The 9th annual Ohio Growth Summit will be held Thursday, June
6, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Center for Workforce Development, sponsored by the Small Business Development Center at Columbus State. 
Adrienne Luke has only worked for Columbus State for one year, but already she has made a big impact on her own department and others.
May 20, 2013
Welcome to Summer Semester!
Columbus State will embark on its first Summer Semester —a shortened 10-week term—today with around 18,400 students taking advantage of the chance to get ahead or catch up on their Program of Study.
Numerous four-year-college students home for the summer from other institutions will also spend some time taking a summer class at Columbus State. The new semester schedule adopted by all Ohio colleges and universities allows more students than ever to take classes while on break from their home campus. Summer Semester ends August 3 and the fall term begins on August 21.
Employees honored as Men of the Year
Columbus State’s Male Access Network (MAN) Initiative honored
seven male students, employees and community leaders at its Man of the Year Awards at a ceremony earlier this month.
The awards honor men who have set a great example, employees who go out of their way to help students, and students who show leadership and character. The awards honored two employees and two students, as well as three others who aided the MAN Initiative and advocated for social change.
Jason Woltja
Jeffrey Akers
Winners were nominated by the campus community. The employees winners were: Jason Woltja, training specialist at the Testing Center, who wrote “My goal from the moment I wake, till I lay down again, is to work towards being a man of integrity and character.” Also named was Jeffrey Akers, coordinator of the Gahanna Regional Learning Center, who wrote “My definition of a man is found in a contemporized version of Micah 6:8, ‘He announced to you mankind what is good. And what does the Lord seek from you? Indeed, if only to make justice, and love kindness and be humble to walk with your God.’”
Two students were also honored; Kenneth Jackson and Paul Saltz. Both students graduated at the May 10 commencement.
The MAN Initiative also honored two more students and one community member, including student Johnathan Nwabunike, who was recognized for serving as program assistant for the MAN Initiative; student William “Beau” Foshee, who received the inaugural “Drum Major for Justice” award for advocacy for fellow brethren impacted by societal or systemic injustices; and Stephen Francis, manager of diversity relations with Honda of America Mfg. Inc. in Marysville, who received the Napoleon Bell award.
The MAN Initiative is a mentorship program that helps build character and leadership skills for Columbus State students. It’s currently seeking members and mentors: Man Initiative.
Academic professional development classes offered this summer
Two open online classes will be offered summer semester:
“Assessing Learning” will run June 3-28. We will engage each other in the complex issues surrounding assessing student learning. Course content includes Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs), providing feedback and developing rubrics.
“Teaching Effectively with PowerPoint” will run June 24 to July 19. We will explore, discuss and apply key principles of presentation design and delivery that best support learning. Topics include use of visuals, organization and design, supporting note-taking, and more.
For both classes, participants will identify topics, or "puzzles," to explore and to solve with peers. A Certificate of Completion is available for each by completing several required activities.
Visit the event registration site for more information and to sign up. For more information contact Rich James at ext. 2175.
Bike rentals coming to campus in July
A Columbus Bike Share rental rack will soon be installed on city property near the Bookstore on Mt. Vernon Avenue. The racks have been placed around the city, with a total of approximately 300 bicycles available for rental. The bike share rental rack next to our campus will be installed in the first week of July, and will have approximately 10 available bikes!
Bike Sharing is an innovative transportation program providing ideal short distance, point-to-point, simple-to-use bikes for moving around the city. It allows users to pick up a bicycle at any self-serve bike station and return it to any bike station in the system’s service area. In Columbus, these stations are located throughout downtown in relative close proximity to each other (about 1/3 mile apart), allowing for easy access and maximum use.
“This is a fun, healthy, affordable and green way for our residents to get around Columbus,” says Mayor Michael Coleman. “We've already made Columbus one of the best biking cities in the nation, and this is another big step toward making us even better."
Using a swipe card, the automated system will feature yearly memberships, single-day uses, and 3-day passes, all of which can be easily purchased at a station or online. Each time a member uses a bike, the first 30 minutes are free, followed by incremental charges each half hour thereafter. Long and short term memberships will be available to fit the daily, occasional, or visiting user. You can choose from yearly memberships, a weekend, or even just a day. Annual members get a small key fob device that unlocks the bike at any station. Walk-up users will be able
to sign up with a credit card at any kiosk and get a code for every use of a bike. Then you can use the bike for as many trips as you want within the limit of your membership. It’s ideal for short trips that are 30 minutes or less.
The bikes will be an aluminum step-through frame that is light, strong and durable. Easily adjustable seating, active lighting, front mounted luggage carrier, fenders, and puncture-resistant tires making the bikes efficient and easy to use.
Cougar golfer to compete at nationals
Ash Alstadt
Ash Alstadt finished in 4th place at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XII Tournament held May 11-12 in Battle Creek, Mich. Alstadt finished six over par after three rounds, only four shots back from two Owens Community College players who tied for first.
Columbus State’s team placed fourth overall. By placing fourth individually, Alstadt qualified for the NJCAA Division II National Championships to be held May 21-24 in Scottsboro, Ala. at the Goose Pond Colony Golf Club. Alstadt, a native of Little Rock, Ark., is a returning NJCAA Division II All-American, and he has been signed by Southeastern Oklahoma State University to transfer and play golf next year.
Service Awards to be given in June
The Human Resources Department has released a list of employees who have reached service milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years at Columbus State as of December 31, 2012, as well as part-time employees and adjunct faculty with equivalent service converted to semesters. View the list here.