News Releases

OACC AWARDS FORMER OWENS TRUSTEE, EDWARD REITER, THE 2019 TERRY M. THOMAS FRIEND OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES AWARD

Posted on September 6th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 6, 2019 – The Ohio Association of Community Colleges’ (OACC) recently awarded the Terry M. Thomas Friend of Community Colleges Award to former Owens Community College trustee, Edward J. Reiter, as part of the OACC 2019 Excellence Awards program.

Steve Robinson, Ph.D., president, Owens Community College, nominated Reiter for his leadership, passion and efforts to further technical education and help community college students throughout his 55 years of involvement within the communities of northwest Ohio and at Owens Community College.

“Ed Reiter has been a good friend to community colleges and higher education for many decades while serving in several leadership roles at Owens Community College and numerous other community boards,” said Robinson. “His tireless advocacy on behalf of education and specifically community college students has left an impact that will be felt for many years to come.”

Reiter, a resident of Bowling Green, graduated from Bowling Green State University and then served in the U.S. Army from 1962-64. After teaching for several years in area high schools, including at Penta County Vocational Schools. He joined Mid American National Bank and Trust Company and worked his way up through the ranks, eventually becoming chief executive officer of Mid American and then senior chairman of Sky Financial (formerly Mid American) from 1998-2005.

From 1976-1985, he served on the Owens Community College Board of Trustees including a term as chairman from 1979-1981. He also served on the Owens Community College Foundation Board of Directors from 2002-2004 and remains an Emeritus Director. The Edward and Linda Reiter Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in 1984 and has to date awarded 50 scholarships.

Deeply committed to his community, Reiter has long been active in civic affairs, including service on the BGSU Alumni and Foundation boards, the COSI Board of Directors, the Toledo Community Foundation Board, the Toledo Symphony Board and the United Way. In addition to his service at Owens, he is a former Trustee of Lourdes University (formerly Lourdes College) and Davis College. He served on the Boards of the Toledo-area Chamber of Commerce, Cherry Street Mission and the Boys and Girls Club and is a founding member of the University of Toledo Center for Family Business.

The Terry M. Thomas Friend of Community Colleges Award is presented annually to someone who has had a major, positive impact on community colleges in Ohio, the award is named in honor of the OACC’s founding Executive Director.

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.

RAMADEVI KANNAN RECEIVES 2019 ACBSP TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Posted on July 18th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 18, 2019 – Ramadevi Kannan, professor of accounting, has been named a regional recipient of the 2019 Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Teaching Excellence Award. The ACBSP recognizes individuals each year who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom.

Professor Kannan was honored, along with other regional recipients, at the 2019 ACBSP Conference in Houston, Texas in June. She received a crystal medallion and a $250 check. In addition, Ms. Kannan was selected from all regional award winners as the recipient of the ACBSP International Teaching Excellence Award for 2019, which was not announced until the awards ceremony at the conference. She was presented with an engraved crystal award and a check for $500.

“Ms. Kannan has a reputation for working very closely with students to ensure they have the tools needed to be successful. She is fair and kind when dealing with students’ issues and she delivers the curriculum to suit multiple learning styles. Furthermore, I recently learned that Rama even went so far as to financially assist a student whose laptop was stolen during the semester. That level of dedication to students is extraordinary, and illustrates her kindness and compassion for helping students succeed,” said Elizabeth “Libby” King, chair, Business Technologies, Owens Community College.

The ACBSP Associate Degree Commission established the International Teaching Excellence Award in 1995 to recognize outstanding classroom teachers. In 2002, the Baccalaureate Degree Commission created a similar award to recognize excellence in teaching at the baccalaureate/graduate degree level. ACBSP is the only specialized body for business schools that presents an award recognizing excellence in teaching, open to application by the entire membership.

“It is more important than ever for business programs to produce graduates who are ready to enter the global marketplace,” said Jeffrey Alderman, ACBSP president and CEO. “ACBSP has a mission to develop, promote and recognize best practices that contribute to continuous improvement of business education. Recognition of teaching excellence is one way we achieve this goal,” he stated.

About ACBSP

ACBSP’s mission is to promote continuous improvement and recognize excellence in the accreditation of business education programs around the world. ACBSP, www.acbsp.org, is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a specialized accreditation agency for business education. ACBSP is the only global accrediting body to accredit business, accounting, and business-related programs at all degree levels. ACBSP currently has 1,100+ member campuses in 60 countries. Of those campuses, 942 have achieved accreditation and more than 150 are in candidacy for accreditation. Individual members on these campuses now exceed 13,000. FAQs / Accreditation FAQs

GM PARTNERS WITH OWENS TO CHART DEBT-FREE PATH FOR IN-DEMAND AUTO TECH JOBS

Posted on June 13th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 13, 2019 – General Motors Co. (GM) has chosen Owens Community College as one of seven community colleges in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania to launch its GM Dealer Technician Scholarship, a program that can help students graduate debt-free with a two-year associate degree in automotive technology, beginning fall 2019. This scholarship is offered through the Owens Community College Foundation to assist eligible students who are enrolled in the GM Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP) with full tuition and fees.

“This is great news for our students who are looking to enter the automotive technology field with low cost, high-quality training,” said Steve Robinson, Ph.D., president, Owens Community College. “We are proud to continue our more than 25-year partnership with GM to help fill the gap between industry needs and qualified workers.”

The GM Dealer Technician Scholarship will help address the growing demand for highly trained automotive service technicians. The Ohio Occupational Employment Projection Report estimates that the industry will need 28,675 more technicians by 2026 due to anticipated demand and attrition.

Owens Community College works with nearly 50 GM dealerships in the region to provide students the opportunity to work alongside experienced technicians to maintain and repair today’s high-tech vehicles.

There is a 100 percent job placement rate for students completing the GM ASEP program at Owens.

The end goal of exposing these students to many of GM’s industry-leading technologies, including battery-electric vehicles, semi-autonomous driver assistance systems like Cadillac Super Cruise and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity is full-time employment at one of more than 4,000 GM dealerships around the country.

“We’re tearing down the barriers that stand in the way of people pursuing these good-paying, high-tech jobs,” said Terry Rhadigan, executive director, GM Corporate Giving. “After two years, we want people to hit the ground running, so we will help them get a quality education, technical training and hands-on experience without the burden of student loans.”

Students interested in the scholarship program should contact Owens Transportation Technologies department at (567) 661-7388.

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.

RAMADEVI KANNAN RECEIVES 2019 ACBSP TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Posted on April 16th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 16, 2019 – Ramadevi Kannan, professor of Accounting, has been named a regional recipient of the 2019 ACBSP Teaching Excellence Award. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) recognizes individuals each year who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom.

Professor Kannan will be honored, along with other regional recipients, at the ACBSP Conference 2019, June 21-24 in Houston, Texas. She will receive a crystal medallion and a $250 check. Two International Teaching Excellence Award recipients, one from a baccalaureate/graduate degree-granting institution and one from an associate degree- granting institution, will be announced at the Salute to Regions ceremony. As a regional recipient, Professor Kannan is now a candidate for the international award.

“Ms. Kannan has a reputation for working very closely with students to ensure they have the tools needed to be successful. She is fair and kind when dealing with students’ issues and she delivers the curriculum to suit multiple learning styles. Furthermore, I recently learned that Rama even went so far as to financially assist a student whose laptop was stolen during the semester. That level of dedication to students is extraordinary, but illustrates her kindness and compassion for helping student succeed,” said Elizabeth “Libby” King, chair, Business Technologies, Owens Community College.

UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY, OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNOUNCE OILER EXPRESS DUAL ADMISSION PROGRAM

Posted on March 25th, 2019

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 25, 2019 – Thanks to a partnership between University of Findlay and Owens Community College, students now have a new option for earning a four-year degree from Findlay. The presidents of Findlay and Owens will sign a dual-admission agreement called the Oiler Express on Thursday, March 28 at 2 p.m. in the Center for Student Life and College of Business on University of Findlay’s campus.

The Oiler Express enables students to apply once for dual admission to both Owens and Findlay, then chart their course straight through to their bachelor’s degree from Findlay. Students enrolled in the Oiler Express program will attend Owens for their associate degree while the University of Findlay closely tracks their progress to ensure their Owens classes transfer seamlessly to Findlay.

“We are happy to partner with Owens Community College to provide another path to a four-year degree for students in Northwest Ohio,” said University of Findlay President Katherine Fell, Ph.D. “University of Findlay and Owens Community College have been strong partners for many years, and this new program is evidence of our institutions’ commitment to ensuring that our community continues to thrive.”

New and continuing Owens students who qualify can apply to the Oiler Express program to take advantage of the guaranteed admission to Findlay beginning with the Summer 2019 term. With the help of a transfer counselor, this option allows students to save time by focusing on classes that count toward their specific degree at UF.

“We are honored to continue our commitment to removing barriers for transfer students by partnering with the University of Findlay,” Steve Robinson, Ph.D., president, Owens Community College. “This program creates a seamless process for students to begin their academic careers at Owens and then continue straight through to their bachelor’s degree with the University of Findlay.”

To qualify for the Oiler Express program, students cannot have previously attended University of Findlay and must meet the University’s minimum admission criteria. Current UF students who are taking classes at Owens to transfer back to Findlay are eligible for the program.

To learn more about the Oiler Express Dual Admission Program, contact the University of Findlay’s Office of Admissions at 419-434-4732 or admissions@findlay.edu.

Or call the Owens Office of Admissions at 567-661-7777 (Toledo) or admission@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.

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.

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.

OWENS’ WELDING PROGRAM EARNS PRESTIGIOUS AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY ACCREDITATION

Posted on December 11th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 11, 2018 – The Owens Community College Welding Program has received accreditation through 2021 from the American Welding Society (AWS) by meeting the rigorous standards AWS has set in the industry.

The Welding Design Center at Owens is now one of just eight AWS accredited test facilities in Ohio.

“The AWS accreditation process is significant and thorough,” said Tracy Campbell, chair of Applied Engineering and Industrial Technologies. “You need to have the qualified instructors, staff, equipment and facilities. We have a quality program housed in the Welding Design Center.”

The $1.1 million Welding Design Center opened in 2011.

“The AWS accreditation will benefit our credit students and our non-credit students,” Campbell added. “We will be able to offer to industry and their employees any welder qualification test and to whatever code they are governed. We also will offer more classes and training to support these initiatives to prepare students for their specific testing.”

The AWS Accredited Test Facility (ATF) program establishes minimum requirements for test facilities, their personnel and equipment to qualify for accreditation to test and qualify welders. The program requires that a facility implement a quality assurance program that meets the requirements established in the AWS QC4-89, Standard for the Accreditation of Testing Facilities. The requirements include that the facility have a Quality Manual that controls the activities related to the testing of welders in the facility according to AWS QC7, Standard for AWS Certified Welders. For more information, visit www.aws.org.

The accreditation comes at a good time, given recent projections form the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics of a 26 percent increase in the demand for welders by 2020.

Owens trains students in all aspects of welding, including stick, gas, MIG and TIG. Advanced students may take plate or pipe welding pre-certification testing. I-CAR Automotive Steel GMAW (MIG) Welding Qualification Testing (WQ) is also available for welding and auto body students.

For more information on the Owens’ Welding Program, please contact Tracy Campbell at (567) 661-7164.

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.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER

Posted on December 6th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2018 – Owens Community College recently welcomed Rita Russell, senior vice president at Huntington National Bank, as the newest member of its Board of Trustees. She is taking the seat vacated by the retirement of Ron McMaster and will serve through Sept. 21, 2024.

Russell is a graduate of the University of Toledo, graduating from the Honors College with a major in finance and a minor in marketing. After graduation, she began full-time employment with Huntington National Bank, having accepted an offer to convert her intern position to a credit analyst position. During her more than 20-year tenure with the bank, she has held various roles including, credit analyst, underwriter, relationship manager, and portfolio manager. She currently holds the role of portfolio manager team lead, senior vice president, responsible for coordinating and managing the analysis/underwriting efforts of the northwest Ohio team.

She has been actively involved in the community, having previously served as a volunteer for a number of organizations. Past volunteer service has included Ohio Reads, Junior Achievement of Northwest Ohio, United Way of Greater Toledo, the President’s Leadership Academy of Bowling Green State University, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and as a reading tutor. Russell currently serves as a member of the LISC Lending Committee and as Co-Chair of the ProMedica/LISC partnership supporting local development opportunities.

The College’s Board of Trustees is comprised of nine community leaders who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio for six-year terms, chosen from the College’s service district of Lucas, Wood, Hancock, Ottawa and Sandusky counties.

In addition to Ms. Russell, Owens Community College Board of Trustees members include Diana H. (Dee) Talmage, Mary Beth Hammond, Charles L. Bills, Dr. Srinivas K. Hejeebu, Jason W. Johnson, Ed J. Nagle and Richard Rowe.

OWENS ANNOUNCES BOARD OF TRUSTEES SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Posted on November 20th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 20, 2018 – Owens Community College’s Board of Trustees recently honored high achieving students enrolled for the fall semester by awarding thousands of dollars through the Board of Trustees Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients are awarded $1000 per semester, for up to four consecutive semesters if they continue to meet the criteria.

Students are eligible for this scholarship if they reside in the Owens legal district, enroll for the fall semester and meet one of the following criteria:

Graduating high school senior with a high school GPA of 3.7 or above
Graduating high school senior with a GPA of 3.0-3.69 and demonstrates academic motivation
High school graduate or GED recipient who has not been in school for at least a year and demonstrates motivation through community leadership, academic performance or experience as related to career path

Students receiving a Board of Trustees Scholarship are:

Alexander Buehler, Central Catholic High School
Alexandria Eck, Genoa Area High School
Amanda Czech, Central Catholic High School
Ashley Riley, Oak Harbor High School
Austin Charter, Whitmer Senior High School
Blake Osborn, Lake High School
Breanna Longenecker, Springfield Senior High School
Britney Grisez, Maumee High School
Cade Boos, Eastwood High School
Carson Garlock, Liberty Benton High School
Danielle Kosmyna, Perrysburg High School
Danielle McConnell, Toledo School of the Arts
Erika Berg, Cardinal Stritch High School
Frederick Barber, Achieve Career Prep Academy
Grace Hansen, Findlay Senior High School
Hanna Rose, North Baltimore High School
Hope Santangelo, Bowling Green Sr. High School
Ja Roya Ector, Calvin M. Woodward High School
Jarrett Batanian, Sylvania Northview High School
Joy Ruetz, Woodmore High School
Katalina Sobczak, Rossford High School
Kayla Bekier, Lake High School
Kristen Zink, Lake High School
Kolton Bloom, Elmwood High School
Lauren Matuszewski, Whitmer Senior High School
Marissa Sheldon, Elmwood High School
Maxine Birdsell, Rossford High School
Mikaila Sweeney, Genoa Area High School
Nathaniel Staley, North Baltimore High School
Paige Anderson, Sylvania Northview High School
Phoebe Church, Clay High School
Rosa Sanchez, Morrison R. Waite High School
Sarah Bird, Bowling Green Sr. High School
Spencer Wilkerson, Anthony Wayne High School
Taylor Carpenter, Perrysburg High School
Trevor Beamer, Clay High School

For more information regarding Owens’ scholarships including criteria for the Board of Trustees Scholarship, please visit www.owens.edu/financial_aid/scholarships.

OWENS TO HOST EVENT CELEBRATING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HELP-PORTRAIT™

Posted on November 13th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 13, 2018 – Owens staff, students and alumni will gather with the Summit Salon Academy and community volunteers on Saturday, Dec. 1, 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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

LOURDES UNIVERSITY AND OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP

Posted on October 12th, 2018

The presidents of Lourdes University and Owens Community College will sign a dual admission partnership called Gray Wolf Express at 9 a.m. on Friday, October 12 in Russell Ebeid Hall on the Lourdes campus, 6832 Convent Blvd. in Sylvania.

Gray Wolf Express is designed to provide a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree from Lourdes University while also decreasing the time to degree completion, saving students time and money.

“The partnership between Owens and Lourdes once again demonstrates our commitment to making a bachelor’s degree affordable and accessible to a broad range of learners. The Gray Wolf Express pathway not only benefits students, it also benefits our region and economy,” says Mary Ann Gawelek. Ed.D., president of Lourdes University.

“We are pleased to strengthen our partnership with Lourdes University by offering a more seamless pathway for students to gain admission to both institutions simultaneously,” says Steve Robinson, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “Owens is committed to removing barriers to student success, and Gray Wolf Express is another important part of that commitment.”

Interested students should apply to Owens Community College indicating their interest in transferring to Lourdes University upon receiving their associate’s degree. The program guarantees admission to Lourdes and allows students to chart their course to a bachelor’s degree with the assistance of Owens and Lourdes advisors, and academic and student services.

For more information, contact Michelle Rable, Lourdes University Assistant Vice President of Institutional Research & Dean of Enrollment, at 419-885-5291 or luadmits@lourdes.edu.

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’ NURSING PROGRAM EARNS MAXIMUM AWARD BY THE ACCREDITATION COMMISSION FOR EDUCATION IN NURSING

Posted on August 21st, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 21, 2018 – The Owens Community College registered nursing program has received the maximum award of eight-years’ accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and will have a scheduled site visit in the spring of 2026.

“This is an amazing accomplishment for our program and highlights the hard work of our faculty and staff,” said Cathy Ford, M.Ed., R.T., dean, School of Nursing and Health Professions. “Being awarded accreditation for the maximum eight-years emphasizes the high standards we set for the program and acknowledges our program as one of the best in northwest Ohio.”

Owens nursing students who have taken the National Council Licensing Exam for registered and practical nursing (NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN) have pass rates and placement rates among the highest in the country and routinely outperform the state and national average.

For example, during the second quarter of 2018, 145 students who took the NLCEX-RN passed on the first attempt, resulting in a pass rate of 96.67 percent and 2 students who took the NCLEX-PN passed on the first attempt, resulting in a pass rate of 100 percent. Both pass rates exceeding the national and state passage rates.

“The quality of nurses that come out of Owens can be seen in the students pass rates,” said Irene Jones, MSN, RN, chair, Nursing Department. “We have excellent students in our nursing program and we are extremely proud of their accomplishments.”

The ACEN is the national accreditation agency for all types of nursing education programs and is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

For additional information about the College’s nursing programs, please call 567-661-2387 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2387 or visit www.owens.edu/sonhp.

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.

OWENS FINDLAY- AREA CAMPUS EARLY LEARNING CENTER RECEIVES 5-STAR QUALITY RATING

Posted on July 24th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 23, 2018 – Owens Community College is pleased to announce that the Findlay-area Campus Early Learning Center has received a 5-star Step Up to Quality rating from Ohio Job and Family Services for the second time. Less than 15 percent of full-time childcare centers serving toddlers through preschool have received this distinction.

The maximum number of stars that can be earned is five and the award is given for a three-year period of time, the Findlay-area Campus Early Learning Center earned this distinction for the first time in 2015. They are the only full day program in the city of Findlay with this rating.

Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) is a voluntary five–star quality rating system administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) that recognizes and promotes learning and development programs that meet quality benchmarks over and above minimum health and safety licensing standards. The steps are based on national research identifying the program standards that lead to improved outcomes for children.

At the 5-star program level, students benefit from:

Lower teacher/child ratios
Administrators and teachers have higher education qualifications
Administrators and teachers complete more than 20 hours of specialized training every two years
Teachers develop lesson plans that support each child’s growth
Assessments are completed to evaluate and improve the learning experience
Collaboration with families and community to provide more opportunities for children

For more information, please visit www.owens.edu/childcarefindlay.

NEXUS PARTNERS WITH OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN MANUFACTURING

Posted on June 27th, 2018

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 27, 2018 – NEXUS Gas Transmission, LLC (NEXUS) donated $50,000 to the Owens Community College Foundation as a part of their ongoing effort to support students training for careers in technical trades.

The donation was used by Owens to purchase a new VF-2 CNC Mill. The new equipment will meet the training needs for students and workers in technical fields that train with simulators. The simulators allow for items to be created by students – giving them valuable experience – without incurring the cost of materials. The simulation program provides significant cost and time savings to the college while keeping tuition and fees affordable for Owens students.

“Technical workers in manufacturing fields continue to be in high demand, especially given the steady loss of workers due to baby boomers retiring and the low number of students going into these fields,” said Owens Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Fehnrich. “We are grateful for this donation and the ability to train future workers on equipment that is critical to the industrial, skilled and technical trades.”

The state-of-the-art CNC Mill has already been installed and is operational at the college’s lab facility. Owens is prepared to use the new machine to train both students and businesses. With the knowledge received through training, Owens hopes to address workforce shortages and contribute positively to community needs by supplying specialty parts using the CNC Mill.

“We value the role that Owens plays in educating and training the work force in the region,” said NEXUS Spokesman Adam Parker. “Our investment in Owens Community College is rooted in our commitment to help build a highly skilled employee base in communities where we work and operate. Not only do we support their education, but our project – both directly and indirectly – can provide jobs for many who receive technical training.”

To learn more about NEXUS Gas Transmission, please visit www.nexusgastransmisison.com. More information about Owens Community College can be found at https://www.owens.edu.

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.

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.

“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.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADDS COMMUNITY AND FAMILY SERVICE DEGREE

Posted on August 9th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 9, 2017 – Blending the strengths of an early childhood educator and social worker, Owens Community College is adding a new program that will focus on making a difference in the lives of children and families living in northwest Ohio.

The Community and Family Service program requires 63 credit hours to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and will be offered on both the Toledo- and Findlay-area Campuses.

“Our graduates will have a primary role of engaging families of young children through activities, practices and services that support parents as the primary nurturers, experts and teachers of their child. By doing so, parents will be able to promote and sustain their child’s learning development and academic and life successes,” said Dr. Katherine Danko-McGhee, Chair, Teacher Education and Social Work department.

Workers in this field will have specific and intentional roles in the following four activities/strategies areas:

Promote and enhance the parent-child relationship
Engage parents in discussions about their child’s growth and development and provide parents information and opportunities to learn about concrete things they can do to promote their child’s learning
Encourage parents’ involvement in the education of their child
Facilitate the delivery of services to children and families through collaboration with community partners

Graduates will find employment with Early Head Start and Head Start or similar community agencies as a family advocate, home visitor, family service worker or family educator.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this field will grow by 11 percent by 2024. Median income is currently slightly more than $30,000.

“Parents are a child’s first and best teachers,” Danko-McGhee said, “and a graduate with this degree supports parental development by building on the family’s strengths.”

For more information about the Community and Family Service program, go online to www.owens.edu or call (567) 661-7283.

TOLEDO EDISON HIRES 19 GRADUATES FROM POWER SYSTEMS INSTITUTE TRAINING PROGRAM AT OWENS

Posted on July 14th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 14, 2017 – Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has hired 19 graduates of the companies’ utility worker training programs as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for customers in northwest Ohio.

The new line workers represent the first graduating class since the Power Systems Institute (PSI) training program was reinstituted by FirstEnergy at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio.

“The PSI program is an effective pipeline for adding well-trained, highly skilled employees to our workforce,” said Rich Sweeney, regional president of Toledo Edison. “The rigorous class work and experience gained in the field by working with veteran line and substation personnel helps ensure our ability to maintain safe and reliable electric service for our customers.”

The new Toledo Edison lines employees listed by work location, with their hometowns, are:

Holland – Cody Eaken, Cygnet; Jacob King, Maumee; Travis Sumner, Maumee; Bailey VanStone, Carleton, Mich.; Joshua Willis, Oregon.
Lakewood – Andrew Bennett, Toledo; Nathan Brodbeck, Monclova; Zach Stewart, North Baltimore; Austin Thomas, Bowling Green.
Lindsey – Colin Dinkens, Maumee.
Wauseon – Andrew Drabek, Sylvania; Hayden Faber, Ida.

The new Toledo Edison substation employees listed by work location, with their hometowns, are:

Lakewood – Seth Dobbelare, Oak Harbor; Caleb Good, Hamler; Daniel Kegerize, Curtice; Michael Osbourne, Oak Harbor; Nathaniel Smith, Perrysburg; Arthur Stokes, Toledo; Ryan Swiczkowski, Temperance, Mich.

PSI is an award-winning, two-year educational program originally developed by FirstEnergy in 2000 to help prepare the company’s next generation of utility line and substation workers.

PSI students split time between classes at Owens Community College and Toledo Edison training facilities. Since the program’s inception, FirstEnergy has hired nearly 1,500 line and substation personnel who completed PSI programs in Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

For information about the PSI program, call 1-800-829-6801, or go to www.firstenergycorp.com/psi.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAME DR. STEVE ROBINSON INTERIM PRESIDENT

Posted on June 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 6, 2017 – Owens Community College Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Steve Robinson to serve as Interim President. Dr. Robinson will formally assume the Interim President position on July 1, 2017, following Dr. Mike Bower’s retirement on June 30. Dr. Bower has served as President of the College since July, 2012.

Robinson has over 25 years of community college experience. He joined Owens in January, 2015, and currently serves as the College’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Robinson is active in the Northwest Ohio higher education and service communities. Following his selection to the Interim President position, Steve said:

“I am extremely honored to be selected as Interim President,” stated Robinson. “Dr. Bower has assembled an excellent team, and it will be a privilege to work with the dedicated faculty, staff, and administration of Owens Community College to help our students and our communities succeed.”

Prior to joining Owens Robinson served as Executive Dean of Planning, Research and Quality at Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. He earned a Ph.D. in English from Michigan State University and has decades of teaching experience at the community college and university levels. He is a graduate of the Harvard Management Development Program for college administration, and was recently named as one of 40 Aspen Presidential Fellows through the Aspen Community College Excellence Program at Stanford University.

Robinson is a member of the Toledo Rotary Club and represents the College on the Board of Regional Growth Partnership. He is also active in the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, and serves as the community college representative for Northwest Ohio to the Ohio Department of Education’s Guaranteed Transfer Steering Committee. Robinson’s focus has been on building community partnerships with the College, especially those that target completion, transfer, and regional employment. Under Robinson’s leadership, the College has created innovative dual enrollment programs with Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo, as well as training partnerships with Cherry Street Mission, Dana Corporation, and many other community partners.

The Board of Trustees is in the process of conducting a search to name a permanent President of Owens Community College.

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

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WELCOMES TWO NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS

Posted on May 12th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 12, 2017 – Owens Community College recently welcomed Jason Johnson, plant manager at Dana Corporations new Toledo driveline plant and Deborah Knight, vice president of Thunderbird Enterprises as the newest members of the Board of Trustees.

“As Owens continues to move forward we welcome two exceptional community leaders to our Board of Trustees,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “We look forward to their positive contribution.”

Johnson is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Master of Business Administration, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in International Business and Finance from Ohio University. He is the former chief financial officer of Dana’s largest division. In the automotive industry, he is a financial leader and an accomplished controller with more than 20 years of experience.

Knight is a graduate of the St. Vincent School of Nursing with a Registered Nursing degree; she also attended Lourdes University. She is currently on the Advisory Board of the W.W. Knight Preserve. She has also served on the Toledo Museum of Art Business Council, the Toledo Children’s Hospital Board, and the Lourdes University Board of Directors.

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

OWENS ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES SCHOLARSHIP

Posted on May 8th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 8, 2017 – Owens Community College announced a new Board of Trustees Scholarship to replace the Academic Excellence Scholarship and the Academic Achievement Scholarship.

The new scholarship will award $1,000 per semester, for up to four consecutive semesters. Students enrolling at Owens in the fall semester immediately after graduating from a high school in the Owens legal district, and who have a high school GPA of 3.7 or above, will be eligible and must submit official high school transcripts on or after January 1 of their senior year to be considered.

In addition, students who meet one of the following qualifications may also apply for the scholarship:

A high school senior attending a high school located in the Owens legal district, who has a high school GPA of 3.0 – 3.69, demonstrates student motivation, and enrolls in the fall semester immediately following high school graduation.
A high school graduate, who has not been in high school for at least one year, or a GED recipient (applicants may not have attended Owens for at least one year); resides in the Owens legal district; demonstrates motivation through exceptional work or public/community service (including military service), academic performance, other demonstrated leadership, or other experience as related to a career path; and enrolls for the fall semester immediately following the award of the scholarship.

All recipients must meet the following criteria:

Apply for admission to Owens as a regular student
Pursue a degree or certificate with the intent to complete at Owens Community College
Maintain full-time enrollment at a minimum of twelve credit hours each semester
Maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average to continue eligibility for each semester at Owens, for a maximum of four total consecutive semesters (summer optional)

For more information regarding Owens’ scholarships, please visit www.owens.edu/financial_aid/scholarships.

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 ANNOUNCES RETURN TO ORIGINAL FIVE ATHLETIC TEAMS AT THE DIII LEVEL

Posted on April 27th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 27, 2017 – Owens Community College announced today the return of baseball and softball beginning in the fall of 2018 and the move from NJCAA division II (DII) to division III (DIII) for all athletic teams. This will bring the total number of athletic teams back to the original five, including, men’s and women’s basketball, and volleyball.

Baseball and softball were originally suspended along with men’s golf and men’s and women’s soccer during the 2016-2017 academic year as a cost savings measure during a period of fiscal recovery.

“This decision comes after several months of careful internal study by the College administration,” explained Mike Bower, Ph.D., president. “By moving from DII to DIII we are able to bring back softball and baseball, two of Owens’ original teams, and still realize a cost savings compared to the 2016 athletic program.”

In fiscal year 2016, the cost for the original five sports (including scholarships) at the DII level was $1,079,388.54. Three DII sports (men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball) for fiscal year 2018 will cost a total of $656,748.07. Beginning in fiscal year 2019, returning to the original five sports at a DIII level will cost $479,859.48.

Moving all athletic teams from DII to DIII will eliminate all athletic scholarships, a cost savings of $250,000.

“I would like to thank the Owens Administration for their decision to bring back Owens Express baseball and softball for the 2018-2019 season,” said J.D. Ettore, Owens athletic director. “From my perspective, by going DIII, Owens will be providing an excellent education for these student-athletes along with the chance for young men and young women to play a sport they love for a well-rounded college experience.”

For more information on Owens Community College athletics, please visit www.owensexpress.com.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE VP OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS SELECTED AS ONE OF ONLY 40 NATIONWIDE FOR 2017-2018 ASPEN PRESIDENTIAL FELLOWSHIP

Posted on April 20th, 2017

Highly-Selective Program Expanding Talent Pipeline Amid Looming Shortage of Community College Presidents and Critical Need to Improve Student Success

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 20, 2017 – Steve Robinson, Ph.D., vice president of Academic Affairs and chief academic officer, has been awarded the prestigious Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence, a highly selective leadership program aimed at developing a new cadre of outstanding leaders capable of transforming student success at community colleges across the U.S. The Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC, today announced that Robinson joins the 2017-2018 class of Aspen Presidential Fellows.

Robinson and the 39 other Aspen Presidential Fellows will embark on a year-long fellowship in July 2017. Delivered in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative and top community college leaders, the program focuses on a new vision of leadership and aims to guide new and aspiring community college presidents to dramatically change student outcomes in four areas: learning, completion while in community college and of bachelor’s degrees after transfer, employment and earnings after graduation, and equitable access and success for underrepresented minority and low-income students.

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, 365 presidents left their posts over the past year. This staggering rate of turnover is happening at the same time that increasing numbers of students—including growing numbers of minority, low-income, and first-generation to college students—are flocking to community colleges to earn degrees that lead to good jobs.

Robinson was selected through a rigorous process that considered his abilities to take strategic risks, lead strong teams and cultivate partnerships, and focus on results-oriented improvements in student success and access.

The 2017-2018 Aspen Presidential Fellows hail from 24 states and 38 community colleges of varying sizes. For more information, visit: http://as.pn/1ky. The Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, College Futures Foundation, ECMC Foundation, Greater Texas Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation.

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

OWENS’ ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS TWO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on April 17th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 16, 2017 – Owens’ Alumni Association has chosen Austin Robinson to receive the 10^th Annual Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship and Josh Ellis to receive the 3^rd Annual Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship.

In tribute to and appreciation for the memory, life and heroism of Detective Keith Dressel, the Owens Community College Alumni Association established the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Endowment Scholarship in 2007.

The Scholarship is awarded annually to an Owens student who has the courage to become a police officer and embodies the passion, conviction and perseverance demonstrated by Detective Dressel during his career.

Austin Robinson, this year’s recipient of the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship, is currently a full-time student working on a criminal justice technology degree.

In high school, Mr. Robinson joined International Club, took honors mathematics and sciences all four years as well as honors band and Spanish. He was active in band, and volunteered with Partners for Clean Streams.

In honor of and gratitude for the remembrances, lives and heroism of Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman, the Owens Community College Alumni Association established the Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Endowment Scholarship in 2014.

The Scholarship is awarded annually to an Owens student who has the passion to become a firefighter and embodies the courage, beliefs and determination demonstrated by Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman during their careers.

Josh Ellis, this year’s recipient of the Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship, is currently a full-time Owens student working on his emergency services technology degree. His future plan is to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Department Administration.

Ellis has been an active community volunteer. He has been involved in the ”Be a Hero for Autism” collection, during the Toledo Water Crisis he spent several days distributing clean water to those affected, and assisted with fire prevention projects. Through his work with the Oregon Fire Explorers he found employment with the Oregon Fire & Rescue Department as a Firefighter/EMT recruit.

OWENS APPOINTS LISA NAGEL AND LAURIE ORZECHOWSKI TO PERMANENT POSITIONS

Posted on April 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 6, 2017 – Owens Community College has appointed Lisa L. Nagel, J.D., to the position of general counsel and vice president, administration and Laurie Orzechowski to the position of chief information officer.

Nagel will now be permanently responsible for all operations of legal services, human resources, labor relations, and public safety. Previously, she served as general counsel and interim vice president, human resources.

Prior to joining Owens, Nagel served as law director for the City of Napoleon. In that position, she provided leadership for all legal-related decision making and advice for the City, the Mayor and seven City Council members.

Nagel earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toledo, College of Law.

Orzechowski will now be permanently responsible for all operations of Information Technology. She has served as interim chief information officer since Dec. 2016.

Previously, she served as director of enterprise application systems. In that position, she helped implement DegreeWorks, a comprehensive, easy-to-use, web-based academic advising and degree audit tool, as well as the conversion to Banner, a comprehensive computer information system that contains information on courses, students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Orzechowski earned both her Bachelor of Science degree and her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio.

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

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT MIKE BOWER ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION PLANS

Posted on April 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 4, 2017 – Dr. Bower, the sixth president in the 52-year history of Owens Community College, has announced his resignation effective June 30, 2017 at the conclusion of his current contract.

With the support of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bower stated, “I feel I have accomplished all that I set out to do for Owens during my five-year term. I have had the opportunity to structure a remarkable senior team and as a team we have successfully addressed many student and community initiatives, including the College’s fiscal recovery.”

“It is with mixed emotions that we accepted Dr. Bower’s resignation,” said Dee Talmage, Owens trustee board chair. “President Bower’s philosophy is ‘to leave a job when you still love it.’ We know how much he loves Owens Community College, and we are thankful for his guidance and his leadership.”

Previously, Dr. Bower served as the President of Lake Region State College, which is a student-centered, open access comprehensive community college within the North Dakota University System. He has served as an administrator at Mott Community College, Michigan; Chippewa Valley Technical College, Wisconsin; Central Community College, Nebraska; and as faculty and program chair at Ivy Tech State College, Indiana. Prior to his career in higher education, he was employed at Ford Motor Company and Thomson Consumer Electronics. He is a veteran and was honorably discharged from the United States Army.

Dr. Bower earned an Associate Degree of Applied Science in automotive technology from Vincennes University, Indiana, his Bachelor of Science in industrial technology from Indiana State University, his Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, and his Doctorate of Philosophy Degree in Education, Administration, Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Leadership and Higher Education from the University of Nebraska.

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

OWENS RELEASED FROM FISCAL WATCH BY OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION CHANCELLOR

Posted on April 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 4, 2017 – Leaders of Owens Community College informed the Campus community today that the College has officially been released from fiscal watch by the Chancellor John Carey after achieving a Senate Bill 6 (SB6) composite score of 3.0 for fiscal year 2016.

Additionally, the State Auditor’s Office confirmed the remediation of the conditions that led to the fiscal watch, which included improvements to the budget, purchasing and payroll processes, and the implementation of regular financial reporting and long-range financial projections.

The College was placed in fiscal watch April 21, 2015 due to receiving a composite score of 1.10 in 2013 and a score of 1.0 in 2014. A college is placed in fiscal watch if it receives a SB6 composite score of 1.75 or lower for two consecutive years in the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s financial ratio analysis.

The college developed a financial recovery plan that was approved by the board of trustees on July 15, 2015 and was submitted to the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

“We have regulated our finances by living within a budget that aligns revenue with expenditures, based on conservative enrollment targets, “said Jeff Ganues, vice president, business affairs/chief financial officer. “We operate very efficiently, which is the key to the College’s stability, as our main revenue source is limited to the State Share of Instruction and tuition revenue.”

The College took a number of actions toward gaining fiscal recovery, including:

Stabilizing net assets position and financial indicators through aligning projected revenue with operational expenses and implementing prudent financial oversight, controls and cost-saving measures
Evolving organizational capacity through a systemic focus of meeting the needs of students, employers and employees, fostering communication and accountability
Strengthening connections to prospective students through marketing, linking academic programs with careers and jobs, promoting opportunities for earning college credit toward a degree and supporting key services that enhance student retention, transfer and completion
Adapting, developing and aligning quality academic programs and educational delivery with labor market needs and job opportunities while fostering student learning, assessment and completion through strategic planning, efficiencies, partnerships and pathways

“We are pleased with the concentrated effort put forth by Owens Community College to address its financial situation and get on the path to fiscal recovery,” said Chancellor Carey. “The release of the college from fiscal watch status is the result of diligence and hard work. We look forward to seeing Owens continue on this path.”

“Going forward, financial diligence is very important. We are still concerned with factors not within the College’s control – such as limits to state funding and declining enrollment trends,” stated President Mike Bower, Ph.D. “We must continue to control expenditures and build the reserves.”

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

OWENS RECEIVES $10,000 GRANT FROM OHIO HUMANITIES

Posted on March 28th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 28, 2017 – Owens Community College recently received a $10,000 grant from Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to create a Chautauqua Performance Program under the tutelage of Jeremy Meier, associate professor, Fine and Performing Arts.

A Chautauqua performance is an historical improvisation in which a performer impersonates a historical figure. The program seeks to foster a deep understanding of prominent American historical figures from the early 20th century as well as the events and innovations that affected the lives of those people.

Community members and Owens alumni wrote proposals for developing original solo performances based on historical figures from the early 20th Century in January. Four scholars were selected for the training including Caleb Hall (Nikola Tesla), Justin McDanel (John Barrymore), Natalie Phelps (Amelia Earhart) and Drew Young (Henry Ford).

Under direction of Owens Associate Professor of Theatre, Jeremy Meier, the scholars have begun researching the historical figures and developing original one-person performances. Meier has developed and toured Chautauqua performances on John Dillinger and Oliver Hazard Perry for the Ohio Humanities.

In addition, three drama students at Rossford high school have been selected to develop short form presentations on local historical characters.

The program will culminate in a showcase of performances July 19-23, at the Veterans Park & Marina along the banks of the Maumee River. The event titled, “Seeds of Change: America in the Early 20^th Century,” will feature a keynote performance of ‘Gone With the Wind’ author Margaret Mitchell by Chautauqua veteran Debra Conner. Other characters include Henry Ford, Amelia Earhart, John Barrymore and Nikola Tesla. Rossford High School students will portray influential figures from local NW Ohio history including Edward Ford, Florence Scott Libbey and Samuel ‘Golden Rule’ Jones.

For more information about Owens Fine and Performing Arts program, please visit www.owens.edu/fpa.

UT, Owens Community College create Rocket Express Dual Admission Program

Posted on March 15th, 2017

The presidents of The University of Toledo and Owens Community College will sign a dual-admission partnership called Rocket Express 1 p.m. Thursday, March 16 in Libbey Hall on UT Main Campus.

Rocket Express is designed to provide a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree from UT starting at Owens Community College.

“The new Rocket Express program is a wonderful opportunity for students to save time and money,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “We are proud to strengthen our relationship with Owens Community College to help students succeed and achieve the dream of earning a degree. This program will ensure a smooth, more efficient transition from Owens to UT and further contribute to helping the region.”

Students apply once for dual admission, work to complete their program of study at Owens and then transition to UT with help along the way from both Owens and UT student and academic services.

New and continuing Owens students who meet qualifications can apply to take advantage of the program that guarantees admission to UT and charts a course to a four-year degree. With the help of a transfer specialist, this option allows students to save time by only taking classes that count toward their specific degree.

“The seamless process of the Rocket Express program effectively removes any potential barriers that could hinder students from transferring from Owens to UT,” said Owens President Mike Bower. “The goal of both institutions is student success by offering programs that allow them to earn a degree and enter the workforce as smoothly as possible.”

Students can apply starting March 16 to enroll for the summer and fall semesters.

Currently, approximately 350 students a year transfer to UT after starting at Owens.

For more information, go to utoledo.edu/admission/rocket-express.

OWENS MUSIC BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL AWARD

Posted on March 1st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 1, 2017 – Two Owens Community College Music Business Technology students have been nominated for a national award for their work at the College’s new Internet radio station, OCCR.

David Brehm of Findlay and Herbey Atkinson of Blissfield, Michigan are finalists in the Best Artist/Band Interview category and will attend the 77^th Annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) awards March 4 in New York City. The awards are part of the three-day IBS conference March 3-5 at the Hotel Pennsylvania that accompanies the ceremony.

Brehm and Atkinson were nominated for their interview of the Tony Godsey Band of Bowling Green, Ohio. Both are Music Business Technology majors. Brehm will graduate in May, while Atkinson will graduate in December.

Owens Community College Radio (OCCR) is a student-run station that operates in the Music Business Technology Program in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. The station serves the College community by broadcasting a diverse platform represented by the first letters of Owens – Opportunities, Work, Entertainment, News and Sports. Launched in March 2016, OCCR is available on SmartPhone Apps for Android and iOS or online at www.owens.edu/fpa/owensradio.

The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Trophy Awards honor excellence in programming, air personalities, public service efforts and outstanding stations in school, college radio, TV and webcasting. IBS is a not for profit educational association and foundation that was founded in 1940.

For more information on Owens or the Music Business Technology program, please visit www.owens.edu.

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.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAMED TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Posted on February 22nd, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 22, 2017 – Owens Community College has named Diana H. (Dee) Talmage and Mary Beth Hammond to serve as the chair and vice chair for the College’s board of trustees. Talmage and Hammond were elected to their positions by their fellow colleagues during a recent Owens board of trustees meeting and will serve one-year terms.

“I am honored to serve as chair of the Owens Community College board of trustees. I consider it a privilege to lead such a fine organization,” said Talmage. “I truly love Owens; the people who work here, the students and the board members with whom I spend much of my time.”

Initially appointed in Nov. 2002, Talmage, a retired educator and former school board member, has held several leadership positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. Her professional and community involvement includes membership with the American Red Cross, the Toledo Hospital Foundation and TARTA. An Ottawa Hills resident, Talmage received her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Toledo and a bachelor’s degree in education from The Ohio State University. Additionally, Talmage serves as a board member on the Owens Community College Foundation.

Hammond was appointed to the board of trustees in Dec. 2013. She currently serves as vice president, senior private banker at Fifth Third Bank in Findlay and has more than 30-years of financial experience. As an active community member, she serves on many boards including The Arts Partnership of Greater Hancock County and was a member of the United Way Campaign Cabinet chairing the FIRE Division this year. She is also a past president of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce.

“I am delighted to be serving the board of trustees as the vice chair. I believe Community Colleges serve a vital part of our communities and Owens is certainly a leader not only in Northwest Ohio but in the state,” stated Hammond.

The College’s board of trustees is currently comprised of seven community leaders from Lucas, Wood and Hancock Counties who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio for six-year terms.

In addition to Talmage and Hammond, board members include Dr. Srini Hejeebu of Sylvania, Michael McAlear of Perrysburg, Dr. Ronald McMaster of Perrysburg, Edwin J. Nagle of Perrysburg and Richard Rowe Jr. of Findlay.

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

OWENS APPOINTS JEFF GANUES VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Posted on February 21st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 – Owens Community College has appointed Jeff Ganues, CPA, as vice president, Business Affairs/chief financial officer, pending Board of Trustee approval. This key administrative position is responsible for direct and strategic leadership in the areas of finance and accounting, budget, payroll, facilities and information technology. The vice president/chief financial officer will ensure that business transactions and support services meet the College’s short- and long-term objectives and goals.

“I’m extremely excited to move into this new position,” said Ganues. “I look forward to collaborating with various departments across campus to continue to development enrollment targets and to align revenue and expenditures that continue to move Owens forward.”

Since April 2016, Ganues has served as the College’s controller. In this position, he implemented internal accounting controls, reconciled balance sheet accounts, initiated campus-wide Banner Self-Service training, and received an unmodified opinion on the annual audit.

Prior to his work at Owens, Ganues served as grants accountant, assistant controller and finally director of finance/controller for Lourdes University. He also served as assistant auditor for the Auditor of State’s Office. He has five years of experience in higher education and is a certified public accountant.

“We are thrilled to have Jeff Ganues transition into the position of vice president Business Affairs/chief financial officer,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president Owens Community College. “Jeff not only has an extensive background in finance but over the past year has become an integral part of the business affairs office and helped to strategically align College finances.”

Ganues earned his bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting and his master of science degree in accounting from Kent State University.

GLENN RETTIG CHOSEN AS CHAIR-ELECT TO THE ATMAE BOARD OF ACCREDITATION

Posted on February 9th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 9, 2017 – Glenn Rettig, dean, School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics was recently named as chair-elect to the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) board of accreditation.

He is the first community college dean to hold this position and will assume the chair duties and conduct the next ATMAE board of accreditation hearings and business meeting in Cincinnati in early Nov. 2017.

“It is a great honor and privilege to be picked by my peers from across the U.S. to lead the ATMAE accreditation board,” said Rettig. “I never would have imagined that I would be elected to represent a program accreditation body that has oversight of colleges and universities that include Owens Community College, Purdue, California Polytechnic State University and many more.”

Rettig, a Findlay-area resident, has been a member of the ATMAE for 14-years and has been part of the accreditation board for nine-years. He began his career at Owens as an adjunct professor on the Findlay-area campus in 1990.

The ATMAE board of accreditation meets yearly during the ATMAE conference to review the accreditation status of the universities and colleges that receive their program accreditation from ATMAE. There are more than 115 colleges and universities across the U.S. that seek their accreditation from ATMAE. The ATMAE, which was formerly known as the National Association of Industrial Technologies (NAIT), will be celebrating its 50^th year at the November 2017 conference.

OWENS AWARDED $49,500 CAREER READY INTERNSHIP GRANT FROM GREAT LAKES

Posted on February 8th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2017 – Owens Community College has been awarded a two-year, $49,500 Career Ready Internship Grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates. An anticipated 25 new paid internships will be created during the 2017-2018 academic year.

“Paid internships benefit students, colleges and employers,” said Richard D. George, Great Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer. “Students gain meaningful workplace skills and are more likely to earn degrees and use their internship experiences to help secure good jobs upon graduation. Colleges will see increased completion and job placement rates, and employers gain a pipeline to fresh talent. It’s a win-win-win.”

Owens is one of 16 two-year institutions across Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin that received a combined $2.1 million to create over 1,000 internships. Owens will collaborate with businesses and nonprofit organizations to provide the greatest number of current and future students with an educational opportunity they might not otherwise have.

“With this two-year Career Ready Internship grant, students who otherwise would be unable to participate in unpaid off-campus internships due to financial need, work schedules and family commitments, will now have that opportunity,” said Krista Kiessling, director, Owens’ Center for Experiential and Community Engaged learning.

Owens will spend the spring and summer of 2017 on administrative planning, employer outreach, and student recruitment, and will begin placing students in paid internships in September 2017. The Great Lakes grant period continues through May 2018.

GOVERNOR KASICH REAPPOINTS NAGLE AND ROWE TO OWENS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Posted on February 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2017 – On Friday, Governor John R. Kasich announced the reappointment of Edwin J. Nagle of Perrysburg (Wood Co.) and H. Richard Rowe, Jr. of Findlay (Hancock Co.) to the Owens State Community College board of trustees for terms beginning February 3, 2017 and ending September 21, 2022.

Nagle and Rowe were initially appointed to the College’s board of trustees in June 2012 and April 2004, respectively.

The College’s Board of Trustees is currently comprised of seven community leaders from Lucas, Wood and Hancock counties who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio for six-year terms.

In addition to Nagle and Rowe, Owens Board of Trustees members include Mary Beth Hammond of Findlay, Dr. Srini Hejeebu of Sylvania, Michael McAlear of Perrysburg, Dr. Ronald McMaster of Perrysburg and Diana H. (Dee) Talmage of Toledo.

For more information on 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 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.”

OWENS EXCEEDS ENROLLMENT TARGET FOR SPRING

Posted on January 25th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 25, 2017 – Owens Community College announced yesterday that the combined enrollment for the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Downtown Learning Center, was 9,196 students. This number reflects a 101 percent attainment of the College’s strategic enrollment target goal for spring semester.

This target was developed more than a year ago, taking into account high school completion rate data, unemployment figures, and other enrollment trends. The development process is a collaborative effort by various college stakeholder groups, including student services, academic affairs, business affairs, and institutional research.

The College’s 2016-2017 budget was built taking into account these targets.

Looking more closely at enrollment by student type, the College exceeded targets for both guest and transient categories and reached 99 percent of its goal for continuing students, the largest student type.

“We take a great deal of pride in helping our students accomplish their academic goals on their path to a career or additional education, so keeping every student who starts with the College here until they complete their degree or certificate is critical to our mission,” said Amy Giordano, vice president of Student Services.

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

OWENS PARTNERS WITH DANA INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE WORKFORCE TRAINING

Posted on December 6th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2016 – Owens Community College today announced a new partnership with Dana Incorporated to provide workforce development and training for Dana’s new driveline manufacturing facility in Toledo, Ohio. The training program is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2017, coinciding with the hiring process for the facility.

“Owens Community College is very excited to partner with Dana in developing its next generation of plant employees here in Northwest Ohio,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “We welcome this type of collaboration, for it demonstrates how Owens’ strength in workforce education can be deployed to benefit business throughout our region and to further promote Ohio’s economic growth.”

Owens will develop and provide custom short-term training that addresses skills required at an advanced manufacturing facility. These include aptitude in basic math functions; manual dexterity; mechanical reasoning; and training in workplace safety, fundamentals for programmable logic controller operations, and the fundamentals and troubleshooting techniques associated with automation and robotics.

“Dana is investing more than a quarter of a million dollars in this program, as we are confident that it will provide our new employees the best possible start and highest opportunity for success when they begin working within Dana’s brand-new, state-of-the-art facility,” said Kristi Hill, human resources manager at Dana’s Toledo Driveline Facility. “Start-up and production schedules for the facility are very aggressive. With production beginning in mid-2017, we plan to hire more than 220 employees within the next year, all of whom will benefit from the training provided at Owens Community College.”

In the spring of 2017, prospective employees will be able to apply online via Dana’s career page (dana.com/careers) and through the Lucas County Work Ready Program. For qualified applicants, the training program will be offered at no charge to participants. All persons successfully completing the program will receive a certificate.

The Office of Workforce and Community Services at Owens is the region’s leader in providing affordable training to allow business and industry to thrive. Training is available in almost any subject matter, including the trades, computer skills, process improvement, and certification preparation.

To learn more about Owens workforce training, please visit www.owensworks.com or call (567) 661-7357.

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 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION ELECTS NEW OFFICERS

Posted on November 16th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 16, 2016 – The Owens Community College Foundation recently announced the election of four new board officers at its annual meeting. Each officer was elected to a one-year term.

Joining the Board of Directors are Philip J. Rudolph, Jr. (chairman), Diana (Dee) H. Talmage (vice chairman), David J. McMacken (treasurer), and Matthew J. Mishler (secretary).

Rudolph stated, “The Owens Foundation truly makes a difference in thousands of students’ lives by providing scholarships and funding in support of quality academic programming and customized workforce training. Owens Community College is a leader in driving the region’s economy and I’m honored to help lead an organization that solely exists to help students succeed, which in turn also drives the economy.”

Rudolph is the vice president of business development at the Rudolph Libbe Group and has served on the Owens Foundation board since 2010.

Talmage, a former elementary school teacher and guidance counselor, has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2002 and a director on the Owens Foundation since 2012.

McMacken has served as vice president and banking advisor for the Wealth Management Group of PNC Bank since 2004 and has been a Foundation director-at-large since March 2013.

Mishler is the national account manager for Buckeye TeleSystem in Toledo and has served as a Foundation director-at-large since February 2010.

Owens Community College Foundation, a 501c (3) organization, currently has 21 voting members serving on its board of directors. The sole mission of the organization is to develop and provide resources to advance the College’s mission of serving students and the community,

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

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE NAMED 2017 MILITARY FRIENDLY© SCHOOL

Posted on November 10th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2016 – Owens Community College is among a select 24 percent of degree-granting institutions nationally earning the 2017 Military Friendly® School designation by Victory Media, receiving the designation for the sixth consecutive year.

First published in 2009, Military Friendly® Schools is the most comprehensive, powerful resource for veterans today. Each year, the list of Military Friendly® Schools is provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from Victory Media’s proprietary survey. A total of 1,160 higher education institutions received the 2017 designation. The U.S. has 4,726 2-year and 4-year colleges, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Owens Community College’s veteran student population of about 400 includes veterans, military spouses or dependents of veterans.

“Owens Community College’s Office of Veterans Services is extremely honored to once again be among the best colleges and universities in the United States,” said Amy Giordano, Owens Vice President of Student Services. “Our commitment to meeting the needs of veterans is unwavering and will remain so through our dedicated staff in the Office of Veterans Services as well as across the entire college.”

Ratings methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Victory Media with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community.

Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

According to Daniel Nichols, a Navy Reserve veteran and Chief Product Officer at Victory Media, “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to the majority of colleges gives veterans a comprehensive view of which schools are striving to provide the best opportunities and conditions for our nation’s student veterans. Military Friendly® helps military families make the best use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other federal benefits while allowing us to further our goal of assisting them in finding success in their chosen career fields.”

For more information about Owens Community College’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit www.owens.edu/veterans.

About Military Friendly® Schools: The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly®Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weightings were developed by Victory Media with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. Data calculations and tabulations were independently evaluated for completeness and accuracy by EY. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at: https://militaryfriendly.com.

OWENS APPOINTS LISA L. NAGEL GENERAL COUNSEL AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LABOR RELATIONS AND INTERIM V.P. OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Posted on November 2nd, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 2, 2016 – Owens Community College has appointed Lisa L. Nagel, J.D., to the position of general counsel and executive director of Labor Relations. In that role, she will oversee all legal matters related to the College, including litigation, employee and labor relations, and coordination and administration of contracts. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has also designated Nagel as an assistant attorney general.

Owens is also pleased to appoint Nagel to the position of interim vice president of Human Resources. In that role, she will provide strategic and operational oversight for all human resources matters, along with fulfilling any necessary and related labor needs.

Since August, 2015, Nagel served as law director for the City of Napoleon. In that position, she provided leadership for all legal-related decision making and advice for the City, the Mayor and seven City Council members.

Prior to her work with the City of Napoleon, Nagel was an equity partner with Robison, Curphey & O’Connell, LLC law firm in Toledo, Ohio, and was an associate attorney at Fuller & Henry, Ltd., a former Toledo, Ohio law firm. She is also currently an adjunct instructor in the Department of Management at the University of Toledo.

Nagel earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toledo, College of Law.

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 RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR ROLL RECOGNITION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE

Posted on September 28th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 28, 2016 – Owens Community College has earned the distinction of being named to the 2015 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This designation is the highest honor a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. Owens has earned this distinction for the past three years and is the only community college in Ohio to receive the national recognition this year.

Owens was recognized in the categories of General Community Service and Economic Opportunity, demonstrating that its community service work is especially focused in those areas.

“We are committed to service-learning and believes strongly in preparing our students to be active leaders and participants in an ever-changing world,” said Krista Kiessling, director, The Center for Experiential and Community Engaged Learning (CECEL) at Owens. “We’re honored to receive this prestigious award – and owe much of it to the students themselves. They’re the energy driving our commitment and they’re the ones who make it all happen.”

The CECEL was established in 2011 with the overall mission of making service to the community an identifiable aspect of the academic institution’s culture. Outreach initiatives are focused on engaging students and employees in service activities that mutually benefit the academic institution and the surrounding communities.

Additionally, the CECEL maintains partnerships with over 50 community agencies that utilize Owens student volunteers to support community initiatives. Among the on-campus service-learning opportunities include the Owens Harvest Food Pantry and the Community Garden. The sites serve as on-campus living and experiential learning laboratories to support students in need, while also enabling the application of educational learning mastered within academic courses.

The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll honors the nation’s leading higher education institutions and their students, faculty and staff for their commitment to bettering their communities through service. These are institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities.

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 RECEIVES $1.18 MILLION GRANT TO IMPROVE ADULT COLLEGE READINESS

Posted on August 25th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 25, 2016 – Adults interested in continuing their education but unsure where to begin now have additional resources available at Owens thanks to a $1.18 million Educational Opportunities Center (EOC) program grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Owens will receive $236,000 per year for 5-years to provide counseling and information on college admissions to low income and first-generation adults age 19 or older who desire to enter, reenter, or continue a program of postsecondary education.

“EOC will allow Owens to further improve our community by providing more information and support to adult students who wish to pursue postsecondary education;” said Denise Smith, associate vice president, Academic Affairs. “We are excited to offer more one-on-one support to help those we serve obtain a high school diploma or equivalent, apply to college, and increase their financial literacy and understanding of student aid options.”

Educational Opportunities Centers are one of eight federal grant programs known as the Federal TRIO Programs that identify and provide services to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as: low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and those with disabilities. These programs assist in advancing these individuals from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu or call the Admissions office for information on the EOC program at 1-800-GO-OWENS.

OWENS NEW ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME SET TO INDUCT FIRST MEMBERS

Posted on August 15th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2016 – In honor of its 50-year athletic history which began with the 1966 Penta Tech Jaguars Men’s basketball team, Owens Community College has established an Athletic Hall of Fame to recognize those individuals who have made a significant and lasting impact on Owens athletics and the community.

“It is important to me that we honor those student-athletes who gave so much to Owens Community College during their time on campus,” said J.D. Ettore, Owens athletic director. “The goal of my office is to make sure that our student-athletes are well-rounded individuals when they leave Owens Community College.”

Members will be inducted on October 15 during an inaugural awards ceremony on the Owens Community College Toledo-area Campus. Full details on the ceremony and events of the induction day, will be mailed to the charter members as well as Owens Athletic alumni, Owens Board of Directors and Owens Administration.

The charter members for Owens Athletic Hall of Fame are:

Leroy “Cot” Marquette – Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Director, 1966-1980
Jeff Massey – Men’s Basketball, 1991-1993
Stephanie Champine – Volleyball, 2006-2007
Michael Rickard – Athletic Director, 2000-2010
Jim Penix – Men’s Basketball, 1966-1968
NJCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions, 1991-1992

Inductees must have met one of four criteria: received postseason athletic honors while attending Owens, successfully coached at Owens, coached or received honors at an institution beyond Owens, or be a contributor or supporter of Owens athletic programs. In addition, inductees must also be a solid citizen in the community, completed either a two- or four-year degree and be two years removed from completion at Owens.

“First priority for our student-athletes is academics but I also expect athletic intensity and commitment to community service and social responsibility,” said Ettore. “Our local communities are great and they provide a lot of support not just for athletics, but for every department at Owens Community College. In return we put our student-athletes to work in the community to help them understand that by paying it forward you are making a difference in people’s lives.”

For more information on Owens athletics or the new Hall of Fame, please visit www.owensexpress.com.

OWENS NAMES NEW FINDLAY – AREA CAMPUS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Posted on August 15th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, August, 15, 2016 – Owens Community College has named Julie Baker, M.B.A, M.A. as the new executive director of the Findlay-area Campus beginning September 26. Her responsibilities will include overseeing all aspects related to administrative leadership, coordination and development of initiatives related to enhancing educational opportunities and resources for current and future students on the Findlay-area Campus.

“Owens Community College is excited and proud to welcome Julie Baker as the new director of the Findlay-area Campus,” said Dr. Mike Bower, president of Owens Community College. “The Findlay-area Campus is an important part of Owens Community College and plays an integral role in meeting the education and training needs of the Northwest Ohio community. Baker is well-known in the community and will be able to open many new doors for learning opportunities and partnerships.”

In addition, Baker will serve as liaison between various College departments and faculty and staff and assist them in the coordination of academic and student services. The position will also entail the creation and implementation of strategies to enhance enrollment and retention efforts on the Findlay-area Campus, as well as serve as an ambassador for the Owens Findlay-area Campus and look to further strengthen partnerships with community, business and educational leaders in the immediate Findlay area and throughout the Hancock and surrounding counties.

“Higher education is facing some challenging, yet rewarding times,” said Baker. “I look forward to exploring future opportunities for the Owens Findlay-area Campus, and the role I will play in ensuring a successful presence in the Findlay/Hancock County area.”

Since 2013, Baker has served as campus director for Brown Mackie College in Findlay. She has spent the last thirteen years working in higher education with 7 of those years in administrative positions.

Baker received her bachelor of arts from the University of Toledo in 1978, her master’s in Business Administration in 1984, also from the University of Toledo and her master of arts in Guidance and Counseling from Bowling Green State University in 1997.

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

OWENS NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION

Posted on August 11th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, August 11, 2016 – Owens Community College has named Jennifer Fehnrich as executive director of the Owens Community College Foundation. This position is responsible for raising private and annual revenue for the Foundation to provide for the current and future needs of the College and its students.

Fehnrich remarked, “I have a long-standing passion for Owens and its critical role in northwest Ohio. I look forward to being part of Owens’ exciting future, while working to secure necessary resources that will grow and strengthen our mission of student success.”

Since 2002, Fehnrich has served in various positions at Owens focusing on external outreach, most recently as executive director, government and community relations. In this position, she was the liaison to local, state and federal level government officials, as well as business and community leaders. Her responsibilities included advocating for legislative and economic issues relating to the College.

In addition to taking on her new role with the Foundation, Fehnrich will also continue to be the point of contact for government and community relations.

Dr. Mike Bower, president, Owens Community College stated, “Jennifer’s proven experience in garnering support for Owens through government and community relations is a strength that will only further her ability to lead the Foundation.”

Fehnrich earned her bachelor of arts degree in Communications from Bowling Green State University in 1998 and her master of science in Marketing and Communication from Franklin University in 2013.

“On behalf of the Owens Foundation Board, we are very pleased to have Jennifer serve in this role and lead the Foundation with a high level of innovation and creativity,” said Dan Kimmet, Owens Community College Foundation chair.

The Owens Foundation was incorporated in April 2002 and has over $3.4 million in assets. Since 2002, donors have contributed $6.1 million in gifts and grants. As a result, more than $2.8 million has been distributed to the College for programs and more than $1.8 million has been distributed to students for scholarships.

The Foundation Board of Directors is currently comprised of 23 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.

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

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.

OWENS NAMES NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT SERVICES AND NEW POLICE CHIEF

Posted on July 15th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 15, 2016 – Owens Community College recently named Amy Giordano as the new vice president of student services and Scott Steinke as the new police chief/executive director.

“Over the past several years, both Amy and Scott have proven their commitment to the success of Owens and its students,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “We are excited to have them move into these positions, knowing that they will strive to continue moving Owens in the right direction and we welcome the wealth of knowledge and experience they bring.”

Giordano’s responsibilities will include all student services functions, including but not limited to: admissions, advising, athletics, disability services, financial aid, international programs, Oserve, records, student activities, student discipline, testing services and veteran’s services.

She has nearly 20 years experience working in higher education at institutions that include: The Ohio State University, Capital University, Suffolk University, Northeastern University and Owens Community College. Her extensive knowledge spans the areas of financial aid, records, advising, service-learning, and student activities to name a few.

Most recently, Giordano held the position of interim vice president of student services and enrollment management.

The Toledo resident earned her bachelor’s degree in history from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in labor and human resources and a master’s degree in higher education administration both from The Ohio State University.

Steinke’s responsibilities will include overseeing all aspects related to the strategic and administrative leadership, coordination and development of the College’s Public Safety Department within the framework of federal, state and local laws.

He has served in law enforcement for more than 24 years, with eight of those years in the university and college setting at The University of Toledo and Owens Community College. Steinke has been a lieutenant with Owens Police since 2010 and most recently acted as the interim director of Public Safety and chief of police.

The Toledo resident earned an associate’s in Law Enforcement Technology from The University of Toledo and his bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Lourdes University.

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

OWENS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AWARDS 2016 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on May 4th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 05, 2016 – Owens Community College’s Board of Trustees recently honored area high school seniors for their outstanding achievements, offering thousands of dollars in new scholarships through the Trustees’ Academic Excellence Scholarship Program.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to commend the Trustees’ Academic Excellence scholarship recipients on their accomplishments said Ed Nagle, chair, Owens Board of Trustees. It is the responsibility of Owens to deliver a direct path to higher paying and rewarding jobs by providing motivated students with the best education at an affordable cost in the least amount of time. These are the type of motivated students that we wish to invest in.”

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 associate 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 at Owens include:

Marissa Harrington (Anthony Wayne High School)
Jala Phillips (Apollo Career Center)
Sarah Hofacker (Arcadia High School)
Nolyn Burkholder (Archbold High School)
Alexandra Sheldon (Arlington High School)
Shelby Bechstein (Bowling Green High School)
Colleen Stamper (Calvin M. Woodward High School)
Carissa Wallace-Cullum (Central Catholic High School)
Gino Giovanoli (Clay High School)
Samuel Bowers (Continental High School)
Shaylin Barnd (Cory-Rawson High School)
Brooke Purney (Eastwood High School)
Meg Elizabeth Clark (E.L. Bowsher High School)
Kelsey Bloom (Elmwood High School)
Kyle Dobransky (Emmanuel Christian)
Sydney Northrup (Evergreen High School)
Alexis Sullivan (Findlay Digital Academy)
Alexandria Hill (Findlay High School)
Hannah Simmons (Genoa Area High School)
Alda Ibarra (Horizon Science Academy of Toledo)
Marlena Cortland-Wilson (Jesup W. Scott High School)
Makenzie Mazey (Lake High School)
Cole Smith (Liberty-Benton High School)
Kirstin Daniels (Liberty Center High School)
Tanya Lark (Maumee High School)
Dakota LaRue (McComb High School)
Jamie Watson (Millstream Career Center)
Bailee Daughenbough (Mohawk High School)
Carleigh Black (Monclova Christian Academy)
Brandon Wagner (Morrison R. Waite High School)
Olivia Frost (North Baltimore High School)
Brianna Mansberger (Northwood High School)
Victoria Allore (Notre Dame Academy)
Allison Schroeder (Oak Harbor High School)
Lexie Rieger (Otsego High School)
Davis Andrews (Penta Career Center)
Jennifer Modene (Perrysburg High School)
Tiffany Zacharias (Polly Fox Academy)
Tamera Payteon (Robert S. Rogers High School)
Daniel Fox (Rossford High School)
Seth Augustyniak (Saint Francis De Sales High School)
Benjamin Bruss (Saint John’s Jesuit High School)
Erika Angstmann (Saint Mary’s Memorial High School)
Adam Vandergrift (Springfield High School)
Kesean Bannister (Summit Academy Toledo Secondary)
Stephen Nelson (Swanton High School)
Isaac Tatkowski (Sylvania Southview High School)
Julia Lakin Kingston (Toledo Christian School)
Jake Mish (Toledo School for the Arts)
Chelsea Garza (Toledo Technology Academy)
Justin Chu (Van Buren High School)
Shyloe Hartman (Vanlue High School)
Alicia Danylchuk (Van Wert High School)
Olivia Banister (Wauseon High School)
Brynn Smith (Whitmer High School)
Emily Barringer (Woodmore High School)

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 AWARDS TWO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on April 29th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 29, 2016 – Owens’ Alumni Association has chosen Timothy Griffin of Upper Sandusky to receive the 9^th Annual Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship and Matthew Huth to receive the 2^rd Annual Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship.

Timothy Griffin, this year’s recipient of the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship, is currently a full-time student and has earned 28 credit hours toward a criminal justice technology degree. After graduating with honors from Upper Sandusky High School in 2015, Griffin immediately enrolled at Owens in the fall. While in high school, he also earned post-secondary option college credit from three different institutions, including Owens Community College.

Griffin has always had the desire to work in public safety. He says, “Ever since I was a little boy, I remember wanting and desiring to go into law enforcement.” Both his father and grandfather worked for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Maintaining a 3.4 grade point average, Griffin has organized 5K’s, rang the bell for the Salvation Army and routinely donated blood. He has also volunteered for the REACH (Recognizing & Enriching All Children) program in Upper Sandusky, which provides religious outreach and teaches life skills and recreational activities to area youth. Additionally, he works part-time as an office assistant for Saull Law Offices, LLC. His educational goal is to complete his associate’s degree in both criminal justice and business management technologies. After graduation, Griffin hopes to join the ranks as an Ohio State Trooper.

The Scholarship will be awarded annually to an Owens student who has the passion to become a firefighter and embodies the courage, beliefs and determination demonstrated by Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman during their careers.

Matthew Huth, this year’s recipient of the Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship, is currently a full-time Owens student, completing 23 credit hours toward his emergency services technology degree. The 2015 Hopewell-Loudon graduate began studies at Owens in the fall of 2014 as a post-secondary option student.

Huth says, “I want to become a firefighter because I think that it is one of the best and most rewarding careers in the world.” He recognizes that a firefighter can change a person’s day for the better and maybe even save a life. He loves the brotherhood and sisterhood bond of firefighters and looks forward to being part of that group.

Huth has maintained a 3.2 grade point average while volunteering in the community. He is a volunteer firefighter for the city of Bascom. He assists with annual community festivals, Bascom Lion’s Club dinners and is a regular blood donor. He volunteers at his local school helping to repair the baseball field fences and building new dugouts. After graduation, he hopes to work at a local fire department as a full-time firefighter and paramedic.

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 Issues Statement on Higher Education Reform

Posted on February 22nd, 2016

On behalf of Owens Community College, President Mike Bower, Ph.D. issues the following statement:

Owens Community College is fully supportive of initiatives that will keep higher education and workforce training affordable and I am encouraged by the reforms that were proposed by Governor Kasich. Reforms that will help Owens prepare a strong workforce, increase two- and four-year degrees, and maintain affordable access to education are important to the success of our students.”

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.

OWENS’ NURSING PROGRAMS RECEIVE FIVE-YEAR APPROVAL FROM OHIO BOARD OF NURSING

Posted on February 18th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 18, 2016 – Owens Community College recently received official notice from the State of Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) that the nursing programs have been granted full approval for a period of five years.

“We are very proud of this accomplishment and it means a lot to our faculty and students,” said Cathy Ford, M.Ed., R.T., interim dean, School of Nursing and Health Professions. “Receiving approval for five years shows we are meeting the states high standards and we offer a top program in northwest Ohio.

Owens nursing students who have taken the National Council Licensing Exam for registered and practical nursing (NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN) have traditionally had high passage rates. For example, during 2015, 139 students who took the NCLEX-RN and passed on the first attempt, resulted in a pass rate of 95.86 percent and 22 students who took the NCLEX-PN passed on the first attempt, resulting in a pass rate of 100 percent. Both pass rates exceed the national and state passage rates.

This is the fourth year in a row the students taking the NCLEX-PN have earned a 100 percent pass rate.

“We are extremely proud of the students from our nursing program,” said Irene Jones, MSN, RN, chair, Nursing Department. “Their passage rates speak volumes to the high quality of nurses that are being sent out into our community.”

Owens’ nursing programs are accredited through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), formerly the National League Nursing Accreditation Commission (NCLNAC), through spring 2018.

For additional information about the College’s nursing programs, please call 4567-661-7338 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7338 or visit www.owens.edu/sonhp.

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.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WELCOMES TWO NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS

Posted on February 4th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2016 – Owens Community College recently welcomed Tonya Rider, a detective with the Toledo Police Department and Michael McAlear, president and CEO of Service Spring Corporation as the newest members of the Board of Trustees.

“We are honored to welcome two outstanding and hard-working community leaders to our Board of Trustees,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “We look forward to their positive contribution on the future of Owens.”

Since January 2013, Rider has served as a detective in the Crimes Against Persons Unit. In her 26-year law enforcement career she has gained experience dealing with robbery, homicide, child and adult sexual exploitation, theft and fraud investigation, and Internet safety. She is a State-Certified Unit Instructor in the Ohio Peace Officer Training Program through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission. She currently serves on the Toledo Police Federal Credit Union Supervisory Committee.

Rider earned her Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice, graduating with honors in 2003 and her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal justice, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2007 both from Lourdes College. She earned her Master of Organizational Leadership in 2011 from Lourdes University.

McAlear began his career in 1978 working for his family’s business started by his grandfather, Service Springs Corporation (SSC). In 1994, at the age of 33, he became president of SSC and in 2005 he became CEO. Since early in his career, McAlear has been involved in the community serving as a member of several local and regional boards. He currently serves on the local boards of ProMedica Bay Park Hospital and the American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio.

He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Systems in 1982 and his Master of Business Administration in Finance in 1990 both from the University of Toledo. He is also a graduate of the Ohio Peace Officer Academy, he assists the Wood County Ohio Sheriff’s Office as an Auxiliary Deputy and also Steuben County, Indiana as a Reserve Marine Deputy.

“It’s exciting to have a full nine member Board of Trustees committed to making positive contributions to Owens and to the educational future of students,” said Bower.

For more information on Owens’ Board of Trustees, please visit www.owens.edu/trustees.

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.

OWENS RECEIVES $5,000 FROM DELTA DENTAL FOUNDATION TO IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH IN TOLEDO

Posted on January 15th, 2016

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 15, 2016 – Owens Community College recently received $5,000 grant from Delta Dental Foundation to help purchase a mobile dental chair and dental unit for students to take to nursing homes and rehabilitation centers to provide dental cleanings to residents.

The Owens Community College Dental Hygiene Program is designed to prepare graduates for positions in private dental offices, hospitals, managed care facilities, federal, state and municipal health departments and correctional institutions. Emphasis is placed on the relation between prevention, education, the clinical phases of dental hygiene and basic and social sciences. Hands-on clinical experience allows the students to treat a variety of patients: pediatric to geriatric including medically compromised and special needs.

“Many elderly people experience significant barriers to receiving necessary dental care,” said Beth Tronolone, RDH, director of Owens’ Dental Hygiene Program. “This grant will allow students not only to experience caring for these individuals, but also experience planning the community project and identifying the patients needs and providing the necessary care and referral for the patients.”

The Delta Dental Foundation is focused on ensuring that children and adults in Ohio receive high-quality oral health education and high-quality dental care. Through its Brighter Futures initiative, Delta Dental is committed to improving people’s oral and overall health and well-being through advocacy, education and philanthropy.

“We are proud to recognize the work being done by Owens Community College Dental Hygiene Program by selecting it as one of our grant recipients,” said Teri Battaglieri, Delta Dental Foundation director. “By increasing access to dental care, we can help improve the oral and overall health and well-being of children and adults by preventing serious health issues down the road.”

The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina. The foundation’s goals are to support education and research for the advancement of dental science, and to promote the oral health of the public through education and service activities, particularly for those with special needs. For more information, visit www.deltadentaloh.com.

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.

BGSU, OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CREATE FALCON EXPRESS DUAL ADMISSION PROGRAM

Posted on December 5th, 2015

BOWLING GREEN, OH.—Incoming college students now have an express track to a four-year degree from Bowling Green State University, starting from Owens Community College. BGSU and Owens are partnering to create the Falcon Express Dual Admission Program, in which students apply once and then chart their course straight through to their bachelor’s degree.

“The new Falcon Express partnership is a great opportunity for students. It will provide guaranteed admission to BGSU and extra academic support while reducing costs and paperwork,” said BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey. “Bowling Green State University and Owens Community College have been strong partners for many years, and we share a commitment both to the success of our students and to the economic vitality of our region.”

Mazey and Owens President Mike Bower signed the partnership agreement Dec. 5. The program begins in January 2016.

Depending on where they are in their coursework, some current Owens students might also find Falcon Express meets their needs.

BGSU has always welcomed numerous students from Owens. For those who already plan to make the transition, the process will be even smoother. Advisers at both schools will work with Falcon Express students to make sure all their coursework credits are transferrable and meet the requirements for their chosen four-year degree.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Bowling Green State University to create a more seamless process that allows students to gain admission to both institutions simultaneously,” Bower said. “At Owens we are committed to student success, and this strengthened partnership will help to remove barriers and extend opportunities for students.”

To qualify for the Falcon Express program, students cannot have previously attended BGSU. They may not attend any other institution after graduating from Owens with their associate degree before moving on to Bowling Green, and must enroll within three years of beginning coursework at Owens.

To learn more about the Falcon Express Dual Admission Program, contact the BGSU Office of Admissions at 419-372-2478 or choosebgsu@bgsu.edu.

Or call the Owens Office of Admissions at 567-661-7777 (Toledo) or 567-429-3509 (Findlay), or email admission@owens.edu.

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 COMMUNITY COLLEGE NAMED TO 2016 MILITARY FRIENDLY® SCHOOLS LIST

Posted on November 16th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 16, 2015 – For the sixth consecutive year, Owens Community College has been designated a 2016 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media, the leader in successfully connecting the military and civilian worlds.

Now in its seventh year, the original, premier Military Friendly® Schools designation provides service members and their families with transparent, data-driven ratings about post-military education and career opportunities.

Institutions competed for the elite Military Friendly® School title by completing a survey of more than 100 questions covering 10 categories, including military support on campus, graduation and employment outcomes, and military spouse policies. Survey responses were scored against benchmarks across these key indicators of success. In addition, data was independently tested by Ernst & Young based upon the weightings and methodology established by Victory Media with guidance from an independent Advisory Board of higher education and recruiting professionals. A full list of board members can be found at MilitaryFriendly.com/advisory-board.

The Military Friendly® Schools designation is awarded to the top colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and after graduation. The methodology used for making the Military Friendly® Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one much more transparent, and has played a significant role over the past seven years in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country.

“Owens Community College’s Office of Veterans Services is extremely honored to be among the best colleges and universities in the United States,” said Amy Giordano, assistant dean of student and veterans services. “Our commitment to meeting the needs of veterans is unwavering and will remain so through our dedicated Veterans Services staff and our college as a whole.”

Owens Community College’s growing veteran family of more than 400 includes veterans, military spouses and dependents of veterans. The Office of Veterans Services opened in 2011 and is staffed by former military personnel.

“Post-secondary institutions earning the 2016 Military Friendly® School award have exceptionally strong programs for transitioning service members and spouses,” said Daniel Nichols, Chief Product Officer of Victory Media and Navy Reserve veteran. “Our Military Friendly® Schools are truly aligning their military programs and services with employers to help students translate military experience, skills and training into successful careers after graduation.”

For more information about Owens Community College’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, go to www.owens.edu/veterans or call (567) 661-8387.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Posted on November 4th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 4, 2015 – Owens Community College Foundation, whose sole mission is to develop and provide resources to advance the College’s mission of serving students and the community, recently announced the election of two new board members and the re-election of four board officers and seven board members.

Joining the Board of Directors are Charles R. Brown, vice president of sales, Rail Group, The Andersons Inc.; and Dr. Thomas Osinowo, chief clinical officer at Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital.

“We are delighted to welcome our newest board members and those continuing to serve. Each is a highly accomplished community leader, who brings a wide array of talents and experience,” said Jeff Keim, executive director, Owens Foundation. “Their knowledge, energy, and leadership will be invaluable in setting the future direction of the foundation.”

Re-elected board members include James F. Carter, retired Wood county commissioner; Andrea M. Gurcsik, manager, Human Resources, First Solar, Inc.; Jeannie Hylant, executive vice president of Hylant; Allan J. Libbe, co-founder, Rudolph/Libbe Companies Inc.; David J. McMacken, vice president, Wealth Management Group, PNC Bank; Matthew J. Mishler, national account manager, Buckeye TeleSystem; and David L. Whikehart, director, product supply & optimization, Marathon Petroleum Company LLC.

Four board officers were also re-elected and include Daniel E. Kimmet (chairman), retired from Aeroquip/Eaton Corporation; James H. Geers (vice chairman), retired, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company; Alan M. Sattler (treasurer), chief financial officer, ProMedica; and Dee Talmage (secretary), retired educator and Owens Board of Trustees member.

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

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 COMMUNITY COLLEGE WELCOMES AMERICORPS COLLEGE COMPLETION COACHES

Posted on September 17th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 17, 2015 – Owens Community College recently welcomed two AmeriCorps College Completion Coaches in an effort to assist first-time community college students to succeed in their academic and career aspirations.

The AmeriCorps College Completion Coaches Initiative is part of a collaborative effort between the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC), the Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) and ServeOhio (Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism).

Serving as AmeriCorps College Completion Coaches at Owens are Lindsey Minnig of Van Wert and Hilary Tore of Toledo. Minnig is a recent graduate of Owens Community College, and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communications at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), while Tore is finishing up her bachelor’s degree in Individualized Studies, also at BGSU.

“One of my biggest passions in life is to help students because when I first came to Owens I struggled,” said Minnig. “Luckily, I had a mentor and without them I wouldn’t be where I am today, so in a way I am trying to pay it forward.”

The coaches will be responsible for helping students in completing their developmental courses and then helping them to enroll in college-level credit courses. Additionally, coaches will serve as a support system for the students and assist them in progressing through their completion plan.

“Our purpose is to increase student retention by providing students with a variety of resources both on and off campus,” said Tore. “The benefit of working with a completion coach is having one place to go for help with any personal or academic issues.

In 2012, the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC) and the Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) entered into a strategic partnership to develop and implement the AmeriCorps College Completion Coaches initiative

Since the initiatives inceptions, coaches have served in the following community colleges: Clark State Community College, Columbus State Community College, Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, Lorain County Community College, North Central State College, Northwest State Community College, Southern State Community College, Stark State Community College, Terra Community College, Zane State Community College, Owens Community College and Hocking College.

Students interested in speaking with an AmeriCorps College Completion Coach can email Lindsey Minnig at Lindsey_minnig@owens.edu or Hilary Tore at Hilary_tore@owens.edu.

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 FINDLAY- AREA CAMPUS EARLY LEARNING CENTER RECEIVES 5-STAR QUALITY RATING

Posted on July 30th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 30, 2015 – Owens Community College is pleased to announce that the Findlay-area Campus Early Learning Center has received a 5-star Step Up to Quality rating from Ohio Job and Family Services. Less than 5 percent of full-time childcare centers serving toddlers through preschool have received this distinction.

At the 5-star program level, students benefit from:

Lower teacher/child ratios
Administrators and teachers have higher education qualifications
Administrators and teachers complete more than 20 hours of specialized training every two years
Teachers develop lesson plans that support each child’s growth
Assessments are completed to evaluate and improve the learning experience
Collaboration with families and community to provide more opportunities for children

For more information, please visit www.owens.edu/childcarefindlay.

OWENS RECEIVES $220,000 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GRANT TO ENHANCE STUDENT SERVICES

Posted on July 22nd, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 22, 2015 – Owens Community College’s mission of providing an exceptional education and student success will be bolstered by a $220,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will help serve 140 students in the first year.

“Owens is honored and excited to receive the means to enhance our student services,” said Denise Smith, associate vice president of academic affairs. “This grant will help provide students with the necessary and crucial educational resources they need to succeed in their academic pursuits.”

The five-year TriO Student Support Services grant will be used to increase persistence, good academic standing, and graduation and transfer rates of students through an integrated and comprehensive set of services. These services include first-year programs, proactive individualized academic advising, career guidance and goal setting, transfer planning, professional tutoring, financial planning, and assistance with financial aid and scholarships.

The Federal TriO Programs are federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TriO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities to progress through their academic careers from middle school to post baccalaureate programs. TriO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TriO projects.

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

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

Posted on July 20th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 20, 2015 – 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 Tuesday, Aug. 18. Collected items will benefit low-income kindergarten-age school children throughout Northwest Ohio.

The 18 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 3,947 backpacks and 71,011 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 SELECTS FOLLETT TO MANAGE CAMPUS BOOKSTORES BEGINNING JULY 23

Posted on July 8th, 2015

College to benefit with expanded access to new products, services and savings

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 8, 2015 – Owens Community College is proud to announce its newest partnership with Follett Higher Education Group. Follett is scheduled to begin managing the Owens Community College Bookstores on July 23. Follett was identified as the company with the best experience, product offerings and technology to support the Owens campuses and local community.

“We are very pleased to have entered into a multi-year partnership with Follett to better provide students with services and resources the College cannot do presently as an independent store operation,” said Michael McDonald, executive director, operations, Owens Community College. “The agreement provides a better and ensured business model for our bookstore, while improving services to our students and the entire college community.”

With this new partnership, Follett brings the largest inventory of course materials and a network of more than 6,000 publishers and providers to offer students the greatest selection of affordable options. This includes access to Follett’s textbook rental program, which saves students, on average, 50 percent or more off the price of a new textbook. The bookstores will provide a risk-free rental experience with the ability to highlight, take notes and easily convert rental to a purchase should the student decide to keep the text.

“We’re excited and ready to deliver a hassle-free store experience for Owens Community College students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff,” said Don Germano, president, Follett Higher Education Group. “We look forward to working with the institution in exploring the unique needs of the college community and identifying the right solutions to drive affordability, access and ultimately, student success.”

Follett also offers an extensive selection of digital learning technologies, such as its BryteWave digital reader. Digital materials allow students to study anytime, anywhere and often feature interactive learning tools, such as video, animation and models.

For more information regarding Owens, please visit www.owens.edu. Additional information regarding Follett’s services can be found at www.follett.com.

About Follett Corporation
For more than 140 years, Follett has been a trusted partner to pre-K and K-12 schools, districts, and college campuses, taking care of the critical details that make it easier for schools to run, teachers to teach and students to learn. Every day, Follett serves over half of the students in the United States, and works with 70,000 schools as a leading provider of education technology, services and print and digital content. Follett is higher education’s largest cam pus retailer and a hub for school spirit and community, operating more than 1,150 local campus stores and 1,600 virtual stores across the continent. Headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, Follett is a $2.6 billion privately held company

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLOSED FOR INDEPENDENCE HOLIDAY

Posted on July 1st, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 1, 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, will be closed on Friday, July 3 for the Independence Day holiday. There will be no classes and the College offices will be closed for business.

OWENS NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION

Posted on June 29th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 29, 2015– Owens Community College has named Jeff Keim as executive director of the Owens Community College Foundation. This position is responsible for raising private and annual revenue for the Foundation to provide for the current and future needs of the College and its students.

Keim remarked, “Owens Community College is an undervalued asset and creates a vital economic impact in our region. I’m excited to join this team and share the life-changing stories resulting from the affordable education, world-class workforce training and athletic opportunities available on both our campuses. The Foundation provides the help and support for many to achieve the dreams that would otherwise be impossible.”

Since 2006, Keim has served as a financial advisor, most recently with MassMutual Ohio. In this position, he provided financial planning, including retirement analysis and programs, estate strategies, employee benefit and retention services, business continuation strategies, trust services, asset accumulation and distribution strategies, and financial products and services for high net worth families, businesses and institutions.

For more than 23 years, Keim’s role as auctioneer, master of ceremonies and development consultant has resulted in raising charitable contributions in excess of $8 million for various organizations in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, including Mercy Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio, Rotary Club of Maumee, Boys & Girls Clubs, Toledo Opera Association, Toledo Christian Schools, St. John’s Jesuit, St. Francis de Sales, and Central Catholic high schools.

“We are eager to announce another addition to the Owens family,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president, Owens Community College. “Jeff brings with him a wealth of fundraising experience and a large network of contacts within the philanthropic community. His ability to raise revenue for the Foundation will be an integral part of moving Owens forward.”

Keim earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Toledo and is currently president of Rotary Club of Maumee.

OWENS APPOINTS DAVID CANNON VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Posted on June 24th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 24, 2015 – Owens Community College has appointed David Cannon as vice president/chief financial officer, pending Board of Trustee approval. This key administrative position is responsible for direct and strategic leadership in the areas of finance and accounting, budget, and facilities. The vice president/chief financial officer will ensure that business transactions and support services meet the College’s short- and long-term objectives and goals.

“I’m extremely excited about becoming a part of the Owens family,” said Cannon. “Over the past few years I have had the opportunity to work with Owens staff and have been impressed with their commitment to students and the community. I look forward to working together as a team to continue to make Owens a leader in higher education.”

Since 2011, Cannon has served as vice chancellor of finance and data management for the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), which advises the chancellor on issues of statewide importance affecting higher education. In this position, he provided leadership, vision and accountability in the management and oversight for Finance and Data Management operations. Financial duties under his leadership included the State Share of Instruction (SSI) funding formula for higher education, budgeting, and Senate Bill 6 activities.

Prior to his work with the Ohio Board of Regents, Cannon served as chief financial officer for Union County, North Carolina; county administrator for Delaware County, Ohio; chief financial officer for the Auditor of State’s Office and administrator of fiscal services for Delaware County, Ohio. He was also a platoon leader in the Ohio Army National Guard.

“We are very excited for David Cannon to be joining Owens Community College,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president Owens Community College. “David has an extensive background in finance and with the OBR and will be a key asset in executing the College’s fiscal watch recovery plan moving Owens forward toward a more robust fiscal health.”

Cannon earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Ohio State University, and a master’s degree in Finance from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, while serving in the United States Air Force.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO IMPLEMENT TUITION GUARANTEE PROGRAM

Posted on June 17th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 17, 2015 – Owens Community College today announced the implementation of a tuition guarantee program, pending Ohio Board of Regents approval, that will hold tuition rates for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 for up to three years or until the completion of a degree, whichever comes first.

“Our mission is student success and for many students cost plays a big factor in their ability to continue their education, Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “While our tuition rate is still lower than other institutions in northwest Ohio, we want to do all we can to assist students in not only reducing cost, but also the time required to complete a degree.”

Existing full and part-time students and new (first-time) full-time students who elect to enroll in at least 15 credit hours in Fall semester 2015 or Spring semester 2016 will be eligible for the guarantee. Their tuition will be guaranteed at current rates during the time of their participation in the program.

Students will be required to sign a completion pledge that states they will: maintain continuous enrollment in fall and spring semesters with at least 15 credit hours per semester for three years or until degree completion, whichever comes first; and complete an academic plan by the end of their second semester.

“The tuition guarantee program is designed to help students and parents accurately predict tuition costs for their entire time here at Owens,” said Bower. “We want to see students succeed and this program is rewarding students for taking positive steps toward completion.”

The tuition guarantee is part of Owens’ “Take 15” initiative that assists students in graduating on time, saving tuition money, and starting their careers sooner.

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

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXCELLENCE AWARD – FINDLAY

Posted on May 22nd, 2015

FINDLAY, Ohio, May 22, 2015 – Owens Community College Findlay- area Campus students Tara Osborne and Benjamin Book have been chosen by the Board of Trustees Student Life Committee to receive student excellence awards for their commitment to academics, community engagement, student leadership and involvement in student life.

Osborne and Book received Certificates of Recognition for Exceptional Student Leadership. Award recipients were recognized for their achievements at the College’s recent Board of Trustees meeting.

Timothy Rice, professor of English, nominated Osborne for her leadership efforts in creating the registered student organization, Student-Faculty Relations (StuFaR) and presiding as its inaugural president. The purpose of the organization is facilitating communication and interaction between students and faculty, which enhanced student and faculty relations through regular organized activities such as volleyball tournaments, board game days and popcorn days on the Findlay-area Campus.

Osborne, a adolescent education concentration major, had a 4.0 grade point average and was recognized as Summa Cum Laude at the May 8 Commencement Ceremony.

Heather Crozier, librarian, nominated Book for his leadership as president of the registered student organization, the Rotoract Club, which under Book’s leadership and organization, was active with monthly campus or community activities, including members volunteering for the Medical and Supplies Abroad warehouse, the City Mission and the Salvation Army.

Book has been a driving force in organizing the Conversation Club, a joint project with Read for LIFE, providing Rotoract members with the opportunity to assist students for whom English is a second language in developing their conversational English skills. He also showed effective leadership skills as an Owens student ambassador in the Findlay community.

The Board of Trustees Student Life Committee was chartered in 2011 to recognize and celebrate students who demonstrate the College’s core values of service, learning, innovation, collaboration and excellence through their achievements in academics, community engagement or involvement in student leadership and student life.

Any individual may nominate an Owens student or a group of students who demonstrate achievements specific to the award categories of Exemplary Academic Achievement, Extraordinary Community Engagement or Volunteerism and Exceptional Student Leadership or Student Life Involvement. The awards are presented regularly to student recipients during Board of Trustees meetings.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXCELLENCE AWARD – TOLEDO

Posted on May 22nd, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 22, 2015 – Owens Community College’s Board of Trustees Student Life Committee has chosen students April Rose Brown, Brooke Wise, Grace Rader and members of the Culinary Knowledge Bowl team: Jeffry Davison, Kathryn McCain, Louisa Kerrigan, Margaret Kerrigan and Rachael Duda to receive student excellence awards for their commitment to academics, community engagement, student leadership and involvement in student life.

April Rose Brown and the Culinary Knowledge Bowl team received the Certificate of Recognition for exemplary academic achievement, while Brooke Wise and Grace Rader were honored with the Certificate of Recognition for Exceptional Student Leadership. Award recipients were recognized for their achievements at the College’s recent Board of Trustees meeting.

Russell Bodi, Owens professor of English, nominated Brown, an applied science major, for her dedication to academic study and her positive attitude. Brown had a 4.0 grade point average and was recognized Summa Cum Laude during the May 8 Commencement Ceremony. As an Honors Scholar she has gone above and beyond performing the honors option requirement. She currently holds the record for completing five additional independent study projects beyond the required three. This makes her eligible to be a Distinguished Honors Program Graduate.

Edward Gozdowsi, chef and adjunct instructor, Culinary Arts, nominated members of the Culinary Knowledge Bowl team for their high knowledge and dedication to learning the craft of culinary arts. Jeffry Davison, Kathryn McCain, Louisa Kerrigan, Margaret Kerrigan and Rachael Duda were selected for the inaugural Owens Culinary Knowledge Bowl team from a pool of 25 students. The team dedicated many hours for study and practice, taking first seed among the six teams of the northeast region and finishing with a silver medal in the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl Competition of the Northeast Region for the American Culinary Federation.

Susan Wannemacher, professor of dental hygiene, nominated students Brooke Wise and Grace Rader for their leadership and dedication to the profession of dental hygiene and their fellow students seeking certification. Wise is the president and Rader is an active member of the College’s student chapter of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and in their respective leadership roles, they have coordinated a successful food drive for the Owens Harvest Pantry and a major fundraiser garnering $6,000, which will help to defer the individual student cost (up to $1,350 per student) of the national and regional dental hygiene board exams. They also competed amongst university and college peers and won first place in the research-based table clinic competition at the Ohio Dental Hygienists’ Association 91^st Annual Session in November 2014.

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 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 AWARDS TWO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on April 24th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 24, 2014 – Owens’ Alumni Association has chosen Aalea Robertson of Toledo to receive the 8^th Annual Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship and Kyler Omey to receive the inaugural Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship.

Robertson is currently a part-time student, with a projected May 2015 graduation with a criminal justice technology degree. She enrolled at Owens in Fall 2012 after graduating from the Toledo School for the Arts.

Robertson has always had the desire to work in law enforcement. She says, “The idea of placing society’s well-being before the well-being of oneself for a greater cause is what really intrigues me.”

She is a student worker for the Owens Department of Public Safety, conducting fingerprinting and background checks; an unarmed security guard for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library and part of the security team for the Stranahan Theater. Robertson has participated in several internships with the Lucas County Heroin Overdose Task Force and the Lucas County Domestic Violence Task Force. She has also volunteered with the Toledo Police Explorers 12 Kids of Christmas, shopping with youths, and Lucas County Sheriff’s Explorers at the Lucas County Fair. Robertson feels all of these experiences have provided valuable hands-on experiences in preparing her for a future in law enforcement.

Maintaining a 3.57 grade point average, Robertson is a member of Owens’ honor societies, Phi Theta Kappa and Chi Alpha Epsilon. She plans to attend the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy at Owens in Fall 2015. Upon graduating from the Academy, she hopes to join the Toledo Police Department. Long term, her educational goal is to attend Tiffin University and earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Kyler Omey, the recipient of the inaugural Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship, has that passion and determination. He is currently a part-time Owens student, completing 55 credit hours toward his fire science technology degree. The 2012 Sylvania Northview grad began studies at Owens in Fall 2012. Omey says, “Becoming a firefighter has not just been a goal, but a dream of mine.” He recognizes the impact firefighters make on the community, the uniqueness of the bond they develop with fellow firefighters and how they are positive role models.

His educational goal is to complete his degree with certifications in firefighting, emergency medical tech and paramedic. After graduation, he hopes to work at a local fire department as a full-time firefighter.

Omey has maintained a 3.38 grade point average while volunteering in the community. He has built houses for Habitat for Humanity and fed the homeless at the Cherry Street Mission. Additionally, he plays hockey for the Toledo Cherokee Hockey Club. All of these activities showed Omey the importance of teamwork and how you can impact other’s lives by doing the smallest things.

“Firefighting is not only my passion, aspiration or career choice, but a manner to impact those I encounter on a daily basis and be a productive member of the community,” said Omey.

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 CONTINUES RECOVERY PLAN IN RESPONSE TO BEING OFFICIALLY PLACED ON FISCAL WATCH

Posted on April 22nd, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 22, 2015 – Leaders of Owens Community College informed the campus community today that the College has officially been placed on Fiscal Watch. In November 2014, the College had shared it would be facing the status of Fiscal Watch by the state in early 2015. Since that announcement, the College has been working veryclosely with the Ohio Board of Regents and has made significant strides toward gaining fiscal recovery.

“We are pleased to know that Owens Community College is working diligently to become more fiscally stable,” said Dave Cannon, Ohio Board of Regents Vice Chancellor 0f Finance and Data Management. “Owens is a vital part of Ohio’s higher education system, and fiscal stability will help the college continue to play an important role in the workforce development and economic success of the region.”

Owens continues to follow an aggressive recovery plan outlined in the November announcement to further stabilize finances and allow the College to focus on its vital role as a leading education provider and economic engine within the surrounding communities. The five-part recovery plan will include:

1. Financial Stability and Expenses

The College is stabilizing its net asset position and financial indicators through aligning projected revenue with operational expenses and implementing prudent financial oversight, controls and cost-saving measures.

2. Human Resources and Labor Relations

The College is evolving its organizational capacity through a systemic focus of meeting the needs of students, employers and employees, fostering communication and accountability.

3. Additional Long-term Revenue Stream

The College is seeking additional long-term revenue through cultivating partnerships, strengthening

relationships and leveraging resources to expand the mission of providing students and northwest Ohio employers with access to affordable quality education and technical training.

4. Enrollment and Marketing

The College is strengthening connections to prospective students through marketing, linking academic programs with careers and jobs, promoting opportunities for earning college cred it toward a degree and supporting key services that enhance student retention, transfer and completion.

5. Academic Programming

The College is adapting, developing and aligning quality academic programs and educational delivery with labor market needs and job opportunities while fostering student learning, assessment and completion through strategic planning, efficiencies, partnerships and pathways.

“Strong regions have strong community colleges preparing their workforce. These are challenging times, but more than ever we need to keep Owens innovative, responsive and accountable,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “Owens has been a quality provider of higher education and workforce training in

northwest Ohio for 50 years and we will continue to do so for years to come.”

During this recovery phase, the College is taking steps to ensure that students are not impacted. The College remains accredited through the Higher Learning Commission and there is no change or impact to any program-specific accreditation. In addition, transfer agreements remain 100% in place and are in no way impacted; and there is no change with the transfer of credits taken at the College.

OWENS STUDENT WINS PEARSON WRITING CONTEST

Posted on April 21st, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 21, 2015 – According to a recent AACU survey, more than 75 percent of employers say they want to see competency in graduates in key areas that include written and oral communication skills, amongst other key 21^st century skill-areas. The Pearson Writing Rewards Contest was created to help increase awareness of the importance of writing; to encourage students to foster these skills, as they are a precursor for success in today’s knowledge-based economy; and to show students the rich rewards associated with developing their writing skills.

The 2013-2014 contest was open only to college students currently enrolled in a pre-composition, developmental, or non-credit courses. Five Pearson authors of various English, reading, and writing course materials, who hold 50+ years of experience in the classroom, judged essay submissions, identifying three final winners. The essays were graded on a 1-10 scale based on clarity of writing, organization of the essay, and writing correctness.

The students who communicated in written form most effectively and efficiently were rewarded with a cash prize. The winners and their sponsoring professors are:

1^st place: Awarded to Laura Wilson, Owens Community College, Professor: Dr. Kay Blue

2^nd place: Awarded to Morgan Faulkner, North Carolina Central University, Professor: Anne McCarthy

3^rd place: Awarded to Rachel Shrock-Russell, Chemeketa Community College, Professor: Samuel Snoek-Brown

“I always liked to write but I never thought that I would be a writing contest winner. As a result of this experience, I have more confidence in myself. I’m excited to see where my writing will take me,” said Laura Wilson, student at Owens Community College.

Winners, their teachers, and their writing program administrators will be featured on respective Pearson websites. Winning submissions are eligible for publication in Pearson educational content and throughout Pearson’s online writing courses or MyLabs.

According to Jilani Warsi, Pearson author and judge of the contest, “Judging student essays is not simply about rewarding the strongest writers. It’s about seeing talent and potential and recognizing it, so that you can inspire students to become their most successful selves.”

Due to the success of the pre-composition contest, the 2014-2015 contest will be opened to composition students, or students who are taking for-credit classes. Applications for this year’s award are due by May 31, 2015. To apply, visit this link.

About Pearson

Pearson is the world’s leading learning company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning. For more information about Pearson, visit http://www.pearson.com.

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’ MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING PROGRAM FIRST IN NATION TO RECEIVE ACCREDITATION

Posted on April 7th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 7, 2015 – The Owens Community College Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program has become the first community college in the nation to earn the distinction of receiving initial program accreditation by The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT).

“Owens is very proud to be the first community college to receive accreditation for its Magnetic Resonance program,” said Catherine Ford, M.Ed., R.T. (R), program director. “This achievement recognizes Owens’ commitment to providing an excellent academic program that gives students a foundation for future success.”

Owens’ program earned the maximum accreditation award for a new program of three years from the JRCERT after a recent peer review and site visit that recognized the programs substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards.

“Earning this accreditation is a credit to the hard work of the Magnetic Resonance program faculty,” said Doug Mead, DMA, associate dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. “Each of them is dedicated to serving our students and community through excellence and innovation.”

The JRCERT is the only agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) for the accreditation of traditional and distance delivered educational programs in radiography, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance, and medical dosimetry. Specialized accreditation awarded by the JRCERT offers institutions significant value by providing peer evaluation and by assuring the public of quality professional education in the radiologic sciences.

Magnetic resonance technologists are medical professionals who perform magnetic resonance imaging procedures. They are educated in patient care, human anatomy, physiology, pathology, radiopharmacology, imaging procedures, MR physics, ethics and medical terminology. Magnetic resonance technologists must possess, utilize and maintain knowledge about magnetic protection and safety. They must recognize conditions essential for successful completion of the procedure and exercise independent professional and ethical judgment.

Offered on the Toledo-area Campus, the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program offers students a combination of didactic instruction with practical application in clinical education affiliates.

Graduates must take and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

For more information on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program or other programs, please 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.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Posted on January 9th, 2015

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2014 – The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has selected Owens Community College for its 2015 Community Engagement Classification.

“Community engagement is a major component to the success of students, as well as Owens as an institution, and we are extremely pleased those efforts have been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “This national designation highlights the hard work and level of commitment to community engagement shared by our faculty, students and staff.”

Owens joins 240 colleges and universities across the nation being recognized for their campus-wide commitment to civic engagement. In order to receive the classification, the college had to demonstrate a commitment to curricular engagement, outreach and partnerships.

“Through service learning, community engagement and other partnership opportunities, students get a true sense of the impact they can make on our communities,” said Krista Kiessling, director of service learning, civic engagement and leadership. “The type of leadership skills students need to succeed after college can only be learned through hands-on involvement with the community. This recognition shows Owens’ commitment to giving students the tools to thrive.”

This year, 133 institutions submitted applications for recognition for the first-time and 83 were successfully classified as community engaged institutions. Similarly, 188 institutions were eligible for re-classification and 157 were successfully re-classified.

In the notification letter regarding the classification designation, Carnegie President Anthony Bryk wrote:

Your application documented excellent alignment among campus mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement, and it responded to the classification framework with both descriptions and examples of exemplary institutionalized practices of community engagement. The application also documented evidence of community engagement in a coherent and compelling response to the framework’s inquiry.

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

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.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE NAMES NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Posted on December 15th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 15, 2014 – Owens Community College has named Steve Robinson, Ph.D., as vice president of academic affairs. This is a key academic position responsible for academic programming, teaching and learning, faculty and academic staff. He will also support the institution’s completion plan and strategic enrollment growth. He will also provide leadership, vision, and expertise in developing viable academic strategies that will continue to meet the needs of the community and align the College’s academic program offerings with high demand workforce opportunities. Robinson fills a critical role for Owens as the institution supports the needs of the community and transforms itself to regain fiscal health.

“Owens Community College is fortunate to welcome Steve Robinson, who has an extensive background in higher education and brings a high caliber skill set in academic affairs,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “Steve brings with him a vision that aligns with Owens’ current needs that will be a tremendous asset.”

Robinson has spent the last 21 years working in higher education. Since 2008, Robinson has served as executive dean, Planning, Research and Quality Initiatives at Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. In this position, he served as the senior administrator in charge of strategic planning, institutional research, continuous quality improvement and institutional accreditation. His responsibilities also included college-wide data research initiatives and providing day-to-day management on student success initiatives such as Achieving the Dream, a national reform network dedicated to community college student success and completion.

“I’m very excited to be joining Owens Community College,” said Robinson. “During the selection process, I was especially impressed with the faculty and staff and their commitment to student learning. The passion for students at Owens is inspiring to me. I look forward to serving students and the community.”

He has also served as the interim dean of Health Sciences at Mott Community College where he supervised and provided support for faculty in the occupational programs of Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapy Assistant, Dental Hygiene, and Dental Assisting. He has also served as a full-time faculty member and continues to teach.

The Grand Blanc, Mich. resident earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature, a master’s degree in English, and a doctorate in critical studies in the teaching of English, all from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

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 DESIGNATED AS A 2015 STEM JOBS APPROVED COLLEGE

Posted on December 5th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 5, 2014 – Owens Community College has been designated a 2015 STEM Jobs^SM Approved College by Victory Media, the leader in successfully connecting individuals in transition with education and career opportunities, and creator of STEM Jobs^SM media, education and career resources for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math. The 2015 STEM Jobs^SM Approved Colleges inaugural list is the first of its kind to rate universities, colleges, community colleges and trade schools on their responsiveness and relevance to high-demand, high-growth STEM occupations.

Owens was among over 1,600 schools participating in the STEM Jobs^SM survey process. Schools submitting surveys were scored on publicly available data and responses to proprietary questions around three key indicators of success: STEM job alignment, STEM job placement, and diversity in a school’s STEM programs. The assessment and rights to the STEM Jobs Approved^SM Colleges designation were available to qualifying schools at no cost. Owens will be featured in the Winter 2015 issue of STEM Jobs^SM magazine, along with the entire 2015 list of STEM Jobs^SM Approved Colleges.

“We are excited and proud to prepare our students for a number of in-demand STEM careers,” said Glenn Rettig, interim dean of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. “The workplace demand for skilled, creative, problem-solving technicians is greater than it has been in forty years, and the School of STEM can prepare students for a successful career in the field that interests them most. This recognition is a great acknowledgment of our efforts in providing valuable STEM programming.”

For more information about Owens’ commitment to students interested in STEM fields of study and careers, visit www.owens.edu.

For additional information about STEM Jobs^SM or to request a free survey assessment, please contact us at VictoryMedia.com/contact.

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 BEGINS RECOVERY PLAN IN RESPONSE TO STATE FISCAL WATCH

Posted on November 10th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2014 – Leaders of Owens Community College informed the campus community today that the College anticipates being placed onto Fiscal Watch sometime next year. At the same time, they announced the beginning of a recovery plan that will help the college stabilize its finances and continue to fulfill its vital role as a leading education provider and economic engine within our communities.

“We will be challenged to be more entrepreneurial, to share difficult sacrifices, and to move this college forward,” Mike Bower, Ph.D., and President of Owens College told the gathering. “We can and WILL transform this College.”

Based on Ohio law, a college can be placed onto Fiscal Watch for a number of reasons. In Owens’ case, the trigger is a set of composite ratios that measure fiscal health. Fiscal Watch would require Owens to report its finances to the State more frequently and to develop and implement a 3-year recovery plan. Based on the anticipated composite ratios for Owens, the State would not be required to appoint a conservator.

Fiscal Watch would not become official until the Ohio Board of Regents receives the College’s audit and calculates the official composite ratios and adopts a resolution to that effect. This would likely occur during the First Quarter of 2015 calendar year. However, Dr. Bower told the College audience that Owens is not waiting to begin the recovery plan.

When talking about the recovery plan, which includes initiatives on the revenue and the cost sides of the budget, Dr. Bower said that “The College understands that it cannot solely cut its way out of the fiscal challenges and still be true to its mission.”

The President announced a five-part recovery plan:

Revenue Enhancement through strategic enrollment growth, retention and completion.
Develop new long-term revenue sources, including but not limited to a tax levy proposal.
Analyze spending to ensure all spending is focused on recruiting and educating students and implementing a student completion plan.
Reduce employment costs through position elimination. The College’s leadership will consult with Deans and Department Heads in the coming weeks to align position eliminations with Owens’ needs moving forward. The College community will be informed on which positions will be included in the reduction in January 2015. At this time, it is not known how many positions will be impacted.
Implement across-the board salary and wage reductions among non-bargaining staff beginning January 1, 2015, while requesting all bargaining units to make a similar sacrifice. (Reductions will range from 2 to 5 percent with smaller reductions for those individuals in lower pay grades and higher reductions not to exceed 5% for those in higher pay grades. President Bower will take a 6% salary reduction.) In addition, the College will offer the opportunity for employees to take voluntary furloughs.

Owens has taken aggressive steps already to control costs and reduce prior shortfalls. Nearly $16 million was cut out of the Fiscal Year 2014 budget alone. However, enrollment continues to decline. Owens has seen a 38% reduction in enrollment over the past four years. The loss of revenue associated with this in terms of both tuition and state funding continues to put pressure on the College’s finances, resulting in the expected Fiscal Watch.

“We are proposing some very challenging measures while focusing on initiatives which will improve our revenue,” Dr. Bowers said, in conclusion. “We will write a story where Owens makes the tough decisions needed to regain fiscal health and builds on a legacy of high-quality education and continue to fulfill our vital role as a leading education provider and economic engine within our communities.”

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 BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROCLAIMS MEDICAL ASSISTANTS RECOGNITION WEEK

Posted on October 17th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2014 – Owens president and the Board of Trustees have proclaimed Oct. 20-24, 2014 and the third full week of every October as Medical Assistants Recognition Week at Owens Community College in appreciation of the Medical Assisting program students, faculty, staff and alumni.

In celebration of Medical Assistants Recognition Week, Owens Medical Assisting students will be offering free blood pressure checks, pulse ox checks and glucose testing, Wednesday, October 22, 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. and 1 – 2:15 p.m. in the Health Technologies building, room 307 on the Toledo-area campus.

Medical assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures. With their unique versatility, medical assistants are proving to be the allied health professional of choice for this decade and beyond. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting continues to be projected as one of the fastest growing occupations.

For more information regarding Owens’ Medical Assisting Program, please visit www.owens.edu.

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 VETERANS SERVICES RECEIVES NATIONAL HONOR

Posted on September 23rd, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 23, 2014– Owens Community College has earned the coveted Military Friendly® Schools designation for the fifth consecutive year from Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning to civilian life.

The 2015 Military Friendly® Schools listing honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the U.S. for exemplary efforts in embracing America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students and ensuring their success on campus.

The methodology used for making the Military Friendly® Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one much more transparent, and has played a significant role over the past six years in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country.

“Owens Community College’s Office of Veterans Services is extremely honored to be among the best colleges and universities in the United States,” said Dr. Betsy Johnson, Owens vice president, Enrollment Management and Student Services. “Our commitment to meeting the needs of veterans is unwavering and will remain so through our dedicated Veterans Services staff and our college as a whole.

The 2015 Military Friendly® Schools results were independently tested by Ernst & Young LLP based upon the weightings and methodology developed by Victory Media with input by its independent Academic Advisory Board.

Owens’ Office of Veterans Services is dedicated to assisting veterans, active service personnel, reservists and eligible dependents in their pursuit of a college education. A total of 438 veteran students representing the armed forces are enrolled at Owens Community College for Fall Semester 2014.

In recent years, the Office of Veterans Services has expanded its outreach, sponsoring Veterans Appreciation Night games at the Toledo Mud Hens and Toledo Walleye; collaborating with other college departments on Toys for Tots drives with the U.S. Marine Corps. and hosting luncheons to celebrate Veterans Day for the on-campus veterans population.

Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that has been serving the military community since 2001. Our data-driven Military Friendly® lists are published in G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur media channels, republished in periodicals like USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Bloomberg BW and are frequently cited on national TV by NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, Fox News and others.

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 DELIVERS BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO AREA CHILDREN

Posted on September 15th, 2014

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 15, 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 brightening many children’s lives through a unique community service endeavor titled “Backpack to the Future.” Five hundred forty-eight backpacks and 8,787 school supply items collected throughout the summer months are being donated to 17 area elementary schools during the month of September.

Beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 9:30 a.m., Owens representatives will donate backpacks and school supplies to seven Toledo Public Schools—Old West End Academy, Whittier, Arlington, Marshal, Pickett Academy, Riverside, and Rosa Parks Elementary Schools – presented at Toledo Public Schools’ Old West End Elementary School (3131 Cambridge St.). Owens will deliver backpacks and supplies to benefit kindergarten students in Bowling Green, North Baltimore, Rossford, Northwood, Genoa, and Woodmore school districts at Rossford’s Glenwood Elementary School (8950 Avenue Rd.) at 3:30 p.m. On Tuesday, Sept. 23. Owens representatives will make their final stop at Jacobs Primary (600 Jacobs Ave.) in Findlay on Thursday, Sept. 25, 10 a.m.

The drive also collected over $3,000 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 3,948 backpacks and 71,011 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

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.