Trine honors alumni at Touchstone

Trine University honored two distinguished graduates with alumni awards during its annual Touchstone and Homecoming Celebration Dinner on Friday, Oct. 2.

The event was held in the Keith E. Busse/Steel Dynamics Inc. Athletic and Recreation Center.

Kody Kumfer, a 2012 accounting and business management graduate, received the Distinguished Service Alumni Award, given each year to an alumnus or alumna who has performed outstanding service to society in his or her profession, personal achievement or community.

Clare Moricz née Danner, who earned a communication and English degree in 2019 and a Master of Business Administration in 2021, was honored as the Outstanding Young Alumna. That award is presented to an alumnus or alumna who is 40 years of age or younger and whom the Alumni Board and administration recognize as an accomplished professional and role model in their chosen career, community activism and active support of Trine University.

Kody Kumfer

After graduating, Kumfer went on to a successful banking career, eventually specializing in agribusiness banking, where his goal was to help provide opportunities for farmers to grow and expand their operations.

In 2021 he joined Forgotten Children Worldwide (FCW), a nonprofit organization focused on protecting and empowering vulnerable children around the world through strategic sponsorship, clothing distribution, self-sustaining initiatives, orphan home construction and other life-improving projects, as associate executive director. Kumfer had served on the organization’s Board of Directors since 2018.

On Jan. 1 of this year, Kumfer became CEO and executive director of FCW, replacing founder Matt Hartsell, who fully retired in March. In this role, Kumfer leads and organizes all the organization’s activities.

In addition to his work with FCW, Kumfer serves on the boards of the Wells County Chamber of Commerce, Wells County Foundation, Norwell Agriculture, Lifewise Academy and Youth for Christ. He is president of the Ossian Revitalization Committee.

In honor of the work Kumfer does with FCW and in the community, he was named Wells County Citizen of the Year in 2022. In accepting the award, he challenged everyone to do their part to help those in poverty.

Clare Moricz née Danner

Moricz served at Trine University for more than five years after finishing her bachelor’s degree. As director of student leadership, she served more than 3,000 families as she coordinated in-person and virtual spring and summer orientation and registration events.

She developed a formal recruitment process among Trine’s five sororities, allowing more than 200 women to join Greek life over the course of four years. She supported the members and activities of 75 student organizations and served as staff advisor and university liaison for Student Government, the College Panhellenic Association, National Society of Leadership and Success and Delight Women’s Ministries.

As director of alumni relations, Moricz grew the alumni board and oversaw record attendance at multiple events, including Homecoming & Family Weekend, Trine Night at the Detroit Pistons and the Summer Baseball Series. She served as tournament director for four alumni golf outings that raised from than $260,000 for student scholarships. She also sent nearly 200 onesies and bibs to celebrate alumni babies.

Today she serves as assistant director of research and donor relations at Marian University in Indianapolis.