Tammy Kinsey, professor and associate chair in UT’s Department of Theatre and Film, is available today beginning at 12:30 p.m. to discuss the results of Sunday’s Academy Awards.

Please contact Jon Strunk at 419.530.7832 if you’re interested in setting up an interview.

National TRIO Day will bring together students and alumni who succeeded in college thanks to assistance from the national program to celebrate Saturday, Feb. 23, at 8:15 a.m. in The University of Toledo Scott Park Campus Auditorium.

Since 1964, more than 10.5 million Americans (67 percent from poor and working families) have benefited from the services of the TRIO pre-college and college programs: Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program and the Educational Opportunity Centers.

As access and retention services are an essential component of the federal strategy to ensure equal educational opportunity, Congress established the TRIO Programs nearly 50 years ago. These programs enable Americans regardless of economic circumstance, race or ethnic background to successfully enter college and graduate.

The programs are designed to identify promising students, prepare them for college-level work, strengthen math and science skills, provide tutoring and support services to them once they reach campus, and provide information on academic and financial aid opportunities.

TRIO students and parents from Bowling Green State University, Lourdes University, Owens Community College and UT will join together for National TRIO Day 2013 with the theme, “Positive Choices.”

National TRIO Day activities will include a wellness presentation and a student summit on healthy relationships that features a domestic violence panel.

The event is free; an optional $3 lunch is available.

For more information, contact Alisha Durham, academic adviser with UT’s Upward Bound Program, at alisha.durham@utoledo.edu or 419.530.3810.

Families in the greater Toledo area will enjoy a day at the Imagination Station having fun while learning through a University of Toledo program to encourage interest in discovery and science.

The Sci-FUN Community Event will take place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Imagination Station, 1 Discovery Way, in downtown Toledo. The participants in Saturday’s event are the families of students currently in classrooms with NURTURES teachers. Future events will be open to the public.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a number of activities, including a “Water Works Erosion Challenge” to construct a river so that water flows in a specific direction and the “Engineer It! Windmill Blades” activity where families manipulate windmill blades to maximize the number of watts produced.

“Families are encouraged to explore, discuss and think together at our Sci-FUN events through a number of hands-on activities and challenges,” said Deanna Bobak, project director for the NURTURES program. “When children learn and play right alongside their parents and siblings, the entire family walks away with a greater interest and understanding of science.”

NURTURES, which stands for Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University enRich Early Childhood Science, is a partnership led by the UT Judith Herb College of Education, in collaboration with Toledo Public Schools, area nursery schools and day cares, and science and community organizations.

The program, which is supported with a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation, works to include discovery in early childhood science education by engaging students in preschool through third grade, as well as their parents and teachers.

The five-year project, which began in 2011, includes organizing a number of family learning opportunities such as the Sci-FUN community event with the goal to reach 10,000 families. A large component of the program also is professional development and training for science educators to develop challenging inquiry-based, age-appropriate science instruction to improve interest and achievement in science for students in the greater Toledo area.

For more information visit nurtures.utoledo.edu or contact Lacey Strickler, outreach manager for NURTURES, at 419.344.9568.

The University of Toledo Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women will host its 5th Annual Celebrity Wait Night from 6 to 9  p.m. Tuesday Feb. 26 at the Toledo Hilton Garden Inn, 6165 Levis Commons Blvd,. Perrysburg.

More than 400 people are expected to attend this dinner featuring celebrity waiters from around the community, raffle prizes and a live auction with WTOL’s Jerry Anderson.

Throughout the evening local celebrities will wait on the tables and collect tips to benefit the center. Some of this year’s servers include:

• President and General Manger of The Blade and Vice Chair of UT Board of Trustees Joseph Zerby
• Lucas County Auditor Anita Lopez
• UT Chancellor and Executive Vice President for Biosciences and Health Affairs Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold
• UT Woman’s Basketball Coach Tricia Cullop

“The proceeds from the night are raised from our community and are spent in our community,” said Shanda Gore, UT associate vice president of Equity, Diversity and Community Engagement and director of the center. “The funds positively impact not only the woman but the whole family that, in many cases, lean on them to financially lead the household. Our programming empowers, educates and engages woman and that makes a difference.”

All proceeds will benefit the Eberly Center initiatives, including its signature program from Women’s Success Series. This program is designed to guide woman on their journeys of personal and professional development, by engaging them to identify career paths, determine educational next-steps, navigate proactively in today’s economy, and prepare themselves for a successful future.

For more information contact Emily Hardcastle at 419.530.7232 or the Eberly Center at 419.530.8570.

Media Coverage
The Independent Collegian (Feb. 27, 2013)
The Blade (April 7, 2013)

Dr. Timothy Messer-Kruse, a professor in the School of Cultural and Critical Studies at Bowling Green State University, will visit the UT College of Law to address his work to uncover new evidence and revise long-held interpretations of the famed 1886 Haymarket Bombing in Chicago, as well as his unlikely battle to make a small edit to the Wikipedia page on the subject.

His free, public lecture, “Rethinking the Trial of the Haymarket Anarchists,” will be held at noon Monday, Feb. 25, in the Law Center McQuade Auditorium.

Timothy Messer-Kruse

On May 4, 1886, a labor rally in Chicago turned deadly when a bomb was thrown at police officers. The subsequent trial of eight Chicago anarchists for the death of patrolman Mathias Degan was one of the most followed and controversial trials of the Gilded Age. For more than a century afterward, historians have characterized the Haymarket trial as amounting to little more than a show, with a biased judge, illegally obtained evidence, perjured testimony and a hand-picked jury.

Messer-Kruse has written two recent books — The Haymarket Trial: Terrorism and Justice in the Gilded Age and The Haymarket Conspiracy: Transatlantic Anarchist Networks — debunking many of the longstanding myths surrounding this famous event. The former title was named the Best Labor History Book of 2012 by the journal Labor History and awarded its annual book prize.

In his lecture, Messer-Kruse will re-examine the procedures, contemporary standards and evidence of the landmark Haymarket trial. He also will discuss his battle to edit the Wikipedia page on the subject, a story he has shared with media outlets, including NPR and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“While perhaps little known today, the Haymarket trial is one of the most notorious trials in U.S. history,” said Daniel J. Steinbock, dean of the College of Law. “With its combination of revisionist history and a Wikipedia angle, this talk promises a fascinating insight into both the 19th and 21st centuries.”

While his area of specialization is in the field of U.S. labor history, Messer-Kruse has published on a diverse array of subjects, including race relations, the invention of corporate lobbying, and class conflict in early auto racing.

Messer-Kruse received his PhD in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Click here to download a photo of Messer-Kruse.

Jacobs

Following The University of Toledo’s tuition and fee freeze in November, UT President Lloyd Jacobs said today he hoped the announcement from the Ohio State University that it too would freeze tuition marked the beginning of a trend in Ohio.

“I want to applaud Ohio State for its decision to freeze tuition and fees for the coming academic year,” Jacobs said. “Following The University of Toledo’s tuition and fee freeze in November, it is my hope that this momentum prompts more Ohio colleges and universities to work to keep higher education accessible to students and families.”

UT announced Nov. 9 it would freeze all tuition and fees, including student housing, meal plans and general fees for the 2013-14 academic year.

Additionally, UT announced a 25 percent housing discount for current full-time (12 credit hours or more) freshmen living on campus in 2012-13 who return to live in the residence halls for the 2013-14 academic year as sophomores. Students must have earned a 2.5 GPA or higher and 24 or more earned credit hours.

“Ever since our tuition freeze guarantee in 2007 that led to a statewide, two-year freeze at public universities for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 academic years, The University of Toledo has led efforts to keep higher education in Ohio affordable,” UT President Lloyd Jacobs said at that time.

Click here for more information about UT’s tuition freeze.

The University of Toledo is partnering with a local motivational speaker to help inspire area high school students to find their passion for education and their personal “swagger.”

The Leadership with Swagger initiative will be kicked off at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 in the Memorial Field House east lobby. The effort includes a motivational program designed to help give students confidence and a chance to define their own swagger through a group project in which students will develop and present a marketing plan for the University during an event in April.

John Henry Livingston, a motivational speaker and trainer and founder of Whirlwind U, a personal branding institute, is launching the Leadership with Swagger campaign in partnership with Lawrence J. Burns, vice president for external affairs at The University of Toledo.

“What if back in 1992 when Wheaties had Michael Jordan as a brand spokesperson, Wheaties had him include along with, ‘Better eat your Wheaties,’ ‘Better do your Homework?’ That slight addition could have had a major impact on a generation by placing emphasis on the importance ofeducation, without compromising Wheaties objective of using Mr. Jordan to bring more awareness to their brand,” Livingston said. “We are challenging these high school students to come up with a Wheaties-like brand for The University ofToledo and while doing so explore what swagger means to them and embrace it to be a future leader.”

Livingston is incorporating his marketing skills with the Lifeplan: A Journey of Choices, Decisions, and Consequences program, which is a highly interactive, discovery-based learning program developed by Root Learning of Sylvania for The Lifeplan Institute of California that helps participants navigate the path of life, avoid its most common pitfalls and become successful, thriving adults. The entire Lifeplan Training program takes about nine weeks to complete.

“I often speak about how important it is to create your own professional brand and this initiative builds on that by encouraging high school students to define what leadership with swagger means to them,” Burns said. “While doing that, the program also gives us insight into what appeals to high school students as they are considering what college or university to attend that will help with our UT branding efforts.”

Speakers will include:

• Larry Burns, VP of External Affairs, The University of Toledo
• John Henry Livingston, Principal, JoHen3LB and Lifeplan Toledo
• Bill Axe, Athletic Director at Central Catholic, who has had students go through the Lifeplan program
• Trudie Neely, Counselor at Rogers High School, who also has had students go through the Lifeplan program

For more information or questions about the event, please contact Amelia Acuna at 419.530.5874 or amelia.acuna@utoledo.edu.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Feb. 19, 2013)
The Independent Collegian (Feb. 20, 2013)
The Blade (Feb. 21, 2013)

The University of Toledo is on a five-year journey to reinvent the academic experience for its undergraduate and graduate students. Now, the first major step in this effort is about to take place.

Today, the University is unveiling the Jesup Scott Honors College, a newly configured portal of entry for well-prepared students.

The reinvention of the Honors College and the rebranding of the University’s undergraduate experience for well-prepared students is one of several key strategies to realize UT Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Scott Scarborough’s vision for UT during the next several years.

“It is our goal, over the next several years, to transform the experience of our best prepared students to one that would rival the likes of Oberlin College and Miami University, without the cost,” said Scarborough. “This effort will have a halo effect that will enhance the experience of all our students and increase the overall
value of a UT degree.”

Named to honor the former Blade editor who founded The University of Toledo in 1872, the reinvented college will be highly selective, while distinguishing itself from other honors colleges through a unique blend of admission requirements that not only take into account academic performance, but also activities that demonstrate a high level of motivation and achievement. Additionally, students will have the option to participate in an accelerated three-year degree program, among other new attributes.

“The Jesup Scott Honors College will become a symbol of excellence to attract well-prepared undergraduate students,” Scarborough said. “Our new dean, Dr. Lakeesha Ransom has an exemplary background that will help her lead this new endeavor and help raise the University as a whole to new level of distinction.”

With a 15-year career working in corporate, not-for-profit, educational and government organizations, Ransom brings to her new role experience as a visiting professor at Assumption University in Thailand and a member of the Minnesota Board of Regents. Most recently, she served as a principal of Mariposa Global, a firm that provides consultation services to Fortune 200 companies, government agencies and other organizations on strategic management, learning and leadership development.

For more information, contact Tobin J. Klinger, associate vice president for university communications, at 419.530.4279 or tobin.klinger@utoledo.edu.

Media Coverage
The Independent Collegian (Feb. 13, 2013)
13 ABC and WNWO (Feb. 14, 2013)
The Blade (Feb. 14, 2013)

In this year’s Heuerman Lecture at The University of Toledo College of Law, Anthony Siciliano, chief counsel for the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions, and Jeffery Smith, a partner at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, will survey developments in the banking industry in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

The free, public lecture “State and Federal Bank and Thrift Regulators: Who are these guys and what do they do?” will be held at noon, Thursday, Feb. 14, in the College’s McQuade Law Auditorium.

From the perspectives of banker and regulator respectively, Smith and Siciliano will provide an overview of the state and federal regulatory agencies that oversee the banking industry. The pair will examine how regulators reacted to the 2008 financial crisis, as well as the current state of regulation under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. They will attempt to answer the question: What’s next in banking and regulation?

“We are proud that two of our graduates play such an important role in the banking industry, and pleased that they have offered to share their knowledge with our students and the community,” said Daniel Steinbock, dean of the College of Law.

Jeffery Smith has more than 30 years of experience in financial institution regulatory and corporate matters. He is a partner at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP in the corporate and finance group. Smith is the former co-chair of the Ohio State Bar Association’s financial institutions subcommittee and the co-author of a handbook for bank directors. He received his bachelor’s degree from The University of Toledo and his law degree from The University of Toledo College of Law. This is the second of two presentations by Smith at the College of Law on the financial crisis.

Anthony Siciliano was appointed chief counsel of the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions in February 2011. Before joining the Division of Financial Institutions seven years ago, Siciliano served as an assistant attorney general and law clerk to Judge Ronald E. Hadley and Judge Robert R. Cupp of the Third District Court of Appeals. Siciliano received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from The University of Toledo College of Law.

The Heuerman Lecture is made possible by the Heuerman Fund for the Study of Investment Law and Regulations established by Richard and Lois Heuerman to benefit The University of Toledo College of Law.

What: The University of Toledo will announce its fifth Jefferson Awards “Champion” honoree during a luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 13.

When and where: 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Libbey Hall on UT’s Main Campus (luncheon begins); 1:15 p.m., announcement of annual Champion

Who: Annual Jefferson Awards “Champion” honoree, Vice President for External Affairs Lawrence J. Burns, and Toledo Mayor/UT alumnus Mike Bell

Full release:

The University of Toledo will announce its fifth annual Jefferson Awards “Champion” honoree during a special luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 11:30 a.m. in Libbey Hall on UT’s Main Campus.

Ten monthly Jefferson Awards honorees will be recognized during the event, which also will feature remarks from Toledo Mayor Mike Bell.

UT launched its Jefferson Awards program in January 2008 to celebrate members of the UT community who make service a priority. Each year, an annual honoree exemplifying the ideals of the program is selected to attend recognition events in Washington, D.C., offered by the national Jefferson Awards program.

Keeping with tradition, the announcement of the annual honoree will be a surprise to all in attendance.

The announcement will be made toward the end of the program, after 1 p.m.

Media Covereage
The Independent Collegian (March 13, 2013)