News Releases

Owens Healthcare Programs Focus on Interprofessional Education at Annual Assistive Technology Fair

Posted on April 25th, 2024

Location: Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 7270 Biniker Road, Perrysburg, OH 43551

When: Friday, April 26

Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Details: Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Owens Community College are partnering to provide a day full of fun and education regarding assistive technology and remote supports.

Owens School of Nursing and Health Professions students will complete an Interprofessional Education (IPE) activity as they continue to prepare for patient-centered care careers. IPE occurs when healthcare students from different disciplines collaborate to improve a patient’s health outcomes.

Nearly 30 community organizations will staff tables.

Industry professionals will offer presentations regarding assistive technology.

This event is free and open to the public.

I-75/CR 99 Interchange Improvements Slated Near Findlay-area Campus

Posted on April 17th, 2024

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Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) officials informed a capacity crowd of more than 130 people at the Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus about fulfilling a 7-year vision to improve the I-75/County Road 99 interchange.

The 3-year project will begin this spring and culminate in 2026, when the diverging diamond interchange will be completed to better accommodate existing and future traffic along Hancock County’s busy northern corridor, ODOT officials said.

The project will include road enhancements along County Road 99 extending from County Road 140 to the west and the Lowe’s Distribution Center to the east; Lowe’s is about one-half mile from the Owens campus.

The interchange is located 3 miles west of the Owens campus.

“When it’s completed, you will clearly see the benefit it has on the traveling public,” Michael Butler, ODOT’s project engineer, told the audience of business owners, government officials and other interested parties, including representatives from Blanchard Valley Health System.

ODOT officials organized the public meeting with Owens Findlay-area Campus Dean Brad Wood, who was in attendance along with a handful of other Owens employees. Butler and ODOT’s Rob White spent time reviewing the project schedule, how a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) works and the interchange’s benefits, which include increased capacity, efficiency and safety.

Chuck Bills, the former Owens Board of Trustee member who is president and CEO of Findlay’s Tall Timbers Ohio Logistics, was among the audience members to ask questions.

Tim Mayle, the executive director for the Center to Advance Manufacturing, a unique partnership created by Owens, the University of Findlay and Bowling Green State University, also addressed the audience as a member of ODOT’s Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC). The council approves the development and construction of major ODOT projects such as I-75/County Road 99 exchange.

He said to look at the project through the lens of enhancing safety, providing more traffic capacity and increasing the investment for businesses after completion.

“This is important to the county,” Mayle said.

For more information, visit ODOT’s project site: https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/projects/102375

Owens Inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame Class Featured at Creative Expressions Arts Fundraising Event

Posted on April 4th, 2024

The community is invited to join Owens Community College alumni, faculty and staff for a special evening celebrating 20 years of the arts as well as the college’s inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame class at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Creative Expressions, the annual arts fundraiser, supports the endowed Artistic Award Funds for students pursuing a career in the Fine and Performing Arts. The 2023-2024 academic year marks 20 years since the Center for Fine and Performing Arts opened in August 2003 for the 2003-2004 academic year.

Sponsored by the Owens Community College Foundation, the Alumni Hall of Fame awards will be presented to outstanding Owens alumni who have excelled personally and professionally, making a continued and significant difference in their community on a local, state, national or international level. The Alumni Hall of Fame class includes:

David W. Seeger, Ed.D., a 1980 marketing and sales graduate who was the president and CEO of Great Lakes Credit Union, Inc. for 27 years. He is an adjunct faculty member at Owens.
Melanie L. Dunn, a 2011 commercial art graduate who works at Madhouse, one of the leading advertising agencies in Toledo. She also owns her own freelance design agency, Cuttlefish Graphics.
Glenn E. Houck Jr., a 2004 radiography graduate who is the director of radiology clinical operations at Michigan Health. He is a U.S. Army veteran.
Lesa M. Swimmer, a 1996 associate of arts graduate who started on campus as a student worker and tutor and 30 years later remains at Owens as a highly-respected instructor teaching math, biology, chemistry and physical sciences.
Sarah R. Heldmann, a 2014 occupational therapy assistant graduate who works at Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities while serving in local, state and national leadership positions related to her work as an occupational therapy assistant.

Complete bios of the inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame class are available at owens.edu/alumni/awards.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the semi-formal event includes dinner and artwork auction as well as the Alumni Hall of Fame presentation before concluding with the student theatre production of “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.”

Renowned artist Ray King of Philadelphia, who created and installed the “Owens Rings” sculpture hanging in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Rotunda for the August 2003 opening, is scheduled to attend.

Tickets, priced at $150 per couple and $100 for an individual ticket, include a commemorative gift, an individualized, handcrafted art piece of glass from the Toledo Museum of Art inspired by the “Owens Rings.”

Tickets are available online at www.owens.edu/fpa/giving. Seating is limited.

Owens Admissions Rep Among Gun Violence Survivors Discussion Panelists

Posted on March 1st, 2024

Janice Hall

A woman is shot dead by her current or former partner every 16 hours, according to data provided by the Brady national gun violence prevention organization.

“I got that dreadful call on my sister’s birthday,” said Owens Community College Admissions Representative Janice Hall, referring to November 7, 2021, when her son’s partner, Natasha Carlisle, was part of a double homicide in Toledo.

Carlisle and her best friend, Laura Luckey, were killed by Donte Gilmer, who was Luckey’s former partner. Gilmer was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

A lifelong Toledo resident, Hall will take part in a gun violence panel discussion at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 in College Hall room 100. Sponsored by the BIG Read, the event is free and open to the public.

Hall described gun violence in America as “a club that no one wants to belong to, but it’s starting to get a large membership.”

She said losing Carlisle created multiple gaps for her family.

Her son, Jermaine Byrd, and Carlisle had a daughter, Tashayla, who celebrated her 18^th birthday a week before her mother’s death. Hall also noted Byrd and Carlisle had been working on getting back together, which is why Hall said she still calls Carlisle her “daughter-in-law”.

“For my son, his half-brother was killed just a year before. It’s all of this inner-city living,” Hall said. “I hate for it to happen to anyone. If it’s not me, it’s somebody I know that it’s happened to. It’s such a shame. It’s destroying lives – just like drugs.”

The panel also includes:

Malcolm Cunningham, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, City of Toledo
Brysen Davis, Violence Interrupter with Save Our Community
Judy Harbaugh, local leader for Moms Demand Action
Sherin Henley, a gun violence survivor
Rebecca Facey, Toledo City Prosecutor
Mary Kruger, a gun violence survivor

Inspiring Stories Highlight National TRIO Day Celebration

Posted on February 26th, 2024

TRIO Day

The first time Stanley Knox attended Owens Community College, TRIO programs did not exist.

“It’s great that there are so many extra resources and how the staff are so welcoming,” the social media influencer certificate major said after participating in a panel with TRIO students from other colleges as Owens hosted the sixth annual National TRIO Day Celebration at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, TRIO programs are educational opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The National TRIO Day Celebration was a collaborative event of the 11 northwest Ohio TRIO programs from Owens Community College, Bowling Green State University, Lourdes University, Northwest State Community College and the University of Toledo.

These programs are the catalyst for educational post-secondary attainment for first-generation and low-income individuals in the area.

Knox, a first-generation college student who already earned a music business certificate from Owens 10 years ago, told the TRIO audience he was “sharing his heart.” In answering an audience question, he said it was in the past year, just turning 40 a week ago, that he began to master time management.

“I come from YouTube University. I know I’m a hustler and I can’t sit still,” he said. “(To get an education) you have to make up your mind you’re going to stop and do the work.”

Knox is part of the TRIO Student Support Services program.

More than 100 students and TRIO leaders attended the celebration, which began with the keynote presentation from Dr. Jessica R. McClain, Visiting Research Scientist at Indiana University. She spoke about resiliency and thriving by sharing her life story, which was inspired by the untimely passing of her father, Rev. Steve R. McClain.

Owens President Dr. Dione D. Somerville also addressed the TRIO students, along with Northwest State President Dr. Todd Hernandez and State Rep. Michele Grim, State Rep. Josh Williams and Austin Serna, congressional assistant for U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur.

Williams shared his story of transitioning from a homeless high school dropout who considered suicide to attorney, college professor and elected official.

The closing speaker was a TRIO alum, BGSU graduate Myles Johnson, who started his entrepreneurship journey by selling cookies in the Atlanta airport at age 13. He talked about college challenges as well as building relationships on his way to returning to his teen-age home of Lansing, Michigan and winning the Ingham County Commissioner election at age 25.

Between speakers, the students participated in a service project, packing more than 100 bags of donated health and hygiene items for each college to donate to its respective food pantry or student resource office for student use.

“Today has been very positive and inspiring,” said Lisa Robinson after helping pack the bags. She’s a 56-year-old Army veteran from Toledo who’s part of the Owens Veterans Upward Bound TRIO program. “I heard about resilience. I really liked how the first speaker talked about education.”

The event was led by Brandon Gaddy, Owens TRIO programs director, and a committee of representatives from the TRIO programs at the other colleges and universities. It was the third time Owens hosted the National TRIO Day celebration.

Owens Community College Breaking Ground on $31.3 million Healthcare Education Center

Posted on November 14th, 2023

Media Advisory

Owens Community College will support the region’s labor demands by providing highly-skilled healthcare professionals from a new $31.3 million nursing and health professions education center. A formal ceremony and ceremonial groundbreaking will mark the construction of the renovated and expanded facility.

Formal ceremony and ceremony groundbreaking

10 a.m. Thursday, November 16

Presentation in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts mainstage theatre
Groundbreaking photo opportunities near the construction site to follow
- Students from the different healthcare departments will participate

Theme

The heart for future healthcare professionals

About the School of Nursing and Health Professions

The School of Nursing and Health Professions enrolled 1,845 students for Fall 2023, including 1,733 on the Toledo-area Campus in three buildings (Heritage Hall, Health Technologies Hall and Bicentennial Hall).

Upon completion in 2025, healthcare students will study in the new center, located on the east side of the Toledo-area Campus in the buildings formerly known as the Library and Audio/Visual Classroom Center. The square footage will feature 65,250 in renovated square footage and 21,300 in new additions to the footprint, providing students with more than 86,500 of square footage as they pursue rewarding careers in healthcare.

The new center will house the following 10 departments:

Dental Hygiene
Health Information
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Medical Assisting
Nursing
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistant
Radiography
Sonography
Surgical

Exercise Science, which also is part of the school, moved its offices and labs to the Student Health and Activities Center this year.

Owens’ approach of interprofessional education (IPE) ensures healthcare graduates are well-trained to practice collaboratively and provide patient-centered care to members of the community. The new center will feature simulation areas for students to practice the IPE curriculum.

Scope of Project

Moody’s Investors Service assigned Owens Community College an A2 underlying and Aa2 enhanced rating for a $25 million bond. The bond is the first in the college’s history, signaling the college’s financial stability. The capital project including renovations, improvements and equipment purchases is estimated at $31.3 million, using bond proceeds, state and local funds.

Website

www.owens.edu/healthcareeducationcenter

COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROSPECTIVE NEW STUDENTS INVITED TO PRESIDENT’S DAY PREVIEW MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Posted on February 4th, 2022

Owens Community College welcomes community members and prospective new students to explore academic programs and more at the annual President’s Day Preview from 10 a.m-5 p.m. Monday, February 21 on the Toledo-area Campus.

The Preview event begins at Veterans Hall, 363 Depot Road, Perrysburg. Parking is recommended in the lot next to Founders Hall.

“Our faculty and staff will be available to talk about our more than 70 academic programs and our transfer options to four-year colleges and universities,” Erin Kramer, Director of Admissions, said. “In addition to academics, the Owens experience includes our dedicated support services such as academic advising as well as our student clubs and organizations. We will have representatives at the President’s Day Preview to discuss these services that benefit student success.”

Campus tours will also be available. Sign up in advance at www.owens.edu/preview.

The event also features selective health admission sessions about 13 programs in the School of Nursing and Health Professions, such as Registered Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Surgical Technology and more.

An overview of financial aid will be offered as well.

“The President’s Day Preview will allow students to explore what we offer to support their educational journey. We also know that many students come ready to take the next step and begin the enrollment process. Our staff will assist anyone interested in completing an admissions application, needing support with the FAFSA, or is ready to sign up for orientation,” Kramer said.

Masks will be required indoors.

Owens Community College Adjunct Faculty Recruitment Event

Posted on January 5th, 2022

When: 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Where: Online via Blackboard Collaborate. www.owens.edu/adjunct

What: Owens is seeking adjunct faculty in many academic disciplines, including business (management, marketing, general), culinary, biology, diesel, Caterpillar/John Deere, manufacturing, nursing, STNA and more! Anyone interested in learning more about working as an adjunct faculty member at Owens should attend.

Benefits: The benefits include …

Flexible teaching schedule
Potential to teach courses online
Earn additional income
Educate tomorrow’s employees

For more information, contact michael_sander@owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Award 459 Associate Degrees at Fall Commencement ceremonies

Posted on December 13th, 2021

Owens Community College will award 459 associate degrees at the 41st Fall Commencement ceremonies scheduled Friday, December 17 at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts theatre on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg.

Owens President Dione D. Somerville, Ed.D., will preside over her first Commencement since taking leadership at the College in June of this year.

Featuring graduates from both campus locations, including 33 who completed their studies at the Findlay-area Campus, the Commencement ceremonies are scheduled at 10 a.m. for the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; at 1 p.m. for the School of Business, Hospitality Management and Public Safety and School of Liberal Arts; and at 4 p.m. for the School of Nursing and Health Professions.

“An Owens degree is a milestone achievement. It represents an opportunity for anyone motivated to earn it – regardless of age, educational background, financial or housing status, or family situation – and our Fall 2021 class prove how beautifully Owens provides a path for so many people from all walks of life,” Dr. Somerville said.

More than 100 graduates with honors (3.5 grade-point average and above) as well as 12 outstanding academic program graduates will be among those recognized at the ceremonies. Outstanding graduates receive top honors based on wide-ranging success measures.

Outstanding Criminal Justice Award recipient Zackary McCloud of Maumee is a first generation college graduate after being the first in his family to graduate high school in 2006 in suburban Las Vegas. More than 50 percent of Owens students are first generation, meaning their parents do not have a degree from a college or university. Data is not available for a graduate such as McCloud, whose parents also did not have a high school diploma.

The son of drug addicts, he spent part of his childhood in foster care when his mother was dealing with legal issues. After high school graduation, he enlisted in the Army and served 13 years active duty with multiple combat deployments in the Middle East. The 34-year-old disabled Army veteran settled locally with his wife, Kara, also an Army veteran and an Owens student. A father of three, he is one of 12 student veterans in the graduating class.

Graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors and a 4.0 GPA, he will continue at Owens next semester to complete an Associate of Science degree in psychology and then he said he plans to transfer to the University of Toledo to continue his education.

“I’m a full-time student, a full-time husband and a full-time dad,” he said. “My goal is to open a halfway house with my wife to help people who are struggling like I did when I was younger. I want to share my story with them so they know that there is a path forward.”

In addition to McCloud, Outstanding Graduates are:

Outstanding Graduate in Business Technologies: Rebecca Shake, Business Management, Toledo
Outstanding Graduate in Food, Nutrition and Hospitality: McKenzi Tatum, Culinary Arts, Toledo
Gerald Bazer Outstanding Arts and Sciences Graduate: Ryan Jewell, Communications, Sylvania
Outstanding Graduate in Applied Engineering and Industrial Technology: Megan A. Malarcher, Environmental Science Concentration, Toledo
Outstanding Graduate in Welding Technology: Austen Nissen, Welding Major, Perrysburg
Peggy Bensman: Abena Atwimah, Registered Nursing Program, Columbus, Ohio
Barbara Rood Student Choice: Brionna Davis, Registered Nursing Program, Toledo; Eunice Dosu Registered Nursing Program, Maumee; Ryan Hall, Registered Nursing Program, Tecumseh, Michigan; Alexander Hartzell, Registered Nursing Program, Waterville; Janelle Nighswander, Registered Nursing Program, Ottawa Lake, Michigan

Owens Community College Invests in Workforce Training by Opening $9.6M Dana Center

Posted on October 4th, 2021

Owens Community College will host a grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday, October 6 to showcase the $9.6 million Dana Incorporated Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, a facility created in response to labor market needs for the purpose of preparing skilled workers for in-demand jobs.

Also known as the Dana Center, the renovated 59,000-square-foot facility provides students with highly technical training in advanced manufacturing and the skilled trades. The Dana Center is located at 458 Depot Road, Perrysburg on the Owens’ Toledo-area Campus.

“This ceremony will allow us to publicly thank Dana Incorporated for making the lead gift that helped create the Dana Center for students of today and tomorrow,” Dr. Dione D. Somerville, Owens Community College President, said. “We would also like to thank the Gene Haas Foundation, JobsOhio and all of the donors whose contributions made this facility possible. This center helps Owens fulfill its goal of working in partnership with business and industry to advance economic development in the region.”

SSOE Group received the 2020 Excellence in Workforce Development Award by the Ohio Economic Development Associations (OEDA) for the Dana Center’s design that provides highly technical and integrated training in a modern setting with amenities including natural lighting, glass walls and polished floors – a clean and safe environment conducive to learning.

Midwest Contracting, Inc. was the general contractor.

The ceremony will conclude with a ribbon cutting and then guests will have the opportunity to tour the Dana Center’s labs and classrooms. Light refreshments will be available.

The College’s academic offerings began in 1965 with four associate degree programs, including two leading to careers related to advanced manufacturing. Today, Owens offers more than 70 associate degree programs and certificates, with more than 20 connected to the advanced manufacturing industry.

More information about the Dana Center is available at www.owens.edu/danacenter.

Community Members, Prospective New Students Invited to Owens Community College Open House Monday, October 11

Posted on September 27th, 2021

Owens Community College will host an Open House from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, October 11 to provide community members and prospective new students with an opportunity to explore academic programs and transfer options.

The Open House will be located in Veterans Hall 201 on the Toledo-area Campus and Education Center 111 on the Findlay-area Campus.

“Our faculty and staff will be available to talk about our academic majors and our transfer options to four-year colleges and universities,” Amy Giordano, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services, said. “In addition to academics, the Owens experience includes our dedicated support services such as academic advising as well as our student clubs and organizations. We will have representatives at the Open House to discuss these services that benefit student success.”

Campus tours are also available. Sign up in advance at www.owens.edu/openhouse.

“The Open House will allow students to explore what we offer to support their educational journey. We also know that many students come ready to take the next step and begin the enrollment process. Our staff will assist anyone interested in completing an admissions application, needing support with the FAFSA, or is ready to sign up for orientation,” Giordano said.

Masks will be required.

Owens Community College Welcomes Students, Faculty and Staff to Toledo- and Findlay-Area Campuses

Posted on August 24th, 2021

New College president Dr. Dione D. Somerville kicks off academic year, athletics

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College began its 2021–22 academic year with Opening Week all-campus meetings led by the institution’s new president, Dr. Dione D. Somerville. Fall Semester will begin on Monday, August 30.

Owens will offer a variety of class options this fall, including in-person, traditional online, hybrid and synchronous online courses. At September’s Fall Fest event, students will also be able to begin getting involved in campus organizations and taking advantage of everything Owens has to offer. Dr. Somerville met with faculty and staff on Monday, August 23 to update them on the state of the College.

“Speaking for the entire Owens community, I am so excited to move forward together this school year as we embark on a new semester and a new Owens Express athletics season,” said Dr. Somerville. During her presentations at the Toledo- and Findlay-area campuses, Dr. Somerville noted the following highlights:

Owens awarded 970 degrees and certificates in Spring 2021 and 1,841 degrees and certificates in 2020.
Assistant Professor of Broadcast Technology Rob Thomas won Owens’ first Presidential Teaching Award.
The Coalition on Adult Basic Education named Aspire Program Director Heath Huber Outstanding Administrator of the Year. Workforce and Community Services faculty Dionne Dolsey and Lisa Dowling both won Outstanding Teachers of the Year.
The American Association of Community Colleges awarded the Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Recognition to Sarah Long, Associate Professor of Mathematics.
The baseball team had a 35-15 overall record in 2021, won the Great Lakes District and Region XII Championships and were College World Series Qualifiers.
The softball team had a 13-7 overall record in 2021 and won the Great Lakes District and Division III Region XII Championships.
With the allocation of CARES Act grant funding, the Counseling Services Office hired a third full-time counselor to provide more mental health support to the community.
More than $12 million in financial relief has been allocated to students since the onset of the pandemic.

Owens Adds Late Enrollment Event for Community Members

Posted on August 5th, 2021

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – New students still considering their higher education options will have the opportunity to get started at Owens Community College during Success Express Day on Friday, August 13.

The event will be held from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on the Toledo-area Campus, located at 30355 Oregon Road, Perrysburg. All attendees will receive a customized campus tour.

“Our faculty and academic chairs will be available to meet with students. So will our financial aid staff, who will talk about the FAFSA and how affordable an Owens education is,” Amy Giordano, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services, said. “We want to help students gather the information they need. We want them to know there’s still time for a successful start at Owens.”

Interested students attending Success Express Day will have an opportunity to complete an application and take next steps toward enrollment for Fall Semester, which begins Monday, August 30.

“Students have so many options at Owens, whether they are degree-seeking, want a career certificate to help with job placement, or plan to earn credits and then transfer for a bachelor’s degree,” Giordano said. “Our staff will also help students if they are undecided on their future plans. What’s important is to attend Success Express Day and start the process.”

An RSVP is required to attend Success Express Day. RSVP at owens.edu/success.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS FREE DENTAL HYGIENE DAY FOR KIDS

Posted on February 25th, 2021

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 25, 2021 – According to the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA), tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting 60 percent of children ages 5 to 17 and 25 percent of children under the age of 5. These statistics are why Owens Dental Hygiene Department has provided dental care to the underserved for 15 years at its annual Give Kids A Smile event. Due to the overwhelming response to the event this year, the Dental Hygiene Department is offering additional free Dental Hygiene Days for kids.

“This year, due to COVID, we still provided much-needed services to help with access-to-care issues in our community but on a smaller scale, stated Beth Tronolone, chair, Owens Dental Hygiene Program. “The event was a great success. Appointments filled up within a week, demonstrating the need for access to dental care for children in our community. In response, we are offering anyone that could not make the event an opportunity to schedule a free appointment.”

The ADHA believes that the secret to oral health for life is establishing a healthy dental hygiene routine from the start. When parents understand more about nutrition, fluoride, brushing habits, flossing, rinsing, and more, they start to see that prevention is the key to success.

To schedule an appointment, area residents should call (567) 661-7294 and ask for the Free Dental Hygiene Day for kids. An appointment will be booked during regular dental hygiene clinic hours.

“At Owens, we feel privileged to assist in this long-standing tradition to bridge the gap between providing dental hygiene care and access-to-care issues,” said Tronolone.

Per CDC guidelines, the clinic is limiting the number of children per day to ensure a safe environment.

Owens’ Dental Hygiene program also offers dental services to area residents through its Dental Hygiene Clinic. The 20-chair clinic is staffed by dental hygiene students and supervised by licensed dental professionals at Owens. The clinic provides dental care in the form of exams by a dentist, x-rays, oral hygiene and nutritional education, dental cleanings, fluoride varnish and restorative treatment needs if necessary. Appointments usually are available during the Fall and Spring semesters for a $35 fee.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS SAFE INDIVIDUALIZED TOURS FOR POTENTIAL STUDENTS

Posted on February 4th, 2021

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many of the experiences that first-time students have come to expect when planning for college. Still, Owens Community College is committed to giving potential students as full experience as possible in a safe environment. Owens will be offering individualized tours during its annual President’s Day Preview, Mon., Feb. 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We are finding that prospective students and their families want to come to campus and see our great facilities and we want to welcome them safely,” said Erin Kramer, Owens director of Admissions. “We have found that providing individualized tours is a safe way to show families around. It’s a great opportunity to see what Owens is about.”

Prospective students will be given personal tour guides and can choose the academic areas they want to see and ask any questions they may have. Admission representatives will also help fill out applications and explain the next steps that students need to take.

Each student is welcome to bring one guest with them on tour, but they must wear masks and adhere to social distancing practices.

Tours will take place on the Toledo-area Campus and last approximately one hour.

Participants can schedule an appointment at www.owens.edu/visit/presidentsday/.

For more information, please contact Admissions at (567) 661-7777 or admissions@owens.edu.

CLASS REPRESENTATIVE STRIVES TO BE HER BEST WHILE REPRESENTING HER FAMILY, VENEZUELA AND LATINO CULTURE

Posted on December 9th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 9, 2019 – Venezuelan native, Maria Guadalupe Lopez Davila has been selected as the Owens Community College class representative and will address the 398 graduates during the 39^th Fall Commencement ceremony Friday, Dec. 13. She is graduating with an Associate of Arts degree in Communication Studies and Cum Laude honors.

The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center. Admission is free. Wade Kapszukiewicz, Toledo Mayor, will serve as the commencement keynote speaker.

Lopez Davila came to the United States on an F1 student visa following her 2017 graduation from Juan XXIII High School in Valencia, the third-largest city in Venezuela with a population of approximately 1.8 million. She currently resides in Findlay.

She sought an opportunity to learn and grow away from her native country’s struggles. Civil unrest began in Venezuela in 2013 and has continued to present day due to high levels of urban violence, inflation and chronic shortages of basic goods and services, such as food and water. Widespread political corruption is blamed for much of the country’s problems.

“Maria is a humbly bright individual. Every goal that she sets for herself, she goes beyond it,” Lyndsay Dimick, International Students Advisor, said.

Despite taking English classes since first grade, she said her time at Owens has taught her how to communicate daily in English as she focuses on a Spanish-English communications career in business, journalism or social media. She said she is now beginning to dream in English as well.

Her mother, Dr. Morella Davila, OBGYN, and father, Rostin Lopez, a statistician and broadcaster for the Magellan Navigators professional baseball team in Valencia, hoped to attend the ceremony.

“I was raised in an environment with strong family values. I wanted to make my family proud, to show my mom and dad they did a good job with me,” Lopez Davila said.

After graduation, Lopez Davila has applied for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension to her student visa that would allow her to work for a year in a job related to her major before attending a 4-year university.

“I want to be the best of me so that I represent Venezuela and the Latino culture in what I do,” she said. “I have the duty and responsibility to talk about the good that comes from my country.”

Kapszukiewicz was elected mayor Nov. 7, 2017 and took the oath of office on January 2, 2018, becoming the 58th mayor of Toledo.

He received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Marquette University in 1994 and was named the valedictorian of the College of Communication, Journalism, and Performing Arts. He received a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan in 1996.

Kapszukiewicz is an adjunct professor at Lourdes University, where he teaches a night course in urban policy. An avid baseball fan, Kapszukiewicz had his research published in the Spring 2016 edition of the Society for American Baseball Research journal.

A resident of Toledo since 1973, Kapszukiewicz was born in San Diego on October 30, 1972. He and his wife, Sarah, celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary in 2019. They live in the Old Orchard neighborhood of Toledo and have two children, Emma and Will.

For more information about the ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS AND UNITED WAY OF GREATER TOLEDO TO HOST EVENT CELEBRATING THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY OF HELP-PORTRAIT™

Posted on November 19th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 19, 2019 – In partnership with United Way of Greater Toledo, Owens staff, students and alumni will gather with community volunteers on Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo to donate their time and skills to create memorable professional portraits for those in need. Walk-ins are welcome on a first come, first served basis from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists and volunteers will gather to take part in this event to mark the tenth annual Help-Portrait worldwide event. In 2008, Help-Portrait began as an idea that transformed into a movement in just three months. The idea behind Help-Portrait is simple: 1. Find someone in need 2. Take their portrait 3. Print their portrait and 4. Deliver their portrait.

Celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart formed Help-Portrait, a non-profit organization, in 2008 as he contemplated using his skills and expertise to give back to those who may not have the opportunity for a professional photo. The idea is that a photographer has the unique ability to help someone smile, laugh and return their dignity. It is a movement, a shift in photography.

In the last ten years, more than 75,442 volunteers have given more than 381,856 portraits. Help-Portrait is a global movement in more than 2803 locations in 67 countries. The annual Help-Portrait event takes place on the first Saturday of December each year in addition to special events.

This event is made possible through generous contributions made to the Owens Community College Foundation.

The Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo is located at 1301 Monroe St., Toledo. For additional information or questions, please contact Krista Kiessling at krista_kiessling@owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVES LEAD GIFT FROM DANA INCORPORATED FOR NEW ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TRAINING CENTER

Posted on August 28th, 2019

Owens Embarks on Capital Fundraising Campaign for New $9.6 million, 59,000 Square-foot Facility to Promote Development of Skilled Workers in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2019 – Owens Community College announced today it received a $1 million investment from Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) for the new Dana Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. The new facility will help address the shortage in skilled workers throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. The announcement kicks off a capital fundraising campaign to support the initiative.

Focused on increasing training and development of skilled workers in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, the project will renovate a 59,000 square-foot existing facility, which will feature six skilled technology labs, including computer-aided design (CAD); computer numerical control (CNC) and manual machining; electrical; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and alternative energy; mechanical and pneumatics; and robotics and programmable logic controller (PLC).

“The skills gap is one of the single biggest constraints on growth in our industry and the economy as a whole. According to estimates from the Manufacturing Institute, there will be more than 4.6 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. to fill by 2028. At current rates, we will only have 2.2 million skilled workers for these positions. That is a gap of over 2.4 million jobs,” said James Kamsickas, president and chief executive officer of Dana. “Dana’s investment with Owens Community College will help to bridge that gap by offering critical training in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades to support the manufacturing base of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.”

The State of Ohio has approved $4 million in capital funding and Owens will invest up to $3.6 million of its local dollars to support the project. The capital campaign will focus on securing the remaining $2 million funding gap to complete the project.

“The new Advanced Manufacturing Training Center will house all of our advanced manufacturing and skilled trade programs in one building, offering our students a more conducive environment for learning current and advanced technologies that are critical for the workforce in our region,” said Steve Robinson, Ph.D., president, Owens Community College. “The generous support from a major corporation like Dana demonstrates the trust and confidence we have been able to cultivate through our many years as northwest Ohio’s leader in workforce training.”

The new facility will transform the College’s ability to meet the region’s most critical economic challenges of developing and training a skilled workforce for manufacturing employers.

“Toledo has more robots per capita than any metro area in America, but until today, the area did not have the training partnership between educators and the private sector that can supply the talent needed to grow the modern manufacturing sector of the economy,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “The advanced manufacturing partnership between Owens and Dana is exactly what Northwest Ohio needs to compete educationally and economically.”

For more information about the new Dana Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, please visit www.owens.edu/amtc.

About Dana Incorporated

Dana is a world leader in providing power-conveyance and energy-management solutions for vehicles and machinery. The company’s portfolio improves the efficiency, performance, and sustainability of light vehicles, commercial vehicles, and off-highway equipment. From axles, driveshafts, and transmissions to electrodynamic, thermal, sealing, and digital solutions, the company enables the propulsion of conventional, hybrid, and electric-powered vehicles by supplying nearly every vehicle and engine manufacturer in the world. Founded in 1904, Dana employs more than 36,000 people who are committed to delivering long-term value to customers. Based in Maumee, Ohio, USA, and with locations in 33 countries across six continents, the company reported sales of $8.1 billion in 2018. Having established a dynamic, high-performance culture, the company has been recognized globally as a top employer, with significant honors in Asia, India, Italy, Mexico, and the United States. Learn more at www.dana.com.

OWENS CUSTOMIZED TRAINING HELPS FIRST SOLAR INVEST IN TRAINING ITS WORKFORCE

Posted on August 5th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 5, 2019 – According to LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report, 93 percent of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their careers. For 19 First Solar employees, this statistic became more of a reality when they earned a state certificate at a special ceremony Friday at Owens Community College after completing customized training made possible through a partnership with Owens Community College and First Solar.

The First Solar employees earned the 34-credit hour Industrial Maintenance Certificate in accelerated time, covering the 13 classes from January to July. A typical student may spend up to 18 months earning this certificate.

Owens customized the educational makeup and delivery of the certificate so First Solar employees attended classes Mondays and Wednesdays in two 12-hour shifts, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. or 6 p.m. – 6 a.m.

Additional examples of the customized training included utilizing First Solar blueprints in the Mechanical Print Reading class and starting an Electrical Principles class at 2:30 a.m.

First Solar began partnership talks with Owens officials in the spring of 2018, immediately after announcing its building expansion in Lake Township and the need for additional employees.

“When First Solar could not find new, qualified employees, they sent their existing employees to us to upgrade their skills. We were excited to provide career growth opportunities for their manufacturing operators and technicians,” said Rob Kraus, executive director of Owens Workforce Training. “What we did with First Solar, we can do with other companies. We offer multiple pathways to train incumbent and future workers and help them earn valuable knowledge and skills to succeed on the job.”

First Solar has already moved forward with another customized training opportunity, enrolling manufacturing operators in Manufacturing Engineer Technician classes leading to a certificate of completion.

“First and foremost, we would like to congratulate our First Solar associates on this wonderful accomplishment. As we move forward with our vision to lead the world’s sustainable energy future it will be critical to have the most highly skilled associates on the front lines in our manufacturing facilities,” said Jay Lake, manufacturing workforce development and community relations manager, First Solar. “Training programs such as the one that First Solar and Owens Community College have developed will be paramount in bringing this vision to fruition. We are confident that we will be able to provide cost-advantaged solar technology through innovation, customer engagement, industry leadership and operational excellence with the help of our talented workforce.”

Approximately 50 people attended the graduation ceremony in College Hall.

For more information on customized workforce training, please visit www.owens.edu/workforce_cs or call (567) 661-7357.

622 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on May 7th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Tuesday, May 7, 2019 – 622 candidates for graduation, including 67 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 53^rd annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 10. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. Owens is asking graduates to share their celebration photos and updates by including the hashtag #owensgrad in their social media posts.

Jennifer Gebes, a dental hygiene technology major with Summa Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 1991 Fostoria High School graduate already has two certifications and a bachelor’s degree, completing the Pharmacy Technician non-credit certificate and Medical Transcription certificate from Owens and Applied Health Science bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University.

“She is a diligent worker and pays great attention to detail,” Beth Tronolone, Dental Hygiene Chair, said. “She is kind, caring and provides a high standard of care with her clinical patients.”

Gebes, 46, is a single mother to two boys, Brendan, 16, and Landon, 14, the youngest who had significant special needs in his early childhood years.

As an infant, Landon Gebes was exposed to a virus that caused encephalitis on the left side of his brain, which controls speech and language. Despite years of doctors’ visits and tests, a correct diagnosis was not made until closer to his 5^th birthday. Some medical professionals suggested he would never speak. Gebes said she would not accept that outcome for her son’s life.

Gebes began working with a Ph.D. from Sylvania, who now works at the Cleveland Clinic, on behavioral replacement therapy, learning a picture communication system with positive reinforcement to in turn teach her son. She started with a picture of a cat and piece of candy. She said “cat,” and until her son said “cat,” he could not have the candy. It took eight weeks, working 50 hours a week, before he said that first word, “and then our world was open.”

Assisted by two BGSU graduate students, the learning evolved to the point Gebes immersed her son in a public school full time in third grade. Today, Landon speaks, reads and continues to learn with his classmates.

Her time freed up, Gebes returned to Owens to pursue an Associate of Science degree – a degree she said she was one class short of completing. She transferred the credits to BGSU for her bachelor’s degree, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and Summa Cum Laude honors.

Wanting a career that would provide for her sons, she applied to Case Western Reserve University’s master’s degree program for anesthesia. From a pool of 1,200 qualified applicants, she was one of 18 accepted. She lived in an apartment in Cleveland during the week and came home on the weekends for two semesters. But she did not complete the five-semester program, giving it up in 2017 because she said her boys needed her at home.

“For me, that meant coming home to Owens. I found a degree in dental hygiene that seamlessly adopted my bachelor’s degree and used my knowledge of head, neck and oral anatomy.”

Rodney Rogers, Ph.D., president of Bowling Green State University, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Rogers assumed the role as the 12th president of Bowling Green State University on February 23, 2018, after serving in the interim post since January 1, 2018. Prior to being named president, Rogers had served as provost and senior vice president since 2012 and, before that, dean of the BGSU College of Business since 2006.

Before joining BGSU, Rogers served as associate dean and director of academic programs within the School of Business at Portland State University, in Oregon. He has taught financial reporting, performance measurement and international financial reporting at various universities including Portland State, Case Western Reserve, Thunderbird: The American Graduate School of Management, and the École de Management at EuroMed-Marseille, in France.

Experienced in both academia and business, Rogers has a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, an MBA from BGSU and a B.A. in music from Ohio Northern University. Before completing his doctorate at Case, he practiced as a CPA for 10 years.

Rogers is a former member of the Wood County Hospital board and currently serves on the board of directors of the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium. In addition, he serves on the executive committee of the Regional Growth Partnership and on the board of trustees for the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS WITH OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS

Posted on April 25th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 25, 2019 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has chosen fourteen area first responders to receive the 16th annual Outstanding Service Awards for their tremendous contributions to Northwest Ohio’s communities. The recipients will be honored as part of a community celebration Friday, April 26 in the Veterans Hall on Owens’ Toledo-area Campus beginning at 7:45 a.m.

Award recipients are Kurt Schroeder, Luis Munguia, Matt Gazarek, Dave Molter, Alicia Cryan, Dustin Glass, Kim Katafias, Chris Klewer, Scott Moskowitz, Donny Widmer, Bryce Blair, Scott Perry, Katherine Taylor and Chad Morris.

This year’s awards are presented within the categories of Outstanding Police, Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician and Service to the Community. Selection criteria is based upon a nomination process for candidates demonstrating exceptional service related to dedication, ingenuity, bravery, special skills or assistance in a unique situation. The awards are not limited to a single recipient and can be a group honor where teamwork was a key element.

The recipients of the Outstanding Police Award are Patrol Officer Kurt Schroeder (Perrysburg Township Police), Sergeant Luis Munguia (Owens Community College Police Department), Lieutenant Matt Gazarek, Sergeant Dave Molter, Officer Alicia Cryan, Officer Dustin Glass, Officer Kim Katafias, Officer Chris Klewer, Officer Scott Moskowitz and Officer Donny Widemer (Perrysburg Township Police Department).

The recipient of the Outstanding Firefighter Award is Battalion Chief Bryce Blair (Toledo Fire & Rescue Department).

The Outstanding Emergency Medical Technician Award will be presented to Scott Perry, paramedic (Sylvania Township Fire Department), and Katherine Taylor, emergency medical technician and volunteer firefighter (Rossford Fire Department).

The Outstanding Service to the Community Award will be presented to Lieutenant Chad Morris (Sylvania Township Fire Department).

The Owens Community College Alumni Association recognizes the tremendous contribution that police, fire and emergency medical professionals make to our communities. Their selfless acts of courage make our lives safer. We honor those whose actions went above and beyond the high standards of their profession, often serving in conjunction with other public safety departments to help those in need. The Alumni Association is privileged to sponsor the Outstanding Service Awards Celebration.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY AT OWENS

Posted on January 23rd, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 23, 2019 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 1, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

Give Kids A Smile Day is a national initiative by the American Dental Association, dedicated to focusing attention on the epidemic of untreated oral disease among disadvantaged children. Held each February in conjunction with National Children’s Dental Health Month, Give Kids A Smile Day provides free oral health education, screening and treatment services to children from low-income families across the country.

Owens Dental Hygiene second-year students, faculty and alumni, and area dentists will be conducting dental services, which will include dental education and screening, X-rays, oral prophylaxis (cleanings), limited restorations and dental sealants. In addition, first-year students from the health programs will provide educational presentations for parents and children.

Owens’ program also offers dental services to area residents through its Dental Hygiene Clinic. The 20-chair clinic is staffed by dental hygiene students and supervised by licensed dental professionals at Owens, and appointments are available during the Fall and Spring semesters for a $30 fee.

TERHUNE GALLERY HOSTS EXHIBITION FEATURING BASQUIAT, CONTEMPORARIES

Posted on January 9th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2019 – Contemporary Art Toledo and Owens Community College are thrilled to present “Zeitgeist: The Art Scene of Teenage Basquiat,” Friday, Jan. 25 – Friday, March 22 in the Terhune Gallery at the Owens’ Center for Fine and Performing Arts. This extraordinary exhibition focuses on the creative community Jean-Michel Basquiat helped galvanize in gritty, pre-AIDS, downtown New York—a time when decay and dissolution fueled a boom in creativity and where the definition of fame, success and power was not based on money, Instagram likes or self-promotion.

Zeitgeist complements and amplifies the film by Sara Driver, “BOOM FOR REAL: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat” that was released from Magnolia Pictures in May 2018. Driver teamed with culture critic Carlo McCormick and Mary-Ann Monforton, associate publisher of BOMB Magazine, along with the New York gallery Howl! Happening to curate the expansive exhibition that features works by Basquiat himself and more than 30 friends and contemporaries, including Nan Goldin, Kenny Scharf, Al Diaz and Lee Quiñones.

A public reception for the exhibition will be held Saturday, Feb. 9 from 5-7 p.m. followed by a public screening of the film “BOOM FOR REAL: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat.” Special guest for both the reception and the film will be curator Carlo McCormick.

Known today for his outsized role in the rise of Neo Expressionism and recent record-breaking auction sales, the late Jean-Michel Basquiat was first recognized for his graffiti work in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the emerging artistic circles there, the focus was not on creating content the established art market could readily digest and profit from, but on creating a community that stood in opposition – fostering unfiltered, uninhibited expression.

Basquiat’s work illuminated the contradictions of society – its opposing realities, inequalities, injustices – through a mix of disparate artistic traditions and unrefined, raw emotion fueled by the punk and hip-hop movements of the time. In only a few years, he went from supporting himself through panhandling and selling painted T-shirts and postcards while homeless, to being one of the most celebrated artists in New York, bringing the street level politics of what was an underground counter-culture collective with him into the spotlight.

Zeitgeist offers a unique opportunity to revisit the explosive, pre-fame period of Basquiat and his contemporaries. For these creators, to be a penniless published poet or a musician gigging at a local club was the height of success. In the rawness of the work, the focus on street art and graffiti, and the experimentation and cross-pollination of styles and disciplines, the era has become a flash point for younger generations seeking to learn about and understand the authenticity, closeness, and community expressed in the work of the artists in this truly unique exhibition.

Featured artists and friends in both the film and exhibition include Alexis Adler, Charlie Ahearn, Ted Barron, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Robert Carrithers, Henry Chalfant, Brett De Palma, Al Diaz, Barbara Ess, Coleen Fitzgibbon, Fab 5 Freddy, Futura, Robert Goldman aka Bobby G. Godlis, Nan Goldin, Michael Holman, Becky Howland, Tessa Hughes-Freeland, Jim Jarmusch, Justen, Ladda, Ann Messner, Mary-Ann Monforton, James Nares, Glenn O’Brien, Franc Palaia, Lee Quiñones, Walter Robinson, Christy Rupp, Luc Sante, Kenny Scharf, Paul Tschinkel, Robin Winters and Bob Gruen.

For more information, please visit www.owens.edu/fpa/terhune or call Paula Baldoni, River House Arts, at (419) 494-6536.

461 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 10th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2018 – 461 candidates for graduation, including 82 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 38th Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 14. Of those graduates, 98 will graduate with honors. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Alexandra R. Kania of Toledo has been selected as the Owens Community College class representative and will address the graduates during the 38^th Fall Commencement ceremony. She is graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in the Early Childhood Education Technology program with Cum Laude honors.

Kania is currently student teaching in an inclusive preschool classroom at Whiteford Elementary School in Sylvania. She has accepted a paraprofessional teaching position at the school following graduation.

Her love for education began growing up in a large, blended family with two older stepsiblings, one younger biological brother, two younger half siblings and a younger, adopted cousin who she now says is her brother.

“With my younger (biological) brother, I was teaching him how to read when I was 8 and he was 4. I always forced him to play school,” said Kania, 21. “My grandma found a report card I had made for my little cousin. … I was always playing the teacher role. I knew I wanted to be a teacher.”

She said working with her adopted cousin, who has special needs, inspired her to work with preschoolers who have special needs.

“As a teacher of young children, Alex is very intentional in her planning and attentive to the individual needs of every child,” Elisa Huss-Hage, Professor of Teacher Education, said. “She reflects the professional standards of our nationally accredited program, setting a high bar for her performance in all her classes and generously offering advice, suggestions and support to her classmates.”

After graduation from Perrysburg High School in 2015, Kania did not consider Owens. She wanted to live what she called the California dream and moved to San Diego, where she enrolled at MiraCosta College to study early childhood education. She also worked three part-time jobs to pay her rent. Nine months later, her car’s engine blew.

“I had no one to call except my mom in Ohio,” she said. “I realized it was time to come back home and get my life together.”

She started a full-time job working as a nanny for a Sylvania family with three children ranging in age from 3-13 and enrolled at Owens.

Kania soon learned she would have a child of her own, starting a whirlwind 15 months culminating with her Owens graduation.

In October 2017, Kania discovered she was pregnant. In April 2018, she and her future husband, Jed, bought a house. Their daughter, Rae, was born in July 2018. They married in August 2018.

“You can make plans all you want, but life doesn’t always care about your plans,” she said. “I’m still planning, but I know that life may not go the way I want it to. I say in my speech; failed plans are beautiful sometimes. My daughter wouldn’t be here if my plans had gone the way I wanted them to. She’s the best thing that happened to me. No matter what life throws at me, I know I can handle it.”

Brian Kennedy, president, director and CEO of the Toledo Museum of Art will serve as the commencement keynote speaker.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Kennedy studied art history and history at University College in Dublin, earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

Prior to coming to the United States, Kennedy spent eight years as assistant director of the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin (1989-1997) and seven years as director of the National Gallery of Australia (1997-2004) in Canberra. While in Australia, he initiated a free admission policy, increased attendance through a series of major exhibitions and acquisitions and oversaw a total building refurbishment as well as an expansion to accommodate major temporary exhibitions.

From 2005-2010, Kennedy was director of Dartmouth College’s Hood Museum of Art in Hanover, New Hampshire, which has one of the largest and finest art collections at an American college or university.

In 2003, he was awarded a Centenary of Federation medal by the Australian Government for service to Australian Society and its art. In 2013, he was appointed inaugural eminent professor of the University of Toledo and in 2014 received an honorary doctorate from Lourdes University. Most recently, Kennedy received the 2014 Northwest Region Ohio Art Education Association’s award for Distinguished Educator for Art Education.

A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, Kennedy is a respected art historian, curator and author. He has authored six books, most recently books on the artists Sean Scully and Frank Stella.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

ALLAN AND SUZANNE LIBBE RECEIVE INAUGURAL PHILANTHROPY AWARD FROM OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION

Posted on October 30th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2018 – The Owens Community College Foundation presented Allan and Suzanne Libbe with its inaugural philanthropy award during its 16^th annual dinner meeting and donor appreciation event on Thursday, Oct. 18.

Established by the Owens Foundation Board of Directors, this award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated commitment, leadership, and collaboration through their service and philanthropy to Owens Community College and the Owens Foundation.

The Owens Foundation Board of Directors unanimously voted to name the award after Allan and Suzanne and future recipients will receive the Owens Community College Foundation – Allan and Suzanne Libbe Philanthropy Award. Mr. Libbe’s commitment to Owens Community College and its students spans nearly 30 years while serving in leadership positions. He was a gubernatorial appointed trustee to the Owens Community College Board of Trustees from 1992 – 2012 and served as chairman of the board from early 1996 through December 1997. Mr. Libbe currently serves on the Owens Community College Foundation Board of Directors since 2002 and served as honorary chair of a majors gifts campaign that raised more than $2.5 million in gifts, pledges and planned gifts.

“The Libbes commitment to education has impacted thousands of individuals and families throughout our communities,” said Philip Rudolph, Jr., Owens Community College Foundation chairman. “The Owens Foundation views this award as part of their legacy that we are now able to share with others with the same philanthropic spirit who support Owens Community College.”

Also announced was the establishment of the Rudolph Libbe Group – Allan Libbe Honorary Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship is made possible through contributions from the Rudolph Libbe Group, and Allan and Suzanne’s children – John Libbe and Margaret Libbe St. John. This scholarship will continue helping students into perpetuity, many of whom have the greatest needs.

During the meeting the Owens Foundation also elected the following board members to 3-year terms beginning in 2019: James F. Carter, Wood County Commissioner (retired), James H. Geers, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (retired), Andrea M. Gurcsik, First Solar, Jeannie Y. Hylant, Hylant and Allan J. Libbe, Rudolph Libbe Group (retired). The following individuals were also elected as officers for 2018-2019: Philip J. Rudolph, Jr., (chairman), Diana H. (Dee) Talmage (vice chairman), Michael E. Duffey (secretary), and Alan M. Sattler (treasurer).

For more information on the Owens Community College Foundation, please visit www.owens.edu/foundation.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOLF OUTING AND DRONE GOLF BALL DROP RAISES $50,600

Posted on October 2nd, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 2, 2018 – One hundred twenty area residents recently enjoyed a day of golf and the new Drone Golf Ball Drop in support of alumni scholarship programs as the Owens Community College’s Alumni Association held its 16^th annual Golf Classic. The 30-team event raised $50,600, proceeds will benefit scholarships and outreach endeavors.

Since its inception, the Owens event has netted approximately $462,500 to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations.

“The Alumni Association appreciates the generous support of our sponsors,” said Bridget Shea, Owens Alumni Association executive director. “Scholarships are a vital part of student success and this year’s Golf Classic and Drone Golf Ball Drop will help Owens students fulfill their educational goals.”

Organized by the Alumni Association’s steering committee, the golf outing was held at Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. The event featured the first Drone Golf Ball Drop in northwest Ohio, 18-holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program. The Golf Classic event was sponsored by Hylant Administrative Services. Toledo Aerial Media was the Drone sponsor. Rudolph Libbe Group was the Drone Golf Ball Drop sponsor. Control Systems for Building Automation was the Premiere sponsor and Metzgers was the print sponsor. This year, Perrysburg Auto Mall sponsored a hole-in-one contest for the golfers.

Bowers Asphalt and Paving sponsored the four-person scramble championship team. Team members included, Todd Sattler, Brad Kirsten, David Neely and Tony Gucciardo.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS FIRST OF ITS KIND SCHOLARSHIP IN NORTHWEST OHIO

Posted on September 28th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 28, 2018 – Owens Community College is offering Owens College Credit Plus (CCP) students the unique opportunity to continue their academic path at Owens with the Start Here Scholarship, the only one of its kind in Northwest Ohio. The scholarship will begin being awarded in February 2019 for the 2019-2020 academic year.

“Owens is proud of the hard work of our CCP students and excited to further assist them on their academic journey by offering this scholarship,” said Amy Giordano, vice president, Enrollment Management and Student Services. “This scholarship will allow many more students to continue their academic studies while also minimizing out of pocket tuition cost.”

The Start Here Scholarship will cover the gap of tuition after all other scholarships and grants are applied for eligible students. Students who qualify will automatically receive the scholarship.

Qualifications for the new scholarship are:

Be an Ohio resident.
Be a high school senior graduating in spring 2019 who has earned at least nine credits at Owens through the CCP program.
Apply to Owens, have an Owens CCP GPA of 2.75 or higher, and a high school CPA of 2.75 or higher.
Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to Owens.
Enroll in 15 credits for fall 2019.

Start Here Scholars will also receive priority registration for future semesters and VIP access to Owens academic and student support services including special meeting times with advisors, Oserve representatives, tutoring mentors, and more.

The scholarship covers tuition only and students may be responsible for books and any additional fees depending on their chosen program of study.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

RONALD MCMASTER RETIRES FROM OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEE

Posted on September 4th, 2018

PERRYSBURG RESIDENT A 25-YEAR MEMBER

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 4, 2018 – Owens Community College Board of Trustee member Ronald McMaster, Ph.D. of Perrysburg was honored today for his 25-years of service and commitment to the College and the Board of Trustees. McMasters will retire at the end of his term appointment on Sept. 21.

“Ron’s unwavering commitment to higher education has had a profound impact on Owens Community College,” said Dee Talmage, chair of the Owens Community College Board of Trustees. “We thank him for his dedication and support towards advancing the mission of Owens.”

Initially appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1993, McMaster is retired from the presidencies of McMaster Fuel Ltd. And McMaster Motor Company and was vice president of corporate development for Glasstech, Inc., when he retired in Oct. 2001 after a 24-year career.

During his Board of Trustees tenure, McMaster served as Board Chair (2006-07) and Vice Chair (2002-05). He also served as Chair for the Finance Committee, as a member of the Student Life Committee and served on three President Search Committees.

“Words cannot express the gratitude of the Owens community for Ron and his years of dedication,” said Steve Robinson, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “His leadership and support has impacted the lives of thousands of students and we extend to him a heartfelt thank you.”

McMaster earned his doctorate from the University of Michigan in mechanical engineering in 1969 and both his masters and bachelors in mechanical engineering cum laude from The Ohio State University in 1964.

The College’s Board of Trustees is comprised of nine community leaders from Lucas, Wood, Hancock and Sandusky counties who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio.

Owens Board of Trustees members include Diana H. (Dee) Talmage of Ottawa Hills, H. Richard Rowe of Findlay, Dr. Ronald A. McMaster of Perrysburg, Edwin J. Nagle of Toledo, MaryBeth Hammond of Findlay, Dr. Srinivas Hejeebu of Sylvania, Jason Johnson of Toledo, Deborah Knight of Perrysburg, and Charles Bills of Findlay.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE VISION FOR SUCCESS

Posted on August 23rd, 2018

STRATEGIC PLAN 2019-2021

WHAT:

Owens Community College impacts the community and the economic development of our region. The input of our stakeholders is important as we move forward and strategically think about the future of the College. Members of the community are invited to attend a meeting with Owens President Steve Robinson, Ph.D. to share your thoughts on how we can continue to best serve our students and the members of our communities.

Community members are asked to RSVP to the meeting of their choice in order to get an accurate count for refreshments.

DATES/LOCATION:

Tuesday, Sept. 11
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library – Maumee Branch, 501 River Road

Wednesday, Sept. 12
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library – Waterville Branch, 800 Michigan Avenue

Monday, Sept. 17
Wood County District Public Library – 251 N. Main Street, Bowling Green

Monday, Sept. 24
Way Public Library – 101 E. Indiana Avenue, Perrysburg

Wednesday, Sept.26
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library – Reynolds Corners Branch, 4833 Dorr Street, Toledo.

Monday, Oct. 1
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library – Point Place Branch, 2727 117^th Street

Wednesday, Oct.3
Fostoria Learning Center – 342 Perry Street, Fostoria

Wednesday, Oct. 10
Findlay Hancock Public Library – 206 Broadway Street, Findlay

Monday, Oct. 15
Brunner Campus Community Room – 1224 West Street, Genoa
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library – King Road Branch (Sylvania), 3900 King Road

TIME:

5:30 p.m. – Pizza and refreshments served

6 – 8 p.m. – Conversations will begin and last approximately two hours

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

For more information or to RSVP to one of the scheduled meetings, please visit http://www.owens.edu/president/strategic-rsvp.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTS ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC, SEPT. 17

Posted on July 24th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 24, 2018 – Area residents are invited to enjoy a day of golf and entertainment in support of alumni programs and scholarships as Owens Community College’s Alumni Association holds its sixteenth annual Golf Classic and Drone Golf Ball Drop presented by Hylant. The event will occur on Monday, September 17, 2018.

Organized by the Owens Alumni Association’s steering committee, the golf outing will be held at the historic Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. The event will feature 18-holes of golf, lunch, cocktails/hors d’oeuvres and an awards program. The Golf Classic event sponsor is Hylant. In addition, Metzgers Printing & Mailing is the print sponsor, Toledo Aerial Media is the Drone Sponsor and Rudolph Libbe Group is the Drone Golf Ball Drop sponsor.

“Owens Community College’s Alumni Association is proud to continue the tradition of this popular outing that brings the community together with Owens to support our students,” said Bridget Shea, Owens Alumni Association executive director and event chair. “We are excited to hosts the second annual Drone Golf Ball Drop. This fun raffle gives non-golfers an opportunity to participate in the event and help students achieve their educational goals.”

Prior to the start of play a drone, operated by Toledo Aerial Media, will drop a load of numbered balls onto the practice green. The three balls closest to the pin or in the hole and the ball farthest from the pin win cash prizes.

First prize winner will receive $1000
Second prize winner will receive $500
Third prize winner will receive $250
Farthest from the pin will receive the cost of their ticket back ($20)

Only 400 golf balls will be sold via raffle tickets, $20 each, and can be purchased online at www.owens.edu/alumni/golf.

The four-person scramble golf competition will begin with a shotgun start at 1:10 p.m. Lunch will precede the golf from 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., followed by the Drone Golf Ball Drop at 12:45 p.m. The day will conclude with participants reminiscing about their golfing experience over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. A short program will occur at this time to recognize all prize winners.

Individuals, businesses and organizations are invited to support the Golf Classic by entering a team and/or becoming a sponsor. Among the various levels of support include the Eagle Sponsor ($1,000), Birdie Sponsor ($800), Cart Sponsor ($500) and Par Sponsor ($350).

The Belmont Country Club is located on Bates Road in Perrysburg. The tournament is limited to the first 32 foursome teams. For more information, or to register a team, contact the Owens Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7410 or www.owens.edu/alumni/classic.

626 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on May 1st, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 1, 2018 – 626 candidates for graduation, including 58 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 52^st annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 4. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. Owens is asking graduates to share their celebration photos and updates by including the hashtag #owensgrad in their social media posts.

Nick Komives, Owens alumnus and Toledo council member at large, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Komives, a native of northwest Ohio, attended high school in Genoa. He went on to work as a community organizer while attending Owens where he received an Associate Degree with Honors. He is the recipient of the Toledo 20 Under 40 Leadership Award in 2016, Equality Award from Equality Toledo in 2010, Champion of Equality from the Toledo City Paper in 2016, and several other awards and commendations by various civil rights organizations.

As a community organizer, Komives has fought for the rights of teachers, workers, women, LGBT people and other marginalized communities. He most recently served as Executive Director of Equality Toledo.

Under his leadership, Equality Toledo grew in membership by four-fold. The city’s Municipal Equality Index Score by the Human Rights Campaign increased each year while he worked with the city to improve the inclusion of LGBT people. Most recently, Komives stood at the forefront in passing the country’s most comprehensive ban on conversion therapy, which was unanimously approved by City Council in February 2017.

Komives was elected council member at large in November 2017 and began his service on January 2, 2018. Although he is new in his role, he has already passed several pieces of legislation and resolutions.

Kelsea Scott Briceno of Toledo, a physical therapist assistant major graduating with Suma Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

Scott Briceno, 26, graduated in 2009 from Bowsher High School where she demonstrated determination, toughness and resilience as a teen overcoming the near loss of a leg in a freak accident and receiving an athletic scholarship to play volleyball at Indiana Institute of Technology, a NAIA school in Fort Wayne where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy.

At age 12, the self-described Michael Jordan fan was playing basketball from a trampoline when a backflip trick shot ended with her leg hitting the rim, causing the trauma.

Doctors at the University of Toledo Medical Center originally considered amputating her leg, but Scott Briceno said her mother, Kelly Nova, begged doctors to consider other options. Doctors saved her leg by applying an external fixator system of pins, rods and clamps, which remained in place for six months. She was the first pediatric patient locally to receive the external pin system, which had a small percentage of succeeding. If it did work, the prognosis was that she would not walk again correctly, let alone play volleyball.

She began walking one year later. Another year after that, she was playing volleyball.

As part of the recovery process, she went through “hard core” physical therapy for 18 months. She said her work with physical therapists and PTAs led her to Owens for her chosen career.

“I realized I was lucky I got to play volleyball,” she said. “I started thinking, ‘Why did I get the opportunity?’ It was my physical therapy and my mom that really saved my career. So that’s what I wanted to do.

“I feel like I have a connection with my patients. I feel like I know what it feels like to have a diagnosis that could change your life. I can relate to my patients,” she said.

Scott Briceno impressed the faculty in the Department of Therapeutic Services.

“Kelsea is an outstanding student and leader,” said Tiffany Duran, Adjunct Faculty. “She exemplifies the pillars of Owens and academics.”

“Kelsea approaches all difficulties with a positive attitude and persists through negativity,” added Dr. Sara Burke, Instructor. “Her dedication to her education, profession and family are exemplary. She is a strong professional and represents the finest of the graduating PTA cohort.”

Scott Briceno met her husband, Reinaldo, while in college and he was playing baseball for Indiana Tech. The native of Venezuela briefly played minor league baseball. They have a son, Roman, 2.

Besides her mother, Scott Briceno said her father, Michael Nova, was one of the most significant influences in her life. He died unexpectedly the day after she learned she was nominated to be the Class Representative.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS LANDSCAPE AND TURFGRASS CREW CLUB TO HOST ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE

Posted on April 26th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 26, 2018 – Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards this spring are encouraged to attend the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Spring Plant Sale at Owens Community College on Wednesday, May 2 and Thursday, May 3.

The plant sale will be held from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature an assortment of potted herbs and annuals, as well as shrubs and rare, unusual trees. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

According to Chris Foley, Owens Associate Professor of Science, the student organization is excited to once again offer individuals the opportunity to purchase select trees, shrubs and annuals at competitive prices for the upcoming spring planting season.

“The annual spring plant sale also provides our students with the unique opportunity to showcase their talents to the general public and the campus community. Annual plants are Proven Winner brand and will be in 4.5” pots, assorted hanging baskets, and a wide variety of combination planters filled with beautiful blooming plants,” added Foley. “The annuals were all grown by students in the Greenhouse Management classes in our greenhouse.” Prices for the annuals will vary, based on sizes, but will competitive.

Shrubs on hand will include eight different hydrangeas, hardy shrub roses, Fothergilla, lilacs, and many others. Shrubs will range in price from $18 to $25. Trees available will include natives as well as several rare and unusual ones. Including; sassafras, oaks, redbud, serviceberry and buckeye, Japanese maples, dogwoods, magnolias, and dawn redwood, and others. Tree prices will range from $20 to $80 The Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club will also sell perennials, including select hostas and daylilies. A complete listing of the available plants with their prices is available online at www.owens.edu/direct/plantsale.pdf.

All proceeds from the plant sale will help in supporting the organization’s participation in the annual NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals) National Collegiate Landscape Competition, which is a national horticultural and landscape competition involving over 65 colleges and universities from across the country.

The College’s Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club was founded in 2005 with the mission of fostering stronger bonds among students majoring in the Landscape and Turfgrass Management program. Among the organization’s main initiatives is creating a network between alumni and current students to help in assisting individuals pursue careers within the Green Industry and its related horticulture industries. The group also hosts fundraisers to support club outreach activities in the surrounding communities.

For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, email Chris Foley at Christopher_foley@owens.edu.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS

Posted on April 23rd, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 23, 2018 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has chosen seventeen area residents to receive the 15th annual Outstanding Service Awards for their tremendous contributions to Northwest Ohio’s communities. The recipients will be honored as part of a community celebration Friday, April 27 in the Audio Visual Classroom Center, rooms 121-128 on Owens Toledo-area Campus beginning at 8 a.m.

Award recipients are Todd Shelton, John Growden, Frank Reidy, Robert Sweeney, Bryan Bryant, Gary McClure, Brent Riley, Luke Cantu, Jeff Smith, Melvin Russell, Kevin Sanders, Jon Curtis, Ward Lemke, Shaun Conklin, Benjamin Cousino, Andre Williams and Kyle Blausey.

This year’s awards are presented within the categories of Outstanding Police, Firefighter and Service to the Community. Selection criterion is based upon a nomination process for candidates demonstrating exceptional service related to dedication, ingenuity, bravery, special skills and/or community service over a sustained period of time. The awards are not limited to a single recipient and can be a group honor where teamwork was a key element.

The recipients of the Outstanding Police Award are Sergeant Todd Shelton and Officer John Growden (Holland Police Department), Deputy Sheriff Frank Reidy and Deputy Sheriff Robert Sweeney (Lucas County Sheriff’s Office), Sergeant Bryan Bryant, Office Gary McClure, Officer Brent Riley (Tiffin Police Department), Deputy Sheriff Luke Cantu, Deputy Sheriff Jeff Smith (Seneca County Sheriff’s Office), Officer Melvin Russell and Officer Kevin Sanders, Officer Jon Curtis Sergeant Ward Lemke, Officer Shaun Conklin and Officer Benjamin Cousino (Toledo Police Department).

The recipients of the Outstanding Firefighter and the Outstanding Service to the Community Award are Private Andre Williams (Toledo Fire & Rescue Department) and Firefighter/Medic Kyle Blausey (Fostoria Fire Division) respectively.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS TO HOST EIGHTH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM AND MEDALLION CEREMONY

Posted on April 19th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 19, 2018 – Owens Community College honors and service learning students will have the opportunity to showcase their research and creative works in multiple disciplines during the eighth annual Symposium and Medallion Ceremony on Friday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. in Heritage Hall, Room 123 on the Toledo-area Campus.

The symposium is the pinnacle of academic work for scholars from the Honors and Service Learning programs. Their formal presentations showcase the student learning outcomes in the areas of critical thinking, articulate communication, ethical thinking and community service and leadership.

Owens’ Honors Program encourages students to initiate, create, and think critically in a wide variety of challenging courses across departments and programs in the College. Honors courses and individualized studies are designed to foster intellectual inquiry and growth by providing a dynamic environment that inspires rewarding intellectual pursuits. The program also facilitates student access to the College’s educational resources and provides an opportunity for outstanding students and faculty to engage in exciting learning experiences.

To be considered for admission into the selective program, a currently enrolled student must have a minimum 3.2 grade point average (GPA) with 12 credits completed at Owens. A new student must have achieved a high school GPA of 3.2 or be enrolled as a post-secondary enrollment option student.

Service Scholars are committed to community service that is relevant to their academic program or course of study. Students in the Service Scholar program receive exposure to community engagement initiatives through designated service activities, service learning courses and selected on-campus events. These scholars have completed at least 40 hours of community service as part of their academic experience at Owens and have expressed a commitment to community engagement as a part of their personal and professional path.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FINDLAY-AREA CAMPUS CERTIFIED “BEE CAMPUS USA” AFFILIATE

Posted on April 17th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 17, 2018 – The Owens Community College and Bee Campus USA announced that the Findlay-area campus is the 36th educational institution in the nation to be certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program and the first in the state of Ohio.

The Bee Campus USA program fosters ongoing dialogue to raise awareness of the role pollinators play in our communities and what each of us can do to provide them with healthy habitat. As a certified “Bee Campus USA,” Owens will be required to commit to pollinator-friendly practices on campus such as planting native plants and pollinator-friendly habitats and conduct educational outreach to the local community.

With generous financial support from the Owens Faculty Association, the campus will be adding five beehives to its community garden, with delivery of the hives taking place later this month.

“Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of ninety percent of the world’s wild plant and tree species,” Said Bee Campus USA director, Phyllis Stiles. “Owens Community College is a stellar example of the influence educational institutions can have on their students and the broader community. Their talented faculty, staff and students offer an invaluable resource for Findlay-area residents in seeking ways to manage ornamental landscapes in more wildlife-friendly ways.”

College students, faculty, administrators, and staff have been among the nation’s most stalwart champions for sustainable environmental practices and Owens is proud to carry on that tradition.

“We are excited about the educational opportunities and service learning for students and the local community,” said Robert Connour II, professor of biology at Owens. “Faculty, staff and students have been working together to study and create pollinator habitats with native plants in preparation for the arrival of our beehives.”

According to Stiles, certified campuses must reapply each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year.

For more information on Owens, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SELECTS STEVE ROBINSON AS SEVENTH PRESIDENT

Posted on April 11th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 11, 2018 – Following a five-month nationally-advertised search, the board of trustees for Owens Community College has named Steve Robinson, Ph.D. as the institution’s new president. The appointment was announced following the board’s meeting held on campus today.

Robinson joined Owens Community College in January 2015, when he was named provost and vice president of academic affairs. In July 2017, the board appointed Robinson interim president.

“We are thrilled Steve will be leading our college as we begin a new chapter here at Owens Community College,” said Board Chair Diana H. (Dee) Talmage. “During the past year, Steve has demonstrated he has the skills and vision to serve our students, engage our faculty and connect to the community in a way that will continue to make Owens a vital part of this region. He was a key member of the senior leadership team that developed and executed the plan that brought Owens Community College out of fiscal watch, and he has made countless contributions to both our academic programming and the management of our college during his time here. He has our board’s full support as he assumes this new role.”

Robinson was one of 41 candidates considered for the presidency and was one of two finalists for the position, Talmage said. Robinson’s deep knowledge of the school, his solid connections throughout Northwest Ohio and his career spent working for community colleges were all factors leading to the board’s decision, she added.

Robinson began his career as a professor of English at Mott Community College, a two-year public institution with more than 7,000 students located in Flint, Michigan. During his tenure there, Robinson served as president of the Mott Community College Education Association, interim dean of Mott’s Social Sciences Division, interim dean of Health Sciences and executive dean of planning, research & qualitative initiatives. He also served as dissertation chair for the Community College Leadership Program at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, and as a graduate lecturer at the University of Michigan Flint campus.

“The faculty, staff and students of Owens Community College are a daily inspiration to me,” Robinson said. “Nothing could make me prouder than to lead this institution toward a bright and promising future. Owens is an indispensable partner to this region. The students we serve are critical to the schools, hospitals, businesses and agencies that make our community thrive. We must become an engine of workforce development that prepares our students for in-demand jobs and fosters innovative solutions to the problems facing our region. My goal will be to work with the leaders of this area, our students and our faculty to make sure Owens is offering the training and experiences to help our graduates make meaningful contributions to Northwest Ohio and beyond.”

Robinson is a member of the Rotary Club of Greater Toledo, an institutional team lead for the Student Success Leadership Institute, a member of the State of Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Task Force and a board member of the Regional Growth Partnership. He currently is one of 40 community college leaders completing an Aspen Institute presidential fellowship for community college excellence.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY AT OWENS

Posted on January 8th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 8, 2018 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 2, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

“We are excited to once again have this wonderful opportunity to raise the importance and awareness of preventive dental care,” said Beth Tronolone, Owens chair of Dental Hygiene. “Our goal is give each attendee a positive dental experience and help them feel comfortable smiling again.”

NINETEEN GRADUATE FROM THE OWENS AND UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO JOINT POLICE ACADEMY

Posted on December 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2017 – Nineteen students (14 University of Toledo students and 5 Owens students) will be honored for their exemplary academic achievements during graduation from the Owens Community College and University of Toledo joint Police Academy, Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.

“This will be the third University of Toledo class that has graduated from the Owens Community College Basic Police Academy,” said Mark King, chair, Owens Criminal Justice and Emergency Services. “Our partnership with the University of Toledo has strengthened and proved beneficial to both institutions.”

The ceremony will take place at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts on the Owens Community College Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Rd, Perrysburg.

Founded in 1970, the Ohio Basic Peace Officer Training Academy at Owens Community College is offered in cooperation with the Ohio Peace Officers Training Commission. Police Academy students take courses in patrol operations, firearms, defensive tactics and criminal investigation using modern, high-tech police equipment. Students also receive expert instruction from local police officers, sheriff’s deputies and corrections officers, as well as state and federal agents.

For more information on Owens’ Criminal Justice and Emergency Services program, please visit www.owens.edu.

464 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 04, 2017 – 464 candidates for graduation, including 67 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 37th Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 08. Of those graduates, 90 will graduate with honors. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

The following degrees will be conferred: 75 Associate of Applied Business; 196 Associate of Applied Science; 77 Associate of Arts; 80 Associate of Science and 36 Associate of Technical Studies.

Kozait Elkhatib, Business Administration major graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 31-year-old native of Lebanon was born in a Palestinian refugee camp and lived there with her mother, older sister and younger brother until marrying her husband, U.S. Army veteran Talal Elkhatib, in March 2007. Their original wedding date in 2006 was postponed when the Israeli-Lebanese war broke out. They moved to the United States in April 2007 and began their life, starting a family which now includes two daughters, ages 9 and 6.

Elkhatib wanted to encourage her daughters to go to college when they were older, with the thought “education is not something we can be done with – you learn more every day.” She felt she needed to earn a degree first and enrolled at Henry Ford Community College when the family lived in Dearborn, Michigan. In 2016, the Elkhatibs moved to Perrysburg for Talal’s job at the Toledo Correctional Institution. She transferred her credits and enrolled at Owens.

“Owens felt like a family atmosphere. I love the classes. The teachers are wonderful. The same for the advisors. They respond in 24-48 hours. That’s important to me because I like to get things done,” she said.

A graduate of the Owens Honors Program, Elkhatib impressed with her presentation on Muslims in America at the Owens Honors and Service Learning Symposium and at the Mid-East Honors Association Symposium at Eastern Michigan University during Spring Semester 2017, according to Dr. Russ Bodi, Professor of English.

Added Jonathan Boyle, Adjunct Faculty in Business, “Kozait has proven herself to be an asset to the Owens Community College community. She is not only a scholar, but someone with an interesting life history.”

Earlier this year, Elkhatib started the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and it culminated in September when she was among 85 new citizens from 37 different countries naturalized at a ceremony at the University of Toledo.

In January, Elkhatib will begin a cohort program pursing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Managerial Studies at Tiffin University. She anticipates graduating in May 2019.

Away from college and family life, she works at New York Life Insurance Company in Maumee where she is a licensed insurance agent and will soon become a licensed financial advisor.

Jack Hershey is the president and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC), which represents the presidents and trustees of the state’s 23 community colleges), will serve as the keynote speaker.

Hershey came to the OACC in 2014 after spending 10 years at the Ohio State University, where he most recently was the university’s Associate Vice President for State Relations, a position in which he managed state government affairs for the university.

Earlier in his career, Hershey was deputy director of the Office of Budget and Management under former Gov. Bob Taft and was director of finance and a financial analyst in the Ohio House of Representatives under former Speaker Jo Ann Davidson.

A Cleveland-area native, Hershey holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Management from the University of Akron. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Public Policy Management from the Ohio State University. Hershey, his wife, Sharon, and their two children reside in the Columbus area.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS TO HOST EVENT CELEBRATING THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF HELP-PORTRAIT™

Posted on November 21st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 21, 2017 – Owens staff, students and alumni will gather with the Summit Salon Academy Student Council and community volunteers on Saturday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo, to donate their time and skills to create memorable professional portraits for those in need.

Photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists and volunteers will gather to take part in this event to mark the ninth annual Help-Portrait worldwide event. In 2008, Help-Portrait began as an idea that transformed into a movement in just three months. The idea behind Help-Portrait is simple: 1. Find someone in need 2. Take their portrait 3. Print their portrait and 4. Deliver their portrait.

In the last seven years, 73,241 volunteers have given more than 370,825 portraits. Help-Portrait is a global movement in more than 2803 locations in 67 countries. The annual Help-Portrait event takes place on the first Saturday of December each year in addition to special events.

The Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo is located at 1301 Monroe St., Toledo. For additional information or questions, please contact Krista Kiessling at krista_kiessling@owens.edu.

OWENS TO HOST COMMUNITY RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR NEW VETERANS HALL

Posted on October 31st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 31, 2017 – Area residents are invited to get a firsthand look at Owens Community College’s new Veterans Hall as the academic institution officially opens the doors during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Owens representatives will be joined by community leaders and public officials at the ribbon cutting ceremony from 10 a.m. – noon at Veterans Hall on the Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road, Perrysburg. Individuals will have the opportunity to tour the newly renovated facility, as well as learn about various services offered to veterans at Owens.

Veterans Hall, formally Kingsley Hall, was part of the Penta Career Center campus acquired by Owens Community College for $6 million in 2008 when Penta relocated west of I-75 along Buck Road. The purchase included more than 50 acres of land and three primary buildings, including Founders Hall and Heritage Hall. Renovations of the 19,000-square foot Veterans Hall cost $2.1 million, with the first phase of construction completed in March 2017 and the second phase finished in October 2017.

The circular drive  surrounding Veterans Hall was named “Mike McAlear Way” on May 3, 2017 following a generous donation to the Owens Community College Foundation in support of veterans programming by Mike McAlear, then a member of the Owens Community College Board of Trustees. The drive includes two reserved parking spaces for recipients of a Purple Heart, the decoration awarded to those wounded while serving with the U.S. military.

The signature development of the two-story Veterans Hall is a 1,700-square foot addition to the building’s east side that formed a new entrance and glass-enclosed atrium.

The first floor houses the offices of Veterans Services and Counseling Services, as well as a lounge dedicated for use by veterans in the Veterans Center, plus a computer lab, conference room and meeting room. The second- floor renovation created a tiered, multipurpose event space that includes a lobby, restrooms, small catering space and updated audio/visual equipment.

The Veterans Hall design emphasizes energy efficiency and conservation, evidenced by each room’s bank of lights automatically powering down after a period without detected movement. Glass windows are abundant within the atrium addition to reduce the necessity for some electric lighting and to allow in natural light. The entire facility includes building automation heating and air conditioning as well as wireless Internet access.

Stough and Stough Architects of Sylvania, Ohio designed Veterans Hall. Van Tassel Construction Corporation of Sylvania, Ohio served as the general contractor.

For more information about the Owens Community College Office of Veterans Services, please visit www.owens.edu/veterans.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOLF OUTING AND DRONE GOLF BALL DROP RAISES $50,600

Posted on October 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 3, 2017 – One hundred twenty area residents recently enjoyed a day of golf and the new Drone Golf Ball Drop in support of alumni scholarship programs as the Owens Community College’s Alumni Association held its 15^th annual Golf Classic. The 30-team event raised $50,600, proceeds will benefit scholarships and outreach endeavors.

Since its inception, the Owens event has netted approximately $430,000 to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations.

“The Alumni Association is very thankful for the generous support we received this year from all of our sponsors,” said Bridget Shea, Owens Alumni Association executive director. “Scholarships help students succeed and this year’s Drone Golf Ball Drop and Golf Classic will help Owens students fulfill their educational goals.”

Organized by the Alumni Association’s steering committee, the golf outing was held at Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. The event featured the first Drone Golf Ball Drop in northwest Ohio, 18-holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program. The Golf Classic event was sponsored by Hylant and Hylant Administrative Services. Metzgers was the print sponsor. Rudolph Libbe Group was the Drone Golf Ball Drop sponsor and Toledo Aerial Media was the Drone sponsor.

Edward Jones sponsored the four-person scramble championship team. Team members included, Rick Rowe, Puck Rowe, Senator Randy Gardner and Owens alumnus Brooks Gardner. Brooks Gardner was a member of the Owens Community College golf team when he attended Owens from 2009 until 2011.

OWENS PRESENTS YET-TO-BE WRITTEN, CAST AND REHEARSED PLAYS DURING 24-HOUR ‘THEATRE EXPRESS’ EVENT

Posted on September 26th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 26, 2017 – Owens Community College students and faculty as well as community members will write, cast, rehearse and perform multiple plays in a 24-hour time period as the Center for Fine and Performing Arts serves as host to the tenth annual fall “Theatre Express” production, Sept. 29-30. The 24-hour theatre event will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 30, with participants premiering multiple plays in the Main Stage Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

“Theatre goers are in for evening fun and enjoyment as they will have the opportunity to experience theatre of the unknown,” said Jeremy Meier, Owens associate professor of Fine and Performing Arts. “Each production will be written, cast, rehearsed and performed in the span of 24 hours, which is quite extraordinary.”

The 24-hour marathon begins Friday (Sept. 29) when Owens faculty members Eric Wallack, Shannon Smith, Bianca Marcia, Joy Parker and Carl Dietrich, along with local artists Erik Montgomery, John Toth and Owens alumnus Jordan Jarvis begin the arduous process of writing and staging multiple 10-minute plays. Owens Students and members of the community will act in these short plays, rehearsing them all day Sept. 30 and performing them that evening.

For additional information about the “Theatre Express” production, contact (567) 661-2798 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2798.

696 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on April 28th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 28, 2017 – 696 candidates for graduation, including 82 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 51^st annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 5. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. Owens is asking graduates to share their celebration photos and updates by including the hashtag #owensgrad in their social media posts.

Dan Rogers, president and chief executive officer of Cherry Street Mission, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Rogers grew up in Lorain County in Ohio and at an early age experienced the ill effects of generational poverty. Because of his childhood experiences, he decided to pursue a lifelong goal of challenging the systems that create cycles of poverty.

He studied psychology and theology at Mount Vernon College in Ohio, and after graduation went on to learn from and serve impoverished people groups globally. His travels and work experiences have included serving in the leper colonies of eastern India, the indigenous people of central Mexico and the extreme poor in the mountain regions of Jamaica.

A recipient of the 2009 Jefferson Award for Public Service and of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Entrepreneurial and Business Excellence Hall of Fame in 2014, Rogers is a consultant to nonprofits, and a Leadership Coach.

Currently, he is spearheading the development of Cherry Street’s Life Revitalization Center by facilitating social impact partnerships in order to establish a career and vocational school in central city Toledo. The Life Revitalization Center will aid in the reversal of poverty and end homelessness in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

Helen Dilworth of Sylvania, a social work concentration major graduating with Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

Dilworth, 68, graduated high school in northern Kentucky in 1967 and even though Morehead State offered her a partial scholarship to study education, she was denied the opportunity to attend by her father because a woman under the age of 21 at that time needed her father or husband’s permission to sign a contract. Her father said no.

After graduating high school, Dilworth scored 98 percent on the Civil Service Exam and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Cincinnati hired her as a secretary. Within a year, she was one of a handful of employees selected to go to Washington, D.C. and work at the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency, which collaborated with Keep America Beautiful and launched Earth Day. The national campaign was an immediate success, and Dilworth was in the middle of it, answering all of President Nixon’s correspondence and taking it to the White House for his signature.

“I met President Nixon and shook his hand. It was an interesting time. I did it for seven years.”

Dilworth enrolled at Owens in Fall Semester 2013 a few years after the death of her husband of 24 years, Robert. She quickly thrived. She was elected to the Phi Theta Kappa honors society, took part in the Honors Program and Honors Club and got a job in the Admissions office.

While visiting Toledo in the mid-1980s she met her future husband. They married and had a son, John. Helen read all of John’s textbooks during his school years to help quench her thirst for knowledge. John Dilworth is also an Owens graduate who went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo. He will earn a master’s degree from the University of Toledo May 6. Starting Fall Semester 2017, Helen Dilworth will enroll at the University of Toledo and begin work on a bachelor’s degree.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST GREEN INDUSTRY CAREER AND JOB FAIR

Posted on February 24th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2017 – Area residents and students with career aspirations in a green industry-related field are invited to learn about and explore various seasonal employment opportunities available throughout the region as Owens Community College hosts a Green Industry Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, March 1.

The Green Industry Career and Job Fair will take place from 3-4 p.m. in the College’s Audio/Visual Classroom Center Rooms 125-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

Throughout the event, individuals can meet with local green industry representatives and ask them questions about their professions or how to go about choosing a career path in the green industry field. In addition, attendees will be able to fill out applications for various seasonal employment opportunities.

Owens students and area residents attending the event are encouraged to bring several copies of their resume and to dress professionally in preparation for any impromptu interviews.

Area employers within such areas as landscape, golf course, small-scale farm, gardens/arboretums and garden centers will be in attendance. Employers will be looking to hire employees for the upcoming 2017 season.

In addition, Owens will have information available for individuals interested in pursuing a college education. Owens offers a wide variety of academic programs through the College’s Department of Science specific to the natural sciences areas of Landscape and Turfgrass Management.

For more information about the Green Industry Career and Job Fair, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY AT OWENS

Posted on January 30th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 30, 2017 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 3, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

“Owens Community College’s Dental Hygiene program is excited to once again participate in such a worthwhile endeavor and provide dental services to individuals in need,” said Beth Tronolone, Owens chair of Dental Hygiene. “Give Kids A Smile Day is also a wonderful opportunity to raise the importance and awareness of preventive dental care such as flossing, brushing and regular dental visits. Our goal is give each attendee a positive dental experience and help them feel comfortable smiling again.”

528 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 5th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 05, 2016 – 528 candidates for graduation, including 77 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 36th Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 09. Of those graduates, 118 will graduate with honors. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

The following degrees will be conferred: 85 Associate of Applied Business; 222 Associate of Applied Science; 90 Associate of Arts; 114 Associate of Science and 17 Associate of Technical Studies.

Jacquelle Luckey, Applied Business major graduating with Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 46-year-old Toledo resident was born in Hawthorne, California and grew up in San Fernando Valley, graduating from Chatsworth High School about an hour northwest of Los Angeles.

Luckey enrolled at Owens during Fall Semester 2014 after her office job was outsourced to Costa Rica. She recalled her doubts when she considered earning a higher education. She said she thought it was too daunting a task, because she was too old and a college campus was intimidating.

She said she overcame her fears, got started and gave herself a two-year deadline to earn a degree. She’s meeting her self-imposed deadline this evening.

“My experience at Owens has been great,” she said. “I followed the rules and put in the work. I did what I needed to do to get done. It’s a strong academic community at Owens. You are part of something that’s going to help you move forward in your life. I want to stay connected to Owens after I graduate.”

Personable and self-motivated, Luckey will discuss empowerment in her speech.

“Jacquelle sets a high standard for herself and is an outstanding example to others,” said Sherri Johnson, the secretary in the Transportation Technologies academic department who supervises Luckey in her role as student worker. “Many students have gone to Jacquelle for support and advice, and she has been unwavering in stepping up to support and direct her classmates to be successful. Other students have sought her out to work on group projects with them.”

Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D., 17^th president of The University of Toledo (UT), will serve as the keynote speaker.

Dr. Gaber is moving UT forward through several major plans, including: a strategic plan that will chart UT’s course for the next several years; a diversity plan that helps to ensure UT’s campuses are welcoming and inclusive for everyone; a master facilities plan to reduce UT’s footprint and use space more efficiently; and an enrollment plan to increase enrollment and improve student retention rates.

Dr. Gaber currently serves on the board of trustees for the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as the board of directors for the Regional Growth Partnership. A city and regional planning expert, she came to UT following six years as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas. Prior to that, Dr. Gaber served in multiple roles in the provost’s office at Auburn University in Alabama, and also worked at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from Occidental College in Los Angeles, a master’s degree from the University of Southern California, and her doctoral degree in city and regional planning from Cornell University. Dr. Gaber is the mother of three children, including one who is a UT student.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS LANDSCAPE AND TURFGRASS CREW CLUB HOSTS ANNUAL FALL PLANT SALE

Posted on September 29th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2016 – Area residents seeking to add new life and color to their gardens and yards this fall are encouraged to attend the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Fall Plant Sale at Owens Community College on Wednesday, October 5.

The plant sale will occur from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature a wide selection of shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, and rare and unusual trees. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

“The Owens Community College Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club student organization is excited to once again offer individuals the opportunity to purchase select trees and shrubs at a minimal cost for the upcoming fall planting season,” said Chris Foley, Owens associate professor of Science and Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club advisor. “Fall is an excellant time to plant trees and shrubs as the ground is still warm from the summer months and the soil is moist. I encourage individuals to help support the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club and get a head start on their fall planting projects.”

All proceeds from the plant sale will help in supporting the organization’s participation in the PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days, which is a national horticultural and landscape competition involving colleges and universities across the country.

Shrubs on hand will include the Purple Beauty Berry, many type of Hydrangea, Fothergilla and a wide assortment of many others. Additionally, over 20 different varieties of trees (many rare) will be available and will include; unusual Maples, Dogwoods, Redbuds, as well as Franklinia, Stewartia, and others. The Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club will also sell an array of perennials, including select hostas and ornamental grasses. A complete listing of the available plants with their prices is available online at www.owens.edu/direct/plantsale.pdf.

The College’s Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club was founded in 2005 with the mission of fostering stronger bonds among students majoring in the Landscape and Turfgrass Management program. Among the organization’s main initiatives is creating a network between alumni and current students to help in assisting individuals pursue careers within the landscape, turfgrass and related horticulture industries. The group also hosts fundraisers to support club outreach activities in the surrounding communities.

For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, email Chris Foley at Christopher_foley@owens.edu

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOLF OUTING RAISES $28,713 IN SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on September 21st, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 21, 2016 – One hundred eight area residents recently enjoyed a day of golf and entertainment in support of alumni scholarship programs as Owens Community College’s Alumni Association held its 14^th annual Golf Classic. The 27-team event netted $28,713 to benefit scholarship and outreach endeavors.

Since its inception, the Owens event has netted over $398,000 to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations.

“Owens Alumni Association is again overwhelmed by the community support we received this year,” said Laura Moore, Owens Alumni Association executive director. “The success of this event helps ensure our students are able to take advantage of the opportunities offered for lifelong learning.”

Organized by the Owens Alumni Association’s steering committee, the golf outing was held at Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. The event featured 18-holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program. The Golf Classic event sponsor was Hylant and Hylant Administrative Services. In addition, Metzgers was the print sponsor.

Bowers Asphalt and Paving Inc. sponsored the four-person scramble championship team. Team members included Todd Sattler, David Neely, Rob Crider and Rob Enos all of Perrysburg.

OWENS DELIVERS BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO AREA CHILDREN

Posted on September 16th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 16, 2016 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with Books-A-Million Inc., ten Directions Credit Union branches, two Great Lakes Credit Union branches and six Genoa Bank branches are brightening many children’s lives through a unique community service endeavor titled “Backpack to the Future.” Five hundred seventy-two backpacks and 10,092 school supply items collected throughout the summer months are being donated to 21 area elementary schools during the month of September.

Beginning on Monday, Sept. 19, 10:15 a.m., Owens representatives will deliver backpacks and supplies to benefit kindergarten student at ten Toledo Public Schools—Old West End Academy, Birmingham Elementary, Glenwood Elementary, Leverette Elementary, Navarre Elementary, Oakdale Elementary, Reynolds Elementary, Keyser Elementary, Old Orchard Elementary and Burroughs Elementary – presented at Toledo Public Schools’ Old West End Elementary School (3131 Cambridge St.).

Owens representatives will also deliver backpacks and supplies to benefit kindergarten students in Bowling Green, North Baltimore, Rossford, Northwood, Genoa, Elmwood and Woodmore school districts at Rossford’s Glenwood Elementary School (8950 Avenue Rd.) on Tuesday, September 20 at 3:30 p.m.

“Every year, area residents and businesses have given an impressive response and made the ‘Backpack to the Future’ supply drive an outstanding success,” said Kaye Koevenig, Owens “Backpack to the Future” project chair and Alumni Association Board director. “It’s wonderful to assure that many more disadvantaged children will be able to begin their school year with new educational supplies.”

Over the past three months, “Backpack to the Future” accepted gently used or new backpacks and new school supplies from area residents to assist disadvantaged kindergarten school children throughout Northwest Ohio. In addition to backpacks, individuals donated crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marbled covered composition books and Kleenex tissues.

The drive also collected over $3,683 from community members. The charitable donations will go toward the purchase of school supplies.

The Owens Alumni Association established “Backpack to the Future” supply drive in 2004 as a way to provide educational outreach to the surrounding communities. To date, the program has given 5,085 backpacks and 91,000 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

“Our focus as an organization is to provide value-added programs and services that strengthen the surrounding communities and ensures every students success,” said Laura Moore, Owens executive director, Alumni Association and director, Alumni Relations.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ASSIST AREA CHILDREN WITH SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

Posted on July 21st, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 21, 2016 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with Books-A-Million Inc., nine Directions Credit Union branches, two Great Lakes Credit Union branches and six Genoa Bank branches are reaching out to area children in need of school supplies by holding a month-long “Backpack to the Future” school supply drive ending Thursday, Aug. 18. Collected items will benefit low-income kindergarten-age school children throughout Northwest Ohio.

The “Backpack to the Future” school supply drive will occur at Books-A-Million bookstore (2105 Levis Commons Blvd.) in The Town Center at Levis Commons in Perrysburg; Directions Credit Union branches (5121 Whiteford Rd.) in Sylvania, (3000 Tremainsville Rd.) in Toledo, (3321 Briarfield Blvd.) in Maumee, (4150 Brockway Dr.) in Perrysburg, (3312 Dustin Rd.) in Oregon, (2533 S. Reynolds Rd.) in Toledo, (3450 Central Ave., Suite 128) in Toledo, (27427 Crossroads Pkwy.) in Rossford and (1 Owens Corning Pkwy.) in Toledo; Great Lakes Credit Union branches (5823 Monroe St.) in Sylvania and (580 Craig Dr.) in Perrysburg; and Genoa Bank branches (801 Main St.) in Genoa, (3201 Navarre Ave.) in Oregon, (703 Conant St.) in Maumee, (24950 W, State Route 51) in Millbury, (9920 Old U.S. 20) in Rossford and in (5501 Monroe St.) Sylvania.

The Toledo Mud Hens will also have collections bins at Fifth Third Field (406 Washington St.) in Toledo during their Saturday, July 30 game against the Gwinnett Braves.

The 19 community locations expand the College’s educational initiative for individuals to drop off their donations. Among the charitable items that will be accepted as part of the school supply drive are gently-used or new backpacks, crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marbled covered composition books and Kleenex tissues.

According to Kaye Koevenig, community service chair, Owens Alumni Association, the Northwest Ohio community’s initial response toward the “Backpack to the Future” supply drive has been positive.

“Owens’ ‘Backpack to the Future’ school supply drive initiative has expanded efforts thanks to the support of Books-A-Million, Directions Credit Union, Genoa Bank and Great Lakes Credit Union,” she said. “I encourage area residents to lend a helping hand to those children who are in need of school supplies.”

Since establishing the program in 2004, the Owens Alumni Association has given 4,513 backpacks and 80,911 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

Owen’s Alumni Association is committed to the personal and professional success of alumni and students through the ongoing development of value-added initiatives. Owens has provided higher education to more than 250,000 students in its nearly 50-year history.

In addition to the community supply drive locations; area residents can bring their charitable donations to the College’s Office of Alumni Relations on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township and the Education Center Atrium on the Findlay-area Campus in Findlay.

For more information about the school supply drive, or to make a donation, contact the Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876 or alumni@owens.edu.

743 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on May 3rd, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 3, 2016 – Seven hundred forty-three candidates for graduation, including 81 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 50^th annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 6. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For family and friends unable to attend, the ceremony will be streamed online and can be accessed at www.owens.edu/commencement. Owens is asking graduates to share their celebration photos and updates by including the hashtag #owensgrad in their social media posts.

Randy Oostra, DM, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of ProMedica, will serve as the keynote speaker. In addition to president and CEO, Oostra has held numerous roles at ProMedica since joining the system in 1997 including: president and chief operating officer, regional president, and corporate vice president, strategic business development.

Prior to joining ProMedica, Oostra, 61, served in myriad roles in health care leadership, including: Saint Anthony’s Health System, Alton, Illinois; Blodgett Memorial Medical Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Health One Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and LCM, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Oostra holds a Doctorate in Management from Case Western Reserve University, a Master’s degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Wisconsin, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa.

His commitment to the healthcare industry, and community, is evidenced in his extensive involvement in numerous professional and civic organizations at the local, regional and national levels. Oostra is a board member of the American Hospital Association, a member of the Ohio and Michigan Hospital Associations, and is a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is a Board Member of the Regional Growth Partnership, Toledo Art Museum, Northwestern College (Iowa), Board Chair for the Toledo Symphony, a member of the Development Committee for Bread for the World and a member of the Third Frontier Advisory Committee.

Crystal Kurtz, a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) major graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 30-year-old Monroe, Michigan resident is the first person from her family to attend college.

The 2002 graduate of Monroe Jefferson High School briefly pursued a nursing degree at Monroe County Community College before leaving college and beginning to work a variety of jobs.

The position that changed her future was at Kindred RehabCare in Monroe, a facility that employed Owens PTA graduates. Working as a rehab technician, Kurtz became interested in a PTA career. She decided to pursue a degree at Owens and enrolled in Spring Semester 2012.

“I fell in love with the school. I thought it was the perfect fit for me,” she said.

Kurtz describes herself as shy, but credited the Owens faculty and staff for assisting her in overcoming any fears she had about invading the personal space of others, given the nature of the PTA profession. She thanked Nancy Rupp, PTA Professor, “for challenging my thinking. She doesn’t settle for average students.”

Bradley Wood, Assistant Chair of the PTA program, describes Kurtz as an intelligent, quick study and a hard worker.

“She has a bright future. She will be an advocate for Owens Community College and will forge strong relationships in the community that she serves,” he said.

Kurtz married her high school sweetheart, Cory, six years ago. Cory Kurtz earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing two additional master’s degrees in business and finance.

“My dad is my inspiration. He is a smart man,” Kurtz said. “I wanted to show him I could do something other than odd jobs. Now I’ve done it.”

After taking her national PTA licensure exam this summer, Kurtz plans to find employment in her field. Her long-term goal includes pursuing additional education and teaching, perhaps at a community college.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS

Posted on April 27th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 27, 2016 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has chosen seven area residents to receive the 13th annual Outstanding Service Awards for their tremendous contributions to Northwest Ohio’s communities. The recipients will be honored as part of a community celebration Friday, April 29 in the Audio Visual Classroom Center, rooms 121-128 on Owens Toledo-area Campus beginning at 8 a.m.

Award recipients are Ken Reno, Jeffrey Martin, Tim Stecker, Fred Genzman, John Kersker, Krystal Sellers-Kominek and David Miller.

“The Outstanding Service Awards are a way for the Owens’ Alumni Association to honor and thank Northwest Ohio’s safety forces for their service to our region, state and country,” said Walt Celley, president, Owens Alumni Association.

This year’s awards are presented within the categories of Outstanding Police and Service to Community. Selection criterion is based upon a nomination process for candidates demonstrating exceptional service related to dedication, ingenuity, bravery, special skills and/or community service over a sustained period of time. The awards are not limited to a single recipient and can be a group honor where teamwork was a key element.

The recipients of the Outstanding Police Award are Ken Reno of Curtice (sergeant, Oregon Police Division), Jeffrey Martin of Northwood (sergeant, Oregon Police Division), Tim Stecker of Oregon (patrolman, Oregon Police Division), Fred Genzman of Northwood (sergeant, Northwood Police Department) John Kersker of Perrysburg (patrolman, Northwood Police Department), and Krystal Sellers-Kominek of Maumee (patrolman, Northwood Police Department).

These officers were nominated by Paul Magdich, assistant chief, Oregon Police Division, for their quick, decisive and heroic actions in taking three dangerous individuals off the streets.

The event took place in the early morning of Friday, December 18, 2015, when Oregon police officers were dispatched to a restaurant on Navarre Avenue. Initial reports indicated that two men and a woman had assaulted another male patron. The victim had been pistol-whipped and at least one round fired into the air. The trio then retreated to a nearby hotel.

As officers were preparing to enter the hotel, Sergeant Reno observed a vehicle, with no lights on, speeding away. He alerted the other officers and quickly pursued the vehicle and upon arrival, it appeared as though the driver was about to surrender. However, as Sergeant Reno began to give verbal orders, the vehicle sped away and the pursuit continued.

Northwood police officers joined the Oregon units in the pursuit of the vehicle as it entered Northwood. At one point, Sergeant Reno lost sight of the vehicle in a quiet Northwood neighborhood. A witness alerted dispatch of the suspects’ possible location and then dispatch advised the units that Northwood officers were in foot pursuit of a suspect.

Sergeant Martin, and his dog, Grimm, responded and observed Sergeant Genzman chasing one of the suspects on foot. He joined the pursuit and when the suspect failed to comply, he released Grimm to assist in the capture. Oregon Patrolman Stecker, Sergeant Reno, as well as Northwood Patrolmen Kersker and Sellers-Kominek converged on the area and the suspect gave himself up.

Unaware at the time, the officers were standing near a vehicle, backed into a residential drive, which was occupied by the other two suspects. As Officer Stecker leaned forward to adjust his spotlight on the suspect being taken into custody, he narrowly escaped a bullet, fired from the 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun from the other male suspect just yards away. The female suspect stepped out from the rear of the vehicle and also began firing a handgun at officers.

Northwood and Oregon officers engaged the suspects in a brief gun battle. The officers showed tremendous weapon discipline and quickly diffused the threat. Thankfully, no officers were injured during the pursuit and subsequent gun battle. The female suspect received a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her injury was determined not to be caused by the police officers. The male suspect had a gunshot wound to the leg and was taken into custody.

The recipient of the Outstanding Service to the Community Award is David Miller of Woodville (2^nd assistant chief, Woodville Township Fire Department).

William Andrews, chief, Woodville Township Fire Department, nominated Miller for his willingness help when needed.

Miller joined the Woodville Township Fire Department on April 30, 1999, and has worked his way up through the ranks to his current position. He is one of the most active members of the department as demonstrated in the end-of-the-year staff reports. He consistently is the first to volunteer for a project, often stepping up as committee chairman, ensuring project completion and success.

He survived a major vehicle accident when he was younger that may have prohibited many people from doing what he does today. He has also survived cancer and heart failure, pushing through treatments while remaining active. Even a torn meniscus did not stop him from standing nine hours, flipping pancakes at a recent pancake breakfast fundraiser.

The Terry Farrell Firefighter Fund was established in memory of a New York firefighter that died in the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001, to financially help struggling firefighters and fire departments. When the Northwest Ohio Chapter was about to dissolve, Miller and his wife stepped up to keep the chapter going. They are active in promoting the organization and assisting with vital fundraising events. This organization benefits fire service nationally and shows the character and dedication he has to fire service as a whole.

Miller is also the Vice President of the Sandusky County Firefighters Association and rarely misses a meeting or activity. He has been very active in the Ottawa County Fair with his daughters and their 4-H projects.

His dedication and willingness to help when needed makes him a valuable asset to the Woodville Township Fire Department, the community and those he serves. He goes above and beyond fire service, showing character and commitment in all that he does.

Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club to Host Annual Spring Plant Sale

Posted on April 19th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 19, 2016 – Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards this spring are encouraged to attend the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Spring Plant Sale at Owens Community College on Thursday April 28.

The plant sale will be held from 10:00 am till 6:00pm. next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature as assortment of potted Herbs, Annuals, as well as shrubs and rare, unusual trees. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

“The annual spring plant sale also provides our students with the unique opportunity to showcase their talents to the general public and the campus community. Annual plants will be in the form of assorted 3.5” and 5” pots, assorted hanging baskets, and a wide variety of combination planters filled with beautiful blooming plants,” added Foley. “The annuals were all grown by students in the Greenhouse Management classes in our greenhouse.” Prices for the annuals will vary, based on sizes, but will competitive.

Shrubs on hand will include assorted hydrangeas, hardy shrub roses, Fothergilla, and many others. Shrubs will range in price from $18.00 to $25.00. Several rare and unusual trees will also be available, including the Japanese stewartia, Carolina Silverbell, and many grafted Japanese maples and dogwoods, as well as many others. Tree prices will range from $20.00 to $80.00 The Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club will also sell perennials, including select hostas and daylilies. A complete listing of the available plants with their prices is available online at www.owens.edu/direct/plantsale.pdf.

For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, email Chris Foley at Christopher_foley@owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS IN APRIL

Posted on March 30th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses will host the following community events in April:

Owens Community Engagement Fair
Owens Community College Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road, will host a Community Engagement Fair Tuesday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Heritage Hall 123. Over 25 community partners will be present to share information about their organizations and how members of the community can assist local organizations by volunteering. For more information, please contact Krista Kiessling at 567-661-2275 or krista_kiessling@owens.edu.

Owens Spring Musical Production, ‘Next to Normal’
Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Next to Normal” tells the story of an American family dealing with the effects of mental illness. This musical produces thought-provoking questions about illness, coping and survival. The production will play April 8,9,15,16 at 7:30 p.m. and April 10 and 17 at 3 p.m. at the Owens Toledo-area Campus Center for Fine and Performing Arts Theatre, 30335 Oregon Road. For more information, please visit www.owens.edu/fpa/cfpa or call 567-661-2798.

Domestic Violence Awareness
The Student Nurses Association (SNA) is hosting a seminar to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault Tuesday, April 12, 12-1 p.m. in the EC Conference room 111 on the Findlay-area Campus, 3200 Bright Road. Speakers include Owens mental health staff members, Findlay Police Department detectives, and more. SNA will also be selling NoMore.org shirts April 11 and 12 in the Findlay-area Campus atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

An Elegant Irish Evening
Community members are invited to join Owens for a fundraising dinner to support the Owens Community College Student Culinary Association, Friday, April 22 at the Terrace View Café. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Cost is $30 per person and there will be a cash bar. Payment accepted at the door (cash or check only). For more information, please call 567-661-7280.

Administrative Professionals’ Conference
Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus will host an Administrative Professionals’ Conference Friday, April 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Findlay Country Club, 1500 Country Club Drive. Cost is $25 per person and $5 for Owens students. The registration deadline is April 6. For more information, please visit www.owens.edu/apc.

OWENS TO HOST TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES CAREER FAIR

Posted on March 3rd, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 3, 2016 – Owens Community College will host the 2016 Career Fair for transportation technology industries Wednesday, March 16 in the Transportation Technologies building on Owens’ Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road, Perrysburg.

The career fair will be broken out into two different sessions. The first will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. focused toward high school students and the second from 4 to 7 p.m. for a general audience. However, members of the community are welcome to attend either session.

Students and community members will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the automotive, diesel heavy truck, agricultural equipment, construction equipment and collision industries. Industry representatives will be searching for employees to fill current positions as well as students looking for paid internships in conjunction with Owens.

Interested attendees should bring a resume and high school portfolio/transcripts and be prepared to speak to potential employers and/or Owens personnel regarding internship programs starting in fall 2016.

In addition, Owens faculty and staff from the College’s Transportation Technologies department will be available to answer questions for those interested in careers as automotive, diesel, auto collision repair, agricultural equipment and construction equipment technicians. Owens’ Transportation Technologies currently offers seven degrees and four certificate programs

For more information, please visit www.owens.edu or call 567-661-7388 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7388.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST GREEN INDUSTRY CAREER AND JOB FAIR

Posted on February 22nd, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 22, 2016 – Area residents and students with career aspirations in a green industry-related field are invited to learn about and explore various seasonal employment opportunities available throughout the region as Owens Community College hosts a Green Industry Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

The Green Industry Career and Job Fair will take place from 3-4:30 p.m. in the College’s Audio/Visual Classroom Center Rooms 125-127 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

Owens students and area residents attending the event are encouraged to bring several copies of their resume and to dress professionally in preparation for any impromptu interviews.

Approximately 15 area employers within such areas as landscape, golf course, small-scale farm, gardens/arboretums and garden centers will be in attendance. Employers will be looking to hire employees for the up coming 2016 season.

For more information about the Green Industry Career and Job Fair, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

LT. COL. DAVE GROSSMAN TO PROVIDE TRAINING SESSION, ‘BULLET PROOF THE MIND’

Posted on February 16th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 16, 2016 – Owens Community College is pleased to welcome Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, M.Ed., Us. Army (Ret.) a leading law enforcement trainer and Pulitzer nominated author, Tuesday, March 15, 9 a.m. – 3p.m. in the Audio Visual Classroom Center, rooms 125-128 on the Toledo-area Campus.

Lt. Col. Grossman is an internationally recognized scholar, author, soldier, and speaker who is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime. He’s a member of the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security and American College of Forensic Examiners Institute.

Col. Grossman is a former West Point psychology professor, Professor of Military Science, and an Army Ranger who has combined his experiences to become the founder of a new field of scientific endeavor, which has been termed “killology.” In this new field, Col. Grossman has made revolutionary new contributions to our understanding of killing in war, the psychological costs of war, the root causes of the current “virus” of violent crime that is raging around the world, and the process of healing the victims of violence, in war and peace.

He has authored nearly a dozen books, including “On Killing”, which is required reading at the FBI academy. He also has contributed to journals and periodicals, penned forewords, and written scholarly reference works. He has been an expert witness and consultant in state and Federal courts, to include serving on the prosecution team in UNITED STATES vs. TIMOTHY MCVEIGH.

Col. Grossman is an Airborne Ranger infantry officer, and a prior-service sergeant and paratrooper, with a total of more than 23 years’ experience in leading U.S. soldiers worldwide. He retired from the Army in February 1998 and has devoted himself to teaching, writing, speaking, and research. Today he is the director of the Killology Research Group, and in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks he is on the road almost 300 days a year, training elite military and law enforcement organizations worldwide about the reality of combat.

Registration is $35. For more information and to register, please visit www.owens.edu/bulletproof or call 567-661-7357.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY AT OWENS

Posted on January 29th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2016 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 5, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

Owens Dental Hygiene second-year students, faculty and alumni, and area dentists will be conducting dental services, which will include dental education and screening, X-rays, oral prophylaxis (cleanings), limited restorations and dental sealants. In addition, first-year students from the health program will provide educational presentations for parents and children.

649 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 7th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 7, 2015 – Six hundred forty-nine candidates for graduation, including 117 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 35th Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 18. Of those graduates, 129 will graduate with honors. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

The following degrees will be conferred: 120 Associate of Applied Business; 268 Associate of Applied Science; 129 Associate of Arts; 116 Associate of Science and 16 Associate of Technical Studies.

Mackenzie Harder, Education Transfer Concentration major graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors with a 4.0 grade-point average, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 20-year-old Martin native grew up on a 500-acre crop and livestock farm just outside Genoa with her parents, Neil and Tracy; older sister, Lindsay; younger brother, Noah; and grandparents, Allen and Beverly Harder.

A 2013 Toledo Christian High School graduate, Mackenzie originally started her higher education at Indiana Wesleyan University, majoring in exercise science. But she said she did not like the 4-year college’s size. At home during Thanksgiving break, while pondering her future, she saw an Owens commercial on TV, and decided Owens was the college for her. She enrolled in January 2014.

Of her Owens experience, she said, “I love it her. I feel right at home.”

She mentioned Elisa Huss-Hage, as one of the professors who was most helpful during her time at Owens.

“Mackenzie not only went above and beyond in her classroom studies, but took her experience past the classroom to volunteer for Special Olympics,” Elisa Huss-Hage, professor, Teacher Education and Human Services said. “Observing her interact with and support the Special Olympic athletes solidified my already strong feelings that Mackenzie is a caring, empathetic individual and one who emulates what I think all Owens graduates should espouse to be. I know that she will be an excellent teacher.”

In the summers, Harder works at SpringHill Camp in Evart, Michigan, where she started as a counselor and next summer will be a member of the resident staff overseeing and organizing operations. The camp offers faith-based activities and teachings for children in grades 1-12.

Before her next camp experience in 2016, Harder will spend three months in Cork, Ireland, working at a church teaching children and interning at a radio station.

In Fall 2016, Harder’s goal is to be employed by a school district as a teacher’s aide, supporting the teaching staff and making a difference in student lives.

“I want to give other people the opportunities I’ve had in life. I want to help others flourish and reach their goals,” she said.

Dr. David J. Livingston, president of Lourdes University, will serve as the keynote speaker.

A native of Dundee, a suburb of Chicago, IL, he received his B.A. in Chemistry from Augustana College; his M.A. in Theology from Loyola University, and his Ph.D. in Theology from Vanderbilt University. Past appointments have included teaching at Joliet Catholic Academy, and Loyola Academy in Joliet, and Wilmette, Illinois. Entering higher education in 1997, he accepted a tenure-track appointment in the Religious Studies Department at Mercyhurst College.

He and his wife Joan, a therapist, have seen their academic and professional careers take them to many cities throughout Illinois, and other locations including Europe, Mexico, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and now Ohio. The couple also enjoys spending time with their adult children Matt and Sara.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

Posted on November 24th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 24, 2015 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown Toledo, will be closed Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 25-29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and College offices will reopen Monday, Nov. 30.

OWENS PRESENTS YET-TO-BE WRITTEN, CAST AND REHEARSED PLAYS DURING 24-HOUR ‘THEATRE EXPRESS’ EVENT

Posted on November 18th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 18, 2015 – Owens Community College students and faculty as well as community members will write, cast, rehearse and perform multiple plays in a 24-hour time period as the Center for Fine and Performing Arts serves as host to the eighth annual fall “Theatre Express” production, Nov. 20-21. The 24-hour theatre event will conclude on Saturday, Nov. 21, with participants premiering multiple plays in the Main Stage Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

The 24-hour marathon begins Friday (Nov. 20) when Owens faculty members Eric Wallack, Shannon Smith, Joy Parker and Cindy Bosley, along with local artists Bianca Marcia and Erik Montgomery, and Owens alumnus Jordan Jarvis begin the arduous process of writing and staging multiple 10-minute plays based on photos of actors they are assigned. Owens Students and members of the community will act in these short plays, rehearsing them all day Nov. 21 and performing them that evening.

For additional information about the “Theatre Express” production, contact (567) 661-2798 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2798.

OWENS THEATRE PROGRAM AND THE VALENTINE THEATRE PARTNER FOR SCHOOLS HELPING SCHOOLS

Posted on November 17th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 17, 2015 – Community members are cordially invited to support the second annual, Schools Helping Schools, a partnership with the Valentine Theatre’s education outreach program, by purchasing a patron ticket that includes a private dessert reception following Owens Theatre performance, Theatre Express.

The patron ticket will cover the cost of 10 students from a Toledo Public School to attend a Valentine School Day performance throughout the 2015-16 school year. Schools located in underserved areas will be the recipients of these tickets.

The Valentine Theatre’s education outreach program, Valentine School Days, provides professional theatre productions for children from pre-school through high school. The national tours are top-quality and incorporate the arts together with the Ohio Core Standards and provides for a learning opportunity that ties literature with the spoken-word.

Patron tickets are $30 each and holders are encouraged to attend the Saturday, Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m. Owens Theatre Program performance, Theatre Express, a production of six different plays that have been written, cast, rehearsed and performed in a 24-hour period before the private dessert reception, featuring the Owens Jazz Express immediately following.

Toledo Express will take place at Owens Community College’s Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road, Perrysburg.

To purchase patron tickets, please visit www.valentinetheatre.com or call 419-242-2787. Your total purchase is tax deductible.

OWENS WELCOMES NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR CELESTE NG

Posted on October 30th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2015 – New York Times Bestselling Author, Celeste Ng, will appear at Owens Community College’s Toledo-area Campus and Findlay-area Campus to discuss her novel, Everything I Never Told You, a profoundly moving story of family, secrets and longing.

Organized by the College’s Literacy Committee, the Tuesday, Nov. 3 event on the Toledo-area Campus will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts and Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 12:30 p.m. in the Community Education and Wellness Center on the Findlay-area Campus.

Ng’s novel has graced numerous “Best of 2014” lists and earned top honors on Amazon as its Best Book of the Year.

In this literary thriller, Ng tells the story of a Chinese American family living in small-town Ohio in the 1970s whose middle child, Lydia, mysteriously disappears. As the family’s lives are uprooted, they are forced to confront long-held secrets that have been slowly pulling the family apart.

In her lectures, Ng deftly explores issues of cultural identity, gender relations, and the struggles faced by multicultural families

Ng grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Shaker Heights, Ohio, in a family of scientists. She attended Harvard University and earned a master of fine arts from the University of Michigan (now the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan), where she won the Hopwood Award. Her fiction and essays have appeared in One Story, TriQuarterly, Bellevue Literary Review, the Kenyon Review Online, and elsewhere, and she is a recipient of the Pushcart Prize.

For more information, please contact Diane Routson at 567-661-7055 or diane_routson@owens.edu.

OWENS DELIVERS BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO AREA CHILDREN

Posted on September 21st, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 21, 2015 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with Books-A-Million Inc., ten Directions Credit Union branches, two Great Lakes Credit Union branches and six Genoa Bank branches are brightening many children’s lives through a unique community service endeavor titled “Backpack to the Future.” Five hundred sixty-five backpacks and 9,900 school supply items collected throughout the summer months are being donated to 21 area elementary schools during the month of September.

Beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 3:30 p.m., Owens representatives will deliver backpacks and supplies to benefit kindergarten students in Bowling Green, North Baltimore, Rossford, Northwood, Genoa, Elmwood and Woodmore school districts at Rossford’s Glenwood Elementary School (8950 Avenue Rd.) Owens representatives will also donate backpacks and school supplies to ten Toledo Public Schools—Old West End Academy, Chase STEM Academy, Sherman Elementary, Walbridge Elementary, Ella Stewart Academy for Girls, Martin Luther King Academy for Boys, McKinley Elementary, Garfield Elementary, Spring Elementary and Longfellow Elementary – presented at Toledo Public Schools’ Old West End Elementary School (3131 Cambridge St.) at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24. Owens representatives will make their final stop at Jacobs Primary (600 Jacobs Ave.) in Findlay on Monday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m.

The drive also collected over $5,375 from community members. The charitable donations will go toward the purchase of school supplies.

The Owens Alumni Association established “Backpack to the Future” supply drive in 2004 as a way to provide educational outreach to the surrounding communities. To date, the program has given 4,513 backpacks and 80,911 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

OWENS EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO SPEND DAY GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY GROUPS

Posted on August 19th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2015 – Owens Community College employees and students will spend a morning and afternoon giving back to others in the surrounding Northwest Ohio communities as part of the United Way of Greater Toledo’s “Day of Caring” Friday, Aug. 21.

Throughout the day, Owens volunteers will roll up their sleeves and participate in a variety of interactive projects within the Toledo Public School District that could include, but are not limited to: painting, cleaning, gardening, organizing, building, or visiting.

The community outreach activities in the Toledo area are taking place in conjunction with the United Way’s annual “Week of Caring” initiative. The Owens volunteer team is among a number of organizations, matched with area non-profit groups, who are working on various outreach projects designed to strengthen the surrounding communities through the efforts of the United Way of Greater Toledo.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTS ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC

Posted on August 11th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 11, 2015 – Golf enthusiasts and amateurs alike are invited to support alumni programs and scholarships and participate in the Owens Community College Alumni Association’s 13^th Annual Golf Classic held Monday, Sept. 21 at Belmont Country Club, Perrysburg.

Considered one of the finest golf fundraisers held annually in Northwest Ohio, the Golf Classic will feature 18 holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program.

The generosity of sponsors and businesses have enable the Golf Classic to generate more than $343,000 in its first 12 years to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations. The 2015 Golf Classic event sponsor is Hylant Family Foundation. Metzgers Printing and Mailing is the print sponsor.

“Owens Community College’s Alumni Association is proud to host a community-wide event, benefitting students in pursuit of a college education,” said Laura Moore, Owens Alumni Association executive director. “The Golf Classic is a unique opportunity for business and industry, as well as Owens alumni, to become involved in supporting higher education and ensuring our students with opportunities for transformational lifelong learning.”

The four-person scramble golf competition will begin with a shotgun start at 1:15 p.m. Lunch will precede golf from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. The day will conclude with participants reminiscing about their golf experience over a grazing dinner at 6 p.m A short program will occur at this time to recognize all prize winners.

Individuals, businesses and organizations are invited to support the Golf Classic by entering a team at the Eagle ($1,000) or Birdie ($800) level. Non-golfer support levels are available for $350 and $250.

The Belmont Country Club is located at Bates Road in Perrysburg. The tournament is limited to the first 30-foursome teams. For more information, or to register a team, contact Owens Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876 or go online to www.owens.edu/alumni.

OWENS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AWARD 2015 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on May 13th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 13, 2015 – Owens Community College’s Board of Trustees honored area high school seniors recently for their outstanding achievements, offering thousands of dollars in new scholarships through the Trustees’ Academic Excellence Scholarship Program.

“Owens Community College is honored to recognize the Trustees’ Academic Excellence scholarship recipients for their dedication to academic excellence and outstanding service to their respective schools and communities,” said Richard Rowe, Owens Chair of the Board of Trustees. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to commend them on their accomplishments and welcome them to Owens Community College.”

The Academic Excellence Scholarship Program was created in 1998 by Owens’ Board of Trustees to recognize the outstanding achievements of graduating high school seniors. Each recipient will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

The scholarship is provided over four consecutive semesters with applicants being enrolled full-time and pursuing an associates degree at the College, as well as maintaining a 3.0 grade point average each semester. Since its creation more than a decade ago, the Trustees’ Academic Excellence Scholarship Program has provided over $1.3 million in scholarships to over 700 students.

Students receiving a Trustees’ Academic Excellence Scholarship and their intended course of study at Owens include:

Samantha Gill, an Anthony Wayne High School graduate (Culinary Arts)
Ashton Johns, an Archbold High School graduate (Dental Hygiene)
Courtney Stoltz, an Arlington High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Arely Cardenas, a Bowling Green High School graduate (Early Childhood)
Maya Olive, a Calvin M. Woodward High School graduate (Social Work)
Tyler Kish, a Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School graduate (Marketing and Sales)
Alexis Zacharias, a Central Catholic High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Madeline Duwve, a Clay High School graduate (Entrepreneurship)
Mallory Bowen, a Crestview High School graduate (Diagnostic Medical Sonography)
Marissah Blunk, an E. L. Bowsher High School graduate (Undeclared)
Morgan Donaldson, an Eastwood High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Dylan Benschoter, an Elmwood High School graduate (Business Mgt.)
Cassidy Daniels, an Emmanuel Christian graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Stephen Markley, a Findlay Digital Academy graduate (Accounting)
Ashley Overacker, a Findlay High School graduate (Dental Hygiene)
Paige Wheeler, a Four County Career Center graduate (Photography)
Meghan Cook, a Fremont Ross High School graduate (Hospitality Mgt.)
Monique Nelson, a Horizon Science Academy of Toledo graduate (Pre-nursing)
Chris Serra, a Lake High School graduate (Business)
Nicholas Kurtz, a Maumee High School graduate (Criminal Justice)
Nakayla Shoemaker, a McComb High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Thomas Stennett, a Millstream Career Center graduate (Undeclared)
Lynzee Richardson, a Napoleon High School graduate (Criminal Justice)
Ashley Fisher, a North Baltimore High School graduate (Pre-Vet Science)
Stephen Sutton, a Northwood High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Molly Baker, a Notre Dame Academy graduate (Undeclared)
Ryan Pavlica, an Oak Harbor High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Micah Swanson, an Otsego High School graduate (Education)
Danielle Flory, a Penta Career Center graduate (Physical Therapy Asst.)
Cassandra Schorsch, a Perrysburg High School graduate (Early Childhood)
Victoria Williams, a Rogers High School graduate (Pre-Health Info.)
Hannah Gauthier, a Rossford High School graduate (Medical Imaging)
William Newland, a Roy C. Start High School graduate (Construction Trades)
Brianne Grup, a Springfield High School graduate (Medical Assisting)
Braxton Bowers, a St. John’s Jesuit High School graduate (Electrical)
Madison Collins, a St. Joseph Central Catholic High School graduate (Business)
Rachel Kashian, a St. Paul High School graduate (Medical Imaging)
Jayda Wertz, a St. Ursula Academy graduate (Undeclared)
Khalil Pettaway, a Summit Academy Secondary graduate (Mechanical Engineering)
Jillian Keil, a Swanton High School graduate (Radiology)
Shania Veteto, a Sylvania Southview High School graduate (Technical Study)
Aubrey Thompson, a Toledo School for the Arts graduate (Undeclared)
Nicholas Taylor, a Toledo Technology Academy graduate (Machining Certificate)
Timothy Griffin, an Upper Sandusky High School graduate (Criminal Justice)
Mackenzie Howard, a Van Buren High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Dalton Mason, a Vanlue High School graduate (Undeclared)
Mickenna Schweinhagen, a Wauseon High School graduate (Pre-Dental Hygiene)
Alissa Saddoris, a Whitmer High School graduate (Pre-Nursing)
Kiel Fritz, a Willard High School graduate (John Deere)
Kaila Grant, a Woodmore High School graduate (General Arts)

765 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on May 4th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 4, 2015 – Seven hundred sixty-eight candidates for graduation, including 112 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 49^th annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 8. The commencement will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Senator Randy Gardner will serve as the keynote speaker. Gardner is currently in his 30^th year of serving Northwest Ohio in the Ohio General Assembly. During this time, Senator Gardner has never missed one day of voting session in the House of Representatives or Senate, casting more than 9,600 consecutive roll call votes on bills, amendments and resolutions.

His leadership positions have included Senate Majority Leader and House Speaker Pro Tem. A former high school history and government teacher, Senator Gardner has been honored with the Pioneer in Education Award from the Ohio Department of Education, the Washington Center Award for his work in support of higher education and the Andrew Carnegie Award from the Ohio Library Association. He became a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society in a ceremony at Owens Community College.

Senator Gardner received both his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and Master’s Degree in Political Science from Bowling Green State University.

Today, he is a member of the Senate Education and Finance committees and chairman of the Senate Finance Higher Education Subcommittee.

Senator Gardner resides in Bowling Green with his wife, Sandy, an Owens Community College Alumna. They are the parents of three children; Brooks, who attended Owens Community College, Christina and Austin.

Ebony High, a Medical Office Support major graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 37-year-old Toledo resident is the first person from her family to both attend college and earn a college degree. High embarked on a lengthy life journey before starting her own Owens education.

Primarily a stay-at-home mom for nearly a decade, she and her family left Toledo in February 2009 after her husband, Greg, lost his skilled trades job due to the economic downturn. They also lost their house. With Mr. High in search of employment, they moved to Atlanta and then Dallas where family and friends lived. But the skilled trades positions did not work out in either location.

The High family returned to Toledo to start over in December 2010. Mr. High opened his own tile and flooring business and Mrs. High wanted to support her husband, so she pursued administrative assistant degree options at Owens that would complement his business, enrolling in Fall Semester 2011. “We wanted to support each other as best as we could,” she said.

Growing up, High lived with her mother who struggled financially as a single parent to provide for her five children. But she emphasized she did not have a bad childhood. After her mother married High’s stepfather, together they provided a stable home for the family.

The 1995 Scott High School graduate spent two years at a local 4-year university before meeting her future husband, getting married and focusing her energy and faith on raising their three children, Draivon, 17; Domonic, 15 and Daneah, 6.

High acknowledges she has risen from financial hardship to middle class. She said she is thankful for her increased self-worth due to her Owens experience.

“You don’t know that you are not educated until you are educated,” she said.

After Commencement, High will be looking for a job. She has applied for several office administrative positions. She also has considered returning to college and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS LANDSCAPE AND TURFGRASS CREW CLUB TO HOST ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE APRIL 29 & 30

Posted on April 27th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 27, 2014 – Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards are encouraged to attend the Landscape Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Spring Plant Sale at Owens Community College, Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30.

The plant sale will be held from 10 a.m. until 6p.m. next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature a wide selection of shrubs and rare, unusual trees, as well as annuals, among other items. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

“The annual spring plant sale also provides our students with the unique opportunity to showcase their talents to the general public and the campus community. Annual plants will be in the form of assorted 4” pots, 10” hanging baskets, and 14” planters filled with beautiful blooming plants,” added Foley. “The annuals were all grown by the students within the College’s greenhouse.” Prices for the annuals will vary, based on sizes, but will competitive.

Shrubs on hand will include assorted hydrangeas, hardy shrub roses, Fothergilla, and many others. Shrubs will range in price from $18 to $25. Several rare and unusual trees will also be available, including the Japanese stewartia, Carolina Silverbell, white fringe tree, and many grafted Japanese maples and dogwoods, as well as many others. Tree prices will range from $20 to $80. The Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club will also sell perennials, including select hostas and daylilies. A complete listing of the available plants with their prices is available online at https://www.owens.edu/direct/plantsale.pdf

All proceeds from the plant sale will help in supporting the organization’s participation in the annual PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days, which is a national horticultural and landscape competition involving over 65 colleges and universities from across the country.

The College’s Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club was founded in 2005 with the mission of fostering stronger bonds among students majoring in the Landscape and Turfgrass Management program. Among the organization’s main initiatives is creating a network between alumni and current students to help in assisting individuals pursue careers within the landscape, turfgrass and related horticulture industries. The group also hosts fundraisers to support club outreach activities in the surrounding communities.

For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, call Chris Foley at (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS

Posted on April 23rd, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 23, 2015 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has chosen seven area residents to receive the 12th annual Outstanding Service Awards for their tremendous contributions to Northwest Ohio’s communities. The recipients will be honored as part of a community celebration Friday, April 24 in the Audio Visual Classrooms, rooms 125-128 on Owens Toledo-area Campus beginning at 8 a.m.

Award recipients are Sean LaPlante, Dan Garner, Frank Reidy, Chris Archer, Terry Goad, Brandon Loboschefski, and Mark Grove.

“The Outstanding Service Awards are Owens’ Alumni Association way to honor the efforts of Northwest Ohio’s safety forces,” said Matt A. Feasel, president, Owens Alumni Association. “This is our chance to thank them for their continued service to our region, state and country. This year we once again have the privilege of recognizing an outstanding group of individuals.”

The awards are presented within the categories of Outstanding Police, Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician and Service to Community. Selection criterion is based upon a nomination process for candidates demonstrating exceptional service related to dedication, ingenuity, bravery, special skills and/or community service over a sustained period of time. The awards are not limited to a single recipient and can be a group honor where teamwork was a key element.

The recipients of the Outstanding Police Award are Sean LaPlante of Maumee (deputy, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office), Dan Garner of Maumee (deputy, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office), Frank Reidy of Toledo (deputy, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office), and Chris Archer of Temperance (deputy, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office).

LaPlante, Garner, Reidy and Archer were nominated by Dave Friddell, captain, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office for their compassion, desire and willingness to go above and beyond to make a positive impact.

On Oct. 5, 2014, Deputies LaPlante and Garner responded to a call regarding a mother who could not take care of her three children, ages 4 months to 11 years, anymore and wanted them to be placed where they would be cared for. After several phone calls, LaPlante and Garner found the children’s grandmother, who agreed to take in the children. Because the grandmother’s home was not prepared for the sudden arrival of three small children, LaPlante and Garner took it upon themselves to provide diapers, wipes, juice boxes, pizza and other amenities for the children. Deputy LaPlante even donated his X-Box gaming system to provide entertainment for the older children.

On July 12, 2014, at the end of a 12-hour patrol shift, Deputy Frank Reidy and Deputy Chris Archer decided to check on an illegally parked RV. Deputy Reidy knocked on the RV door to determine if anyone was inside. A small child answered the door. Inside the RV were five children, ages 3 to 14 years. The children’s father appeared unconscious and smelled of alcohol. The father, once awoken, could not stand without assistance. The father was booked into the Lucas County Corrections Center, charged with five counts of child endangerment.

When speaking with the oldest of the five children, Deputies Reidy and Archer learned the father had taken them to the Toledo Zoo earlier in the day and was to take them to the Toledo Mud Hens game that evening as part of an organized Cub Scout outing. When additional units arrived, Deputies Reidy and Archer loaded the children into cruisers and took them to the Mud Hens game. They escorted the children into the ball field and helped them find their group. They collected amongst themselves and two other deputies nearly $50 so the children could enjoy ballpark snacks. Deputies Reidy and Archer had made early contact with the children’s grandparents and waited with the children until they were reunited safely with their grandparents.

The recipient of the Outstanding Firefighter Award is Terry Goad of Toledo (assistant fire chief, Morin Point Fire Department). Richard Bosak, lieutenant, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department nominated Goad for his selflessness and bravery during a two-car accident that involved two very serious injuries and a vehicle fully engulfed in flames.

On the evening of June 27, 2014, a white Lincoln, driven by a 23-year-old man was traveling the wrong way on Benore Road and the I-75 overpass. Witnesses say cars swerved to barely escape collision. At an estimated speed of 60 miles per hour, the wrong-way driver ultimately crashed into a Grand Prix driven by a 22-year-old female. The Lincoln burst into flames with the driver trapped inside.

Assistant Fire Chief Terry Goad, while off-duty, came upon the horrific scene. The car was totally engulfed in flames. He was told that someone was trapped inside the burning vehicle, so he ran to the car and pried the door open. The driver’s foot was pinned, making removal a challenge. After a few attempts, the driver was pulled out at the last minute. Assistant Fire Chief Goad helped direct several civilians in the removal and relocation of the driver to a safe place away from the burning vehicle. He then turned his attention to the female driver who was trapped in her vehicle just feet from the burning automobile.

Brandon Loboschefski of Maumee (fire chief, City of Maumee Fire Division) is the recipient of the Outstanding Emergency Medical Technician Award. John Jezak, city administrator and safety director, and Tom King, fire inspector, Maumee Fire Division, City of Maumee, nominated Loboschefski for his life-saving efforts during the cardiac arrest of King.

On Saturday, May 17, 2014, Maumee Fire Inspector Tom King arrived home from an out-of-town vacation. Planning to spend Sunday unpacking and preparing to return to work on Monday, Inspector King instead awoke at 6 a.m. gasping for breath. Instinctively, his wife, Renee, realized something was very wrong and quickly dialed 911 for help.

As fate would have it, his next-door neighbor, Fire Chief Brandon Loboschefski, happened to have his scanner on and heard the emergency call. He immediately ran to the King residence where he removed Inspector King from the bed and began performing CPR. He also applied an AED that he brought with him and administered one shock prior to the arrival of paramedics. Inspector King was suffering a cardiac arrest and his condition, often referred to as a “widow maker,” was grave.

After extensive treatment, surgery and rehabilitation that lasted nearly three months, Inspector King was cleared to return to work, suffering no brain damage and only the slightest damage to his heart. Chief Brandon Loboschefski not only saved Inspector King’s life, he preserved its quality as well.

Mark Grove of Woodville (1^st assistant fire chief, Woodville Township Fire Department) is named the Outstanding Service to Community Award recipient. William Andrews, chief, Woodville Township Fire Department, nominated Grove for his leadership and dedication.

For the past 38 years, Mark Grove has been with the Woodville Township Fire Department, serving as assistant chief since 1996. Assistant Chief Grove takes fire prevention, fire safety and knowledge of fire service very seriously. He has taken classes on his own and brought back information to teach others, improving the department. He also performs annual pump tests on department pumpers to save money. Assistant Chief Grove’s knowledge of equipment, water movements and fire services expertise benefits the whole department, as well as neighboring departments that ask for his help.

Grove uses his personal time to teach fire prevention and fire safety to local elementary school children. He routinely secures donations of materials and labor to build the props he uses, many times building them himself. Examples of the educational props include multiple styles of windows to teach skills needed to exit a burning home and a hollow core door internally fitted with a heating pad so students can learn how to feel a door for heat. In addition to stop, drop and roll techniques, Grove teaches children the importance of parent-led fire drills complete with family meeting locations and regular smoke detector operational checks.

He has helped the police department teach bicycle safety and assisted with the distribution of donated bicycle helmets during Bicycle Safety Week. Grove is a local fire inspector and maintains his certification by attending continuing education courses on his own time.

He has been an asset to the department for many years and has given of himself to make the department and the community a safer, better place.

OWENS TO HOST STUDENT LEAD DEBATE AND FORUM ON ETHICS OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE

Posted on April 14th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 14, 2015 – The controversial argument surrounding assisted suicide is a powerful one that on one side speaks to the capacity for compassion and individual choice and the other to the reverence for life. Area residents interested in learning more about both sides of the issue are encouraged to attend a free debate and forum at Owens Community College Tuesday, April 21.

“Events like this challenge students to look at contemporary concerns in a critical light, and gives them the tools to help other do the same,” said Michael Greene, adjunct faculty member, Owens Community College.

Hosted by Owens philosophy students, the debate and forum will begin at 9 a.m. in College Hall Room 100 on the Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road, Perrysburg. The event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

Greene will serve as the moderator for the open discussion.

For additional information about the event, call (567) 661-7454 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7454.

OWENS CELEBRATES COMMUNITY COLLEGE MONTH

Posted on April 8th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 8, 2015 – Owens Community College will celebrate its role in providing higher education to the surrounding Northwest Ohio region with a series of events and activities during Community College Month, which is held nationally in April.

“Owens Community College plays a prominent role in providing area residents with innovative learning and training opportunities on which to build future success,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “As community colleges across the country celebrate April as Community College Month, I encourage those individuals who are or have attended a community college to share their story of success with someone who may have never considered higher education as an option. Together, we can positively impact the lives of others through lifelong learning.”

The celebration will include a variety of weekly events to help recognize the important role that community colleges play in educating students and to express appreciation to faculty, staff, students and community partners for their hard work and dedication to Owens and our communities.

Community College Month is celebrated around the country in April to commemorate the contributions community colleges make in educating and training students for the future. Community colleges provide enhanced educational opportunities, create greater access to higher education and strengthen economic development initiatives in the communities they support.

There are more than 1,100 community colleges in the United States, with a combined enrollment of more than 12 million students. The average age of a community college student nationwide is 28. More than 750,000 associate degrees are awarded annually and 46 percent of all U.S. undergraduates attend a community college. Owens’ Community College Month activities are collaboration between several College departments. For additional information and a list of events, visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS TO HOST FIFTH ANNUAL HONORS PROGRAM SYMPOSIUM AND MEDALLION CEREMONY

Posted on March 31st, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 31, 2015 – Owens Community College honors students will have the opportunity to showcase their research and creative works in multiple disciplines during the fifth annual Honors Symposium and medallion Ceremony on Friday, April 10.

The Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony will occur from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Audio Visual Class Rooms 121-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The event is free and open to the public.

The Owens’ Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony will feature oral presentations and panel discussions by students on several topic areas, including history, politics, culture, ethics, morality, critical thinking, anthropology, religion, literature, international affairs and Shakespeare, among others. Each presentation and panel discussion is a collaborative effort between Honors Program students and Owens faculty members.

In addition, the Owens Honors Program will recognize students for their educational success and leadership with the bestowing of an Owens Honors Program medallion.

The Honors Program at Owens provides a challenging educational opportunity, above and beyond the standard curriculum, for exceptional students who strive for academic excellence. More than 100 students are members of the current Owens Honors Program on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses.

Honors Program students must complete a total of 15 credit hours of honors courses, which includes nine credit hours of elective honors courses and two core courses titled Introduction to Critical Thinking and Honors Great Readings: Ancient World through the Middle Ages. To graduate as an Honors Scholar and receive the Honors Program medallion, a student must earn a cumulative 3.5 grade point average and complete an honors portfolio where they engage in directed research or service learning around essential questions or themes appropriate to their program of study as part of a capstone project, among other criteria.

In addition, Owens Honors Program graduates are able to continue their educational pursuits at Bowling Green State University, Eastern Michigan University or the University of Toledo as the academic institutions have in place seamless transfer agreements between the respective Honors Programs.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION RECOGNIZES STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Posted on February 26th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 25, 2015 – Owens Community College Foundation has awarded more than $153,400 in scholarships for the 2014-15 academic year to students for their outstanding achievements.

“Owens Community College’s Foundation is honored to recognize these outstanding scholarship recipients for their exemplary efforts while pursuing their dream of a college education,” said Laura Moore, Owens Interim Executive Director of College Development and the Foundation. “It is the generous support of our donors that allows us to recognize and honor these students’ achievements. Every donor who supports Foundation scholarships helps in providing enhanced opportunities for students to achieve success.

The Owens Foundation was incorporated in April 2002 and has over $3.5 million in assets. The Foundation Board of Directors currently is comprised of 25 community leaders from Lucas, Wood and Hancock counties. The mission of the Owens Foundation and its Board of Directors is developing and providing resources to advance the College’s overall mission of serving students and the surrounding communities. The Foundation is also dedicated to removing barriers to education by providing student scholarships and supporting growth and innovation at Owens.

Allan & Suzanne Libbe Scholarship: Katlyn Moriarty of Toledo received a $500 scholarship and Bayley Hill of Findlay and Samantha Hill of Findlay each received a $250 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours each semester and have achieved a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to incoming freshmen that are graduates of Findlay High School or Maumee High School.

Alumni Legacy Scholarship: Dane Fountain of Holland and Aricka Lavoy of Pemberville each received a $3,500 scholarship and Paul Cieply of Rossford and Cassidy Hopkins of Perrysburg each received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and have a parent or legal guardian who is a current, paid voting member of the Owens Alumni Association.

American Society for Industrial Security International, Toledo Chapter, Fred C. Heck and Charles W. North Scholarships: Amber Harris of Walbridge and Mary Johnson of Waterville each received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be a second-year student. Preference is given to criminal justice technology majors.

Art and Connie Smith Honors Scholarship: Ann Leahy of Toledo, Lucy Hutchins of Findlay and Kathleen Shaw of Tiffin each received a $512 scholarship. Recipients must have been accepted into the Owens Community College Honors Program.

Bill Buck Memorial Scholarship: Katilin Glover of Maumee received a $385 scholarship and Gili Oren of Toledo received a $154 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, be working toward an associate’s degree, have a disability and be registered with the College’s Disability Services Office.

Bud Weaver Memorial Scholarship: Elizabeth Reynolds of Wauseon received a $493 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a student who is a criminal justice technology major.

Central West Area Council Scholarship: Steven Ambrose of Toledo received a $1,146 scholarship. Recipients must reside in the Central West area of Toledo, be pursuing an associate’s degree and have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to part-time students.

Chuck Holsclaw Memorial Scholarship: Kira Robertson of Oregon and Cynthia Trutt of Findlay each received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to students who are 22 years of age or older.

Cloyd Payne Memorial Math Scholarship: Christopher Anukwu of Toledo received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have successfully completed MTH 232.

Cristoforo Colombo Lodge #772 Scholarship: Breana McPherson of North Baltimore and Katlyn Moriarty of Toledo each received a $452 scholarship. Recipients must be a graduate of a Northwest Ohio high school, be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference will be given to a student of Italian descent.

Delta Dental Foundation Dental Hygiene Scholarship: Rebecca Acosta of Pemberville and Lainey Foster of Columbus each received a $1,250 scholarship and Haley Hermiller of Ottawa and Cynthia Trutt of Findlay each received a $625 scholarship. Recipients must have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in the Dental Hygiene program.

Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship: Scott Histed of Maumee received a $2,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and have completed at least 12 credit hours at Owens. Preference is given to criminal justice technology majors.

Donald Leonhardt Welding Scholarship: Paul Cieply of Rossford received a $1,034 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a student majoring in welding.

Dr. Bettie Gehring Scholarship: Sherell Osbin of Fremont received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference will be given to single parents enrolled in Early Childhood Education Technology.

Edward and Linda Reiter Scholarship: Kole Peterson of Pioneer received a $647 scholarship and Lizzie Heyman of Monroeville received a $323.50 scholarship. Recipients must have completed 12 credit hours at Owens, be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a technology-specific associate degree program.

Edwin H. Simmons Memorial Scholarship: Alexander Bohland of Oregon, Alexander Korecki of Toledo, Tim Martin of Toledo and Luke Sines of Bryan each received a $2,500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a degree or certificate program offered through the School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

Findlay Accounting Scholarship: Lucy Hutchins of Findlay received a $400 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a Findlay-area Campus student who is an Accounting major.

Findlay Leadership Scholarship: Clinton Berry of Findlay received a $400 scholarship. Recipients must have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester. Preference is given to Findlay-area Campus students.

Ford Scholarship: Cristin Franks of Findlay, Harold Kuhbander of Columbus Grove and Shelby Rowe of Alger each received a $764 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester. This award is designated for women and minorities and preference is given to Ford employees and their spouses and children.

George D. Allesee Memorial Scholarship: Christina Brown of Fostoria and Barbara Fritz of Arlington each received a $500 scholarship and Helen Dilworth of Maumee received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to business majors and students who are 22 years of age or older.

Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative Scholarship: Barbara Fritz of Arlington, Toni Walk of Risingsun and Sally Young of Findlay each received a $200 scholarship. Recipients must be a member of the Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative or live on the Hancock-Wood Cooperative lines. In addition, individuals must have achieved a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA.

Helen Steinke IAAP Scholarship: Lynne Gramling of Toledo received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be a Toledo-area campus student enrolled in the Office Administration major.

James A. Adams Memorial Scholarship: Sarah Sandoval of Montpelier, Catherine Studer of Bellevue and Phillip Wells of Fostoria each received a $586 scholarship. Recipients of this award must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

James H. Baehren Scholarship: Heather Haynes of Pemberville and Nathan Lueders of Vanlue each received a $614 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Janet and Ralph Patchin LegUP Scholarship: Jonathan Thomas of Walbridge received a $2,500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, have emancipated from the foster care system and be deemed financially independent. Preference will be given to Wood County residents with second preference to Hancock, Lucas, Ottawa and Sandusky county residents.

John and Margaret Kurfess Scholarship: Kelsey Kalisik of Liberty Center and Geneva Scott of Walbridge each received a $335.50 scholarship. Recipients must have completed at least 16 credit hours at Owens, be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a health sciences major.

John Deere Scholarship: Daniel Bittner of Decatur, IN, Nathan Buehrer of Montpelier, Kody Degler of Portland, IN, Robert Fisher of New Vienna, Joel Foister of Home, PA, David Geiger of Harbor Beach, MI, Braden Kehres of Crestline, Joshua Kellar of Rayland, Jonathon Lewellen of Mount Vernon, Nathan McClain of Payne, Jarred Melcher of Bowling Green, Nathan Patton of Walbridge, Luke Sines of Bryan and Benjamin Thomas of Grand Rapids each received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be a John Deere major.

Jones-Hamilton Company Scholarship: Alexander Shelhart of Oregon and Anthony Smoktonowicz of Perrysburg each received a $900 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester and have and maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to residents of Lake Township, Perrysburg Township, Rossford or Northwood

Margaret (Margy) Matthews Scholarship: Bailey Ridge received a $728 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a student who is an Early Childhood Education major.

Mary’s Scholarship: Cathryn Alexander of Toledo, Kaitlin Fall of Toledo, Julie Feltman of Perrysburg, Jennifer Marlowe of Perrysburg, Toni Walk of Risingsun and Sally Young of Findlay each received a $932 scholarship; Kristine Combs of Findlay, Tammi Diemer of Ottawa, Elizabeth Fajkos of Oregon, Amber Miller of Risingsun, Kristy Polan of Weston and Megan Tanner of Toledo each received a $466 scholarship; Janet Torres of Oregon received a $560.25 scholarship and Robert Mullens of Oregon received a $126.10 scholarship. Recipients must have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to employees of Little Sisters of the Poor or the College’s nursing majors.

Maumee Rotary STRIVE Scholarship: Kathlyn LaChapelle of Maumee received a $1,500 scholarship. Recipients must be graduating seniors of Penta Career Center who are participating in the Students Taking a Renewed Interest in the Value of Education (STRIVE) program.

Michael W. Rickard Memorial Scholarship: Cynthia Trutt of Findlay received a $708 scholarship. Recipients should display sustained Owens school spirit, devotion to the College or other forms of enhancing the student experience and demonstrate high levels of participation and engagement in campus life within student clubs, organizations or athletics. Preference is given to a student who is enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester and has achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Mike and Carol Bower Honors Scholarship: April Brown of Lambertville, MI and Kimberly Ferguson of Northwood each received a $1,250 scholarship. Recipients must have been accepted into the Owens Community College Honors Program.

Mosser Construction Scholarship: Thomas Russell of Toledo received a $1,836 scholarship. Recipients must be a second-year student enrolled in a construction-related program and must have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce Scholarship: Megan Dunn of Graytown was awarded a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be a graduate of Oak Harbor High School.

Officer William A. Miscannon Memorial Scholarship: Taylor Beck of Genoa received a $1,800 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours per semester and maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to students majoring in criminal justice who plan to pursue a career in law enforcement.

Owens Community College Foundation Scholarship: Edward Coker of Toledo, Rachel Isenhart of Toledo and Kimberly Stevens of Wauseon each received a $1,000 scholarship; Lainey Foster of Columbus, Viktoriya Gudnyy of Toledo, Haley Hermiller of Ottawa, Addison Lane of Whitehouse, William Lemle of Monclova, Cassandra Passalacqua of Maumee, Bailey Ridge of McComb, Pam Talmadge of Findlay, Makenzie Watkins of Fostoria, Tammy Williams of Genoa and Lydia Yeager of Toledo each received a $500 scholarship and Kyle Olszewski of Maumee received a $250 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Owens Community College Foundation Diamante Latino Scholarship: Tabitha Mixon of Toledo received a $1,500 scholarship and Laura Aranda of Toledo and Robert Santillan of Toledo each received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be of Latino heritage.

Owens Corning Diamante Latino Scholarship: Laura Aranda of Toledo and Robert Santillan of Toledo each received a $289.50 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and be of Latino heritage.

Owens Faculty Association Scholarship: Allison Glanz of Grand Rapids received a $300 scholarship and Haley Hermiller of Ottawa and Isaiah Rupp of Palmyra, MI each received a $150 scholarship. Recipients must be the child of a current Owens Faculty Association member and be enrolled a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. Current students must have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, while new students must have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Owens Honors Scholarship: Ayanda Mkhize of Findlay and Terry Spitnale of Toledo each received a $460 scholarship and Karen Medina of Toledo and Catherine Studer of Bellevue each received a $230 scholarship. Recipients must have been accepted into the Owens Community College Honors Program.

Pauline Schmidt Memorial Scholarship: Rebecca Acosta of Pemberville received a $326 scholarship. Recipients must have completed 12 credit hours at Owens, be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in the dental hygiene program.

Perrysburg Rotary STRIVE Scholarship: Maegen Anders of Maumee and Alison Kopp of Perrysburg each received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be graduating seniors of Penta Career Center who are participating in the Students Taking a Renewed Interest in the Value of Education (STRIVE) program.

PNC Diamante Latino Scholarship: Laura Aranda of Toledo received a $640 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and be of Latino heritage.

Post-Secondary Option Book Scholarship: Hannah Ball of Findlay, Cassidy Hopkins of Perrysburg, Rachel Law of Jenera, Jacob Mattoni of Waterville, Emily Mysinger of Curtice, Macy Smith of Findlay, Taylor Smith of Fostoria, Amalya Stevenson of Northwood and Rachel Wiseley of Findlay each received an $800 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Individuals must be former Post-Secondary Option students who are continuing their education at Owens following their high school graduation.

President Daniel H. Brown Scholarship: Taylor Broadwater of Holland, Stephanie Endicott of Fostoria and Nichole Miller of Toledo each received an $811 scholarship and Megan Albright of Clyde, Juanita Ellis of Toledo, Brandon Geiser of Pioneer and Brittany Grady of Whitehouse each received a $405.50 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to health science students.

Private Industry Collaborative Scholarship: Stephanie East-Ginting of Perrysburg and Melinda Tulak of Toledo each received a $607 scholarship and Teresa Boice of Milton Center and Julie Feltman of Perrysburg each received a $303.50 scholarship. Recipients must be a non-traditional student who is a dislocated or soon-to-be dislocated worker.

Ray Windecker Memorial Scholarship: Debra Secord of Carey and Bryan Post of Toledo each received a $250 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to students majoring in an Automotive Technology or Auto Body Repair program. This scholarship is funded by the Western Lake Erie Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club.

Regina and Harry Silletti Scholarship: Ayanda Mkhize of Findlay received a $4,284 scholarship and Katelyn Motsinger and Anthony Smoktonowicz each received a $2,142 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least 15 credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference will be given to a non-traditional student who has been accepted in the Owens Community College Honors Program.

Rich Harmon Memorial Scholarship: Christina McCullough of Liberty Center received a $581 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours, have achieved a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA and exhibit a strong desire to pursue a quality assurance career in manufacturing.

Rudy Aschenbrener Memorial Scholarship: Jerome Johnson of Toledo received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must have completed at least six credit hours at Owens, have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and be majoring in the automotive body repair program.

Ryan, Mary and Hayden Walters Scholarship: Conner Edgar of Toledo received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours and have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to Early Childhood Education, Information Systems, Computer Programming or Computer Systems majors.

Scott Simpson Memorial Scholarship: Emilee Ball of Toledo, Michael Kirkham of Toledo, Ryan Mathena of Toledo and Elizabeth Reynolds of Wauseon each received a $207.50 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled a minimum of 12 credit hours and have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to students majoring in criminal justice or who are members of the Owens Community College basketball team.

Shirley S. Dick Scholarship: Tiffany Eschedor of Bradner and Melissa Richardson of Haskins each received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a female student. This scholarship is awarded in honor of Shirley S. Dick and presented through the Toledo Woman’s Club.

Slade Wielinski Memorial Scholarship: Tim Martin of Toledo received a $ 500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours and have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a non-traditional student majoring in Biomedical Electronics, Chemistry or other engineering major.

Spanish American Organization Scholarship: Robert Santillan of Toledo received a $717 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, be of Latino heritage and reside in Lucas or Wood counties.

Steven G. Guerrero Memorial Scholarship: Kelsey Kalisik of Liberty Center received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference will be given to students entering their second year at Owens who are enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester.

Tall Timbers Foundation Scholarship: Bayley Hill of Findlay received a $1,000 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be a Findlay-area Campus student who is an employee or child of an employee at the Tall Timbers Industrial Center of Findlay.

The Andersons Scholarship: Jordin Baker of Oregon, Weiwei Jones of Holland and Randall Reynolds of Grand Rapids each received a $588 scholarship. Recipients must have completed at least 12 credit hours at Owens, be enrolled in six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to students majoring in the School of Business, Information & Public Services, the School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics and the natural sciences area.

Toledo Automobile Dealers Association Scholarship: Alexx Myers of Rossford and Tori Schramm of Maumee each received a $1,842.50 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be an employee or relative of an employee of member dealerships of the Toledo Automobile Dealers Association.

Toledo Community Foundation – Marsh Family Fund Scholarship: Danielle DiNardo of Toledo, Brandon Geiser of Pioneer, Allison Glanz of Grand Rapids, Brittany Grady of Whitehouse and Erin Weaver of Findlay each received a $400 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Toledo Community Foundation – George and Luella Shoemaker Fund: Orr Buchris of Toledo, Joshua Callaghan of Toledo, Lori DeShetler of Perrysburg, Indigo East of Perrysburg, Matthew Grogan of Toledo, Meirav Pierce of Northwood, Reginald Reese of Toledo, Megan Tanner of Toledo and Dareisha Taylor of Toledo each received a $500 scholarship and Lucille Carter of Toledo, William Frye of Toledo, Nakeia Hamilton-Barber of Toledo, Amy Smith of Toledo and Jerardo Soto of Toledo each received a $250 scholarship. Recipients must reside in the greater Toledo area of Lucas County and contiguous communities, have completed 12 credit hours at Owens, be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be enrolled in a technology-specific program.

Toledo Mobile Radio Association Scholarship: Tim Martin of Toledo received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester, have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, and be an Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology or Skilled Trades Technologies Electrical major

Will Webb Scholarship: Erin Danielson of Tiffin received a $500 scholarship. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours each semester and have achieved a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to a Findlay-area Campus student in the School of Nursing.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST GREEN INDUSTRY CAREER AND JOB FAIR

Posted on February 20th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 20, 2015 – Area residents and students with career aspirations in a green industry-related field are invited to learn about and explore various seasonal employment opportunities available throughout the region as Owens Community College hosts a Green Industry Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, March 4.

Owens students and area residents attending the event are encouraged to bring several copies of their resume and to dress professionally in preparation for any impromptu interviews.

Approximately 20 area employers within such areas as landscape, golf course, small-scale farm, gardens/arboretums and garden centers will be in attendance. Employers will be looking to hire employees for the up coming 2015 season.

For more information about the Green Industry Career and Job Fair, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD

Posted on February 13th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2015 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association is recognizing the tremendous contribution that area police, fire and emergency medical professionals and community leaders make to Northwest Ohio’s surrounding communities by hosting the 12th annual Outstanding Service Awards. The recipients will be honored as part of a community celebration on Friday, April 24.

The College’s Alumni Association is currently accepting nominations for the Outstanding Service Awards. Area residents are invited to nominate an individual or individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service above and beyond the call of duty. Nominations need to be returned to the College’s Office of Alumni Relations by Feb. 27. The award is not limited to a single recipient, and the College’s Alumni Association encourages the nomination of more than one person when teamwork was the key element in their success.

The five awards, which will be presented at the community celebration, are within the categories of Outstanding Police Officer, Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, Service to Community and Community Spirit. Selection criteria will be based upon a nomination process with candidates demonstrating exceptional service related to dedication, ingenuity, bravery, special skills and/or to the community over a sustained period of time. The awards are not limited to a single recipient.

The 12th annual Outstanding Service Awards Celebration will begin at 8 a.m. with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. in the College’s Audio/Visual Classroom Center Rooms 121-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend, however, reservations are required.

For more information about the Outstanding Service Award Celebration, or the nomination process, contact the College’s Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7410 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7410.

STATE OF THE STATE CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Posted on February 12th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 12, 2015 – Owens Community College will host the 19^th Annual State of the State (SOS) Conference “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Connecting Communities on March 19, 2015, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. This timely and topical discussion on will focus on racial profiling, the Americans with Disabilities Act, diversity in education, compliance, and much more.

“The State of the State Conference is designed to be a truly broad and diverse conversation on topics of equity and opportunity,” said Lisa Dubose, M.Ed. SPHR, director of Organizational Development and chief diversity officer. “Representatives from institutions and organizations across the State of Ohio will come together to exchange information and strategies that will be valuable both personally and professionally.”

Keynote speakers are Jelani Jefferson-Exum, JD and Dr. Richard Pimentel.

Jefferson-Exum is a professor of Law at the University of Toledo. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College. Prior to joining the UT Law faculty, she was an associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Law and a visiting associate professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Before joining academia, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable James L. Dennis, United States Circuit Judge for the for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Honorable Eldon E. Fallon, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Dr. Pimentel is a nationally renowned expert on Disability Management, Job Recruitment, Job Retention, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Attitude Change. He was the Chairperson of VACOR, the Department of Veterans Affairs Civilian Advisory Committee for Rehabilitation. His training has not only successfully enabled managers and supervisors to participate in cost reduction initiatives and implementation of policies and procedures to reduce work site accidents and re-injuries, but has also helped employers dispel stereotypes and embrace diversity.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act.

Registration and continental breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. Opening plenary begins at 8 a.m., lunch plenary begins at noon and closing plenary begins at 3 p.m. Conference fee is $125 per person and $75 for retirees. Lunch session only is $50. The registration fee includes a continental breakfast, luncheon, two plenaries, 18 workshops and a certificate of completion.

For more information or to register, please visit online at www.owens.edu/sosconference.

OWENS WELCOMES MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND GENOCIDE SURVIVOR JOHN DAU

Posted on January 29th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2015 – Owens Community College is excited to welcome author, philanthropist and genocide survivor John Dau to the Toledo- and Findlay-area campuses Tuesday, Feb. 24. During his presentation, Dau will share his story of survival after being driven from his village in war-torn Sudan and his eventual immigration to the United States.

Dau is one of 27,000 “Lost Boys of Sudan,” who were driven from their villages when the northern Arab government attacked the ethnic minority population of South Sudan in 1987. For five years, he led groups of displaced boys across Sudan to neighboring Ethiopia and later to a refugee camp in Kenya, but by that time – due to starvation, violence and disease – only 12,000 remained.

“Owens is honored to not only host John Dau, but to give students and the community the opportunity to hear his story first-hand,” said L. Scott Deaner, assistant professor of Geography and co-chair of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “This is a great opportunity for the plight of those living in South Sudan to become more real than just something we hear or read about in the news.”

From 1992-2001, Dau lived in the Kenyan refugee camp, when he was one of 3,800 “Lost Boys” selected to immigrate to the United States. He settled in Syracuse, N.Y., where he still lives today. Following his initial culture shock, Dau worked multiple jobs, earned an associate degree from Onondaga Community College and later a Bachelor’s Degree from Syracuse University.

Currently, Dau is the president of the John Dau Foundation and the South Sudan Institute. He also regularly speaks throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

Dau will visit the Findlay-area Campus at 9:30 a.m. in room FCE 111 and the Toledo-area Campus at 2 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Theatre.

For more information, please contact L. Scott Deaner at (567) 661-7521 or l_deaner@owens.edu.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY AT OWENS

Posted on January 26th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 26, 2015 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 6, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

“This is an opportunity for Owens Community College’s Dental Hygiene students to raise awareness of the importance of preventive dental care,” said Beth Tronolone, Owens Chair of Dental Hygiene. “We are honored to take part in this great community service event and provide that care to those who may not receive it otherwise.”

Owens Dental Hygiene second-year students, faculty and alumni, and area dentists will be conducting dental services, which will include dental education and screening, X-rays, oral prophylaxis (cleanings), limited restorations and dental sealants. In addition, first-year students from the health program will provide educational presentations for parents and children.

TRAVELING EXHIBITION TELLS OF LINCOLN’S STRUGGLE TO MEET THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES OF THE CIVIL WAR

Posted on January 20th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 20, 2015 – “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War,” a traveling exhibition opening at the Owens Community College Toledo-area Terhune Art Gallery on January 29 examines how President Lincoln used the Constitution to confront three intertwined crises of the Civil War—the secession of Southern states, slavery and wartime civil liberties.

Lincoln is widely acknowledged as one of America’s greatest presidents, but his historical reputation is contested. Was he a calculating politician willing to accommodate slavery, or a principled leader justly celebrated as the Great Emancipator? This exhibition provides no easy answers. Rather, it encourages visitors to form a nuanced view of Lincoln by engaging them with Lincoln’s struggle to reconcile his policy preferences with basic American ideals of liberty and equality. This exhibition develops a more complete understanding of Abraham Lincoln as president and the Civil War as the nation’s gravest constitutional crisis.

“We are delighted to have been selected as a site for this exhibition,” said Steven Culbertson, Ph.D., professor of Communications, Humanities and Languages. “Each section of the exhibit features information about a different aspect of Lincoln’s presidency and helps visitors understand why Lincoln’s struggle with the Constitution still matters today.”

The National Constitution Center and the American Library Association Public Programs Office organized the traveling exhibition, which was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): great ideas brought to life. The traveling exhibition is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the National Constitution Center.

The traveling exhibition is composed of informative panels featuring photographic reproductions of original documents, including a draft of Lincoln’s first inaugural speech, the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment.

For more information, please contact the Terhune Gallery at (567) 661-7081. “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” will be on display until March 4.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY

Posted on January 13th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 13, 2015 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown Toledo, , will be closed Monday, January 19 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed for business.

Classes will resume and administrative offices will be open again on Tuesday, January 20.

FALL PINNING CEREMONY HONORS REGISTERED AND PRACTICAL NURSING STUDENTS AT OWENS

Posted on December 17th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 17, 2014 – More than 70 Owens Community College students were recently bestowed honorary pins by the Nursing Department for their academic achievements specific to registered nursing and practical nursing. The pinning ceremony is part of a traditional nursing practice, which honors students prior to beginning their careers within the health care community.

The nurse pinning ceremony originated in the 1860s at St. Thomas Hospital’s Nightingale School of Nursing in London, England. Having been recently awarded The Red Cross of St. George for her selfless service to the injured and dying in the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale chose to extend the honor she received to her most outstanding graduate nurses by awarding each of them a medal of excellence. The practice of awarding nurses a badge was adopted soon after, and the first pin was awarded to the Class of 1880 at the Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing in New York City.

Practical nursing pinning recipients are Shelby Elledge of Jenera, Katie Gayhart of Sylvania, Kelsie Gonyer of Findlay, Kati Graham of Cygnet, Dawn Hassan of Mount Cory, Stephanie Hook of Fostoria, Amber Huffman Findlay, Shannon McCann of Bowling Green, and Shannon Vanhoose of Fostoria.

Registered nurse pinning recipients are Amanda Alge of Forest, Paul Ang or Toledo, Jennifer Baxa of Tiffin, Jordan Best of Toledo, Robin Biery of Lima, Jennifer Biggs of Swanton, Brandi Bishop of Findlay, Bernadette Briones of Napoleon, Amber Brown of Fostoria, Heather Caligiuri of Findlay, Angela Castillo of Archbold, Barbara Charlton of Attica, Kristen Colter of Swanton, Kristine Combs of Findlay, Ashley Cooper of Findlay, Amanda Davis of Northwood, Tammi Diemer of Ottawa, Lonia Dodson of Holland, Christine Eckel of Haskins, Juanita Ellis of Toledo, Branden Engle of Toledo, Nikki Errett of Bowling Green, Brenda Ferreira of Toledo, Brittany Fisher of Helena, Brittany Fuhrmann of Bowling Green, Jaclyn Fuller of Findlay, Jessica Goerlich of Temperance, Michi., Mindy Hansen of Swanton, Adrian Hasenfratz of Toledo, Alaina Haubert of Genoa, Molly Hovest of Ottawa, Lindsey Iler of Weston, Candace Jewell of Toledo, Kamesha Jones of Toledo, April Kay of Findlay, Kelly Kibalchich of Toledo, Melanie Kocher of Findlay, Richard Legg of Toledo, Jennifer Lentz of Fostoria, Brian Lundy of Toledo, Jacquel McCadney of Toledo, Alexa McNamee of Walbridge, Kristy Polan of Weston, Heather Ramser of Rossford, Bobbi Ritter of Findlay, Meaghan Roberts of Ottawa Hills, Stacie Robinson of Toledo, Alyssa Rybka of Toledo, Cine Sanders of Toledo, Nicole Schmidt of Toledo, Julia Sherwood of Bloomville, Stephanie Simon of Maumee, Matthew Slee of Holland, Devon Smith of Toledo, Anthony Sopko of Genoa, Heather Stewart of Northwood, Angela Todd of Bowling Green, Tyler Trease of Toledo, Aubrey Ufford of Toledo, Mandy Valadez of Toledo, Stephanie Veselka of Bowling Green, Sarah Walkowiak of Sylvania, Erica Wallen of Findlay, Jewel Webster of Maumee, Jennifer WIlgus of Maumee, Jay Wilson of Findlay, and Stacie Wood of Lambertville, Mich.

Owens’ registered nursing program was established in 1969 as one of first associate degree programs of its kind in Northwest Ohio. The academic program was later expanded to the Findlay-area Campus in 1991.

The registered nursing program is designed to prepare graduates for nursing positions in a variety of health care settings. Among the various locations are acute care agencies, physician offices, long-term care agencies and outpatient ambulatory areas. The program combines studies at Owens with planned and guided clinical experience in client care for health care facilities and community agencies.

646 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 8th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 8, 2014 – Six hundred forty-six candidates for graduation, including 122 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 34th Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 12. Of those graduates, 130 will graduate with honors. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

The following degrees will be conferred: 130 Associate of Applied Business; 273 Associate of Applied Science; 138 Associate of Arts; 99 Associate of Science and 6 Associate of Technical Studies.

Christina McCullough, Quality Assurance major graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 35-year-old Toledo native first enrolled at Owens after graduating from Toledo Whitmer in 1998, but left a year later when she encountered financial barriers. Not long after leaving Owens, she met her future husband, Mark. They now have been married for nine years and have two daughters, Maia, 7, and Alana, 5.

McCullough resumed Owens classes in August 2010, first wanting to go into the Physical Therapist Assistant program and then the Sonography program. She looked at other possibilities, discovered the Quality Assurance program, and “fell in love”.

While attending Owens, she cared for her mother, whose two-year battle with COPD ended in May 2013.

“I felt like if she could fight this hard, then so could I,” said McCullough. “It seemed like a balance; I motivated her by doing well in school and in life in general and she did the same for me.”

McCullough is the recipient of The Rich Harmon Memorial Scholarship and the 2014 George H. Barrows Master Scholarship by the Toledo Section of the American Society for Quality.

After graduation, she will pursue a job with her Quality Assurance degree, and will eventually seek a bachelor’s degree. In the coming years as her daughters grow older, she plans to share the importance of a higher education.

“I want to make it so my kids go to college and strive for these achievements,” she said.

Mrs. Chrys Peterson, former WTOL news anchor, will serve as the keynote speaker. After 20 years anchoring the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts, Peterson retired from television news and opened her own consulting firm.

Peterson has received many honors and awards for community service and is a two-time recipient of the distinguished Jefferson Award because of her extensive involvement in the Toledo community. She has also received two Emmy Awards for community service, an Emmy Award for reporting, three “Best Newscast” Emmy Awards, four coveted Edward R. Murrow awards for journalism and several Associated Press awards.

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, she attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. In 2012, she earned her Master of Organizational Leadership from Lourdes University.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

Posted on November 17th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 17, 2014 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown Toledo, will be closed Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 26-30 for the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and College offices will reopen Monday, Dec. 1.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED FOR VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE

Posted on November 10th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2014 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown Toledo, will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and College offices will reopen Wednesday, Nov. 12.

OWENS NURSING STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ‘GOING HOME TO STAY’ EVENT

Posted on October 28th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 28, 2014 – Owens Community College Registered Nursing Students will participate in the “Going Home to Stay” event, offered at no charge to participants by The Reentry Coalition of Northwest Ohio, Wednesday, Nov. 5 at the Government Center, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.. This is a resource program offered to ex-offenders, his or her family members and significant others to assist them with their reentry into the community.

“At Owens we believe in providing the tools to help students to succeed and this event will do the same for those trying to reenter the community,” said Kimberly Holman, MSN, RN, Owens clinical teaching faculty, Department of Nursing. “It’s also an amazing opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience working in the community.”

Owens Registered Nursing students are participating as part of their Community Health course requirements. The students will provide education information in the form of Service Learning on various health promotion and disease prevention topics. Educational material will include information on blood pressure measurements and the risks and prevention of Hypertension, as well as Diabetes, smoking and Hepatitis C.

The Reentry Coalition of Northwest Ohio and Ohio Adult Parole Authority developed the “Going Home to Stay” meetings for anyone with a criminal history or their family members who wants to learn about resources available in the community. Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month, 11 a.m. – 1p.m. at the First Floor Commissioners Chambers, One Government Center, Toledo. For more information, please contact Chris Stewart, MSW, reentry coordinator at 419-245-3046.

For more information on the Owens Community College Registered Nursing program, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS NURSING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ‘MORNING BLESSINGS’ OUTREACH

Posted on October 24th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 24, 2014 – Owens Community College Registered Nursing Students will be providing educational health information during a free community breakfast, “Morning Blessings” sponsored by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Thursday, Oct. 30, 7:30 – 10 a.m.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for students gain personal knowledge of the community environment and working with diverse populations while demonstrating responsibility and accountability,” said Kimberly Holman, MSN, RN, Owens clinical teaching faculty, Department of Nursing. “It’s also a way for Owens and students to give back to our community.”

Students will provide more than 150 displaced or low-income community members with educational information on various health promotion and disease prevention topics, as well as free blood pressure screenings. Educational material will include information on blood pressure measurements and the risks, proper nutrition and prevention of Hypertension, Diabetes, substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 428 N. Erie St, hosts the “Morning Blessings” community breakfast every Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30 – 10 a.m. For more information, please contact Pastor Peter Bowmer at 419-243-4214.

For more information on the Owens Community College Registered Nursing program, please visit www.owens.edu.

TOLEDO EDISON AND OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO OFFER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FUTURE UTILITY WORKERS

Posted on October 17th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2014 – Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is partnering with Owens Community College to reinstate an award-winning program to train the next generation of utility line and substation workers.

The Power Systems Institute is a two-year program that combines hands-on utility skills at a Toledo Edison training facility with technical coursework in an Owens Community College classroom. Program graduates will earn an Associate of Technical Studies degree with a focus on electric utility technology. A high percentage of PSI graduates have been offered positions with Toledo Edison.

“The Power Systems Institute already has provided Toledo Edison with nearly 100 highly-qualified employees who are working in the field today, using the training they received from this unique program to keep the lights on for our customers,” said Linda Moss, regional vice president of Toledo Edison. “Whether it’s linemen who work above ground or substation personnel who operate on the ground, PSI provides great training for someone looking for a career in the utility industry.”

“Owens Community College is pleased to reactivate the Power Systems Institute,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “This program fits perfectly into our mission to provide our future workforce with practical skills that are both useful and marketable.”

FirstEnergy originally introduced PSI in 2000 as a way to help replace retiring line workers. Programs were established with colleges throughout the company’s six-state service area, including Owens Community College. With the economic downturn, in 2011 most of the PSI programs were placed on hold because projected hiring needs did not support bringing in new students. As future manpower needs at FirstEnergy were re-evaluated, the decision was made to reinstate the PSI program, targeting a fall of 2015 enrollment class.

Program openings are limited, with 12 spots available for line workers and 12 spots available for substation workers. Applicants will be assessed through a competitive, multi-step process. FirstEnergy will pay for PSI students to go to school if they agree to stay with the company for at least five years. An orientation program for prospective candidates will take place Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 10 a.m. to noon at Owens Community College – Toledo Area Campus, 30335 Oregon Rd., Perrysburg, Ohio, 43551. For more information, please visit www.firstenergycorp.com/psi or call 800-829-6801.

Toledo Edison serves more than 300,000 customers in northwest Ohio. Follow Toledo Edison on Twitter @ToledoEdison.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOLF OUTING RAISES $28,707 IN SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on October 3rd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 3, 2014 – One hundred twelve area residents recently enjoyed a day of golf and entertainment in support of alumni scholarship programs as Owens Community College’s Alumni Association held its twelfth annual Golf Classic. The 28-team event netted $28,707 to benefit scholarship and outreach endeavors.

Since its inception, the Owens event has netted over $343,000 to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations.

Organized by the Owens Alumni Association’s steering committee, the golf outing was held at Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. The event featured 18-holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program. The Golf Classic event sponsor was Hylant Family Foundation. In addition, Metzgers was the print sponsor.

Edward Jones sponsored the four-person scramble championship team. Team members included Rich Rowe and Puck Rowe of Findlay and Senator Randy Gardner and Brooks Gardner of Bowling Green.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS IN OCTOBER

Posted on September 26th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay- area campuses will host the following community events in October:

Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club Host Annual Fall Plant Sale
Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards this fall are encouraged to attend the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Fall Plant Sale at Owens Community College, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will take place next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature a wide selection of shrubs and rare trees, among other items. A majority of the shrubs will cost $15-20, while varieties of trees will cost between $15-75. All proceeds from the plant sale will help in supporting the organization’s participation in the annual PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days, which is a national horticultural and landscape competition involving over 65 colleges and universities across the country. For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623. For a complete listing of the available plants with pricing, please visit www.owens.edu/plantsale.pdf.

GED See for Free Program
Now through Friday, Oct 3 students who visit an Owens Community College Testing Center, at either the Toledo or Findlay-area campuses, can take the GED practice test for free through the GED Testing Service’s “See for Free” program. The practice test will help adult learners see if they are ready for the real GED test, and gives them a free personalized study plan based on their results. The “See for Free” program is held in conjunction with National Adult Education & Family Literacy Week hosted by the National Coalition for Literacy. For more information, please contact 567-661-2253.

Owens Community College Free Band Concert
The Owens Community College band will present a free fall band concert featuring a variety of music including marches, Broadway show tunes, Irish Folk songs, 1940’s Swing music, a trumpet trio and much more. Special musical guests will be members of the Toledo School for the Arts concert band, who will join the members of the Owens band to perform the final four selections on the program. The combined bands will be conducted by guest conductor, Lt. Col. Robert Krichbaum, retired commander of the 555^th AF Band and Mr. Jay Welenc, director of the Toledo School for the Arts band and orchestra. The performance will take place at Owens’ Center for Find and Performing Arts on the Toledo-area campus, Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the theatre lobby following the concert. For more information, please call 567-661-7081.

Tyler Brown: The Off Season – Exhibition of Photographs
Photographer Tyler Brown’s take on Ohio’s north coast reveals a landscape few visitors get to see: the off season. Brown’s photograph exhibition, on display in the Findlay-area campus library, explores the processes that take place in seasonal communities when autumn and winter take over. The exhibition will open for viewing Monday, Oct. 6 and will run until Friday, Dec. 12, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Monday-Thursday) and 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Friday). Community members are also invited to a reception in honor of the photographer Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5 – 7 p.m. in the Education Center Room 176 on the Findlay-area campus. For more information, please contact Gail McCain at 567-429-3076 or visit www.owens.edu/arts/gallery_findlay.

Born this Way Ball
Area residents 16-years and older are invited to enjoy an evening of dance, music and entertainment as the Owens Community College Gay Straight Alliance serves as host to a community outreach event titled the “Born this Way Ball.” The event will take place Saturday, Oct. 11, 7-11 p.m. in the Audio Visual Classroom Center, room 121-128. In addition to entertainment and free HIV testing, several community organizations will be on hand to provide information about community initiatives and local LGBT projects. Food and refreshments will be provided as part of the event. Tickets are $10 for community members and $5 for students, faculty, staff and alumni (with a valid student ID). A $2 discount will be given with a non-perishable donation for the Owens Harvest Food Pantry. Tickets are only available at the door. For more information, please contact Don Managhan at donald_managhan@student.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TERRACE VIEW CAFÉ ANNOUNCES FALL LUNCH MENU SELECTIONS

Posted on September 22nd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 22, 2014 – Community members looking for new ideas for lunch may now consider the American regional and international cuisine offered by the Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts programs at Owens Community College’s Terrace View Café during the months of September and October.

The student-run Terrace View Café is open to the public throughout the year. Owens’ restaurant, which is coordinated by the Department of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality, is located in Heritage Hall Room 113 on the Toledo-area Campus. Lunch will be served Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. in the Terrace View Café. The cost for lunch is $9.50 and reservations must be made by 3 p.m. one week prior to the event.

The Terrace View Café will be available to guests starting Tuesday, Sept. 23 with a Cuisine of Hawaii themed entrée. Upcoming dates and entrée listings include Thursday, Sept. 25 (Cheese Tasting Meal, six small courses, each with a different cheese), Tuesday, Sept. 30 (Cuisine of South America), and Thursday, Oct.2 (Grazing Buffet).

There will also be a special Harvest Ohio event on Monday, Sept. 29. Guests will enjoy a six-course mean celebrating the fall season including a grilled eggplant crostini appetizer, a roasted pork tenderloin entree, a pumpkin cheesecake dessert, and more.

For additional information about Owens’ Terrace View Café menu selections, call (567) 661-7359 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7359. Individuals can also make a reservation by accessing the College’s website at www.owens.edu/terrace.

OWENS EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO SPEND DAY GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY GROUPS

Posted on September 10th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 10, 2014 – More than 30 Owens Community College employees and students will spend a morning and afternoon giving back to others in the surrounding Northwest Ohio communities as part of the United Way of Greater Toledo’s “Day of Caring” Friday, Sept. 12.

Throughout the day, Owens volunteers will roll up their sleeves and participate in a variety of interactive projects that could include, but are not limited to: painting, cleaning, gardening, organizing, building, or visiting.

The 2014 Day’s of Caring projects include: Frederick Douglass Community Association Community Garden, Frederick Douglass Community Association Mural, Lucas Street Alleyway Revitalization, Pickett Academy Community Garden, Soul City Boxing Club, Survey Toledo, and more.

OWENS PRESENTS YET-TO-BE WRITTEN, CAST AND REHEARSED PLAYS DURING 24-HOUR ‘THEATRE EXPRESS’ EVENT

Posted on September 8th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2014 – Owens Community College students and faculty as well as community members will write, cast, rehearse and perform six different plays in a 24-hour time period as the Center for Fine and Performing Arts serves as host to the seventh annual fall “Theatre Express” production, Sept. 26-27. The 24-hour theatre event will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 27, with participants premiering their six masterful plays in the Studio Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Area residents are invited to attend the Saturday evening performance, as the “Theatre Express” production is free and open to the public. Owens is located on 30335 Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Attendees are encouraged to arrive around 7 p.m. due to limited seating in the Studio Theatre.

The 24-hour marathon begins Friday (Sept. 26) when each actor and actress arrives at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts wearing a unique costume put together from their own wardrobe. Attendees will also bring an item that reflects their character’s personality. Each performer’s photo will then be taken for playwright selection purposes.

Beginning that same evening, six local playwrights will begin the arduous process of writing and staging a play based on a yet-to-be-determined theme and topic involving the assigned 3-5 actors and actresses. Caffeinated beverages will be the drink of choice as writer’s frantically craft 10-minute plays throughout the evening hours.

For additional information about the “Theatre Express” production, contact (567) 661-2798 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2798.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Posted on August 27th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, August 27, 2014 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown Toledo, will be closed Saturday, Aug. 30 through Monday, Sept. 1 for the Labor Day holiday. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and College offices will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 2.

OWENS FINDLAY-AREA CAMPUS TO HOST READY.SET.GO! 5K RUN AND WALK

Posted on August 19th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2014 – Area residents are invited to walk and run for a good cause as the Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus serves as host to the Ready. Set. Go! 5K Run and Walk on Saturday, Sept. 6. Proceeds from the event will benefit a newly established Emergency Student Fund Program, which will support Findlay-area campus students who encounter an unexpected financial burden that threatens to impede their ability to continue their education.

The Ready. Set. Go! Run and Walk will start at 9 a.m., with a Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. on the College’s Findlay-area Campus, which is located at 3200 Bright Road in Findlay.

Running and walking participants are encouraged to register in advance as the cost is only $20 and includes a T-shirt, while race-day registrants will pay $25 and T-shirts are not guaranteed.

Registration and packet pick-up will begin at 8 a.m. on Sept. 6. Registration packets can also be picked up at Dave’s Running Shop, 1765 Tiffin Avenue, Findlay on Friday, Sept. 5, 5-7 p.m. To register online or download a paper registration go to www.davesraces.com.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTS ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC

Posted on August 11th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 11, 2014 – Golf enthusiasts and amateurs alike are invited to support alumni programs and scholarships and participate in the Owens Community College Alumni Association’s 12^th Annual Golf Classic held Monday, Sept. 22 at Belmont Country Club, Perrysburg.

Considered one of the finest golf fundraisers held annually in Northwest Ohio, the Golf Classic will feature 18 holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program.

The generosity of sponsors and businesses enable the Golf Classic to generate nearly $315,000 in its first 11 years to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations. The 2014 Golf Classic event sponsor is Hylant Family Foundation. Metzgers Printing and Mailing is the print sponsor.

OWENS TO HOST NORTHWEST OHIO GREEN INDUSTRY SUMMER SESSION

Posted on July 23rd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 23, 2014 – Area residents and business professionals within the landscape, garden center, tree care and turf industry interested in expanding their knowledge about horticulture are invited to attend the 2014 Northwest Ohio Green Industry Summer Session at Owens Community College on Wednesday, Aug. 6.

Presented by Owens Community College in conjunction with The Ohio State University Extension/ABE Center in Bowling Green, workshop will occur from 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the College’s Audio/Visual Classroom Center. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The event is open to the public.

The regional workshop will feature various presentations on insects and pesticides, tree and plant care, turf and landscape topics by industry professionals from The Ohio State Extension, Owens Community College and keynote speaker Matthew Ross, continuing education coordinator at Longwood Garden.

Attendees will have the opportunity to choose from three concurrent tracks of 12 different presentations on topics such as managing wildlife conflict in the landscape, integrating natives into your veggie garden, underutilized woody shrubs, and what’s new in herbaceious perennials.

Continuing education credits (CEU) will be available from OCNT, ISA and ODA for all sessions that qualify. All sessions count as CEU for Master Gardener Volunteers and Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists.

The workshop registration fee is $25 (onsite registration is $30). For additional information or to register, call (419) 354-6916 or (567) 661-7623.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ASSIST AREA CHILDREN WITH SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

Posted on July 18th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 18, 2014 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with Books-A-Million Inc., nine Directions Credit Union branches, two Great Lakes Credit Union branches and five Genoa Bank branches are reaching out to area children in need of school supplies by holding a month-long “Backpack to the Future” school supply drive ending Monday, Aug. 18. Collected items will benefit low-income kindergarten-age school children throughout Northwest Ohio.

The 17 community locations expand the College’s educational initiative for individuals to drop off their donations. Among the charitable items that will be accepted as part of the school supply drive are gently-used or new backpacks, crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marbled covered composition books and Kleenex tissues.

Since establishing the program in 2004, the Owens Alumni Association has given 3,410 backpacks and 62,370 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

In addition to the community supply drive locations; area residents can bring their charitable donations to the College’s Office of Alumni Relations on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township, the Education Center Atrium on the Findlay-area Campus in Findlay and the Learning Center in Maumee.

Or more information about the school supply drive, or to make a donation, contact the Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876 or alumni@owens.edu.

OWENS’ TERRACE VIEW CAFÉ ANNOUNCES SUMMER LUNCH MENU SELECTIONS

Posted on July 2nd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 2, 2014 – Area residents are invited to enjoy a delectable meal from Owens Community College as the Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts programs announce menu selections in the Terrace View Café during the month of July.

The Terrace View Café summer menu offers healthy cooking on Thursdays, beginning Thursday, July 10 with grilled chicken burritos with brown rice cilantro and guacamole as the entrée. Upcoming dates and entrée listings include July 17 (Barbados barbeque chicken with orange infused cracked wheat salad), and July 24 (smoked turkey breast with cranberry compote, pecan carrots and wild rice pilaf). A complete listing of dishes is available at www.owens.edu/terrace.

The student-run Terrace View Café is located in Heritage Hall 113 on the Toledo-area Campus and open to the public throughout the year. Luncheon cost is $9.50. All meals served this semester will be take-out only and can be picked up between 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

A beverage will accompany every meal.

For additional information about Owens’ Terrace View Café takeout menu selections or to make reservations visit the College’s website at www.owens.edu/terrace or call (567) 661-7359.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS IN JUNE

Posted on May 27th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 27, 2014 – Owens Community College’s Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses will host the following community events in June:

Owens Community College Open House
Area residents are invited to learn about and explore the many educational programs, services and resources available at Owens Community College as the academic institution hosts an open house Monday, June 9, 12 – 6 p.m. The event will take place in the Audio Visual Classroom Center on the Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road,
Perrysburg. For more information, please call (567) 661-7777. If you need special accommodations, please call Disability Services at (567) 661-7007.

Owens Community College Open House
Area residents are invited to learn about and explore the many educational programs, services and resources available at Owens Community College as the academic institution hosts an open house Wednesday, June 11, 4 – 6 p.m. The event will take place in the Education Center Atrium on the Findlay-area Campus, 3200 Bright Road, Findlay. For more information, please call (567) 429-3509. If you need special accommodations, please call Disability Services at (567) 661-7007.

Pullback Car FRENZY!
Jam-packed with science, the Pullback Car FRENZY! summer camp will allow students (grades 3-5) to become mini-engineers and will challenges them to design new vehicles utilizing pieces from BanBao Bricks (compatible with LEGO and Mega Bloks). The camp will be offered Monday, June 16 through Thursday, June 19, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., at the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee, 1724 Indian Wood Circle. Cost is $139. For more information or to register, please call 567-661-7357.

Building Everyday Leadership Summer Kids Camp
Children in grades 3-5 are invited to the Building Everyday Leadership summer camp. Children will learn that anyone can be a leader through understanding leadership, communication, working with others, problem solving and making a difference. The camp will be offered Monday, June 23, 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., at the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee, 1724 Indian Wood Circle. Cost is $25. For more information or to register, please call 567-661-7357.

College Safety 101 Seminar
Owens Community College will host a two-hour workshop to help prepare incoming college freshman to be victors – not victims – at the Center for Emergency Preparedness, 30150 Tracy Road, Walbridge. Participants will receive information about staying safe on and near campus and how to handle peer pressure. The workshop includes an hour of hands-on, self-defense instruction and will be offered Tuesday, June 24, 6-8 p.m. Participants should wear comfortable clothing. For more information or to register, please call 567-661-7357.

Money Doesn’t Really Grow on Trees!
Kids, grades 3-5, will discover the three basic money choices: share, save and spend during the Money Doesn’t Really Grow on Trees! summer camp offered Tuesday, June 24, 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., at the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee, 1724 Indian Wood Circle. Cost is $125. For more information or to register, please call 567-661-7357.

Photography for Kids, it’s a SNAP!
Children in grades 3-5 are invited to learn the basic rules of photography, so they can better understand how to bend and yes, even break the rules at the Photography for the Kids, it’s a SNAP! summer camp. The camp will be offered Wednesday, June 25, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., at the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee, 1724 Indian Wood Circle. Cost is $25. For more information or to register, please call 567-661-7357.

Digital Photo Editing for Kids
Kids, grades 3-5, with basic computer skills are invited to this Photoshop class where they’ll Photoshop themselves into a photo or their annoying sibling out of one during the Digital Photo Editing for Kids summer camp Thursday, June 26, at the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee, 1724 Indian Wood Circle. Cost is $25. For more information or to register, please call 567-661-7357.

OWENS COMMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED MEMORIAL DAY

Posted on May 22nd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 22, 2014 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown, will be closed on Monday, May 26 for the Memorial Day holiday. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed for business.

Classes will resume and administrative offices will open again on Tuesday, May 27.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST GED GRADUATION CEREMONY

Posted on May 13th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 13, 2014 – More than 50 area residents will be honored for achieving their Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma, also known as the General Educational Development (GED) Diploma as Owens serves as host to its fifth annual GED Graduation Ceremony. The special ceremony will occur Sunday, May 18, 1-4 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Mainstage Theatre on the Toledo-area Campus.

The GED examination was created with the goal of providing individuals who do not finish high school with an opportunity to earn an Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma and advance their academic and career aspirations. In order to earn an Ohio GED Diploma, students must pass all sections of their official examination. The College’s Office of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) program is offered at no cost to students and provides individualized study plans for each student.

Owens ABLE, which is funded by the state of Ohio through the Ohio Board of Regents and the U.S. Department of Education, is committed to meeting the needs of the surrounding communities by providing an array of enriched learning opportunities and academic resources that include reading, writing, mathematics and computer skills. Specific programs available include preparing for post-secondary training and education, obtaining a GED Diploma, improving employability skills and learning English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

The College offers ABLE classes at multiple locations in Northwest Ohio, including the Owens Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township, the Owens Findlay-area Campus in Findlay, the Owens Learning Center in Maumee, the Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo, Goodwill Industries in Toledo, The Providence Center in Toledo, Economic Opportunity Planning Association of Greater Toledo in Toledo, Pilgrim Church in Toledo, and at several Toledo-Lucas County Public Library locations.

Individuals who are interested in Owens’ ABLE classes can call (567) 661-ABLE or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. ABLE.

768 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on May 5th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 5, 2014 –Seven hundred sixty-eight candidates for graduation, including 122 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 48^th annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 9. The commencement will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith French will serve as the keynote speaker. For the past two decades, Justice French has dedicated her career to public service. In that time, she has served the State of Ohio as a lawyer for a state agency, an assistant attorney general, counsel to the Governor, and, finally, as a judge. In December 2012, Governor John Kasich appointed Justice French to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Ohio. She became the 155th justice of the Ohio Supreme Court on January 1, 2013.

A native of Sebring, Ohio, a small town in Mahoning County, she received three degrees from The Ohio State University: a B.A. in political science, an M.A. in history (with a concentration in military history and strategic studies), and a J.D., with honors. Justice French currently resides in Grandview Heights, near Columbus, with her husband and two children.

Lisa Long, an Early Childhood Education Technology major graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 30-year-old Fostoria resident is the first person from her family to both attend college and earn a college degree, Long’s journey to the Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus started in southern California, where she grew up in sunny San Diego. There, she met her future husband, Richard. They returned to Ohio in 2009 to be near Richard’s family and married in 2010. They now have two boys, ages 10 and 3.

In 2009, Long made the decision to pursue higher education at Owens and enrolled in Spring Semester 2010.

“I was working 3 minimum wage jobs and was a full-time mom. I was spending savings just to pay my own bills. I wasn’t making enough to live. I didn’t own a car,” she said of the life-changing moment when she decided to go to college. “I was riding on the bus with my son, singing the ABCs. I knew I couldn’t go on working these jobs and not being able to pay to live. I had to go to college. I figured out I wanted to be a teacher. The joy I had of being around my son, I wanted that all the time.”

“If you have to be away from your children, you want to do something that you love,” she said.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS ASSISTS SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH ‘BACKPACK TO THE FUTURE’ SUMMER SUPPLY DRIVE

Posted on May 1st, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 1, 2014 –As another school year comes to an end, many students are once again placing their backpacks in storage or are discarding them entirely in anticipation of buying next fall’s latest fashion trend. Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has taken the initiative of once again organizing a gently used backpack drive to provide new life for what many students consider their mobile lifeline to learning.

The College’s Alumni Association community service endeavor, titled “Backpack to the Future,” is currently accepting gently used or new backpacks and new school supplies from area residents during the summer months. Items collected, as part of the “Backpack to the Future” program, will be given to low-income elementary school children throughout Northwest Ohio.

“There are many low-income families that can barely afford to pay their bills, and may not be able to provide their children with new supplies. The Owens Community College Alumni Association’s goal is to ensure that such occurrences do not happen and that all children begin their school year with new educational resources,” said Kaye Koevenig, Owens Community Service Chair of the Alumni Association.

In addition to the gently-used backpacks and new backpacks, individuals can donate crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marbled covered composition books and Kleenex tissues. Area residents can bring their charitable donations to the Office of Alumni Relations on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township and the Education Center Atrium on the Findlay-area Campus in Findlay.

Since establishing the program in 2004, the Owens Alumni Association has given 3,399 backpacks and 62,224 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

Since opening its doors in 1965, Owens has provided higher education to thousands of students. Owens’ Alumni Association is committed to the personal and professional success of alumni and students through the ongoing development of value-added initiatives.

For more information about the school supply drive, or to make a donation, contact the Owens Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876, 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7876 or alumni@owens.edu.

OWENS TOLEDO-AREA CAMPUS DEDICATES NEW CULINARY ARTS CENTER

Posted on April 24th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 24,2014 – Culinary arts students at Owens Community College recently began classes in the newly constructed Culinary Arts Center on the Toledo-area campus. The Center will be formally dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, April 29.

The facility spans 14,000-square-feet – an increase over the 3,700-square-foot kitchen lab where classes were taught in the past. The new facility includes three unique culinary labs: a baking lab, a culinary skills lab, and a restaurant skills lab. The Center also includes a classroom and a 75-person capacity dining area with a demonstration station overlooking a tree-lined patio. The Center’s large dining area will host lunches and special events, giving students real-world experience creating menus, preparing and plating food and serving.

“This new facility creates many new and exciting opportunities for our students that were not available in our old space,” said Joann Gruner, chair, Food, Nutrition and Hospitality. “Having a larger space will also allow us to eliminate student wait lists and better meet the needs of the community by providing non-credit courses and industry training in culinary arts.”

State appropriated capital renovation and equipment funds were used to finance the $3.1 million construction project, completed by Holland, Ohio based Midwest Contracting. Owens received major grants from The Honor Project Trust in the amount of $50,056 for audiovisual and information technology systems and from The Andersons Inc. Charitable Foundation in the amount of $25,000 for equipment. Libbey Glass also made an in kind donation of tableware and service ware.

The dedication ceremony will take place from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. with a ribbon cutting at 11:30 a.m. as Owens representatives join community leaders and elected officials to officially open the facility’s doors. The ceremony will feature remarks by Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens, as well as comments by area elected officials and a representative from the architectural and construction team.

The Culinary Arts Center is home to five academic programs and certificates: the Associate of Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts, the Associate of Applied Science degree in Dietetic Technology, Associate of Applied Business degree in Hospitality Management, a Culinary Arts certificate and a Baking and Pastry certificate. The American Culinary Federation Educatin Foundation recently recommended Owens Culinary program and certificates for full accreditation status.

For additional information on the Culinary Arts program, call (567) 661-7214 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7214.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS

Posted on April 23rd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 23, 2014 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has chosen seven area residents to receive the 11th annual Outstanding Service Awards for their tremendous contributions to Northwest Ohio’s surrounding communities.

Award recipients are Sutton A. Flick, James Dickman, Stephen Machcinski, Mark Klempner, George Simko, Michael Fuelling, and Paul Heineman.

“Owens Community College’s Alumni Association is proud to once again recognize the selfless acts of Northwest Ohio’s safety forces that so often go unnoticed,” said Matt A. Feasel, president, Owens Alumni Association. “The Outstanding Service Awards were created to honor their efforts and thank them for their continued service to our region, state and country.We are extremely honored to be recognizing such an outstanding group of individuals this year.”

The recipient of the Outstanding Police Award is Sutton Flick of Findlay (Officer, Carey Police Department). Flick was nominated by Daniel Walter, chief of police, Carey Police Department for his professional bravery during his response to an “active shooter” situation.

On the evening of November 1, 2013, Officer Sutton Flick was on routine patrol in the Village of Carey when the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a shooting at the Carey Conservation Club where several victims had been shot in the Club House. The radio call went out for all available officers to respond to the Conservation Club for an “Active Shooter.”

Officer Flick was the first officer to arrive on scene. Upon arrival, several witnesses informed Officer Flick that at least two victims were dead and that the male suspect was barricaded inside the Club House. Officer Flick instinctively headed toward the threat, only to hear witnesses from inside the Club House yelling, “He is coming out!” There was no time to wait for his backup officers.

Officer Flick positioned himself to cover two exit doors with his weapon drawn. The suspect cautiously exited the Club House, still brandishing a pistol. Officer Flick confronted the suspect by ordering him to drop the weapon. The suspect hesitated then obeyed the commands by tossing his pistol to the ground. Officer Flick ordered the suspect to the ground and secured him with handcuffs. Thankfully, there were no other shooters and this entire apprehension occurred prior to the next officer arriving on scene.

James Dickman of Perrysburg (Posthumous Award) (Firefighter/EMT, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department), Stephen Machcinski of Toledo (Posthumous Award) (Firefighter/EMT, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department), Mark Klempner of Toledo (Firefighter/EMT, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department) and George Simko of Toledo (Lieutenant, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department) are named the Outstanding Firefighter Award recipients. Captain Michael Benadum, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department nominated them for their outstanding efforts and bravery during a two-story building fire.

On January 26, 2014, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department Engine 3, including Dickman, Klempner, Machcinski, Simko and other crews, were dispatched to an apartment fire with occupants reportedly still inside.

On arrival, crews found a two-story building with a working fire. After attempting to make entry through a door on the first floor that was found not to lead anywhere, the crew of Engine 3 used a ladder to enter through a second floor window. Firefighter Dickman climbed the ladder, broke out the window and entered with the hose line. Firefighter Machcinski and Lieutenant Simko quickly followed him. Firefighter Klempner was pump operator for the engine supplying water to the hose line.

The crew encountered heavy smoke conditions as they advanced, looking both for trapped occupants and the fire. Shortly after entry, conditions suddenly and rapidly changed. Extreme heat drove the crew to lay flat on the floor as fire rolled over their heads. Lieutenant Simko ordered Firefighter Dickman to put water on the fire, which he did. Moments later, conditions got even hotter. Lieutenant Simko ordered the crew to get out as conditions continued to deteriorate. Lieutenant Simko was forced to dive out a second floor door onto an outside deck-like area in order to survive. Lieutenant Simko immediately noticed Firefighters Dickman and Machcinski had not exited behind him and transmitted a mayday. After being rescued by the Rapid Intervention Team, Firefighters Dickman and Machcinski died as a result of their injuries.

Michael Fuelling of Toledo (Firefighter/EMT, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department) is the recipient of the Outstanding Emergency Medical Technician Award. Jamie Young, Lieutenant, Toledo Fire &Rescue Department nominated Fuelling for his life-saving efforts during a cardiac arrest on a busy Interstate.

On July 14, 2013, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department Engine 17 responded to a report of a person in cardiac arrest on the I-75 South overpass near Exit 204. Off-duty Fuelling witnessed the accident and stopped to help. He found the patient breathless and pulseless. After performing CPR for approximately two minutes, the patient raised his arm and started to breathe on his own. By the time additional assistance arrived on scene, the patient was talking and had good vital signs.

With only his truck as protection on the expressway, Fuelling put himself at great risk while performing CPR until the police and emergency personnel arrived to block traffic. Without his decisive and successful actions, the patient would have had little chance of survival. Fuelling’s courageousness and professionalism was exemplary and heroic.

Paul Heineman of Woodville, (retired Fire Chief, Woodville Township Fire Department) is named the Outstanding Service to Community Award recipient. Chief William Andrews, Woodville Township Fire Department nominated Heineman for his leadership and dedication.

For the past 22 years, Heineman has been fire chief of the Woodville Township Fire Department, dedicating himself to not only making the Woodville Township Fire Department a better fire department, but also to improving communications between the Sheriff’s Office and the individual fire departments within the county.

At 82 years young, Heineman only stepped down because he was elected township trustee.

Over the years, Heineman has fought for levies that allowed the Woodville Township Fire Department to afford the equipment and trucks that have made the department one of the best around, according to those who work there.

Heineman’s leadership has been outstanding over the past 22 years, according to his coworkers, who say he deserves to be recognized for his leadership and dedication, not only to the Woodville Township Fire Department, but to fire service as a whole.

OWENS LANDSCAPE AND TURFGRASS CREW CLUB TO HOST ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE

Posted on April 22nd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 22, 2014 – Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards are encouraged to attend the Landscape Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Spring Plant Sale at Owens Community College, Thursday, May 1.

“Our students are excited to once again have the opportunity to showcase their talents to the community,” said Chris Foley, Owens Associate Professor of Science. “All of the hanging baskets and planters were grown by the students within the College’s greenhouse and will be available in assorted 4” pots, 10” hanging baskets, and 14” planters filled with beautiful blooming plants.”

Shrubs on hand will include assorted hydrangeas, hardy shrub roses, Fothergilla, and many others. Shrubs will range in price from $15.00 to $20.00. Several rare and unusual trees will also be available, including the Japanese stewartia, Carolina Silverbell, white fringe tree, and many grafted Japanese maples and dogwoods, as well as many others. Tree prices will range from $20.00 to $80.00 The Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club will also sell perennials, including select hostas and daylilies. A complete listing of the available plants with their prices is available online at www.owens.edu/direct/plantsale.pdf.

The College’s Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club was founded in 2005 with the mission of fostering stronger bonds among students majoring in the Landscape and Turfgrass Management program. Among the organization’s main initiatives is creating a network between alumni and current students to help in assisting individuals pursue careers within the landscape, turfgrass and related horticulture industries. The group also hosts fundraisers to support club outreach activities in the surrounding communities.

For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, call Chris Foley at (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

OWENS TO HOST FOURTH ANNUAL HONORS PROGRAM SYMPOSIUM AND MEDALLION CEREMONY

Posted on April 9th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 9, 2014 – Owens Community College honors students will have the opportunity to showcase their research and creative works in multiple disciplines during the fourth annual Honors Symposium and medallion Ceremony on Friday, April 11.

The Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony will occur from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Audio Visual Class Rooms 121-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The event is free and open to the public.

“Owens is extremely proud and excited to once again give our honors students the opportunity to share the result of their intellectual energy and effort,” said Dr. Russell Bodi, Owens Professor of English and Honors Program Director. “These students are leaders who have gone above and beyond the standard curriculum and The Honors Program is honored to recognize them for their hard work, dedication and accomplishments.”

In addition, the Owens Honors Program will recognize students for their educational success and leadership with the bestowing of an Owens Honors Program medallion.

The Honors Program at Owens provides a challenging educational opportunity, above and beyond the standard curriculum, for exceptional students who strive for academic excellence. Over 100 students are members of the current Owens Honors Program on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST PROM DRESS SALE FOR COMMUNITY

Posted on April 3rd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 3, 2014 – Area high school students and their families searching for that hard-to-find prom dress and accompanying accessories are welcomed to visit Owens Community College as the Gay Straight Alliance Club host the 4th annual Prom Dress Sale on Saturday, April 12.

The Prom Dress Sale will take place from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. inside the Student Health and Activities Center located on the Toledo-area campus on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

During the event, high school students and their families will have the opportunity to choose from an assortment of over 400 prom dresses and accessories for minimal cost of $5 for dresses and .50 cents to $1 for accessories. Featured items available for purchase will be gently used dresses, shoes, purses, gloves and jewelry, among other prom accessories. A Mary Kay representative will also be available to talk to participants.

Additionally, shopping mentors will be available to assist individuals in their shopping experience.

The Prom Dress Sale was established to ensure that price is not an issue for high school students who want to have that spectacular prom experience. All proceeds raised from the prom dress initiative will be used to benefit future community outreach activities for the Gay Straight Alliance Club.

Owens’ Gay Straight Alliance Club was founded with the overall purpose of raising awareness about a variety of issues and causes relating to the LGBTQQIAAP (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Allied, Asexual, Pansexual) community. Comprised of Owens students, employees and alumni, the group is committed to advocating for the acceptance of cultural differences, global unity, disability awareness and various needs that impact the surrounding communities.

For more information about the event, call (567) 661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2569.

OWENS STUDENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS DURING SLEEP OUT FOR THE HOMELESS TENT CITY

Posted on March 31st, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 31, 3014 – Owens Community College students will spend a night under the stars to raise homeless awareness as part of the academic institution’s ninth annual Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City on Friday, April 4

Beginning at 5 p.m., Owens students will spend 16 consecutive hours camping out on the College’s courtyard lawn outside the Student Health and Activities Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The goal of the sleep out is to make more people aware of homelessness occurring in the surrounding communities, and to collect non-perishable food and hygiene donations to benefit Family House of Toledo. The event will conclude at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 5.

“The Owens Community College Tent City Event is a very important advocacy moment for our students,” says Lilian Briggs, Student Government president. “It is an opportunity to incite compassion and future advocates to challenge stereotypes regarding homelessness. It is an avenue to raise awareness about how homelessness impacts education, families, and our larger community and potentially students on our own campuses.”

Owens students and employees and community members are encouraged to show their support by dropping off donations. Desired items include toilet paper, deodorant, razors, wash cloths, towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and conditioner, non-perishable food items. Donations can be dropped off on the College’s courtyard lawn outside the Student Health and Activities Center during the Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City event.

Located at 669 Indiana Avenue, Family House was established in 1985 by the African American ministers of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA). Known as the Toledo Community Service Center in the early years of the organization, the ministers and their congregations were very actively involved in providing money for the annual budget, obtaining furnishings and remaining in the shelter overnight with individuals sleeping there. Over the years, much of that involvement shifted to staff, and churches now support the shelter through volunteer efforts, financial support and donations to families. Currently, one founding minister sits on Family House’s Board of Directors.

The Owens’ Office of Student Activities is coordinating the Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City event. For more information about the event, including donation information, call (567) 661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2569.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS IN APRIL

Posted on March 25th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 25, 2014 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay- area campuses will host the following community events in April:

Registration Rocks – Toledo-area Campus
Area high school seniors are invited to learn about Owens Community College’s many academic program offerings and educational opportunities during a fun, music-themed event as the College hosts “Registration Rocks!” The event will run April 1-3 and 8-10, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and May 13 & 14 on the Toledo-area campus, College Hall 130. Students will be able to complete their placement test, attend New Student Orientation, register for their first semester of classes, and receive their student ID all in one day. A separate information session on financial aid and supporting your child in college will be offered to parents who attend “Registration Rocks!” For more information or to register, check out Owens’ Website at www.owens.edu and click on the “Registration Rocks!” link or contact the Office of Admissions at 567-661-2620 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 7632.

The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Owens Community College Fine and Performing Arts presents “The Great American Trailer Park Musical, the story of a new tenant at Armadillo Acres – and she’s wreaking havoc all over Florida’s most exclusive trailer park. When Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil-loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth collector husband – the storms begin to brew. Performances will be April 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and April 6 and 13 at 3 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Mainstage Theatre. Admission is $12 for general public and $8 for Owens faculty, staff, students and alumni. For more information, contact Jeremy Meier at 567-661-2798 or go to www.owens.edu/arts.

Registration Rocks – Findlay-area Campus
Area high school seniors are invited to learn about Owens Community College’s many academic program offerings and educational opportunities during a fun, music-themed event as the College hosts “Registration Rocks!” The event will run April 17 and 23, 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on the Findlay-area campus, Education Center Atrium. Students will be able to complete their placement test, attend New Student Orientation, register for their first semester of classes, and receive their student ID all in one day. A separate information session on financial aid and supporting your child in college will be offered to parents who attend “Registration Rocks!” For more information or to register, check out Owens’ Website at www.owens.edu and click on the “Registration Rocks!” link or contact the Office of Admissions at 567-661-2620 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 7632.

11^th Annual Outstanding Service Awards Celebration
Owens Community College and Owens Alumni Association will recognize the tremendous contribution that police, fire and emergency medical professionals make to our communities. The Owens Alumni Association is proud to sponsor the 11^th annual Outstanding Service Award Celebration, Friday, April 25, 7:30 – 9 a.m., on the Toledo-area campus, Audio Visual Classroom Center, rooms 121-128. Award recipients will be acknowledge for their outstanding and heroic acts that went above and beyond the call of duty. For more information contact Stacie Feix at 567-661-7876 or stacie_feix@owens.edu.

Rejuvenate. Celebrate. Educate – Administrative Professionals Day
Owens Community College’s Workforce and Community Services, along with Trainco, Inc. and Zoup!, presents 5th Annual Administrative Professionals Day, Friday, April 25, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Arrowhead Park Learning Center, 1724 Indian Wood Circle, Maumee. Participants will enjoy breakout sessions including: Social Media, Real Money Talk for Women, and Self-Defense Tips and massages provided by Owens’ Massage Therapy students. Alicia Wagner, certified Life Coach and executive director of Women’s Entrepreneurial Network, will be the keynote speaker during a luncheon provided by Zoup!. Cost is $20. To register, please call 567-661-7357.

CULINARY ARTS CENTER DEDICATION AT OWENS TOLEDO-AREA CAMPUS CANCELED

Posted on January 27th, 2014

Due to weather conditions, the Culinary Arts Center dedication scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28 at Owens Toledo-area campus has been canceled. Additional information will be sent out once this event has been rescheduled. If you have any questions, please call 567-661-7421 or 567-213-1804.

Owens Community College has served Northwest Ohio since 1965 as an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education with an open-door admission policy. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has 54 programs that are accredited through their own discipline-specific accrediting bodies. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS TOLEDO-AREA CAMPUS DEDICATES NEW CULINARY ARTS CENTER

Posted on January 24th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 24, 2014 – Culinary arts students at Owens Community College recently began classes in the newly constructed Culinary Arts Center on the Toledo-area campus. The Center will be formally dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, Jan. 28.

The facility spans 14,000-square-feet – an increase over the 3,700-square-foot kitchen lab where classes were taught in the past. The new facility will include three unique culinary labs: a baking lab, a culinary skills lab, and a restaurant skills lab. The Center will also include a classroom and a 75-person capacity dining area with a demonstration station overlooking a tree-lined patio. The Center’s large dining area will host lunches and special events, giving students real-world experience creating menus, preparing and plating food and serving.

“This new facility creates many new and exciting opportunities for our students that were not available in our old space,” said Joann Gruner, chair, Food, Nutrition and Hospitality. “Having a larger space will also allow us to reduce student wait lists and more easily meet the needs of the community by providing non-credit courses and industry training in culinary arts.”

The dedication ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. as Owens representatives join community leaders and elected officials to officially open the facility’s doors. The ceremony will feature remarks by Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens as well as comments by area elected officials and a representative from the architectural and construction team.

The Culinary Arts Center is home to five academic programs: the Associate of Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts, the Associate of Applied Science degree in Dietetic Technology, Associate of Applied Business degree in Hospitality Management, a Culinary Arts certificate and a Baking and Pastry certificate.

For additional information on the Culinary Arts program, call (567) 661-7214 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7214.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ‘GIVE KIDS A SMILE’ EVENT AT OWENS

Posted on January 15th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 15, 2014 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 7, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

“Give Kids A Smile” is a national initiative by the American Dental Association, dedicated to focusing attention on the epidemic of untreated oral disease among disadvantaged children. Held each February in conjunction with National Children’s Dental Health Month, “Give Kids A Smile” provides free oral health education, screening and treatment services to children from low-income families across the country.

“Owens Community College’s Dental Hygiene program is honored to take part in this great community service event for the eighth year,” said Beth Tronolone, Owens Chair of Dental Hygiene. “This is our opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of preventive dental care and provide that care to those who may not receive it otherwise.”

Owens Dental Hygiene second-year students, faculty and alumni, and area dentists will be conducting dental services, which will include dental education and screening, X-rays, oral prophylaxis (cleanings), limited restorations and dental sealants. In addition, first-year students from the health program will provide educational presentations for parents and children.

Individuals interested in receiving free dental service are encouraged to contact the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic at (567) 661-7294 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7294. Appointment reservations must be made prior to the event. Similar events will take place at The Dental Center of Northwest Ohio and The University of Toledo Medical Center. For more information on these locations, please contact the Toledo Dental Society at 419-474-8611.

637 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 11th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 11, 2013 –Six hundred thirty-seven candidates for graduation, including 139 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 33rd annual Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 13. The commencement will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Mr. Joseph Napoli, president and general manager, Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo Walleye will serve as the keynote speaker. Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public.

As president and general manager, Napoli manages day-to-day operations for the Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo Walleye and is responsible for long term planning and business development for Toledo’s professional sports teams. He proudly serves the community through his efforts as a board member with the Great Lakes Center for Autism, ProMedica, The Boys Scouts of America, Toledo Children’s Hospital and the Toledo Symphony.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, he holds a bachelor of science in management from St. John’s University in New York, NY. Napoli and his wife, Annette are the parents of five children.

Maja Valusek, an office administration technology major graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 28-year-old Toledo resident was born in Croatia and fled the war-torn eastern European country for neighboring Serbia with her family in 1991. Her journey to Owens Community College started at the University of Novi Sad in Novi Sad, Serbia, where she met her future husband, Boris. She never completed her degree in tourism management after Boris received a U.S. Green Card in 2008. They married immediately and moved to the Toledo upon entering the U.S. in March 2009.

She is the first person from her immediate family to earn a college degree.She plans to continue her education and earn a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and perhaps complete a master’s degree in the future.

“It is a huge accomplishment to finally get this degree after four years of schooling in Serbia and two-and-a-half years here in Toledo,” explained Valusek. “I am happy that all the hard work and sleepless nights paid off, and in such an amazing way – by being given the opportunity to represent all student graduates this fall.”

For more information regarding Owens commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

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OWENS FINDLAY CAMPUS LIBRARY ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP PROMOTE READING

Posted on December 4th, 2013

FINDLAY, Ohio, Dec. 4, 2013 – Last year, according to a survey by the National Endowment for the Arts, fewer than 47 percent of adults read a novel, play or poem, a significant decline since 2008. In an effort to promote reading in the community, Owens Findlay campus library is encouraging community members to take part in World Book Night U.S. by applying to be volunteer Book Givers, now through January 5.

“Nothing makes me happier than giving someone a book and telling them that they can keep it, said Heather Crozier, librarian, Owens Community College. “World Book Night gives us the opportunity to share our love of reading by personally connecting with light and nonreaders and simply giving them an amazing book, no strings attached. It is a small gesture, but reading for pleasure has a dramatic impact on literacy, which can have a life-changing effect. Owens is involved in literacy initiatives throughout the community, so this is a wonderful opportunity to participate in an event on a national scale. We want to encourage community members, as well as faculty, students, and staff, to be involved.”

World Book Night U.S. is part of an ambitious campaign to encourage reading and giving. Each year, an independent panel of librarians and booksellers chooses 30-35 books to be distributed on World Book Night. The authors of the books waive their royalties and the publishers agree to pay the costs of producing the specially printed World Book Night U.S. editions. Once the book titles are announced, members of the public can apply to personally hand out 20 copies of a particular title in their community to light or non-readers and to those without the means or access to them. A half million free paperbacks will be handed out across America all on one day — April 23, 2014.

The 35 World Book Night U.S. titles for 2014, alphabetical by author, are:

The Zookeeper’s Wife, Diane Ackerman (W.W. Norton)
Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain (Ecco)
The Weird Sisters, Eleanor Brown (Berkley)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky (Simon & Schuster)
After the Funeral, Agatha Christie (William Morrow Paperbacks)
The Ruins of Gorlan: Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1, John Flanagan (Puffin Books)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford (Ballantine Books)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet in Large Print (Thorndike/Gale; Cengage Learning)
The Lighthouse Road, Peter Geye (Unbridled Books)
The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (Back Bay Books)
Wait Till Next Year, Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster)
Catch-22, Joseph Heller (Simon & Schuster)
The Dog Stars, Peter Heller (Vintage)
Hoot, Carl Hiaasen (Knopf)
Pontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon, Garrison Keillor (Penguin Books)
Same Difference, Derek Kirk Kim (First Second Books)
Enchanted, Alethea Kontis (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Miss Darcy Falls in Love, Sharon Lathan (Sourcebooks)
Bobcat and Other Stories, Rebecca Lee (Algonquin Books)
Young Men and Fire, Norman Maclean (University of Chicago Press)
Tales of the City, Armistead Maupin (HarperPerennial)
Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan (New American Library)
Sunrise Over Fallujah, Walter Dean Myers (Scholastic)
Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson (HarperTrophy)
The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan (Random House)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs (Quirk Books)
When I Was Puerto Rican, Esmeralda Santiago (Da Capo)
Cuando Era Puertorriqueña, Esmeralda Santiago (Vintage Español)
Where’d You Go, Bernadette, Maria Semple (Back Bay Books)
Where’d You Go, Bernadette in Large Print (Thorndike/Gale; Cengage Learning)
Wild, Cheryl Strayed (Vintage)
Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (Grand Central Publishing)
Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein (Disney Hyperion)
This Boy’s Life, Tobias Wolff (Grove Atlantic)
100 Best-Loved Poems, edited by Philip Smith (Dover)

Givers who wish to pick up their books at Owens must select Owens Findlay library as their pick-up location during the application process. Books will be available for pick up Monday, April 14 – Thursday, April 17, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Friday, April 18, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Owens Findlay campus library. For book descriptions, guidelines and an application to be a Book Giver, please visit www.us.worldbooknight.org.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

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OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED FOR VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE

Posted on October 29th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 29, 2013 – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo, will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed for business.

Classes will resume and administrative offices will open again on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

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OWENS DELIVERS BACKPACKS AND SUPPLIES TO AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN, SEPT. 18-19

Posted on September 18th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 16, 2013 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with two Books-A-Million Inc. locations, nine Directions Credit Union branches, two Great Lakes Credit Union branches and five Genoa Bank branches are brightening many children’s lives through a unique community service endeavor titled “Backpack to the Future.” Five hundred twenty-nine backpacks and 8,130 school supply items collected throughout the summer months are being donated to 17 area elementary schools during the month of September.

Beginning on Wednesday, Sept.18, Owens representatives will deliver backpacks and supplies to benefit kindergarten students in Bowling Green, North Baltimore, Elmwood, Eastwood, Rossford, Northwood, Genoa and Woodmore school districts at Rossford’s Glenwood Elementary School (8950 Avenue Rd.) at 3:45 p.m. On Thursday, Sept. 19, Owens will donate backpacks and school supplies to five Toledo Public Schools—Old West End Academy, Samuel M. Jones at Gunckel Park, East Broadway, McTigue and Edgewater elementary schools—presented at Toledo Public Schools’ Old West End Elementary School (3131 Cambridge St.) at 10:00 a.m.

Over the past three months, “Backpack to the Future” accepted gently used or new backpacks and new school supplies from area residents to assist disadvantaged school children throughout Northwest Ohio. In addition to backpacks, individuals donated crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marbled covered composition books and Kleenex tissues.

The drive also collected over $3,433 from community members. The charitable donations will go toward the purchase of school supplies.

The Owens Alumni Association established “Backpack to the Future” supply drive in 2004 as a way to provide educational outreach to the surrounding communities. To date, the program has given over 3,410 backpacks and more than 62,370 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

Since opening its doors in 1965, Owens has provided higher education to more than 250,000 students. Owens’ Alumni Association is committed to the personal and professional success of alumni and students through the ongoing development of value-added initiatives.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

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OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS FALL ACT PREPARATION CLASS

Posted on September 18th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept.18, 2013 – Area residents preparing to take the national ACT test are encouraged to bring a pencil, paper and a calculator to Owens Community College as the academic institution offers a program titled “Building Confidence with ACT Prep” in September. The class is coordinated through the College’s Workforce and Community Services.

The ACT preparation class will occur Monday evenings, Sept. 23 – Oct. 21 (except Monday, Oct. 7), from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the College’s Arrowhead Park Learning Center on Indian Wood Circle in Maumee. The four-week class cost is $125.

During each of the four sessions, students will be tutored in all five sections of the ACT test. The actual ACT is comprised of one test in each of the following areas: English, math, reading, science reasoning and writing. In addition to being tutored in these areas through one-on-one teaching, students will learn traditional testing strategies such as how to take a timed test and how to find the elusive answer to a difficult question.

Limited seating is available and early registration is recommended. For more information, or to register for the class, call (567) 661-7357 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7357.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

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OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER

Posted on August 30th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay- area campuses will host the following community events in September:

Fiberforum: Threads that Bind
Fiberforum is a group of fourteen northwest Ohio artists who use a wide variety of fiber media and techniques to create individual and collaborative works that reference storytelling, women’s history, and love for texture, color and technique. Their newest collaborative work, “Hocking Hills,” will be on display in the Findlay-area campus Library Gallery along with individual works by the artists and additional collaborations. The show began Monday, Aug. 19 and will run until Friday, Oct. 4. Community members are invited to a reception Tuesday, Sept. 10, 5-7 p.m. in the Education Center Room 176 on the Findlay-area campus. For more information, please contact Gail McCain at 567-429-3076 or visit www.owens.edu/arts/gallery_findlay.

Findlay Community Blood Drive
Help save lives as the Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus and the American Red Cross host a community blood drive Tuesday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Conference Center Room 111 on the Findlay-area Campus, 3200 Bright Road. For more information or to register, go to www.Redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code OWENSCCFINDLAY or call 1-800-828-1975.

Third Annual Express Fall 5k Run and Walk
Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus will host the third annual Express Fall 5k Run and Walk Saturday, Sept. 14, 8:30 a.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Findlay-area campus students. Participants are encouraged to register in advance as the cost is only $15 and includes a T-shirt. Race day registration is $20. Registration and packet pick-up will begin at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 14. For more information or to register, call (567) 429-3629 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 3629.

Fall Theatre Auditions
Area residents interested in performing in the upcoming adaptation of short stories from Michigan author Bonnie Jo Campbell’s “American Salvage” are invited to open theatre auditions at Owens Community College, Sept. 16-17. Auditions will take place from 6-9 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Studio Theatre Room 111. Callbacks will be held Wednesday, Sept. 18. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The fully staged production, scheduled for Nov. 21-24 on the Mainstage Theatre, excerpt Campbell’s book, nominated for the 2009 National Book Award for Fiction. The student troupe will present “King Cole’s American Salvage” and “The Inventor, 1972”. To prepare for auditions, individuals are encouraged to read these short stories from “American Salvage”. Attendees are required to make an appointment prior to audition dates. For more information or to make an appointment, call (567) 661-2798.

Film Screening: Prince Among Slaves
Join Owens Community College for a screening of “Prince Among Slaves,” a film about the remarkable true story of an African prince, who endured the humiliation of slavery without ever losing his dignity or hope for freedom, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. at the Findlay Campus Library, Education Center. This event is part of a series titled, “American Stories: Muslim Journeys.” Through this series of discussions, related films screenings, and Muslim Journeys bookshelf, participants will learn new perspectives on the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world.

Dr. Mahjabeen Islam: My Personal Story
Community members are invited to come hear a discussion by Dr. Mahjabeen Islam, past president of the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo; a Perrysburg physician; columnist and blogger; who will reflect on her life as a Pakistani-American Muslim leader. The discussion will take place Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2-3 p.m. at the Toledo-area campus in the Audio/Visual Classroom Center, room 125/128. This event is part one of a three-part discussion series titled, “American Stories: Muslim Journeys.” Through this series of discussions, related films screenings, and Muslim Journeys bookshelf, participants will learn new perspectives on the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world.

Constitution Day Celebration
In recognition of Constitution Day, the Owens Community College Findlay-area campus will host a visit by Abraham Lincoln, as portrayed by Robert Brugler, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brugler will speak with students in the Education Center Atrium about American history and the Constitution. Attendees will receive a pocket constitution and also have the opportunity to register to vote. For more information, please contact James Katzner by email at james_katzner@owens.edu or 567-429-3029.

Alumni Association Annual Golf Classic
Area residents are invited to enjoy a day of golf and entertainment in support of alumni programs and scholarships as Owens Community College hosts its eleventh annual Golf Classic, Monday, Sept. 23 at The Belmont Country Club, 29601 Bates Road, Perrysburg. Individuals, businesses and organizations are invited to support the Golf Classic by entering a team at the Eagle ($1000) or Birdie ($800) level. Non-golfer support levels are available for $350 and $250. Lunch will be served 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. The four –person scramble golf competition will begin with a shotgun start at 1:15 p.m. The event will conclude with a grazing dinner and short program at 6 p.m. For more information, or to register a team, contact the Owens Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, ext. 7876.

Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club Host Annual Fall Plant Sale
Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards this fall are encouraged to attend the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Fall Plant Sale at Owens Community College, Sept. 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will take place next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature a wide selection of shrubs and rare trees, among other items. A majority of the shrubs will cost $15-20, while varieties of trees will cost between $15-75. All proceeds from the plant sale will help in supporting the organization’s participation in the annual PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days, which is a national horticultural and landscape competition involving over 65 colleges and universities across the country. For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Alumni Association Presents Annual Golf Classic, Sept. 23

Posted on August 2nd, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Golf enthusiasts and amateurs alike are invited to support alumni programs and scholarships and participate in the Owens Community College Alumni Association’s 11th annual Golf Classic held Monday, Sept. 23 at Belmont Country Club, Perrysburg.

Considered one of the finest golf fund-raisers held annually in Northwest Ohio, the Golf Classic will feature 18 holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program.

The generosity of sponsors and businesses enabled the Golf Classic to generate nearly $290,000 in its first 10 years to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations. The 2013 Golf Classic event sponsors are Hylant and Hylant Administrative Services. Metzgers Printing and Mailing is the print sponsor.

“Owens Community College’s Alumni Association is proud to host a community-wide event, benefitting students in pursuit of a college education,” said Laura Moore, Owens Alumni Association Executive Director. “The Golf Classic is a unique opportunity for business and industry, as well as Owens alumni, to become involved in supporting higher education and ensuring our students with opportunities for transformational lifelong learning.”

The four-person scramble golf competition will begin with a shotgun start at 1:15 p.m. Lunch will precede golf from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. The day will conclude with participants reminiscing about their golfing experience over a grazing dinner at 6 p.m. A short program will occur at this time to recognize all prize winners.

The Belmont Country Club is located on Bates Road in Perrysburg. The tournament is limited to the first 30 foursome teams. For more information, or to register a team, contact the Owens Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876 or go online to www.owens.edu/alumni.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Heroes Summer Youth Camp, July 30 – Aug. 1

Posted on June 17th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area youth ages 8 through 17 will have the opportunity to place themselves in shoes of first responders and explore the areas of emergency medical service, law enforcement and fire service as Owens Community College serves as host to Heroes Summer Youth Camp, July 30 – Aug. 1.

The Heroes Summer Youth Camp will take place at the College’s Center for Emergency Preparedness, which is located on Tracy Road in Lake Township. The College will offer two separate age-appropriate class sections as part of the three-day camp. Both class sections will take place Tuesday-Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The first class section will explore basic first aid/CPR, introduce attendees to an air ambulance and discuss prevention of head injury and helmet safety. Campus instruction will also include K-9 demonstrations, firearm safety and crime prevention, as well as evacuation steps to take in a house fire emergency. Additionally, camp participants will be introduced to police cars, fire trucks and hose lines. The first class is for ages 8 through 12.

The second class section is for ages 13 through 17 and will feature similar topics and activities as the younger age group as well as target practice using non-firearm air soft trainers. In addition, attendees will experience a mock bank robbery where they will ride along with a SWAT team, attack a structure fire inside the College’s virtual fire training system, repel off an indoor training tower and use the Jaws of Life to rescue a simulated victim trapped inside a vehicle.

The Center for Emergency Preparedness is the premier all-hazards national training facility located at Owens Community College. As the world continues to change so will the critical training demands for the men and women who place themselves in harm’s way. The Center for Emergency Preparedness is dedicated to securing the homeland and assuring the safety of our citizens by building a well-trained community of first responders, first receivers and allied professionals who are ready to safely respond to and mitigate the effects of an all-hazards event.

The registration cost for the Heroes Summer Youth Camp is $130. All Heroes Summer Youth Camp staff are state-certified Emergency Service Instructors who are active in the emergency services fields. For more information, or to register, call (567) 661-2411 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2411.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens’ Community Terrace View Café Announces Lunch Takeout Menu Selections, June 25 – July 23

Posted on June 13th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area residents indecisive about Tuesday lunch can now consider a delectable meal from Owens Community College as the Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts programs announce takeout menu selections in the community Terrace View Café during the months of June and July.

The student-run Terrace View Café is open to the public throughout the year. Owens’ restaurant, which is coordinated by the Department of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality, is located in College Hall Room 148 on the Toledo-area Campus. Area residents will be able to pick up their meals from 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. in the Terrace View Café. The cost per takeout is $9.50 and reservations are required. A specialty beverage is included with the takeout meal. Guests are welcome to enjoy their meal in the Terrace View Café or on the adjoining patio, however individual table service will not be provided.

The menu selections were planned by culinary arts students in the techniques of healthy cooking class.

The Terrace View Café will be available to guests starting Tuesday, June 25 with seared Atlantic salmon as the entrée. Upcoming takeout dates and entrée listings include July 2 (curried chicken), July 9 (medallions of pork), July 16 (grilled garlic shrimp) and July 23 (smoked chicken). A complete listing of dishes and specialty beverages is available at www.owens.edu/terrace.

Owens Culinary Arts Program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in the culinary arts industry. Both the associate’s degree and certificate prepares students for food preparation positions in restaurants, hotels, health care facilities, resorts and country clubs.

In addition to Culinary Arts, the College offers an associate’s degree in Hospitality Management. As part of the program, students are provided with the skills and educational curriculum for a successful career in the diverse areas of hospitality management. Owens’ Hospitality Management Program prepares students for management and supervisory positions in hotels, restaurants, resorts and institutions.

Owens’ Department of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality also offers a Baking and Pastry Certificate Program for those individuals interested in becoming a professional baker or pastry chef.

Reservations must be made by 3 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the Tuesday takeout. For additional information about Owens’ Terrace View Café takeout menu selections, call (567) 661-7359 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7359. Individuals can also make a reservation by accessing the College’s website at www.owens.edu/terrace.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Free ‘Key to Safe Teen Driving’ Program, June 18

Posted on June 4th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area teenagers ages 15 to 20, with a valid driver’s license or driving permit, interested in enhancing their knowledge about safe driving are invited to attend a free Honda Teen Defensive Driving Program titled “Key to Safe Teen Driving” at Owens Community College on Tuesday, June 18.

Coordinated by KeyBank and The Mid-Ohio School, the free “Key to Safe Teen Driving” classes will occur from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Center for Emergency Preparedness’ emergency vehicle operations and driving course on the Toledo-area Campus. The Center for Emergency Preparedness’ emergency vehicle operations and driving course is located on Tracy Road in Perrysburg Township.

The free “Key to Safe Teen Driving” class will offer four separate sessions for area residents. The sessions will begin at 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. and include a classroom session and hands-on drills involving wet-braking, skid control and emergency lane change maneuvers. The wet-braking and emergency lane change drills will be conducted using each participant’s street-legal automobile. Attendees are asked to remove all items from their vehicle’s trunk and any loose items in the passenger compartment, as well as check tire pressure and fluid levels prior to the program.

Program instruction will include the physics and dynamics of driving, defensive driving and responsible behavior, wet-braking, emergency lane changes and collision-avoidance, slalom and weight-transfer maneuvers, and adverse weather conditions, among many other topics. Experiential learning will take place in each participant’s own vehicle as well as in the program’s Honda Civic Skid Car. Vehicle maintenance and a tire changing demonstration will also occur during the program. The class will be taught by professional driving instructors from The Mid-Ohio School, which has offered performance driving and defensive driving programs for adults and teenagers since 1993.

The “Key to Safe Teen Driving” class was established in 2009 by KeyBank with the overall goal of improving the driving skills of teen drivers and raising awareness about the need for better training of young drivers. This year’s program features five events in four Ohio communities.

In addition to holding a valid driver’s license or driving permit, participants must show proof insurance and have use of a vehicle for the event. For more information or to register, call (877) 793-8667 or access the website www.keytosafeteendriving.com.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Crime Scene Investigator Youth Camp, July 9-11

Posted on May 29th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area youth ages 13 through 17 will have the opportunity to become a detective for several days and learn how the world of forensic science is used in solving a crime as Owens Community College serves as host to a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Youth Camp, July 9-11.

The CSI Youth Camp will be offered at the College’s Center for Emergency Preparedness, which is located on Tracy Road in Lake Township. The camp will take place Tuesday-Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Working with a forensic team, each student detective will have the opportunity to enter a re-creation of an unusual and challenging crime scene where an instructor will direct and coach the students as they use deductive skills, teamwork, math and science to solve the crime. Each camp attendee will be trained in the basic process of evidence collection that includes fingerprints, fibers and hair, blood spatter (simulated), DNA, and tire and shoe prints.

Additionally, student detectives will learn how to protect the chain of evidence as they interview witnesses and develop theories while working as a team to solve the crime. During the last day of camp, each attendee will make a presentation detailing their theories of the crime and identifying the perpetrators of the criminal activity. Each team presentation will be critiqued by a panel of law enforcement officers and forensic scientists.

Registration for the CSI Youth Camp is $150. For more information, or to register, call (567) 661-2411 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2411.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Offers LEGO Collision Cars Summer Camps in July

Posted on May 29th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area youth in grades three through eight are invited to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the use of LEGO materials as Owens Community College Workforce and Community Services Adult and Continuing Education announces LEGO Collision Cars Summer Camps, July 8-11 and 15-18.

The LEGO Collision Cars classes will take place at the Community Education and Wellness Center on the Findlay-area Campus in Findlay and at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center on Indian Wood Circle in Maumee.

The first session will occur July 8-11 at the Findlay-area Campus. The beginning class, for grades three through five, will occur from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., while Owens’ advanced class, for grades 6 through 8, will take place from 1-4:30 p.m.

Owens’ second session of LEGO Collision Cars will be held July 15-18 at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center. The beginning class, for grades three through five, will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., while Owens’ advanced class, for grades 6 through 8, will occur from 1-4:30 p.m.

“Owens Community College is proud to once again provide a continuing education program to area youth and bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics alive in a very unique learning environment,” said Rhonda Hogrefe, Owens Adult and Continuing Education Account Representative.

Using advanced LEGO parts and pieces, LEGO Collision Cars Summer Camp attendees will learn how to design and build their own unique machines by working with gears, levers, pulleys, wheels and motors.

According to Hogrefe, the camp will highlight such educational topics as exploration, problem solving and risk taking with the ultimate goal of learning how machines work and compete.

In addition, the class will use LEGO Educational Division materials and LEGO Technic elements as part of the experiential learning program.

Registration for each LEGO Collision Cars Summer Camp is $149. For more information, or to register for a camp session, call (567) 661-7357 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7357. A complete listing of other summer camps and classes can be accessed at www.owensworks.com.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Assists School Children With ‘Backpack to the Future’ Summer Supply Drive

Posted on May 22nd, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – As another school year comes to an end, many students are once again placing their backpacks in storage or are discarding them entirely in anticipation of buying next fall’s latest fashion trend. Owens Community College’s Alumni Association has taken the initiative of once again organizing a gently-used backpack drive to provide new life for what many students consider their mobile lifeline to learning.

The College’s Alumni Association community service endeavor, titled “Backpack to the Future,” is currently accepting gently-used or new backpacks and new school supplies from area residents during the summer months. Items collected, as part of the “Backpack to the Future” program, will be given to low-income elementary school children throughout Northwest Ohio.

Since establishing the program in 2004, the Owens Alumni Association has given 2,881 backpacks and 54,243 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

For more information about the school supply drive, or to make a donation, contact the Owens Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876, 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7876 or alumni@owens.edu.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Closed Memorial Day, May 27

Posted on May 16th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo, will be closed on Monday, May 27 for the Memorial Day holiday. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed for business.

Classes will resume and administrative offices will open again on Tuesday, May 28.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host GED Graduation Ceremony, May 19

Posted on May 15th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Over 50 area residents will be honored for achieving academic excellence as Owens Community College serves as host to its fourth annual GED Graduation Ceremony on Sunday, May 19.

Presented by the College’s Office of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE), the special ceremonies will occur at 1 p.m. in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts Mainstage Theatre on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The GED Graduation Ceremony is open to the public.

Graduates will be receiving their Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma, also known as the General Educational Development (GED) Diploma, as part of the graduation ceremony. Also, several student class representatives will address the graduates as keynote speakers during the event. All graduates receive special diploma covers and honor students will be recognized with medallions.

The GED examination was created with the goal of providing individuals who do not finish high school with an opportunity to earn an Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma and advance their academic and career aspirations. In order to earn an Ohio GED Diploma, students must pass all five subject areas that include language arts-writing, language arts-reading, science, social studies and mathematics on their official examination. The ABLE program is offered at no cost to students and provides individualized study plans for each student.

Owens’ ABLE, which is funded by the state of Ohio through the Ohio Board of Regents and the U.S. Department of Education, is committed to meeting the needs of the surrounding communities by providing an array of enriched learning opportunities and academic resources that include reading, writing, mathematics and computer skills. Specific programs available include preparing for post-secondary training and education, obtaining a GED Diploma, improving employability skills and learning English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), among other academic resources.

The College offers ABLE classes at multiple locations in Northwest Ohio, including the Owens Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township, the Owens Findlay-area Campus in Findlay, the Owens Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee, the Owens Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo, Washington Local Schools in Toledo, The Providence Center in Toledo, Economic Opportunity Planning Association of Greater Toledo in Toledo, the Lucas County Metropolitan Housing Authority in Toledo, Pilgrim Church in Toledo, Hancock County JOBsolutions in Findlay, University of Toledo Scott Park Campus in Toledo and at several Toledo-Lucas County Public Library locations.

Individuals who are interested in Owens’ ABLE classes can call (567) 661-2708 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2708.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Statewide Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition, May 10

Posted on May 8th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Twenty high school students from across Ohio will put their knowledge of automobiles to the test as they compete in the 64th annual Ford/AAA Auto Skills State Competition at Owens Community College on Friday, May 10.

The contest will occur from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the College’s Center for Emergency Preparedness on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township.

“Owens Community College is proud to collaborate with the Ford Motor Co. and AAA and support an event that enables high school students to showcase their knowledge and skills specific to the automotive industry,” said Nick Shultz, Owens Instructor of Transportation Technologies and Technical Competition Manager for the state competition. “Ohio’s Ford/AAA Auto Skills State Competition is one of the largest in the country. The participants are extremely talented, which will certainly make for a very exciting day of competition.”

Sponsored by the Ford Motor Co. and AAA, the state contest will involve 10 high school teams, consisting of two students, completing various testing to determine their expertise of automobiles. As part of the practical skills competition, teams will be required to locate, identify and repair malfunctions on new 2013 Ford Focus SE vehicles, which are donated by the Hertz Corp. Once the vehicle is properly diagnosed and repaired, the teams must drive across the finish line, where the vehicle will be inspected by judges, comprised of automotive industry professionals.

The top teams will be awarded scholarships and prizes with the championship team also advancing to the National Finals at the Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Mich., June 9-12. Over 12,000 students from across the United States annually compete for the chance to represent their school and state in the National Finals. The Ford/AAA Auto Skills State Competitions will offer nearly $12 million in scholarships this year to students at both the state and national levels.

High schools and students participating in the state competition are Apollo Career Center in Lima, Coshocton County Career Center in Coshocton, Delaware Area Career Center in Delaware, Fort Hayes Career Center in Columbus, Fairmont Career Technical Center in Kettering, Penta Career Center in Perrysburg, Tri-Rivers Career Center in Marion, Trumbull Career and Technical Center in Warren, Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights and West Shore Career-Technical District in Lakewood.

This marks the fourth time (2003, 2004 and 2012) that Owens has served as host site for the state competition.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Student Group to Fight Hunger During Project Graduation Food Collection Drive, May 3

Posted on April 25th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – The Owens Community College Alpha Omega Pi Student Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society is encouraging area residents to help in the fight against hunger by donating a canned good as part of an initiative titled “Project Graduation: Feed a Body, Feed a Mind” on Friday, May 3.

Donated items, as well as monetary donations, can be dropped off during the day of the College’s Spring Commencement. The collection point will be located in the hallway outside the Student Health and Activities Center gymnasium, where commencement ceremonies will occur that evening. Canned goods will be accepted from 5:30-9 p.m. All donations will be used to help the Owens Harvest Food Pantry initiative.

The Owens Harvest Food Pantry was established to provide collaborative learning opportunities for students as well as faculty and staff in various academic departments and disciplines. The initiative also offers financial help and assistance to students in the form of perishable and non-perishable food resources.

Phi Theta Kappa was established in 1918 by the presidents of eight Missouri junior colleges for women. In 1924, the international organization was expanded to include all two-year colleges. To date, more than one million individuals have been inducted into the international honor society. Owens’ chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society is one of the largest in Ohio.

For more information about project graduation or to donate, call (567) 661-7930 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7930.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Environmental Club to Host Denim Collection Drive, April 22-26

Posted on April 17th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College’s Environmental Club is encouraging area residents to bring their used denim jeans, jackets and purses of any particular color to the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses in support of environmental awareness as the student group hosts its fourth annual “Recycle Your Denim” Collection Drive, April 22-26.

The denim collection drive initiative is part of a nationwide effort with the “®COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.” environmental program. Founded in 2006, the denim program gives “new life” to used items by converting them to UltraTouch National Cotton Fiber Insulation. The insulation is then provided to communities in need to assist with building efforts. UltraTouch is composed of 85 percent recycled cotton fibers and is an environmentally safe, non-itch insulation without carcinogenic warnings, formaldehyde or chemical irritants.

Since the start of the “®COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.” denim drive in 2006, the program has received a total of over 500,000 pieces of denim and provided enough UltraTouch National Cotton Fiber Insulation for approximately 1.5 million square feet of insulation to assist with building efforts for communities in need.

At the collection drive’s conclusion, all denim materials will be presented to Eisenhower Middle School seventh grader Erek Hansen of Curtice to assist in his personal goal of collecting over 5,000 items for the “®COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.” program. Last year, the twelve-year-old collected 5,019 denim items.

Owens has set up a variety of collection points around the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses. Area residents can drop off their denim items on the Toledo-area Campus at the Student Health and Activities Center Room 165 and the College Hall Bookstore. On the Findlay-area Campus, collection points are in the College’s Atrium area.

Last year, Owens students collected over 500 denim items as part of the outreach initiative. For more information about the denim collection drive, or to donate, call (567) 661-7583 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7583.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus to Host Electronics Recycling and Paper Shredding Day, April 24

Posted on April 17th, 2013

FINDLAY, Ohio – Owens Community College is encouraging area residents to bring their used electronic devices and unwanted paper documents to the Findlay-area Campus in support of environmental awareness as the academic institution serves as host to the second annual Electronics Recycling and Paper Shredding Day on Wednesday, April 24. The event is taking place in recognition of the upcoming celebration of Earth Day (April 22).

Coordinated by the College’s Office of Student Activities and the Findlay Campus Rotaract Club student organization, the electronics recycling and paper shredding initiative is part of a collaborative effort with Recycle It USA’s environmental program and Blanchard Valley Industries.

“Owens Community College’s Findlay-area Campus is proud to work with the Recycle It USA and Blanchard Valley Industries organizations and help our environment by making sure that electronic devices and paper do not end up in landfills, as well as protect consumer information,” said James Katzner, Owens Manager of Career Services and Student Activities. “I encourage area residents to participate in the College’s community outreach program by bringing in their old electronic devices and paper documents. Owens is excited to extend this service and opportunity to the surrounding communities.”

Items being collected by Recycle It USA include computers, display panels, printers, keyboards and mice, scanners, projectors, document cameras, speakers, storage devices, stereo equipment, cameras and camcorders, networking hardware, cell phones, cables, video game consoles and flash drives, among other items. Televisions are not being accepted as part of the electronics recycling event.

In addition, Blanchard Valley Industries representatives will be accepting sensitive information to be shredded, including confidential documents, check stubs, bank statements and credit card offers, among other documents. There is no limit on the number of paper documents that individuals can bring for shredding purposes. All documents will be shredded at the Blanchard Valley Industries location.

Items can be dropped off from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in parking lots B and C, which are situated in the northwest portion of the Findlay-area Campus. Owens is located on Bright Road in Findlay.

For more information about Electronics Recycling and Paper Shredding Day, call (567) 429-3029 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 3029.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club Hosts Annual Spring Plant Sale, April 24-25

Posted on April 16th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area residents seeking to add some new life and color to their gardens and yards this spring are encouraged to attend the Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club’s annual Spring Plant Sale at Owens Community College, Wednesday-Thursday, April 24-25.

The plant sale will be held from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (April 24) and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (April 25) next to the greenhouse, which is near the entrance to the Owens Math/Science Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The sale will feature a wide selection of shrubs and rare, unusual trees, as well as annuals, among other items. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

According to Chris Foley, Owens Associate Professor of Science, the student organization is excited to once again offer individuals the rare opportunity to purchase select trees, shrubs and annuals at a very minimal cost for the upcoming spring planting season.

“The annual spring plant sale also provides our students with the unique opportunity to showcase their talents to the general public and the campus community in the form of a wide range of hanging baskets and planters filled with beautiful blooming plants,” added Foley. “The containers were all grown by the students within the College’s greenhouse.”

A majority of the shrubs will cost $15-25, while varieties of trees will cost between $20-50. All proceeds from the plant sale will help in supporting the organization’s participation in the annual PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) Student Career Days, which is a national horticultural and landscape competition involving over 50 colleges and universities across the country.

Shrubs on hand will include assorted hydrangeas and flowering shrubs, as well as the Emerald Green Arborvitae, Bottle Brush Buckeye and Virginia Sweetspire, among many others. Several rare and unusual trees will also be available, including the Chinese Dogwood, Carolina Silverbell and White Oak. The Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club will also sell perennials, including select hostas and daylilies. In addition, an assortment of planters and hanging baskets with flowering annuals, grown by the College’s greenhouse management class, will be available this year. Hanging baskets will cost $10, while combination planters will cost $10-25. A complete listing of the available plants with their prices is available online at www.owens.edu/direct/plantsale.pdf.

The College’s Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club was founded in 2005 with the mission of fostering stronger bonds among students majoring in the Landscape and Turfgrass Management program. Among the organization’s main initiatives is creating a network between alumni and current students to help in assisting individuals pursue careers within the landscape, turfgrass and related horticulture industries. The group also hosts fundraisers to support club outreach activities in the surrounding communities.

For more information about the Owens Landscape and Turfgrass Crew Club plant sale, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Environmental Club to Host Spring Electronics Collection Drive, April 23

Posted on April 15th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College’s Environmental Club is encouraging area residents to bring their used electronic devices to the Toledo-area Campus in support of environmental awareness as the student group serves as host to an “E-Waste” Collection Drive on Tuesday, April 23. The event is taking place in recognition of the upcoming celebration of Earth Day (April 22).

The electronics collection drive initiative is part of a collaborative effort with Recycle It USA’s environmental program, where electronic items are either given new life and use through a refurbishment process or recycled with the various components being broken down and disseminated to recycle-specific organizations.

Items being collected include computers, displays, printers, keyboards and mice, scanners, projectors, document cameras, speakers, storage devices, stereo equipment, cameras and camcorders, networking hardware, cell phones, cables, video game consoles and flash drives, among other items. Televisions are not being accepted as part of the electronics collection drive event.

Electronic devices can be dropped off from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. outside the Center for Fine and Performing Arts on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

The Owens Environmental Club is comprised of active students who are dedicated to addressing a multitude of environmental issues. The student organization has successfully implemented numerous recycling programs, while bringing more awareness to environmental concerns. Within the community, the Owens Environmental Club regularly helps in community clean-ups and preserve restorations, participates in charity events, and supports various environmental causes highlighted by a continuous textbook recycling fundraiser.

Proceeds from all cell phones collected will benefit the College’s Environmental Club. For more information about the electronics collection drive, call (567) 661-7583 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7583.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Findlay-area Campus to Host Community Blood Drive, April 24

Posted on April 15th, 2013

FINDLAY, Ohio – Area residents are encouraged to help in saving lives as the Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus and the American Red Cross host a community Blood Drive on Wednesday, April 24.

The Blood Drive will occur from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the Education Center Room 111 on the Findlay-area Campus. Owens’ Findlay-area Campus is located on Bright Road in Findlay. The Blood Drive will be staffed by the Findlay Rotaract student organization.

Qualified donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and not have given blood within 56 days prior to their donation. In addition, individuals should feel well the day of the Blood Drive, be in general good health and have a picture ID (preferably a driver’s license). The Blood Drive is open to Owens employees and students, as well as area residents. Walk-ins are encouraged.

Donors will be provided snacks and drinks before and after their donation. For more information, call 1-800-733-2767. Interested parties are encouraged to make an appointment by registering on the website at www.redcrossblood.org and entering the sponsor code OWENSCCFINDLAY or calling the above number.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens’ Community Terrace View Café Announces Garde Manger Grazing Stations Buffet, April 24

Posted on April 11th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area residents are invited to experience an array of amazing foods in the form of garnishes, hors d’oeuvres and appetizers at the Owens Community College Terrace View Café as students within the culinary arts program’s Garde Manger classes present the art and craft of the cold kitchen during a grazing station feature buffet on Wednesday, April 24.

Garde Manger classes will open the College’s student-run Terrace View Café to the public as attendees will have the opportunity to partake of sausages, smoked foods, cheeses, pâtés, vegetable and fruit carvings, chutneys, crackers and canapés from an array of buffet themed platters as part of their dining experience, including a Little Slice of Italy, an Island Getaway and Caribbean Cuisine.

The Garde Manger Grazing Stations Buffet will take place from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the College’s Terrace View Café, which is located in College Hall Room 148 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens’ restaurant is coordinated by the Food, Nutrition and Hospitality Department.

The Owens culinary arts program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in the rapidly growing culinary arts industry. Both the associate’s degree and certificate prepares students for food preparation positions in restaurants, hotels, health care facilities, resorts and country clubs. The Garde Manger class is designed to provide students with experiential learning related to the art and craft of the cold kitchen. Classroom instruction includes the preparation of garnishes, hors d’oeuvres and appetizers, sausages and tureens, sauces and soups, and salads and sandwiches. Additionally, buffet presentation is highlighted as part of the academic curriculum.

The cost per lunch, which includes unlimited trips to the grazing stations, is $9 and reservations are required. Reservations can be made by calling (567) 661-7359 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7359. Individuals can also make a reservation by accessing the College’s website at www.owens.edu/terrace.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Free ‘Crowdfunding for Your Small Business’ Seminar, April 19

Posted on April 10th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Northwest Ohio business professionals are invited to learn about ways to enhance organizational success through innovative outreach methods as Owens Community College serves as host to a free “Crowdfunding for Your Small Business” Seminar on Friday, April 19.

Presented by the College’s School of Business and the Great Lakes Credit Union Inc., the event will occur from 7-9 a.m. in the Audio/Visual Classroom Center Room 121 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The seminar is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

Attendees will be able to learn about one of the newest small business funding methods and how a collective group of individuals, via networking and resource outreach efforts, can significantly impact an organization’s awareness and growth potential.

Serving as seminar presenter is Great Lakes Credit Union Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer David Seeger. In addition to his lecture presentation on crowdfunding, Seeger will provide an update on the economic status of the region and forecast of the business environment in Northwest Ohio.

For more information about the event, call (567) 661-7280 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7280. To register, visit www.owens.edu/businessconference.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Student Government Offers Spring Car Wash Fundraising Event, April 16

Posted on April 10th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area residents interested in transforming their dirty vehicles into spotless masterpieces are encouraged to visit the Owens Community College Toledo-area Campus as Student Government, armed with buckets of suds, will host a Spring Car Wash Fundraising Event on Tuesday, April 16. Proceeds raised from the car wash will benefit the construction of a Multipurpose Room at the Brad Reddick School in Savanette, Haiti.

The Spring Car Wash Fundraising Event will occur in the north entrance parking lot of the Student Health and Activities Center on the Toledo-area Campus. Individuals will have the opportunity to drive up to the car wash from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Freewill donations will be accepted at the conclusion of each individual car wash. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

The Brad Reddick School was established in 2006 as a result of generous community outreach support through Missions International of America in Perrysburg and provides educational opportunities for over 300 children. The educational facility is currently in the process of constructing a Multipurpose Room, which will be used for computer technology education upon building completion.

The College’s Student Government is comprised of individuals who serve as the student body’s voice on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses. Balancing their time between school and work, Student Government members are constantly initiating new projects and events that meet the needs and interests of Owens’ student body and the surrounding communities.

For more information about the Spring Car Wash Fundraising Event, call (567) 661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2569.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Third Annual Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony, April 12

Posted on April 9th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College students pursuing academic studies at the highest level will have the opportunity to showcase their research and creative work in multiple disciplines as the academic institution hosts its third annual Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony on Friday, April 12.

The Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony will occur from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Founders Hall on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The event is free and open to the public.

“Owens Community College is extremely proud to once again host an event which affords students the opportunity to share their academic findings with both the campus community and the general public through oral presentations and panel discussions,” said Dr. Russell Bodi, Owens Professor of English and Honors Program Director. “The students participating in the third annual Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony are leaders who have challenged their intellectual growth at the highest level. The Honors Program is honored to recognize them on their accomplishments.”

Mirroring a professional academic conference, Owens’ Honors Program Symposium and Medallion Ceremony will feature oral presentations and panel discussions by students on several topic areas, including history, politics, culture, ethics, morality, critical thinking, anthropology, religion, literature, international affairs and Shakespeare, among others. Each presentation and panel discussion is a collaborative effort between Honors Program students and Owens faculty members.

Owens students presenting papers and their topics as part of the academic symposium are Nicole Drake of Pemberville (Reflective Thoughts: The Experience of a Formal Introduction to Critical Thinking); Tiffany Young of Toledo (What is Human Sexuality?); Rebecca Kory of Sylvania (Women’s Culture within the United States Armed Services); Andrew Hartke of Oregon (To Greece and Back); Keith Crossman of Toledo (Cinematic Variations on Shakespeare: A Case Study of Two Variations on One Play); Carrie Lee of Oak Harbor (“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” with a Focus on the Significance of the 101 Verses); Lindsay Cervantes of Findlay (A Feminist Approach to “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”); Noha Dawod of Toledo (Bismarck: A Heroe?); Terry Burkhead of Toledo (The Presidency: Grew up with the Country); Noha Dawod (Ibn Battulah was the Traveler of His Time); Brookelynn Michele Diaz of Findlay (Ethical Analysis of Speeches about Gun Control); Keith Crossman (Moral Dilemma Relating to Designer Babies and Cloning); Ricky Slater of Genoa (What You C.E.E.); Carrie Lee (Proto Oncogenes and Oncogenes in Relation to Cancer); Heather Harris of Toledo (Anthropological Philosophy: The Philosophy with Three Anthropological Theories); Carrie Lee (Using Bacteria as a Possible Treatment for Cancer); Heather Harris (Jesus: Prophet, Jew, or Imaginary Person); Diana Baum of Toledo (Islam: Is it Really Different?), and Lilian Ann Briggs of Toledo (Tanakh v. Old Testament: Exaggerated Translation).

Two separate student panel discussions will also take place as part of the academic symposium. The first panel discussion topic is “Reader Response and ‘The Art of War’” with student panel participants Terance Gaston of Toledo, Adren Burkes of Toledo, Rebecca Kory, Heather Harris and Ricky Staler, while the second panel discussion will highlight “New Criticism of ‘The Bible’” and feature student panelists Rudy Strong of Toledo, Maggie Van Meter of Clyde and Patricia Bellville of Toledo and Terry Burkhead.

In addition to the oral presentations and panel discussions, the Owens Honors Program will recognize students for their educational success and leadership with the bestowing of an Owens Honors Program medallion. The students being recognized for the 2013 Spring Semester are Nicole Aldrich of Gibsonburg, Valerie Herron of Toledo, Lynette Schnipke of Findlay, Benjamin Stansfield of Perrysburg, Isabelle Dickerson of Holland, Brookelynn Michele Diaz, Terry Burkhead, Keith Crossman and Tiffany Young.

The Honors Program at Owens was founded with the overall mission of providing a challenging educational opportunity, above and beyond the standard curriculum, for exceptional students who strive for academic excellence. Over 100 students are members of the current Owens Honors Program on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses.

To be considered for admission into the selective program, a currently enrolled student must have a minimum 3.2 grade point average with 12 credits completed at Owens. A new student must have achieved a high school 3.2 grade point average or be enrolled as a post secondary enrollment option student.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Students to Raise Homeless Awareness During Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City, April 8-9

Posted on March 26th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College students will spend a night under the stars to raise homeless awareness as part of the academic institution’s eighth annual Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City on Monday, April 8.

Beginning at 4 p.m., Owens students will spend 17 consecutive hours camping out on the College’s courtyard lawn outside the Student Health and Activities Center on the Toledo-area Campus. The goal of the sleep out is to make more people aware of homelessness occurring in the surrounding communities and to collect hygiene-specific donations to benefit Cherry Street Mission Ministries in Toledo. The event will conclude at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 9.

“The Owens Community College Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City initiative is intended to raise awareness about a very serious issue within our surrounding communities,” said Nicole Buccalo, Owens Student Activities Assistant. “Homelessness can happen to any person at any given time. I encourage area residents to expand their knowledge and understanding of homelessness by engaging in the College’s outreach event or by making a donation to the hygiene collection drive benefiting Cherry Street Mission Ministries.”

Owens students and employees and community members are encouraged to show their support by dropping off hygiene-specific items. Desired items include toilet paper, deodorant, razors, wash cloths, towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and conditioner. Donations can be dropped off on the College’s courtyard lawn outside the Student Health and Activities Center during the Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City event.

Additionally, Owens students will be putting their construction skills to the test as part of a cardboard box-building competition and engaging in discussion about the issue of homelessness.

Cherry Street Mission Ministries was founded in 1947 with the overall goal of providing help to those in need in the form of food and shelter. In addition to meeting people’s critical basic needs, the organization focuses on empowering people to break the bonds of homelessness and poverty and build new lives for themselves.

Owens’ Sleep Out for the Homeless Tent City event is being coordinated by the College’s Office of Student Activities. For more information about the event, including donation information, call (567) 661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2569.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Prom Dress Extravaganza Event for High School Students, April 6

Posted on March 25th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area high school students and their families searching for that hard-to-find prom dress and accompanying accessories at minimal cost are invited to visit Owens Community College as the Raising Awareness Club and Springfield High School Academic Boosters present the third annual Prom Dress Extravaganza on Saturday, April 6.

The Prom Dress Extravaganza will take place from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the College’s Student Health and Activities Center. Owens’ Toledo-area Campus is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

During the event, high school students and their families will have the opportunity to select from an assortment of over 400 prom dresses and accessories for minimal cost ranging from $5-20 for dresses and 50 cents to $5 for accessories. Featured items available for purchase will be gently used dresses, shoes, purses, gloves and jewelry, among other prom accessories.

Additionally, shopping mentors will be on hand to assist individuals in their shopping experience.

“The Northwest Ohio community has once again played a huge part in making the Prom Dress Extravaganza a reality,” said Nicole Buccalo, Owens Student Activities Assistant and Raising Award Club Advisor. “An assortment of over 400 dresses and a variety of prom-specific items will be available for purchase this year. The Prom Dress Extravaganza was established to ensure that cost is not an issue for high school students to receive a special prom experience.”

All proceeds raised from the prom dress initiative will be used to benefit future community outreach activities for the Raising Awareness Club and the Springfield High School Academic Boosters.

Owens’ Raising Awareness Club was founded with the overall purpose of raising awareness about an array of issues and causes. Comprised of Owens students, employees and alumni, the group is committed to advocating for the acceptance of cultural differences, global unity, disability awareness and various needs that impact the surrounding communities.

For more information about the event, call (567) 661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2569.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Toledo-area Campus to Host Registration Rocks, April 8-12 and 15-19

Posted on March 25th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area high school seniors are invited to learn about Owens Community College’s many educational opportunities during a fun, music-themed event as the academic institution’s Toledo-area Campus serves as host to Registration Rocks in April.

High school seniors can sign up for any day of Registration Rocks which runs from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Attendees are required to RSVP prior to the event. Registration Rocks dates include April 8-12 and 15-19.

“Registration Rocks is a great opportunity for prospective students to register for summer and fall classes all in one fun-filled day,”said Cory Stine, Owens Director of Admissions. “Owens Community College is excited to once again host an event where students can take the first step toward their career and educational aspirations.”

Throughout each day, students will be able to tour campus, complete the new student orientation, take the placement test and pick up important information about financial aid, clubs and student activities, local housing and academic program offerings.

In addition, a separate program on learning to support your children in college will be offered to parents who attend Registration Rocks. Students will also be provided with a free lunch during their visit.

For more information, or to register, call (567) 661-2620 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2620. Or, check out the Owens website at www.owens.edu/regrocks/ ( http://www.owens.edu/regrocks/ )and click on the Registration Rocks icon.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Host Annual Lincoln Motorsports Welding Night, April 4

Posted on March 21st, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College’s School of Technology, the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the American Welding Society and Lincoln Electric Motorsports are inviting area racing car and truck enthusiasts to the Toledo-area Campus to view an array of competition vehicles and learn more about careers within the welding and automotive industry at the 17th annual Lincoln Motorsports Welding Night on Thursday, April 4.

Lincoln Motorsports Welding Night will occur from 6-9 p.m. in the College’s Transportation Technologies Center. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

“Lincoln Motorsports Welding Night is a great opportunity for area residents to check out some of the latest advancements in competition racing as more than 30 owners from around the region showcase their vehicles,” said Jim Gilmore, Owens Chair of Diesel and Welding Technologies. “Attendees can also meet individuals from local businesses and ask advice in choosing a career within the welding or automotive industry.”

Vehicles featured at the event will include trucks, stock racing cars, drag racing cars and drag bikes, among others. In addition, an ARCA truck and car as well as a 305 Sprint car will be on display.

Karl Hoes of the Lincoln Electric Co. will serve as the guest speaker for this year’s event. In addition to his position as an Instructor for Lincoln Electric, Hoes is an accomplished Lincoln Motorsports Welder and performs welding on NASCAR, Nationwide, ARCA and IRL vehicles. Additionally, he is a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association in Wisconsin and involved heavily with the IRL and ARCA Truck series. Hoes will speak at 7 p.m. in Transportation Technologies Center Room 168 about various aspects of welding on competition vehicles.

Representatives from local businesses including Toledo Speedway, Norwalk Raceway Park and Attica Raceway Park will be in attendance to offer information. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to experience one of Lincoln Electric’s virtual welders and view welding demonstrations during the event.

Lincoln Motorsports Welding Night is co-sponsored by the Northwest Ohio Chapter of the American Welding Society and Lincoln Electric Motorsports. For additional information on the event, call (567) 661-7729 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7729.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Findlay-area Campus to Host Registration Rocks in March and April

Posted on March 19th, 2013

FINDLAY, Ohio – Area high school seniors are invited to learn about Owens Community College’s many educational opportunities during a fun, music-themed event as the College’s Findlay-area Campus serves as host to Registration Rocks in March and April.

High school seniors can sign up for any day of Registration Rocks which runs from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on the Findlay-area Campus. Owens is located on Bright Road in Findlay. Attendees are required to RSVP prior to the event. Registration Rocks dates include March 28 and April 1 and 10.

“Registration Rocks is a great opportunity for prospective students to register for summer and fall classes all in one fun-filled day,” said Stefanie Orians, Owens Admissions Representative. “Owens Community College Findlay-area Campus is excited to once again host an event where students can take the first step toward their career and educational aspirations.”

In addition, a separate program on learning to support your children in college will be offered to parents who attend Registration Rocks. Attendees will also be provided with a free lunch during their visit.

For more information, or to register, call (567) 429-3656 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 3656. Or, check out the Owens website at www.owens.edu/regrocks/ and click on the Registration Rocks icon.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Findlay-area Campus to Host Literacy Fair, March 27

Posted on March 19th, 2013

FINDLAY, Ohio – Owens Community College will celebrate and promote the importance of literacy by inviting area residents to participate in several free activities as the Findlay-area Campus serves as host to a Literacy Fair on Wednesday, March 27.

The Literacy Fair will take place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the College’s Education Center Room 111 on the Findlay-area Campus. Owens is located on Bright Road in Findlay. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

“The purpose of the event is to educate students and the community about the importance of literacy and introduce them to an array of literacy resources available to children and adults in Hancock County and the surrounding area,” said James Katzner, Owens Manager of Career Services and Student Activities.

Area children will have the opportunity to participate in several interactive events throughout the Literacy Fair, highlighted by creating their very own bookmarks, participating in coloring activities and attending “Read Aloud” sessions. The “Read Aloud” sessions are being coordinated by Owens teacher education students in the family, communities and schools class and will feature stories involving the theme Under-the-Sea Adventure. The reading events will occur at 9 a.m. (“I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean”), at 10 a.m. (“Ten Little Fish”) and at 11 a.m. (“Mister Seahorse”). In addition, a “Campus Read Aloud” will take place at 12 p.m. and feature Owens faculty and staff members reading “The Rainbow Fish”. Prize drawings will also occur throughout the event.

Additionally, attendees will have the chance to meet with several local community representatives and ask them questions about literacy outreach opportunities available through their organizations. Area organizations in attendance will include Read for L.I.F.E., Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, the University of Findlay Mazza Museum, Hope House, Open Arms, Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) and GED programs, Owens Findlay-area Campus Library, Owens Literacy Committee and a local literacy coalition, among other groups.

A Scholastic Book Sale will also take place on the College’s Findlay-area Campus in conjunction with the Literacy Fair from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Atrium on Wednesday, March 27. A wide selection of new children’s books will be available for purchase with the proceeds benefiting the Hope House and Opens Arms organizations. The Scholastic Book Sale will also occur from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 28.

For more information about the Literacy Fair, call (567) 429-3029 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 3029.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens to Host Free Hunger Awareness Day, March 21

Posted on March 15th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Area residents interested in enhancing their knowledge and understanding about the plight of hunger affecting the Northwest Ohio region are invited to participate in a series of free activities and events at Owens Community College’s Hunger Awareness Day on Thursday, March 21.

Coordinated by the Owens Leadership Academy Team Alliance, the event is titled “Plant the Seed” and will occur from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the College’s Audio/Visual Classroom Center Rooms 125-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. All events and activities are free and open to the public.

Activities will commence with Food for Thought Executive Director and Chief Thought Officer Sam Melden providing a lecture presentation about the societal impact of poverty and hunger in Northwest Ohio at 11:30 a.m. Owens culinary arts students will follow Melden’s lecture with hands-on culinary demonstrations at 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. During the demonstrations, students will be utilizing ingredients readily available within a food pantry to create nutritional and cost-effective oatmeal pancakes.

In addition to the presentation and demonstrations, individuals will have the opportunity to visit with Owens dietetic technician students and receive advice about food and nutrition as well as take-home cookbooks. Attendees will also have the opportunity to choose from an assortment edible lettuce seedlings courtesy of the College’s urban agriculture and sustainability students. Several local campus and community organizations will be in attendance during Hunger Awareness Day, including Meijer, Owens Harvest Food Pantry, Toledo Area Ministries’ Food Stamp Outreach, Feed Thy Neighbor, Food for Thought, Feed Lucas County Children and Toledo Seagate Food Bank, among other groups. Hunger Awareness day will also feature various prize drawings.

Owens Leadership Academy Team Alliance members responsible for the event’s coordination are Joann Gruner, Terrence Katschke, Eileen Goodman and Michelle Atkinson.

For additional information about Hunger Awareness Day, call (567) 661-7504 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7504.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College to Assist Local Residents With Children’s Clothing Swap Outreach Event, March 19

Posted on March 12th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College students are reaching out to those individuals in the surrounding communities with a limited clothing budget by hosting a children’s clothing swap event titled “Swap-It-Up” on Tuesday, March 19.

The clothing swap is being presented by the College’s Student Activities Office and will take place from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Audio/Visual Classroom Center Rooms 125-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. The daylong event is free and open to the public.

“Owens Community College is proud to once again serve as host to an event benefiting individuals in our communities who have a limited clothing budget,” said Nicole Buccalo, Owens Student Activities Assistant. “I encourage individuals to donate their unnecessary clothes, while at the same time look for those hard-to-find items.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring gently used, folded clothing of all sizes for children to the community outreach event. Items being accepted as part of the “Swap-It-Up” initiative are pants, dresses, shoes, skirts, jackets, shorts, short sleeve shirts, long sleeve shirts, ties and onesies, among other items.

All donated items must be freshly laundered and the clothing swap is not accepting clothing with visible stains, holes, broken zippers and missing buttons. Individuals will be given a ticket voucher for each item donated to the “Swap-It-Up” event. The ticket voucher will enable attendees to choose from the already donated clothing selection.

Any items not claimed during the clothing swap event will be donated to Cherry Street Mission Ministries.

For more information about the clothing swap event, call (567) 661-2994 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2994.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

Owens Community College Students Lend Helping Hand To High School Students With Third Annual Prom Dress Drive, March 4-29

Posted on February 28th, 2013

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Owens Community College students are reaching out to high school girls to ensure that they are able to receive a special high school prom experience by hosting the third annual Prom Dress Drive, March 4-29.

The Prom Dress Drive is being coordinated by the College’s Raising Awareness Club. Beginning Monday, March 4, Owens students will accept various gently used prom-specific items, including dresses, shoes, purses, gloves and jewelry, among other prom accessories. The donation drive will run through March 29.

“The Prom Dress Drive has been a big success the last two years,” said Nicole Buccalo, Owens Student Activities Assistant and Raising Awareness Club Advisor. “We really want to make sure that each high school student’s prom is a memorable event. Area residents can help in the Raising Awareness Club’s outreach efforts by donating or encouraging others to donate to the Prom Dress Drive.”

Following the Prom Dress Drive initiative, the Raising Awareness Club and the Springfield High School Academic Booster Club will host the Prom Dress Extravaganza for high school students and their families on Saturday, April 6. During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase prom dresses and accessories for minimal cost ranging from $5-20 for dresses and 50 cents to $5 for accessories. Shopping mentors will be on hand to assist individuals in their shopping experience. Additionally, Owens students will provide prom dress alterations free of charge during the event. Owens’ Prom Dress Extravaganza will take place from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the College’s Student Health and Activities Center.

All prom donations can be dropped off in the Office of Student Activities Room 165 at the College’s Student Health and Activities Center on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township or at Salon Onyx in Toledo.

All proceeds raised from the prom dress initiative will be used to benefit future community outreach activities for the Raising Awareness Club.

For more information, or to make a donation, call (567) 661-2569 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2569.

Owens Community College is an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education that has served Northwest Ohio since 1965. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees that transfer to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 130 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.