How giving makes a difference at Ohio State winter 2010

Going the Distance

for Ghana’s Children
PAGE 6

Energizing the Alley at South Campus Gateway PAGE 12

Wexner Center: A Jewel on Campus PAGE 17

Why Leigh Lotocki Never Stops Dancing PAGE 19

winter 2010 ohio state impact 1

Read Ohio State
Impact online,
search through
thousands of
funds, and find You’re invited to take a seat!
out more about Join Don Butler and take a seat in the President’s Club.
Here’s a little about why he’s a Buckeye and a part of the President’s Club.
the inspiring
philanthropy Ohio State connections: Undergraduate degrees in business and electrical engineering •
Retired from automotive industry • Current university staff member

happening at Ohio Giving interests: Many, including the Center for Automotive Research, College of Engineering,
Department of Athletics, and the Woody Hayes Chair in Military History

State by visiting Inspiration: Woody Hayes’ Pay Forward

Giving history: First gift of $25 to the University Fund in 1981 • President’s Club level giving

giveto.
since 1990
Impact of giving: Provides resources for students to succeed at Ohio State—just like Don did

osu.edu Support what inspires you at Ohio State and join Don as an annual giving leadership donor in
the President’s Club. Call (614) 292-9550 to learn more about the type of giving that qualifies.
For more information on the President’s Club, go to presidentsclub.osu.edu, e-mail
presidentsclub@osu.edu, or call (614) 292-9550.

presidentsclub.osu.edu

“Giving back to Ohio State was never a question of

‘Should I?’ For me, it was always ‘When would I?’”
Jacquelyn Meshelemiah chose to make Ohio State the beneficiary of her retirement account to support
future social work students. She believes in their ability to make a difference.
A planned gift is one of the many ways you can make a difference as a Buckeye, and it can be as simple as
naming The Ohio State University Foundation the beneficiary of your IRA or other retirement plan. Contact
us today to learn about creative ways to give, and the tax advantages that go along with them.
For more details, please contact the Office of Planned Giving by calling (614) 292-2183 or (800) 327-7907
or by e-mailing plangive@osu.edu.

giveto.osu.edu/plannedgiving

Jacquelyn Meshelemiah, Associate Professor, College of Social Work


Points of Pride:
WITH THE OPENING OF THE RECREATIONAL AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CENTER
FOR STUDENTS IN 2005, OHIO STATE OFFERS MORE SQUARE FEET DEDICATED TO
RECREATION AND FITNESS THAN ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ON THE PLANET.
Ann Hamilton, professor in
the Department of Art, and
Tina Henkin, professor and
chair of the Department of
Microbiology and Robert
W. and Estelle S. Bingham
Professor of Biological
Sciences, are now included
in the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences.
The program celebrates
pioneering research
and scholarship, artistic
achievement, and exemplary
service to society.
The University Medical
Center is among only 21 in
the country named to
U.S. News & World
Report’s 2010 Honor Roll.
KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL
FINANCE RATES OHIO
STATE AS A “BEST
VALUE IN PUBLIC
COLLEGES” FOR 2010.
OHIO STATE IS 31ST
OF 100 LISTED FOR
OFFERING STRONG
ACADEMICS AT
REASONABLE PRICES.
Ohio State is second nationally in industry-sponsored research.
On the cover...
Elizabeth Lemons, a senior from
Hudson, Ohio, has traveled to
Ghana three times and wants
to go back. On the cover and at
right, she enjoys spending time
with children in the communities
she visits. You can read
more about her study abroad
experiences on page 6.
facts & stats
Volume 1 Issue 2
Winter 2010
Ohio State bought Editor
Terri Stone
$422 million in goods Design Editor
Nikia Reveal
and services from Ohio Contributing Writers
Ann Bremner
Victoria Ellwood
companies in FY08. (July 2007–June 2008)
Amy Fair
Pat Riechel
Carmac Slevin
Lisa Wente
50 states, and 118 countries.
from every county in Ohio, all
Ohio State students come
OHIO STATE GENERATES ANNUAL Contributing Photographers
Ken Chamberlain
STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT Doral Chenoweth III, The Columbus Dispatch
CMH Magazine
Eva Dujardin Dale
IN EXCESS OF $4 BILLION AND Kevin Fitzsimons
Alan Geho
PARTNERS WITH MORE THAN 240 Neal Lauron, The Columbus Dispatch
Stephanie Matthews
OHIO-BASED BUSINESSES. Al Zanyk
Printer
UniPrint
Senior Vice President
During the last academic Peter Weiler
year, 82 percent of Buckeyes Associate Vice President
Brian Hastings
received financial aid, with an Senior Director,
average grant award of $2,311. Marketing Communications
Vince McGrail
Director, Marketing Services
Katie Culbertson
Lima, Mansfield, Marion,
Newark, and Wooster.
A total of 8,200
students attend Ohio
State’s campuses in
TUITION AT OHIO STATE
REMAINS ONE OF
THE LOWEST AMONG
SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS
INSTITUTIONS IN OHIO. Our mission: Informing past, present, and
future Ohio State donors about the far-
reaching impact of private support.
Ohio State Impact is published three times a
year in October, February, and June by
The Ohio State University Office of University
Development. Opinions expressed in Ohio
State Impact do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of editors or the policies of The
Ohio State University.
The Ohio State University
Office of University Development
1480 West Lane Avenue
Columbus, OH 43221
giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact
Contact us at:
(614) 292-8646
ohiostateimpact@osu.edu
Ohio State Impact is printed with soy ink
on FSC certified, 10% post-consumer stock.
Please pass your Ohio State Impact along
for others to enjoy.
winter 2010 ohio state impact 1
 opening remarks

Arts and
…are at the core of all great civilizations. We say the heart
of any great university is also made stronger and more vivid
through its commitment to arts and culture. And at Ohio State, we
celebrate the rich diversity of creative arts research, presentation,
interpretation, and teaching that takes place on campus and in our
communities, both near and far.
Welcome to the second edition of Ohio State Impact, which highlights some extraordinary stories of the
enduring power of art and culture that transform and enrich people’s lives.

From a new arts district that has sprung up at South Campus Gateway on High Street to an orphanage
in Ghana served by Ohio State student volunteers, you will read how students, faculty, staff, and alumni
are pursuing, creating, and participating in innovative ideas and good deeds. You will read about
remarkable new international partnerships in China, Chile, and Brazil, supported by dedicated alumni
at the Knowlton School of Architecture. You will celebrate with us our highly ranked academic programs
in Dance and Music, and marvel at the dynamic array of visual, performing, and media arts brought to
campus by the internationally renowned Wexner Center—a veritable lab for contemporary culture in
the midst of this vast university dedicated to research in all fields.

You will see how your support of Ohio State students and programs is making a difference in the lives
of people across our university, as well as throughout the world. Some of you will remember Provost
Francille Firebaugh (at Ohio State from 1962 to 1988) who has recently returned to Columbus and is
generously supporting study abroad scholarships—you’ll be inspired by her story.

Browse through the pages of this magazine and you will see how Ohio State is indeed enriched by its
multidimensional investment in the arts and culture. Thank you for being part of this great legacy.

Karen A. Bell Sherri Geldin John W. Roberts

Associate Vice President Director Interim Dean
Arts Outreach Wexner Center for the Arts Arts & Humanities

2 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact

 contents

culture...
11 Also in this issue
No Place Like 1 Points of Pride
This Home 2 Opening Remarks

7 Residence to be
9
22
Cultural Centers on Campus
Planned Giving

4
a living lab and
23 Corporate & Foundation Relations
fundraiser for spinal

16
Opening the Door 24 Campus Campaign
cord injury research.
to the World 25 Happenings
Melton’s 25 Out & About with the Arts
Turning Point Francille Firebaugh
Sam Melton
recognized
posthumously by
makes study
abroad experiences
possible.
12 Integrating
Perspective and
Learning

18 21
Energizing The Wexner Center
The Oval Society for
the Alley

8
his visionary support. connects the arts
At South Campus and contemporary
Gateway, unused issues with Professional Arts A Man Who

5
spaces take on visitors’ lives. Quietly Built
Protecting new life. Three students
Bridges

17
Primates in discuss the impact

14
Panama of Ohio State’s A look back at Max
Cartoon professional arts Fisher, creator of the
Anthropology
Collecting programs. renowned Fisher
student observed A Jewel on College of Business.
Ohio State is home behavior of mantled Community Arts Campus

20
to the world’s largest howler monkeys. Partnerships
academic research New York dancer
facility for printed Unique ways chooses Ohio State,

10
cartoon art. Ohio State and praising dance
area organizations faculty and the Keeping the
collaborate. Wexner Center. Connections

6 Creating Global
Gateways
The Knowlton School
WOSU helped local
citizens connect to
digital television.
Going the of Architecture
Distance for opens international
Ghana’s Children studios.
Elizabeth Lemons
shares her special
connection with
African orphans.
OSU Urban Arts Space staff member Eva Ball
leads a reflective writing exercise exploring work
in the exhibition “Ways of Knowing Water” with
a student from the Columbus School for Girls.

winter 2010 ohio state impact 3

 recognition societies
Melton’s Turning Point
Samuel Melton (1900-1993)
invested in his philanthropic
passion for promoting Jewish cultural
education at his alma mater and in many
communities, both nationally and internationally.
The Oval Society recognizes donors whose
cumulative giving during their lifetime has
reached $1 million.
4 Ohio State offers a catalog of more
In 1939, Samuel Melton made a $25 gift to Ohio State. From that day forward, the 1923
graduate in business administration continued to invest in his alma mater throughout his life.
As a young man growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Melton worked part-time in the family produce
business and took jobs all through his high school years. He exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit
at a very young age. At 19, he took an Ohio State course on Jewish prophets, a turning point for
him that inspired a lifelong philanthropic passion for Jewish education.
In 1924, Melton started a small business in his father’s garage, fabricating threaded pipe fittings
for plumbers. That company grew into Capitol Manufacturing and Supply of Columbus, a
leading producer of stainless steel fittings. He also won a patent for a threadless coupler for
electrical conduits and, in 1929, founded the Capitol Pipe and Nipple Manufacturing Company
in Detroit. Eventually, he sold both operations.
These successful businesses ultimately provided resources to give back to those things most
important to him. One of these major gifts went to Ohio State in 1965, when he established the
Samuel M. and Esther Melton Chair in Jewish Studies, the first endowed chair by an individual
at the university. This gift, and those that followed, created the Melton Jewish Studies Center at
Ohio State in 1976—the first center for Jewish studies at an American public university.
Today, the Melton Center represents the best of interdisciplinary collaboration at Ohio State.
Thirty professors from affiliated departments offer a catalog of more Jewish studies courses than
any other university in the United States, with the exception of Yeshiva University. The Hebraic
and Jewish Studies Library comprises more than 250,000 volumes, with more than 1,500
undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in Jewish studies at Ohio State each year.
Doctoral candidate Hannah Kosstrin, a dance studies major, is among this group of students.
As the current Samuel M. Melton Graduate Fellow, Kosstrin’s research efforts earn much
recognition. Her work focuses on the social and political dynamics of artistic expression and
Jewish identity in the United States from the 1930s to the 1950s, specifically through the work
of choreographer Anna Sokolow.
Melton passed away in 1993 and is recognized posthumously by The Oval Society for his
visionary support and transformational impact on Ohio State. His gifts topped $2 million
during his lifetime and represented his philanthropic vision and investment. The Melton
Center for Jewish Studies, his permanent gift to Ohio State, ensures future generations have
access to Jewish cultural studies—like those that greatly inspired him as a young student. 
To learn more about the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, go to meltoncenter.osu.edu.
Jewish studies courses than any other university in the United States, with the exception of Yeshiva University.
 library & museum

Cartoon
Collecting
Most of us remember our favorite cartoons from childhood. Some focus on science fiction,
action/adventure, or horror, while others offer humor, romance, or iconic superheroes.
They show us our fantasies, dreams, and fears, as writers and artists interpret them.
Cartoons pinpoint social issues and particular groups to present an understanding of
ideology and cultural history.

This is especially true at Ohio State, home to the world’s largest and most comprehensive
academic research facility for printed cartoon art. The university’s cartoon collection began
in two converted classrooms in 1977 in the Journalism Building. At that time, a founding
gift from the Milton Caniff Collection established the Cartoon Library and Museum. In Billy Ireland began working at the Columbus
Dispatch in 1898. Ohio State will host a cartoon
1992, United Media donated the Robert Roy Metz Collection of more than 83,000 pieces of exhibit in his honor this fall.
cartoon artwork. Then, in 2007, the library and museum received the International Museum
of Cartoon Art collection, established by Beetle Bailey cartoonist Mort Walker.

With private support, Ohio State is now undertaking a $20.6 million renovation of Sullivant
Hall, located at a main campus gateway along High Street. To be completed in 2013, the The Schulz
Challenge
building will dedicate 30,000 square feet of space for the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and
Museum. A native of Chillicothe, Ohio, and hired by the Columbus Dispatch soon after his
high school graduation in 1898, Ireland was a self-taught cartoonist who mentored younger
artists including Milton Caniff. In 2009, the Elizabeth Ireland Graves Foundation provided
Ohio State with a major gift, recognized with the museum’s naming in Ireland’s honor.
Jeannie Schulz, president of the Charles M.
“Billy Ireland was a Columbus celebrity during his lifetime,” said Lucy Shelton Caswell, Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa
the cartoon library and museum’s founding curator. “He enjoyed a national reputation Rosa, Calif., has issued a challenge to cartoon
and his work is still delightful to read. We look forward to sharing his work with a new fans everywhere. She will match each dollar
generation of readers.” donated, up to $2.5 million, to the Billy Ireland
Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State.
Caswell has built the library and museum into a widely respected collection that is a
destination for both cartoon researchers and fans from around the world. The renovation The challenge continues through March 9,
plans include a reading room, three museum-quality galleries, and expanded storage with 2014, in honor of her late husband, Charles
environmental and security controls. The Department of Dance will take up residence in Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, his
Sullivant Hall as well. art form, and their decades-long friendship
with Lucy Shelton Caswell, curator of the
Ohio State will host a Billy Ireland cartoon exhibition in the fall of 2010.  Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. 

To learn more about the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, go to cartoons.osu.edu. To join the Schulz Challenge, go to
giveto.osu.edu/schulzchallenge.

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum houses 2.5 million comic strip clippings and newspaper pages. 5
 cover feature
Going the Distance for Gha
As a child growing up in Hudson, Ohio, Elizabeth Lemons knew her
future would take her beyond her community and the familiar. In first
grade, she became a Girl Scout and was intrigued as older members of
her troop traveled to other countries. Continuing in scouts through
high school, Lemons eventually had her own adventures, citing a
journey to Ghana in western Africa as her favorite.
The experience whetted her appetite and she chose to pursue a double
major in African studies and women’s studies at Ohio State. During
the summer of 2008, she learned of a three-week trip to the country
as part of the university’s short-term study abroad program—and
jumped on the chance to return. This second connection with Ghana’s
welcoming people, tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and rainforests
captured her heart.
“I stayed on in Ghana for another month to volunteer at an
orphanage, the Children’s Home of Hope,” Lemons said. “Some of
the children’s parents had passed away due to AIDS, and I learned the
6 16% of Ohio State undergrads study abroad before they graduate, choosing from more than 100 study abroad programs in over 40 countries.
children weren’t told of the illness or even in some instances that their
parents had died.”
So touched by her interactions, Lemons returned to Ohio State
wanting to help these children and to determine the accuracy of HIV/
AIDS information in Ghana. “With the number of orphans rising in
Ghana and other African countries, I believed these questions required
urgent answers and action,” she said.
Thanks to several scholarships and grants she received to conduct
research for her senior honors thesis, Lemons returned once again to
Ghana for a third visit during summer 2009 to interview orphans and
caretakers in three orphanages in the country’s central and eastern
regions. She also helped the children with their studies and taught
them games.
“The travel experience not only enriched my education, it truly had a
major impact on my life,” said Lemons, who will present her findings at
ana’s Children
the Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. “I now have relationships
with people who I otherwise would never have met. These relationships
are special in that they are transcultural and transgenerational.”
The impact extends to her family and friends as well. They are making
it possible for five children at the Children’s Home of Hope to attend
private school.
Following her spring quarter graduation, Lemons plans to pursue a
doctorate in women’s studies and a career in academia. She is also
helping to launch a non-profit organization to benefit the Children’s
Home of Hope and plans to return to Ghana in the future. 
To learn about study abroad opportunities, go to oia.osu.edu.
To make a gift, go to giveto.osu.edu/studyabroadfund.
Elizabeth Lemons (at left and above) conducted research for her senior honors
thesis by interviewing caretakers and children at three Ghana orphanages.
She enjoyed playing with the children and helping them with their academics.
Opening the Door
to the World
Francille M. Firebaugh clearly remembers the exchange students
who participated in the 4-H youth program during her high
school years. As an undergraduate at the University of Arkansas,
she became close friends with a student from India, who shared
details about life and values in that country. Although Firebaugh
was unable to travel abroad then, these friendships spurred a life-
long interest in international cultures.
After earning a doctorate from Cornell in 1962, Firebaugh spent
her career as an administrator and faculty member at both
Ohio State and Cornell. She left Ohio State after 26 years, and in
1990, her friends and colleagues at the university made gifts to
recognize her years here and her commitment to international
studies. Firebaugh and her husband, John—a 1962 Ohio State
graduate of the College of Engineering—provided matching funds,
establishing study abroad opportunities for students.
“Such experiences can be life changing,” she said, “and it’s
gratifying to help students through scholarships to participate in
study abroad and to clarify future directions, improve language
skills, and better understand international issues.”
The scholarships, administered through Ohio State’s Office of
International Affairs, have benefited many students, with as many
as 15 this year alone. She often hears from recipients and said
she’s impressed with the diversity of countries where they study,
including Brazil, Argentina, Uganda, and Morocco.
Firebaugh recalls a student in Arabic and religious studies with a
goal of working with refugee populations. He expressed
gratitude for the opportunity to experience the Arab
world and enhance his linguistic ability and cultural
understanding. Another student studied in Qingdao,
China, completing her fourth year of Chinese
as part of Ohio State’s Undergraduate Chinese
Language Flagship Program. She wrote that living
and studying abroad helped make the most of her
Ohio State experience.
Returning to Columbus after 20 years at
Cornell, Firebaugh is vice provost emerita
of international affairs and professor
emerita of consumer sciences at Ohio
State. She spends much of her time these
days on campus at the Fine Arts Library,
researching and writing about women at
work as depicted in paintings from the
17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. 
Francille Firebaugh
 culture feature

(Top) Amy Eakins observing monkeys and taking

data on the island of Bocas del Toro in Panama.
(Left) Seated on a platform located about 100
feet in the air, the group of students includes, left
to right, Amy Eakins, Brian Quigley of Gonzaga
University, and Teague O’Mara of Arizona State
University. (Above) Eakins with an adult gibbon
named Abbie at the American Primate Educational
Sanctuary in Blacklick, Ohio, where she’s worked
for two years.

8 Ohio State’s field schools in Cyprus and Hungary are two of only three such schools funded by the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates.
Protecting
Primates
in Panama
Amy Eakins’ father assured her that she could
choose where she wanted to go to college. But
he added one stipulation—any college except
that one up north. Eakins agreed to the terms.
The student from Beavercreek High School
near Dayton, Ohio, had already set her sights
on being a Buckeye—and on seeing the world.
“I chose Ohio State because of the incredible
programs and classes and found the
university’s emphasis on international
experiences a big draw for me,” said Eakins,
now a senior studying anthropology and
zoology. “Even as a high school student, I
knew that I would want to take every possible
opportunity to gain international experience
with academics.”
The recipient of a full-ride Presidential
Scholarship through the Maximus
Competition, Eakins has connected to other
cultures through an honors London trip,
a summer in Scotland, an undergraduate
research conference in Brazil, and a field
school in Panama where she conducted
research on primates. Her time in Panama
during 2008 helped to define her studies and
career interests.
“At the biological field school, I studied
mantled howler monkeys and considered tree
use and how this varies with different members
of the group,” Eakins said. “I got up every
morning around dawn when the monkeys
would be most active, listened for their howls,
and then watched them and recorded data.”
Cultural Centers on Campus
These centers provide a wide range of academic
activities to advance knowledge and awareness
of international cultures and world regions. Many
offer lectures, symposia, conferences, library
resources, and outreach activities to students,
alumni, and friends.
Center for African Studies
318 Oxley Hall, 1712 Neil Ave.
(614) 292-8169
cas.osu.edu
cas@osu.edu
Center for Latin American Studies
309 Oxley Hall, 1712 Neil Ave.
(614) 688-4285
clas.osu.edu
clas@osu.edu
Center for Slavic and
Eastern European Studies
303 Oxley Hall, 1712 Neil Ave.
She found value and joy in observing (614) 292-8770
animals in their natural habitat and slaviccenter.osu.edu
spending time in the jungle. “I’ve loved csees@osu.edu
animals of all kinds since childhood, yet
East Asian Studies Center
it has only been at Ohio State that I’ve 314 Oxley Hall, 1712 Neil Ave.
really discovered a specific interest in (614) 688-4253
primates,” she said. “I’ll always treasure the easc.osu.edu
opportunities I’ve had to see a rainforest easc@osu.edu
nature documentary playing out every day.” Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center
Hale Hall, 153 W. 12th Ave.
Now applying to doctoral programs in (614) 292-0074
oma.osu.edu/current-students/hale-black-
anthropology, Eakins plans to become
cultural-center
a professor and continue her research harvey.129@osu.edu
on primates. With most primate species
threatened or endangered—and playing Melton Center for Jewish Studies
306 Dulles Hall, 230 W. 17th Ave.
critical roles in their ecosystems—she (614) 292-0967
considers conservation efforts for primates meltoncenter.osu.edu
and rainforests of key importance. humanities@osu.edu
Middle Eastern Studies Center
“I spent a month in the rainforest, seeing 321 Oxley Hall, 1712 Neil Ave.
before my eyes things that future generations (614) 292-5897
may only be able to see on film,” she said. mesc.osu.edu
“I’m inspired to pursue conservation and mesc@osu.edu
hopefully preserve some of the rainforest’s Multicultural Center
majesty for the future.” 128 Lincoln Tower
1800 Cannon Drive
(614) 688-8449
multiculturalcenter.osu.edu
mccinfo@studentlife.osu.edu
To learn more about the Department
of Anthropology, go to anthropology.
osu.edu. To make a gift, go to
anthropology.osu.edu/give.php.
winter 2010 ohio state impact 9
 knowlton school of architecture

Creating Global Gateways

The Knowlton School of Architecture launches international studios to create
communication, build knowledge, and work on problems of international scope.

A child looks at the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Ohio State architecture students traveled to Brazil to collaborate on a site analysis study. The students
(from left) are John Simon, Bradley Blumensheid, Anthony Prousi, Thomas Heban, Brian Lapolla, and
Susan Noblet.

More than ever before, Ohio State faculty,
scholars, and students are working and
studying abroad. In order to provide
researchers with a home base and students with
a place to network, the university is opening its
initial global gateway this summer in Shanghai,
China. These multipurpose centers are also
planned for Mumbai, India, in summer 2011
and Sao Paulo, Brazil, in summer 2012.
To encourage collaboration among
architecture students and those from the
University of Porto Alegre in Brazil and
Catholic University of Santiago, Chile, the
Knowlton School of Architecture (KSA)
introduced the San Miguel Mission project
in the spring of 2008 at KSA’s new Brazilian
international studio.
With KSA Director Ann Pendleton-Jullian
and Jason Kentner, professor of landscape
architecture, leading the project, students
examined the topic of tourism by visiting and
working in a historic mission in San Miguel,
Brazil. Their goal: to design a proposal for
regional tourism with consideration given to
the cultural and environmental sustainability
of the site.
“These studios are amazing opportunities
for communication and exchange,” said
Pendleton-Jullian. “Instead of sitting on
opposite sides of the table, both entities sit on
the same side and focus on solving a problem,
or study, deeply, an issue through design work
on a project that both have determined is of
great value.”
According to Anthony Prousi, who is
pursuing a Master of Architecture degree
at Ohio State, the group focused primarily
on informal settlements (favelas or slums)
and tourism’s impact on a culture. “We
traveled into a favela with a local architect
and discussed implementation strategies to
improve this way of life,” he said.
Funding for student travel is provided by
donors, who participate through social
networking sites and as critics for the work
being done while in Columbus. Donors
may also participate in traveling when there
is a particular interest. George Acock of
Columbus, Ohio, sponsored the Brazilian
studio and a follow-up symposium in
Santiago, Chile.
A similar studio opens this spring in Shanghai
with Tongji University, serving as KSA’s
gateway to Asia. 
To learn more about the Knowlton School
of Architecture, go to knowlton.osu.edu.
To make a gift, go to giveto.osu.edu/
engineering.

10 1,645 Ohio State engineering and architecture alumni currently live outside the United States. Total Ohio State alumni living in India - 572, Brazil - 198, and China -177.
 medical research

No Place Like
This Home
While taking a bike ride through Granville, Ohio, during a sunny
June day in 1998, Rosemarie Rossetti’s life took a dramatic turn.
An 80-foot tree weighing three-and-a-half tons fell on her, injuring
her spinal cord and leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. She
credits Ohio State’s Dodd Hall and a positive attitude with helping
her along the road to recovery.

A professional speaker, trainer, consultant, author, and former Ohio

State faculty member, Rossetti was eager to resume her life personally
and professionally. However, she and her husband, Mark Leder, soon
discovered that nearly everything in their home was out of her reach.
Many rooms and spaces—including a basement home office—were
completely off limits.

Together, the couple embarked on a journey to find a house that would

meet their needs. After a variety of frustrations with existing houses
and home designs, they went back to the drawing board to construct
their own home. The result: a 3,500-square-foot ranch-style home built
on one-and-a-half acres in Jefferson Township, Ohio, that serves as
both a residence and Universal Design Living Laboratory.

“I want the house to be a catalyst for change in the building industry

for those with disabilities and those who are simply elderly,” said
Rossetti, who earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and
doctorate from Ohio State. She and Leder want the home’s stellar
points—unobtrusive universal design, green building methods,
advanced automation technology, and chemical-free materials—to
become more mainstream.

To make the project possible, more than 120 international, national,

and local corporations and organizations contributed products and
services. By opening their doors to the building and design industries
and the general public, the couple shows how these elements can be
included in new homes and remodeling projects.

Rossetti wanted to thank Ohio State for playing a major role in her
life and especially her recovery. In 2001, she established the Rosemarie
Rossetti Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund to help advance the cure for
spinal cord injuries, including projects that focus on restoring walking
ability. All tour fees for the couple’s home will benefit this fund. 

To learn more about the Universal Design Living Laboratory,

go to udll.com. To give to spinal cord injury research, go to
giveto.osu.edu/findfunds.
Rosemarie Rossetti and her husband, Mark Leder, in the bucket of an
excavator during the September groundbreaking ceremony. A few of the
home’s many features: nine rooms on the main floor, full basement accessible
by elevator, a radio frequency-based lighting system, and raised landscaping.

OSU Medical Center is one of only seven sites to offer locomotor training—using bodyweight support and treadmill therapy—through its neurorecovery network. 11
 arts in the alley

Energizing
the Alley
Walk through South Campus Gateway these days and amid the boutiques,
restaurants, bookstores, bars, and apartments, you might notice
something new. Artists are taking up residence in some of the former
storefronts, bringing galleries, art, performances, and a new energy to the
neighborhood. The transformation, spearheaded by the Arts Initiative
at Ohio State in tandem with the Gateway and Campus Partners, creates
a dynamic visual and performing arts community. The new direction is
making a positive impact on the economy and helping promising artists to
build their careers.

The endeavor—called Arts in the Alley—includes the gallery and

headquarters for the century-old Ohio Art League and gallery and
performance spaces for several groups of emerging artists.

“We’re delighted these artists are joining us in Arts in the Alley,” said Karen
Bell, associate vice president at Ohio State and head of the Arts Initiative.
“New opportunities are unfolding as they work together, bringing a fresh
energy and new audiences to the neighborhood. That boosts the economy
and creates a model for urban renewal, especially in these difficult
economic times. It shows the university can be part of the economic
solution by focusing on ‘creative industries.’”

According to Bell, the artists gain skills through the experience to help
build their careers in the arts. That aligns with the mission at the Arts
Initiative to focus on emerging artists in Central Ohio. The artsy offerings
are also attracting some new faces to the Gateway alley. An evening that
featured gallery openings and dance performances, for example, drew
audiences that included arts aficionados, young professionals, and families,
along with students and restaurant patrons.

“The cluster of arts organizations enlivens South Campus Gateway’s

alley and appeals to people of all ages,” says Doug Aschenbach,
president of Campus Partners, developer of the Gateway project.
“The arts are an attractive addition to Gateway’s existing stores,
entertainment, and restaurants.”

Additionally, the Gateway theater has been renamed the Gateway Film
Center and is expanding its range of film offerings to include more art
along with independent and foreign films through a partnership with
the Wexner Center. “We believe the arts will help confirm the Gateway as
a distinct destination for students, neighbors, community members, arts
patrons, and campus visitors,” Aschenbach said. 

To learn more about the Arts Initiative endeavors, go to

artsinitiative.osu.edu.

12 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact

At South Campus Gateway, formerly unused spaces are taking on a new
life, thanks to a partnership with the Arts Initiative, Campus Partners, and
the Gateway. Emerging artists—including visual artists, dancers, actors, and
digital artists—submitted proposals to take up residence in the Shoebox (top)
in the Alley, while the 100-year-old Ohio Art League moved in last October
(near left). The Arts Initiative space features exhibitions and performances,
like the students tap dancing during a gallery opening (above).The Wexner
Center is also in the mix, having taken over the programming for two screens
at the Gateway Film Center in January (far left).

winter 2010 ohio state impact 13

 community arts partnerships

Stepping into Uniquely

Shakespeare’s Shoes Downtown

Jasmine Hamilton is one of the 27 student

interns who operate the OSU Urban Arts Space.

In February 2008, an estimated 1,200

people flocked to the grand opening of the
OSU Urban Arts Space, a 10,000-square-
The international partnership promotes literacy, drama education, and leadership in Ohio public schools. foot multi-purpose arts space located in
the historic Lazarus Building downtown.
When the Lazarus era ended in downtown
Hundreds of Columbus-area children in grades 3 to 12 are learning demanding subjects in Columbus, a new one began with the
a whole new way. Thanks to a unique partnership between Ohio State and the UK’s Royal opening of the OSU Urban Arts Space.
Shakespeare Company (RSC), their teachers are taking part in a three-year program based Today, almost two years since that
on the RSC’s renowned Stand Up for Shakespeare program, with a focus on literacy, drama grand opening, the Urban Arts Space is
education, and leadership. challenging the way people think about
the performing and visual arts and their
Starting last summer, Ohio State and the RSC worked with the first group of 20 teachers role in everyday life through conversation,
from three Columbus-area STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) schools. The art making, and experimentation. Its
teachers worked intensively with RSC educators and actors for a week in Stratford-upon-Avon mission is to join the university with the
in England. From there, they continued working with Associate Professor Brian Edmiston of state of Ohio and the world, functioning
the College of Education and Human Ecology and other university faculty on campus. as an arts laboratory for Ohio State faculty
and community artists, while serving as a
“Together, the RSC and Ohio State are helping teachers use drama to enrich and extend the professional launching pad for Ohio State
teaching and learning in their classrooms,” said Karen Bell, associate vice president and head students.
of the Arts Initiative, which spearheaded the only partnership of its kind in the United States.
Support also comes from private donors and the Battelle Memorial Institute. According to Valarie Williams, director
and associate dean in arts and humanities,
And these educational methods go beyond teaching Shakespeare’s plays to the students. annual events at the Urban Arts Space
Rather, they teach Shakespeare as a way to engage with and interpret the ideas in plays and include undergraduate and graduate-level
other materials. In fact, teachers in the program represent not just literature and drama, but exhibitions for the Department of Art
everything from math and history to science, anatomy, government, and elementary education. and the undergraduate exhibition for the
Department of Design. The space also
Jacqui O’Hanlon, director of education for RSC, visited Ohio State during the fall with provides greater outreach opportunities and
a group of RSC educators and actors to work with teachers and students. “We’re using functions similar to a teaching hospital,
Shakespeare as the lens through which we look at how you can make any complex text where student interns and assistants from
more accessible to children,” she said. “We get them to stand in the shoes of characters and Ohio State and Columbus City Schools
personally discover the feelings, dilemmas, and questions at the heart of the story.” perform much of the administrative
tasks. This autumn saw many new interns
Teachers are seeing success. A high school teacher, for example, used drama to help his working with faculty, staff, and artists to

SHAKESPEARE continued on page 22  URBAN continued on page 23 

14 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact

 Art Squatters featured
avant-garde creations
in the vacant retail
spaces in downtown
Columbus. (Above)
Art student Sara
Berens. (Far left) Matt
Cherubini, a graduate
student majoring in
sculpture. (Left) Artists
also involved the
human component in
their displays. Photos
courtesy of Neal
Lauron, Columbus
Dispatch.

Dressing Up Windows
This past fall, Art Squatters took over some
of the windows in the heart of Columbus’s
downtown. As part of their individual studies
program at Ohio State’s Department of Art,
this group of 25 students exhibited their work
in various vacant retail spaces.
The exhibit, under the direction of Ohio
State professor Malcolm Cochran, provided
downtown workers, dwellers, and visitors
with new cityscape views. The intriguing
artworks drew attention to underused
storefronts and showcased their value as
functional spaces. In addition, property
owners enjoyed the project’s urban presence
that helped to attract patrons to neighboring
retailers and dining establishments.
Students were assigned to one of the 11
windows and instructed to create a piece of art
ranging from sculpture to performance art.
The displays were prominent for four weeks,
with three opening nights during that time.
Matt Cherubini, a second-year graduate
student at Ohio State majoring in sculpture,
liked using an unconventional space for his
art. He used unusual items—among them
trash bags, paper towels, and wire—to create
what he called Ahab in Space. It turns Moby
Dick into a science fiction novel with the
story set in outer space.
“As a newcomer to Columbus, it was a great
opportunity to get my work out there in view
of the public,” he said. “I also found it an
exciting challenge to work within an already
existing space not normally set up for artwork.
During the process I was able to talk to a lot of
people who would pass by about my work and
show them the great art being made by all the
graduate students in our program.”
Cherubini said he would jump at the chance to
participate in a similar project in the future. 

winter 2010 ohio state impact 15

 wexner center for the arts
Integrating Perspective
and Learning
Visitors flocked to see Andy Warhol: Other Voices The Wexner Center’s Next @ Wex series has become an essential stop for rising stars and high-profile
Other Rooms. Support by Nationwide Insurance. acts of the indie music scene, including RJD2 (pictured), often playing to sold-out crowds.
This winter, Central Ohio high school and college students, and the
public, can learn about climate change and other environmental
challenges at the Wexner Center for the Arts. Wait a minute—at the
Wexner Center? How do you study climate change at a contemporary
arts center better known for exhibitions by the likes of Andy Warhol?
As it turns out, the Wexner Center has long strived to complement
its cutting-edge international exhibitions, performances, and films
with discussions on crucial, and sometimes controversial, topics.
What makes this not only possible but essential is the way many
contemporary artists seek to illuminate those same burning issues,
whether social, political, cultural, or environmental. According
to Shelly Casto, director of education, the Wexner Center’s core
educational philosophy is committed to “empowering visitors to
discover for themselves the many vital connections that exist among
the arts, contemporary issues, and their own lives. We are grateful
to Battelle and American Electric Power (AEP) for supporting our
educational programs.”
On March 31, the Director’s Dialogue on Art and Social Change:
Culture and Climate presents one such forum. Free and open to the
Ohio State community and the public, this event brings together
leading international artists and scholars to discuss their efforts to
highlight the threat of climate change. Renowned Ohio State scientist
Lonnie Thompson, one of the world’s foremost climatology experts
16 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact
and National Medal of Science recipient, joins artists David Buckland
and Alexis Rockman, musician and author Paul D. Miller (aka DJ
Spooky), and landscape designer and activist Edwina von Gal on the
panel. Buckland, whose Cape Farewell project organizes expeditions
for cultural figures and scientists to visit the arctic and other areas
experiencing the impact of climate change, will talk with high school
students earlier that day.
For 11th and 12th grade students in the Wexner Center’s Art &
Environment course, interactions with artists, scientists, and activists
working to protect our natural environment continue throughout
the spring. In this pioneering program funded by AEP, students earn
school credit while spending time at the Wexner Center and visiting
artist studios, laboratories, wetlands, power plants, and waste-
treatment facilities.
“Art & Environment is an excellent example of a relevant, rigorous,
and engaging learning opportunity,” said Nancy Pistone, a consultant
for the Ohio Department of Education. “Students gain an integrated
perspective from the sciences and arts and create products that
demonstrate their understanding of the issues. The Ohio State campus
and the rich resources of the Wexner Center provide an inviting
context for learning.” Or, as one student said, “It would take me eons
to describe all I’ve learned.” 
A Jewel on Campus
There was once a time when making a living
in the arts and cultural industry meant joining
the yearly exodus to the coasts that was both
a rite of passage and a foregone conclusion
for MFA students. Each year Midwest cities
would drain creative talent as young artists
moved to cities like New York and Los Angeles.
Ohio State’s multidisciplinary arts center,
the Wexner Center for the Arts, is helping to
reverse that trend.
When Ohio State student Eric Nordstrom
applied to university graduate dance programs,
he found himself heading the other direction,
from the coast to Columbus, and he was not
alone. More and more artists and creative
professionals are being drawn to Columbus
and Ohio State not only for the excellent
educational opportunities, but for the chance
to gain valuable career experience working as a
graduate student at the Wexner Center.
Having graduated from a prestigious New
York arts college and with 15 years of
experience in dance, Nordstrom had a good
idea of what he wanted. He looked at MFA
programs in New York, but found many of
them to be insular and emphasizing technique
over thought. He understood dance to be a
communicative and collaborative form, and
he wanted a program that allowed space for
collaborative investigation. After noticing that
the Wexner Center was hosting a performance
by the famed Israeli dance company Batsheva
during his audition visit, Nordstrom knew
that Ohio State’s Department of Dance was
the right choice.
“The dance faculty and department are
outstanding, and next door is this amazing
place, the Wexner Center,” he said. “It offers
great exhibits in the galleries, visits from
leading filmmakers, and performing arts
events that are not seen elsewhere. It’s a jewel
that adds to a vibrant and well-rounded
campus life.”
In just 20 years, the Wexner Center
has become one of the country’s top
contemporary arts institutions, drawing
The Wexner Center welcomes nearly 250,000 visitors annually.
Eric Nordstrom
national and international attention from
prospective students with programming that
includes three major exhibition rotations;
150+ film screenings; some 40 dance,
theater, and music ensembles; hundreds of
educational programs; and nearly 250,000
visitors annually. When Nordstrom isn’t on
stage, he’s usually working in the center’s
marketing department and helping to build
audiences for the center’s programs.
According to Nordstrom, Ohio State blends
great academics, prominent faculty, and the
chance to gain valuable real-world experience
at the Wexner Center: “Learning about an
artist’s theory in the classroom, then seeing it
unfold on stage the next night is a real treat,”
he said. 
To learn more about the Wexner Center,
go to wexarts.org. To make a gift, go to
wexarts.org/get_involved/join.
17
 professional arts

Living Her Dream A Personal

Path to Film
in Russia
Maya Krivchenia grew up in Marietta, Ohio,
but always felt a connection to Russian culture.
Her great-grandfather emigrated to America
from Russia in 1915. As a small child, Maya sat
under the piano, sometimes humming along
while her mother gave singing lessons. By age
10, she knew she wanted to be an opera singer.

As an undergraduate at Eastman School

of Music at the University of Rochester, Craig Pentak
Krivchenia began to nurture her interest in
singing Russian music, although few voice In late December, Craig Pentak received a
teachers in the U.S. are trained in Russian scholarship through Ohio State’s Department
language and music. She began her master’s of Theatre to travel to Palermo, Italy, for
degree at Ohio State in the fall of 2003, having the 2009 Palermo International Sport Film
selected the program largely because of Karen Festival. There, his short documentary and
Peeler’s outstanding reputation as a voice thesis film, Parkour in America, received the
teacher. Peeler introduced her to Margarita Maya Krivchenia Golden Knight Award (Paladino d’Oro) for
Mazo, internationally known for her research best editing of a short film.
on Russian music, and the two mentors helped Krivchenia to obtain a Fulbright fellowship
to study singing at the Mariinsky Academy for Young Singers, part of the prestigious and Parkour is a form of training and movement
historic Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. that lets the practitioners do incredible things.
“In the most concise of descriptions, it is the
Mariinsky is full of world-renowned musicians, singers, stage directors, and pianists, with art of getting from point A to point B in the
performances every evening. The Russian government supports the arts, permitting even most efficient way possible,” said Pentak, who
those with little money to see operas, ballets, and concerts. The lines are typically long, filled also earned a university scholarship to travel
with people of all ages. to London to learn about parkour.

After her experience at Mariinsky in 2005-06, Krivchenia received a rare invitation from the At Ohio State, the honor student pursued a
academy to continue her vocal studies. Typically students from outside Russia and the former personalized study program in film and video
Soviet republic stay a few months to a year, at most. She completed her master’s degree in production and film studies as a double major.
vocal performance at Ohio State in the fall of 2006 and returned to Russia the following year. He created numerous short films, most of which
earned accolades and awards at film festivals
Krivchenia never wavered in her commitment and enthusiasm to become a singer of around the world, and worked as a post-
Russian classical music. “The Russian language fits her like a glove, as does the music,” production assistant for WOSU Public Media.
Karen Peeler said. Krivchenia did not speak any Russian growing up, instead learning the
language while pursuing her master’s degree. Having recently graduated, Pentak now plans
to relocate to Los Angeles and use the skills
Krivchenia’s day in Mariinsky usually includes lessons and master classes. Evenings she he’s learned and talents he’s developed at
frequently appears in concert. “After a concert where I’d sung Tatyana’s letter aria from Ohio State. “Hopefully, one day I will write
Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin, several babushkas (grandmothers) came up to me and and direct my own feature films,” he said. 
blessed me,” she said. “Never have I felt so honored to be an opera singer.”

Krivchenia said her time in Russia is coming to a close. Now 28, she is debating whether
to live in Europe or return to the United States to pursue a doctorate. This winter, she, a
pianist, and a baritone from the Mariinsky Theatre will perform in Germany. To learn more about the Department of
Theatre, go to theatre.osu.edu. To make a
“I don’t envision myself at a major opera company right now,” she says, “Fame doesn’t gift, go to theatre.osu.edu/waystogive.
interest me. My goal is to sing every day and pay for my food and home.” 

18 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact

Never Stop Dancing
by Leigh Lotocki, Class of 2010

Dance has always been my passion. When I
started taking dance classes as a young child, I
never stopped. While in high school, I sought
opportunities to learn about ballet technique
and performance.
When it came time to go to college, I was
looking for a major university with a well-
known modern dance program. I had grown
up in Herndon, Va., just outside Washington,
D.C., and had never been to Ohio. But when
I found out that Ohio State offered a premier
dance major, I visited campus and realized
becoming a Buckeye was the perfect fit for me.
Specifically, studying modern dance has
opened up many avenues. I’ve taken classes in
choreography, improvisation, and production,
as well as in the areas of history and
technology in dance. Because of these diverse
experiences, I’ve developed a strong interest
in using technology and alternative spaces in
choreography, along with video. I also hope to
earn a graduate degree some day.
Ohio State’s Department of Dance offers so
much to students. We are exposed to the styles
and techniques of dance companies from all are honoring her memory through the
over the world. I have also enjoyed the arts scholarship, which includes gifts from more
administration work I’ve started since working than 200 donors. When the couple attended
part time for the OSU Urban Arts Space, and the awards ceremony in June 2008, I was able
I would like to take grant writing classes or to thank them personally.
seminars before I graduate later this year.
I was in awe when I learned that the
Studying dance at Ohio State would not scholarship was also renewed for this,
have been possible without scholarship my senior year. I will always cherish the
support. I am especially honored to have connection to the Woods family. The
received the Catherine Elizabeth Woods scholarship has reminded me
Dance Scholarship. Many people are familiar to think about other people
with her tragic story. The daughter of and how everything we do
Donna and Jon Woods, the makes an impact for the
director of The Ohio future. 
State University
Marching Band,
Catherine was
murdered
in New
York City at
the young
age of 21.
She was just beginning her
career and had the same
hopes and dreams that I
have. Her parents and friends

Ohio State’s highly ranked Department of Dance is

one of the first in the nation to offer a BFA, MFA, and
a PhD in Dance studies. The department is renowned
for its historic commitment to working with digital
technologies and dance. The program has brought
in visiting artists and scholars and enjoys a robust
relationship with the professional dance community.
To learn more about the Department of Dance, go to
dance.osu.edu. To make a gift, go to dance.osu.edu/
givetodance.

Expressing their love of dance are

(at left) Loganne Bond, BFA 2011,
and (right) Leigh Lotocki, BFA 2010.

winter 2010 ohio state impact 19

 wosu
Keeping the Connections
When TV stations began sharing the news
two decades ago of an eventual end to analog
broadcasting, most viewers considered the finality
to be light years away. Yet, even with the long-term
notice, many in Central Ohio worried about coping
with the transition as June 2009 approached.
WOSU Public Media stepped up to the task
of educating the community and even going
into homes to help as many as possible. While
some could not afford the option of signing
on to cable or satellite choices or buying a
digital television, others simply preferred to
keep their viewing habits unchanged. For these
individuals, converter boxes allowed a digital
signal to be transmitted for the older sets.
Josephine and Robert Cappel, an Upper
Arlington, Ohio, couple in their 70s, bought
the boxes using $40 digital television converter
coupons from the federal government to help
offset a part of the cost. As fans and supporters
of WOSU, they called the phone number
offered to receive assistance with hooking up
the equipment.
“Since we don’t have cable, we knew we
needed to get help to be prepared, so we called
WOSU,” said Josephine. “They couldn’t have
been more helpful, even coming out a second
time to help us.”
WOSU made it a mission to go the extra mile
to help the community. WOSU launched a
“Help Your Neighbor” program early in 2008
that brought in more than 3,000 converter box
coupons from the community and beyond.
WOSU then secured 3,000 converter boxes
with support from The Columbus Foundation
and, partnering with Central Ohio Area
Agency on Aging (COAAA), LifeCare Alliance,
and other community volunteers, installed the
boxes in the homes of at-risk seniors.
To get the word out about the need for coupon
donations, WOSU used its airwaves, web site,
20 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact
and speakers bureau. Corporate partners,
including Nationwide and Battelle, notified
their employees of the need. And an article in
AARP Magazine provided national promotion.
The Federal Communications Commission
selected WOSU as one of the five public TV
licensees to educate Americans about the
digital television transition. WOSU hosted
training sessions for volunteers and established
a hotline to answer questions from the
community. With a second FCC contract,
WOSU reached out to the City of Columbus
New Americans Initiative and focused on
helping the Latino and Somali populations.
For the efforts of its staff and volunteers,
WOSU earned the Outstanding Service to
Seniors Award from COAAA and a national
My Source Community Impact Award for
Engagement from the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the impact this
project had locally and how these efforts
brought groups together for a common
cause,” said Tom Rieland, general manager WOSU Public Media made it a mission to help
of WOSU Public Media, who also took part community members handle the end of analog
in the installations. “The moments many television broadcasting. (Top photo) Tom Rieland,
of us remember best are those involving WOSU’s general manager, helped to set up
converter boxes (center) that permitted older sets
older residents who were moved to tears in to receive the new digital signal. (Above) WOSU
thanking us.”  provided some seniors with free converter boxes
through its “Help Your Neighbor” program.
To learn more about WOSU, go to
wosu.org. To make a gift, go to
wosu.org/give.
 fisher college of business

A Man Who Quietly

Built Bridges
When Max Fisher graduated from The Ohio State University’s College of
Commerce and Administration in 1930, he set out to become a successful
businessman. He achieved that vision and made a personal impact on the
lives of millions of people through his work, his civic activities, and his
philanthropic interests. Nearly 80 years later, Fisher’s influence is certainly
felt throughout the campus he helped to build and in the lives of Fisher
College of Business students.

The Fisher family has played a leading role in advancing the initiatives
and goals of the college. It began with Max and Marjorie Fisher’s gift of
$20 million in 1993 that realized his passion: creating one of the finest
business school campuses in the nation. Since then, Max Fisher’s family has
continued to give the gifts of their time, talent, and treasure to ensure the
family legacy.

Whether by establishing a scholarship fund for students, serving on the

college’s Dean’s Advisory Council, delivering the keynote address at the
college’s pre-commencement ceremony or working on the college’s social
responsibility efforts, members of the Fisher family remain involved and
dedicated to the college’s future success.

Tony Cummings, Max’s grandson, spoke on behalf of the family in

September 2008 when the college celebrated what would have been Max’s
100th birthday and the 10th anniversary of the Fisher campus. Tony
remembered his grandfather as a moral leader and a man with the highest
integrity—qualities that Fisher would expect from today’s graduates. “My
grandfather would be so proud to see what Fisher has become since its
groundbreaking 14 years ago,” he said. “It’s now one of the nation’s most Max and Marjorie Fisher
respected business schools on both the undergraduate and graduate levels.”
management education. Through their generosity and dedication to the
In 2005, the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation awarded an college, the Fishers continue to set an example for active involvement and
additional $5 million to the college to support MBA student fellowships. philanthropy. By doing so, the mission of Max Fisher and the college—to
Max Fisher was known for quietly building bridges—and his work offer best-in-class business education, outreach, and service—carry on to
continues in spirit as this funding provides a bridge to further opportunity develop society’s future leaders. 
and growth for the college and its students.

Now, as the Max M. Fisher College of Business ushers in the next

era under Dean Christine Poon’s leadership, it continues to reinforce To learn more about Fisher College of Business, go to
the values essential to making Fisher a world-class leader in business fisher.osu.edu. To make a gift, go to giveto.osu.edu/fisher.

The impact of Fisher College of Business is truly global, with more than 62,000 alumni worldwide. 21
 planned giving
Jim Hoobler is Ohio State’s senior director for
planned giving and may be contacted at
plangive@osu.edu.
The Office of Planned Giving will gladly
answer your questions or provide
additional information at no obligation.
Call (614) 292-2183 or (800) 327-7907,
e-mail plangive@osu.edu, or visit
giveto.osu.edu/plannedgiving.
 SHAKESPEARE continued from page 14
anatomy students engage actively with one
another to learn more effectively. They
adopted the roles of doctors and patients to
understand the bones in the body.
Likewise, a third grade teacher used dramatic
inquiry to interpret a folk tale, which let
her students explore the relationships of
the characters. “We were able to experience
tolerance, acceptance, and understanding
of others at a much deeper level through
drama,” she said.
22 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact
Charitable Gift Planning in
Uncertain Times
Those of us in the charitable gift planning field, and perhaps some of you, too, are waiting for
Congress to extend for 2010 charitable giving incentives and other tax provisions that expired
on December 31, 2009.
In particular, last minute attempts failed to extend these two tax provisions:
• IRA charitable rollover
• The federal estate tax. As of January 1, 2010, there is no federal estate tax (the 2009 exemption
amount was $3.5 million per person). The estate tax will be restored January 1, 2011.
It is likely that Congress will try to adopt legislation early in 2010 to extend the IRA Charitable
Rollover and the federal estate tax among other tax provisions. We will be sure to communicate
to you any charitable giving incentives included in legislation passed by Congress.
In the meantime, some giving opportunities are:
Outright gifts. These include cash, appreciated securities, real estate, or charitable lead trusts.
Bequests and other estate gifts. Since Ohio State’s earliest days, estate gifts have funded
campus buildings, scholarship endowments, faculty chairs, and other vital enhancements.
These gifts truly provide a margin of excellence for the university.
Beneficiary designations. You may designate Ohio State the beneficiary of your IRA accounts,
retirement plans, and life insurance policies.
Gifts that provide lifetime income to you. With a charitable gift annuity or charitable
remainder trust, you or another person will receive lifetime payments and an immediate
income tax charitable deduction.
We will discuss these various gift types in greater detail in future issues of Ohio State Impact.
However, please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance at any time. If you have
already included Ohio State in your gift plans, please let us know. We would like to recognize
you as part of The Neil Legacy Society for your thoughtfulness and generosity. 
The teachers will continue to work with “The teachers have said they will never
university faculty through workshops and teach the same way again,” Bell said. “It’s an
coursework over the next several years, as incredible experience for them and their
well as with the RSC during occasional visits students.” 
to Ohio. Next summer, a second group of
teachers will join the program, along with
10 Master of Fine Arts acting students from
Ohio State’s Department of Theatre. The
theater students will undergo the leadership
education program with the teachers in
Stratford, and will be paired with teachers and
students in the Ohio schools to expand the
program’s reach.
 corporate & foundation relations

Partners in Giving
Terry Schavone describes the relationship between Ohio State and The Columbus Foundation
as very strong, a description he said has aptly applied for many years. “We’re knowledge
providers, and we provide access to people,” he said. “We’re partners in providing answers to
community needs and also in common missions.”

According to Schavone, vice president for donor services and development at The Columbus
Foundation since 1995, the foundation relies on Ohio State’s expertise in the realm of research
to determine effective best practices that work within and to the benefit of nonprofits.

“We provide a series of educational programs and some of the research we share comes
from Ohio State experts,” he said. “We also may seek people at the university to share their
experiences and knowledge with our donors for the common benefit of the community.”

Harrison M. Sayre officially formed The Columbus Foundation more than 66 years ago and
served as an unpaid director working from his home for the first 25 years. “The best way to
extend your life is to give to the community,” Sayre once said.

With this goal in mind, the foundation helps donors who want to strengthen and improve
their communities with current or future gifts. The foundation’s assets, which now total more
than $1 billion, include more than 1,700 unique charitable funds and supporting foundations
created by donors, families, and businesses.
Terry Schavone
Schavone views the next 25 years as a critical time as the stock market corrects itself and
continues to grow. “There is an opportunity for an intergenerational wealth transfer that is
unprecedented in this country,” he said. “The Columbus Foundation, Ohio State, and other
major nonprofits may be able to build a strong financial foundation that will be beneficial for
To learn more about The
years to come.”
Columbus Foundation, go to
columbusfoundation.org.
The foundation’s leaders are appreciative of its many community partners that come from all To learn more about Corporate and
walks of life and share the goal of giving back as strategically as possible. “Our goal is to continue Foundation Relations, go to
to support projects, provide leadership, and steward the resources entrusted to us,” he said. In giveto.osu.edu/cfr.
these areas, Ohio State and The Columbus Foundation share much common ground. 

 URBAN continued from page 14

gain experience with the inner workings of
gallery and arts space management.
“Not only has the Urban Arts Space greatly
evolved and grown over the last 22 months,
but my involvement has allowed me to grow
personally as well,” said Joanna Reed, a
junior with a double major in dance and art
history. “I’ve met many inspiring artists and
enjoy a constant dialogue with them about
their work.”
Reed spoke at President Gee’s pre-football
game brunch that took place before the last
home game this season. “I discussed the
work I do and the space’s current exhibitions
before a packed room of more than 300
donors and Ohio State alumni and friends,”
she said. “I am grateful for the many
experiences my job provides.”
The interns design programming for all ages
around exhibition and performance schedules.
While most events, such as gallery tours, artists’
talks, workshops, and literary readings, are
open to the public, some focus on educational
partnerships with a growing number of local
schools, both public and private.
The Urban Arts Space came about as a
community partnership with Ohio State
working with the Columbus Downtown
Development Corporation and the City
of Columbus. The space has partnered on
exhibits or events with area artists and state
organizations, including Franklin Park
Conservatory, Columbus College of Art
& Design, and Ohio Art League, as well as
international venues. 

winter 2010 ohio state impact 23

 campus campaign

Believing in
Ohio State
$125 million total
More than 41% average
raised from faculty and
participation rate per
staff, both current and
area (gifts and pledges) for
retired/emeritus, since the
the last three years
campaign started in 1985

23,000 - 24,000 current

faculty and staff and Approximately 2,200
approximately 4,000 funds at Ohio State
retired and emeritus receive gifts from
are asked to take part in the Campus Campaign
campaign every year

Campus Campaign is celebrating its 25th year this spring. What began
in 1985 as a part of a university-wide fundraising initiative has evolved
into one of the most successful programs of its kind in the nation. At
its heart are Ohio State’s faculty and staff—both current and retired/
emeritus—who give their personal dollars in support of areas they are
passionate about.
When the campus community contributes to Ohio State, the message
is one of strong belief in the university’s future. This investment
partners with support from alumni and friends around the globe.
Together, the possibilities for Ohio State are limitless.
Those giving to Campus Campaign help to make Ohio State the best
possible place to learn, work, and grow. To date, the total raised stands at
$125 million, which makes a significant impact on research, scholarship
support, programs, services, and cultural and athletic events.
foregoing an education because of financial hardships, and a gift to
this fund helps to provide much-needed financial support, including
scholarships and emergency funds, in times of need.
Key guidance comes from the Campus Campaign Council, which
consists of faculty and staff appointed by the university president for
three-year terms.
Each year, as many as 1,000 volunteers from the various colleges,
schools, and administrative offices plan and implement campaigns
unique to their areas, striving for 100 percent participation. They
participate in peer-to-peer fundraising efforts under the theme of “I
Believe in Ohio State.” The focus is how many show their support, not
how much they give. 

This year, the Students First, Students Now initiative is featured as To join forces with Ohio State faculty and staff to help students in
a key area for Campus Campaign. Many Ohio State students are need, go to giveto.osu.edu/studentsfirst.

24 ohio state impact giveto.osu.edu/ohiostateimpact

 happenings

Out & About

with the Arts
Here is a small sampling of arts events coming
up at Ohio State that are open to the public.
1
2 Adult Beginner Tap Class
Wednesdays, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
The Arts Initiative Space, 1568 N. High St.

Gallery Opening Receptions/Performances

First Thursday of each month 6 - 9 pm
The Arts Initiative Space, 1568 N. High St.

Celebrity Birthday Bash at the Shoebox

Third Thursday of each month, 7 pm
1570 N. High St.

Out@Wex Film Festival

Throughout March
3 Wexner Center for the Arts
4

Showing Buckeye Spirit

Reid Farrington, Gin & “It”
March 4 - 6, 8 pm; March 7, 2 pm
Wexner Center for the Arts
1. “Taking a Seat” with Brutus at the President’s Club Brunch on November 14 are (from left) Don and Beethoven’s Fidelio with OSU Symphony,
Carol Wilhelm, Dee Shondel (seated), Lynn and Bob Shondel, and John Shondel. 2. Enjoying meeting OSU Opera, and Men’s and Women’s
President E. Gordon Gee at the brunch are Lisa and Taylor Wittmer and Patty and Bob Long. Glee Clubs
A special Development reception took place December 30 before the victorious Rose Bowl on New March 10, 8 pm
Year’s Day. 3. Shown are: (from left) Ray, April, and Wendy Persons, with Joyce Beatty. 4. Also taking Mershon Auditorium
part are (from left) Ralph and Barbara Rockow with Nicole and Greg Washington.
Art, Documentary, and Propaganda in
Wartime China: The Photography of Sha Fei
(1912-1950)
Now - March 27
OSU Urban Arts Space

Master of Fine Arts Dance Exhibition

March 18 - April 2
OSU Urban Arts Space

Cyprien Gaillard, Disquieting Landscapes

Now - April 11
Wexner Center for the Arts

Director’s Dialogue on Art & Social Change:

Climate and Culture
March 31, 7 pm
6
Wexner Center for the Arts
5
33rd Annual OSU Jazz Festival
April 15 - 18 (various times)

Putting on the Finishing Touches Weigel Auditorium

2010 Master of Fine Arts Exhibition

A fun-filled, two-week celebration in April will officially open the new Ohio Union. Be sure to look for the April 21 - May 20
summer issue of Ohio State Impact for a photo feature highlighting the new student center. OSU Urban Arts Space
5. The Center for Student Leadership & Service will provide students with experiences to engage in
community service and develop personal leadership skills. It will have meeting spaces, more than 60 Dance Downtown XII
student organization offices, and a resource room. 6. The Stained Glass Lounge will feature comfy Department of Dance
furniture and a fireplace flanked by bookshelves containing works from Ohio authors. A custom-stained May 7 - 8, 8 pm
glass piece created by Ohio State’s Department of Art will adorn the two-story windows that offer Capitol Theatre, Riffe Center
breathtaking views of the South Oval.
The Three Sisters by Anton Chekov
(adapted by David Mamet)
Department of Theatre
May 13 - 28 (various dates and times)

The Winner! Roy Bowen Theatre, Drake Center

The Ohio State University Department of

Ernie McVay was the first to identify the “Where am I?” photo in the Autumn 2009 issue. The answer: Design Spring Exhibition
the entrance to the Costume and Textile Collections at Campbell Hall. McVay earned a master’s degree in June 8 - 12
public policy and management in 2008 and works as a supervisor of facilities at Ohio State. OSU Urban Arts Space
 NON-PROFIT ORG
Office of University Development US POSTAGE
1480 West Lane Avenue PAID
Columbus, OH 43221 COLUMBUS OH
PERMIT NO 711

Your support will

provide the gift of an
Ohio State education.

Gaemia Tracy, a second-year student at Ohio State’s College of

Veterinary Medicine, has benefited from scholarships that help
him make ends meet. He appreciates the donor support that
allows him to pay for books, supplies, and unexpected expenses.

Gaemia knows that not all students are as fortunate. Many

aspiring veterinarians enter the profession saddled with
tremendous debt. These students need your help to complete
their degrees and get their careers off to a solid start.

Help Ohio State put Students First,

Students Now by making a gift today
at giveto.osu.edu/studentsfirst

Gaemia Tracy, Class of 2012