The University of Toledo will celebrate today another successful academic year with a Student Appreciation Day.

The fifth annual event from 1 to 3 p.m. today (Wednesday, April 20) in Centennial Mall on the UT Main Campus will feature free food, music, prizes and dogs from the Toledo Area Humane Society as a fun stress relief event for students. The Doggypalooza component of the event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The last day of classes for the 2015-16 academic year is Friday, April 29 followed by finals week and commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 7.

To help bring awareness to HIV as a serious, growing public health issue, especially among young minority populations, The University of Toledo Ryan White Program will show its short film, “The Downside,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, in the Driscoll Alumni Center Auditorium.

“The Downside” explores how societal stigma around sexuality leads to the spread of HIV despite advanced research, prevention and treatment methods. The short film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring HIV experts.

“The goal is to get people to ask questions. The thing I’d like to see change with minority populations is with the stigma and fear. HIV is so stigmatized in these populations,” said Kennyetta White, minority outreach coordinator of the Ryan White Program, which offers comprehensive medical care for people living with HIV.

Each year, the Ryan White Program hosts several events to bring awareness to HIV, which include a fashion show in December and masquerade ball in November.

According to White, these events have led many more people to be tested for HIV and educated on the disease. Her hope is that this awareness continues to grow and the program can reach more people.

“The program is special to me because I can educate people about HIV. I love what I do. The goal is to save lives,” White said.

About 150 people are expected to attend the free, public event.

As the fight to prevent and control the spread of the Zika virus in the United States heats up, several University of Toledo scientists are hosting a Science Café to address concerns from the community.

The free, public event titled, “Emerging Viruses: Ebola, Zika and Beyond,” will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 19 at Calvino’s restaurant located at 3141 W. Central Ave. in Toledo.

The informal discussion, which is organized by the scientific research society Sigma Xi at UT, will be led by Dr. Douglas Leaman, professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences; Dr. Scott Leisner, associate professor who studies virus-host interactions; and Dr. Travis Taylor, assistant professor and virologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology.

“Our experts are here to help educate people in the Toledo community who may be worried about our vulnerability in northwest Ohio or how to protect loved ones from becoming infected,” Carol Stepien, Director of UT’s Lake Erie Center and ecology professor, said. “Through these ongoing Science Café events, we seek to engage the public, advance general knowledge and promote what our university researchers are doing.”

The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus linked to birth defects, including microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and brain damage.

Brazil reported a startling increase in cases last fall. The virus has been spreading in Mexico, Central America and South America. It is now becoming prevalent in Florida and other southern U.S. states. More than 300 U.S. travelers have been infected with the virus after returning from an outbreak country.

Ebola is a deadly virus found in several African countries and transmitted through contact with blood or secretions from an infected person.  The virus first arrived in the United States in 2014 through infected travelers or medical evacuations.  Two people treated for Ebola in the United States died.

For more information about the upcoming Science Café, visit utoledo.edu/nsm/lec/sigma_xi.

Media Coverage
NBC 24 (April 20, 2016)

Students in Rocket Engineering Prep Program to receive full college scholarships

More homegrown engineers will solve problems right here in the Toledo community thanks to an innovative partnership between BP and The University of Toledo.

The new Rocket Engineering Prep Program will ensure full tuition and fee scholarships for four years for select Toledo Public School students to attend the UT College of Engineering in exchange for successfully completing three summers of enrichment and mentoring programs at UT during high school. The program supports an increase in both the number and success of students who represent the diversity of the Toledo community. 

The launch of the Rocket Engineering Prep Program will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 19 in the SSOE Seminar Room of Nitschke Hall on the UT Main Campus. The first class of TPS students in the program will be recognized at the event.

“Thanks to the generosity of BP we will be able to increase the success of local high school students in engineering careers,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “These students will not only receive a top-notch UT College of Engineering education, but also will be better prepared for success with an introduction to college life and engineering careers through the summer programs. This is an exciting program to encourage talented local students to stay in our community and to support their education and career achievements.”

“BP is excited to be a partner of the new Rocket Engineering Prep Program,” BP Refinery Manager Mark Dangler said. “In order to remain competitive, BP, like many other companies, will increasingly require a workforce that is proficient in advanced STEM subjects and prepared with critical thinking and problem solving skills. We believe this new bridge program will enhance our local talent pool of diverse engineering candidates and helps build upon our ongoing relationship with UT and supporting our community where we live and work.”

The Rocket Engineering Prep Program begins the summer after the student’s sophomore year of high school when they will visit the UT campus for assistance in preparing for 11th grade, the ACT and success in college. They also will be introduced to engineering disciplines and careers through activities and field trips. The students will participate in a similar program the following summer.

During the summer after high school graduation the participants will live on campus and enroll in UT courses for a head start on a successful college experience.

“BP is investing in our community by encouraging local high school students to explore the engineering sciences and providing the resources and support that will help them succeed here at UT and in their future careers,” UT College of Engineering Dean Nagi Naganathan said. “Our graduates are creative problem solvers and leaders in their fields. We look forward to having more TPS graduates succeed as UT engineering students and alumni.”

Media Coverage
The Blade (April 19, 2016)
13 ABC (April 19, 2016)
WTOL 11 (April 20, 2016)
NBC 24 (April 20, 2016)

The reality of women and children lugging jugs for miles every day to get clean water in many countries around the world will be simulated at The University of Toledo this weekend.

Walk for Water is an annual fundraising event to increase Toledo’s awareness for the worldwide lack of access to clean water and to raise funds to help Clean Water for the World, an organization working to build, ship, install and maintain water purification units for people without clean water around the world. The organization provides the units at no cost to local communities in developing countries.

Walk for Water will start at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 17 on the UT Centennial Mall. Participants can begin checking in at 1:15 p.m. for the 5K run or walk.

During the past three years, the campaign has raised $31,000, purchasing 10 water units that have been placed in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti.

“It is important to participate in Walk for Water because it promotes solidarity and awareness through experiential learning on The University of Toledo campus, allowing students, faculty and Toledo community members to advocate for clean water,” said Kristy Kagy, president of UT’s Catholic Student Association.

Participants are encouraged to carry jugs filled with water during the 5K to mimic the daily effort women and children in developing countries exert for clean water. A water carrying competition will be held during the event, in which the group that carries the greatest volume of water without backpacks or wheels wins. Pre-filled jugs will be available at the event.

Registration is $10 for students and $15 for adults and includes a Walk for Water button. T-shirts can be purchased for $8.

Register and donate online at firstgiving.com/cw4w/walk-for-water-toledo-2016.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (April 18, 2016)
13 ABC (April 18, 2016)

More than 1,300 people are expected to attend RockeTHON this weekend to raise thousands of dollars for Mercy Children’s Hospital in downtown Toledo.

The dance marathon, which is The University of Toledo’s largest student-run philanthropy event, will be from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 16 in Savage Arena.

“I attended my first dance marathon two years ago, and I fell in love with its success and potential, but most importantly who it was for,” said Sean Reck, a senior majoring in chemical engineering and overall director of RockeTHON. “Raising money for the kids and working hard to challenge other community members to do the same — that’s what I’m here for.”

The 13-hour event is the culmination of a yearlong fundraising effort in which participants dance, play games and learn about the families they are helping. Participants also can ride a mechanical bull, compete in basketball and dodge ball tournaments, get henna tattoos, and have a chance to win special giveaways.

In 2015, more than $106,000 was raised, and since its beginning, the UT dance marathon event has raised more than $700,000 for Mercy Children’s Hospital.

The RockeTHON committee set the bar even higher for 2016 with a goal of raising $130,000 throughout the year for Mercy Children’s Hospital.

For more information, visit rockethon.org.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (April 17, 2016)
WTOL 11 (April 18, 2016)
The Blade (April 18, 2016)

Dr. Betty A. Reardon will visit Toledo this week for informal conversations about how peace education works and how it can be used effectively.

As the founder and director of the International Institute on Peace Education, a weeklong residential experience for educators facilitating the exchange of ideas surrounding peace education, Reardon is known as the “Mother of Peace Education.”

Reardon

“My belief is peace studies and peace education are the most significant issues for universities to address,” Reardon said. “We need to start looking at these fields and how [they] can address major crises.”

The Why Study Peace @ UT public conversation with Reardon about peace education, how it’s being implemented in Toledo, and ideas on how to further utilize it in the community will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 in Health and Human Services Building Room 1711.

During her visit to the city, Reardon also will participate in a lunchtime dialogue with students at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 in Health and Human Services Building Room 1711 and a conversation with faculty and staff at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 14 in Student Union Room 2591.

Reardon founded the Peace Education Center at Columbia University, taught at universities around the world, and has experience both in formal school settings and community-based education programs. Throughout her career, she has advanced peace and global citizenship education through a focus on human security, human rights, sustainable development, ecology and gender.

The Peace Education Initiative in UT’s Judith Herb College of Education was established to help the University become a global leader in peace education. Through a variety of programming and research in peace education and peace studies, UT is working to promote understanding both in the local community and globally. The University offers a graduate certificate in peace education and is launching new peace studies major and minor academic programs.

“I’m very excited about what’s happening in Toledo,” Reardon said. “UT is poised to be a new leading peace learning institution for the country and internationally.”

The UT Peace Education Initiative also oversees the Betty A. Reardon Archives, which is housed in the University’s Canaday Center for Special Collections, which features her publications, unpublished manuscripts, curriculum, reports, scholarly presentations, and correspondence since the 1960s. Her archives have been in the Canaday Center since 2009.

To learn more about the UT Peace Education Initiative, visit utoledo.edu/education/peace.

This weekend’s Color Run at The University of Toledo has been postponed because of the weather.

The 5-K race, which was scheduled to begin 10 a.m. Saturday, April 9, will be rescheduled.

A new date has not yet been decided.

According to Color Run organizers, “Current weather conditions in Toledo make for dangerous travel conditions and unsafe running surfaces. The safety of our participants and staff members is our #1 priority, followed by our strong desire to have each of you experience The Happiest 5K on the Planet. Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating to make either of those happen. Working closely with city and venue officials, we have made the decision to postpone The Color Run Toledo.”

For updates, go to thecolorrun.com/locations/toledo.

Media Coverage
The Blade (April 8, 2016)
The Blade (April 8, 2016)
The Blade (April 9, 2016)
The Blade (April 10, 2016)

Rapper, record producer, actor and activist David Banner will give a keynote address, “Diversity in Politics,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6 in the Student Union Auditorium for The University of Toledo’s Diversity Month.

A question-and-answer session will take place after the talk, and Banner is scheduled to sign autographs and take photos. 

Banner

“Having David Banner here on our campus in Toledo is huge, not just for the University, but the city as a whole,” Lance Price, president of the Black Student Union, said. “His voice carries a lot of weight, so the excitement is crazy. People need to hear his message no matter where you came from.”

Born in Jackson, Miss., Lavell Crump chose the name of the lead character in the TV show “The Incredible Hulk” as his stage moniker. Since his 2000 debut disc, Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1, Banner has been a force in the music world. He has worked with T.I., Akon, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Chris Brown. His CDs include “Mississippi: The Album,” “MTAs: Baptized in Dirty Water,” “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” and “Sex, Drugs & Video Games.”

As an actor, he has appeared in several movies, including “Black Snake Moan,” “This Christmas,” “Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming,” “The Butler” and “Ride Along.” And in 2006, Banner received a Visionary Award from the National Black Caucus for his work after Hurricane Katrina.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (April 7, 2016)
13 ABC (April 7, 2016)