Today's Update: High Five Friday
May 1, 2026
Dear Student Life team,
Happy High Five (and finals week) Friday!
I want to start with a High Five to the Monda Student Resource Center on their recent one-year anniversary, and to those who helped make that first year so successful, including Morgan Vibbert, Madi Barnes, Jordyn Sikula, Kristen Hill, Jess Romer, Re’Nesha Weston, Ryan Lovell and all those who help out at the center throughout the year.
High Five to Buckeye Commons Senior Career Advisor Paul Newell for a warm and informative answer to an incoming Newark campus change student who had questions about working on the Columbus campus this fall.
One of our team members wrote to me to express her gratitude to colleagues Kori Montgomery, Aicha Ly, Peter Hansen and April Adkins for their strong support during a challenging time for her.
High Five to Trecie Shuler-Palmore for her obvious care for campus community members. Trecie was recently witnessed in the Union Market supporting and advising someone who was going through a tough time. Trecie’s commitment to our Culture Commitments was on full display and is another reminder of how critical our Student Life team is to the campus experience.
STEP recently hosted their Leadership Lecture and Distinguished Service Recognition Luncheon. High Fives to the planning committee: Audrey Evans, Caitlyn Tietje, Rich Bruno and Brian Raison. High Fives as well to the STEP team for their contributions: Chelsea Black, Elle Carpenter, Jennifer Kunz, Julie Schultz and Sahmyah Kelley-Guilford. High Fives to those recognized including Distinguished STEP Faculty Mentors Dan Linden, Julie Sanzone and Lucille Toth; Outstanding New STEP Faculty Mentor Kristin Stover; STEP Community Partners Jenny Kraft and Meagen Rinard; and Decade of Dedication (STEP Faculty Mentor with 10+ years of service) Beth Black, who was also one of the faculty members who sat on the original STEP advisory committee all those years ago. You can read more about the STEP event online.
High Five to Housing and Residence Educations’ Deanna Wrightii-Gordon, nominated by a colleague who says, “Deanna has been an amazing coworker to the Hall Directors and supervisor to the Office Assistants this year. She is extremely intentional in her interactions with students, and I have seen her OAs grow so much through her leadership. As a coworker, you couldn't ask for someone more caring and understanding. I am constantly in awe of her work ethic and ability to use chaos as a learning moment.”
High Five to Aaron Moore for his leadership of the university’s Alcohol and Other Drug Policy. High Five as well to Tiffany Quattlebaum for her support and insights, and to Matthew D’Oyly, Ahmed Hosni, Zia Ahmed, Aaron and Tiffany for working on creating an easy-to-understand guide for student organizations on the policy, which will be available before autumn semester.
I love it when our Student Life teams express appreciation for the support they get from others across our unit. Events and Conferences gives Financial Management’s Tiffany Quattlebaum a High Five for her help with sponsorship contracts while Leadership and Community Engagement nominates the Catering team, and Lori Green specifically, for “always being calm, helpful and service-oriented.” Also, Student Philanthropy is Scarlet and Grateful to Financial Management’s Brittany Crall, Student Life Events and Conferences and the Ohio Union team for their support during BuckeyeThon.
High Fives to Cortney Brewer and Kelly Smith for the advancements Student Conduct has made with data management.
The Human Resources team of Shina Drummond, Leah Hall, Debbie Ward, Hina Nisar, Jonathan Register and Virginia McCann, along with Dining Services’ Rachel Stefancic, get High Fives for working through a major project involving compliance with federal employment forms.
High Five to Zia Ahmed for finding emergency housing last week for a student in need.
Have a Scarlet and Great weekend and Go Bucks!
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University