OHIO Today fall 2024

OHIO today

FALL 2024

Fine Arts Renewal

Transformational gift results in new name for college

The Templeton Legacy + Black Alumni Reunion returns in 2025

MESSAGE

Guided by a New Mission PRESIDENT’S

Greetings, fellow Bobcats!

This spring, we welcomed more than 3,400 additional Bobcats to the ranks of alumni, and by the time this issue of Ohio Today lands in your mailbox, we will have welcomed a new class of students who are busy discovering this very special place we all know and love. These two milestones give us great optimism about our future.

That future includes two new leaders: Executive Vice President and Provost Don Leo, a proven academic leader, scholar and educator who joins us from the University of Georgia, and Eric Muth, our Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, previously of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Together, they round

out a leadership team that is excited to move the institution’s mission forward.

Speaking of mission, in June our Board of Trustees approved our new Mission Statement: To hold the door open to higher education so that all those eager to solve humanity’s most urgent challenges might enter to learn, connecting them with experiences and discovery that will help them think critically, care deeply, lead boldly, and ultimately depart to serve.

I am sure those words sound familiar; they echo a familiar phrase engraved on our Alumni Gateway. Our mission had not been updated since 2007, and I think that this recommitment to our core purpose will serve us well.

BOBCAT BEACONS OF EXCELLENCE

FROM PRESIDENT LORI STEWART GONZALEZ

Jim Lynch, BSC ’93, a distinguished graduate of the Scripps College of Communication, was honored at the Ohio University State Government Alumni Luncheon in Columbus in May. Lynch, whose career spans decades of service in state government and public communications, received the prestigious 2024 Ohio University Outstanding State Government Alumnus Award.

Hundreds of alumni provided invaluable feedback in the development of our Dynamic Strategies, which will guide our University for the next three years. Over the course of the summer, we established the metrics that we will use to measure our progress as we implement these new strategies. I encourage you to stay involved as we move forward. Visit ohio.edu/president and click on the Dynamic Strategy link to engage.

I’m excited about everything that is ahead of us in the next year, especially more OHIO Athletics victories, the grand opening of our Russ Research Opportunity Center (see Page 16), more national awards for our outstanding students and faculty, and the Black Alumni Reunion in the spring (see Page 24). I look forward to seeing you at our events on campus and around the country throughout the year, and I am thankful for your continued support.

Forever OHIO,

Lori Stewart Gonzalez President

Four students—life sciences majors Jayanna Smith and Benjamin Stiadle, engineering physics major Greta Hibbard and advanced computing major Brady Phelps—earned the 2024 Goldwater Scholarship. OHIO’s four outstanding recipients of the nation’s premier undergraduate scholarship in math, engineering and the natural sciences represent the highest total received at any university, public or private, in the state of Ohio for the 2024-25 academic year.

OHIO faculty members Sarah Wyatt and John Sabraw are the recipients of this year’s Distinguished Professor Award. The Distinguished Professor Award is the highest distinction for faculty members at Ohio University and was presented to Wyatt and Sabraw in recognition of their outstanding scholarly and creative accomplishments.

A new virtual reality training series developed by Ohio University is now serving as the centerpiece for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA), a statewide program that will help train approximately 30,000 law enforcement professionals. The training series was developed in partnership with the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, the Scripps College of Communication, the Ohio University Police Department and community partners.

[ABOVE] President Lori Stewart Gonzalez poses with honoree Jim Lynch, BSC ’93, and Voinovich School Dean Tracy Plouck at the State Government Alumni Luncheon in May. PHOTO BY RICH-JOSEPH FACUN, BSVC ’01 [OPPOSITE PAGE] The Alumni Gateway on College Green served as inspiration for the University’s new Mission Statement. PHOTO BY ELI BURRIS, BSJ ’16

Ohio’s

The

ON THE COVER

The College of Fine Arts is getting a new building and a new name. Learn about the college’s renewal plan and meet Jeffery Chaddock, BSC ’88, and Mark Morrow, cornerstone donors behind the project, on page 38. RENDERING COURTESY OF PERKINS—EASTMAN

Southeast Ohio’s streams and forests are getting a boost from the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service; read more on page 28. PHOTO BY BEN

’02

WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC

Credit where due

It was a nice surprise to see the Baileys Trail project highlighted in Ohio Today (“Power of Place,” spring 2024). Success for a regional project must have participation from government, nonprofit agencies and communities. A large collaboration such as this can never be attributed to one or two people, and it’s hard to credit everyone involved. That said, I wanted to mention other Bobcats who provided valuable work to this incredible project.

None of this would have happened without Dawn McCarthy, PHD ’09, the Recreation Team Leader at Wayne National Forest who worked internally to move from a master plan to trails on the ground, propelling the project in ways nobody else on the team would have been able to do.

Any project will rarely move forward without funding. State Rep. Jay Edwards, BS ’16, listened and understood the goal to add a new economic stream to the region. He secured $2 million in the state Capital Budget to get infrastructure built. Without that injection, we might not be talking about the success of this project.

Ohio University alumni permeate society and workplaces on so many levels. Over the course of your career, you will work and connect with people who have ties to the University and Southeast Ohio. These ties are a common bond, a shared experience and a perspective that, for us, gave an insight to tackle challenges in this region.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Collaboration between different agencies is difficult but imperative to accomplish large things.

Your college experience can be the bridge between siloed agencies, and having the right Bobcats in the right places can contribute to success. Those foundational partnerships do not last forever, but hopefully the work started will have lasting effects. —Peter Kotses, AB ’92

From cover to reader

The latest issue of Ohio Today brought back some wonderful memories of my past and its association with Ohio University. Almost 70 years ago (October 1956), I was fortunate enough to be the cover subject of The Ohio Alumnus magazine. I was a junior in high school and was selected to attend the OU High School Science camp.

My attendance at the camp made me a lifelong Bobcat. In 1958, I

Alfred Frankel, BSED ’62, has been in OHIO’s alumni magazine twice: As the cover subject in the 1950s and as a letter-writer in this issue (see “From cover to reader,” below).

Image Courtesy of the Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections

started my freshman year at OU. During my four years of study, I was, among many subjects, the senior manager of the football team (1960 MAC champions). I also took ROTC and graduated with a second lieutenant’s bars. In 1984, I retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel.

Over the many years since I graduated, my memories of and fondness for my education and Ohio University have never wavered. Go Bobcats! —Alfred Frankel, BSED ’62

Music to her ears

As a 1970 graduate, one of my most memorable experiences at OU (just prior to the shutdown due to Kent State) was the 1970 Simon & Garfunkel concert in Mem Aud.

You could hear a pin drop. The musicianship was incredible and a strong reminder that life at that time in American history wasn’t just

about war and trauma. It was the transcendent power of music that has left me considering, all these years later, that I was so lucky to be a part of the generation whose music has stood the test of time, and then some. Thanks for the fun trip down memory lane (“Rock On, Athens,” spring 2024). —Jane Fieberts, BSJ ’70

Dishing on the dishes

My late husband, Jerry Carmean, BSED ’65, BSEE ’84, worked on the Radar Hill project that mapped the moon in the early 1960s (“The Many Roles of Radar Hill,” spring 2024). While serving as faculty in the telecommunication building and

pursuing an electrical engineering degree in the ’80s, he bought two of the antenna dishes that had sat on the hill to use in a project.

He and my father, David D. Higgins, took the two antenna dishes apart and set them up in our yard here on Calico Ridge in Logan. He put together a computer to catch signals from space—no personal computers were available unless you made your own—and got a machine that tracked the incoming signals onto paper. After months of listening, he had signals that could have been sunspots. He got an A for the project, and we had two huge dishes in our yard.

Around 1983, the Canadian Observatory Corp. bought our two dishes, and Jerry got the University to sell the last two dishes from Radar Hill to them. The Canadians set them up in British Columbia. —Pat (Higgins) Carmean, BSED ’69

WRITE TO US: Ohio Today welcomes comments from readers. We reserve the right to edit for grammar, space, clarity and civility. Send letters by email to ohiotoday@ohio.edu or by mail to Ohio Today, Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701-0869. We regret that we cannot publish all messages received in print or online.

What’s New at OHIO U.

1

WELCOME TO NEW LEADERSHIP

OHIO welcomed several new leaders this year, including Executive Vice President and Provost Donald Leo, Vice President for Research and Creative Activity Eric Muth, Ohio Libraries Dean Rob Ross, Patton College of Education Dean Lisa Harrison, Honors Tutorial College Dean Kristina Bross and Ohio University Southern Dean of Campus and Community Relations Deborah Marinski.

2

FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

In February, the University revamped and relaunched its Ask the Experts livestream series, this time as a podcast to provide an even more accessible listening experience. Today, the podcast gathers expertise around popular topics to provide valuable information and insights to Southeast Ohio and beyond. Find it on Spotify.

3

NEW BUILDS ON CAMPUS

Two major construction projects are underway. The Heritage Translational Research Center on Union Green (located on West Union Street), serving the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and more, is projected to open in late 2025. And on South Green, a new, communityfocused dorm will be the largest on campus upon completion, projected for August 2026.

Located on West State Street near the Athens County Fairgrounds, the OHIO Student Farm includes gardens and two “high tunnel” greenhouses across a 2-acre space. Produce grown on the solar-powered farm is sold to local restaurants, grocery stores and food pantries; surplus is donated to local nonprofits. The farm is a destination for classes, internships, service learning and research, as well as K-12 field trips and community outreach. PHOTOS BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

A celebration of the East State Street mural commissioned by Athens County Children Services was among OHIO’s top-performing Facebook posts for the first half of 2024, garnering 109,000 impressions. Columbus, Ohio-based artists Mandi Caskey and Olivia “Liv” Morris, BSC ’16, honored ACCS’s history and community support with imagery symbolizing such initiatives as the Peanut Butter and Jelly Project and Kidfest. PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

“A-Chead” of the Game

The Southern Ohio Copperheads are in a league of their own. We’re not talking about which teams they play, but the unique model under which the organization operates. With the exception of coaches, the community-owned team is operated entirely by Ohio University and other area college students, called “Cheaders” (pronounced “cheddars”).

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization’s main goal is community engagement and affordable entertainment; the one-of-akind experiential learning opportunity for OHIO students is an added bonus. Read on and visit ohio.edu/copperheads to learn more about the Copperheads and Cheaders alike. —Emma Henterly, BSJ ’10

PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

LEFT: The Copperheads play in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. While players comprise college students from Ohio and surrounding states, the organization is staffed by OHIO students operating under the guidance of a board and executive director. “This whole thing is exceptionally brilliant for the learning and the experience that these kids get,” says Bill L’Heureux, BSC ’96, chair and president of the Copperheads executive board. THIS PAGE, TOP: Cheaders are divided into two groups: directors, who serve in leadership roles ranging from general manager to director of social media, and gameday staffers, who provide day-of support as ushers, in the ticket booths and more. THIS PAGE, BOTTOM: Sophomore and Director of Entertainment and Sponsorship Activation Kali Osborne planned a promotional tie-in to the release of “Despicable Me 4” that drove massive attendance, with nearly 1,000 fans in the stands on a Tuesday evening. “The Copperheads do a really good job of building community,” says interim executive director Jake Lietzow, BSSPS ’17, MED ’22. “Everything we do is centered around how it impacts our community.”

PHOTO TOP BY ELI BURRIS, BSJ ’16; PHOTO ABOVE BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

ABOVE: “We keep our hands off of how the students run the team,” says L’Heureux. “We give them the flexibility to make mistakes, because that is how you learn.” So long as ideas and strategies meet the four main tenets for the organization—safe, legal, financially solvent, and fun and purposeful—student directors have the power and support to implement them. LEFT:

A recent grant funded the purchase of new equipment for Director of Broadcasting and Play by Play Gavin Carrig, a sophomore, and his staff.

“I can’t imagine an internship with more sense of ownership over their tasks,” Lietzow says.

“[Students are] learning from each other, and they’re learning from their own successes and failures. PHOTOS BY BEN

WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

RIGHT: “I love seeing these kids going on to the major leagues, and I’m not necessarily talking about the people on the field,” L’Heureux says. “The student directors that we have go on to the major leagues in all sorts of different sports administration positions. Seeing that warms your heart.” BELOW: “The world is lacking in what they call ‘third spaces,’ where people can go and hang out,” L’Heureux says, crediting the $5 cost of a Copperheads ticket with creating such a space in Southeast Ohio. “We as an organization make it so that the community is able to enjoy the game. And without the support of our students, it would be—I’m not going to say impossible, but man, it would be really, really difficult.” PHOTO RIGHT BY CONOR

MALLONN, JUNIOR AND COPPERHEADS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER; PHOTO BELOW BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

Songs of Appalachia

ALUMNA’S WORK HONORING PLACE AND MEMORY EARN HER TOP HONORS ONCE MORE.

Kari Gunter-Seymour’s degrees in graphic design and commercial photography continue to inform her work. “A photograph is a moment in time—that’s a poem. Graphic design is about organizing information so people see what you want them to see—that’s a poem,” she says.

Photo by Kari Gunter-Seymour, BFA ’94, MA ’16

Learn more about Kari Gunter-Seymour’s connection to Appalachia and OHIO at ohio.edu/magazine. PHOTO

COURTESY OF BFLICK PHOTOGRAPHY

In January 2024, Kari Gunter-Seymour, BFA ’94, MA ’16, re-assumed the role of Ohio’s Poet Laureate. One month after the start of her third consecutive two-year appointment, she released “DIRT SONGS,” her fourth collection. There she writes deftly of her generationslong Appalachian heritage, always lifting its people into normalcy, taking words like “warsh” and phrases like “fixin’ to go” into the mainstream.

Such work is partly in defiance of pushback she saw after her first Laureate appointment in 2020, with attitudes that a “rural, hillbilly poet” wasn’t a “proper” choice by those who perhaps forget that 32 of Ohio’s 88 counties are considered part of Appalachia. To that end, she aims to make space for poets “who nobody knows or reads,” she says, by getting through doors and bringing others through with her.

In her youth in Southeast Ohio, Gunter-Seymour “ran pretty wild—not in a bad way, just on my own,” she says. “My bicycle, swimming in the creek, all of us girls like a gang.” This comes through in “DIRT SONGS,” whose themes of resiliency, strong women and attachment to place are met with a sexual energy that comes from recalling her experiences as a young woman. “I still have that mentality of wildness and needing to be on my own,” she says. “To roam, to be loud and just a little rough around the edges.”

Readers of “DIRT SONGS” will find themselves called to explore the rough edges within themselves, too. As novelist Jacinda Townsend observes, “[t]o hear one of Gunter-Seymour’s dirt songs is to listen, intently, to the symphony of the human condition.” —Barbara Costas-Biggs

CHILD OF THE LARGE-BEAKED BIRD from “DIRT SONGS,” by Kari Gunter-Seymour

The crows are up to no good, tapping the tin roof like it’s Miss Glover’s School for Awkward Girls, all juke, jig and ja-ja. My granddog doesn’t approve, not the rooftop trapeze or the tomfoolery in the garden, mischievous pecks gouged around the scarecrow’s eyes.

They’re toying with me.

I’ve tried to bribe them— fresh fruit, cat food, sequins, propped myself nearby, full lotus, trilling.

Why subject myself and this prized pooch to the insufferable?

The Indigenous say their ancestors came to earth in the form of Crow.

I come to them, my sack of sorrows laid open—perch on soil my ancestors stole, sing dirt songs.

MAKING SPACE

New, state-of-the-art research facility will propel collaborative engineering research.

The University’s Union Green is home to the new Russ Research Opportunity Center (RROC), a beacon of engineering and science collaboration that has replaced the West Union Street Office Center. This state-of-the-art facility, endowed by the generosity of Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ, signals the start of a new era of interdisciplinary research within the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

The RROC stands as a testament to the University’s commitment to supporting its recent R1 classification by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which acknowledges very high research activity, with researchers at the forefront of their respective fields dedicated to finding solutions to pressing societal issues.

The building also brings together under one roof a large portion of Russ College’s research operations, versus the campus-wide spread of facilities in years past. As researchers eagerly settle into this shared space, they are redefining the University’s research landscape and propelling it toward a greater academic impact.

Attendees at ASCENT Ecosystem semiconductor workshops participate in demonstrations at the Russ Research Opportunity Center in June. PHOTO BY JOEL PRINCE, BSVC ’06

The RROC was made possible by a transformational $124 million estate gift, the largest in OHIO’s history, by Fritz and Dolores Russ in 2008; fittingly, it was named in their honor.

“Once the Russ gift came along, we had the opportunity to consolidate more of our research under one facility to enhance our current and future research capacity,” says Eric Steinberg, associate dean for research and graduate education in Russ College. “It is also an excellent recruiting mechanism for future faculty and students.”

The gift was directed with a specific purpose: to enhance centers of excellence in research, adds Patrick Fox, dean of Russ College. “This is a milestone in our college’s history,” he says.

“As a multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art research incubator, the opportunities provided by the RROC for research excellence—including high-level, meaningful collaborations—are truly exciting.”

One example of such collaboration comes from AEP Ohio, which in May awarded Russ College a $100,000 grant via its American Electric Power Foundation. In recognition of this support, the RROC’s High-Temperature Chemical Synthesis and Energy Production Lab, part of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment, will be named for the AEP Foundation. This lab, directed by Jason Trembly, Russ professor of mechanical engineering, aims to pioneer sustainable technologies for natural and renewable energy sources, reflecting the shared vision of the University and partners like AEP Ohio.

An aerial view of the new center on West Union Street. PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

“The generosity of the AEP Foundation is truly appreciated,” says Fox. “This major gift marks the first named research space within our new RROC building, and for it to recognize the American Electric Power Foundation, one of our most valued partners, makes this event even more significant.” The newly named lab and others in the RROC are designed to encourage interdisciplinary projects, enhancing research capabilities and educational experiences.

Software engineering professor Chang Liu appreciates how the communal spaces in the RROC foster an environment of collaboration on a smaller scale, too.

“This is a wonderful space for students to work together,” he says. “This just encourages people to sit together and collaborate on creative solutions to challenges.”

Abigail Paul, a graduate student in the chemical engineering department, echoes that sentiment.“It’s going to be really nice to be able to see people who are doing similar research,” she says. “We’ll be able to bounce ideas off of people in a much easier way.”

Paul was one of the first students to begin moving into the space to continue her research in electrochemical engineering. “My work [looks] at utilizing a natural resource that’s really abundant in this area: coal. ... The main focus of my work is taking coal [and] turning it into a coal-derived graphite that can then be used in a lithium-ion battery,” Paul says. “Any of those batteries that you use in your cellphone, your computer, electric vehicles—they’re all lithium-ion batteries, primarily.”

Paul adds that graphite is a critical material that is not abundant in the United States, so her research aims to create more using material that is abundant by transforming coal into a cleaner energy source.

“I’m working on developing a potential feedstock for graphite that can be used in these newer technologies,” Paul says. “Specifically, electric vehicles are what we’re really focused on.”

Stocker Center felt crowded with researchers, in Paul’s opinion, so she’s excited to move into a building that is ready to be tailored to researchers’ needs.

That flexibility in space is by design, allowing for evolution in use. The recent growth in research at Russ College has made special adaptability essential, so the building’s interior construction allows research spaces to be easily reconfigured without major renovations.

“The facility will have immense flexibility, allowing it to adapt to the continuously evolving nature of research so it can always meet the needs of faculty and their ongoing studies,” Steinberg says.

This, in turn, will foster further growth opportunities for Russ College and its stakeholders. “The space allows us to expand our research profile and programming, pivot our research as necessary, and recruit new faculty,” says Trembly. “It provides both finished space for current researchers and shelf space for future expansion.”

Fox emphasizes the significance of providing researchers with a refined and renovated space that fosters growth and collaboration.

“The RROC will be an enabling research facility for our faculty and students,” he notes. “It will also greatly facilitate our ability to recruit and retain high-quality faculty members, which will further increase our research impact. This translates to the classroom as well, where students will receive higher-quality curricula from their professors as an indirect result of the RROC investment.”

The new facility will also support experiential learning opportunities for students and professional development opportunities for faculty, Trembly notes.

“The RROC provides space for hosting industry partners and University collaborators, facilitating new faculty development and independent research programs,” he says. “We’re excited to utilize the facility and explore the new opportunities it brings, fostering daily conversations and collaborations among colleagues from different groups.”

A grand opening celebration is planned for spring 2025; follow ohio.edu/news and @russcollege on Instagram for further updates. —Carmen Szukaitis, BSJ ’24

In June, the Marching 110 (along with the Ohio University Wind Symphony) visited the United Kingdom for sightseeing and performances during London Band Week. The Most Exciting Band in the Land will soon have a new home to practice for such performances: the Marching 110 Band Complex featuring Hurley Field. The University aims to complete the complex, located on South Shafer Street, in time for the fall 2026 band season. The field is named for a foundational $1 million gift from band alumni Shawn Hurley, BS, BSEE ’05, and Tracey (Hanna) Hurley, BMUS ’06. Learn more about the project and how you can contribute to the band’s future success at ohio.edu/hurley-field.

PHOTO BY NICK BOLIN, BSVC ’18, MA ’21

OHIO MAKING HEADLINES

Bobcats make the news—and the OHIO community proud—every day. Read about a few of the Ohio University alumni, students, faculty and staff who have made headlines in recent months.

TOPPING THE LISTS

The University and the city it calls home made several national lists in recent months, recognizing everything from ambiance to business success. AFAR magazine included OHIO in its list of “15 Places to See Cherry Blossoms Across the United States,” noting that the cherry trees lining the Hocking River, seen in the photo above, were gift from sister school Chubu University in Kasugai, Japan. Maybe that’s one reason travel site Far & Wide named Athens to its “Best College Town in Every State” list. The publication also noted that Ohio University is the city’s largest employer—which is why it’s good that Forbes included OHIO in two of its “Best Employer” lists: Best Employers for Diversity (No. 62) and Best Midsize Employers (No. 125). PHOTO BY JOEL PRINCE, BSVC ’06

FRONTLINE FEATURE

PBS’ investigative journalism TV series, FRONTLINE, included the work of an OHIO graduate student in its new documentary, “A Dangerous Assignment: Uncovering Corruption in Maduro’s Venezuela,” this spring. Fulbright Scholar and E.W. Scripps School of Journalism master’s degree candidate Patricia Marcano Meza is featured in the documentary for her work with independent news outlet Armando.info, covering government corruption in her native Venezuela. “For us, because we are a small independent media in Venezuela, the opportunity to show this documentary in America is great. We are glad and honored,” Marcano Meza told WOUB. “In Venezuela, there is a lot of censorship and persecution, so this is an important window to show the reality and to reach more people.”

FACULTY ACCOLADES

Two faculty members were recognized for their talent this spring. The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians presented Dawn Mollica, administrative director in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Office of Rural and Underserved Programs, with the Friend of Family Medicine award. In addition to supporting OHIO initiatives like the Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways program, Mollica is a state representative for the Rural Health Policy Institute. And from the College of Fine Arts, assistant professor Robert McClure was named the Distinguished Composer of the Year by the Music Teachers National Association. According to The Athens Messenger, the $5,000 award is “given to the composer of an outstanding composition submitted as a statecommissioned work.” The Ohio Music Teachers Association commissioned McClure’s winning piece, “Celestial Miniatures.”

OHIO + NASA + BOEING

Regional and national outlets reported on the $6 million funding award NASA presented to Ohio University and Reliable Robotics via its University Leadership Initiative. The ULI backs projects that support aviation in the U.S. and NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate portfolio. The funding will support OHIO’s work with Reliable Robotics, an industry leader in aircraft automation systems that enhance safety, and several other universities in collaboration with Boeing to advance autonomous aircraft operations through navigation technologies with an emphasis on safety, OHIO assistant professor Sabrina Ugazio told the Pike County News Watchman. Ugazio works in the University’s Avionics Engineering Center and leads the project; she worked closely with Reliable Robotics engineer Andrew Videmsek, BSEE ’18, MS ’20, on the funding proposal.

A LASTING LEGACY

OHIO honors the bicentennial of its first Black graduate’s enrollment in 1824 while looking ahead to another exciting Black Alumni Reunion in 2025.

When John Newton Templeton enrolled at Ohio University in 1824, he wasn’t just the first African American student at the University; he was the only one. Two hundred years ago, what is now called Cutler Hall was the only campus building and served all functions: classroom, library, dormitory. But Templeton did not live with his handful of classmates, as he probably wasn’t permitted to. Instead, he lived in the home of Ohio University President Robert Wilson, where historians say he likely worked as a servant to pay for his education.

While Cutler Hall provided the immediate backdrop to Templeton’s time at OHIO, the American political landscape created the broader backdrop. Locally, newspaper ads offered rewards for those who had escaped slavery. It was 41 years before slavery would end in the United States, and Southern states were passing laws to prevent African Americans from learning to read.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Templeton himself was born into slavery in 1805. John Means was both his enslaver and his emancipator, freeing Templeton at 8 years old. The Means and Templeton families moved to Adams County, Ohio, around that time.

OHIO Department of History Chair Brian Schoen studies early U.S. history and points out that there are few sources that offer specific insights into Templeton’s life or his experiences. Schoen is

confident, however, that Black families of the early 1800s wanted to educate their children as much as white families. “The Templetons and perhaps the Means family prioritized giving him a basic education that allowed him to succeed in college,” Schoen notes. “That’s really impressive, as is what he did with it.”

The Means family and Wilson both had connections to the Upcountry South Carolina and Chillicothe areas, which may explain Wilson’s willingness to enroll Templeton. Schoen points out that Templeton would have received a classical education, focusing on Latin, Greek and rhetoric. “It is something I think OHIO should be proud of, that we gave access to this individual and gave him an education,” Schoen says. He notes, however, that although Templeton completed his education at OHIO, he likely still faced significant discrimination from other students and possibly faculty, some of whom came from states that still allowed slavery.

At commencement, Templeton delivered an address, as did all graduates of that era. He chose to address the injustice of slavery. “Slavery is one of the greatest evils existing in our day,” Templeton’s speech read. “In these United States, the genius of liberty weeps over their [enslaved people’s] chains and hard bondage.” The title of Templeton’s speech was “The Claims of Liberia,” addressing the colonization (back to Africa) movement embraced by Wilson.

Illustrations by Manjit Thapp

by Manjit Thapp

“Those are two facts: He was brought here for a specific reason. He did not follow through,” says Charles Smith, distinguished professor of playwriting emeritus and the first Black faculty member in OHIO’s School of Theater. Smith points out that Wilson likely brought Templeton to OHIO to prepare him for a leadership role in the African country of Liberia. This detail and fictional additions comprise Smith’s play, “Free Man of Color,” which the University commissioned for its bicentennial in 2004.

“I heard people talk about Mem Aud—TempletonBlackburn [Alumni Memorial Auditorium],” Smith recalls thinking at the time. “It was three years before I realized it was named after the first Black man and the first Black woman who graduated from here.” The University had given Smith creative freedom in choosing the commissioned play’s subject matter, so he decided to focus on the first half of that duo.

Templeton graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1828, making him OHIO’s first Black graduate; many sources cite him as just the fourth Black person to earn a college degree in the nation. After graduating, he went on to become an editor of a Black abolitionist newspaper, The Mystery. He also served as a principal and teacher for the first school for Black children in Pittsburgh. “We look at that today as probably not such an act of self-sacrifice [or] an act of daring, but it was an act of daring,” Smith says. “The education of Black people at the time was considered, by some, to be an offense worthy of lynching.”

History does not advance in a linear fashion, and the University has both progressed and regressed on issues surrounding race since Templeton enrolled. In 1923, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution disallowing enrollment by students who would not be eligible to enroll in college in their home state—a resolution

OHIO celebrated Black History Month 2024 with a reading of “Free Man of Color,” the play about John Newton Templeton written by Distinguished Professor of Playwriting Emeritus Charles Smith.

PHOTO BY JAMES HAMILTON

that targeted Black students. Later, the College of Education agreed to not place Black student teachers in local classrooms. Civil rights laws have outlawed such practices in the years since, and OHIO has gone above and beyond legal requirements to offer opportunity to students regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic background and other minority affiliations.

“OUR FOUNDING ALUMNUS”

While Templeton did not have any predecessors to look to, he became an inspiration to many Black graduates and Athenians who came after him. One was Edward Berry, who owned Hotel Berry on Court Street, which stood from 1892 to 1974. To honor Templeton, Berry became a primary donor for the iconic Alumni Gateway on College Green.

Templeton also inspired Terry Frazier, BSED ’99, MED ’00, Ph.D. While at OHIO, Frazier served as Student Senate president and Black Student Union president, among other leadership roles, and was involved in

renaming Alumni Memorial Auditorium to TempletonBlackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium in 1999.

“Being the first is an honor and gives you high responsibilities,” Frazier says. “If you’re the first, how do you make sure that there’s a second, third and so on? I wonder if Templeton thought about that when he decided to be the first. And why he decided to go to OU and go to college.” Frazier would like to see OHIO honor Templeton more often and prominently, perhaps with a Templeton Day.

“I had an amazing experience at OU, and a lot of that was due to the faculty and the staff that were there. They helped build relationships,” Frazier says. He checks off a list of names of trailblazers who inspired him while at OHIO: the late professor emerita Francine Childs, the University’s first tenured Black professor; the late Bill Allen, MED ’69, PHD ’77, creator of the LINKS academic support program; and Ty Carr, MED ’00, who held a number of diversity and inclusion positions at OHIO before retiring from the University last year.

Celebrating the Rev. Francine Childs, who passed away in 2023, at the 2013 Black Alumni Reunion.

PHOTO BY STEPHEN REISS, AAS ’97

What to Expect at BAR 2025

The Black Alumni Reunion will take place April 10-13, 2025. While specifics were still being finalized at press time, the planning committees have been focused on refreshing the event’s programming and incorporating new ideas. Attendees can expect engagement opportunities, a variety show, a cookout and festival, a formal awards event and more. Visit ohio.edu/blackalumni-reuniOn for additional details as plans develop.

PHOTO BY AARON THOMAS, BSC ’01

Like many other Black alumni, Frazier credits the close-knit Black community within the predominantly white institution for his success. “There’s no way I would have been Student Senate president if it weren’t for the Black community, if they hadn’t supported me in running,” Frazier says. “They are my family.”

Frazier is looking forward to a family reunion of sorts in 2025, when the triennial Black Alumni Reunion returns to campus. He is serving as co-chair of the program’s Alumni Committee, along with Jillian Causey, BSH ’13. “It’s more than just us getting together for social activities,” Frazier says about BAR. “It’s also about making a statement that we’re here and we’re important. Just like Templeton was there and he was important. … He’s our founding alumnus.”

CONTINUING THE LEGACY

Next year’s BAR aims to celebrate Black excellence, to reconnect alumni with one another and OHIO and to forge new connections with current students and fellow grads. Russell Morrow, BSC ’12, MED ’14, is co-chair of the BAR Campus Committee and serves as OHIO’s interim vice president for the Division of Diversity and Inclusion. “Coming back as an alumnus, there are still people here who were here when I was a student. People who saw me when I didn’t know what I was doing,” he says. “People who are not only excited that I’m back but that I’m back here in this position.”

These longstanding connections are one reason Morrow thinks BAR is so popular. He also attributes it to Black culture in general and its embrace of reunions and cookouts. “I think generally, OHIO has a strong alumni connection,” Morrow says. “Someone said ‘Black Homecoming’ is essentially what BAR is. I think you see a lot of the same love, appreciation, engagement and nostalgia that you see at Homecoming.”

Morrow also serves on the University’s Templeton Committee, which aims to further elevate Templeton’s profile. Additionally, the Templeton Scholars Program is a cohort-based scholarship program supported by the Multicultural Center for students who share a commitment to building inclusive relationships, community advocacy and perseverance—all traits attributed to Templeton himself. Application questions for the scholarship ask applicants to write essays about how to embrace and support these three traits. “Through the application process, I think students were able to get connected to at least the spirit, if not his story as much,” Morrow says.

When reflecting on OHIO’s legacy of trailblazers, Morrow looks to the future. Whether it’s changing population demographics or artificial intelligence, he wants to help students curate an OHIO experience that continues to eliminate barriers and embrace diversity.

“Instead of being a microcosm of what the world is,” Morrow asks, “how do we be the example of what the world can be?” —Mary Reed, BSJ ’90, MA ’93

Reforestation in Action

Trees are among Athens’ greatest treasures—and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service strives to ensure they’ll remain that way for centuries to come.

A healthy tree population is key to a healthy ecosystem. Faculty and students at Ohio University are working to support both in Southeast Ohio.

PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

The sense of awe and wonder inspired by the sweeping vistas as one rounds the bend on Route 33 and Athens comes into full view is hard to replicate. Dotted by treetops and stately red brick buildings, the hills are alive, indeed.

Jen Bowman, BS ’97, MS ’00, knows that feeling well. While studying environmental geology and environmental geochemistry at OHIO, she took part in many tree plantings. Now, more than two decades later, she marvels at those same trees during her daily commute to the George Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, where she serves as the director of environmental programs.

“It’s a nice reminder that trees are a long-term solution,” she says. “They provide a riparian corridor and so much more—providing shade, taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, providing habitat, being aesthetically pleasing and promoting well-being.”

The role of trees as an environmental solution is central to the ethos at the Voinovich School, which has been heavily involved in local reforestation efforts in recent years. One current focus is planting projects along stream and river banks, also known as riparian zones, which help create a vegetative buffer to improve water quality and promote biodiversity.

Read on to learn about three current projects that showcase how the Voinovich School’s efforts are branching out in support of the region.

Seeds of Sustainability

For the last 34 years, Athens has been a “Tree City USA” community for its continued commitment to urban forestry, and the Voinovich School is serious about its part in maintaining the designation, performing regular regional tree plantings and seeking key partnerships and funding opportunities for maximum impact.

“We’ve always had a focus on tree plantings, but I would say it has been a concerted effort since we received some funding from the Longleaf Foundation,” Bowman says, adding that an Appalachian Ohio Watershed Support grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has also been pivotal.

Tying it all together is an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap developed by Caroline Van Hook, BS ’21, during her time as a Voinovich Undergraduate Research Scholar (supported by Voinovich environmental specialist Nora Sullivan, MSES, MA ’16). The map details the school’s stream riparian planting projects, from Amesville Elementary to the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway.

One current point of interest is the section of the Hocking River directly behind the Athens Community Center on East State Street, where two tree plantings have taken place since 2022 to help stabilize the riparian corridor and replace invasive species with shade trees such as bald cypress and river birch. The project has brought all hands on deck, uniting the Voinovich School; the Athens Department of Arts, Parks and Recreation; the Athens Shade Tree Commission and more than 30 citizen volunteers.

Volunteers and Voinovich School students and staff plant trees along the Hocking River in 2023. Plantings are supported in part by grant dollars and student-developed mapping tools. PHOTO

COURTESY OF JEN BOWMAN, BS ’97, MS ’00

“We need to make sure we are managing these spaces so people can use and enjoy them,” says Katherine Ann Jordan, who serves as Athens’ director of arts, parks and recreation. “[That section] was a huge amount of acreage that was not usable before we started restoring it. Now, I’m starting to see people take walks with their dogs or even go sunbathing.”

Optimal Water Quality for All

Water law expert John Thorson once said, “Water links us to our neighbor in a way more profound and complex than any other.”

The Watershed Assessment, Restoration, and Planning (WARP) project puts those words into practice, with a goal to address water quality issues identified by the Ohio EPA in historically underserved areas of

Appalachia, as identified using the federal EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening tool. Supported by an Ohio EPA grant, WARP will span three years and 32 counties in a collaboration between the local nonprofit Rural Action and the Voinovich School.

“Not all communities have the same level of access to resources—that’s where the WARP project comes in,” says Sarah Benton, a restoration project manager with Rural Action.

A key part of WARP will identify landowners who want to improve the streams on their property; as of late spring 2024, 30 have signed on. Furthering that effort will be HydroVIEW, a free online tool developed at OHIO that is being updated by Sullivan and Honors Tutorial College environmental studies major Blake Madden.

The riparian corridor along Columbus Road in Athens is one of many areas of focus for tree plantings. PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

“We’re using data to target those areas that are impacted with sedimentation and sections of stream that are lacking a riparian buffer,” Bowman says. “Putting those two things together will help us target where we want to do the most beneficial planting.”

From there, Rural Action and OHIO will focus on strategies to offset sediment from erosion, acid mine drainage, agricultural runoff and more, starting with the planting of 1,000 native trees and shrubs along eroding streams that will benefit the most. Ultimately, Benton says, the teams hope WARP will kick off a project pipeline to address erosion issues in the future. “I’m excited about the trees we’re planting now,” she notes, “but also for the trees we’ll plant because of this project later.”

White Oak Restoration

In 2021, the University of Kentucky planted 8,000 young trees and saplings across 25 acres, creating the world’s largest repository of American white oak trees. But Athens may not be far behind.

OHIO is collaborating with the University of Kentucky, Rural Action, Sugar Bush Valley Farm and the White Oak Genetics and Tree Improvement Program (WOGTIP) to compare selective seed sources of white oak established side-by-side in Southeast Ohio. The goal is to determine which grow best, using those to begin replenishing the white oak population in light of high demand from producers of bourbon, wine and lumber.

“The bourbon industry is legally required to use oak from American sources, which began to outpace the ability of white oak to regenerate,” explains Eliana Balit, MSES ’24, who conducted their graduate practicum on the project. “White oaks are of particular interest because they host thousands of different species; if [abundance declines], there could be a huge environmental cascade effect.”

WOGTIP’s first Athens planting, established by the Voinovich School and Rural Action with partial funding via a donation from Speyside Bourbon Cooperage Inc. in Jackson, Ohio, took place in March

2023; since then, Balit and others have been taking regular measurements and photosynthetic readings to monitor the trees’ progress.

The work is poised to be particularly impactful in Southeast Ohio, where mature hardwood forests provide many ecosystem services. For associate professor Sarah Davis, Balit’s research advisor, it also speaks to the Voinovich School’s overall mission of making a positive impact on communities in the region.

“Developing best practices for sustainable forest management is really important for healthy communities,” Davis says. “If we think carefully about how we develop [our natural resources], we can grow an economy that doesn’t sacrifice the ecological benefits of the forests in the region.” —Jen Jones Donatelli, BSJ ’98

Volunteers participate in Athens’ first White Oak Genetics and Tree Improvement Program planting in early 2023. PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH DAVIS

OHIO UNIVERSITY

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Embracing the Bobcat Spirit

This year’s Alumni Awards recipients are examples of resilience, hard work and determination—proof that Bobcats are thriving on and off the bricks.

In a very short time, university campuses become more than a home for students; they are stepping stones to success. Many alumni, after making their mark on the world, look for ways to give back to the place that gave them their start and leave a legacy for students to come.

The Ohio University Alumni Association’s annual Alumni Awards recognize those alumni who are making significant contributions on and off campus. An awards ceremony during Homecoming weekend invites fellow alumni to celebrate the newest cohort; this year’s ceremony takes place Sept. 27 at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

“It’s really important to remind all of us in this community that what we do matters, and that the education our alumni —our Bobcat family—graduate with really changes how they interact with the world,” says Jennifer Shutt Bowie, BSJ ’94, MS ’99, executive director of the OUAA and associate vice president of alumni relations for University Advancement.

“Our awardees are a tremendous example for our students. It’s our honor as the Alumni Association to celebrate that and to lift that up for all of our students to see.”

Read on to learn more about this year’s awardees, who are setting key examples of resilience and determination.

Medal of Merit

Vernon Sykes, BBA ’74 • In his nearly 50-year career in public service and advocacy, Ohio Sen. Sykes has left an indelible mark on our legislative landscape, championing bipartisan collaborations on policy initiatives in education, business and economic development, and civil rights.

Paula Tolliver, BBA ’86 • A former chief information officer at two Fortune 100 companies, Tolliver’s career reflects her groundbreaking contributions in technology and business. She shares her expertise with OHIO as a member of the College of Business’ Executive Advisory Board.

Keith Wandell, BBA ’72 • Wandell’s generous philanthropy, which includes a $2.5 million endowment to the Wandell Leadership Fellows program, highlights his dedication to fostering leadership excellence among students and leaves a legacy of inspiration and empowerment at OHIO and beyond.

Distinguished Service Award

Eldon Hall Jr., AB ’69 • In 2008, Hall and his wife established the Eldon L. Hall Jr. and Susan Hall Scholarship Fund in Economics. He recently surpassed the seven-figure lifetime giving mark, underscoring his profound commitment to enhancing access to quality education.

Connie Lawson-Davis, BSED ’67 • Lawson-Davis is a founding member of the Ohio University Ebony Bobcat Network and has served on the OUAA Board of Directors, the Ohio University Women’s Club of Greater Cleveland’s executive board and numerous other OHIO committees and networks.

Ken Rusche, BSED ’73 • Rusche’s unwavering support for the Ohio Bobcats is evident through his participation in athletic events and previous leadership roles within the OUAA Board of Directors, as well as the endowment of the Kenneth Ray Rusche Athletic Training Scholarship.

Charles J. & Clarie O. Ping Recent Graduate Award

Jeremy Wright, BSH ’10, MHA ’15 • A regional operations director for Cook County Health, Wright has received the Difference Maker Award for his service as a commissioner in his Chicago business district and the Individual Leadership Award from the United Way of Metro Chicago.

The Kermit Blosser Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame

Juliane “Juli” Accurso, BA ’14 • Accurso is a three-time cross country All-American and MAC Champion and a three-time track and field MAC Champion for both indoor and outdoor categories. She also earned the 2011 All-Ohio Champion title and still holds several OHIO records.

Emily (Bresser) Hobel, BSC ’01 •

On the women’s swim team, Hobel’s many accolades have included earning the MAC Commissioner’s Award, the MAC Presidential Award and 2001 MAC Outstanding Senior Swimmer of the Year. She also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2000.

Jeremy Johnson, BSED ’15 • OHIO wrestler Johnson was MAC Freshman of the Year, a two-time MAC Heavyweight Champion, a four-time Academic All-American and two-time All-American. He tops OHIO’s list for career record and single season wins.

Carlton White II, BSED ’71 • Known as “Slugger,” White was a member of two MAC Championship-winning men’s golf teams and placed in the top 10 individually at three MAC Championships. He competed professionally at the 1975 U.S. Open and won the 1975 Metropolitan Open.

The 1975 softball team • The 1975 Ohio softball team’s powerhouse offense, exceptional pitching and sound defense earned them a 16-1 regular season record and a place in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women World Series, where they placed eighth overall.

Honorary Alumni Award

Maya Lin • Athens native Maya Lin is perhaps best known for designing the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., but she has remained connected to OHIO throughout her life. Most notably, she designed “Input,” the grassy rectangles dotting Bicentennial Park next to Walter Hall. She’s also provided her architectural expertise in planning discussions for The Ridges and established a scholarship honoring her late parents, former College of Fine Arts Dean Henry Lin and Julia Lin, professor emerita of English.

Alumnus of the Year

“I think [Alumnus of the Year] is one of my biggest accomplishments ever,” says Dell Robinson, BSPE ’88, a sports administration professional who has worked for several collegiate athletic conferences and, most recently, executive search firm Spelman Johnson. Coming from a lower-middleclass, blue-collar family in the city of Cleveland and for me to excel, it provides pride for me for the work that I put in.”

Robinson describes himself as having an “uncanny love” for OHIO and recalls his time on campus, especially as a student athlete, fondly. He believes his experience on the football team shaped his work ethic and motivation.

“The day-to-day grind of the workouts, the film, the conditioning—I tried to carry that into my everyday work after I got out of Ohio University,” Robinson says. “To keep some of those elements, to say you want to be a part of the unit—that’s important.”

Robinson has remained heavily involved with OHIO, serving on the College of Business Executive Advisory Board and

providing mentorship to current students. Since being named Alumnus of the Year, Robinson has accepted a role as director of the AECOM Center for Sports Administration in the College of Business.

“My legacy and impact say that for any common person, for any common student, you can get to the top through education, hard work and passion,” Robinson says. “For anybody who’s been a friend, a mentee of mine, I tried to help uplift them … [and] get a little bit closer to what their dream is, because that’s what Ohio University did for me.”

He was nominated by Caryn Bailey, senior director of development for major giving in University Advancement, because he represents an excellent legacy.

“There is such a sense of belonging and Bobcat pride,” Bailey says. “To see the sense of pride that Dell has as an alumnus, to see all the excellent things that he does—he exudes excellence.” —Grace Koennecke, BSJ ’25

The 2024 Alumnus of the Year, Dell Robinson, BSPE ’88, at the 2022 Black Alumni Reunion gala. PHOTO BY RICH-JOSEPH FACUN, BSVC ’01

Know someone who you think deserves an Alumni Award honor? The deadline to nominate for the 2025 cohort is Dec. 31. Visit ohio.edu/nominate for more information.

Worth a Thousand Words

Photography book celebrates burial grounds as places of inspiration.

“This Place of Silence” is a photographic portrait of the state’s cemeteries and burial grounds by Ohio photographers Ian Adams and Randall Lee Schieber. The text and photo captions, written by Robin L. Smith, provide an overview of the history of burial grounds—from prehistoric mounds to modern “green” cemeteries— and many fascinating details about gravestones, mausoleums, statuary and cemetery landscapes.

According to historian Jeffrey E. Smith, the coffee-table book “gives readers more than a book about cemeteries—it is about the American experience itself.”

The introduction provides an overview of the historical place of burial grounds in our society and of their value today, not only as rich sources of history but also as repositories of art, architecture and nature. Cemeteries record the history of their communities in their names and dates, but they also tell us how a community wanted its history recorded: How did this community see itself? Who were the prominent people, and what did they accomplish? Graveyards, especially older ones, are also full of quirky names and mysteries. Who would name a child Nimrod, and where did that name come from? Why would two

families build identical side-by-side mausoleums? Who would want a grave marker that looks like a pile of stones?

The book’s chapters cover prehistoric mounds and early European American burial grounds; the evolution from rural cemeteries in the 19th century to modern green burials; art, architecture and symbolism in cemeteries; cemeteries and nature; military and institutional burial grounds; and distinctive ethnic cemeteries. Cemeteries in all 88 Ohio counties

are included and listed in a guide at the end of the book.

In over 200 photographs, the book’s creators highlight and showcase these sometimes neglected pieces of history. Their work shows that rather than dark, morbid places to be avoided, cemeteries are historic landscapes that are full of beauty, hope and honor for those Ohioans who came before us. —Laura André is the publicity and metadata manager at the Ohio University Press.

Left, “This Place of Silence”; right, Lake View Cemetery in Cuyahoga County is one of the many final resting places featured in the book. LEFT IMAGE COURTESY OF OHIO UNIVERSITY PRESS, RIGHT IMAGE COURTESY OF IAN ADAMS

Trees Full of Bobcats

This year, the Ohio University Alumni Association launched the Bobcat Family Tree Challenge to honor alumni’s deep connection to our beloved University. After reviewing more than 200 entries, the OUAA celebrated the winners during the Bobcat Family Picnic, held during Family Weekend in mid-September.

Georgiann Basilone-Moss, BSED ’75, submitted the grand prize-winning entry for “most Bobcats in a family;” she is one of two dozen OHIO alumni related by birth and marriage. They will be honored during a special recognition ceremony during the Bobcat Family Picnic. Check out the details of their lineage at right, and learn more about the contest’s other winners below.

Most Bobcat Generations (tie, with five generations each) Libby Nilsen, class of 2027, and family, and Megan Vogel, BA ’98, MA ’14, and family • Most Bobcats Since 1970 (16 Bobcats) Jordan Cox, BSC ’12, MED ’18, and family • Oldest Bobcat Relative (82 years old) Michelle (Johnson) Blackburn, BA ’11, and John Penrose, BSJ ’64, MS ’66 • First Generation Bobcat (each honored for their volunteerism with the University and response to an essay prompt about building their Bobcat family) John Anderson, AB ’74, and Lisa Gallagher, BMUS ’89

Robert Chapman, BSSPS ’13, MSA ’15

Richard Chapman, BSRS ’80

Robert Chapman, BSC ’84

Clifford “Bill” Chapman, BSCOM ’52

Mary Jane (Basilone) Chapman, BSHEC ’51

Jack Bolek, BSRS ’17

Herbert Byers Jr., BFA ’78

Leslee (Byers) Creighton, BA ’01, MA ’01

Mary Kay (Chapman) Bolek

PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

Aloysius Galicki, BSED ’50

Annalee (Galicki) Byers, BSED ’75

Theresa (Basilone) Galicki, BSED ’48 Div.

William Turner, BBA ’70

Angelina & Michael Basilone

Mary Jane (Basilone) Turner, BSED ’70

Jacquelyn (Moss) Shwam, BSJ ’06

Michael Basilone, BBA ’79

Meaghan Basilone Badarinath, BSED ’14

James “Jimmy” Basilone

Georgiann BasiloneMoss, BSED ’75

Matthew Moss, BSC ’05

Michael Moss, BBA ’03

Joe Moss

V. James Basilone, BSED ’48

Jan (Basilone) Hundt, BSHSS ’73

Joan (Basilone) Hamilton, BSED ’76

Frederick Moss, BSC ’84

Becky (Moss) Partington

Donald Partington, AB ’73

Kenneth & Clifton Rebecca Moss

George Basilone

NEW NAME, NEW LOOK, NEW LIFE

A gift from Jeffery Chaddock and Mark Morrow will change the face & future of the College of Fine Arts.

The scenic beauty of Southeast Ohio has inspired generations of artists, while the unique environment of Ohio University has offered them a creative haven for self-expression. Now, and for generations to come, OHIO’s redesigned College of Fine Arts will become a space where creativity and education collide to reimagine the student, faculty and community arts experience in Appalachian Ohio.

This evolution is made possible thanks to alumni support—including a gift from Jeffery Chaddock, BSC ’88, and Mark Morrow, who have committed a transformational $25 million to what will now be known as the Jeffery D. Chaddock and Mark A. Morrow College of Fine Arts.

“Ohio University is proud and honored to have the support of alumni and friends like Jeff and Mark,” says University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez. “Their gift is not only a testament to the tremendous impact of OHIO and the arts, but an assurance that the University will continue to provide access and opportunity in Southeast Ohio and beyond. Jeff has demonstrated over and over his love of the Appalachian region and Ohio University. Our communities have been well served by the generosity of Jeff and Mark, and we remain forever grateful.”

The couple’s momentous gift to the college will include programmatic and facility endowments for the Kennedy Museum of Art and the Performing Arts & Concert Series, as well as a fellowship for the college

and a gift to its capital and renovation fund, all with the aim of enhancing the student and regional arts experience. Additional gifts totaling $20 million will support the Ohio University Press, the University’s Pride Center and scholarships.

“Jeff and Mark have such wonderful, giving hearts,” says Kelli Kotowski, assistant vice president of gift planning for University Advancement. “They support their passions and invest in people and community. Jeff especially appreciates the joy and value that the arts bring to our lives, and this naming perfectly honors his commitment to elevate the arts at Ohio University and in our community.”

Chaddock was adopted as a child and came from humble means. He grew up in Belpre, Ohio, where various creative endeavors in his childhood provided a starting point for his success later in life.

“If it wasn’t for creativity in my life, I do not believe that I would be one-tenth of the person I am today,” he says. Chaddock is the CEO of Envisage Wealth, a Central Ohio-based wealth advisory firm that he founded more than 35 years ago. He is married to Morrow, docent for the 9/11 Museum in New York City. Together, the couple makes a point of supporting meaningful, arts-focused programs. With such programs disappearing from schools and other funding sources drying up, Chaddock and Morrow are drawn to offer their support; approximately 75% of their giving goes to creative spaces.

Scenes from the College of Fine Arts, including, at

right, the 2024 World Music and Dance Concert.

PHOTO RIGHT BY JAMES HAMILTON , PHOTOS ABOVE AND BELOW BY DANIEL KING, MFA ’15

The couple was inspired to such giving at OHIO when they were introduced to the Performing Arts & Concert Series and other College of Fine Arts programs in 1984.

“What if we could elevate that experience for the Appalachian community—both the geographic community and the higher education community?”

Chaddock recalls wondering. “It has been my 30-year vision to become stronger with that program.”

In that time, such efforts have expanded to include involvement with the Kennedy Museum of Art and funding for a recent, arts-focused renovation: the Chaddock Morrow Lounge in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. So it’s no surprise that the couple was excited to hear about the College of Fine Arts Capital Project when it was announced last year and quickly stepped up to support the effort.

At the core of the college’s $94 million renewal strategy is the new Patton Center for Arts Education, named for a monumental, $50 million gift from the late Violet Patton, BSED ’38, LHD ’11. The center will house a 400-seat theater and an indoor-outdoor performance venue, and it will anchor the new Arts + Education Green near Seigfred, Glidden and Putnam halls. When construction wraps in fall 2026, the new green will bring together the University’s fine arts programs with state-of-the art teaching and collaboration spaces designed to serve the specific needs of each discipline.

“As artists, we’re constantly trying to imagine how to create something new or include something that we’ve never done within our discipline,” says Merri Biechler, MFA ’07, associate professor and director of the School of Theater. “I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for all of us to experiment.”

A rendering of the new Patton Center for Arts Education. RENDERING COURTESY OF PERKINS—EASTMAN.

PHOTO RIGHT BY LAURA BILSON, BSVC ‘23

In the past seven years, the College of Fine Arts has grown significantly, adding more than a dozen new degree options—a number expected to continue growing, driven by new opportunities for collaboration. “Once we see what can happen with these intersections and collisions, I think there’ll be a completely new design of curriculum to better support that,” says Julie Dummermuth, associate professor in the School of Art + Design.

Like a pebble dropped in water, the ripple effect of Patton’s support encouraged Chaddock and Morrow to give—and they hope those ripples will continue outward, through them and into the wider Athens community. With OHIO serving as the largest arts provider in the region, that idea of community is essential to the couple.

“The rural areas of Appalachia are served enormously well by the University and its gravitational pull,” Chaddock says. “It certainly provides for a deeper conviction for giving. The College of Fine Arts particularly has a broader net, a broader impact to the geographic area.” He notes that OHIO’s presence as an arts provider sets it apart from peer institutions. Also different, adds Morrow, is the fact that the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Art will bear both their names.

“There aren’t that many same-sex married couples that I can find online that have schools named after them,” Morrow notes. “In fact, I can’t find one.” He and Chaddock hope their gift will inspire others in the

LGBTQ+ community in turn and remind them that their future is bright.

“Everybody, from Lori down, is so embracing at OHIO,” Morrow adds. “You just want to make sure that all young gay people realize that it doesn’t matter [if you’re gay]; you can make a difference. I think that’s another reason that Jeff and I felt this was important.”

And by making their commitment at this stage in their lives—Chaddock and Morrow are only 58 and 67, respectively—the couple hopes to encourage others to give early and see the effects of their contributions.

“Jeff was the one who taught me the importance of philanthropy, as well as the reward that comes along with it,” Morrow says. “It really is an amazing feeling to be able to be philanthropic at this level.”

“Our goal is to ensure folks think of the arts as a major percentage of their giving, today and in the future,” Chaddock says. “My motive to be public about the giving we’ve done, it’s always been in the vein of inspiring and giving permission to others to give today and in their ultimate planning gifts.” —Kali Knudson, BBA ’22, MA ’24

Visit ohio.edu/fine-arts/capital-project for more information on the College of Fine Arts’ Capital Project— including how you can offer your own support—and ohio.edu/news for project updates, information on the Chaddock Morrow Lounge and more.

Donors Jeffery Chaddock, BSC ’88 (seated), and Mark Morrow. PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

Portal to the Past

Created by OHIO alum Brian Koscho, the Invisible Ground project gives a thoroughly modern window into Southeast Ohio’s historic places and people.

Depending on one’s frame of reference, OHIO alumni might associate the chrome-covered diner at 18 N. Court St. as Dalt’s, Court Street Diner or HangOverEasy—but those who graduated before 1961 will remember the site as the iconic Berry Hotel. A popular destination in the early 1900s, the historic hotel was then Court Street’s only Black-owned business and attracted many notables, including four U.S. presidents, entertainer Bob Hope and poet Robert Frost.

Though the building has been gone for more than 50 years, it is far from forgotten—especially in light of Invisible Ground, an augmented reality (AR) app and accompanying podcast that provide a unique opportunity to appreciate Southeast Ohio’s storied past. The Berry Hotel was the first of eight sites selected for Invisible Ground’s “immersive historic markers,” which invite passersby to pause and peer into what once was.

TIME MACHINE

An OHIO alumnus’ project highlights historical sites across Southeast Ohio. On the opposite page, a look back at the former Berry Hotel on Court Street; this page, congregants pose in front of the Mount Zion Baptist Church, now the Mount Zion Black Cultural Center. Images Courtesy of Brian Koscho, BSED ’06, MFA ’22

Creator and producer Brian Koscho, BSED ’06, MFA ’22, describes each marker as a “funnel of sorts” and invites people to engage in various ways—first by reading the descriptive sign, then by scanning a QR code to download the app and view an AR rendering of the site’s past life layered over its present.

“On top of looking at it through your phone, each location also has an audio interpretation similar to a guided museum tour,” adds Koscho, who initially conceived the project as part of his MFA thesis. “The idea is that you leave the experience wanting to know more, and that’s where the podcast comes in.”

Along with the Berry Hotel, other points of interest in the Invisible Ground project include Mount Zion Baptist Church, the Soldiers & Sailors Monument on

College Green and more. Koscho plans to introduce four more by the end of 2024 for a total of 12 sites— with Tablertown, a key site in Southeast Ohio’s Black history now known as Kilvert, next on the list. It’s all part of Koscho’s larger vision of creating a sense of place through a unique Venn diagram of history, technology and storytelling.

“I’m 41, so I can remember growing up in a world without [devices]—I know what it’s like to be trapped between the digital and the physical,” says Koscho. “I believe people should get out and learn about history in the actual places it occurred; we’re using technology to connect people to their communities in a meaningful way.”

Keep up with the Invisible Ground project at findinvisibleground.com. —Jen Jones Donatelli, BSJ ’98

Class Notes

* denotes accolades featured at ohio.edu/news or in the media

1966

John B. Bishop, MS ’66, PHD ’69, received a Special Presidential Commendation from the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors late last year. The award recognizes Bishop’s “dedication to AUCCCD and collegiate mental health” and his efforts to compile and publish a history of the organization, which previously presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership in developing and advancing college and university counseling centers.

1969

The University School of Nashville’s Tibbott Gallery hosted more than two dozen pieces by James Edward Carlos, PHD ’69, in an exhibition titled Bending History early this year. The 8-foottall drawings depict what Carlos calls “mythological portraits from different sanctions of spiritual endeavor” and marked his final gallery showing to close his career.

1971

Rhodes University conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree upon South Africa’s former ambassador to the U.S., Barbara Masekela, AB ’71* This honor is a tribute to

her continuous contributions as a cultural activist, literary scholar and social justice advocate. Her influence spans continents, including teaching in the U.S., serving as Nelson Mandela’s head of staff and an ambassadorial appointment in France.

1972

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct reelected Patrick McLaughlin, BGS ’72, as its vice chair. Also a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, McLaughlin has served on the OBPC since 2017. The board consists of 28 volunteer members, all appointed by justices of the Supreme Court of Ohio, and conducts hearings involving allegations of ethics violations by Ohio lawyers and judges.

Ohio University’s spring 2024 undergraduate commencement address was given by William T. Newman Jr., BFA ’72*. His journey from Ohio University to becoming a revered trial judge and acclaimed actor on the stage and the screen exemplifies the multifaceted paths of success that Bobcats aspire to traverse.

1979

Longtime sportswriter Peter King, BSJ ’79*, known for his NFL coverage at Sports Illus-

BOBCAT SPOTLIGHT

Meet the 2023-24 class of board members

The Ohio University Alumni Association has named four new members to its Board of Directors: Huey Ball, BSED ’67; Kim Barlag, BA ’92, MA ’17; Bob Brewster, BBA ’02; and Andrew Razzano, BS ’05, DO ’09.

Now retired, Ball is a founding member of the Ebony Bobcat Network, which has funded more than $500,000 for the Ohio University Urban Scholars Program.

Barlag is the president and CEO of the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce in Ohio. Previously, she served as the director of communications and marketing for the Patton College of Education and as an adjunct professor in the School of Visual Communication.

A vice president in risk management, Brewster has served in multiple College of Business roles, including on the board of the Society of the Alumni and Friends and the Finance Advisory Council.

Razzano is an orthopedic surgeon whose special interests include sports medicine. He serves as the medical director for the Mason School District and the Cincinnati Reds, in addition to seeing patients at his practice in Mason, Ohio.

The four newest members of the OUAA Board of Directors join its 20 other OHIO graduates in representing the diversity of more than 290,000 Bobcats worldwide.

trated and NBC Sports, announced his retirement in February. While he is leaving the door open to future projects, King told Cleveland.com that his decision to retire stems in part from a desire to prioritize family and personal well-being.

1981

Northeast Ohio TV news mainstay Joe Pagonakis,

BSC ’81*, retired from a 48-year career in April.

The multi-award-winning journalist—accolades include more than a dozen Emmy, Associated Press and Regional Murrow awards, as well as the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ “Silver Circle” lifetime achievement award—is a WOUB alumnus and both opened and closed his broadcasting career at

WEWS in Cleveland, with additional stints at WYTV in Youngstown and WANE in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In March, Paula Shugart, BSC ’81*, was inducted into the Ohio Communication Hall of Fame. During her 23-year tenure as president of the Miss Universe Organization, Shugart advocated for women’s empowerment, a skill she attributes to her education at Ohio University. Her contributions to OHIO include an internship program with Scripps College of Communication, which has sent more than 60 students to public relations, design, video and photo internships in New York.

1982

Former Michigan State University football coach Mark Dantonio, MED ’82*, gave the commencement address at the university’s spring ceremony. In his 13 seasons with the Spartans, he earned the title of MSU’s all-time winningest football coach and led the team to three Big Ten Championships and several bowl game wins. The university also conferred upon him an honorary doctorate of education.

The 2023 amateur National Doubles Champion in Putt-Putt golf is David

Phillippi, AAS ’82, ’05, BSC ’84. He and playing partner Tony Centers shot a combined 36 under par across 72 holes. Phillippi also finished third in two other events, fourth in another, and tied for eighth place in the Tournament Players Championship.

1983

Broadcaster and WOUB alumnus John “Jack” Caudill, BSC ’83*, celebrated 40 years on air with KOTA/KEVN in Rapid City, South Dakota, late last year. In honor of the achievement, Mayor Jason Salamun issued an executive proclamation naming Dec. 21 to be “Jack Caudill Day.”

1986

The American Advertising Federation tapped Paul Carringer, MBA ’86, to serve as a judge for the 2024 ADDY Awards for its Corpus Christi, Texas, chapter based on his 40plus years of experience and status as a past Gold ADDY winner. The Gold ADDY recognizes the highest level of creative excellence at the American Advertising Awards, the industry’s largest and most representative competition.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association honored Caroline (Mast) Daugherty, BSED ’86*,

Alumni Authors

OHIO alumni publish books across subjects and genres. Here are releases within the last year.

The Mountain Empire League, historical fiction (self-published), by Marshall Adesman, MED ’73 · Something in the Woods Loves You, memoir (Hatchette Book Group), by Jarod Anderson, MA ’10 · The Unmothers, thriller (Quirk Books), by Leslie Anderson, MA ’11 · HAMPI, poetry and photo essay (For the Birds Trapped in Airports), by Mayu “River” Coello (Jara), MA ’23 The Ultimate Glue Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Adhesives for Cosplay, Crafts & More, craft and DIY (C&T Publishing), by Annye “Maker Fishmeal” Driscoll, BSCS ’12 · Narratives of Narcolepsy: Exploring Intricacies of Identity, Sleepiness, and Place, health communication and disability (Lexington Books), by Nicole Eugene, MA, PHD ’17 · The Bedtime Mantra, children’s picture book (Mascot Kids), by Mesha Griffith, BSJ ’13 · The Middle of Somewhere: Rural Education Partnerships and Innovation, education (Harvard Education Press), edited by Sara L. Hartman, BSED ’97, and Bob Klein · 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s, history and music (Twelve), by Rob Harvilla, BSJ ’00 · The Lord Who Listens: A Dogmatic Inquiry into God as Hearer, theology (Brill Academic Publishers), by Charles C. Helmer IV, BS ’05 · Pippa Speaks Up!, children’s chapter book (Big Heart Publishing), by Elizabeth (Pease) James, BSJ ’04 · Overcoming the School Trauma Cycle: Academic and Emotional Supports for Struggling Learners, education and mental health (Corwin), by Trynia Kaufman, BSS ’05 · American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress, race and historical analysis (Mariner Books), by Wesley Lowery, BSJ ’17 · At Last, romance (Credo House Publishers), by Mary (Bell) Meyer, AB ’72 · Remembering Our Bella, children’s picture book (self-published), by Monica (Hobbs) Page, BSHCS ’01 The Encouraging Mentor: Your Guide to 40 Conversations that Matter and 40 Conversations: A Guided Journal for Personal and Professional Growth, business and leadership, (self-published), by Brian Raison, MA ’98 · Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality, biology and philosophy (William Morrow), by Venki Ramakrishnan, MS ’74, PHD ’76, HSCD ’19 · Classes of Travel: Things I Learned and Taught Along the Way, memoir (self-published), by Edward Schack, MA ’86 Teen Movies: A Century of American Youth, film history (Wallflower Press), by Timothy Shary, MA ’92 · Olly & the Spores of Sapphire Creek, young adult fiction (self-published), by Glenn Somodi, BSJ ’92

Send your published work updates to ohiotoday@ohio.edu or to Ohio Today, Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701-0869. And don’t forget to add your achievement to the Ohio University Alumni Association’s Bobcat Authors database at ohio.edu/alumni/bobcat-authors.

through its Circle of Champions recognition program during the 2024 Boys State Basketball Tournament. As a player at OHIO, she earned three-time Mid-American Conference player of the year honors, MAC’s player of the decade distinction and was the Bobcats’ all-time leading scorer— among both the women’s and men’s teams—for nearly 40 years. Daugherty is also a member of the MAC and OHIO athletic halls of fame and the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.

1987

Women’s networking organization Conversation & Leadership tapped Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks, BBA ’87, to appear as a featured

speaker at its Level Up! InfluenceHER conference, held near Cleveland in January. Woodruff-Brooks is a published author and an entrepreneur, selling a line of beauty products under the brand Nilaja.

1988

The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, a nonprofit affiliate of disability support and advocacy charity Achieva, selected Mary Hartley, BFA ’88, as its new president. In assuming the role in February, she returned to the organization where she began her professional advocacy career nearly 20 years ago. Hartley has served as the inaugural chair of the Pennsylvania Employment First Oversight Commission by governor appointment;

YOUR CHARITABLE LEGACY

she also is past chair of the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center’s Disability Resource Council and has served on the Board of Disability Rights Pennsylvania.

1989

Executive producer David Collins, BSC ’89*, celebrated a 10th Emmy Award win—and sixth consecutive win for Outstanding Structured Reality Program—for Netflix’s Queer Eye. Inspired by a transformative moment at a networking event, Collins and his partner conceptualized the series, originally known as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. The seventh season of Queer Eye cinched the show as the longest-running reality series on Netflix, further solidifying

the show’s legacy in the entertainment landscape.

1990

The documentary “Rhythms of the Heart,” directed by Thomas “Thom” Willey, BFA ’90*, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. It focuses on the work of David Moses Bridges, a member of the Passamaquoddy tribe in Maine who is fighting both cancer and a battle to preserve his culture. Willey’s next project, “It’s Only Right: The Calvineers Movie” is currently in production.

1991

A seasoned journalist with deep ties to Central Ohio, Mike Shearer, BSJ ’91*, became the new executive editor of The A gift to The Ohio University Foundation in your will or trust gives you maximum flexibility.

• Easy to arrange

• Revocable

• Maintain control of your assets

Contact Tim Gartland, Senior Director, Gift Planning, at 740.593.2235 or gartland@ohio.edu to learn more.

“Our

parents instilled the importance of community involvement, philanthropy and OHIO in my brother, David (BS ’83), and me through their own examples.”

—MARCUS MOLEA, BBA ’80, MHA ’95 WILL BEQUEST DONOR

BOBCAT SIGHTINGS

OHIO

alumni go on adventures hither and yon!

Real estate agent Leslie Neal, BSS ’96 (left), congratulates her client and friend Kaylyn Schaffranek, BA ’21, after closing on her first home in Columbus, Ohio, last fall. Any time Neal closes a transaction with a fellow Bobcat, she donates a portion of her commission to an OHIO fund of the alum’s choosing in their name.

Matt Scott, BSME ’98, and Kate Scott, BSH ’97, visited the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii (pictured) in Italy last summer to celebrate 25 years of marriage.

Del George, BSCE ’70 (far left), and his family of Bobcats gathered for his birthday last April. Also photographed, from left, are Doug George, BSCE ’93; Paul Stratton, BSED ’07; Brooke George-Stratton; Abby Stratton, BA ’20, MED ’22; Owen Stratton, BSEE ’24; and Emma Stratton, class of 2025.

Three generations of OHIO alumni celebrated at Deryk and Taylor Fain’s wedding in Columbus last summer. Pictured in the back row, left to right, are Dennis Minichello, AB, MA ’74; Bill Coffman, AB ’67, MA ’78; Cole Zimmerman, BBA ’22; Taylor Cremeans, BBA ’19; Tyler Rowe, BBA ’20; Troy Lowe, BSM ’19; Matt Brady, BBA ’19; and Blake Rosebrook, BBA ’19. In the middle, left to right, are Kristen (Stevens) Scott, BBA ’00; Eliza Aleksandrovic, BS ’24; Amanda Brewer, BBA ’19; Carly Pavey, BBA ’19; Kaitlyn “Katie Belle” Neumann, BBA ’19; and Martha Keaton. In the front row, left to right, are Colin Vernon, BA ’17; Megan Bryce, BA ’19; Deryk Fain, BBA ’18; Taylor (Zimmerman) Fain, BBA ’19; Halle Nichols, BBA ’19; Nicole Fillar, BBA ’19; and Austin Allaby, BSETM ’19

While visiting River City Bangkok in Thailand, Jeffrey Finkle, BSC ’76, and his wife happened upon 956 Contemporary Art, the studio and gallery of Sirapoom “Chalah” Chaveesuk, MFA ’07

From left, Patrick Miller, BBA ’84; Eleanor (Crews) Miller, BFA ’18; and Brock Miller, BSC ’03; displayed their OHIO pride during a glamping trip near Taos, New Mexico, last September.

Send your photos with names, grad degrees and years to ohiotoday@ohio. edu or to Ohio Today, Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701-0869.

FUTURE BOBCATS

Three generations of Bobcats—Melanie Raese, BBA ’06; her father, Warren Raese, BSED ’69; and her son, Benjamin—enjoyed a Florida vacation last summer.

Alex Vitanye, BBA ’08, MSA, MBA ’10, and Lauren (Tate) Vitanye, BSC ’08, celebrated a special remote Homecoming last year at their home in Wisconsin with their son, Tate, class of 2043, and new addition Eleanor, class of 2045, born Sept. 19, 2023.

Send your photos with names, grad degrees and grad years to Ohio Today, Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701-0869 or to ohiotoday@ohio.edu.

Luke Beurket was born Oct. 1, 2023, to Alex Beurket, BSED ’15, MSRSS ’18, and Katie Pellegrini Beurket, BSC ’17 Luke is also the nephew of Erin Beurket, BSC ’19, BSRS ’20 Alex and Katie say they can’t wait for Family Weekend 2042!

Paul Leduc, BSCE ’13, MS ’15, and Caitlin (Roberts) Leduc, BA, BSJ ’14, welcomed their future Bobcat, Levi David Leduc, on Nov. 12, 2023.

Granddaughters of James Slack, BA ’75, and daughters of Sarah Slack Miller and Brandon Miller, 5-year-old Ellie and 3-year-old Addison like to listen to The Most Exciting Band in the Land on their Bompy’s radio.

Your Support Will Be Instrumental

For more than 50 years, the Marching 110 has been one of OHIO’s most valued traditions—yet it has never had a dedicated practice facility on campus. You can help us change that.

Join us as we create a state-of-the-art facility for our Marching 110. We have a $3 million goal, and you can help us reach it!

Make a Gift Now at ohio.edu/marching-110/band-complex. Questions? Contact giving@ohio.edu.

Columbus Dispatch late last year. With a wealth of experience, including serving as editor and market leader for the Akron Beacon Journal and regional editor for several USA Today Network Ohio newsrooms, Shearer brings a passion for local journalism and community service to his new role.

1992

Larry Archie, BSH ’92, MSHA ’94, was reelected as district court judge for North Carolina’s 24th Judicial District, where he has served since 2019. His new term runs through December 2026.

Last year, Mitchell Simmons, BSME ’92, MS ’93, received the 2023 Robert Beland Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching at the National Intelligence University. The associate dean and program director for the University’s Oettinger School of Science and Technology Intelligence, Simmons also was recently named a full professor after 10 years of service and scholarship.

1993

Two alumni faculty members from OHIO have been honored with Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council. Stocker Professor of Creative

Writing Eric LeMay, AB ’93*, received accolades for his memoir excerpt on facing a cancer diagnosis as a new parent. And associate professor and School of Theater Director Merri Biechler, MFA ’07*, earned recognition for her play, “My Bigfoot Family,” a captivating exploration of hope amid family struggles. These awards not only celebrate individual achievements but also underscore the vibrant artistic community fostered at OHIO.

1995

The digital, advertorial lifestyle magazine Alexandria Stylebook, co-founded by Elizabeth (Coleman) Todd, BSJ ’95, celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this year. In what she calls her “day job,” Todd is the owner of three boutiques in the Alexandria, Virginia, area and co-founded the Old Town Boutique District, an area shopping district that now includes more than 30 independent retailers.

1996

Chrystal Denmark Porter, BSED ’96, MSA ’97, was named provost and vice president of academic affairs at Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts. Porter joined Lasell in 2020 as the vice president of

graduate and professional studies, then served as the vice president for enrollment and marketing in 2021.

1998

Each February, parentteacher associations across the country celebrate the founding of the National PTA in a Founder’s Day event. At this year’s event, Michelle Hill, BSC ’98, received the Ohio PTA Achievement Award for her service with Strongsville Early Childhood PTA. Fellow Bobcat—and Hill’s Delta Gamma sister— Sarah Knowles Polo, BBA ’00, MBA ’03, received the award last year for her involvement with Surrarrer Elementary School. Hill credits Knowles Polo with inspiring her to get involved with Strongsville City Schools.

2005

Consulting firm Hanson Professional Services in Peoria, Illinois, announced the hire of grant writer Mandi Tucker, MFA ’05. Working from Ohio, she will research and identify grant funding opportunities, help prepare grant applications and coordinate with granting agencies to generate applications that address clients’ needs and funding opportunity priorities.

2008

Membership-based networking group Boston Business Women has named Kristen Reed, BA ’08, “Best Health Coach” based on votes from clients and peers. Reed is the founder and CEO of Nursing Your Way to Wellness, where she provides personalized health coaching, group wellness programs and more, using a holistic approach that includes whole foods, physical activity, stress management and self-care.

The Muskingum County Community Foundation awarded Taylor Russell, BSS ’08*, the prestigious Brian T. Wagner Community Leadership Award. A Zanesville native, Russell has demonstrated exceptional commitment to his community through his 11-year service with the Zanesville Jaycees, as well as serving on the board of directors for Muskingum County Emerging Leaders, Muskingum County Safety Council, the ZanesvilleMuskingum County Chamber of Commerce and the Carr Center, which provides services to children and adults with disabilities.

2009

The American Heart Association named Steubenville, Ohio, news anchor Jaime Baker, BSJ ’09*, as

a 2024 Woman of Impact this spring. During the nine weeks of the Woman of Impact Campaign, nominees compete to generate financial support for women’s heart health. In a unique twist, this year the five nominees opted to work together to raise funds, culminating in a total of $56,545.

2011

Becker’s Healthcare has named Don Stanziano, MHA ’11, as one of its 60 hospital and health system chief marketing officers to know for 2023. As CMO at Pennsylvania-based Geisinger, Stanziano leads all strategic marketing, communications and digital engagement across the 10-hospital system.

2012

“The Private Eye,” a feature film that saw wide release in the U.S. via Regal Cinemas, starred OHIO’s own Elliot Hebeler, BSPE ’12*. It was produced by Illusion Islands, the independent production company Hebeler and a group of close friends formed in 2017, and also starred Matt Rife, Erik Griffin and Eric Roberts, among others.

2013

Michael Boakye-Yiadom, PHD ’13, received the Educational Leadership

Award for Transformative Education at last fall’s Ghana Education Awards for his service as the National Convenor for the September 2022 United Nations/UNESCO Transforming Education Summit, as appointed by the President of the Republic of Ghana, and for his research in educational planning. Boakye-Yiadom is the director-general of the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, an autonomous entity within the University of Cape Coast.

2016

Ian McKay, BA ’16*, was among the Reveille 25, Mississippi State University Alumni Association’s recognition program for outstanding young alumni making a positive impact on their communities. McKay earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at MSU in 2019 and 2021, respectively. He works at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus as a pediatric acute treatment psychologist and teaches at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

The Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus announced the recipients of the 2024-25 Ohio Humanities Film Fellowships, which included Eli Hiller, BS, BSVC ’16*. His

BOBCAT SPOTLIGHT

An artist for the ages

When Time released its TIME100, a list of the most influential people of 2024, it included E. Jean Carroll, Dua Lipa, Elliot Page and Leslie Odom Jr., to name a few.

Joining them was conceptual artist Jenny Holzer, BFA ’72*, whose work shines light on political and social justice issues—often literally with projections or LED signs, as well as paintings in a variety of styles, line drawings, poetic and poignant plaques, and advocacy displays on box trucks.

In the Time article, fellow artist Kiki Smith recalls Holzer’s 1989 Guggenheim show as “one of the best I’ve seen,” adding that Holzer “has allowed her art to grow by embracing collaboration and new technologies.”

Fittingly, Holzer returned to the Guggenheim this year from May through September with Light Line, an exhibition that reimagines her previous show with a six-story LED installation, paintings and other works from the 1970s through today, and a temporary projection on the building’s exterior.

project “Becoming Us” explores his status as the child of a single mother and a sperm donor and follows his search for his biological father.

Chillicothe High School band director Michelle (Carpenter) Turon, BMUS ’16, has been selected as the Ohio Music Education Association’s Outstanding Young Educator for 2024. OMEA bestows this honor on teachers with three to eight years of experience for being an inspiring ed-

ucator and future leader in music education. A Marching 110 alumna, Turon has sent many of her own students on to march in The Most Exciting Band in the Land.

2018

The K. Patricia Cross Award, presented at the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ annual conference, celebrates graduate students showing remarkable potential as future higher

photo by nanda lanfranco

education leaders. Among the nine awardees for 2024 was Oumarou Abdoulaye Balarabe, MA ’18, MED ’21*. Named in honor of distinguished educator K. Patricia Cross, the award is bestowed upon those dedicated to academic innovation through equity, community engagement, and teaching and learning.

Austin “A.J.” Ouellette, BSS ’18*, recently signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League after a successful stint with the Toronto Argonauts, where he led the team to the Grey Cup Championship and was named an Eastern Division All Star in 2022.

The Software Report named Charanjit “Sunny” Singh, MBA ’18*, to its 2024 Top 25 AI Executives list for his role in driving innovation and transformation in the tech industry. As president and CEO at Aeyon, Singh leads the company in providing analytics, IT, program management and more for the Department of Defense and similar civilian agencies.

2019

OHIO special teams coordinator and linebackers coach Nate Faanes, MSRSS ’19*, has been recognized as an American

Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 honoree. The one-day program trains emerging leaders in football coaching through interactive lectures on leadership, ethics, career progression and more.

Sneha Upadhyay, MS ’19*, was one of eight students nationwide to be recognized at the American Vacuum Society International Symposium and Exhibition late last year with a prestigious National Graduate Research Award. Through her work researching quantum materials, she hopes to inspire other women to pursue careers in science and contribute to meaningful discoveries.

2022

After playing for OHIO’s basketball team, Jason Preston, BSM ’22*, secured a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz early this year. As a Bobcat, he earned the Conference Tournament MVP title. Preston’s journey continued with a draft selection by the Orlando Magic and trade to the Los Angeles Clippers before finding his footing in the G-League. At press time, he had scored six points across 17 minutes in a 131102 loss to the Clippers in April.

November is a month of gratitude and a reminder to help those in need. From Nov. 1 through Giving Tuesday on Dec. 3, the Ohio University Alumni Association encourages all alumni and our Alumni Networks to make a positive difference in someone’s life through service and volunteerism. This is a special opportunity to uplift your local communities and Ohio University on Giving Tuesday.

During last year’s challenge, OHIO Alumni collected 1,374 pounds of canned food, packed 500 food boxes, and were among the 728 donors who raised a total of $100,640 in support of Giving Tuesday at Ohio University.

Questions? Contact: alumniengagement@ohio.edu

Visit ohio.edu/give-thanksnovember to learn more and participate in this year’s challenge.

Bobcat Tracks

1940s

Rita K. (Durst) Blum, BS ’42

Brinton T. Darlington, AB ’43

Mary (McGill) Walters, BSED ’45

Doris (Keaton) Williams, AB ’47, BSHEC ’48, MSHEC ’65

Phyllis (Smothers) Mathias, BS ’48

Thomas A. Fox, BS ’49, MS ’51

C. Rolland Lattanner, BSCOM ’49

James B. Reinbolt, BS ’49

1950s

Arthur W. Guhde Jr., BSEE ’50

Alexander Kanareff, BSCE ’50

Mildred “Millie” (Peden) Kohn, BSED ’50

Clayton F. Riley, BSCOM ’50

George W. Schauer, BSEE ’50

Albert R. Varhola, BSIE ’50

William E. “Bill” Ward III, AB ’50

Patricia (Cook) Weissgarber, AA ’50

Stanley L. Ginsberg, AA ’51

Susan E. (Morrison) Pickering, BSJ ’51

William F. Poston, BBA ’51

Nancy (Grissom) Self, BSHEC ’51

Joan (Erdmann) Simpson Parks, AB ’51

Donna J. (Buck) Slagle, BSED ’51

Howard A. Tolley, BSJ ’51

Shirley (Siferd) Hart, AA ’52

Franklin R. “Frank” Logan, BSJ ’52

Maxine (Wolfson) Lucas, BSJ ’52

Helen M. (Urban) Meeting, BSED ’52

John D. “Jack” Sawyer, AB ’52

Pauline (Riegler) Van Muyden, BSED ’52

Carl L. Wirick, BSCOM ’52

John D. Bauman, BSJ ’53

June H. (Cotner) Daugherty, BSED ’53

Carol A. (Askue) Ennis, AB ’53

Robert W. Spurgeon, BSJ ’53

William J. Douglass, BFA ’54

Dorothy (Boettner) Greiner, BSED ’54

Gretchen “GeGe” (Gelbach) Holdash, BSED ’54

Memorial “Mark” Kalagidis, BSEE ’54

Barbara L. (Ridenour) Kelley, AB ’54

Benjamin O. Shaver, MED ’54

Shirley M. (Sidle) Wolfe, BSED ’54

Richard M. “Dick” Hibbett, BSJ ’55

Emma “Jeannie” (Downey) Richmond, MED ’55

Mary L. (Wilson) Van De Castle, AB ’55

Robert D. Clinger, BSJ ’56

Roberta (Mohler) Freeman, BSED ’56

Ronna (Vollmer) Gardner, BFA ’56

Richard E. “Dick” Garrison, BSED ’56

Barbara M. (Williams) Love, AB ’56

Henry H. Roenigk Jr., AB ’56

D. Clark Higgins, BSCOM ’57

Eldon C. Lown, BSME ’57

Ronald J. Sbrissa, BSED ’57

Eleanor R. (Warburton) Shaver, AB ’57

Rodney S. Darling, BSCOM ’58

Sue A. (McMurray) Ferch, BSED ’58

James C. Fontaine, BSCOM ’58

Wilson G. Graham, BFA ’58

Elizabeth K. (Fisher) Miller, BSED ’58

Bette-Lou (Cronenwett) Ulmer, BSCOM ’58

Terry K. Isenbarger, BSED ’59

John L. “Jack” McInturf, BSCE ’59

Leland F. Patterson, BS ’59

Janet L. (Shaw) Stewart, BSED ’59

1960s

Donald E. Bogard, MED ’60

Gary L. Clark, BSCOM ’60

Barton Gilbert, BSCOM ’60

David P. Kotnik, BSED ’60, MED ’64

Gail E. (Cunningham) Penn, BSED ’60

Leatrice J. (Eiben) Tremba, BSED ’60

Tom L. Dupler, BSED ’61

Susan (Benner) Lawyer, BSED ’61

Robert G. Merritt, BS ’61

Elinore A. (Shoup) Myers, BSED ’61

John C. Reamer, BFA ’61

Mary A. (Mercer) Beal, BSED ’62

George P. Hamilton, BSME ’62

Lynn M. (Miller) Hanson, BSED ’62

Stephen N. “Steve” Kline, BSME ’62

Gerald R. “Jerry” Robusto Sr., BSCOM ’62, MBA ’63

Oren N. Trefz, BSCOM ’62

Larry G. Cray, BBA ’63

Leonard R. Hardman, BSED ’63

Ronnie L. Kerlee, BSIT ’63

Joan M. Loveridge-Sanbonmatsu, MA ’63

John E. Quiggle, BSJ ’63

Jerilyn “Jeri” (Brestel) Clegg, BSS ’64

Ricki B. Freiman, BA ’64

Melvin H. Host, BS ’64

Eli J. McKay, BBA ’64

Edwin R. Payne, BS ’64

Judith M. (Lakanen) Shah, MA ’64

Richard Vlasak, BBA ’64

Phillip M. Bobo, BSED ’65

Linda (Mitchell) Crocker, BS ’65

Dean L. Forbes, BSED ’65

Brian K. Gorris, BBA ’65

James A. Monsul, BARCH ’65

Richard A. “Dick” Nash, BSED ’65, MED ’68

Thomas B. Perry, BSIT ’65

Sandra (McCartney) Vlasak, BSED ’65

Janet B. (Matey) Alexander, BSJ ’66

Joe D. Arganbright, MED ’66

Rita M. (Lewis) McCoy, BFA ’66

Donald W. McCutcheon, BSIT ’66

Jim W. McGregor, BSED ’66

Frances M. (Rohloff) Moore, BFA ’66, MA ’67

James R. Napier, BBA ’66, MBA ’67

Toula A. (Varouhakis) Oberlies, BSJ ’66

Romaine B. Bayless, BS ’67

Kenneth E. Brown, AB ’67

Jeffery C. Dickson, BSJ ’67

Ronald E. Downey, BSJ ’67

William O. Elmore, BSED ’67, MED ’70

Amy (Daniels) Goss, MED ’67

James C. McAtee, BSIT, BBA ’67

Mary L. (Hannon) Pelzer, MED ’67

Pamela S. (Forsythe) Sidlovsky, BSED ’67, MED ’75

Dennis B. Williams, BSED ’67

Genevieve (Ruminski) Gehm, BSED ’68

Stephen C. Sisko, BSJ ’68

Margery J. (Long) Stoodt, BSED ’68

Annie L. Craycroft Carter, AB ’69

Daniel L. Dupps, BSED ’69, MED ’72

Norman L. Englert, BBA ’69

M. Timothy Fread, BBA ’69

Michael W. Peairs, BSED ’69

Sandra E. (Joseph) Schneider, BBA ’69

Warren S. “Pete” Sobataka, BSCHE ’69

Helen E. (Rogusky) Stepp, BSHSS ’69

Robert L. Walker, BBA ’69

1970s

Stephen F. Alderman, BSED ’70

James D. Bond, BBA ’70

Charlotte “Charlie” (Kalal) Ellis, BFA ’70

Norman M. Holthouse, PHD ’70

Mary Jacobs, BSED ’70

James D. Kearns, BSCHE ’70

Kenneth R. Sanford, BBA ’70

Marianne (Smead) Savarda, BSHSS ’70

Thomas J. Tansky, BSEE ’70

Robert L. Taylor Jr., MA ’70, PHD ’72

Marjory J. (Hadler) Waligura, BSED ’70

Firdaus H. Abdullah, MA ’71

Mary J. (Young) Kitchen, BSED ’71

Harriet J. (Cherberg) Passarelli, BSC ’71

John W. Rees, BBA ’71

Robert W. Downey, BSED ’72

Lawrence J. “Larry” Gregory Jr., MFA ’72

Glenn A. Griffiths, BSED ’72

Roy A. Imes, BGS ’72

John E. Maroney, MA ’72

Deborah L. (Sims) McLoud, BSED ’72

Helen T. Paes, BSC ’72

Kathleen M. “Kathy” (Neuder) Robertson, AB ’72

Daniel K. Shao, AB ’72, HLLD ’98

Elizabeth (Martys) Steinberg, BSJ ’72

Rodney V. Fields, BBA ’73

John E. Francisco, BBA ’73

Brian R. Jones, AB ’73

Michael C. Klein, BS ’73

Charles B. Lewis, BGS ’73

Kathryn F. (Keyser) Ruark, BSED ’73

Pamela S. (Poole) Allbright, BSED ’74

Kathleen D. Connick, AB ’74, MA ’82

Michael E. Foley, AB ’74

Gary A. Hamley, BSED ’74

William H. Harkins, BSED ’74, MED ’96

Larry L. Matthews, BSED ’74

Dolores A. (Gerlach) Meisner, MA ’74

Marilyn L. (Shropshire) Seward, BSED ’74

David J. Skal, BGS ’74

George W. Byers Jr., BGS ’75

Lynn E. Davidson, BSEE ’75

Gary L. Earich, AAS ’75

Patrick McCaffrey, PHD ’75

Lois A. Mitchell, BSED ’75

Charles W. Akers, PHD ’76

Michael Lonchar, BARCH ’76

James C. “Jim” Schlueter, MS ’76

Marcia A. Woodward, BGS ’76

Susanne D. (Teuscher) Kochheiser, AB ’77

Deborah G. (Meier) Phillips, BSC ’77

Alan Richardson, PHD ’77

R. Todd Baucher, BSC ’78

Ruth M. Cook, BSN ’78

Martin U. Dikis, AB ’78

Douglas F. Elliott, BSED ’78

Ray Jarrett, BSED ’78

Andrea C. (Irwin) Pejeau, BFA ’78

Karen R. (Wilson) Sammons, BSED ’78

Bettina (Geyer) ThompsonErickson, MED ’78

Terry R. Drugan, AB ’79

Deborah M. Geisler, BSC ’79, MA ’81

1980s

Jane A. Dunkel, BSC ’80

Margaret E. “Molly” Thimons, BSED ’80

Deborah (Finnerty) Carney, AB ’81

David R. Dunkin, DO ’82

Jayne A. (Williams) Pellicano, BSHEC ’82

Andrew D. “Andy” Koval, BBA ’83

Christopher B. Morton, BSC ’83

Ronald E. Rouhier, BGS ’84

Robert F. Bovenizer, MBA ’85

Jeffrey W. Glover, BFA ’85, MFA ’88

Ronald L. Young, MBA ’86

Sally (Morse) Cushman, PHD ’87

Donna J. Holbrook, BSN ’88

Dixie (Leach) Bowlby, BSED ’89

David R. Kennat, BSED ’89

Ellen K. Lukens Birchwell, BSED ’89

Ruth A. Riffe, BS ’89

Christopher A. Sahr, BSME ’89

Janet (Steed) Travis, BSED ’89

1990s

Donald C. Turner, BSED ’90

Sarah Lynn (Hubble) Frazier, BSN ’91

James Sherman, AA ’91, AB ’93

Rita A. Blair, AS ’92

Stephanie A. Mills, BSED ’93

Roshelle D. Pate, BSC ’93

Thomas B. Sakadales, BSSE ’93

Linda (Lively) Hankins, PHD ’94

Constance R. Fleminks, BSHCS ’95

Tory R. Hampton, BSS ’95

Melissa R. (Wilson) Johnson, BSC ’96

John W. Toole, BSEE ’96

Joseph F. Andrion-Robbins, BSC ’97

Chad A. Walden, AAS ’97

Douglas E. “Dougo” Barry, BSC ’99

Heather N. Hattery, BSJ ’99

2000s

Shannon E. (Abbuhl) Wigfield, BSED ’00

Cynthia L. Barragan, BSS ’01

Benjamin H. Young, AAS ’01

Tara M. (Gall) Bell, BSJ ’03

James J. “Jake” Sharp, BSSPS ’04

Kimberly M. Nemeth-D’Ambrosio, DO ’05

Paul S. Wollenberg, BSED ’05

Donald R. Coe, BSS ’07

2010s

Diana L. Johnson, BSN ’12

Michael D. Slemp, MHA ’12

Morgan M. Ehrenbeit, BSCSD ’19

2020s

Mitchell T. Fogle, BFA ’20

Faculty/staff

Terry A. Anderson, HLHD ’98, Coconut Creek, Florida, retired Scripps Howard visiting professor of journalism, Apr. 21

Charity A. Boggs, Coolville, Ohio, former custodial supervisor, Feb. 24

Alan R. Booth, Bowling Green, Ohio, professor emeritus of history, Jan. 22

Hayden Carman, Marietta, Ohio, hazardous materials tech, Jan. 12

Grafton J. Conliffe, Albany, Ohio, retired professor emeritus of modern languages, Dec. 28

Lisa B. Cooke, MED ’99, Huntington, West Virginia, former instructor of education, Jan. 1

Hugh M. Culbertson, Athens, Ohio, professor emeritus of journalism, Dec. 29

John A. Deno, BSED ’69, MED ’71, Athens, Ohio, retired professor emeritus of engineering technology, Jan. 19

Klaus E. Eldridge, Athens, Ohio, retired professor emeritus of mathematics, Apr. 15

Rodney D. Elliott, Cincinnati, Ohio, retired sociology professor, Aug. 27

James “Jim” R. Forrester Jr., Cumberland, Maryland, retired professor, Dec. 12

Sara L. (McCalmont) Gilfert, BFA ’70, MFA ’76, Athens, Ohio, professor emerita, Mar. 15

Samuel Goldman, Carbondale, IL, former dean of College of Education, Apr. 16

Fred Hart, New Martinsville, West Virginia, geological sciences tech, Feb. 1

David M. Heaton, Athens, Ohio, professor emeritus of English, Jan. 14

Coleman Hough, Englewood, New Jersey, former instructor of screenwriting, Feb. 24

Earle R. Hunt, Athens, Ohio, professor emeritus of physics, Jan. 29

Teresa J. Iles, Athens, Ohio, former associate director of housing, Jan. 27

Nikolay Kornilov, Athens, Ohio, former physics researcher, Mar. 18

Joung Hee (Ho) Krzic, MED ’88, Athens, Ohio, retired instructor of Japanese, Dec. 13

Helene “Laney” (Carter) Langtry, AB ’78, MA ’84, Mitchellville, Maryland, retired assistant director of Honors Tutorial College, Jan. 11

William K. “Bill” Larson, Portsmouth, Ohio, retired professor emeritus of educational administration, Dec. 31

Hwa-Wei Lee, Jacksonville, Florida, retired dean emeritus of University Libraries, Dec. 17

William F. “Bill” Lohrer, BSJ ’61, Troy, Ohio, former editor of The Ohio Alumnus, Feb. 19

Glenda J. (Millard) Marting, MED ’90, Russell, Kentucky, former PT counselor, Feb. 8

Lucy M. McDonald, The Plains, Ohio, retired employee, Jan. 25

Harold N. McElhaney, Greensboro, North Carolina, former athletics director, Nov. 7

Dana McGraner, Athens, Ohio, retired admissions and financial aid employee, Feb. 2

Donna M. Morris, Pomeroy, Ohio, retired English department employee, Mar. 14

Earl J. Norman, AB ’67, Fairborn, Ohio, former culinary services employee, Apr. 13

Betty P. Pytlik, Athens, Ohio, retired professor emerita of English, Dec. 25

Gretchen M. (Strasma)

Rauschenberg, PHD ’86, Columbus, Ohio, former instructor, Jan. 8

Robert “Sheldon” Rowan, Athens, Ohio, retired groundskeeper, Jan. 2

Gerald Rubin, Athens, Ohio, professor emeritus in Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nov. 12

Joel S. Rudy, Athens, Ohio, former vice president for Student Affairs and dean emeritus of students, Dec. 23

William J. Seifer, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, retired clinical professor in Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Feb. 10

Irwin A. Ungar, Athens, Ohio, retired professor emeritus of environmental and plant biology, Nov. 18

Michael A. Weiser, MS ’98, Athens, Ohio, associate director of CORE, Dec. 1

Richard D. Wetzel Sr., Chesterhill, Ohio, professor emeritus of music history, Dec. 10

William Wrage, Athens, Ohio, retired professor emeritus of modern languages, Mar. 17

Richard Zoulek, Athens, Ohio, retired avionics research employee, Dec. 20

—Includes individuals who passed away between Nov. 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024. Information provided by the University’s Office of Advancement Services and staff research.

MISSION STATEMENT

Ohio Today informs, celebrates, and engages alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of Ohio University.

Editor in Chief

Emma Henterly, BSJ ’10

Art Director

Sarah McDowell, BFA ’02

Contributors

Advancement Services

Operations Team

Laura M. André

Laura Bilson, BSVC ’23

Nick Bolin, BSVC ’18, MA ’21

Eli Burris, BSJ ’16

Nick Claussen, BSJ ’92

Taylor Connelly, BSJ ’26

Barbara Costas-Biggs

Jen Jones Donatelli, BSJ ’98

Rich-Joseph Facun, BSVC ’01

James Hamilton

Daniel King, MFA ’15

Kali Knudson, BBA ’22, MA ’24

Grace Koennecke, BSJ ’25

Conor Mallonn, BSC ’26

Office of the University Registrar

Ohio University Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections

Ohio University Press

Joel Prince, BSVC ’06

Mary Reed, BSJ ’90, MA ’93

Stephen Reiss, AAS ’97

Ben Wirtz Siegel, BSVC ’02

Carmen Szukaitis, BSJ ’24

Aaron Thomas, BSC ’01

Ohio University President

Lori Stewart Gonzalez

Interim Vice President of Advancement and President/CEO of The Ohio University Foundation

Lyn Redington

OUAA Executive Director

Jennifer Shutt Bowie, BSJ ’94, MS ’99

Vice President for University Communications and Marketing

Robin Oliver

Director of Content Strategy and Publications

Sarah Filipiak, BSJ ’01, BS ’23

Printer

The Watkins Printing Co.

Errata for previous issues follow. Ohio Today regrets the errors. Spring 2023, page 53, Rodney D. Elliott was listed among alumni rather than faculty in the In Memoriam section. We have reprinted his information on page 54 of this issue. Fall 2024, page 30, Sandy Anderson was misidentified as Sandy (Hendrick) Anderson.

RELIVE BRICKS THE

Ohio Today is published two times a year. Its digital companion is ohio.edu/ magazine. Both are produced by University Advancement, with funding from The Ohio University Foundation. Views expressed in them do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff or University policies.

Editorial office address: Ohio Today, Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 457010869. Send questions, comments, ideas and submissions to the above address, via email to ohiotoday@ohio.edu, or call Ohio Today at 740-593-2684. Make address changes at ohio.edu/alumni or by mail via Ohio University, Advancement Services, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701-0869. Send details for the “In Memoriam” column to the latter or via email to advinfo@ohio.edu.

Copyright © 2024 by Ohio University. Ohio University is an equal access, equal opportunity, and affirmative action institution.

Visit ohio.edu/magazine for the full Q&A with Cromer.

LAST WORD

In the past three years, Ohio University Athletic Director Julie Cromer has been named the NCAA Division I FBS Nike Executive of the Year and received other national recognition. This year, she was named the NACDA Athletics Director of the Year, and it’s easy to see why: Under her leadership, Ohio Athletics has flourished both on and off the field.

“I think Athens has such a unique personality and culture. It’s a special place,” Cromer says, adding that she’s most fond of the people she gets to connect with through her role. Cromer’s special relationship with OHIO and its students is evident in what she has accomplished, though she knows the work is never done.

What do you like to do outside of work? I don’t have a lot of time outside of work, but I’m a reader. I love to travel and spend time with my family.

What are you most proud of from your work as athletic director for OHIO? We’ve had a lot of competitive success, and even more academic success across our student-athletes and the students who are engaged with us for experiential opportunities. But really, it’s the culture that our people within the department are fostering. To me, that is what sets the stage for those successful outcomes.

Why are college sports so important, both for student-athletes and fans? For all of us, collectively, the power of sports in American culture is undeniable. To be able to use that cultural force to build leadership in young people and to bring communities together is, I think, the most powerful contribution that we can make through sports in general, but particularly through sports at the collegiate level.

—Taylor Connelly, BSJ ’26

PHOTO BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

Celebrate Homecoming this year by taking part in the Ohio University Alumni Association’s Bobcat Quest! Join forces with your Bobcat friends and family to explore campus, revisiting familiar places and discovering new delights. A familyfriendly version will focus on daytime activities for all ages, while Bobcat Quest After Dark will offer adventures for the 21 and over set. Just visit five of 10 destinations for each challenge and upload photos of your escapades for a chance to win some OHIO swag. Visit ohio.edu/bobcat-quest for details. PHOTO

BY BEN WIRTZ SIEGEL, BSVC ’02

OHIO honored the late Gary Nakamoto, BGS ’88, this summer by installing three benches adorned by bronze bobcats outside lower Baker University Center. A Meigs County native, Nakamoto was an avid supporter of the University, its students and its alumni until his death in 2021. The benches were made possible by the Gary Nakamoto Memorial Fund, which now serves as a scholarship fund for students in Meigs Count y. PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING