Student Groups Have Impact On Community
Transcription
Student Groups Have Impact On Community
Upcoming Events For more information or to register for an event please visit the Events and News section of the Alumni & Friends site www.rio.edu or contact Annette Brown Ward at 740-245-7431 or [email protected] Table of Contents 2...................Faculty/Alumni Win Prestigious Awards 3............ Student Groups Have Impact on Community 4.........New Textbook Tutorials for the iPhone Thanks to a Rio Professor 4........................... Making Something Out of Nothing 5................................................................ Class Notes 7................................... Rio Grande Soccer Schedules 8................ Reunion of the 1965 Rio Grande Redmen Basketball Team 8.........New Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Alumni Board Members Mary McCurdy Pierce ’67, Vice President Hope Leedy Keller ’59, Secretary Sabrina Hurt ’02, Treasurer Mary Kay Vollborn Ervin ’71 Nanetta Fults ’72 October 31, 2009 The University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College is pleased to announce the much anticipated return of the Bell Tower Ball! The event will be held on Saturday October 31, 2009 in the Davis University Center at Rio Grande. This has been a well attended and enjoyable formal event for alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends and community members in years past and it promises to be again in 2009. A Social Hour & Silent Auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at 8:00 p.m. when the live music begins. This year’s event features R & B Station Band with Sharell Andrews, former American Idol contestant. A short live auction will begin at 10:45 p.m. with the event concluding at Midnight. Group Tables: ........... $600.00 (Seats 8 individuals per table) A limited number of special reserved tables will be available. Early Bird Special: ..................$100.00 per couple by 9/1/09 Couples: ...................................................$125.00 after 9/1/09 Individual: .....................................................................$75.00 Rio Students: ........................................$55.00 per individual More details will follow in print, mail, email and on the Alumni & Friends site at www.rio.edu. We hope you will plan join us! Larry Guglielmi ’73 Raymond Jackson ’50 Bradford Krings ’74 Charles Kunkel ’70 C. Robert Leith ’65 Patrick “Jack” Morgan ’96 Editor: Annette Brown Ward ’98 Contributing Writers: Mark Williams ’96 Nick Claussen Graphic Designer: Jean Ann Vance ’86 On the Cover Photos by Jean Ann Vance ’86 Familiar Rio Sites: • Cora Mill • Tycoon Lake • Bob Evans Shelter House • Bob Evans Windmill • The Weeping Virgin Monument Reflections Alumni Reunion 2009 Date: Saturday August 22, 2009 Time: Noon-5:00 p.m. Location: Rio Grande Campus Cost: $10.00 per person The classes of 1960-1975 have special events going on all weekend thanks to their planning committee. On Friday night, members of those class years will meet at the Holiday Inn in Gallipolis (877-863-4780) where they may take advantage of reduced room rates by mentioning the Rio Grande Reunion. Registration will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the hotel’s lobby. They will enjoy visiting with friends around the pool and making plans for dinner, drinks and evening fun. On Saturday, the group will join the reunion activities at Rio Grande. Spouses or those not wishing to attend the Rio Reunion on campus may take advantage of the many things Gallia County has to offer. This might include golfing at Cliffside (740-446-4653) or a trip to the local winery (merryfamilywinery.com). On Sunday morning, a breakfast has been coordinated at Bob Evans Farms Restaurant in Rio Grande. Folks are encouraged to meet by 8:30 a.m. so service may begin by 9:00 a.m. This will be a super way to fill up before heading home. Thanks to the Archon Active Order’s generous sponsorship, this event is free of charge for all 1960-1975 Alumni. Please contact a member of the Reunion Committee for information on these special events. Jim “Squirrel” Leftwich ’68........................................jdleftwich@sbcglobal.net Jane Ingram O’Neil ’70..................................................ingram@wowway.com Bob Hughes ’68.........................................................jrhughes@windstream.net Tom Williams ’69.......................................................... [email protected] Larry Guglielmi ’73................................................................ [email protected] Mary McCurdy Pierce ’67............................................... [email protected] Kurt Williams ’66........................................... [email protected] Susan Burnside Hagar ’70........................................sbhagar@columbus.rr.com Information and registration for Rio Reunion 2009 is available at www.rio.edu under the Alumni & Friends tab. You may also contact Annette Brown Ward ’98 at 1-800-282-7201 ext. 7431 or [email protected] for information or credit card payment. www.rio.edu O n Saturday August 22, 2009, Rio Grande will once again hold its annual Alumni Reunion. We are excited to have you back on campus so this year’s event will feature many special activities! The traditional picnic luncheon will be held at Noon on the Green with your favorite burgers, hot dogs, summer salads, drinks and desserts. The cost is $10.00 per person and due at time of registration. The Gallia County Model A Ford Club will be on hand to give tours of your favorite local haunts…How long has it been since you’ve been to the old Cora Mill or Tycoon Lake? Take a scenic trip in one of these grand ole automobiles! There is no cost to take the tour but your donations to the Club would be greatly appreciated. The Alumni Awards presentation will be held at 3:00pm in the Berry Fine and Performing Arts Center. This year’s recipients are Frank Bullock ’71 and Hope Leedy Keller ’59. Please join us in honoring these outstanding alumni for their service to Rio Grande. This year we are pleased to feature a family scavenger hunt. Created by Troy ‘93 and Kelley (Montgomery) ’94 Tripp, this promises to awaken many memories…especially for those 1980’s and 1990’s grads. We know you and your family will have a great time! Prizes will be awarded. Bill ‘67 and Gwen (Angell) ’69 Grant are working to contact former members of Circle K and Kayettes. We hope to see many of you here on campus for the reunion! To contact Bill or Gwen, please email them at [email protected] 1 Rio Grande Faculty/Alumni Win Prestigious Awards Tower & Times • Summer 2009 E 2 llen Brasel was chosen as the winner of the 2009 Edwin A. Jones Award for Excellence in Teaching while Professor Raymond C. Matura. Ph.D., received this year’s Ernie Wyant Outstanding Teaching Award. The Jones Award is voted on each year by the faculty and then presented to one faculty member for outstanding work in teaching Rio Grande students. “I am very pleased that Ellen Brasel won this year. She is very deserving of this award,” said Barbara Hatfield, associate provost/ Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “She is very knowledgeable in the subjects she teaches and is dedicated to helping her students. She has high expectations for them.” Brasel, an assistant professor of history, is a resident of the Gallia County village of Addison. “It’s especially an honor for me because the faculty members on campus include quite a few of the professors that I took classes from when I was a non-traditional student here in the 1990s,” Brasel said. She was nervous that she would feel out-of-place on campus when she decided to attend Rio Grande as a non-traditional student, but said she never felt that way. “The students worked together very well then, just as they do today”, Brasel said. She studied history and political science at Rio Grande, and earned her bachelor’s degree in 1993. Brasel then went on to earn a master’s degree from Ohio University and then returned to Rio Grande to teach history. Brasel also greatly enjoys working with the other faculty members at Rio Grande. “I have a lot of very good colleagues,” she said, adding that she also learned from some of them when she was a student. The award is named after Edwin A. Jones, a former Jackson resident who excelled in several areas in his life. He was a star quarterback at Yale, where also was an outstanding track athlete and equaled the world record in the 60 yard dash. As a scholar, Jones was elected to the prestigious Skull and Bones Honor Society, and as a performer he was a member of the famed Whiffenpoof singing group. He had a successful industrial career, including his work in Jackson where he headed the Globe Iron Company, as well as other companies in nearby towns. He also was involved in community and philanthropic organizations and was committed to helping higher education. Jones set up this award for teachers who excel on campus. Ray Matura, Professor of Sociology and Wyant Award winner, earned a degree in history from Rio Grande in 1971. He also received degrees from Ohio University and the University of Florida., while also taking part in post-graduate programs at the University of Southern California, Penn State University, the University of Michigan and Miami University. He also has served as a contributing author or reviewer for several textbooks and has published and presented at numerous national and regional conferences, particularly in his major scholarly interest of gerontology. Matura is also active in several professional organizations and has served as the president of a state gerontology association. He has been honored with several teaching awards during his time at Rio Grande, including the Sears Award, Edwin Jones Award and the Alumni Award, but explained that the Ernie Wyant Award is special to him because selection is done by the students. “Awards are humbling and somewhat embarrassing in that there are many outstanding faculty at Rio Grande,” Matura said. He added that the award represents the influence his numerous colleagues have had on him and on the institution, and he is honored to receive it. Amanda Lotycz, a psychology major from Plain City, nominated Matura for the award. “What makes Dr. Matura such a good professor is that he inspires students to want to learn,” Lotycz said. “He does so by getting to know each student individually and leading by example.” “It seems that any student I ask enjoys Dr. Matura’s classes a great deal.” Matura said he feels privileged to be a teacher at Rio Grande where he has been able to work with so many fine students and then watch them achieve great things. The award is named after Ernie Wyant, who was born in Scioto Township in the Redbrush area of Jackson County. He attended elementary school at Riegel School and high school at Petersburg School in Scioto Township before enrolling in Rio Grande, where he earned his teaching certificate. He went on to teach in one-room schools in the area while continuing his education at Rio Grande and receiving his degree in 1937. The 1937 Grandion referred to Wyant as “Little but Mighty.” Reflections Student Groups Have Impact On Community W up project in the Welsh Garden on campus and the ΛΟΨ project where students slept on the Green in an effort to raise money for local organizations that help the homeless. There was an Easter Egg hunt sponsored by AXN, a Christmas toy drive by ZΘX and even a talent show by TKE. The fraternities and sororities hold events both on campus and in the community, and Reffitt said that they do an excellent job. Sorority and fraternity members at the University of Rio Grande just finished a very busy academic year, and completed an amazing number of community service projects. Marshall Kimmel serves as an advisor for the All-Greek Council at Rio Grande, and said he was proud of the work the students completed throughout the year. The students in the fraternities and sororities enjoyed the projects that they worked on, and the organizations are an important part of campus life. “It’s been the driving influence of why I’ve stayed on campus,” said Rich Reffitt, president of all AllGreek Council at Rio Grande during the 2008-2009 academic year. “It’s been my starting point with everything that I do on campus.” Being a member of a fraternity has allowed the senior marketing major from Beaver, Ohio, to work on projects and activities that he greatly enjoys. The All-Greek Council, for example, put together a campus clean-up day in March. Most projects are done by the individual fraternities and sororities, however. The projects this year included a story time for children at the Davis Library by Delta Theta, a clean- The Zeta Theta Chi sorority won the award for the Top Sorority on campus this year, while the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity won the award for the Top Fraternity. Rio Grande has between 60 and 75 students in its nine Greek organizations each year. The community service work is a part the mission for each fraternity and sorority, and the students learn a great deal by taking part in the fun activities that benefit local organizations and area residents. www.rio.edu ith over 40 Students Groups on campus, Rio Grande students have a direct impact on the community. Many of these organizations hold community service projects throughout the year. The Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter at Rio Grande held the food drive project as part of the national “Let’s Can Hunger” project sponsored by the Campbell’s Soup Company. The SIFE students hold numerous community service projects each year, in addition to their projects promoting economic education and free enterprise in the region. For the food drive, the SIFE team students worked with Addaville Elementary School, Rio Grande Elementary School and Vinton Elementary School. At the end of the food drive, the SIFE team had collected 1,077 items from the three schools. With donations from campus, they had a total of 1,179 items for the food drive. Kroger of Jackson also donated to the program. The food items were then donated to the Vinton Baptist Church Food Pantry. The food pantry appreciated the food items, which were then distributed to local families. “We’re planning to do this again next year,” Smith said, adding that the SIFE students want to expand the project. One part of the goal of the national program is to call more attention to the problems of hunger and poverty around the country, and the SIFE team wants to do more work to raise awareness about these problems in the region, Smith said. 3 Rio Grande . New Textbook Tutorials for the iPhone Thanks to a Rio Professor C ollege students around the world will soon be downloading their educational materials onto their iPhones thanks to a Rio Grande professor. Richard Campbell, associate professor of accounting, has worked with textbook publishers over the years, and recently began working with Wiley and Sons publishers on several of their accounting books. Campbell’s previous work has involved creating extra educational tools that can be used in addition to the textbooks. His newest project includes putting together materials for students around the world to download onto their iPhones, in order to help them study and learn different principles of accounting. His past work has included making video examples of different problems for students where he works on the accounting problem and explains the different aspects of each of them. He was able to do the work on each problem through a videotaping system in his office at Rio Grande. Students around the world were then able to download his tutorials onto their computers, and learn from Campbell’s expertise. The students had to purchase access to the tutorials and extra materials through the purchase of their textbooks, and the materials have proved to be very successful. Now, Campbell has created educational materials that are available for students to download onto their iPhones. If students purchase certain textbooks for which Campbell has created tutorials, or if the students choose to just purchase the Web access for the books, they are able to download his materials straight to their iPhones. This is new technology in the textbook market, and the Campbell’s tutorials became available in May. This makes the materials more accessible to students, and gives them extra opportunities to study and learn. “They can be on the beach if they have Internet access,” Campbell explained. “They don’t have to have a laptop with them, they can just use their iPhones. They can be exercising in the gym.” In addition to his work on the downloadable tutorials, Campbell is also working with publishers such as McGraw Hill to create on-line quizzes and study materials that can be used with textbooks focusing on different aspects of accounting. Campbell enjoys working on the different projects that can be used by students around the world, but his main focus is on teaching students at Rio Grande. Campbell teaches accounting in the Evans School of Business. He is an excellent teacher that is reaching students here in the community, as well as students around the world. Tower & Times • Summer 2009 Making Something Out of Nothing 4 T he old phrase “Making something out of nothing,” took on a new meaning for some students during the spring semester. The students in several programs in the School of Technology had the opportunity to work with a machine that builds parts, prototypes and designs out of practically nothing. The machine is a “Rapid Prototype” machine, and it is also known as a 3-D printer. “It actually takes three dimensional designs of different objects and then creates them,” explained Mike Dyer, faculty member in the School of Technology. The machine builds small objects inside, needing only a design and several hours to create the pieces. The objects can be very intricate and can be used for a wide range of purposes. Personnel who work with the Rapid Prototype machines create the designs, and then enter the designs into the machine. The machine is then able to build whatever is being designed, within a certain size limit, out of plas- tics and other materials. The machines are being used more and more in manufacturing, as they can allow industries to make the custom parts that that are needed for different uses and can be used to create molds that are used to make more parts. The machines have applications in a wide range of businesses and industries, and their popularity is growing. Dyer wanted his manufacturing continued on page 11 Reflections Carolina. Moses and his wife Mable reside in Lumberton, North Carolina. 1987 1955 Deceased: Roy A. Moses passed away on Tuesday July 7, 2009. He was a member of the legendary 1952 – 1953Redman basketball team and URG Athletic Hall of Fame. Moses taught at Oak Hill High School for 30 years and has served as President of the Welsh Heritage Museum. He sang with several local Welsh Choirs, was a member of the Thurman United Methodist Church and a 50- year member of the Centerville Masonic Lodge #372. Moses was also an Army Veteran. He is survived by his wife, Josine Thomas Moses ‘54 and sons Steve Moses ’80, Tom Moses ’89 and Rob Moses ’84. 1966 Richard and Cheryl Cartwright of Gahanna appeared recently in the Columbus Dispatch. The story featured the couple’s visits to 73 countries during their 52 year marriage. Champe Butler II, DDS, member of the West Virginia Board of Dental Examiners, recently attended the W.V. Dental Association 100th Anniversary at The Greenbrier Resort. 1975 Stacy Osborne, DPM of Cincinnati, Ohio has written a novel, “Life 101”. It can be read free online at www. flipreality.com. Tom Smith retired in May after 35 years in education, 33 of which were in Portsmouth City Schools. Smith resides in Portsmouth. 1977 David Corbett and Angela Beans were united in marriage in May. The couple resides in the Columbus, Ohio area. 1988 W. Todd Johnson has been named as the new Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, at the University of Rio Grande and began his work in the new position on May 18, 2009. Johnson and his family reside in Gallipolis. 1990 Steve Shaw recently retired from the Ohio Department of Education Office of Federal Grants Management. Shaw currently resides in Delaware, Ohio. 1980 M. Stephen ‘Steve’ Moses has been named the new advertising representative for The Red Springs Citizen, The St. Pauls Review, and The Robesonian, all sister papers of Heartland Publications, LLC, a newspaper holding company out of Connecticut. All three local newspapers are located in Robeson County, North 1993 Deceased: George Ulrich III who lived and worked in Columbus, Ohio. A celebration of George’s life was held in Columbus while the memorial service was held in Proctorville at the New Hope Church. Bryan S. Kimble is currently ranked 1st nationally on the Natural Athlete Strength Association (NASA) Power Sports Military-PoliceFire Division Top 10 List. Kimble is a Preacher at Revival Baptist Church in Reynoldsburg, OH, where he resides with his wife Jessica and daughter Kaylea. Kimble is also a Chaplain Candidate for Ohio Army National Guard, attached to the 371st Special Troops Battalion at Newark, Ohio. 1994 Scott and Emily Paulitsch are pleased to announce the birth of a son, Henry JamesEdward, in March. 1992 Jennifer Leist Hrusch completed her Master’s of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University in December, 2008. Hrusch is currently employed as the Library Manager for the Columbus Metropolitan Library. She resides in Canal Winchester. Jody Vice and Kelly Beall will be married in September 2009. Vice currently works at the Ohio Department of Education in Columbus, Ohio as an Education Consultant. Chad Carroll is currently coaching Varsity Baseball at Huntington (Ross) High School and has been recognized as the Scioto Valley Conference 2008 Baseball Coach of The Year. Carroll is employed by Kenworth Trucking Co. www.rio.edu 1973 5 Rio Grande in Chillicothe, Ohio. He and his wife Jayme have four children: son, Cy (11), daughters, Carly (10), Camryn (4) and Kaci (2). Michael Fisher and Tricia Lynn McMillen were married on October 11, 2008 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mansfield. The couple is employed with the State of Ohio and resides in Powell, OH. 1997 Darin Logan has been named principal at Meigs Intermediate School. Logan and his wife Angela reside in Middleport. 1999 Amber D. Wolfe Oliver announces the birth of a daughter, Dixie Diane Oliver, in February. The family resides in Point Pleasant, WV. 2000 Seneca Herring graduated from Xavier University in 2008 with a Master of Education degree in Sports Administration. He currently serves as the Southwest Ohio Regional Community Affairs Director for Ohio State Treasurer Kevin Boyce. Herring resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tower & Times • Summer 2009 2002 6 Debra Dillon Good graduated in May from Capital University’s Accelerated Nursing Program with a BSN-RN degree. She resides in Canal Winchester. Jamie and Emily Harrison ’03 Conway announce the birth of their first child, Alec James, on March 5th, 2008. Jamie is employed by ResCare Inc. as a Qualified Mental Retardation Professional. Emily is a Customer Service Representative with Ohio Valley Bank and is on the bank’s Business Development Team. She has been employed with Ohio Valley Bank for the past 5 years. The family resides in Patriot, Ohio. Aaron and Tamara Thomas Rykowski of Vinton, Ohio, are pleased to announce that two-year-old son Nathan was among 10 semifinalists from almost 300,000 entries in the Beautiful Baby Search on Live With Regis and Kelly. Jeremy Fryman began a new position as a full-time Instructor for Marion Technical College (MTC) in Marion, Ohio beginning Winter Quarter 2009. He has worked as an adjunct faculty for MTC since 2005 beginning shortly after completing his MBA at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. Fryman resides in Marion, Ohio 2003 Dwight and Amy Priest Evans announce the birth of a daughter, Emily Kate on September 8, 2008. She was welcomed home by big brother Carter, age 2. Ben and Valerie Harris Purdy were married on June 12, 2009. The couple resides in Berea, Ohio. Jen Doute and Ryan Smith were married on June 7, 2008. The couple will be moving to the Athens, OH area when Ryan begins medical school at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. 2004 www.rio.edu Alexis R. Davis started a new position on June 1, 2009 at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She serves as the Box Office and Patron Club Coordinator of Event Services. Davis resides in Carterville, IL. Samantha Casella has been named Assistant Professor in the Holzer School of Nursing at Rio Grande. She resides in Proctorville, Ohio. 2005 Michael and Stephanie Evanich-Marks recently adopted a baby girl, Korin, from Guatemala. The family resides in Scottown. Daniel Hepler and Janine Miller are engaged and will be married on August 1, 2009. Hepler is currently employed with Harbor Educational Services in Kent, Ohio. 2007 Niki Hansen and Brian Dillon were married on June 20, 2009. The couple resides in Powell, Ohio. 2008 Sara Carr is currently employed with the Columbus Center for Human Resources as a Home Program Trainer. Her responsibilities include teaching aging individuals with MR/DD independent living skills. Carr resides in Reynoldsburg. Jessica Murphy was recently hired by ResCare in Gallipolis as the Passport Manager. Murphy resides in Gallipolis, Ohio. 2009 Raymond E. Snyder IV and Marilyn M. Valdez were married on June 20, 2009 on the Green at Rio Grande. The couple will continue their education at Rio in the MBA program. The couple will reside in Rio Grande. Rio Grande Soccer Schedules MEN’S SOCCER SCHEDULE AWAY AWAY Women’s Soccer Schedule TBA TBA SEPTEMBER 11 BRYAN COLLEGE AWAY TBA 12 MID-CONTINENT AWAY TBA (CEDARVILLE TOURNEY) 19 LINDSEY WILSON HOME 7:00 26 CAMPBELLSVILLE AWAY 2:00 27 PIKEVILLE HOME 7:00 30 MT. VERNON HOME 7:00 OCTOBER 3 UNIV OF CUMBERLANDS 6 ST. CATHERINES 15 CEDARVILLE 17 NOTRE DAME COLLEGE 19 WEST VIRGINIA TECH 23 HOUGHTON 24 ROBERTS WESLEYAN 28 GEORGETOWN 31 WALSH AWAY AWAY HOME HOME HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY HOME 2:00 TBA 7:00 7:00 7:00 TBA TBA TBA TBA NOVEMBER 4-14 MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS 21 NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1ST ROUND DECEMBER 1-5 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, FRESNO CAL MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE IN BOLD RED August 21 Mt. State University Home 25 Alderson-Broaddus Away 5:00 5:30 September 1 Muskingum 5 Univ. of the Cumberlands 8 Ohio Valley University 12 Carlow University 16 Bluefield College 19 Notre Dame 22 Malone College 26 Ursuline 27 Pikeville College 30 Alderson-Broaddus Away Away Home Away Away Home Away Away Home Home 5:00 TBA 6:00 TBA 5:00 2:00 1:00 TBA 5:00 5:30 October 6 St. Catharine 9 Campbellsville Univ. 15 Lindsey Wilson 23 Houghton 24 Roberts WesLEYAN 27 Shawnee State 30 Georgetown Away Away Home Away Away Home Away 2:00 4:00 5:00 TBA TBA 6:00 7:00 November 2 West Virginia Tech Home 4-13 Mid-South Conference Tournament @ Georgetown University 6:00 MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE IN BOLD RED The Rio Grande Alumni Association is now on Facebook. Check it out at: www.facebook.com/RioAlum www.rio.edu AUGUST 28 ST. XAVIER (CHICAGO) 29 ILLINOIS INSTITUTE Reflections 7 Rio Grande Reunion of the 1965 Rio Grande Redmen Basketball Team E Row 1: Irene Shedd Swisher, Sondra Drake Stowbart, Ruth Lusetti Heigle Row 2: Jim Marshal, Terry Williams, Paul Dillon Row 3: Frank Bullock, Don Trainer, Coach Lanham Row 4: Patty Forgey, Bob Heigle, Dick Lusetti, Sharon Gregory ver tried describing a sunrise to someone that was not on the sandy shore sharing the majesty of light unfolding before you? This is the difficulty I have describing the reunion of a group of former Rio basketball players, cheerleaders and coaches. This incredible outing occurred on June 28, 2009 in Cincinnati. The group is from the ’65 era give or take a few years and they have been meeting annually for the last 6 or 7 years. A special thanks to Dick Lusetti for hosting this year’s event. He and his wife, Paula, truly rolled out the red carpet. It was great to hear all the stories and to hear the counter “real” stories. You know how that goes! As I sat listening, it reminded me of all the practices, games and fun times I had with this group when I was 7 years old. The stories ranged from the trips on the old bus, driving through the middle of campus and trying to find a gym to practice in each day. This is a special group of Rio Alumni! The ’65 group is planning another reunion for June 29, 2010 at the University of Rio Grande. If anyone is interested in attending, please contact the Rio Alumni office at 740-245-7431 or [email protected]. Jeff Lanham Athletic Director New Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Tower & Times • Summer 2009 R 8 io Grande and Shawnee State University are teaming up to offer a new Occupational Therapy Assistant program in order to meet a demand from medical centers in the region. The program is being offered by Shawnee State University, but area residents will be able to take many of their classes on the Rio Grande campus. The program is set up in a similar fashion to the new Medical Laboratory Technology program, which is being offered by Washington State Community College on the Rio Grande campus. That program was created by Rio Grande and Washington State in order to meet a demand from local medical facilities for medical laboratory technologists, and area residents still have time to apply and enroll. In the new occupational therapy assistant program, students will take classes on the Shawnee State campus one or two days a week, but will be able to take their general education courses at Rio Grande. The program takes two-years to complete and allows students to earn associate’s degrees. “We have experienced a longterm need for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the region,” said Ron Saunders, director of therapy services at Holzer Medical Center. Holzer sometimes has searched for between 6 months to 1 year to find qualified occupational therapy assistants, and Saunders said he is pleased to see Rio Grande working with Shawnee State University to offer this new program. Saunders recommended to Rio Grande officials that they host this program in order to help area residents and help medical facilities in the region. He explained that occupational therapy assistants play a key role in the level of care that is offered to patients. These professionals work with occupational therapists and are qualified to carry out the rehabilitation plans set by the occupational therapists. Occupational therapy assistants can work in in-patient, out-patient, in-patient rehabilitation, extended care and home health care settings. “They provide a very valuable service and play an important role in the rehabilitation process,” Saunders said. These professionals are in demand in the region and all across the country. Making Something Out of Nothing continued from page 4 technology students to have a chance to work with a rapid prototype machine so he arranged for the college to borrow the machine. Eventually, he would like to have one permanently on campus for students to use and learn from, but they are very expensive. The Rapid Prototype machine could be used to assist local businesses, though, and it may work out that local industrial leaders may want to partner with Rio Grande to purchase a machine. “It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” Dyer said. The machine could be very helpful for local businesses, and it can be a valuable learning tool for several programs at Rio Grande, such as the manufacturing technology, fine woodworking and drafting programs. “It’s been a very good experience for the students to be able to see this,” Dyer said. He also invited local business leaders to look over the machine and learn more about how it could benefit them. Rio Grande partners often with businesses all around the region in many of its programs. The manufacturing technology program in particular regularly assists businesses in Ohio and West Virginia on different projects. While Dyer hopes to have a Rapid Prototype machine on campus permanently in the future, he was also very pleased to be able to have the equipment on loan for his students. The students enjoyed working with the machine, and it was an excellent learning experience for them. We Want To Hear About You! If you recently found a job, were promoted, were married, moved, had a baby or did anything else of interest, please let your University of Rio Grande family know about it. Fill out the form below and send it to the Office of Alumni Relations, University of Rio Grande, PO Box 500, Rio Grande, Ohio 45674. Name_____________________________________________________ Phone________________________________ Grad. Yr._____________ Street_________________________________ City_________________ State________________________Zip________ County______________ Email Address__________________________ ■ Check if this is a new address. News:_ ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Parents: If this issue of Tower & Times is addressed to your son or daughter who has established a separate permanent address, please notify us of the new address: 740-245-7431, or 800-282-7201, ext. 7431, or [email protected] Reflections Nomination Form Request The University of Rio Grande accepts nominations for the following awards on a continuous basis. The deadline for nominations within a given year is February 1 of that year. Nomination forms are kept on file and reviewed yearly. ■ Alumni Awards (Distinguished Alumnus, URG Alumni, Atwood Achievement, Faculty Citation, Citation of Appreciation) ■ Athletic Hall of Fame ■ Educators’ Hall of Fame Please send the nomination form indicated above to: Name_____________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________ Mail this request to: Office of Alumni Relations, University of Rio Grande, PO Box 500, Rio Grande, OH 45674 The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College do not discriminate against applicants, employees, or students on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, marital status, veteran status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, or disability. Questions about this policy should be directed to the Human Resources Director, Allen Hall, 740-245-7228. Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be made through the Human Resources office. Non-Profit Organization PAID Permit No.200 Chillicothe, OH 45601 F-990 OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS PO Box 500 Rio Grande, OH 45674-0500 www.rio.edu Rio Grande Graduates Continue Their Educations W hile hundreds of new graduates from the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College are moving onto careers in the community and around the world, many are also continuing their educations to work on their master’s or doctoral degrees. 2009 graduates Amanda Lotycz and Emily Walker, for example, are both continuing their educations in master’s degree programs around Ohio. Lotycz, who is from Plain City, which is in the Columbus area, was also named the Outstanding Psychology Graduate at Rio Grande. In the fall, she will be attending Miami University and will begin working toward earning her educational specialist degree in school psychology. “My future plans are to become a school psychologist, and then eventually pursue a doctorate degree and become a Amanda Lotycz professor,” Lotycz said. She hopes to one day teach psychology at the collegiate level, and said that Rio Grande has prepared her well for the next step in her education. “The professors and faculty have given helpful suggestions for continuing in my educational pursuits. I have enjoyed my time here and feel prepared for my future studies thanks to the professors who have encouraged and helped me throughout my collegiate career,” Lotycz said. She especially pointed out all of the assistance she received from the late Dr. Gerald W. “Jerry” Sparkman, who died in 2008. “I had the majority of my psychology classes with him, and I wish that her were still around to see me graduate,” Lotycz said. “He was always willing to discuss future plans and give advice to me. I am forever thankful to him for that.” Walker, who is from Thurman, will be attending Ohio State University and studying in the master’s degree program in nursing specializing in psychiatric mental health. After completing the threeyear graduate program, she will be a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and will be able to work in hospitals, private practices, state hospitals or numerous Emily Walker other health care facilities. During her years at Rio Grande, she enjoyed the small classroom settings and the one-on-one instruction from the professors. “I am very excited to have that background, as I feel it will very much prepare me for my nursing courses,” Walker said. She added that she enjoyed her time at Rio Grande, and is prepared for the adjustment for the much larger campus at Ohio State University. Associate Professor Janice Vidic said that she expects Walker and Lotycz both to excel in both their academic and professional careers. “Emily and Amanda are two excellent students who will do extremely well in graduate school. They’re bright and hard working, and they each have professional attitudes toward their education and work. It has been a pleasure for me to work with them,” Vidic said. “I hope more prospective students will read about their accomplishments and decide that psychology is the major for them.”