Come hangout with Santa and Rudolph as they learn how to find their way home using constellations in The University of Toledo Ritter Planetarium’s annual showing of “Santa’s Secret Star.”

The holiday program is targeted toward children 4 to 8 years of age.

After Santa finishes his Christmas deliveries, he and his reindeer become lost. Without a compass, he and Rudolph turn to the constellations for help, and the stars lead them to the North Star, which guides them home.

The original show was written in 1988 by Ritter Planetarium Associate Director Alexander Mak, and it has been updated for the planetarium’s new projection system.

“It’s one of our more popular shows during the year,” Mak said. “It’s educational, it’s entertaining, and it’s seasonally appropriate.”

Admission to the program is $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 5 and up, senior citizens and UT community members. All children younger than 4 are free.

The program will be held Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. through Dec. 19. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the show.

After Friday night programs, guests are taken to one of two of the observatories for sky viewing, weather permitting.

Media Coverage
La Prensa (Dec. 8, 2015)
The Blade (Dec. 9, 2015)

The community is invited to watch 10 local businesses compete for $1,000 and a chance at much more during the InnovateHer Challenge from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 at The University of Toledo’s Scott Park Campus Auditorium.

UT is hosting a local round of the InnovateHER Challenge, a national competition created by the U.S. Small Business Administration aimed at unearthing products and services that impact and empower the lives of women and families.

The 10 local businesses competing will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, much like the TV show “Shark Tank.” Judges will evaluate each pitch based on whether the product or service has a measurable impact on the lives of women and families, whether it has the potential for commercialization, whether it fills a need in the marketplace, the overall quality of the pitch, and the overall quality of the company’s business plan.

The judges for the regional event are Scott Weiss, CEO of Ocean Accelerator; Dr. Gary Insch, dean of the UT College of Business and Innovation; Amy Hall, president and CEO of Ebony Construction; Linda Parra, president at Nuestra Gente Community Projects Inc.; and Chris Hill, vice president of business banking at Huntington Bank. The local round is sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.

The winner of this round, announced the same day as the competition, will be eligible to compete with up to nine other businesses in the national competition for a chance at one of three prizes totaling $70,000 provided by Microsoft.

For more information, visit UTInnovateHER.com or sba.gov/content/2016-innovateher-challenge.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Dec. 2, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (Dec. 9, 2015)

The University of Toledo College of Engineering will host a ribbon cutting ceremony today for a new conference room that will serve as a resource to connect students with potential employers.

The new Dana Conference Room, located on the first floor of Nitschke Hall, will be dedicated at 10 a.m. today (Thursday, Nov. 19). George Constand, chief technical and quality officer for Dana Holding Corporation, which sponsored the project, will be joined at the ceremony by UT President Sharon L. Gaber, College of Engineering Dean Nagi Naganathan and Vice President for Advancement Sam McCrimmon.

“Thanks to Dana Holding Corporation’s interest in the future success of our students, we were able to add this conference room to the college’s Career Development Center to provide a much needed meeting space and video conferencing technology that will allow our students to interview for co-op and full-time positions in other states and even abroad,” Naganathan said.

Dana is an active member of the UT College of Engineering’s Corporate Partners Program that connects the college to local industries to anticipate changes in the field of engineering to better prepare students for their careers and to meet the needs of the employers who will hire UT graduates.

Dana’s support of the UT College of Engineering spans more than half a century when the corporation donated more than $1 million to support a new Engineering-Science Building that was dedicated in 1960. Since then, Dana has continued to support the expansion of the college’s laboratory and classroom facilities.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Nov. 19, 2015)

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur will host former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Wesley Clark (Ret.) for a discussion on America’s energy independence at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 at The University of Toledo in the SSOE Room of Nitschke Hall.

The event will include a question and answer session with the audience.

As a former Director of Strategic Planning and Policy of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Clark has a unique perspective on the connections between global conflict and energy development and infrastructure. During his speech, he will share insights drawn from 34 years of service in the U.S. Army and his role as the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander.

General Clark and Congresswoman Kaptur will be available for media interviews immediately after the hour-long public event concludes.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Nov. 21, 2015)

The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University will team up for a good cause before going head to head in this year’s rivalry game.

A total of 41 students from both universities will run a football from UT’s Glass Bowl to BGSU’s Doyt Perry Stadium before today’s game (Tuesday, Nov. 17).

The first runner will start at the rocket outside of the Glass Bowl at 1:45 p.m. Each runner will carry a football for their leg of the event, between half a mile and 2 miles, before passing the ball to another student. A volunteer driver will pick them up and take them to Doyt Perry Stadium for the game.

“They’ve been doing this event through different organizations since the ’80s or ’90s,” said Ian Michalak, vice president of UT’s Student Government. “It is a tradition that we want to keep going.”

All proceeds from registration will go to Global Medical Brigades, a mission trip group that will go to Honduras in January, to pay for medications.

The entire run will take about four hours, during which the ball will be carried for 23 miles along U.S. Highway 25. To see the full route, visit utoledosg.org/ballrun.

Once at BGSU, students from both schools will run the ball onto the field before kickoff at 6 p.m.

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)
The Blade (Nov. 13, 2015)
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)
Sentinel-Tribune (Nov. 14, 2015)
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 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)