Reaching out: Spotlight is on outreach and engagement

Ohio State continues to move forward in its mission to expand its outreach and engagement efforts to be felt statewide.

In recognition of and to gauge those efforts, University Outreach and Engagement sponsored a week of activities Oct. 29-Nov. 2, featuring a funding roundtable, OSU CARES grants showcase, an assembly of outreach representatives, and a reception launching the Outreach and Engagement exhibits that will be displayed in Bricker Hall during the months of November and December.

Major steps were taken in April, when an enhanced Web presence featuring project and resources databases, two new committees and restructured leadership responsibilities were unveiled. Three focus areas were identified: P-12 education; science technology and economic development; and health and safety.

Further steps were taken when a contact person responsible for outreach activities was designated for each college or vice presidential unit. Bobby Moser, vice president for University outreach, welcomed those representatives for an assembly and discussion Nov. 1 at the Longaberger Alumni House.

"These people are the voice of outreach at Ohio State and they have the responsibility to provide leadership to implement outreach within their department," Moser said.

Those present were asked to follow up on feedback provided by those attending the April 20 "Helping to Build Ohio's Future: The Ohio State University's Outreach/Engagement Commitment" conference held at the Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown Columbus. At that conference, participants were asked if they had seen a change in culture at Ohio State related to University/community partnerships, and what elements of University culture needed to change to move Ohio State to the next level of an engaged institution.

Suggestions and/or needs expressed were: include outreach activities as part of promotion and tenure; recognize that certain individuals' strengths are better suited for research, teaching or service; develop a better reward and recognition system; offer a portal for access to outreach options and communication of what is currently being done; change attitudes of faculty and major planners; and enhance funding.

Moser offered the services of his office, and called for additional feedback.

"How do we move beyond the barriers and make these changes?" Moser said.

Earlier in the week, locating funding sources for outreach and engagement projects was the topic of a roundtable discussion held Oct. 29 at the Ohio Union.

Sarah Starr, director of funding and research for the Ohio State University Research Foundation, told those attending that OSURF has an entire menu of tools to help faculty and staff obtain funding for outreach activities. They not only help locate funding for projects, but also help clarify the type of funding required through a research-focused discussion.

Tools include a 400,000-member faculty expertise database, a system that includes 20,000 funding opportunities, weekly grant alerts through a funding alert service, and access to electronic funding and research development services from anywhere in the world.

Starr encouraged principal investigators to visit sponsors or potential sponsors, and said OSURF can help fund such trips.

The foundation also sponsors workshops that teach grant writing, search methods and ways to find the not-so-obvious funding.

"There is all sorts of hidden funding out there if you know where to look," Starr said.

For details, contact the Office of Funding and Research Development at 292-8663 or visit the Web at http://rf.osu.edu.

Again this year, University Outreach and Engagement is offering grants through funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Seed grants of up to $20,000 each and mini-seed grants of up to $1,250 are available to help support outreach and engagement activities at Ohio State.

The smaller mini-seed grants were launched last year to create more opportunities for more people. Last year, 129 applications were received, with 33 grants awarded, said Karen Bruns, leader of OSU Cares and outreach and engagement.

"We were surprised at not only the response, but also the impact of those projects that were funded, based on their follow-up reports," Bruns said. She said that 44 percent of the funding supported pilot projects, with 58 percent of those pilot activities developing into ongoing outreach and engagement activity. Additionally, 64 percent of the grants supported outreach activities involving P-12 education.

Proposals should be sent to University Outreach and Engagement, 5066 Smith Laboratory, c/o Vice President Bobby D. Moser.

Proposals for the mini-seed grants are due by Dec. 14, while proposals for the seed grants are due by Jan. 15, 2002.

For details on these grant programs, contact Bruns at 292-9613 or bruns.1@osu.edu, or Barbara Millisor at 688-3041 or millisor.1@osu.edu, or visit the Web at http://outreach.osu.edu.

Bridge to learning

	Ed Williams, left, a custodial worker in Stradley Hall, considers his first college class to be a step toward his goal of a career in the communications field.
Vanessa Glass, right, a custodial worker in the Younkin Success Center, above, right, plans to become a substance abuse counselor. For more information about the Bridge program, call 292-8860.   Photos by Jo McCulty

Continuing Education reaches out to custodial population

By Susan Wittstock, onCAMPUS staff

The roomful of new students broke into enthusiastic applause and cheers, savoring the chance to pat themselves on the back for the work they've accomplished so far in the quarter. The group, a gathering primarily of custodial and food service staff, were enjoying a reception on Oct. 22 planned to honor their efforts as students in a new introductory computer class.

"We are so proud of you. You are heroes," said Yoko Hayden, graduate administrative associate in the Graduate School.

Hayden, pursuing a degree from the College of Education's School of Educational Policy and Leadership, has turned enrolling nontraditional students in Ohio State classes into a mission -- one conducted formally through a practicum last summer with the Bridge program in the Office of Continuing Education, and informally through personal encouragement and contact with potential students.

For more than 20 years, the Bridge program has offered introductory college courses to Ohio State staff who are transitioning into college course work. Classes are offered at times convenient to staff who are working full time, and provide the opportunity to join other nontraditional students in the classroom.

Enrollment hovers at about 100 students each quarter, said Mike Hoza, academic counselor and staff assistant for continuing education, with the majority of students employed in clerical positions at the University. Approximately 75 percent of the students are women.

This autumn, enrollment in Bridge courses jumped to 149, with the addition of two sections of the Intro to Computer Literacy course. Of the 53 seats in those two classes, 35 are filled with students employed by Student Affairs, and nearly 50 percent of the students are men. As an encouragement, Student Affairs is paying the $30 enrollment fee for all of its employees who choose to enroll.

Ohio State's Fee Authorization Program provides faculty and staff members who have a 75 percent or more full-time equivalent appointment with a 100 percent waiver of instructional and general fees for up to 10 hours per quarter.

Participants include Vanessa Glass and Kimberley Starr, both custodial workers in the Younkin Success Center.

Glass has worked for Ohio State for 21 years and is excited to be taking her first class. "My goal is to be a substance abuse counselor, so I figured I'd better get started," she said. "I have a 17-year-old son and I wanted to teach him it's never too late to learn. He thinks it's wonderful. He's telling everybody his mom is going to college."

Glass now skips lunch a couple of times a week to work on homework in the Younkin Success Center. "When I got out of school in 1977, there was the electric typewriter. At first, the computer kind of intimidated me, but I figure I can do this," she said.

Glass praised instructor Jon Schade for making the course material accessible. "Our instructor makes it fun to be there. It's exciting. He makes you feel like you're the tops in the class. He keeps us motivated," she said.

Starr is also considering the class a stepping stone to additional education. "This is a challenge because I don't know a lot about computers. This is a good start for when I take my other classes," she said.

She is picking up where she left off 19 years ago, when she studied nursing at Indiana University before having her first child. "I am planning on getting a degree. I always wanted to be in the psychology field," she said.

Her supervisors are supportive of her academic life. "They're excited for me. They see that you're working toward something. I had told them I wanted to start taking classes," Starr said.

There is a strong interest in furthering education among Ohio State staff who don't have their degrees, Hayden said. She first came into close contact with custodial employees while volunteering to help clean the residence halls during the Communications Workers of America Local 4501 strike in May 2000. She discovered that many employees she met at that time were not aware of the opportunities for education offered by the University or did not understand the enrollment process.

"So, I started recruiting people," Hayden said. She successfully encouraged 10 people to enroll as students during the summer of 2000.

The extracurricular effort became too complicated for Hayden, who was also balancing work and student obligations. Last summer, she was able to turn her project into a practicum, part of her academic curriculum for her master's degree.

She was assigned supervisors in the Office of Continuing Education, and given the green light to pursue her recruitment project.

"I thought it sounded like a good idea," said Hoza, referring to when Tony Basil, director of continuing education, approached him about working with Hayden.

"It was serendipity, really," Hoza said. "We have offered a basic series of computer courses. The first was meant to be a fundamental course. It was a problem, though, because some of the students already had experience, and others would come in knowing very little. It made it difficult on the instructor to keep all the students engaged. We'd been talking about how the bridge needed to be a bit longer."

The Intro to Computer Literacy course was developed last summer as a truly introductory course, Hoza said.

Schade, an instructor for teaching and learning, said his students are a real joy to teach. "They are so hungry to update their skills," he said.

"At this point in their learning life, they need to relearn how to learn and get someone to believe in them," Schade said. "I see differences in the way people carry themselves from the first day until now. I told them: 'You are changing.'"

Continuing Education is in the planning stages for a follow-up computing course. Hoza said he hopes the enthusiasm demonstrated by current students will be catching. "People trust their co-workers, and once we do the seeding, they will go out and tell their co-workers," he said.

He praised Hayden for her recruitment efforts, which include keeping in regular touch with current students to chart their progress, and working with mana- gers and administrators to identify staff who might be interested in enrolling in future quarters.

"Yoko really made us sensitive to a much greater need than we were aware of and also showed us successes, because she has brought people into the program and they have done well," Hoza said. "The normal lines of communication have not been penetrating this population."

Hayden's research could not locate any evidence that this type of program was being offered elsewhere. She is collecting and processing data from the project to measure the success of Ohio State's program.

Ultimately, success will hinge on the labors of individual students like Glass, who is proud to have started up the road toward a new career. "Oh, yes. I'm going to get my degree," Glass said. "Whatever it takes to get it. I'm determined to get it."

next page...