Today's Update: High Five Friday
July 24, 2026
Dear Student Life team,
Happy High Five (and Scarlet and Gray) Friday!
Summer is flying by, and with so much happening behind the scenes to prepare for another successful year, it's the perfect time to share a few High Fives, show appreciation and celebrate our many accomplishments.
Housing and Residence Education’s Christy Blessing gives a High Five to the entire Housing Administration team for their hard work and dedication during one of the busiest times of the summer. A special High Five goes to Gabi Bockelman. In addition to her monumental efforts supporting Orientation Housing, Gabi has been hard at work keeping the housing website updated and looking great for our students and families. She has updated countless floor plans and refreshed content for residence halls and other HRE business areas. Way to go, Gabi!
High Fives to Madeleine Voisin and Magnolia Vandegrift, who successfully placed more than 14,000 students into their Ohio State housing assignments for the 2026-27 academic year. Another round of High Fives goes to Jason Holbrook, Dane Kanniard and Carson Yerion, who processed 45,808 housing and dining fee transactions.
Annie Schuster of Housing and Residence Education gives a High Five to Max Rosenberg, an Assistant Hall Director who has truly stepped up this summer. “Max is our liaison to our incoming Assistant Hall Directors and has gone above and beyond to welcome them to Ohio State and Columbus and prepare them to start with us in just two weeks. In addition, Max has been helping support many different needs this summer.” Thanks for all you do, Max!
Jeff Pelletier gives a High Five to Aubrie Smith of Planning, Projects and Space Management for bringing some creative, out-of-the-box thinking to the College Road project and exploring ways to minimize its impact during Move-In and Welcome Week.
Jeff also gives High Fives to Hunter Hartwig, Khushi Pabboju and Kristen Rupert Davis for embodying his “see something, say something” philosophy in the Ohio Union this week. Each stepped up to address three separate matters and help make the Ohio Union a welcoming and supportive space for everyone.
High Five to Tiff Hedges of Disability Services for developing a new workflow with the ADA Coordinator’s Office for hiring intermittent interpreters and transcribers. This new process will help streamline operations and better support students.
High Five to Rob Lyons from Planning, Projects and Space Management for being a fantastic resource and support to a colleague seeking to better understand the history and future opportunities for campus spaces. Rob was willing to answer many, many questions and share his expertise along the way.
High Five to Tori Rehr from the Center for the Study of Student Life for updating and upgrading numerous Student Life Smartsheets, making them easier to use and more accessible during shifts in licensing options. Thanks for helping make the transition smoother, Tori!
High Five to Eddie Labid and Gabi Nunez for representing Ohio State’s Sorority and Fraternity Life at the recent Big Ten Sorority and Fraternity Summer Meeting, hosted by the University of Minnesota. Thanks for representing Ohio State and connecting with colleagues across the Big Ten.
Another High Five to Sorority and Fraternity Life's Akua Nelson, who recently attended the Interfraternity Institute after earning a full registration scholarship from Phi Gamma Delta. Congratulations, Akua, on this well-deserved recognition and professional development opportunity.
And one more High Five from Sorority and Fraternity Life to Kristen Rupert Davis for volunteering with her own sorority, Delta Zeta, as a facilitator at the Norma Minch Andrisek Leadership Conference at nearby Miami University.
As we head into the final stretch of summer, a huge High Five goes to the entire Student Life staff for the hard work, dedication and teamwork that make all we do possible. Whether you're preparing for students to arrive, supporting day-to-day operations or working behind the scenes to make campus a better place, your contributions matter and are appreciated. Thank you for all you do to help our Buckeyes thrive!
Have a Scarlet and Great weekend. Go Bucks!
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University