The Nutshell is the official e-newsletter for Ohio State alumni club and society officers and board members. We encourage you to share the information with your members via your own newsletters or Web sites. The current issue is also available at www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/TheNutshell.aspx.

DATES & DEADLINES

OSUAA ANNOUNCEMENTS

Celebrating Alumni: help spread the word

It’s the 100^th anniversary of the Alumni Advisory Council, and Ohio State will be celebrating alumni in various ways throughout the coming year. Read about 100 Buckeyes You Should Know, videos, essays, and more at www.ohiostatealumni.org/volunteer/celebratingalumni.

As part of the celebration, the Alumni Association will highlight our alumni clubs and societies online and through our social media outlets. This is your chance to tell us about the great work that your group does and maybe even recruit some new members. Please complete the online form and send it to community@ohiostatealumni.org. You will also want to submit four to six quality photos highlighting your events and activities. If your group has been featured in the alumni magazine, you are welcome to send a completed form with updated information.

Clubs: www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/AlumniClubSpotlight.aspx

Societies: www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/AlumniSocietySpotlight.aspx

Alumni in Action features for May and June:

May 16: Social Work Alumni Society

May 25: Erie County Alumni Club

June 6: Western Michigan Alumni Club

June 13: GLBT Alumni Society

Summer Send-off time is approaching!

A Summer Send-off is an informal picnic to congratulate and send off your area's new Buckeye students in style. It's also a way for students and parents to connect with others in their area who are interested in Ohio State. If you are planning a summer event and haven’t done so already, contact Nadine Holmes at holmes@ohiostatealumni.org or (800) 862-5827 for information and materials to make your event even more fun.

Hold a Founders Day event: Sept. 17

We will celebrate Ohio State Founders Day on Sept.17 in honor of the very first day of classes at Ohio State back in 1873. Alumni clubs and societies around the globe are being asked to mark this occasion with a special event. It can range from a community service project in your community, a special social event, or a game watch for the Ohio State vs. Miami football game. More information on how to register your event will be published in the June Nutshell.

SAVE THE DATE: Sept. 23, 2011, for the 60^th Annual Alumni Leaders Conference

This year’s ALC will take place at Longaberger Alumni House on Sept. 23 and will include a full day of education sessions, vendors, and the chance to talk with fellow alumni leaders from around the country. Registration opens on July 5, and the cost is $30, with the optional wine reception and football tickets available for additional cost. Due to space limitations, this year’s registration will be limited to two attendees per club or society. For more details on costs, deadlines, and hotels, check
www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/clubs-societies/Pages/AlumniLeadersConference.aspx.

Share your advice with students

If you could do it again, what would you change about your experience at Ohio State? Be part of “If Only I’d Known….” a feature of our new interactive Microsoft Surface table in the Ohio Union. The technology allows users to scroll through tips from alumni and benefit from (or at least consider) their advice. To participate, complete this sentence and send it and your contact information to wanstreet@ohiostatealumni.org: “If only I’d known when I was a student that… I would have….” If your tip is chosen, we’ll contact you for a photo to accompany your tip.

Be a part of Team Buckeye for Pelotonia, Aug. 19-21

You’ve probably heard about Pelotonia, the biking event that has one goal: to end cancer. New in 2011, Ohio State will have an official super Peloton, Team Buckeye, with our own Archie Griffin leading the charge. Team Buckeye will be the umbrella Peloton for all Pelotons and riders associated with Ohio State—employees, students and alumni.

Ohio State clubs/societies can create their own pelotons (rider teams), which can be part of the Team Buckeye “Mega Peloton.” Karl Koon, director of development for Pelotonia, is available to speak to your board about how to be involved as donors, volunteers, riders, or virtual riders. Contact Karl to schedule a visit at Karl.Koon@osumc.edu or by calling (614) 293-9523 or for general information, go to http://teambuckeye.osu.edu.

University Advancement sets goals

President Gee and other university senior leaders have set some very lofty goals for Ohio State in the areas of alumni engagement and development. Ohio State currently ranks 8^th out of the 11 Big Ten schools in percentage of alumni who donate to the university. In fact, only about 120,000 alumni out of nearly 500,000 are donors. By 2016, one Advancement goal is to double the number of donors. Also, in a recent survey of alumni, 30% indicated they were “very satisfied” with the opportunities available to be engaged with their alma mater. The goal is to increase that to a 50% “very satisfied” rating by 2016.

At your next board meeting, please take the time to look at these two goals and brainstorm ideas on how your club or society can help achieve them. For example, how well do you promote your endowed funds to your members so they know their donation is going to a specific fund versus the general university fund?  Increase your alumni engagement by adding alumni to your committees, or create a mentor program. These are just a few examples.

General alumni group business

Don’t forget, we must have the following on file for all alumni groups:

            1. Updated membership roster (including term limits, if applicable)

            2. Updated club/society officer roster following your elections or fall reunion meetings

            3. Copy of your group's bylaws

            4. JPG file of your group's logo (if applicable)

Also send all event announcements, meeting minutes and activity reports to Kimberly Lowe at lowe@ohiostatealumni.org or Craig Little at little@ohiostatealumni.org. Thanks to those who have already submitted these materials. Also, if you need to request a list of alumni in your area, please complete and send the information release form.

The Culture and Arts of St. Petersburg

Oct. 16-24, 2011

$2,995 + air

It was the vision of Peter the Great to build a Russian capital that would rival the great cities of Europe; and today St. Petersburg, a masterpiece of design and ingenuity and a magical tapestry of vibrant colors, stands as testimony to his success. Marvel at St. Isaac’s Cathedral, one of the city’s most famous landmarks, and the impressive Peter and Paul Fortress. Travel to Catherine’s Palace to admire the famous Amber Room, and visit the Palace of Pavlovsk, considered to be one of the greatest achievements in Russian architecture. Admire the dazzling array of artwork at the State Hermitage Museum and the Russian Museum. Journey to the Church of the Spilled Blood, one of the loveliest in the country. Delight in a performance at the Hermitage Theater—a truly thrilling experience! Tour the Mariinsky Theater, one of the most famous performance palaces in the world.

For detailed information, visit www.ohiostatealumni.org/resources/travel/2011/Pages/StPetersburg.aspx or contact Angela McBride at (614) 292-2372, (800) 852-8687, or mcbride@ohiostatealumni.org.

ACADEMIC NEWS
Kaplan named senior vice president for development

Long-time Ohio State leader Jeff Kaplan has been named as its new chief fundraiser, filling a void left by the unexpected death of Senior Vice President of University Development Andrew A. Sorensen earlier this month. “Jeff is among my most capable, creative, and trusted colleagues, and I am deeply grateful to him for agreeing to lead Ohio State’s development and advancement work,” said President E. Gordon Gee. “In assuming this new role, I know that he will continue to build upon the efforts begun by Andy Sorensen without any loss of momentum. Jeff is exactly the right person for the position at this time.” www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3113

New deans for College of Dentistry, College of Nursing

Ohio State's two national leadership searches have ended successfully, with the announcement of two new deans. Patrick M. Lloyd has been appointed dean of the College of Dentistry, and Bernadette M. Melnyk has been named dean of the College of Nursing and associate vice president for Health Promotion and chief wellness officer. Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, the appointments are effective on Aug. 1 and Sept. 15, respectively. Lloyd comes to Ohio State from the University of Minnesota, where he currently serves as dean of the School of Dentistry and professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences. He replaces Carole Anderson, who has served as dean of the college since 2006 and is retiring after 25 years at Ohio State. She will continue as dean until Lloyd's arrival. www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3119

Wetlands expert suggests flooding solution for Ohio and Mississippi rivers

Locating a national park at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeastern Missouri could solve a number of problems simultaneously: allowing for seasonal flooding of floodplains to produce a vast wetland, reducing property damage and loss caused by flooding at that site and along the lower Mississippi River watershed, attracting tourism to an economically depressed area and providing educational opportunities about rivers and wetlands. That’s an argument put forward by William Mitsch, an environment and natural resources professor at Ohio State and director of the Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3123

RESEARCH NEWS

Does video game violence harm teens? New study weighs the evidence

How much scientific evidence is there for and against the assertion that exposure to video game violence can harm teens? Three researchers have developed a novel method to consider that question: they analyzed the research output of experts who filed a brief in a U.S. Supreme Court case involving violent video games and teens. Their conclusion? Experts who say violent video games are harmful to teens have published much more evidence supporting their claims than have experts on the other side of the debate. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/vidviollaw.htm

Study shows how mosquitoes handle the heat of a hot blood meal

Mosquitoes make proteins to help them handle the stressful spike in body temperature that’s prompted by their hot blood meals, a new study has found. The mosquito’s eating pattern is inherently risky: Taking a blood meal involves finding warm-blooded hosts, avoiding detection, penetrating tough skin and evading any host immune response, not to mention the slap of a human hand.Until now, the stress of the hot blood meal itself has been overlooked, researchers say.

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/hotblood.htm

More knowledge not always helpful for women dealing with heart disease

Women with congestive heart failure who repress their emotions, especially anger, are more likely than emotionally expressive women to experience symptoms of depression associated with knowledge about their disease, according to new research. Coping styles of women in the study influenced how depressed or anxious they felt. The less they talked about or expressed their emotions, the more likely they were to have symptoms of depression and anxiety. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/chfcope.htm

ATHLETICS NEWS
Men’s Volleyball: Buckeyes claim National Championship

Three Ohio State Buckeyes rose to the net for the block on UC Santa Barbara that sealed a thrilling five-set victory and an NCAA championship on May 7. Score one for volleyball east of the Rocky Mountains. Shawn Sangrey had a game-high 30 kills and the Buckeyes overcame a sloppy start to beat UC Santa Barbara 20-25, 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 15-9 on Saturday night for their first men's volleyball title. It's just the third time a team outside of the West has claimed the title. Penn State won in 1994 and 2008. www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87793&SPID=10417&ATCLID=205148393&DB_OEM_ID=17300

Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes win sixth-consecutive Big Ten Tournament crown

The third-ranked and No. 1-seed Ohio State men's tennis team (30-2, 13-0 Big Ten) won its sixth-consecutive Big Ten tournament title with a 4-0 victory against No. 3-seed Minnesota (19-5, 10-3 Big Ten) on May 1 at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, Wis. With the win, the Scarlet and Gray earn the Big Ten's automatic berth to the NCAA championships. The Buckeyes did not give up a point in their three tournament matches as they picked up three consecutive 4-0 wins en route to the crown. www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87783&SPID=10415&DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=205145687

Football: Away game hotel listings available

It’s never too early to start planning for football season; the Alumni Association has negotiated great hotel rates in four of the five cities where Ohio State will be playing in this fall. For a complete listing of how to make your reservations in Miami, Fla.; Lincoln, Neb.; Champaign/Urbana, Ill.; and West Lafayette, Ind., see www.ohiostatealumni.org/events/BuckeyeBash/Pages/HotelAccommodationsandActivities.aspx.

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