Hale Center to host annual dinner of thanks

Hungry members of the international student community share in good food and diverse company at the Thanksgiving Dinner last year, hosted by the Hale Cultural Center. Around 500 people are expected at the 11th annual event this year, to be held Nov. 28 at the center.   Courtesy of the Hale Cultural Center

Gathering helps students feel home for the holiday

By Liz Cook, Media Relations

Thanksgiving is typically a time for families to get together but for some Ohio State faculty, staff and students unable to travel, the Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center has become their home for the holiday.

What started initially as a gathering of 25 students, the 11th annual Thanksgiving Dinner has evolved into an international feast that fed nearly 500 people last year.

The dinner is free but everyone needs a ticket to attend. Tickets are available at the Hale Cultural Center; the Office of International Education, 100 Oxley Hall; the Office of Minority Affairs-Special Programs, 1010 Lincoln Tower; and the Multicultural Center, located on the fourth floor of the Ohio Union.

Larry Williamson, director of the Hale Cultural Center, said since 70 percent of the attendees are international students, the dinner is a multicultural celebration.

"We do not necessarily celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday as much as we extend the concept of celebrating a meal where all cultures can collectively break bread and share a different cultural experience from each other," Williamson said.

The traditional meal of turkey and stuffing with all the trimmings will be prepared by a local caterer and served in two shifts, at 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Volunteers will provide entertainment, serve meals and clean up throughout the day.

"It's a collaborative effort that involves a significant number of people within the University and the community," Williamson said. "Volunteers help plan, facilitate, prepare and serve a full-course meal for many who would otherwise be alone for the day."

Graduate student Patty Cunningham said she has enjoyed volunteering to help with the dinner for the past two years.

"The dinner draws such a large number of students, particularly those with families," Cunningham said. "Last year, I held babies while their mothers prepared their plates and met people from virtually all over the world."

Cunningham added that the dinner is the vehicle that draws people together for a much larger purpose.

"It's so heartwarming," she said. "The fellowship is a very edifying experience and creates a sense that being at Ohio State really means you are home."

Political cartoons by Thomas Nast on display at Cartoon Research Library
Artwork courtesy of Cartoon Research Library "Merry Old Santa Claus," above, appeared in Harper's Weekly on Jan. 1, 1881.

Thomas Nast, known as the father of American political cartooning, brought us images of Boss Tweed, the Civil War, and one of the first images of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly and other publications. The gripping images of Nast's political cartoons, created more than 100 years ago to battle corrupt politicians, remain relevant. His image of Santa, created in 1862, has evolved into the figure now commercialized during the holiday season.

Ohio State's Cartoon Research Library has opened the doors to a new exhibit titled "Thomas Nast: Prince of Caricaturists" that includes some of Nast's most famous and influential work. The exhibit, which marks the centennial of Nast's death, is on display in the reading room of the library through Jan. 24.

The library is located at 27 W. 17th Ave., accessible from a doorway north of Mershon Auditorium and the Wexner Center.

Thomas Nast's caricature, above right, appeared on the cover of Harper's Weekly Dec. 2, 1876, and his portrait, above left, ran in the Aug. 26, 1871 edition.

Nast was born in Germany in 1840, and immigrated to the United States in 1846. Following his death on Dec. 7, 1902, Nast's obituary in Harper's Weekly stated, "He has been called, perhaps not with accuracy, but with substantial justice, the Father of American Caricature."

The library will mark the centennial of Nast's death with a symposium by two leading scholars of his work. Nast's contributions to the history and culture of his adopted country were many, yet he died in near obscurity. Two leading Nast scholars, Morton Keller and Draper Hill, will speak at the symposium at the Faculty Club on Dec. 7. The symposium is free and open to the public, but preregistration is required. To preregister, see the Web site or call the library at 292-0538.

The exhibit also includes a Web site, www.lib.ohio-state.edu/cgaweb/nast/index.htm, with images, as well as tools for educators.

Ohio State strengthens relationship with Columbus State

Scholarships available for some transfer students

By Liz Cook, Media Relations

As part of the University's long-standing articulation agreement with Columbus State Community College, some students in good academic standing who choose to pursue a bachelor's degree at Ohio State may earn merit scholarships.

This fall, on a pilot basis, seven scholarships were awarded to Columbus State students who were transferring to Ohio State's Columbus campus. The state legislature and Ohio Board of Regents adopted a statewide policy in 1990 encouraging state-assisted universities to establish articulation and transfer agreements with community colleges. With the scholarships comes weekly access to an Ohio State academic adviser on the Columbus State campus to assist students in meeting the requirements for a successful transfer.

Martha Garland, vice provost for undergraduate studies, said the agreement meets two priorities of the University with regard to recently approved competitive admissions standards and increasing diversity.

"We find that students who have done well and transfer from community colleges are performing in our classrooms at a rate nearly equal to the rest of the student body," Garland said.

"Community college campuses, which are traditionally more ethnically diverse than our four-year institutions, can be an important resource for Ohio State in continuing to attract a diverse student body."

Garland added that the incoming class of freshmen this fall is the most diverse ever, with an estimated 18 percent of students being a member of an ethnic minority group. "Ultimately, our priority is providing all prospective students with the proper resources to be successful at Ohio State," Garland said. "Admission is important, but the real bottom line is graduation with an Ohio State degree."

The agreement with Columbus State Community College, signed in 1989, was the first of its kind adopted in Ohio. Revisions were made in 1997 that assure an Ohio State admission for all students who have earned an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree. Students are also on equal standing with current Ohio State students for access to selective programs.

Additionally, a dual degree provision allows transfer students the opportunity to use their Ohio State credits to earn both a bachelor's degree and an associate's degree without returning to their community college.

Mac Stewart, vice provost for the Office of Minority Affairs, said it is important to continually look for alternative approaches that encourage admission to the University.

"The dual degree program is one that assists Columbus State students in meeting their goal to attend Ohio State," Stewart said.

Formal agreements have since been secured with another six community colleges. Agreements were signed with Cuyahoga, Lakeland and Lorain County community colleges in northeast Ohio in 1994, Sinclair and Clark State in southwest Ohio in 1995, and with Owens Community College in Toledo in 1998.

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