Today's Update: Friday, November 22, 2024
November 22, 2024
Dear Student Life team,
Happy High Five Friday.
I’ll start with a High Five to Jen Vandemark, Morgan Hammonds and others who put on last week’s Scarlet and Great Gathering. As one staff person put it, “Our team enjoyed the opportunity to connect with others across Student Life as well as expressing our creative, crafty side. We now have some colorful artwork to display on our breakroom refrigerator."
Mark your calendar; the next Scarlet and Great Gathering will be Thursday, December 5 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Ohio Union’s Cartoon Room (third floor). Watch for more details about how you can take part in Student Life’s end-of-year service projects, like collecting toys for kids and professional attire for our Career Closet.
High Five to Ellen Farrell, one of the two mental health providers on the Marion campus. Earlier this semester, Ellen secured the donation of a baby grand piano that now lives in the Alber Student Center. Students stop by regularly to play and fill the space with music, alleviating their stress and putting smiles on the faces of their peers.
Jenn Irwin of Student Advocacy gets a High Five for handling a a difficult off-campus situation recently that impacted many students.
High Five to Cortney Brewer of Student Conduct for being so responsive and available to assist the Student Advocacy Center with a new (to them) process.
And speaking of Student Advocacy, they want to High Five Counseling and Consultation Service for managing numerous crises/hospitalizations/supportive measures and the many students who needed services this semester.
World Kindness Day was last week, and Student Life, with a strong assist from Brutus, celebrated by handing out cookies and hugs around campus from our Kindness Bicycle. High Five to Tracy Stuck for organizing this random act of kindness, and to Adrienne Gladish, Candyce Williams, Daren Lehman, Julianna Logan, Anita McCoy and Jen Vandemark for helping out.
High Five to you if you are able to help Disability Services provide an accessible testing experience for students during finals week. They need help with seating students and room monitoring for exams Friday Dec. 6, through Thursday, Dec. 12, and you can sign up online at Autumn 2024 Finals Volunteers Spreadsheet.
The Student Wellness Center hosted Medication Disposal Day a few weeks ago and collected 42.5 pounds of medications. High Five to event lead Brandon Horton plus Ahmed Hosni, Mackenzie Hogan, Judith Jones, Josh Bensink, Ari Camel, Re'Nesha Weston, Adrienne Wilson and Roger Perkey, as well as Phil Anderson and Peggy Butauski from Student Health Services. Also involved were partners from the College of Pharmacy, GenerationRx, Buckeyes for Harm Reduction, OSUPD and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Student Health Services nominates their Operations, Building and Procurement Coordinator Jim Robinson for a High Five, saying, “He recently helped the laboratory by expediting an order of supplies needed for training on a new instrument for testing. Then, he followed the order and shipping progress and kept the laboratory informed of the timeline for arrival. When two of the items arrived on the day of training, he drove over to the Kenny Road receiving facility and picked them up himself so that the lab had them available during the scheduled training. Jim can be counted on to get things done and he always does so with a positive attitude.”
A team member suggests a High Five for Lisa Selfinger of Business and Financial Services, saying she “helped me recently navigate some very detailed work. Her attention to all details, expertise and kind nature is a huge asset to our Student Life family.”
High Five to Lori Green, Kathie Serif and Jen Vandemark for kicking off Student Life’s United Schools Network in a big way! We already have a cartful of toys ready for special delivery. The drive for new, unwrapped toys for kids between the ages of three and 12 continues through December 11, and there is a wish list online. There are collection bins in my office suite in the Ohio Union and in 600 Lincoln Tower.
High Five to our entire Housing and Residence Education, Service to Facilities, Environmental Services, Buck ID teams, Zia Ahmed, Dave Wiseley, Dave Isaacs, Kellie Uhrig, Jen Vandemark and Josh Bodnar for working on a very challenging situation over the last few weeks. I have seen #teamwork personified and am very grateful for all the extra work and great partnership with Environmental Health and Safety.
I won’t have a High Five message next Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but I do want you to know that I am so very grateful to you and all you do for our team and Ohio State students. This is a time to express gratitude, and my appreciation extends 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. I am Scarlet and Grateful to be a part of the best Student Life team in the nation!
Have a Scarlet and Great weekend, a holiday full of gratitude and appreciation, and oh yes, GO BUCKS – Beat the Hoosiers AND TTUN!
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University