When David Howell ‘82 reflects on his life journey — faith, career, family, friends — he finds a thread tying it all back to Geneva College. From a dairy farm in rural New York to a 40-year career in a global nuclear energy corporation, many of the guiding principles in his life were shaped during the pivotal time in his life as an undergraduate student at Geneva. Now as the vice-chair of the Geneva College Foundation’s Board of Directors, David is committed to wholeheartedly supporting the next generation through Geneva’s ministry of education. 

“This school is something special,” says David. “It works toward taking young people and turning them into adults who go out and spread the Gospel through not just preaching and teaching, but how they live their life, how they interact in business, how they work with people, raise their kids, and more.” 

Engineering was an interest from a young age for David. Growing up on a dairy farm, he was fascinated by the various machinery and farm equipment. Mechanical drawing courses in high school solidified this interest. He determined to find a Christian college offering a mechanical engineering degree within a four- or five-hour radius of his home in western New York. This led him to Geneva in 1978. 

One of his first formative moments in the classroom came from Professor Stanley Reyle, PhD, a mechanical engineering professor. He read from Genesis 1:28, “And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it...’” as a call for engineers to serve the Lord. It was the first time David understood that his affinity towards engineering was more than just an interest; he saw the joyful, God-given purpose in working to fill the earth and create betterment for humankind through engineering. “To really know that God has a purpose for engineers and people who create things to help in His creation plan was really impressive to me,” says David. As his vocational skills developed, so did David’s understanding of the sovereignty of God, particularly through an introduction to the reformed faith. 

Outside of his engineering courses, David initially struggled to find the same meaning in his liberal arts core courses, such as humanities, public speaking, and psychology. While he enjoyed architecture and history, he was less inclined towards literature and reading assignments. Looking back over his career, however, he’s found that he’s utilized the content and critical thinking skills learned from these courses heavily throughout the decades. 

“I use those classes and that foundation much more in my career than I did my engineering classes,” says David. “I was managing people in 13-14 countries with different cultures and different ways of life. The basics that I got at Geneva, including the Bible courses, really gave me the way to move forward in those different areas that I was responsible for. 

“You walk out of Geneva with the ability to think, with the ability to process, and the ability to interact with people in a way that helps further your shared objective. Many of the courses here at Geneva teach you how to think about things differently, realizing that you’re going to have to think out of the box and creatively to solve a problem.”     

After graduation, David began a career with Westinghouse. Once a broad industrial manufacturer, Westinghouse has become a global leader in clean commercial nuclear energy, supporting and designing a significant portion of the world’s operating plants. During his four-decade tenure, David advanced into senior leadership, ultimately serving as president of the operating plant services for the Americas region. He oversaw fuel production, major engineering and technology upgrades, and long-term plant operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.  

After his retirement from Westinghouse in 2021, David founded Howell Executive Solutions, providing coaching services for senior executives across various fields. While many leaders are trained in the financial and technical aspects of a business, David emphasizes the importance of servant leadership for senior management through ethical decision-making, care for people, and integrity.  

“Our behaviors and the way we interact with people are guided by the word of God — I think that's the first foundation that we all learn here at Geneva,” says David. “[To be a good coach,] you have to listen to people — listen to where they are and where they want to be and how you can help them get there. This is a key to your success as well as theirs, and it’s a key to the success of your organization." 

David shares his expertise and passion for servant leadership through his work with the Geneva College Foundation. It wasn’t until his 25-year class reunion at Geneva that he began to consider involvement with the College. “I started looking back at my life and realized that virtually everything good in my life — my wife, my career, many of my friends, my faith — I could trace back to Geneva. And that's really when it became obvious to me how important the mission of this College is. The four years here isn’t just to get a job — though you will probably get a good job — it's to prepare you for life, to think, to solve problems, to interact with your family, to become a leader in your church and other organizations. That mission is solid.” 

In his years of partnership with Geneva, David has noticed a continued and deepened commitment to Pro Christo et Patria as the College prepares students for lifelong service to God and neighbor. In particular, David emphasizes the faculty who work daily to keep Geneva on mission through excellence in academics and a commitment to this shared vision. He also credits Geneva’s leadership under President Calvin Troup, PhD who “leads by example” through his strong presence on campus and in the lives of the students, staff, and faculty. 

As an alumnus and board member, David is committed to preserving Geneva and its mission that transforms lives. As Geneva’s Advancing Faith and Learning capital campaign is in full swing, he underscores the importance of giving towards large-scale projects at the College that are not supported by regular operating expenses: increased endowment, the new Dwight E. Wagner Welcome Center, and now the revitalization of Old Main. 

“This is an opportunity for us to give back,” says David. “[Those in the wider Geneva community] know how important it is to prepare students with a Christian worldview in whatever vocation they choose. [Giving to this campaign] preserves this school to help future generations like it helped us.” 

From faith to vocation to personal relationships, Geneva has shaped every aspect of David’s life. And now he’s working towards ensuring future students receive these same opportunities — not just for careers, but for faith formation, worldview grounding, and character development.

To learn more about Geneva's Advancing Faith and Learning campaign and join the mission, visit genevacollegefoundation.org/forthis.

By Erika Kauffman '20