The Ohio Union Hosts the Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference!

 

Greetings Buckeyes! Today, the Ohio Union is hosting the 32nd annual Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference. Sponsored by the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODW), this conference has long been a “must attend” for Columbus Audubon members. This year’s conference theme is “Exploring the Challenges Ohio’s Aerial Wildlife Face in the World Today,” or, as the ODW conference website says, “Top Guns in Flight: Wildlife in the Danger Zone.” I believe that as more and more encounters occur between humans and wildlife in Ohio, it is essential that Ohio residents know how to successfully handle these challenges while moving forward.

The first Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference was held at The Ohio State University in 1985 with 40 people in attendance. The conference has grown since then with more than 950 people attending last year’s daylong event. College students can meet with representatives from a wide range of conservation and natural resource organizations and gain meaningful insights on wildlife preservation. This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Orley R. “Chip” Taylor. He is the founder and director of Monarch Watch and a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas.

Dr. Chip Taylor has published various papers on species assemblages, reproductive biology, population dynamics and plant demographics and pollination. In 1992 he founded Monarch Watch, an outreach program focused on education, research and conservation relative to monarch butterflies. Since then, Monarch Watch has recruited a tremendous number of volunteers to tag monarchs during the fall migration. This program has produced numerous new insights into the dynamics of the monarch migration. In 2005, Monarch Watch released the fact that habitats for monarchs are declining at a rate of 6,000 acres a day in the United States. Since then the organization established the Monarch Waystation program to inspire the public, schools and others to maintain and create better habitats for monarch butterflies. Monarch Watch has been actively educating the public about the decline in resources for monarchs, pollinators and all wildlife that share the same habitats and calling for the public’s attention and assists.

Students can also contribute to wildlife conservation in Ohio State by supporting this annual conference. If you are interested in wildlife research and conservation, are concerned about wildlife’s living environments or want to learn more about the sustainable habitats for the wildlife in Ohio, be sure to check their website for more details.

Rock Out at Buckeye Blackout!

Unplug for the night, grab some friends and join us April 9 at 8 p.m. in the Ohio Union Performance Hall for Buckeye Blackout’s annual concert.
Buckeye Blackout is a student organization that focuses on raising awareness about sustainability through art and music.

Rachel Skewer and Clayton Perry founded the organization as freshmen with the hopes that Buckeye Blackout would become a large campus event that brought light to sustainability. Clayton Perry, a founding member, explains “the whole idea is to get OSU students to contribute to one big night of energy conservation on the night of the concert, while we support our local and student performers.”

Buckeye Blackout’s annual concert is a free show and all they ask is that before you head over that you turn off your lights at home and unplug your appliances to conserve energy. The night will be filled with wonderful local musicians and bands, free giveaways and easy tips for leading a more sustainable life.

Click below for more information about Buckeye Blackout, their concert and how you can become involved.

https://www.facebook.com/BuckeyeBlackout/

Sibs & Kids Weekend!

Get excited Buckeyes, Sibs and Kids Weekend is upon us and its jam packed with exciting events and activities that are fun for all ages. What better way to show off how great being a Buckeye is to your relatives than hanging out on campus and participating in all this weekend has to offer. Sibs and Kids Weekend is open to any Ohio State faculty, staff and students who want to invite family or friends to visit. So call your brothers, sisters, children, nieces, nephews, cousins or favorite family and friends and invite them to come and join in on all the fun.

Sibs and Kids Weekend kicks off on April 1 at 4 p.m. with check-in at the Great Hall in the Ohio Union. The weekend is filled with activities and events for all ages. Friday night come test your senses by trying different chocolate and learning about the different processes that make chocolate so sweet or interact with a variety of animals from the Columbus Zoo at Zoo To You starting at 7 p.m.

Start your Saturday off right by getting fit with Rec Sports. Guests gain free admission to the recreation facilities with their Sibs and Kids Weekend wristbands and can enjoy special fitness classes.  Later head over to the Multicultural Center and see if your family has what it takes to win Buckeye Family Feud. Be sure to check out the link below to get a full schedule of all the activities taking place this weekend.

I am not fooling around; it’s going to be the best weekend of the semester! Registration is only $5 per person and those who pre-register will receive a Sibs and Kids Weekend gift! If you have any questions feel free to contact Parent and Family Relations at parentandfamily@osu.edu or call 614-292-9153.

More information about Sibs and Kids Weekend events can be found here: https://parent.osu.edu/programs/sibs_and_kids_weekend.

Spring Break 2016 Has Arrived!

This weekend, many Buckeyes will take off for various destinations to visit family, participate in service or spend the week with friends. Although not all of us will be traveling this spring break, there are still plenty of things to do here on campus and around Columbus.

  1. One of my personal favorites is getting tickets through d-tix, the discount ticket program, offered at the information desk in the Ohio Union. D-tix is a great way to explore Columbus without breaking your budget. They offer tickets for fun things, like Skyzone or Lazer Kraze as well as for more serious places like the Columbus Museum of Art. They also offer tickets for a variety of food tours around Columbus.
  2. Catch up on all the sleep you lost during midterms. While traveling might have its advantages, so does staying on campus and catching up on some much needed sleep during this spring break.
  3. Get ahead on upcoming assignments. Summer break will be here before we know it. Use this time to get some of those assignments done before you completely lose your motivation.
  4. Visit the Ohio Union! With the majority of campus leaving for spring break, it’s the perfect time to get that perfect study spot or grab a quick bite to eat without the crowd.

While staying in Columbus for spring break might not sound very glamorous, you’ll be sure to save money and be more rested if you do.  Share your favorite thing to do over spring break in the comments section below!

Union Universe: Keith B. Key Center

March means spring is just around the corner and so are those projects that you may have been procrastinating on. Before you know it Spring Break has come and gone and your deadlines are getting closer and closer. Don’t be caught off guard this year; the Keith B. Key Center for Leadership and Service can help you with any of your project needs and more.

The Keith B. Key Center for Student Leadership and Service, located in the Ohio Union, offers great services to students including the Resource Room, meeting spaces, leadership and service opportunities. Here’s how to take advantage of what the Keith B. Key Center has to offer you:

  1. Resource Room-
    I could go on and on about the Resource Room and all it has to offer but I’ll hit the major points that could help you with any of your academic needs. The Resource Room offers students affordable printing, office resources, supplies for creative projects and assistance with anything Keith B. Key related.
    So if you need to print a 20 page study guide, make a poster for your group project, create buttons for that upcoming campaign you’re helping on or need a few balloons to spruce up your upcoming event, the Keith B. Key Center is the place to go.
  2. Meeting Rooms-
    Not only does the Keith B. Key Center have plenty of meeting rooms that can be reserved but it also has a lounge where you can study or just relax. Group projects are common in college and finding a quiet place to meet isn’t always easy. Reserve a meeting space for you and your group at the Keith B. Key Center. It’s as easy as stopping by the Resource Room, choosing a date and time that’s available and booking it.
  3. Service Opportunities-
    Paying it forward is important to most Buckeye’s and if you’re looking for a way to get involved and give back then the Keith B. Key Center is the place to get started. The Center is home to many service organizations including Buck-I-SERV, BuckeyeThon and Pay It Forward.
  4. Leadership Opportunities-
    Improve or refine your leadership skills by exploring the many leadership organizations and opportunities at the center. A wonderful opportunity to expand upon your leadership is the Annual Conference on Leadership and Civic Engagement which is made possible by the Keith B. Key Center. This conference is a free, daylong event open to all students and touches on strength-based leadership, service-learning and team development. You could get involved with other great organizations such as Buckeye Leadership Fellows, LeaderShape and Mount Leadership Society.

These are just a few of many opportunities and resources the Keith B. Key Center for Leadership and Service at the Ohio Union has to offer Ohio State students and organizations. For more information about the Keith B. Key Center or their hours visit: http://ohiounion.osu.edu/get_involved/csls.