Today's Update: High Five Friday

September 18, 2026

Dear Student Life team,

Happy High Five Friday! 

High Five to our university-wide Residential Experience Transformation Leadership Team and Strategic Advisors! Thank you for bringing your expertise, perspective and partnership to this important work. Our first Leadership Team conversation reinforced just how much opportunity we have in front of us. We are not simply thinking about residence halls, recreation centers and dining—we are shaping what an extraordinary residential experience should look and feel like for future generations of Buckeyes, and how our spaces can more intentionally support student success, engagement and the academic mission.  Grateful to have you on this journey with us! 

I had a wonderful and informative time with Ryan Lovell and Dr. Zia Ahmed on our Marion campus this week and want to offer a High Five to the Student Life team there, including Leslie Beary, Ellen Farrell, Dawn Hockensmith and Carlyn Bower. They have been front and center since the semester began helping to welcome, guide, support and engage students.  Last week, the team hosted the annual Suicide Prevention All-Campus Cookout, in which over 340 students, faculty and staff came together to strengthen community, have difficult conversations and learn about resources.   

High Five to Laura Lewis and all the people who worked with her to pull together a very successful World Suicide Prevention Day observance, including Christy Muhoberac, Anita McCoy, Stephen Malone, Sarah Geisler, Abby Hertzfeld, Amaya Rakes, Laura Onianwa, Viktoria Bedalli, Sacha Cheng, Shelby Woith, Emma Altomonte, Amber Jackson, Charissa Newkirk, Cindy Wohlford-Lotas, David Wirt, Jack Mason, Stephanie Ranallo, Shiana Bookless, Pam Steurer, Daniela Burnworth, Stephanie Grissett, Angie Wellman, Kim Traverse, Michael Loomis, Tina Romanella, Aliya Issa, Malak Husein, Adrianna Orellana, Anita Poirier, Sarah Goebel, Maddy Holbert, Claire Hendrickson, Venice Nguyen, Katelyn Trotto, Jaedyn Amos, Alex Cross, Emma Coppola, Alexis Farrell, Jayda Butler, Mary White, Yashi Dash, Addison Greenwald, Kevin Feng, Trinity Gayle, Adna Mohamed and Alexis Corbett, plus approximately 220 Psychology Department students and others who wrote 1,700 positive notes of encouragement that were included with Rover robot food deliveries. 

A special High Five to Tom Reeves and Ari Campbell for their willingness to help the Student Advocacy Center team while they are filling some staff vacancies. That’s our Culture Commitment of Support in action! 

Housing and Residence Education offers High Fives to Christian Thompson, Stella Rockwood, Paul O’Leary, Nate Darder and Edward Carbajal for their support of students in one of our on-campus communities. 

High Five to Glenn Kahley, Ethan Kraft and others from Student Life Technology Services who helped colleagues with a Microsoft licensing issue. 

Also in SLTS, Michael Loomis gets a High Five for having previously collected some data that saved a colleague hours of work. 

A collaboration between Technology Services and Student Health Insurance is worth a High Five. Together, the teams successfully implemented an automated process for student health insurance waiver requests. Each year, more than 45,000 students submit waiver requests, and through this new automation, approximately 30% of those requests can now be reviewed and approved automatically, reducing the time from several days of manual processing down to about 15 minutes. This project is a great example of cross-functional collaboration, innovation and our shared commitment to improving services for students and our own operational efficiency. 

High Five to Jeff Pelletier, who went out of his way to make sure a print in the Ohio Union art collection (Control Series) was included in a memorial/retrospective when the artist died recently. The organizer wrote to say, “We were blown away by the level of support provided by Jeff. He personally drove the piece to the venue. Jeff took the time to meet with us, offer his condolences, organize the delivery, provided extra support items and was all around extremely helpful." 

The Student Conduct team nominates Anna Sullivan Kvam for a High Five, saying they've "connected with Anna on a few student organization issues and appreciate Anna’s thoroughness, expertise and problem-solving skills. A great colleague!" 

It makes me so proud when the rest of the world recognizes the amazing talent we have here. Gabi Nunez of Sorority and Fraternity Life will receive the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Gayle Webb New Professional Award this December at the group's annual meeting.  

Have a Scarlet and Great weekend, and, let's say it together, Go Bucks!  

 

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