Today's Update: High Five Friday
May 15, 2026
Dear Student Life team,
Happy High Five Friday!
I received a lovely note this week from the Manager of Commencement and Special Events in the Office of President thanking Student Life team members for helping out at Commencement. As she put it, “We are only successful for all of the wonderful people on campus who help us get there – and you are at the top of that list. Seeing your faces on Commencement day is an odd calming to the chaos of the day. I know we can make it happen when you are all there supporting our team.”
It was a long and heartfelt message, and since she names specific people, I want to share it with you and add my own High Fives to her appreciation!
“Stacey Renker – thank you for finding the nursing graduate’s diploma in the box. It sounds like you saved me many headaches, and I really appreciate you taking the time to find it and saving the day for the graduate.
Sean Stewart and Tracy Stuck – I don’t know how you do it, but lines F and G like to give us problems every year, and this year they fit in their section and stayed as two lines! Thanks for going above and beyond and creating a separation at the front of the stadium where they like to merge lines.
Aubrie Smith – Thanks for being the human divide as we crossed Woody Hayes and six lines went to the west and two lines went to the east.
Jenn Miller – Thank you for moving the tables at French Field House for better flow, for moving the barricades so graduates could get through to the west side of the stadium and forecasting many of the issues before they ever became an issue!
Sean Stewart, Jenn Miller, Hal Tedrow, Aubrie Smith – Thank you for helping me check signs and tape early Sunday morning. You saved my team and me many stadium stairs – my feet were sore enough the way it is.
Teri Cugliari – Thank you for leading the charge on checking in the graduates with a disability accommodation. I can happily report they all made it to their seats on the field level, and I didn’t receive one email before or during the ceremony asking where they should be or frustrated that no one was there to help them. Thank you!!
Jeff Pelletier, Aubrie Smith and Jenn Miller– thank you for playing lost and found and getting all tassels and cords dropped in French Field House back to their owners!
Kristen Rupert Davis and Dave DeAngelo - Thank you for showing the ropes to our staff members at their first spring Commencement, and it is always a learning experience. I appreciate your extra help as they saw the scale of the day! Next year they will be pros!
Mindy Clagg – For collecting names of volunteers and picking up the credentials (and dropping off cookies).”
Her message continues, “I know I am missing others, and I don’t want to diminish anything you all did. I know people ran up the stairs to make sure the lines kept moving, I know people helped students who got sick or overheated, I know people made sure they were all entering through the right entrances of French Field House to make sure all guests were safe, I know many of you went to the concourse before/during Carmen Ohio to tell them the need for nachos was over and they needed to get back to their seats, and so much more.” So High Fives to everyone else who helped make last weekend’s Commencement a success, including Matthew D’Oyly, Ryan Lovell, Julie Schultz, Angie Wellman, Julia Skrabak, Matt Couch, Amelia Scheetz, Hunter Hartwig, Kurt Schooley, Kellie Uhrig, Zachary Redecker, Paul Newell, Nicholas La Torre, Re’Nesha Weston, Rahul Ponappa, Kelly Smith, Jeremy Gabis and Jazmin Lara.
Last week I mentioned the Scarlet and Great effort by Student Life Disability Services to administer 2,717 exams during spring finals. Today I want to specifically give High Fives to Jenna Sparrowe, Abby Mohler, Leah Bratton, Sarah Goebel and Connor Ruetz along with the entire SLDS team for their outstanding work preparing for and executing a smooth and successful finals week, as well as to those who helped out, including Aaron Moore, Abby Hertzfeld, Abby Richard, Adrienne Wilson, Ahmed Hosni, Akua Nelson, Alex Thomas, Aisha Echols, Aliya Beavers, Angie Wellman, Anne McDaniel, Anyi Ma, Ari Grubaugh, Aubrie Smith, Beth Ullum, Brandon Horton, Brooke Olson, Candyce Williams, Cece Albon, Chelsea Black, Chrisse Edmunds, Christy Muhoberac, Cortney Brewer, Dan Huffman, D'Arcy Oaks, Dave DeAngelo, David Tauber, David Wiseley, Debbie Wakefield, Debbie Ward, Emma Krawiec, Emma Speyer, Erica Horn, Erica Regan, Estrella Jacobsen, Hannah Warner. Jacob Glorioso, Janele Bayless, Jaylen Lindsey, Jen Vandemark, Jenn Irwin, Jennifer Chilman, Jennifer Nelson, Jordyn Sikula, Julie Humbel-Courtney, Julie Jones, Julie Schnell, Julie Schultz, Kellie Uhrig, Kelly Campbell, Kelly Smith, Kierra Hampton, Kim Pachell, Kirby Bell, Kori Montgomery, Kristen Hill, Kristen Rupert Davis, Kurt Schooley, Leanne Stearns, Mackenzie Hogan, Madi Barnes, Maia Gardner, Malcolm Bello, Maria Nicholson, Marjorie Freggens, Matt Couch, Megan Haddock, Michelle McGregor, Michelle Norris, Mindy Clagg, Mollie Workman, Morgan Vibbert, Nancy Thompson, Noah Gilbert, Paul Newell, Peter Hansen, Rachel DeMooy, Rae Hofmeister, Rahul Ponappa, Re'Nesha Weston, Ryan Lovell, Sarah Geisler, Scott Brown, Sean Stewart, Shina Drummond, Stacey Renker, Stephanie Grissett, Taylor Koon, Teri Cugliari, Thyrone Henderson, Tiffany Quattlebaum, Tom Reeves, Tori Rehr, Traci Woodard, Tyler Wynkoop, Yuliya Shteynberg and Zia Ahmed.
This week OCPA (Ohio College Personnel Association) is introducing their new Executive Board. A number of Student Life team members are in leadership roles, including Financial Management’s Sheri Klatt as President Elect; Hannah Warner, also from Financial Management, is Assistant Treasurer; OCCSE’s Lauren Stazen is Assistant Annual Conference Chair; and Disability Services GTA Drew Sutherland is on the board as a Grad Member at Large. High Fives to this great group of leaders.
Have a Scarlet and Great weekend, and as always, Go Bucks!
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University