Any questions may be directed to the University Communications Office by calling (419) 530-2410 or via email at meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

The University of Toledo is ready to welcome new and returning residents to campus for the 2016-17 academic year.

During the first few weeks of classes, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership has planned a number of events to encourage students to meet new friends, have fun and learn about the University.

“Studies show that the first few weeks of college are critical for all students,” Dr. Phillip “Flapp” Cockrell, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students said. “That’s why we want to make sure all UT students have the chance to learn as much as possible about the institution and all the resources we have to help them succeed. We also want to make sure they make friends, connect with administrators, faculty and staff, and have some fun, too.”

Fall classes at UT begin Monday, Aug. 22.

The events to welcome students to the new school year include:

Thursday, Aug. 18

• Bonfire, 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., the Flatlands. The Resident Student Association and the National Resident Halls Honorary will provide paint for the spirit rock and s’mores. WXUT and the Blue Crew will bring the entertainment.

Friday, Aug. 19

• Bike Ride to the Park, 1 p.m., Rocket Wheels Bike Share Station by Rocket Hall. A guide will lead bicyclists on the University Parks Trail on a ride to Wildwood Metropark Preserve. At the park, a naturalist will offer a tour of the grounds. Need a bike? Go to utoledo.edu/rocket-wheels. Monthly Friday rides will continue, weather permitting, Sept. 2, Oct. 7, and Nov. 2 and 17.
• New Student Convocation, 4 to 5 p.m., Glass Bowl. Rain location will be Savage Arena. UT President Sharon L. Gaber and faculty and staff members will welcome new students.

Saturday, Aug. 20

• Slip-n-Slide, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., hill by Parks Tower. Meet classmates and have some fun and free food.
• Paint UT, 9 to 11 p.m., the Flatlands. Sponsored by Campus Activities and Programming, this paint party will feature black lights and electronic dance music.

Sunday, Aug. 21

• Jam Session, 2 to 4 p.m., Student Union steps. Learn about some of UT’s multicultural student organizations and support offices, and see a step show by members of the UT Greek community.

Monday, Aug. 22

• Sundae on a Monday with President Gaber, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Centennial Mall. Share a cool treat with President Gaber. The first 500 people in line will receive a gift; hint: #selfiewithUTPrez.

Wednesday, Aug. 24

• Student Involvement Fair, noon to 2 p.m., Centennial Mall. There’s an organization for everyone; see for yourself! Get involved!

Thursday, Aug. 25

• De-Stress Fest, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., University Counseling Center, Rocket Hall Room 1810. Stop by for a chance to win prizes, have a slice of pizza, pet a dog from the Toledo Area Humane Society, color, and spend a few minutes in a massage chair.

Sunday, Aug. 28

• The Big Event and Paint Your Pride, 10 a.m., Student Recreation Center. Show your school spirit and join the Division of Student Affairs to paint the Rocket insignia across campus. Then give back to the community by volunteering to help in the community.

Thursday, Sept. 1

• President’s Barbecue, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Centennial Mall. Students and employees are invited to lunch. Activities will include inflatables, limbo competition and more.

Thursday, Sept. 8

• Pep Rally, noon to 1 p.m., Student Union Steps. Join the UT football team and psych up for the game against Maine.

Saturday, Sept. 10

• President’s Tailgate Tent, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., lot 25 near Rocket Hall. Students are invited to meet President Gaber. Stop by for food, games and prizes.
• Toledo vs. Maine, 7 p.m., Glass Bowl. Students are admitted free with their Rocket ID; faculty and staff can buy tickets half off with ID; $25 to $60.

For a full list of events, visit utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/welcomeweek.

University of Toledo President Sharon L. Gaber will welcome new students to campus tomorrow by helping them move into their residence hall.

President Gaber along with Provost Andrew Hsu and Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Kaye Patten will roll up their sleeves and help residents of Parks Tower move in at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16. It is the second year of the tradition started by Gaber when she joined the University.

New UT students will be moving into their on-campus residence halls throughout the week. Returning students move in during the weekend.

Classes start for the 2016-17 academic year on Monday, Aug. 22.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (August 17, 2016)

Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Driscoll Alumni Center, Board Room
5:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Special Meeting
The Trustees will enter Executive Session immediately upon convening
the meeting to discuss a trade secret under the Ohio Uniform Trade Secret Act
contained in Ohio Revised Code Section 1333.61.

Monday, August 15, 2016
Driscoll Alumni Center, Schmakel Room
10:00 a.m. Clinical Affairs Committee Meeting
1:00 p.m. Academic and Student Affairs Committee Meeting
1:15 p.m. Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
1:30 p.m. Trusteeship and Governance Committee Meeting

Any questions may be directed to the University Communications Office by calling (419) 530-2410 or via email at meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

The University of Toledo and City of Toledo are expanding an internship program to allow all students the opportunity to earn valuable experience working in city offices and provide local government with additional talent to serve our community.

The Toledo Talent Keeps Toledo Great program will be announced by UT President Sharon L. Gaber and Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1 in the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services located in Student Union Room 1533 of the UT Main Campus. Students who have interned with the city also will participate.

“Internships are critical for our students to learn how to apply what they learn in the classroom and gain experience working in their field of study so that they are better prepared for career success upon graduation,” Gaber said. “Students who have interned with the city have gone on to do great things and we are excited to expand this program to allow more students from across campus to benefit from these experiences.”

“We’ve had excellent results with the caliber of University of Toledo interns,” Hicks-Hudson said. “Our workforce is strengthened as interns perform meaningful work, and the program enhances our ability to hire select graduates because relationships have already developed.”

Toledo Talent Keeps Toledo Great builds upon an existing summer research program that began in 2007 that has placed students in the city’s finance, neighborhoods, plan commission, law, parks, human resources, community relations, fleet and facility, youth commission and health departments. More internship opportunities will now be available throughout the year in even more city departments and divisions.

The program is open to all UT undergraduate students in good academic standing who are interested in spending a semester gaining practical knowledge, skills and abilities in a professional work environment. The University will assist students with their resumes, cover letters and applications to be able to take advantage of this opportunity.

The City of Toledo will identify internship opportunities in areas throughout the local government where students can provide valuable assistance serving the citizens of Toledo. Students will be matched with internships according to their major, skills and interests.

The interns will work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and up to 30 hours per week in the summer and students in many degree programs will have the option to earn course credit for the experience.

Media Coverage
NBC 24 (August 2, 2016)

Researchers at The University of Toledo are working to be among the first to provide data on why so many Pokemon Go players are so dedicated to catching ‘em all.

In a survey of players of the incredibly popular Nintendo augmented reality smart phone game, doctoral students in UT’s health education program are working to add some quantitative data about those who spend hours and walk miles playing the game.

“You see the snapshots in the news about the good and the bad stories about individual people playing the game, but it is so new we don’t have data on the players,” said Victoria Wagner-Greene, the UT doctoral student who came up with the research project. “We’re working to be among the first to share who is playing this game and how it is impacting their lives.” 

To play Pokemon Go, players create an avatar that searches for and catches Pokemon characters out in the community using GPS on their mobile devices. PokeStops are landmarks where you can find characters and equipment, such as the Poke Balls you use to catch them, that are in popular public locations including several on UT’s campus, making it an ideal location to survey a large number of players.

It was seeing students on campus from the University of Michigan who had traveled to Toledo specifically to catch more characters here that inspired Wagner-Greene, who plays the game herself, to create this research project to learn more about that dedication.

Because she studies public health, of particular interest is how has playing Pokemon Go impacted the player’s physical activity. As players catch more characters and earn more steps, they move up through the levels of the game. Additional data on the safety concerns and social aspects of the game also will be gathered.

The survey asks players questions about how many hours per day they play the game, has it increased their physical activity, have they trespassed or run into people or objects while playing, do they play after dark and have they played with strangers. It also gathers demographic information, such as age, race, gender, marital status and education level.

“Right now the news about this game is anecdotal. We are working to get the data to back it up to be a reference for what is going on with Pokemon,” said Joseph Dake, chair of the UT School of Population Health, who also is a Pokemon player with his family often going on “Poke walks” as a group to catch characters together. “By quantifying with data, recommendations can be made on how to engage more young people in physical activity through the game or ways to ensure the safety of the players who, as the headlines have shown, get too focused in the game and ignore their surroundings.”

Wagner-Greene and her colleagues Amy Wotring and Tom Castor, also UT doctoral students in the health education program, began surveying players Tuesday night on the UT campus. They hope to get more than 500 players completing the paper survey and an additional insight from 1,000 more players contacted through online forums.

The UT researchers will survey players tonight (Thursday, July 28) at Wildwood Preserve Metropark near the Manor House from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The UT Center for International Studies and Programs, in conjunction with Toledo Sister Cities, will welcome students from around the world for the 2016 International Youth Academy, which will take place from Sunday, July 24, through Saturday, Aug. 6, on Main Campus.

This summer’s program will host 32 students: 16 from Pakistan, 10 from Japan and six from China.

“The high school students have the opportunity to experience campus life by residing in one of our residence halls and engaging with The University of Toledo students,” said Sara Clark, director of global initiatives in the UT Center for International Studies and Programs. “We have two full weeks planned; program highlights include targeted English second language instruction and development of cultural awareness through outings to Toledo Mud Hens games and the Toledo Art Museum, to name a few.

“We are pleased to continue this partnership with Toledo Sister Cities International,” Clark said. “There is no better way to showcase what our city has to offer than allowing young people to experience it firsthand.”

A two-week cultural program for high school-aged youth from around the world, the International Youth Academy allows participants to improve their conversational English while having fun, developing new understanding of teens from different cultures, and gaining lifetime friendships.

“The University of Toledo and Toledo Sister Cities International have a long-standing relationship; this relationship has evolved into a partnership to implement the International Youth Academy program,” said Dr. Sammy Spann, UT assistant vice provost for international studies and programs. “This program provides us the opportunity to showcase the city of Toledo, as well as The University of Toledo. The city of Toledo has a great wealth of opportunities to offer the international community, and this program allows us to gain exposure in the international arena.”

“Toledo Sister Cities International is proud of its nationally acclaimed alliance with The University of Toledo’s Center for International Studies and Programs,” said James Hartung, vice president of the Toledo Sister City Board of Trustees. “In my mind, there is no greater pride than the pride I ascribe to our UT/Sister Cities co-sponsorship of the International Youth Academy. Our shared commitment to creatively foster the development of a corps of young citizen-of-the-world diplomats through the International Youth Academy exemplifies the synergy between UT and Sister Cities.”

International Youth Academy is designed for students to share their thoughts and experiences with teenagers from other countries. American youth diplomats work side by side with students to assist them with English, learn about the students’ traditions and culture, and share interests. English classes, language games, cultural activities, field trips and hands-on team-building events all aid in improving students’ conversational English.

For the second year, The Blade is supporting the International Youth Academy. The Blade staff will provide education on the concept of free press and teach interviewing and reporting skills.

The 24th annual Art on the Mall will take place Sunday, July 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Centennial Mall on The University of Toledo Main Campus.

The juried art show will have more than 100 booths featuring mediums such as acrylic, glass, jewelry, watercolor, woodwork, photography, oil, mixed media and more. Each booth will have artwork available for sale by cash or credit. 

“The quality of our artists’ work is outstanding, and there is something for everyone. We have a diverse and eclectic mix sure to excite art lovers of all kinds,” said Ansley Abrams-Frederick, director of alumni programming in the UT Office of Alumni Relations.

The artists’ work will be juried by representatives from the Dayton Art Institute. Prizes will be given to the top artists, and UT’s Best of Show award will be presented to an artist who is affiliated with the University.

Food and beverages will be for sale from Karen Anne’s Kettle Corn, Opa! Gyros, Java Sensations, K & K Concessions, Jeanie’s Weenies and Let’s Go Nuts. There also will be a children’s area where young artists can make their own creations, as well as a beer garden for attendees 21 and older.

Music will be peformed by UT student groups, Minor Frett and The Cosmonauts throughout the day.

There will be free parking in Lot 1 South, Lot 1 North and Lot 13, as well as free admission and golf cart shuttles to and from Centennial Mall.

Art on The Mall is sponsored by The Blade, Huntington, 13ABC, Buckeye Broadband, 101.5 The River and Homewood Press.

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (July 29, 2016)

The helicopter delivering structural steel to reinforce the University Hall tower will complete its work Saturday morning.

Crews with UT and W.R. Meyers, Co., of Napoleon, Ohio, will return to campus at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, July 16 with the helicopter crane back in the air at 7 a.m. to deliver the final steel beams.

The helicopter delivered most of the steel Friday evening, but was not able to complete the project before sunset. The remaining work should take no more than one hour.

During the delivery of steel University Hall will again be vacant and the helicopter landing areas in front of the building and in the field south of the Memorial Field House also will need to remain clear. In addition, no traffic will be allowed on Centennial Mall.

Four tons of structural steel is being installed inside the 205-foot-tall tower of University Hall to reinforce the 85-year-old structure. Following the initial delivery, the steel will then be permanently installed to the inside tower throughout the month. The project is expected to be complete by Friday, Aug. 12.

A former vice president for Owens Illinois has been appointed to The University of Toledo Board of Trustees.

Alfred A. Baker, who retired in March 2006 from Owens Illinois where he had served as vice president of human resources since 1992, was named by Ohio Gov. John Kasich to a term beginning July 8 and ending July 1, 2025. 

Baker previously served as a member of the Medical University of Ohio Board of Trustees. He joined the board in 1995 to complete an unfinished term and was reappointed to a full term in 1998. At the end of his term in 2007, Baker was the first trustee to complete his service after the 2006 merger of MUO and The University of Toledo.

Baker is a UT graduate who was a member of the 1969-1971 undefeated football teams with a record of 35-0. He was elected to the UT Hall of Fame in 1998.

Also joining the UT Board of Trustees as a student trustee is Lucas Zastrow, who received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from UT in May and is continuing his education in the doctorate of physical therapy program. He will serve a term beginning July 8 and ending July 1, 2018.

A graduate of Sylvania Southview High School, Zastrow has been active in a number of student organizations including the Mortar Board National Honors Society, Sigma Phi Epsilon Ohio Iota Chapter, Presidential Ambassadors and The Bridge, which makes lunches for the needy in the Toledo area.