Today's Update: Friday, January 20, 2023

January 20, 2023

Dear Student Life team, 

Happy High Five Friday. 

High Fives to everyone who sent me their “word of the year.” You’ll remember I told you about mine, gratitude, in a recent Update. I’ve really enjoyed learning your words and how they impact your life.  

Nearly 550 students participated in this week’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in a partnership with more than 25 area nonprofits. High Five to organizers Anna Wagner and Julie Schnell, and High Fives to those who helped make the day such a success including Ryan Lovell, Kristen Rupert Davis, Kellie Uhrig, Sam Evans, Kala McClure, Lizzy Ehren, Lucy Hennon, Julie Wagner and Tom Reeves. 

High Five to Beth Ullum, who started this week as our new director of Parent and Family Relations. Beth is a proud third generation Buckeye alum and two of her children are fourth generation Ohio State grads, so she knows all about being a Buckeye!  

The NASPA Strategies Conference is underway now in Kansas City. High Five to everyone from Ohio State who is presenting at this important gathering, including Shawnte’ Elbert, Micky Sharma, Ari Camel and Harry Warner, as well as our colleagues from the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery Dr. James Lange, Anthony Gonzalez and Cindy Clouner, the College of Pharmacy’s Molly Downing and Brittany Sandidge of Generation RX.  

High Five to everyone in the successful planning and implementation of the two-day Spring Involvement Fair this week, led by Erin McAlhaney and including Brooke Olson, Cassie Smith, Jen Pelletier, Jaylen Lindsey, Erica Brown, Elise Nelson, Ava Miller, Julie Wagner, Lindsey Boyd, Aisha Echols and the Success Coaches; Dante Le, Martha Cibasu, Katie Girouard, Grace Momenee, Esha Sachdeva and Ellie Masters. High Fives, too, to the Ohio Union Events, AV, Ops and Catering teams who helped get everything set up, as well as the Resource Room staff for helping get materials, posters and signs ready for student organizations and the event. It was wonderful to see and feel the energy from our student organizations and all the Buckeyes there to learn more about ways to engage, learn and thrive! 

Have a Scarlet and great weekend!  

 

Melissa S. Shivers, PhD 

Senior Vice President for Student Life 
The Ohio State University