The Nutshell is the official e-newsletter for Ohio State alumni club and society officers and board members. We encourage you to share the information with your members via your own newsletters or Web sites.
DATES & DEADLINES
Apr. 30: Football ticket invoices due
May 21: Ohio State Alumni Day with the Cleveland Indians
May 25-28: Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Huntington Park, Columbus
June 1: Away-game Buckeye Bash registration begins
July 23: Ohio State Alumni Day with the Cincinnati Reds
Sept. 11: Class of 1961 50-year Reunion event
Sept. 17: Ohio State Founders Day (more info to follow)
Sept. 22: Student recruitment training
Sept. 23: Alumni Leaders Conference
Sept. 24: Advocates event
OSUAA ANNOUNCEMENTS
We love our volunteers!
Today ends National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and the staff here at OSUAA would like to thank our wonderful alumni volunteers for all you do to make Ohio State stronger. Whether you are helping recruit new Buckeyes, doing community service, or organizing events, your time, effort, and Ohio State spirit are very valuable to us. Thank you!
Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers
When people are asked how they became volunteers, often the answer is simply that they were asked. Recently, the College of Arts and Sciences sent an e-mail asking alumni to volunteer to serve on its new society board. More than 240 alumni took the time to apply. Though not everyone was selected to the board, the society now has hundreds of volunteers ready to be placed into committees or other opportunities. (To receive a copy of the volunteer application used by the College of Arts and Sciences, please e-mail Craig or Heidi.)
Here are some helpful tips for recruiting potential new board members:
- Invite them to sit in on a meeting to see what you do.
- Place alumni volunteers on committees to introduce them to the club and society; groom them for future board membership.
- Be clear with the volunteer about board membership requirements. (Samples of board expectations are available.)
- Must be a current dues-paying member of the Alumni Association
- Must attend a set percentage of all board meetings
- The length of service term should be defined in years
- Match their professional skill sets to the positions you have available.
- Be honest with the amount of time required to serve on the board.
Tips for retaining board members:
- Start and end your meetings on time.
- Recognize your volunteers once a year with an appreciation event.
- Give out Buckeye leaf stickers throughout the year to highlight group or individual accomplishments.
- Establish goals for your club or society so there is direction and purpose at each meeting.
- Provide a support system for your alumni volunteers. Make sure there are committees established for projects and events so the work can be divided.
SAVE THE DATE: Sept. 23, 2011, for the 60th Annual Alumni Leaders Conference
This year's ALC will take place at Longaberger Alumni House on Sept. 23 and will include a full day of education sessions, vendors, and the chance to talk with fellow alumni leaders from around the country. Registration opens on July 5, and the cost is $30, with the optional wine reception and football tickets available for additional cost. Due to space limitations, this year's registration will be limited to two attendees per club or society. For more details on costs, deadlines, and hotels, check www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/AlumniLeadersConference.aspx.
Year-long celebration of alumni begins Apr. 15
It's the 100th anniversary of the Alumni Advisory Council, and Ohio State will be celebrating alumni in various ways throughout the coming year. In our first alumni profile, Les Wexner, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Limited Brands and a members of the Ohio State Board of Trustees, talks about what Ohio State means to him. Watch here: http://www.osu.edu/watch/45n6Ku4oILbsA
As another part of the celebration, the Alumni Association wants to highlight our alumni clubs and societies online and through our social media outlets. This is your chance to tell us about the great work that your group does and maybe even recruit some new members. Please complete the online form and send it to community@ohiostatealumni.org. If your group has been featured in the alumni magazine, you are welcome to send a completed form with updated information.
Clubs: www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/AlumniClubSpotlight.aspx
Societies: www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/AlumniSocietySpotlight.aspx
Be a part of Team Buckeye for Pelotonia, Aug. 19-21
You've probably heard about Pelotonia, the biking event that has one goal: to end cancer. New in 2011, Ohio State will have an official super Peloton, Team Buckeye, with our own Archie Griffin leading the charge. Team Buckeye will be the umbrella Peloton for all Pelotons and riders associated with Ohio State-employees, students and alumni.
Ohio State clubs/societies can create their own pelotons (rider teams), which can be part of the Team Buckeye "Mega Peloton." Just have the team captain register to ride and then click "Create a Peloton." He or she can then add other registered riders to the team. Finally, contact Karl Koon, karl.koon@osumc.edu, and request your Peloton be added to Team Buckeye so your riders and dollars can help Ohio State reach its goals.
For more info, or to make a donation now, go to http://teambuckeye.osu.edu/.
General alumni group business
1. Updated membership roster (including term limits, if applicable)
2. Updated club/society officer roster following your elections or fall reunion meetings
3. Copy of your group's bylaws
4. JPG file of your group's logo (if applicable)
Please send to Kimberly Lowe at lowe@ohiostatealumni.org or Craig Little at little@ohiostatealumni.org. Thanks to those who have already submitted these materials. Also, if you need to request a list of alumni in your area, please complete and send the information release form.
Ohio State Alumni Tours: Deadline approaching for Scandinavia; savings extended for China and Tibet
Scandinavian Odyssey
Aug. 9-25, 2011 - $5,695 (includes airfare from New York)
www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/travel/2011/Pages/Scandanavia.aspx
From cosmopolitan Copenhagan, Stockholm, and Oslo to the breathtaking fjords, this comprehensive tour is the perfect way to see Scandinavia. The reservation deadline is April 22, 2011.
China & Tibet
Aug. 19-Sept. 3, 2011
from $4,095 plus international airfare
www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/travel/2011/Pages/ChinaTibet.aspx
Don't miss your opportunity to travel on this Buckeye favorite featuring Beijing, Shanghai, the Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors, Tibet, and much more. Space is limited to 28 passengers and the trip will not be repeated in 2012.
For information on these or other tours please call (614) 292-2372 or toll-free (800) 852-8687.
ACADEMIC NEWS
Ohio State names new dean of College of Engineering
David B. Williams, president of the University of Alabama at Huntsville, has been named dean of Ohio State's College of Engineering. Subject to approval by the university Board of Trustees, his appointment will be effective Apr. 18, 2011. Gregory Washington, professor of mechanical engineering, will continue to serve as interim dean of the college until Williams arrives on campus. www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3041
Landmark Ohio State and Columbus State partnership will guarantee access to the bachelor's degree
The presidents of Columbus State Community College and The Ohio State University have unveiled the Preferred Pathway Program, a collaboration that will provide qualified Columbus State students with a guaranteed, guided route to an Ohio State baccalaureate degree. In ceremonies at Columbus State, David T. Harrison, president of the college, and Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee introduced the new joint initiative, hailing it as a symbol of their institutions' commitment to access, student success, and Ohio's economic advancement. www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3089
Ohio State to honor Buckeye and Olympic track and field legend Jesse Owens
Buckeye track and field legend Jesse Owens captured the attention and respect of the world, winning four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany. Ohio State will lead the celebration of his life and legacy on the 75th anniversary of his stellar performance on Apr. 21-24 with a variety of events to engage the campus, alumni, and central Ohio communities. An ambassador of goodwill with a passionate concern for young people and respect for education, Owens will be honored at a statue unveiling at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 21, at Owens Memorial Stadium, followed by a scholarship dinner hosted by comedian Bill Cosby at 7 p.m. at the Ohio Union. Proceeds will benefit the Ruth and Jesse Owens Scholars program and the Ohio State men's and women's track and field programs. www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3095
RESEARCH NEWS
Women's body image based more on others' opinions than their own weight
Women's appreciation of their bodies is only indirectly connected to their body mass index (BMI), a common health measure of weight relative to height, according to recent research. The most powerful influence on women's appreciation of their bodies is how they believe important others view them, the study suggests. On the flip side, the more women are able to focus on the inner workings of their body-how their bodies function and feel-rather than how they appear to others, the more they will appreciate their own bodies. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/intuitive.htm
Got up on the wrong side of the bed? Your work will show it.
A new study of telephone customer service representatives shows just how important it is for employees to start the workday in a good mood. Researchers found that employees' moods when they clocked in tended to affect how they felt the rest of the day. Early mood was linked to their perceptions of customers and to how they reacted to customers' moods. And most importantly to managers, employee mood had a clear impact on performance, including both how much work employees did and how well they did it. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/workmood.htm
Stress wrecks intestinal bacteria, could keep immune system on idle
Stress not only sends the human immune system into overdrive-it can also wreak havoc on the trillions of bacteria that work and thrive inside our digestive system. New research suggests that this may be important because those bacteria play a significant role in triggering the innate immune system to stay slightly active, and thereby prepared to quickly spring into action in the face of an infection. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/immunegut.htm
ATHLETICS NEWS
Football: Away game hotel listings available
It's never too early to start planning for football season; the Alumni Association has negotiated great hotel rates in four of the five cities where Ohio State will be playing in this fall. For a complete listing of how to make your reservations in Miami, Fla.; Lincoln, Neb.; Champaign/Urbana, Ill.; and West Lafayette, Ind., see www.ohiostatealumni.org/events/BuckeyeBash/Pages/HotelAccommodationsandActivities.aspx.
Women's gymnastics: Rebecca Best set to compete on beam at NCAA Championships
Ohio State senior gymnast Rebecca Best has qualified for the NCAA Championships on balance beam this weekend in Cleveland. Best will compete in semifinal one at noon on Apr. 15 at the Wolstein Center. The co-captain and 2009 All-American posted a career-high 9.900 on beam Apr. 2 at the Ann Arbor Regional to qualify. This season marks the third trip to the national championships for Best. A three-time All Big Ten selection, Best traveled as an alternate as a freshman before collecting second team All-America honors on floor in 2009 to become the sixth Buckeye to earn All-America honors. www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89281&SPID=10647&ATCLID=205135788&DB_OEM_ID=17300
Men's tennis: No. 2 Buckeyes wrap up non-conference schedule with 5-2 win vs. Notre Dame
The second-ranked Ohio State men's tennis team (23-2, 6-0 Big Ten) won its eighth consecutive match while extending its home win streak to 124 following a 5-2 victory over No. 28 Notre Dame (15-9) on Apr. 13 at Stickney Tennis Center. Buckeye Devin McCarthy clinched the win for the five-time defending Big Ten champions for the second match in a row. McCarthy, a redshirt-sophomore, defeated Niall Fitzgerald 6-3, 6-3 for his 24th victory of the season. The Cincinnati native is now 19-2 in dual singles and 9-1 at the No. 5 position. www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87783&SPID=10415&DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=205136150
