Mendez Effect. Upon leaving the program, staff member Liam M. wrote, “You have truly been an amazing mentor, boss, and model for professionalism and advocacy. Being able to reach the professional heights that I have is far more of a testament to your ability than to mine. I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now if not for your leadership and support.”

Even back in the 90’s, the Wren Effect was in full swing. “I was a father when I met Coach Wren,” said Robert Johnson ’98, “and I didn’t have a clue what that meant. Having a Coach who made sacrifices, held me accountable, encouraged me to work hard, and stood by my side through successes and failures gave me a sense of what my responsibilities as a parent should be.”

Which means that the Wren Effect began impacting the second generation of Johnsons while Robert was still at OU. Inspired by attending practices, daughter Clarissa went on to a decorated track and field and cross country career, both in high school and college, while son Dayvin earned all-conference recognition in baseball and was a starter throughout college. “The best part is that Coach Wren has been a huge supporter of my children throughout all the phases of their lives, even until this day,” said Johnson.

Johnson also served as Coach Wren’s assistant for nearly nine years. “Together we continued his legacy of giving student athletes unforgettable experiences and bringing out the best in them. I’d like to believe that I left a legacy of my own with those student athletes. Several are now coaches themselves.” The Johnson Effect. After graduating from OU, Johnson’s Effect continued when he joined the Johnson County (KS) Department of Corrections, where he currently serves as the Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator.

These are only three of many, many more who are better people today because of the Wren Effect on their lives. Perhaps their experiences can be summed up in the words of Janelle Bailey ‘12, who wrote Wren a note for Father’s Day.

“I just want to express how significant it was to have you as a coach for all of us college kids,” she shared. “We weren’t like a family per se, but you were in verity a paternal figure for many of us. You had true concern for our health and growth. You are an admirable man - your lifestyle, your energy, and your earnest manliness in running at your responsibilities.

Keep it up, Kirk Wren.”

Removing the Final Barrier

For one Ottawa University nursing student, the journey toward becoming a registered nurse had already required perseverance, determination and courage.

As a young mother, she had overcome significant personal challenges while working toward a future that would provide greater stability for herself and her family. Nursing represented more than a career. It was an opportunity to build a new life while pursuing a profession centered on caring for others.

She did the work. She completed her courses. She reached the point where becoming a registered nurse was finally within reach.

Then came one last obstacle.

Before she could move forward with the licensing process, there were still costs associated with obtaining her transcript, miscellaneous fees and taking the NCLEX—the examination required to become a registered nurse.

After the expense of completing her education, those final costs—just a few hundred dollars—were more than she could manage.

It was a relatively small financial gap. But for this student, it represented a very real barrier between completing her nursing education and beginning the career she had worked so hard to pursue.

That's when Ottawa University supporter Claudette Hamilton stepped in to help.

For Hamilton, the decision wasn't about the size of the need. It was about what existed on the other side of it.

“Thinking of someone who had a dream of becoming a nurse is a gift to the world,” Hamilton said. “We are so in need of many more nurses to care for all of us. I just felt honored to be able to be a small part in helping a very special person finish their dream.”

Her assistance helped cover those remaining expenses and allowed the student to move forward toward becoming a registered nurse.

But the impact of that help reaches far beyond an exam, a transcript or a few hundred dollars.

For a student who had already invested so much in creating a different future, removing that final financial barrier meant the opportunity to enter a profession with the potential to provide greater stability for her family. It meant putting years of education and perseverance to work. And it meant that the determination that carried her through difficult circumstances would not be stopped just short of the finish line because of an expense she couldn't afford.

It also meant another nurse could enter a profession where compassionate, qualified caregivers continue to be greatly needed.

Sometimes expanding opportunity begins with opening a door.

Other times, the door is already open. A student has done the work, overcome the obstacles and can see the future waiting on the other side.

She simply needs someone to help her take that final step.

For one Ottawa University nursing student, that's exactly what happened.

And for Claudette Hamilton, being able to play even a small part in helping someone finish her dream was opportunity enough.

Building a Pathway to Healthcare Careers

The path to a career in healthcare can begin long before a student enters nursing school, a physician assistant program or a hospital.

Sometimes it begins in a science lab. Sometimes it's sparked by meeting a healthcare professional, discovering a career a student hadn't considered or having the opportunity to experience that career firsthand.

Ottawa University is working to create more of those opportunities by strengthening health-science education on the Ottawa campus and building pathways that can lead students into healthcare careers and advanced programs.

That effort recently received important support through a 2026 grant from The Patterson Family Foundation. The funding is part of a larger University initiative combining grant support, donor investment and OU resources to strengthen health-science education and help address the need for healthcare professionals in rural communities.

That momentum is also being strengthened through the generosity of Don ('69) and Carolyn Creed. Longtime supporters of OU's STEM and health-science programs, the Creeds recently committed $1 million to support student scholarships, faculty development, curricular innovation, and investments in facilities and equipment. Their commitment builds upon previous major gifts that helped establish the Creed Family Greenhouse on the Ottawa campus and launch OU's prelicensure nursing and Physician Assistant programs in Overland Park.

On the Ottawa campus, OU has begun developing and redeveloping curriculum to strengthen pathways in areas such as biology, physiology, exercise science and other pre-health fields. The University is also investing in a new Anatomy/Physiology faculty position and creating stronger connections to OU's prelicensure nursing and Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies programs in Overland Park.

Students will also benefit from significant upgrades to Ottawa's science laboratories, which have not received a major equipment investment in more than 30 years. Planned additions include advanced learning technology such as an Anatomage table—a 3D virtual anatomy system already being used by students in OU's Physician Assistant program in Overland Park. Bringing this technology to the Ottawa campus will help students gain experience with tools they may encounter as they continue into advanced health-science programs and careers.

But the initiative reaches beyond classrooms and laboratories.

Patterson funding will also help create Health Science Days for middle- and high-school students from six surrounding counties, networking opportunities with healthcare professionals, and paid immersion and internship experiences that allow OU students to explore careers with rural healthcare providers.

OU is complementing those efforts with its own investments, including full-tuition health-science scholarships and faculty support. Together, these initiatives are designed to create a pathway—from discovering an interest in healthcare, to preparing in the classroom, to gaining real-world experience, and ultimately to entering a profession where graduates can make a difference.

For Ottawa University, realizing high academic ambitions isn't simply about adding programs or equipment.

It's about giving students the knowledge, experiences and opportunities to turn those ambitions into meaningful careers—and strengthening the communities they may one day serve.

This project is supported in part by a 2026 grant from The Patterson Family Foundation.

More Than a Scholarship

When Colby Johnson arrived at Ottawa University from El Dorado, Kansas, in 2017, he came with an opportunity to continue playing the game he loved.

A football scholarship brought him to OU, where he played for Coach Kent Kessinger while pursuing his degree. Colby also served as a resident assistant and received academic assistance, piecing together the resources that made it possible to remain in school and continue playing football.

Then, in 2020, Kessinger approached him about another scholarship opportunity.

The scholarship was made possible through the generosity of Val and Kim Finney. Val, an Ottawa University alumnus and member of the Braves Athletic Hall of Fame, and Kim have provided scholarship support to help OU student-athletes continue their education.

The University and its coaches determine which students receive the Finneys’ scholarship support, but Val and Kim have always valued the opportunity to meet the students being considered and get to know them personally.

For Colby, that introduction came over lunch in January 2020.

He expected to learn about a scholarship. Instead, he began a friendship.

“What I really got was not only financial support that allowed me to continue living my dream of playing college football,” Colby said, “but a relationship with two wonderful people who care so much about Ottawa and the people who go there.”

That distinction is important to the Finneys, too.

“We love having that connection with students while they're at Ottawa,” Kim said, “but it's even more special after they graduate and still want to stay in touch and share the important things happening in their lives with us.”

For Colby, that connection continued to grow. He introduced Val and Kim to his family and to the woman who was then his girlfriend and is now his wife. When the COVID-19 pandemic provided Colby with a fifth year of eligibility, the Finneys approved having the coaches’ desire to have the scholarship extended beyond its typical undergraduate term, allowing him to continue his education and his football career.

Colby graduated in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in sports studies and went on to earn a master's degree in elementary education in 2023. Today, he is entering his fourth year of teaching and fifth year of coaching football. He serves as head strength and conditioning coach at Shawnee Mission South High School and defensive coordinator for the school's football team.

And the relationship that began over lunch six years ago hasn't ended.

At Ottawa football games, Colby still knows where to find Val and Kim—sitting in their familiar spot near the scoreboard. They stay in touch, and Colby continues to share the milestones and successes of his life after OU with the couple who once helped make that future possible.

For the Finneys, those continuing relationships have become one of the most meaningful rewards of helping OU students.

“So many of the students we've helped have stayed in touch, checking on us to see how we're doing or asking if we need anything,” Val said. “That's very gratifying. My hope is that someday they'll pay it forward and do the same for someone else.”

Colby may already be proving that hope well founded.

“The Finneys have impacted my life more than they will ever know,” he said. “Their love, compassion and care for me and the other student-athletes they've helped over the years has not gone unnoticed. Their impact on Ottawa University is something I admire, and one day I would love to do something similar.”

What began as an opportunity to help a student-athlete afford his education became something that neither a scholarship agreement nor a dollar amount could fully measure.

It became a relationship.

And perhaps, someday, it will become an opportunity for Colby to do for another student what Val and Kim Finney once did for him.