Today's Update: Friday, February 24, 2023

February 24, 2023

Dear Student Life team, 

I want to start with High Fives to Angie Wellman and Dr. Tanisha Jenkins for putting on a remarkable Belonging and Inclusion Summit this week. High Five to you, too, if you attended any of the sessions. 

High Five to Ohio State alum and friend of Student Life Keith B. Key. Ohio State’s Board of Trustees voted and approved Keith for an honorary doctorate of public service to be awarded during the spring commencement ceremony.

There was a technical issue in the Esports Arena in Lincoln Tower recently. High Fives to Mark Arthur, Keith Lewie, John Link, Timothy Marshfield, Domonique Dunn and John Price for successfully resolving it. 

High Five to the staff from Facilities Operations and BuckID who helped with an issue with an open door at the Ohio Union in the wee hours of Friday night/Saturday morning, and subsequent repairs: Josh Bodnar, Nate Bidwell, Matthew Wells, Eddie Nott, Dan Laffey, Paul Wojdacz, Clint Daugherty and Adrienne Gladish.

It was such an honor to be able to attend the Sphinx and Mortar Board faculty and staff recognition ceremony earlier this week. High Fives to all the honorees including Student Life team members Brooke Olson, Julius Mayo, Cristina Vega, Tonya Dawson, Michelle Miranda, Eric Jaburek and Kathy Krajnak.

High Five to Risk and Emergency Management Security Systems Technician Zach Redecker who recently created and implemented an innovative and inexpensive way to solve a frustrating problem at Traditions at Scott.  The solution will allow for the space to have the desired security elements and allow for staff to maintain efficient access to the items needed.

The annual Leadership Awards will be handed out April 14. High Fives to everyone who helped judge the nominees, including Matthew Altendorf, Janele Bayless, Aliya Beavers, Diane Boghrat, Erica Brown, Dilna Cama, Ariana Camel, Catie Casapao, Matt Couch, Teri Cugliari, Xavier De Freitas, Yvonne Dulaney, Aisha Echols, Chrisse Edmunds, Danny Glassmann, Brendan Greisberger, Hunter Hartwig, Tierra Heath, Ben Helms, Lucy Hennon, Ahmed Hosni, Abby Huffman, Taylor Koon, Austin Lensch, Jaylen Lindsey, Wes Lindsey, Ryan Lovell, James MacGregor, Erin McAlhaney, Kala McClure, Jayden Messer, Ava Miller, Grace Momenee, Rachel Moreland, Brad Myers, Don Stenta, Elise Nelson, Brooke Olson, Jen Pelletier, Roger Perkey, Tom Reeves, Kristen Rupert Davis, Eric Schutter, Elijah Sigler, Cat Singerman, Julia Skrabak, Cassie Smith, Nikki Tacsar, Nancy Thompson, Kellie Uhrig, Shay Valley, Anna Wagner, Mercedes Wallace, Victoria Weaver, Leah Wheeler, Madison Woods and Colin Wright. And a bonus High Five to Teri Cugliari for not only agreeing to judge the award with the most applications, but also stepping in at the last minute for another award process.

The Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) team is grateful to everyone in Student Life who helped make the spring STEP Expo a success. High Fives to everyone involved including the STEP mentors and partners who volunteered as project reviewers. High Fives as well to Chelsea Black for her leadership in coordinating the Expo and Hillary Carter, Maddie Klang, Julie Schultz and Audrey Evans for spending the day at the Expo making sure things ran smoothly. 

High Five to everyone who sent in pet photos for National Love Your Pet Day, and High Five to Kailee Missler for putting out the call and collecting the pictures. Sharing #BuckeyeLove includes our furry family members, too. You can check out all the photos on Student Life social media.

Don’t forget to join us on Tuesday (Feb. 28) for our next Scarlet and Great Gathering. There will be updates and information, and of course, prizes. As always, there are two sessions with the same material. Tuesday morning, we’ll be in the Ohio Union East Ballroom starting at 9:30 a.m., then in the afternoon at RPAC in Meeting Rooms 1-2-3 starting at 2 p.m. I hope I will see you there.

Have a Scarlet and Great weekend! 

 

Melissa S. Shivers, PhD 

Senior Vice President for Student Life 
The Ohio State University