Calling a safe, supportive and inviting environment for all students, faculty, staff and guests one of The University of Toledo’s most important values and responsibilities, UT President Sharon L. Gaber announced Nov. 13 a new campus leader to continue and elevate the institution’s ongoing, proactive commitment to diversity.

“As ongoing events at the University of Missouri and other colleges across the country have demonstrated, institutions of higher education still have work to do to live up to our ideals,” Gaber wrote in a message sent to the UT community.

McKether

“I’m pleased to share with you that Dr. Willie McKether, associate dean in the College of Languages, Literature and Social Sciences, has agreed to take on a special assignment to help advance diversity throughout our institution,” she wrote.

“As special assistant to the president for diversity, Dr. McKether will be applying his diversity and academic expertise to work with faculty, staff and students to develop a University of Toledo diversity plan. Dr. McKether will build on the work provided by the Office of Equity, Diversity and Community Engagement.”

Gaber also pointed to the Division of Student Affairs, where Dr. Kaye Patten Wallace is implementing changes to strengthen diversity resources for students.

The Office of Multicultural Student Services is in the process of being restructured to identify graduate students who will provide programming, academic support and mentoring for specific student groups, including African-American, Latino, LGBTQA and international student populations. Further, the office is being elevated to the assistant dean level and a new leader will be hired soon.

“The University of Toledo’s commitment to diversity must be infused into every action we take,” Gaber wrote. “It is represented in our words as well as our actions and decisions at all levels of the University. From the faculty, staff and students we recruit to ensuring our retention and graduation rates demonstrate equal opportunities of success for all, we must come together as an institution to continue to move this critical priority forward.

“I ask for your help, input and steadfast commitment to equality as we proactively work to strengthen diversity at UT.”

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 14, 2015)
La Prensa (Nov. 17, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (Nov. 18, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (Nov. 18, 2015)
TV Newsroom (Nov. 22, 2015)

Bowling Green State University President Mary Ellen Mazey and University of Toledo President Sharon L. Gaber will have more than bragging rights on the line when the Falcons and the Rockets take the field for the Battle of I-75 on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Gaber

This year, the losing team’s president will be serving up some humble pie to the winner.

Friends and former Auburn University colleagues, Gaber and Mazey decided to make this year’s contest a little more interesting: the losing team’s president will serve lunch to the winning president, Student Government president and Graduate Student Association president in the winning president’s office — while wearing the winning school’s T-shirt.

“Mary Ellen is a good friend of mine and it is wonderful to be able to work with her to collaborate and advance education and research in northwest Ohio,” Gaber said. “I look forward to seeing her at the game and in my office for lunch.”

Mazey

“While we’re fierce rivals on the athletic fields and courts, UT and BGSU have a long history of academic collaboration benefiting the region,” Mazey said. “It’s great to have Sharon in northwest Ohio. I’ve picked out a great BGSU T-shirt for her to wear to lunch.”

Through nine games, the Rockets are 8-1 and 5-1 in the Mid-American Conference West Division. In ten games, the Falcons are 8-2 and 6-0 in the MAC.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 12, 2015)
NBC 24 (Nov. 12, 2015)
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The Blade (Nov. 13, 2015)
WTOL 11 and NBC 24 (Nov. 13, 2015)
The Plain Dealer (Nov. 13, 2015)
13 ABC (Nov. 14, 2015)
USA Today (Nov. 14, 2015)
The News & Observer (Nov. 14, 2015)
The Charlotte Observer (Nov. 14, 2015)
The News-Herald (Nov. 14, 2015)
Daily Reporter (Nov. 14, 2015)
The Morning Journal (Nov. 14, 2015)
Daily Journal (Nov. 14, 2015)
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13 ABC (Nov. 17, 2015)

The Center for International Studies and Programs will spotlight International Education Week, Nov. 16-20, with more than 20 events.

“International Education Week is not only an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide, but also a great opportunity for students to study and work with people from other countries and cultures,” said Angelica Da Conceicao, International Education Week coordinator.

“There will be fun, academic opportunities for students, faculty and staff. These include a film screening on immigration, an international photo contest, a visit from a U.S. diplomat, a cultural experience at the International Village, and more,” Da Conceicao added. “This annual initiative aims to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange. We are honored to share our different cultures and experiences to bring that unique diversity to UT.”

Highlights of International Education Week will include:

Monday, Nov. 16

• Film screening of “The Other Side of Immigration” with filmmaker Roy Germano, 3 p.m. Student Union Room 2584. The political scientist and filmmaker will present and discuss his award-winning documentary. Based on more than 700 interviews in Mexican towns where about half the population has left to work in the United States, this film asks why so many Mexicans come to the States and what happens to the families and communities they leave behind. Through a subtle and thought-provoking approach, Germano provides a perspective on undocumented immigration rarely witnessed by American eyes, challenging audiences to imagine more creative binational solutions to the immigration issue.

Wednesday, Nov. 18

• International Village, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Student Union Auditorium. Stop by to sample free international foods and see performances by International Student Association organizations.
• Ask a Diplomat, noon to 1 p.m., Student Union Room 2584. Have you wondered about working overseas? Does the life of a U.S. diplomat intrigue you? Attend Diplomat in Residence Michelle Jones’ informational presentation on U.S. Foreign Service careers. Your questions about career opportunities, including internships, fellowships, and Civil and Foreign Service positions will be answered.

Friday, Nov. 20

• Closing ceremony, 6 to 10 p.m., Student Union Room 2582. The evening will feature dancing and international food from locally owned restaurants.

Other events for the week include passport day; an international photo contest for students and faculty/staff; “Connect Globally” exhibit; short films; information sessions on education abroad and the Peace Corps; and Fulbright for students and scholars sessions.

Click here for a complete list of International Education Week events.

International Education Week celebrates diversity of voices and the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of their efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States.

For more information visit utoledo.edu/cisp/iew.

A University of Toledo faculty member is attending today’s White House Summit on Next Generation Schools to highlight her STEM education project.

Dr. Beth Schlemper, associate professor in the UT Department of Geography and Planning, was among the students, educators, philanthropists and entrepreneurs invited to Washington for the first-ever event to share their efforts to reinvent the high school experience to better empower students to seize opportunities in today’s economy, and prepare students for success in college and career.

Schlemper

The UT project aims to develop a curricular model that provides an accessible way of introducing geospatial thinking to students while providing them with the skills and motivation to pursue STEM careers.

Schlemper is engaging underrepresented students in real-world issues in the context of their own neighborhoods through the use of geospatial technologies and skills. Students are gaining knowledge and tools for enhancing their communities, as well as exposure to career opportunities in high-growth STEM sectors.

Today’s summit is part of President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union push for a national effort to create more Next Generation High Schools — schools that incorporate key elements of redesign, including more personalized and active learning, access to real-world and hands-on learning such as making experiences, deeper ties to post-secondary institutions, and a focus on expanding STEM opportunities for girls and other groups of students who are underrepresented in these high-growth, well-paying fields.

Schlemper’s invitation to the White House builds upon recent success of the UT Department of Geography and Planning’s efforts to boost STEM education. The University announced last month a UT faculty member is leading a $10 million NASA project to develop a new K-12 science curriculum that relies on hands-on experiments to engage students.

Click here for additional information on the White House Summit on Next Generation High Schools.

The biggest problem with lung cancer — the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women — is that it doesn’t generate symptoms until it is advanced.

Willey

That’s partly because there is a lot of space in the lungs where a tumor can expand without causing symptoms.

“It can be growing for more than a year, and the person really has very little symptoms or no symptoms until it is large enough to metastasize to other parts of the body,” said Dr. James Willey, lung cancer expert and University of Toledo professor of medicine.

This is why, during Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, Willey wants to make sure that people at risk for lung cancer are getting screened with a low-dose chest CT scan.

“We highly recommend that people who are 55 to 75 years of age with a heavy smoking history get this screening once a year,” Willey said. “This includes people who smoked at least a pack a day for 30 years and quit smoking less than 15 years ago. In addition, to qualify for screening it is important that their overall health permits them to safely undergo surgical removal of the tumor.”

Willey said lung cancer screenings — a standard of care as determined by the United States Preventive Services Task Force — have been shown to reduce deaths from lung cancer by more than 20 percent. Medicare and Medicaid are now covering the cost of these screenings with private insurance companies expected to follow that example. Even without insurance coverage, the cost is only $99 at the Lung Nodule Clinic at The University of Toledo Medical Center.

The screenings are offered at UTMC the first Tuesday of every month from 4-6 p.m. The visit includes immediate results and optional smoking cessation counseling. To make an appointment, call 419.383.3927.

For people who are screened and lung cancer is detected, it can be treated in 85 percent of cases. Willey hopes this will help with the stigma of lung cancer.

“Historically, lung cancer has had a bad reputation because without screening it is advanced at the time of diagnosis and not curable in more than 85 percent of cases. Consequently, most people die within one to two years of diagnosis.”

Additionally, as part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Willey will present a lecture on lung cancer and these life-saving scans at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19 in the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center at UTMC.

Willey has been funded for many years by the National Cancer Institute to conduct molecular genetic studies aimed at determining why some people are genetically predisposed to lung cancer. This is important because although tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer, about 20 percent of lung cancers occur in people who don’t smoke. He will discuss this at the lecture as well.

The free, public lecture is part of the Tie One On Awareness Lecture Series hosted by the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. To reserve a spot, email christopher.kosinski@utoledo.edu.

Media Coverage
NBC 24 (Nov. 19, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 20, 2015)

The University of Toledo has earned recognition from Military Times and G.I. Jobs as a top school for supporting student veterans.

UT is among the top 175 schools, including 125 four-year colleges, listed in the Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 rankings announced yesterday by Military Times, and the University also was recently designated a 2016 Military Friendly School by Victory Media’s G.I. Jobs magazine. 

“These two recognitions are in addition to recently being named a Top Military-Friendly University by Military Advanced Education & Transition,” said Navy Reserve Lt. Haraz N. Ghanbari, UT’s director of military and veteran affairs. “This is UT’s first time achieving the trifecta, and it is an impressive testament to the support of our campus community.”

Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that help make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families. More than 600 colleges took part in this year’s detailed survey, and this is the first year UT earned the designation ranking in the top 100 of four-year schools across the country.

“We award the Best for Vets designation to the very best – the colleges that really are setting the example,” said Amanda Miller, editor of Military Times’ Best for Vets rankings and special editions.

The 2016 Military Friendly School designation by G.I. Jobs magazine is the seventh consecutive year UT has received the honor from Victory Media.

“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 UT’s commitment to student service members, veterans and their families, visit utoledo.edu/call/military or call 419.530.VETS.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (Nov. 11, 2015)

The northwest Ohio area’s growing tech and start-up community will gather with investors, venture capitalists, University of Toledo professors and business leaders at Pitch & Pour, the area’s premier entrepreneurial networking event, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex.

Six teams make their investment pitch in a shark tank inspired event with more than $10,000 in cash and prizes awarded to the top 3 winners. 

Teams have five minutes and five slides to pitch their business concepts. Then the judges start peppering them with questions. Investors, students, start-up companies and future entrepreneurs will all learn about the companies, their potential, and receive helpful insight from the judges.

“This year we are seeing a lot of momentum for Pitch & Pour based on the success of last year’s event,” said Molly Reams Thompson, director of LaunchPad Incubation at The University of Toledo. “The candidates and teams presenting are stronger. The support and involvement from the tech and investment community is the best it has ever been, and we are expecting a great evening for Toledo area businesses to connect with each other and discover some exciting things happening here at the heart of the start-up community.”

The presenting start-up teams at the fourth Pitch & Pour event are:

• AudiblEye, which provides indoor navigation to blind and visually impaired individuals via a smartphone application.
• Creepy Compass, a mobile app and website that collects and displays creepy nearby locations, attractions and stories of the paranormal and the macabre.
• Refine, a mobile app that uses proprietary algorithms to scour top websites to help users learn new and relevant words. Top words are ranked based on frequency, website mentions and context.
• Pfitz Reaction Bars are new, revolutionary types of bar bells featuring steel balls, which create unique kinetic dynamics for strength, cardio, endurance and proprioception training.
• ThermoMorph commercializes a percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy device called QuickFlow PE that addresses shortcomings in today’s therapies and surgical procedures for pulmonary embolisms.
• Silverback Casualty Extraction Pack is a novel way to transport injured soldiers on the battlefield. The Pack allows one operator to transport a casualty, by themselves, while maintaining full use of their hands.

New this year, the event will include food trucks, some new craft beers and additional event sponsors that include The University of Toledo, Ohio Third Frontier, Rocket Innovations, Rocket Ventures, Fraser Clemens Martin & Miller LLC, and Startup Weekend Toledo.

“Each year we try to take the event to the next level and this year with our new sponsors, some new craft beers and Toledo’s best food trucks, people can come right from work, have dinner and start networking,” Thompson said. “This is a high energy event with food, drinks, music, and a lot of interesting business leaders and tech companies to meet with. I think this year’s presenting teams are going to turn some heads as well.”

The University of Toledo LaunchPad Incubation Program works to bolster innovation in northwest Ohio by providing access to capital, resources, and expertise focused on enhancing community collaboration and communication for entrepreneurial development.

For more information about the Pitch & Pour event visit pitchandpour.com.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 13, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 13, 2015)

On Wednesday, Nov. 11, The University of Toledo will honor those who serve or have served our country as well as their families during the 11th annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Resource Fair.

The free Veterans Day celebration will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Savage Arena and is open to local veterans, members of the military and their families.

“The University of Toledo recognizes the significance of the service these individuals provide to our nation, and this is one way that we show our support,” said Samuel McCrimmon, UT vice president for advancement.

Col. Craig Baker, commander of the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, will give the keynote address following McCrimmon’s opening remarks.

After the breakfast and ceremony, a golf cart shuttle will be available for attendees who wish to visit the UT Veterans Memorial Plaza, an outdoor area that honors almost 400 individuals and groups who served the United States.

“It’s important to remember men and women have given their lives; they deserve to be recognized for the dedication and sacrifices they have given to this country and its citizens,” McCrimmon said.

Free parking will be available in lots 3, 5 and 6 near Savage Arena.

This year’s event is sponsored by The University of Toledo, American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio, Fifth Third Bank, Columbia Gas, Lucas County Commissioners and the Lucas County Veterans Service Commission.

The University’s reputation as an institution that assists veterans continues to grow. For the third consecutive year, UT has been recognized as a Top Military-Friendly University by Military Advanced Education & Transition.

For more information on the event, contact Peggy Holewinski, major gifts officer at the American Red Cross, at 419.329.2573 or peggy.holewinski@redcross.org.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 11, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 11, 2015)
13 ABC, NBC 24 and WTOL 11 (Nov. 12, 2015)
13 ABC (Nov. 13, 2015)

Two University of Toledo colleges have been named among the nation’s best by The Princeton Review.

The UT College of Law is listed in The Best 173 Law Schools and the UT College of Business and Innovation is listed in The Best 295 Business Schools.

“At the UT College of Law, we provide legal education on a personal scale,” said D. Benjamin Barros, dean of the College of Law. “Our goal is student success, and our faculty take the time to get to know their students. No one is just a number here.”

“All of us in the College of Business and Innovation are very excited at this continuing recognition by The Princeton Review of the quality and relevance of our programs,” said Dr. Gary Insch, dean of the College of Business and Innovation. “This recognition by The Princeton Review further validates the quality of our faculty, the significance of our curriculum, and the excellence of our students.”

The UT College of Law had the top ranking on accessibility of professors (92) among Ohio’s nine law schools and The Princeton Review editors wrote, “Students speak overwhelmingly of the school’s obvious care and concern for their future.”

The UT College of Business and Innovation’s MBA program was praised as “one of the best in the Midwest” in the Princeton Review report, which stated “the college’s history of excellence in practical, relevant education based on cutting-edge research and business engagement will take your career to the next level.”