winter issue february 2014

News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network IN THIS ISSUE Special Features

Special Features...... 1-4 Board of Regents welcomes delegates from ,

Policy & Compliance In October, Chancellor John Carey hosted several university delegates from Anhui, Reports...... 4 China for a visit to the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) offices. Anhui, China has been a sister city to Columbus since 1988 when a group from Columbus traveled Meetings of the Minds...... 5 to China to negotiate obtaining a panda bear for the Columbus Zoo.

Transfer Technology...... 6-7 Delegates were present from , Medical College, (CT)2 Corner...... 7-8 Chuzhou University, Fuyang University, University, Huaibei Normal College, Staff Happenings...... 9 Huangshan College, and Wannan College. Delegates were provided a brief overview of Ohio’s public higher education system by Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) staff members Paula Compton, Charles See, A Note from Paula Jeff Robinson, David Cannon, and Shane DeGarmo. Chancellor Carey responded Even though it has been a long, to questions from the delgates on cold winter, the OATN staff are topics such as supporting STEM faculty keeping warm with the constant and initiatives in Ohio public institutions of higher transfer activities happening education, the Choose Ohio First scholarship, and funding Ohio public higher around the state. We continue education. to be so grateful for our many colleagues around the state The event was arranged by Paula Compton and Lin Ba, with help from the OATN (and beyond with some of staff. Lin Ba is a professor of economics at The Ohio State University’s Newark our long-reaching initiatives) campus. Lin Ba is a graduate of Wuhan University in China and actively assists in whose dedication and passion developing relationships between The Ohio State University and China. He is also for helping students achieve an active member of the Columbus Sister Cities International Hefei Committee, a their highest level of academic group that hosts events such as the Anhui College delegation visit to help foster attainment are bright, warm spots collaboration and growth between Columbus, Ohio and Hefei, China. in these cold winter months. We are looking on the bright side with the recent sunshine and warmer temperatures and hoping spring is on the horizon! In the meantime, enjoy reading about our productive winter! News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Special Features (cont.)

Valuing Ohio Veterans state’s education infrastructure by establishing clear requirements and goals for a robust and effective system In our last newsletter, we shared a number of exciting of dual credit in Ohio. happenings related to helping military servicemembers and veteran students in Ohio, including a description Recommendations were made by groups of higher of Executive Order 2013-05K. In the Executive Order, education and K-12 stakeholders that shared their Governor Kasich directs Chancellor Carey to collaborate beliefs about the necessary elements of a successful with presidents of the University System of Ohio (USO) College Credit Plus program. The recommendations institutions to conduct a thorough review of current address program participation requirements; funding institutional policies and practices and recommend considerations; student and parent communication actions that will simplify and improve the process for requirements; coursework quality requirements; and awarding college credit for military training, experience, data collection. and education. We are very pleased to share the Valuing Ohio Veterans Report, which offers a comprehensive To review this issue in more detail and study the look at what state recommendations, please visit: ohiohighered.org/ departments, boards, college_credit_plus. Keep in mind that there have not commissions, and yet been any legislative changes to the Post-Secondary USO institutions Enrollment Options (PSEO) or dual enrollment programs can do to support currently operating in the state. The General Assembly Ohio’s veterans and will use these recommendations as it moves forward servicemembers, with legislative action in shaping the new College Credit and to make Ohio Plus program. Any changes required at the institutional an ideal home for level will come from such legislative action and be veterans seeking to communicated when confirmed. launch their civilian careers. Stay tuned for more details on One-Year Option the implementation of these exciting House Bill 59 also requires Chancellor Carey to establish recommendations! a One-Year Option credit articulation system by no later than June 30, 2014. This option will allow graduates of Ohio Technical Centers (workforce and adult education College Credit Plus centers) who complete a 900-hour program of study and obtain an industry-recognized credential approved Section 363.590 of Ohio House Bill 59 (the legislation by the Chancellor to receive 30 college technical credit for Ohio’s state biennium budget spanning fiscal years hours toward a technical degree upon enrollment in 2014 and 2015) requires Chancellor Carey to make an institution of higher education. The legislation also recommendations to the General Assembly to establish requires the Chancellor to submit a report to the General the College Credit Plus program, whereby high school Assembly on the same timeline to recommend a process students may earn credits through Ohio institutions of for awarding proportional credit toward a technical higher education. It is believed that Ohio’s current dual degree for students who complete a program of study credit system is underutilized and administered with between 600 and 899 hours and obtain an approved varying degrees of efficacy and quality. The General industry-recognized credential. These actions will Assembly’s charge creates an opportunity to transform this system into an indispensable component of the (continued on next page)

2 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Special Features (cont.) build upon the state’s existing articulation and transfer processes, including the Ohio Transfer Module (OTM), Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs), and Career-Technical Assurance Guides (CTAGs) and various other approaches used to help students move seamlessly through the higher educational landscape. More details can be found at ohiohighered.org/one-year-option. Ohio Mathematics Initiative on the web: www.ohiohighered.org/mathematics-initiative Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

We let you know about Ohio’s PLA with a Purpose Network in our last newsletter. Since then, the Network has been working hard on recommendations that were shared with Governor Kasich as potential forward action steps with regard to PLA. Discussions are occurring as to how the state will move forward with these recommendations. The PLA Network will continue to meet twice per year as the implementation phase continues, while a smaller subset of the Network will meet more frequently as the steering committee for the initiative. Ohio was recently selected by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) with support from the Lumina Foundation as one of three states to scale PLA using learningcounts.org. The support would underwrite half of the modest first-year fees associated with learningcounts.org for up to six Ohio campuses. The working luncheon with members of the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Steering Mark your calendars for April 29, 2014 for a one-day Committee and all 36 USO Mathematics Department Chairpersons symposium on the implementation of PLA on campuses. More information will be forthcoming or can be found at ohiohighered.org/PLA as it becomes available. information on the Initiative and information on the national landscape in mathematics. Representatives Ohio Higher Education Mathematics of the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Steering Initiative Committee discussed the key recommendations as drafted and invited feedback from the chairpersons. The participants were all very engaged in this meeting and Ohio Mathematics Department Chairpersons took the opportunity to share their thoughts with other Meeting colleagues at their tables as well as the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Steering Committee members On January 10, 2014, the mathematics department assigned to each table during the working luncheon that chairpersons from all 36 University System of Ohio (USO) concluded the day. Many of the participants enjoyed institutions gathered at Pfahl Hall on The Ohio State the conversation so much that they stayed even after University campus to discuss the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Initiative. The agenda included background (continued on next page)

3 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Special Features (cont.) lunch was over to continue the discussion. Steering Committee members were appreciative of the insightful feedback they received from this group.

Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Steering Committee Retreat

The luncheon at the end of the chairpersons’ meeting marked the beginning of a two-day retreat Ohio Higher Education Mathematics for the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Steering Steering Committee Retreat Committee. The goal of the retreat was to finalize the (back row, L-to-R) Don Van Meter, VMC Consulting; Brian key recommendations of the Steering Committee. The Roget, Ohio Department of Education; Paddy Dowling, retreat started with a group discussion on the feedback Miami University; Rodney Null, Rhodes State College; obtained during the chairpersons’ meeting. Afterward Carl Stitz, Lakeland Community College; Jeff Zeager, Lorain Community College; Ricardo Moena, University of the Steering Committee went into working groups to Cincinnati; Jeff McNeal, The Ohio State Universtiy; Mike make refinements to the key recommendations. Then Snider, Ohio Association of Community Colleges; Andrew the Committee worked on presentations to be given to Tonge, Kent State University; Brett Visger, Ohio Board of leaders from the education community the following Regents; Hideo Tsuchida, Ohio Articulation and Transfer Network. day. The next morning, the Steering Committee made its presentations to the educational leaders. Following (middle row, L-to-R) Jenna Cullinane, The University of the presentations, further refinements were made to the Texas at Austin; Paula Compton, Ohio Board of Regents; Stephanie Davidson, Ohio Board of Regents; Krista Max- key recommendations based upon the feedback received on, Shawnee State University; Linda Chamblin, Southern from the leaders. The target date for an initial draft of the State Community College; Michelle Younker, Terra State overall report is the end of February. Community College; Cathy Chudzinski, Terra State Com- munity College; Randy Smith, The Ohio State University; David Meel, Bowling Green State University; Phillip Uri Information about the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Treisman, The University of Texas at Austin. Steering Committee and other resources from the Ohio Higher Education Mathematics Initiative can be found at (front row, L-to-R) Joan Leitzel, The Ohio State University; Michelle Blaney, Ohio Articulation and Transfer Network. the Ohio Mathematics Initiative website.

Policy & Compliance Reports

Statewide Guarantee Initiatives Progress • TAG – 89% of anticipated TAG courses have been Report approved and are active. Out of 4,468 total TAG matches expected, 3,974 have been approved, Now that the academic calendar conversion has been and the courses are currently offered. Thirty-three successfully completed by institutions, our focus has submissions and resubmissions were made for shifted to reaching the finish line through continued the winter 2014 review cycle. There are 152 active collaboration with institutions. We are in the mid-end sets of learning outcomes (or TAG courses) across of the winter review cycle for the TAG, OTM, and CTAG 42 guaranteed pathways. initiatives. We have made great progress since the original implementation of each of the initiatives.

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4 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Policy & Compliance Reports (cont.)

• Ohio Transfer Module (OTM) with Learning Cleveland State University’s Credit Hour Outcomes in English Composition and Conversion Mathematics – 93.5% of these courses were approved as of the end of the fall 2013 review Starting fall 2014, all four-semester-hour courses at cycle. Because several institutions added courses, Cleveland State University will become three-semester- the total number of submissions expected for hour courses. Because there are some TAG courses that approval has increased to 419. Currently, eight require more than three semester hours, those courses courses are under review during the winter are not going to be converted to three hours. CSU has review cycle. Twenty-six courses still need to be been submitting its converted courses to the faculty approved including the eight currently under review panels and doing its best to successfully convert review to reach 100% completion. all of the courses and have them approved by the panel • CTAG – 63% of anticipated CTAG courses have by this summer, so that students are not affected by the been approved and are active*. Out of 3,394 transition. Please note that Cleveland State’s converted total CTAG matches expected, 2,141 have been courses have the same course IDs as the previous approved, and the courses are currently offered. versions. Thirty-one submissions and resubmissions were made for winter 2014 review cycle. There are Questions regarding compliance for the OTM/TAGs 54 active sets of learning outcomes (or CTANs) can be directed to Hideo Tsuchida (htsuchida@regents. across 26 guaranteed pathways. state.oh.us), and for CTAGs, to Ryan Cupp (rcupp@ regents.state.oh.us). *This includes the new welding and phlebotomy CTAGs that campuses are still working on submitting. Without these new areas, 71% of all CTAGs were approved in the latest cycle. Meetings of the Minds

OATN Oversight Board well as a brief explanation about Higher Education Mathematics the Center on Education and Train- Initiative, Prior Learning On Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, the Over- ing for Employment (CETE) exams. Assessment (PLA) with a Purpose, sight Board met at the Ohio Board These exams will be discussed fur- and the One-Year Option credit of Regents. At the meeting, Mr. ther in the future. The next Over- articulation system. Furthermore, Dennis Budkowski announced his sight Board meeting will occur on institution members were called retirement from the board and Dr. March 6, 2014 at the Ohio Board of on to provide information about Joan Leitzel, professor emeritus at Regents offices at 25 S. Front St., their student transient policies The Ohio State University, gave an Columbus, OH 43215. and best practices to assist Kent update on the Ohio Higher Educa- State University staff, Ms. Barbara tion Mathematics Initiative. Up- Miller and Ms. Therese Tillet, as dates were also given about Prior OATN Advisory Council Kent State University worked to Learning Assessment (PLA) with update its policies. Updates were a Purpose, the One-Year Option With more than 40 in attendance, the given about the Ohio Transfer credit articulation system, and the Advisory Council met on Thursday, Module Faculty Subcommittee, Articulation and Transfer Marketing Nov. 14, 2013 at Columbus State the Foreign Language Summit, Campaign. Additionally, technology Community College. Several topics Ohio e-Transcript Initiative, and and budget updates were given, as were discussed, including the Ohio (continued on next page)

5 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Meetings of the Minds (cont.)

Career-Technical Credit Transfer. The Stephanie McCann, director for Ohio Board of Regents offi ces. Dis- Council is scheduled to meet again data management and analysis; cussion points included: feedback on May 8, 2014 at the Workforce an update from Jeff Robinson, from the fi eld, a secondary career- Development Center at Columbus director of communications on the technical tracking system from Dr. State Community College. articulation and transfer marketing Stephanie McCann, director for data campaign. OATN staff also gave management and analysis; an up- updates on (CT)2 and an electronic date on the articulation and transfer (CT)2 Adult Advisory Council transcript for Adult Career-Technical marketing campaign from Jeff Rob- institutions. The group will meet inson, director of communications. The (CT)2 Adult Advisory Council again on April 2, 2014 at the OBR Staff also gave updates on the Ohio met on Oct. 3, 2013 at the Ohio Offi ces at 25 S. Front St., Columbus. Higher Education Mathematics Ini- Board of Regents offi ces. Discussion tiative, (CT)2 Compliance and the points included: an update on the Secondary Career-Technical Align- One-Year Option credit articulation (CT)2 Secondary Advisory ment Initiative (SCTAI), and the new system from Brett Visger, associate Council Course Equivalency Management vice chancellor for institutional System (CEMS). The group will collaboration and completion; The (CT)2 Secondary Advisory meet again on April 15 at the OBR feedback from the fi eld; a discussion Council met on Oct. 23, 2013 at the Offi ces at 25 S. Front St., Columbus. of tracking adult students with Dr. Save the Dates for These Upcoming Meetings! Ohio Foreign Language Summit • ATC Steering Committee On Nov. 7, 2013, approximately 60 foreign language faculty members – Tuesday, March 4, OBR 7th from 30 different institutions came together to discuss the creation of Floor Main Conference Room statewide learning outcomes for beginning and intermediate foreign • OATN Oversight Board language courses. The group consisted of faculty members with more – Thursday, March 6, OBR than 15 different language specializations working together in small B-004 Conference Room groups to discuss proposed learning outcomes. The discussion centered • (CT)2 Secondary Advisory on whether the proposed learning outcomes scaled up appropriately and Council – Thursday, April 2, were applicable to all languages, along with any additional feedback or OBR B-004 Conference Room guidance the groups could provide. After the small group discussion, • (CT)2 Secondary Advisory group report outs were given to further explore possible changes. Council – Tuesday, April 15, OBR B-004 Conference Room Due to outstanding participation and valuable feedback, the summit was a huge success. The proposed learning outcomes were further refi ned • OTM Faculty based upon feedback from the summit, and a request for endorsement of Subcommittee – Friday, the proposed learning outcomes for French, German, Italian, Portuguese, April 25, Saxbe Auditorium at and Spanish languages was sent to University System of Ohio institutions The Ohio State University on Feb. 3. The survey responses were due on Feb. 24, and the analysis of • USO Admissions Offi cers the survey result will be completed in March. For additional information & Registrars OBR Update about the foreign language initiative, please visit its new website at Meeting – Thursday, April 24, ohiohighered.org/transfer/foreign_language_initiative. Columbus State Community College Workforce Development Center 6 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Transfer Technology

Articulation and Transfer ATC Steering Committee Education (ODE) and Parchment, Clearinghouse (ATC) The ATC Steering Committee the transcript exchange company, to held its last meeting of the achieve success on this project. The ATC Data Standards Committee 2013 calendar year on Oct. 8. goal is to electronically exchange During the last Data Standards At the meeting various topics transcripts between our Ohio high Committee meeting, held were discussed, including an schools and public institutions of on Nov. 21, 2013, the group update of the Ohio e-Transcript higher education. Testing for this discussed the progress of the Initiative, the ATC Supplement initiative is scheduled to occur at ATC Data Validation Project; a Survey, CollegeSource, an the end of March. proposal to remove transcripts overview of the military order set entirely from the ATC; moving forth by Ohio’s governor, and the to the most recent version of spring meeting for Admissions Course Equivalency the PESC (P20W Education & Registrars. We want to extend Management System (CEMS) Standards Council) Schema; a special thank you to all our Enhancements and a brief discussion of co-ops committee members for their and internships at our two-year time and effort put forth to Last fall we were proud to and four-year institutions. The make Articulation & Transfer announce a newly redesigned meeting’s action items led to successful and progressive. The CEMS system for our constituents a survey that was successfully group meets again on March 4. to utilize. While the new system has completed by the institutional offered the benefits of improved members and the successful operability, consistency and overall rollout of the data validation Admissions & Registrars functionality, there is always room from TEST to production. Spring Meeting for improvement. Hopefully the More information can be new enhancements requested by found at ohiohighered.org/ On April 24, a meeting is scheduled you, our users, will be rolled out transfer/atc/datastdscomm, for Admissions & Registrar in early spring to make the system and discussions can always be personnel from all our public even more robust. Announcements had on the Knowledgebase at institutions of higher education. about these enhancements will be https://oatnkb.ohiohighered.org. Hopefully there will be a great made closer to the rollout date. turnout to discuss various OATN ATC Data Validation Project initiatives; provide important The final launch of the latest updates on current projects; Transferology data validation elements to be and conduct break-out sessions processed by the ATC is quickly centered on topics of interest. An CollegeSource will be replacing approaching. Currently, March agenda and more information will u.select and transfer.org with a 11 is targeted as the go-live date be sent as they are available, so new, revamped website called for rejecting transcripts that do check your inboxes! Transferology.org. The launch is not pass the validation checks. expected on March 31. Please Please visit ohiohighered.org/ contact John Panzica (JohnP@ transfer/atc/datastdscomm Ohio eTranscript Initiative collegesource.com) or Kevin Sosa to get the latest information ([email protected]) if about the project and to get a As the deadline for this initiative you have any questions about list of the new data fields that looms closer, the OATN staff is your institution’s readiness to are required on transcripts working closely with grant recipients display course equivalencies in exchanged through the ATC. as well as the Ohio Department of Transferology.

7 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

(CT)2 Corner

What’s up with the SCTAI?

The smell of progress is in the air. The Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) and Ohio Department of Education (ODE) have been making great strides in the Secondary Career-Technical Alignment Initiative (SCTAI), which is aimed at creating more statewide articulation agreements between secondary career- technical education and post-secondary career-technical programs. (standing, L-to-R) Pat Huston-Holm, consultant, Arts and The first six career fields, including Health Science; Communication Career Field, ODE; Alicia Willis, pro- gram coordinator, Center on Education and Training for Law and Public Safety; Information Technology; Employment at The Ohio State University; Jim Slowiak, Transportation Systems; Construction Technologies; instructor of theatre arts at The University of Akron and and Manufacturing Technologies (Engineering), are lead expert for the Performing Arts Pathway; Maria pulling into the gates of completion. In order for all Bleahu, instructor of video, information security, and digital media at Stark State Community College and University System of Ohio (USO) schools to reach lead expert for the Media Arts Pathway; Wendi Howell, consensus on the alignment between the preliminarily education resource specialist, Center on Education and endorsed learning outcomes and the new ODE content Training for Employment at The Ohio State University. standards, all six career fields are currently being sent (seated, L-R), Jessi Spencer, administrative coordinator out statewide for endorsement survey. This is one of the for the SCTAI at OBR; Jon Lundquist, associate instruc- final steps, inching the project ever closer to announcing tor and coordinator of interactive media at Columbus State Community College and lead expert for the Visual the new SCTAI created CTANs. Design and Imaging Pathway; Pete Ross, consultant for the SCTAI at OBR; Rene Fernandez, program coordi- In the remaining career fields: Art and Communications; nator and editorial projects, Center on Education and Agricultural and Environmental Systems; Business Training for Employment at The Ohio State University. and Administrative Services; Finance; and Marketing, ODE recently put the final touches on their first drafts of revised content standards. This is the first step rather than an entire program. In early January, OBR and necessary for faculty lead experts in these areas to ODE held a face-to-face partnership meeting around begin their work reviewing the new content. In the the administrative and future work of the initiative and initial steps, faculty members review the ODE content continue to work together to ensure cohesion. and work with the ODE staff responsible for writing the content, to strengthen alignment to the proposed post- Likewise, each career field in the remaining six career secondary courses. fields is also holding small cluster meetings to establish inner-cluster deadlines and the flow of work between OBR and ODE have devoted time to collaboration to the ODE consultant writing the statewide standards for ensure articulated pathways exist from secondary to secondary education and the post-secondary faculty post-secondary education. ODE has made a significant lead expert responsible for the statewide articulation curricular design change, moving from a broad stroke agreement proposal. Arts and communications met for program design to smaller course options for districts a successful meeting in November (see picture above). (for more information on the move from programs to courses, click here). This move makes articulation much easier as faculty review courses that might articulate, (continued on next page)

8 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

(CT)2 Corner (cont.)

Apprenticeships children in foster care. She received a Master of Health Administration from the Medical University of South Ohio recently submitted a request for approval for a new Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in psychology statewide pathway to a technical associates degree for from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. sheetmetal apprentices. In addition, the state is moving Her interests include her pets (Carolina, the “American forward with another statewide submission for the dingo,” and Bergen, the ghost cat) and traveling. Her carpentry trades. If approved, this would make a total of next trip will be to Belize this summer! three statewide agreements articulating apprenticeship experiences to academic credit toward a technical associate degree. The Apprenticeship Statewide Currently serving Partnership Panel (ASPP) meets again on Monday, March as senior associate 3 to discuss the forward progress of the apprenticeship director for Career- initiatives. To read more about these programs, visit Technical Initiatives, ohiohighered.org/transfer/apprenticeships. Anne Skuce comes to us from Indiana University New staff Southeast, where she served as The OATN would like to welcome our newest staff a director of members, Misty McKee and Anne Skuce. Both Misty admission and and Ann began their work at OBR at the beginning of assistant vice January. chancellor for enrollment Misty McKee, our new assistant director for the management. In Anne Skuce, the new senior Secondary Career-Technical Alignment Initiative this role, she directed associate director for Career- Technical Initiatives (SCTAI) (SCTAI), most recently served as an editor for graduate staff, established theses and foreign submissions to English-language enrollment goals, research journals. Prior to relocating to Columbus, she and was directly served as the analyst for involved in committees and initiatives, in which she academic information at served in various leadership positions. Additionally, the Medical University of for 18 months, she was the interim vice chancellor for South Carolina. In this role, student affairs. In this position she was responsible for she worked in enrollment enrollment management, financial aid, residence life management as the and housing, athletics, student life, career development, university’s data reporter counseling services, orientation, and mentoring. Prior and conducted training to her work at IU Southeast, Anne was the director of sessions with faculty admission at Vincennes University. Additionally, she and staff in six colleges. worked as an assistant director of admission at Wright Previously, State University, and as an admission counselor at both Misty worked Hocking College and The University of Toledo. Anne in social received a Master of Education from The University of services Toledo and Bachelor of Arts in communication from Misty McKee, the new Assistant for adults Bowling Green State University. Joining her in her Director for the Secondary Career- Technical Alignment Initiative (SCTAI) with mental move back to Ohio is her dog, Emmett, and her cat, illnesses and Princess Foo Foo.

9 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Staff Happenings

New Interns Welcomed to the Ohio services post-graduation. In her free time, Kelsey enjoys Articulation and Transfer Network spending time with her boyfriend, playing trivia, and walking her three rescued dogs: Bella, a shih tzu/poodle MIn early fall, the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Network mix; Sammy, a king cavalier-poodle mix; and Winston, (OATN) welcomed three new “Buckeye” interns. Kelsey an English bulldog. Kelsey is one of OATNs two interns Witthauer, Serena Smalley, and Tiffany Alexander are who came to Columbus from California, but no worries, all students at The Ohio State University. In fact, one of Kelsey is not a USC fan. these interns even has a buckeye tree in her back yard in her hometown! Can you guess who it is? While all of our interns are now “Buckeyes”, two came to Columbus, Serena Smalley is a junior working toward a bachelor’s Ohio from more than 2,000 miles away! Can you guess degree in public affairs, and minoring in communications who they are? What about the state these two call at The Ohio State University. Serena comes to OATN home? Answers and a biography of each intern can be from Pasadena, California, so whenever she gets a found below. chance, she likes to Skype with her parents, her border collie Bodie, and friends. Serena previously worked as a customer service teller at Citi Bank, where Kelsey Witthauer she was responsible is a junior currently for numerous pursuing a bachelor’s banking operations, degree in speech including deposits sciences at The Ohio and withdrawals and State University. balancing her cash She has previously drawer. Serena enjoys worked as a client hiking, working out, advisor at JP Morgan swimming, and sports— Chase Bank, where especially football. A she was ranked a few fun facts about top performing Serena are that she loves advisor. In the ethnic foods, especially future, she plans to anything involving hot apply to a master’s L-to-R: Kelsey Witthauer, Serena Smalley, sauce, and loves to read program in speech and Tiffany Alexander the newspaper, preferably language pathology. an actual paper rather Kelsey is passionate than an online news feed. She currently about volunteering, having previously volunteered serves as a representative on the with the Columbus Speech and Hearing Institute as governmental affairs committee for the Undergraduate well as the Salvation Army. This summer, she plans to Student Government and as co-chair on the publicity volunteer with Remote Area Medical US, a program committee of the Buckeyes against Hunger campaign. helping rural residents gain access to free health care. After graduating, she plans to serve in the Peace Corps After completing her master’s degree, Kelsey plans through its master’s international program. From this to give back even more of her time and services to program, she will receive her master’s degree in public those who do not have proper access to speech and policy and serve an additional two years in the Peace hearing services. Additionally, she is working to set up Corps, ideally with a focus on youth development. a student initiative at Ohio State for other prospective speech language pathologists to donate their time and (continued on next page)

10 News from the Ohio Articulation & Transfer Network february 2014

Staff Happenings (cont.)

Following the time spent abroad, she hopes to live in raise awareness and funds for the American Foundation for Washington D.C. working on public relations or campaigns Suicide Prevention. After she graduates with her master’s for political and governmental figures. degree, she hopes to work as a professional high school counselor in a rural school district. She has a passion for public service, education, and hanging out with her mentee Tiffany Alexander is a first-year graduate student at in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, Rashaya. When The Ohio State University, pursuing a master’s degree Tiffany is in her hometown of Fort Loramie, Ohio, she loves in counselor education. Tiffany received her bachelor’s to walk her German and American husky mix, Gunner and degree in psychology and sociology from Bowling Green hang out with her extended family and friends. Tiffany also State University. At Bowling Green, Tiffany was highly is the OATN intern who has a buckeye tree in her backyard. involved as the service director of Omega Phi Alpha. Tiffany’s hobbies include reading, swimming, working Tiffany previously worked as a student supervisor, out, and attending OSU football games. A future plan of where she helped to train and mentor new staff, along Tiffany’s is to go backpacking throughout Europe. A few with numerous other duties. Tiffany, along with a small of the places she hopes to go are Ireland, Germany, and committee, coordinated an Out of the Darkness Walk to France.

Holiday Traditions – My Wish for Our Colleagues

What was YOUR wish for 2014? Did you dream of peace and happiness? Or maybe even a break from the cold weather? Below are some of the wishes Ohio Board of Regents staff had for each other for 2014 during a holiday exercise in which they shared their wishes for their colleagues in the New Year.

• For a Happy and Peaceful New Year • Peace, Love, Hope, Health, and Happiness • Prosperity, Peace, Love and Joy! Abundance in all things! • 700+ More CWID associate degrees • Peace, Blessings, & Great Health to All • Good vibes and positive energy! • Peace & Joy to All! • Peace & Prosperity for All! • Peace & Harmony • Peace on Earth, Good Will to All! • Health, Happiness, and Hope! • Love, Peace, Energy, More Joy, Less stress, More Friendship • Health & Happiness for Everyone • (J)ubilant (O)pportunities (Y)ear round • Cure for Cancer • Happiness to all our families with new additions • A real good tan… and peace in Syria… and if that isn’t too • Fairy Wings much, a girlfriend. • Happy Holidays! Wishing play-offs for the Blue Jackets! • Healthy & Happy Friends & Family! • A “perfect” year filled with Wonder and Joy • Peace and Goodwill • More students & more degrees • Peace, Love, Joy, Continued Happiness, Health, More GED • Any Cleveland Championship! learners, More successful adult education students. • Happy Holidays! Safe travels, spending time with family • Move to C-bus so no more driving for me!! and friends. • For the world to be a more accepting and caring place for • Give Leo an Oscar! all! • More wishes! • Wishing everyone lots of love and laughter! Have a great • Best wishes for 2014! year!

1-800-AFFORD-IT (233-6734) https://TransferCredit.ohio.gov 11