Congratulations Buckeyes! You’ve almost made it to the end of the semester. Here are some things to keep in mind while wrapping up all of your hard work this Spring.

The last day of regularly scheduled semester and second-session classes is Monday, April 25th, 2022.

Final examinations for semester and second-session classes will take place Wednesday, April 27th through Tuesday, May 3rd.

Spring commencement will take place May 8th, 2022.

Have a great rest of your semester and finish off strong!

Help us celebrate Jason!

TOPS wants to recognize all of the hard work and accomplishments of the upcoming TOPS graduates by hearing about their individual experiences. This time, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Turner. Below is the interview with Jason.

What is your name?

My name is Jason Turner.

When did you start TOPS?

I started TOPS in 2018 as a freshman.

What was your favorite class at TOPS?

My favorite class was Mythology.  I have always loved mythology ever since I first read Percy Jackson. It is my hope to publish a series for younger readers as an introduction to mythology.

What is one of your favorite memories from TOPS?

My favorite memory is doing stand-up comedy at the TOPS talent show.

How was your overall experience with TOPS? Was it fun, hard, exciting?

My overall experience was terrific!

What will you miss most about college?

What I will miss most is my friends.

What was your favorite thing about college?

My favorite thing about college was the new subjects I learned about, such as ancient medicines and Grimms fairytales.

What job do you have now?

I write for the Nationwide Accessibility program and work the front desk at the Franklin Park Adventure Center.  I occasionally write for them as well.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is to be a published author. 

If you could describe college in one word, what would it be?

To me, college in one word is informational.

Congratulations Jason! Good luck on your future endeavors!

Help us celebrate Anthony!

TOPS wants to recognize all of the hard work and accomplishments of the upcoming TOPS graduates by hearing about their individual experiences. This time, we had the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Paul. Below is the interview with Anthony.

What is your name?

My name is Anthony Paul.

When did you start TOPS?

I started TOPS right after high school, in 2018. (During the 2020-2021 semesters, I took a gap year).

What was your favorite class at TOPS?

My favorite class would have to be Independent Study since I can do it on my own time and get help in Academic Center.

What is one of your favorite memories from TOPS?

My favorite memory during my time in TOPS is that I got to tour the Southwest Airlines Headquarters in Dallas, TX. It was arranged by my professor, and now mentor since he knew my interests in the airline.

How was your overall experience with TOPS? Was it fun, hard, exciting?

I had a good experience TOPS, I thank them for giving me the college experience.

What will you miss most about college?

I will miss seeing my friends that are a year or 2 younger than me that still have a couple years left.

What was your favorite thing about college?

My favorite thing about college was going to different student organizations.

What job do you have now?

I currently work as a Porter(driver) for Dent Magic.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is to work for Southwest Airlines in either Customer Service or in corporate office.

If you could describe college in one word, what would it be?

Enjoyable.

Congratulations Anthony! We will miss you!

Help us celebrate Timmy!

TOPS wants to recognize all of the hard work and accomplishments of the upcoming TOPS graduates by hearing about their individual experiences. This time, we had the pleasure of speaking with Timmy Clary. Below is the interview with Timmy.

What is your name?

My name is Timmy Clary.

When did you start TOPS?

August 2018.

What was your favorite class at TOPS?

Film Studies.

What is one of your favorite memories from TOPS?

Private Movie Night social event I planned.

How was your overall experience with TOPS? Was it fun, hard, exciting?

My experience was a little hard, but I learned a lot and I enjoyed it!

What will you miss most about college?

My cubs I’m in on campus!

What was your favorite thing about college?

Being independent. 

What job do you have now?

Working as a Student Assistant at the Bistr-OH!

What is your dream job?

Work in the TV/movie business, or work with marine animals.

If you could describe college in one word, what would it be?

Fun!

Congratulations Timmy! We will miss you!

Help us celebrate Alex!

TOPS wants to recognize all of the hard work and accomplishments of the upcoming TOPS graduates by hearing about their individual experiences. This time, we had the pleasure of speaking with Alex Rogers. Below is the interview with Alex.

What is your name?

My name is Alex Rogers.

When did you start TOPS?

I started TOPS in the 2018-2019 school year.

What was your favorite class at TOPS?

Theater and Creative Writing.

What is one of your favorite memories from TOPS?

Hanging out with my friends and my Ed Coaches.

How was your overall experience with TOPS? Was it fun, hard, exciting?

It was fun and hard as the same time because the only thing that was hard was some of the homework that I had to do.

What will you miss most about college?

My Ed Coaches and my friends and the TOPS staff.

What was your favorite thing about college?

My classes and hanging out with my friends.

What job do you have now?

My internship is at CVS right now and I got offered a job to be one of the photographers for the camel ride at the Columbus Zoo.

What is your dream job?

Photography.

If you could describe college in one word, what would it be?

Both fun and exciting.

Congratulations Alex! We will miss you!

Every five years, The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, revises its strategic plan and updates what we will work on for the next five years. To do so, we need input from Ohioans with developmental disabilities, family members, services and supports providers, professionals, and other interested stakeholders.  We need your ideas about what would make things better for Ohioans with a developmental disabilities and what is needed to better support their learning, independence, health, employment options … to lead a happy life.
Please complete the Needs Assessment survey by March 11^th, 2022. Survey takes 15-20 minutes to complete.

English:  https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5769kAtRoAQDYS
Español: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDijPQI1Qkv4ufI
Soomaali: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l0WMNb23y641q6  
[Fiiro Gaar ah: Eeg midigta sare ee bogga ka dibna dhag sii “Somali.”]  

* *Please do not complete this survey if you do not live, work or support an individual in the state of Ohio.

Chelsea Stinnett, research assistant professor in Educational Studies at the University of South Carolina, needs help from students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you are a current student enrolled in TOPS, please read the message below:

We need your help to learn more about your experiences, interests, and preferences for learning about romantic and sexual relationships in college. We are completing a study using this survey to figure out (1) what experiences college students with disabilities have with romantic and sexual relationships, (2) their level of interest and preferences for learning more about this topic, and (3) their beliefs on the role that their college program plays in addressing their intimacy knowledge needs.

It will take approximately 45 minutes to complete this survey. You will be asked questions about your experiences with romantic relationships and sexual activity. Whether you know a lot about this topic or not, your feedback is important. There is an optional opportunity to be included in a future study, but if you don’t want to participate, we will not contact you about the study after you complete the survey.

This survey is anonymous and confidential. You can also choose whether you want to do it or not. There is no risk associated with completing this survey. The information we collect will remain confidential, meaning that no important information that could reveal who you are will be included in any of our reports or papers. If you complete the entire survey, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win one of five $50 Amazon gift cards.

You’re welcome to ask for help if you need someone to read you the questions or ask for clarification. If at any time you want to stop, simply exit the survey.

To access the survey, click on any of the hyperlinks above or use this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PGQ99NG

If you have any questions about this study, please contact me via email at stinnetc@mailbox.sc.edu. If you have any questions or concerns about your rights as a research subject, please contact the University of South Carolina’s Office of Research Compliance at 803-777-6670.

Thank you for your participation!
Chelsea VanHorn Stinnett
Research Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina
stinnetc@mailbox.sc.edu

Happy Spring Break!

Classes at the university will not be held Monday, March 14th through Friday, March 18th, 2022. Offices will be open and staff will work remotely.

Have a safe and restful break!

ATTENTION INCOMING TOPS STUDENTS

The Ohio PTA Memorial Scholarship Program Special Education Application is for students with a current IEP/504, planning to attend a two- or four-year academic, technical, or vocational state approved program.

Below is the link to a scholarship opportunity through the Ohio PTA Memorial Scholarship Program.

https://tinyurl.com/OPTA-Scholarship-SpeEd-2022

Please complete application in its entirety. One application per student.
Please direct any questions to scholarship@ohiopta.org.

For more information about Ohio PTA Memorial Scholarship Program, please visit: http://www.ohiopta.org/