Today's Update: Friday, May 2, 2025
May 2, 2025
Dear Student Life team,
Happy High Five Friday and Commencement Weekend!
I’ll start with a BIG Buckeye congratulations to all Ohio State graduates, their loved ones and everyone (including ALL of you!) who helped them reach this monumental moment in their educational journey. High Five, grads!
Next, a quick reminder that next Thursday, May 8, is our annual O-H! What a Celebration in the Ohio Stadium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. While we won’t have access to the field due to a construction project, we will get the opportunity to tour the locker room and band room. I hope to see you there as we celebrate our Scarlet and Great Student Life team with music, food trucks and more.
High Fives to Jenna Sparrowe, Kyle Kellogg, Abby Mohler, Jolyne Davis and Paul Kraemer of Student Life Disability Services for their incredible work preparing for and executing a smooth and successful finals week. Thanks to their meticulous planning, coordination and dedication, 2,837 exams were administered by Disability Services without a hitch.
Student Advocacy is sending love to Counseling and Consultation Service for their “incredible and necessary partnerships, particularly this time of the year! Specifically, Shawn Lucas has a keen and kind eye when it comes to extending support to both students and his colleagues across campus. He and his team are INVALUABLE.” High Five, Shawn, and High Five, CCS.
High Five to Felix Alonso and Student Life’s department of Philanthropy for an amazing showing during the recently concluded Time and Change-The Ohio State Campaign. The BuckeyeThon Fund for Pediatric Cancer had 100,344 donors, 12% of the total number who contributed to the overall campaign. Also of note, BuckeyeThon raised $9,157,592 during the Time and Change campaign.
In keeping with the philanthropy theme, I should also High Five Student’s Life’s development team for their outstanding work throughout the campaign, as well. Thanks so much, Carla Smith Jones, Max Steele, Jess Romer and everyone who partners with them, including Jenny Kirby and Lynne Deshler on the enterprise Advancement team.
I’m always pleased with our campus partners reach out to recognize the exceptional work of our Student Life team. A colleague in the Civil Rights Compliance Office wrote in, earning a High Five for Cortney Brewer, “Whenever we have questions or requests about data, Cortney is a trusted source to think through what may work best for our process, the potential down-stream impact of changes and how to quickly make changes while ensuring data integrity. Her expertise is exceptional, and I am very grateful to be able to partner with her. Many thanks to Cortney for her fast and thoughtful work!”
High Five to Dan Hausman of Technology Services for solving a series of different issues with our bulk mailing system, Maestro. I’m especially grateful because it let us get last week’s High Five Friday update out on time.
The Student Advocacy team gets a High Five for being chosen as the winner of the Wayne Carlson Friend of ACADAOS Award for this academic year. ACADAOS is The Academic Advising Association of Ohio State, the professional organization for academic advisors here at the university.
This is a favorite: High Fives to Mark Burkhart, Tom Roush, Paul Matlow, Alex Cates and Mike Brecht for taking time to open up a storm drain to rescue nine baby ducks!
Have a Scarlet and Great weekend. And, so you don’t forget, Go Bucks!
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University