Today's Update: Friday, April 5, 2024
April 5, 2024
Dear Student Life team,
Happy High Five Friday!
As I mentioned in an Update on Wednesday, this is Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. We’re grateful to our GTA’s, so High Fives to all of them, including Abby Bruner, Abby Huffman, Akasia Gazal, Akua Nelson, Alexis Belcher, Aminat Jubril, Ana Garcia Escalante, Ariel Burns, Austin Borreson, Avery Ruff, Becca Ross, Gbemi Adeduro, Ben Helms, Cameron Aloway, Cat Singerman, Chan Jones, Colin Wright, Collin Mailhot, Connor Vezina, Daniel Jimenez, Deja Rice, Diana Parks, Elise Nelson, Emily Janssen, Faith Nelson, Fatimah Masood, Hareem Ali, Heather Daly, Holland Cavanaugh, Ife Akinshilo, Ildico Osei Twerefour, Jacob Arnold, Jacob Glorioso, Jennifer Watley, Jesse Fernandez, Jessica Drown, Jillian Wood, Joan Beetstra, Jorge E. Clavo Abbass, Katie Conner, Keagan Brown, Kolby Carothers, Kyndal Fenn, Lauren Pierce, Liz Westrick, Luke Anderson, Madison Harris, Meredith Hilke, Michaela Dengg, Mickey Lin, Nichole Schiff, Quantazia Merchant, Rachel Rayburn, Ronnie Burris, Sam Stephens, Sierra Downing, Sohan Daniel, Taylor Fieldman, Tomas Guzman, Tony Spencer, Warren Lor, Will McIntyre, Xavier Deloatch and Yurie Sarver.
We should call this month Appreciation April because next week is Student Employee Appreciation Week! I won’t include all 4,500 here, but I am truly Scarlet and Grateful for ALL they do to make our organization stronger. Please be sure to tell all the student employees you know (and even those you don’t!) how very much they are appreciated.
ACUI (the Association of College Unions International) held their annual conference in Denver last week. High Fives to Jeff Pelletier, Julia Skrabak, Julie Wagner, Colleen Lins and Sara Keefe for representing Ohio State along with five Ohio Union student employees!
High Five to our Rec Sports team for being honored as the University Partner of the Year by LiFEsports.
The Housing and Residence Education Student Involvement and Leadership Committee led a celebration of our Community Councils and Involved Living Organizations at the 2024 Residential Leadership Awards ceremony earlier this week, recognizing student leaders in our residential communities. High Fives to those who helped plan the event: Dani Rodriguez Pacheco, Alexandria Davis, Jessica Drown, Ariel Burns, Sierra Downing, Hareem Ali, Sara Cohen, Sara Cassady and Leah Wheeler.
Student Conduct’s Kirby Bell and Abby Richard spent a recent Friday with high school students in Dublin talking about the Code of Student Conduct and what to expect when they come to college. High Fives to Kirby and Abby for meeting with six different groups of students and having a great day connecting with many potential new Buckeyes.
High Five to Kelly Kyser for the opening of the new location of “The Gathering Place” in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Wooster Student Life offices. It includes a kitchen and lounge, and is already quite popular with students.
Finally, you just can’t make this stuff up! High Five to the Student Life Risk and Emergency Management team for helping to deal with a dragon. You read that correctly. Colleagues on the Marion campus asked about how to handle a bearded dragon that was to make an appearance at an admissions event. Naturally, our team had the answers and quickly provided a multi-bulleted list of pro tips. Curious yourself? If you are ever in that situation, (1) prevent others from handling the dragon, but if that isn’t possible, have hand sanitizer available, (2) Develop an “escape plan” in advance and (3) avoid placing your bearded dragon table next to other animals or tasty food. Now you know!
Have a Scarlet and Great weekend!
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University