Today's Update: Friday, August 18, 2023

August 18, 2023

Dear Student Life team,

Happy High Five Friday. 

We’re in the middle of Move-In (one more full day to go) with Welcome Week to follow. I’d love to thank everyone who helped get us ready in so many ways for this new academic year, but I realize that list would literally be every single person who works in Student Life. You have each had a role, and I am Scarlet and Grateful for everything each member of our entire team has done to get us to this point. So High Fives to everybody!  

If you’ve been through the Ohio Union lately, you’ve seen how the terrazzo flooring in the Great Hall looks brand new. High Fives to everyone involved with the total restoration, including Paul Wojdacz, Jai Jackson, Christopher Jones, Lorpu Dennis, Willis Knight, Jr, DJ Morgan, Tuyet Pham, Malichay Swensen, Cameron Ziegler, Genovesa Resendes, Sauren Hatch Graham, Marqkese Pannell, Otis Palmer, Hawta Saber, Cornelius Doe and Gary Deckard, as well as Bridget Hildreth and Lauren Meng for their support, and Colleen Lins and Ohio Union Operations student staff for multiple furniture moves throughout the summer in support of this and other projects. 

High Five to Mollie Workman for organizing a productive and engaging onsite visit for a representative from Handshake, the platform Ohio State uses for posting student employment, co-op and internship opportunities. This was the rep’s first visit to Ohio State and Columbus, and she shared that she’s “found a soft spot for Brutus, the ‘Shoe and those Ohio State Buckeyes.”  

You may have seen that Ohio State is partnering with the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH) to place NaloxBoxes on the Columbus campus. NaloxBoxes contain two doses of naloxone nasal spray, medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose, and instructions for use. Many of those boxes are in Student Life facilities, including a number of residence halls, rec centers, Younkin and the Ohio Union. High Fives to Mark Hoy (Facilities Operations), Kristen Hill (Buckeye Careers), Jeff Pelletier (Ohio Union), Pete Miller (Rec Sports) and Godfrey Ludaway (Rec Sports) and Darrell Thompson (Rec Sports) for assisting with the installation of the Naloxboxes in our facilities, and also to Stacey Renker for representing Student Life on the university-wide planning group.   

There was a house fire in the off-campus area earlier this week, and, as always, Student Life was there to support the students. High Five to Kim Pachell and the Scarlet and Great Student Advocacy team, and High Fives to Dilna Cama, Rachel DeMooy and Rochelle Toth of Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement, and Stacey Renker from Emergency and Risk Management, for running errands, replacing BuckIDs and making sure there was water, masks, laundry detergent, clean t-shirts and food. High Five as well to Zia Ahmed for Dining’s help making sure the students didn’t miss meals.   

Speaking of Zia Ahmed, High Five to the proud papa, whose son Zarek again secured a spot in TBDBITL, and even moved up a spot.   

High Five to Smith-Steeb Hall director Michaela Pullen-Kellogg for doing interviews with every TV station in Columbus about Move-In. 

And speaking of TV stars, High Five to Ohio State Lima’s Justin Courtney for being interviewed on WLIO-TV Lima about the Give Back Go Forward program there.  

Have a Scarlet and Great weekend!  

 

Melissa S. Shivers, PhD 

Senior Vice President for Student Life 
The Ohio State University