From the Dean

Graduate students from Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business just presented the third installment of a three-phase project designed to provide a plan to spur economic development in Richland County.

The Richland Community Development Group, who commissioned the project, is poised to release the plan soon, which includes many of the projects our campus is currently involved in – a campus district, an EcoLab and a wellness center – with an underlying message of community collaboration as well as attraction and retention of young professionals.

This group of students, as well as earlier groups from a City and Regional Planning studio class at the Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture, for the most part have never set foot in Richland County, save for a drive along I-71. But they are precisely the future young professionals we hope to attract through the campus district project.

These students formed a very positive image of Richland County – a vibrant place with entertainment, nightlife and a business community who collectively is making Mansfield a better place to live.

Area residents always have had the perception that Ohio State Mansfield is more of a gateway to Columbus, and for many students that is still true. Depending on the degree they seek, they must transition to Columbus to finish. However, we are finding a subtle shift in the number of students who are staying at Ohio State Mansfield for at least a second year, and with more and more students deciding to stay all four years to earn one of nine bachelor’s degrees offered on our campus.

As noted in one of the articles in this edition, one way to entice these growing numbers of students to stay longer with us is through the vision of the campus district. By providing entertainment, shopping, dining, housing and other amenities that students have come to expect of campuses and the communities that surround them, we will enhance the quality of life for students, so much so that we hope they will stay in the community even after they graduate!

Collaboration among government, economic development partners and chamber of commerce members, along with input from students and young professionals, can bring this campus district concept to life. Come join us in making this vision a reality! Stephen M. Gavazzi, Ph.D.

Campus District envisioned

Presentation MKSK 14 11 06 FINAL small-5Imagine a walkable community, flourishing with businesses, entertainment and housing, to attract young professionals and college students. What would it look like? Fresh modern architecture or something that would blend in harmony with adjacent woodlands?

Community leaders are meeting to define the area on Lexington Springmill Road near The Ohio State University at Mansfield and North Central State College that has come to be called the Campus District project.

Representatives of the cities of Mansfield and Ontario, Richland County, Richland Community Development Group, Richland County Regional Planning, Ohio State Mansfield and North Central State College, Richland Young Professionals and the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce have agreed to form a small working group to create a vision statement and definition for the Campus District. They will also identify needs such as site improvements and identify potential funding sources.

“We need to create the vision first,” said Ohio State Mansfield Dean and Director Stephen Gavazzi at a recent meeting. “If we are not in agreement about what we want to see, no planning tool will get us where we want to go. Mansfield, Ontario, Richland County as a whole, our students, and young professionals living in the area, all should come together in agreement. Then long-term, the project will take on a life of its own.”

Young professionals are of special interest to the group because of the proximity to the campus. Campus officials hope that students from outside the local area who attend either institution will embrace the quality of life the area could offer and decide to stay longer.

“The old philosophy of wait until a job opens up – people don’t do that anymore,” says Brian White, planner and project manager at Ohio State Mansfield. “Young professionals go where they want to live and then figure out how to make a living. That’s probably the biggest paradigm shift that people don’t understand in economic development. They will create the economic growth if you provide the environment for them to come.”

The land adjacent to the Lexington Springmill campus entrance lies in Ontario. Officials plan to hire an architect to create a zoning overlay, a defined area that would detail a general look for the district.

Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson explained in a recent meeting that the goal is for the zoning to be business-friendly, not too restrictive, but still have a cohesive look and feel.

A key component of the project is the relocation of the existing campus entrance.

Paperwork has been submitted to Ohio State that lays out all the criteria for design of the new road, the right of way, as well as environmental concerns and costs. Once the paperwork is reviewed, the project will enter the schematic design phase to refine the details of the entrance road.

“At that point, during the schematic design phase, that’s when we start integrating our new entrance on a much more detailed level with the Campus District,” White said. “How does it tie in, where do the roads go, where do the utilities go?”

About half the funding has been raised to build the road. The hope is that through integrating the projects, more opportunities for funding will surface.

Ticoras gives back to campus, community

Mansfield dermatologist Christ Ticoras credits The Ohio State University for his success as a community volunteer.

Mansfield dermatologist Christ Ticoras credits The Ohio State University for his success as a community volunteer.

But for Ohio State, Mansfield dermatologist Dr. Christ Ticoras wouldn’t be the successful doctor, husband, father, philanthropist and community volunteer he is today.

“Ohio State opened a lot of doors and allowed me to succeed,” he said.

Ticoras is finishing his ninth of nine years on the Ohio State Mansfield Board. He was instrumental in starting the Ohio State Mansfield Board of Trustees Leadership Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to third-year and higher students who intend to graduate from Ohio State Mansfield and are actively involved in community service.

The endowment goal is to raise $200,000; Ticoras’ pledge is to provide a 50 percent match for donations.

Ticoras knows the worth of scholarships as he paid his own way through college, performing research as a lab assistant while he earned Ohio State’s Presidential Scholarship. He graduated from Ohio State in June 1987 at the top of his College of Pharmacy class, summa cum laude with distinction and honors.

Through an Air Force scholarship to Wright State University, Ticoras earned his medical degree; his return on the scholarship was active duty time in Tucson, Ariz.

Yearning to return to Ohio, he found a private practice position in 1999 in Mansfield.

“I’ve been really blessed to have 15 great years here in Mansfield,” he said.

Ticoras has become firmly entrenched in the community, early on supporting the Salvation Army and Richland Pregnancy Services. He and wife Heather belong to the Richland County Foundation Connections group.

Professionally, Ticoras, with Ohio Health, provides free skin cancer screening, coordination and care during Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May.

Ticoras recently donated funds for a group study room in the renovated Bromfield Library and Information Commons.

“I like Woody Hayes’ idea of paying forward,” he said. “I think as alumni we are really called to do that.”

Ticoras says there’s a distinct advantage to attending a regional campus – small class sizes taught by professors.

“And even though many professors are involved with research, they have a real passion to teach,” Ticoras said.

Giveto.osu.edu/mansfield

#644465 Ohio State Mansfield Board Leadership Scholarship

 

Mansfield alumnus provides valuable insight for study

Paul Privara

Paul Privara

Project managers at Fisher Professional Services didn’t know when they accepted a project with Richland Community Development Group that they would find local talent within their own group.

Paul Privara, an MBA student at the Fisher College of Business, is a 2011 business graduate at The Ohio State University at Mansfield. He has been with Walgreens for 15 years and operates the store on Park Avenue West. His knowledge of Richland County proved invaluable to the team as they created a Strategic Activities Development and Implementation Plan.

“It helps on a functional level to have someone who understands the actual culture of the community, the man-on-the-ground perspective we just weren’t going to find by doing research,” said Kurtis Roush, director, Office of Global Business at the Fisher College of Business.

The RCDG project was the third phase of an economic development project in which Ohio State has been involved. Ohio State Mansfield Dean and Director Stephen Gavazzi brought in colleague Roush to provide real-life experience for Ohio State students, while meeting a community need for strategic economic planning.

The first two phases were completed last spring by students from the City and Regional Planning program in the Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture.

Phase three took the vision and segmented it into an implementable plan.

“This is basically a skill that MBA students are going to be given regularly in their corporate careers,” Roush said. “It was a great opportunity for students to practice their skills, but it was also to benefit the greater good as well.”

Bridget T. McDaniel, Executive Director of RCDG, was appreciative of the input from the students.

“It is always good to get fresh eyes on the community,” she said. “Both reports provided insight into problems and especially into possibilities.”

Privara’s role in the project included identifying key groups that could provide input on the project and interviewing community leaders about topics ranging from wayfinding and parking redesign in downtown Mansfield to attracting young professionals to the workforce through education and quality of life.

“I actually do believe in that motto ‘pay it forward,’” Privara said. “People have been really nice to me in Richland County. I’ve been able to open a business and go to school. It was my chance to give back to a community that is really in need of help at this time.”

Next steps include implementation of the plan by RCDG. The Long Range Planning Sector, who has spearheaded this effort, will be taking the information and creating actionable items for implementation.

“RCDG is dedicated to making change and these documents will provide us with a platform upon which to build. That is our commitment to the county, ” McDaniel said.

Professors create a community for the arts

Members of the Theatre department at The Ohio State University at Mansfield present The Tin Faces Project.

Members of the Theatre department at The Ohio State University at Mansfield present The Tin Faces Project.

Through unique venues and community collaboration, professors of the arts at The Ohio State University at Mansfield provide extensive learning experiences for both their students and the local community.

Most students who participate in theatre productions, art shows and chorus at Ohio State Mansfield likely will never pursue a degree in the arts; instead, they participate to earn general education credits and for the chance to perform.

“I think one of the things that is very different about our program is that we really get to know our students,” said art professor John Thrasher. “We definitely build a learning community here, and in the case of art, it becomes a very creative cauldron. There’s a great energy within the group.”

Professors blend community outreach with class assignments to give deeper meaning to the art students create.

The University Chorus last year performed at the NAACP Martin Luther King event and partnered with St. Peter’s Catholic Church and First Congregational Church to sing Puccini’s Messe di Gloria with a full orchestra and soloists.

“Most of the students had never sung with an orchestra,” said music professor and chorus director Joel Vega. “So it was really fun and a great learning experience for them.”

Kate Shannon, art professor and curator for the Pearl Conard Art Gallery, and Thrasher try to relate the content of the gallery art shows to the curriculum each semester.

“The gallery is our way to expose them to a wider variety of artists,” Shannon said. “We try to bring in artists who are working in non-traditional ways, or ways that we don’t typically see in the community. We aren’t looking to showcase artists who are primarily interested in selling their work. It is more of an experimental space.”

The art instructors also volunteer at the Mansfield Art Center. Shannon recently was on the board of directors while Thrasher and his students have created several pieces of art for fundraisers.

“One of the benefits of the connection with the art center is that my students realize that I am very engaged in a place outside of here,” Thrasher said. “They know that I am a regular participant in exhibitions. They know that I volunteer for their events. It excites their interest a bit and they end up showing up where they might not otherwise do that.”

The Theatre department produces three to four performances each year, combining the talents of Ohio State Mansfield students and community members. They also partner with The Children’s Theatre Foundation and the Renaissance Youth Theatre to produce children’s theatre productions hosted on campus. Theatre director and professor Joe Fahey serves on both the Children’s Theatre Foundation and the Ohio Theatre Alliance.

When a production has a community services connection or social cause behind it, Fahey reaches out to groups that support or advocate for the issue. Fahey partnered with The Welcome Johnny and Jane Home Project during the recent production, The Tin Faces Project.

“We offer patrons both an entertainment experience and an educational experience,” professor and theatre director Joe Fahey said. “They are getting a chance to see our students on stage doing really impressive work. It represents the campus very well.”

Giveto.osu.edu/mansfield

#311180 OSU Mansfield Friends of the Theatre

#604166 James C. Lewis Technical Theatre

#606065 Gerald B. Rice Theater Prize

#602640 Goodman Scholarship

From the Dean

The Ohio State University at Mansfield is fortunate to have a great partnership in North Central State College. As campus partners, we constantly strive to create an extraordinary campus experience for students and the communities that surround us.

Non-academic services began to be shared several years ago as a cost-saving measure. Each institution still has its own academic mission, programs and faculty, but shares resources on the non-academic side. Today, that efficiency has resulted in a more dynamic student experience for all.

Co-location has many advantages that ultimately benefit students. The Bromfield Library and Information Commons, Campus Recreation Center, Theatre, and Student Engagement activities are open to students of both institutions. A vibrant athletics program is beginning to take shape, fed by students from across campus. The Business and Industry Internship Program has placed hundreds of students from both institutions with local companies to provide workforce experience.

Work is underway with representatives from both institutions to establish brand principles to further enhance the shared student experience and to think in terms of a singular campus as opposed to two co-located institutions. We want our students to feel that the programs and activities are here for them regardless of the institution at which they are enrolled currently.

The branding group intends to focus on the commonalities across campus while recognizing the differences in the types of students. Approximately 75 percent of our students have just graduated from high school, while NC State students mainly include non-traditional students who are returning to college to train for a second career. We want all of these students to feel that there is something here for everyone.

Ultimately, the group will explore questions such as “What do students need for an extraordinary campus experience?” and “What is the most essential thing we can focus on that will fulfill their needs?”

The bottom line goal is to create a seamless campus experience for students while maintaining access, affordability and program excellence. Stephen M. Gavazzi, Ph.D.

Mansfield Homecoming Court active on campus and in community

Members of the Ohio State Mansfield homecoming court include Nella Blackford, Jordan Landis, Jordan Morse, Joey Burley, Maris Bucci and Greg Palmerton. Morse and Burley were named queen and king at ceremonies in Columbus.

Members of the Ohio State Mansfield homecoming court include Nella Blackford, Jordan Landis, Jordan Morse, Joey Burley, Maris Bucci and Greg Palmerton. Morse and Burley were named queen and king at ceremonies in Columbus.

Ohio State Mansfield junior Jordan Morse and senior Joey Burley were crowned Mansfield Homecoming Court queen and king at a ceremony Oct. 17 on the Columbus campus. The court also included Nella Blackford, Maris Bucci, Jordan Landis, and Greg Palmerton.

The court was chosen through an interview process with faculty and staff, who looked for campus and community involvement, volunteer work and GPA. Students then selected the king and queen from the court.

“The 2014 Homecoming Court was a fun and unique group this year,” said Elise Riggle, director of Student Engagement.  “They were leaders from many different areas on campus.  Collectively, they were six students, each with unique and wonderful personalities, coming together in a joyful, perky, ball of Homecoming goodness!  It was truly a pleasure to work with them this year, and to experience their celebration with them.”

Morse is from Ashland and is studying Psychology. She plays on the Mansfield Mavericks Volleyball team and is a third-year resident advisor & office assistant at university housing Molyet Village Apartments. She also works with children with disabilities at Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center.

Joey Burley also is from Ashland, pursuing degrees in Psychology and English. He is involved in Psychology Student Association, English Club and Boxing Club. He participates in theater productions and is a certified research assistant in the Psychology department. Burley is also an office assistant and resident advisor at Molyet Village Apartments as well as a summer cleaning and maintenance staff manager.

Nella Blackford, a senior Early Childhood Education major from Ashland is involved as an ally in OutLoud, as well as Club Ed and the Book Bunch.

Communications major Maris Bucci is a sophomore from Bellville. She is a Buckeye Ambassador, an intern in the Office of Student Engagement, Campus Activities Board co-leader, Camp Hetuck facilitator, a member of the Mavericks Volleyball team, and involved in the Haiti Empowerment Project and 2014 OSU LeaderShape Institute.

Jordan Landis, a senior from Crestview, is studying Middle Childhood Education. Landis has worked as a tutor in the Conard Learning Center since 2012. He is also a member of Club Ed – a student organization for education majors.

Greg Palmerton, a sophomore from Norwalk, is studying Biology and Pre-Med. He is a Buckeye Ambassador, an intern in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and is involved in undergraduate research.

Homecoming events included a number of activities on the Columbus campus – the Ohio State homecoming parade, pep rally and recognition during the Buckeyes homecoming football game.

The Mansfield Homecoming Court commits to a year of service projects. During Homecoming Week they took whipped cream pies to the face to raise money for the Domestic Violence Shelter.

Renovated BLIC brimming with learning and technology

DSC_5089eOhio State Mansfield student Mark Matthews plugged in his USB drive to the instructor’s console and his group launched into a presentation for the Professional Writing class. Two 80-inch and two 60-inch flat screen monitors, as well as two projectors beamed onto motorized, semi-transparent screens at the back of the room, offered a 360 degree view of their presentation.

“The room is perfect for learning because no matter where you sit, you can see and hear the instructor and see the material on the screen without having to move around,” said Diane Hixson, a student in the class.

The class is just one of many using learning-centered technology in the Richland County Foundation Learning Collaborative classroom located in the Bromfield Library and Information Commons.

“This classroom shines through its extreme flexibility and access to a wide variety of technologies,” said David Au, instructional technology coordinator. “The way that the classes are taught can be approached with methods that foster collaboration and participation by students.”

As a resuslt of a recent $3 million dollar renovation, the BLIC is now a place not only for research, but a space to hang out with friends, attend class, or conduct a study session in one of six touch-screen equipped study rooms that can be booked in two-hour blocks.

Faculty also are able to use a high-tech Richland Bank Faculty Media Center in the BLIC that allows them to record lectures and video for online courses and to supplement classwork. The studio includes a soundproof video and audio recording space with a green screen and professional lighting.

“The center also will be a primary location for workshops given to faculty and staff,” Au said. “These workshops will cover a variety of creative applications, university systems and techniques for course development.”

Students explore career options through speaker series

Planners of the Career Speaker Series What are YOU into… hope to illustrate to Ohio State Mansfield and North Central State College students the bridge from academics to the world of work.

“The Career Speaker Series focuses on connecting local employer experts with students who are in the process of making important career choices,” said Troy Shutler, coordinator of career development at NC State. “Students can learn a great deal about careers by tapping into the knowledge and advice from local professionals and experts in the field.”

Themes for the series came from the Explore Careers section of bigfuture.collegeboard.org. Shutler, along with Pam Schopieray, coordinator of career services at Ohio State Mansfield, and Tracy Bond, internship coordinator for both institutions wanted to cross-reference the career themes with majors offered on campus to introduce students to the professional world before graduation.

Topics change each month. September included representatives from banking, sales, human resources and entrepreneurs. Those from communications-based careers spoke in October. Future sessions include engineering, computer-aided design, manufacturing and medicine as well as writing, photography, graphic design and environmental careers.

Then it was a matter of saying “who do we know,” to begin to build a speaker’s list, Schopieray said. The trio relied on relationships they have cultivated in the community – employers who have provided internships, as well as associates from Leadership Unlimited and Richland Young Professionals.

The goal is to provide networking and mentoring opportunities and words of wisdom for students as they further define their future careers. Many of the speakers have been interns in college and mentioned the value of adding real-world experience to a student’s resume.

“We want students to realize that there is a benefit to networking and completing internships early in their college career,” Schopieray said. “They are building relationships with employers during their college years that may lead to a future job in the community.”

Dean’s Report Nov. 14, 2014

Dear Ohio State Mansfield Colleagues,

On Wednesday, Carol Landry’s recent promotion to Associate Professor with tenure was celebrated on the Columbus campus during a reception held at the Faculty Club. A tradition to mark the occasion has emerged whereby the newly promoted faculty member is asked to select a book that in some way stands as a symbol for the academic achievements involved in the promotion process. Professor Landry chose Waser and Ollerton’s “Plant Pollinator Interactions: From Specialization to Generalization” because, in her words, “the editors and authors of this book have strongly influenced the way that I think about pollination mutualisms specifically and, more broadly, about the importance of species interactions in the maintenance of biodiversity.” Congratulations once again to Carol!

Here is a quick rundown on the past two weeks:

Human Resources

  • The request for nominations regarding the position of Assistant Dean was sent out last week. Please remember that the deadline for nominations is this coming Monday, November 17th at noon.
  • We recently received the results of the Ohio State culture survey. Given our desire to have the best possible work environment created on our campus, I have asked the following individuals to form a working group that will be tasked with making recommendations concerning the one or two issues emerging out of the survey that can become the main focus on work for the campus: Donna Hight and Heather Tanner (co-chairs), Mary Jo Hawk, Michelle Kowalski, Phil Mazzocco, Darla Myers, Andy Kinney, and Cathy Stimpert. Many thanks in advance to the members of this working group for the efforts to create meaningful and pragmatic recommendations. Please note that those recommendations will be distributed to the campus and discussed in an upcoming town hall meeting.

Curriculum

  • Several meetings recently have occurred that spoke directly to the development of an environmentally focused program of study on the Mansfield campus. Brian White and I will be presenting the EcoLab vision to the School of Environmental and Natural Sciences (SENR) faculty on the Columbus campus this coming Monday (11/17) in order to further understand their interest in offering SENR courses and majors on our campus.

Diversity and inclusion issues

  • Last week, in celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Cherokee recording artist Michael Jacobs was on hand to entertain our campus through a blend of Native American, folk and pop music. Additionally, he discussed the triumphs and challenges of the Native American community with a crowd of approximately 50 participants.
  • Discussions are underway regarding activities for the 2015 Black History Month. We are looking to collaborate with a variety of community partners for next year’s activities.

Property and facilities

  • Yesterday, the Ohio State Mansfield Board joined the Executive Committee in voting to support two expenditures related to property and facilities management. The first item concerned the authorization to spend up to $50K on improvements to the Campus Recreation Center, while the second item involved an expenditure of approximately $12K to hire a woodlands conservation expert who would be responsible for creating a woodlands stewardship plan for our 640 acres. As noted in a previous biweekly report, the woodlands stewardship plan will allow us to more firmly wrap our collective minds around the resources we have within the borders of our 640 acres, while the facility upgrade will provide a long overdue facelift to the CRC.

Town-gown relationships

  • Last week, NCSC and Ohio State Mansfield hosted a conversation on the campus district concept. The mayors of Mansfield, Ontario, and Shelby were in attendance (I am happy to note here that Shelby’s Mayor Marilyn John also was present as County Commissioner elect), as were various interested parties from across Richland County. A second meeting will be convened in order to discuss the priority level that our surrounding communities will affix to the development of the campus district.
  • Yesterday, a sizable contingent of Ohio State Mansfield and NCSC representatives were on hand at the Kehoe Center for the United Way’s Mid-Campaign Breakfast. You may or may not know that Ohio State Mansfield Board member Dan DeVille currently is serving as the United Way’s Board President. In many ways, Dan is the very embodiment of the town-gown partnership as he works tirelessly for the betterment of both campus and community. Next time you see Dan, please join me in thanking him for all of his efforts!

From the flight deck

It’s getting closer and closer to the most wonderful time of the year, that amazing mix of holidays and traditions that mark the end of the year and the beginning of a new one. Two weeks from now we will be on Thanksgiving break, so my next biweekly report will come your way in December. And just before turkey day we will have celebrated the Buckeye Bash, which at the time of this report’s writing already is sold out! This is great news for the Richland County Ohio State Alumni’s scholarship program, which the Buckeye Bash helps to support. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends. Go Bucks and Go Ohio State Mansfield!