Today's Update: Friday, October 4, 2024

October 4, 2024

Dear Student Life team,

Happy High Five Friday! 

It’s not officially Homecoming Week yet, but I was honored to welcome a special group of alumni back to Ohio State during our Student Life Alumni Advisory Board meeting this week. We are so fortunate to have this extraordinary group of Buckeyes committing their time to helping us make the Iconic Ohio State Experience the very best it can be! 

Speaking of an outstanding student experience, we also launched the Senior Vice President for Student Life’s Student Consultation Panel this week. The group is made up of more than 30 student leaders who have agreed to meet with me monthly so they can share about their experiences, ideas, challenges and insights. 

High Fives to all of these Buckeyes from the past and present, and special thanks to Khushi Pabboju, Madison Mason, Stacy Smith and Jen Vandemark for all they did to make both of these meetings so fantastic! And also kudos to Anne McDaniel for presenting about today’s Buckeyes; Daren Lehman, Kurt Schooley and Hal Tedrow for their driving hospitality; Jeremy Gabis for being an outstanding tour guide; our group of phenomenal student panelists; and, my colleague, Ross Bjork for spending time with our alumni. And last, but not least, none of this could have been possible without the fantastic event and catering teams at RPAC and the Ohio Union. 

Also this week, we posted the 2023-2024 Student Life Impact Report which outlines who we are and what we do as a unit as well as highlighting the ways we support all students at Ohio State. I’d encourage you to take a look at the report, especially since it covers so many aspects of our work together. High Fives to the people who helped put the Impact Report together, and High Five to YOU for all you do to help Student Life have such a significant impact on students, the university and beyond.  

High Five to the Dean of Students team for arranging for a group of Ohio State student leaders to visit with their peers Michigan State University last weekend. The visit allowed the students to learn more about the bigger picture of higher education and student affairs, network with MSU students and staff, and exchange ideas about successful programs and practices. The students also got to engage in some of MSU’s gameday traditions before cheering the Buckeyes on to a victory. 

High Fives to Dave DeAngelo and Amanda Bovenzi, Student Life Communications’ writing intern, for giving an excellent tour to a prospective student and their family. 

Fall Break is Thursday and Friday of next week, as I mentioned in yesterday’s Today’s Update, so I’d like you to do your best to observe the “no meeting” rule both days and take time to refresh and recharge for the rest of the semester. To model this, I’ll take a break from our High Five message next Friday, but that doesn’t mean I appreciate our amazing Student Life team any less. I’ll be back the following week to celebrate even more of your accomplishments. 

Have a Scarlet and Great weekend, and, say it with me: GO BUCKS!  

 

Melissa S. Shivers, PhD  
Senior Vice President for Student Life   
The Ohio State University