Service Trips Help Students "Break" Out of Comfort Zone

Packaging food to go to disabled children in Haiti – an effort that provided enough meals to feed 49 kids for an entire year – wasn’t physically as taxing as it was emotionally bonding.

Spring break may be over. But the insights gained by over 35 BW students participating in alternative break trips to Chicago, Charleston (S.C.), Jacksonville (Fla.) and Biloxi (Miss.) will last a lifetime.

BW group in Chicago gather after boxing food
to go to children in Haiti.

Landscaping at a women's shelter
in Mississippi.

Working with oysters in
South Carolina for sustainability
initiatives.

With issues like sustainability, hurricane recovery, social justice and family-youth, the four BW Office of Community Outreach service trips provided students with new perspectives and experiences they described as "phenomenal, empowering, mind-opening and exciting."

In May, BW students will head to Kansas City (Mo.) and Nicaragua, where they will do service focused on education.

Service in Jacksonville

CPA Journal Features Article by BW Professor of Business

Jacob Kamm, professor in the Business Division at BW, co-authored an article that is published in the current issue of Tennessee CPA Journal, a bimonthly publication containing information about current issues in the accounting profession.

Kamm's article, "Leasing: Analysis of the FASB/IASB Exposure Draft," dissects potential issues with the 2013 Exposure Draft and proposed changes to financial reporting requirements for leases.

Kamm, who also serves as faculty advisor to BW's student Investment Club, is the former  President and Chief Executive EFCO, Inc.

BW Lambda Chi Alpha Receives Charter

The BW colony of Lambda Chi Alpha is a colony no more. Over the weekend, the chapter received their charter, a written document from the Lambda Chi Alpha headquarters by which a colony, an experimental body of a Greek organization awaiting recognition, is made into a chapter and is given chapter rights and privileges.

Since 2010, the BW members of Lambda Chi Alpha have been working hard to earn their charter. Many of the fourteen members who founded the colony four years ago have graduated, but three founders are still on campus: Zachary Frese '14, Kenneth Kosovich '14, and Steven Fasone '14.

"It's been a lot of hard work," says Frese, "but now that we have chartered we can start growing as a chapter and start giving back to BW more. Lambda Chi has a long history at BW and we hope to continue our legacy far into the future."

The chapter is now able to personalize the  floor in Heritage Hall, and will be able to have fraternity letters placed on the side of the building. As they said during Greek Sing 2013: "We've been charter, we're here to stay."

Project Linus Brings Students Together in Service

The Office of Community Outreach (OCO) recently partnered with Project Linus to provide "security through blankets."

After reaching out to the Baldwin Wallace community, OCO was able to raise more than $1,700 to buy supplies, including a mountain of soft colorful fleece fabric.

Students came together on a recent Saturday to cut, tie and construct more than 200 blankets, which will be distributed to local children who are ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need.

On the OCO Facebook page, you'll find an entire gallery of colorful photos from the Project Linus.

BW Seniors Earn American Chemical Society Awards

BW seniors Melissa Hoffbauer and James Dobscha both received awards for their presentations at the 2014 annual Cleveland Section American Chemical Society’s “Meeting in Miniature,” hosted by BW on March 12.


Hoffbauer and Dobscha were two of just four undergraduate students to earn awards out of 52 presentations. Other participating schools included Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Oberlin College and The University of Akron.

Education Degree Sends Alum on Alaskan Adventure

While many BW students are thinking of warmer weather this time of year, Mary Enos '13, took her BW Education degree north to Nightmute, Alaska. Nightmute is a small Yup'ik village of less than 300 people on the west coast of Alaska.

Enos teaches Kindergarten and 1st Grade in the small school, where students speak both English and Yugtun.

She keeps an updated blog, Mary's Alaskan Adventure, where you can read more about her experience.

Students Give Cool Cleveland a Preview of The White Album

The BW Beatles welcomed Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready to a recent late night rehearsal for The White Album: In Concert.

The resulting Cool Cleveland video features an interview with BW Conservatory of Music students Jesse Hodgson, who plays guitar, and Patrick Hyzy, who has been working for more than a year (with support from a BW Summer Scholars research grant) researching and arranging each of the 30 songs on the double album. The video closes with a taste of the student band rehearsing "Birthday."

The free White Album concert takes place on March 29. Get more information here.

The BW Beatles on Cool Cleveland

BW Alumnus Earns Event Planning Award

BW Sport Management alumnus Kevin Grissinger ’11 received the Corporate Event Planner Rising Star of the Year Award at Cleveland Business Connects 7th Annual Connectors’ Choice Awards.

Grissinger planned his first corporate event in 2013 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where he was an intern. From there, Grissinger leaped from function to function while representing organizations like the Cleveland Foodbank, the Cleveland Browns, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Every time I was introduced to someone,” Grissinger says, “they would tell me they were so glad the position was filled and that I was being thrown in the fire. That did not bother me at all because I believe that learning on the fly is the best way to learn.”

Beyond the Classroom: Prof Excels in National Photo Competition

Photo Credit: Terry Martin (used with permission)

BW's faculty is multifaceted, often excelling in endeavors outside their teaching disciplines. One recent example is Dr. Terry Martin of BW's English department who enjoys photography outside the classroom. Martin was named runner-up in a national juried photo competition, Chasing the Light: Our Feathered Friends, for his photo, "Dangling in Ding Darling."

BW Wins 2014 National Racquetball Titles

The BW Men's and Women's Racquetball Olympic sport club teams each won their respective Division II National Championships at the US Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships hosted by North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC  March 11-15. Together, the teams combined points to win the Division II overall Championship.

The BW men's team won on the strength of freshmen Manolo Sandoval (who plays racquetball for Guatemala’s national team) and Thomas Carter, with help from David Levin, Brad Sevcik, Luke Kollin and Jonathan Levine. The women’s team claimed their championship with contributions from Nicole Fraley, Megan Kane, Stephanie Poutz,  Jennifer Pease, Devan Gelle and Natalie Kendrick. 

The teams are coached by Tim Miller, who also serves as the director of BW Recreational Sports and Services and admission counselor Justin Levine.

Production Developed at BW Premieres in Denmark

How do you say "break a leg" in Danish? 

It's opening night across the pond, as BW Music Theatre Director Victoria Bussert stages the European premier of the musical, LIZZIE, in Denmark. You'll recall that BW, in partnership with PlayhouseSquare, was part of the development process of this show two years ago. 

By the way, according to Google Translate, we should say, "brækker et ben, Vicky!"

Student's First Screenplay Ranked Top 10 Percent

Lydia Griffiths '14 scored when she submitted her very first screenplay to the BlueCat Screenplay Competition. The Order was ranked in the top 10 percent among more than 4,000 submissions.

Lydia, a History and Film Studies double major, combines both her passions in The Order, a fictional story set in 1421 centering on English Baron Jasper of Hareford and the assassin sent to kill him. The work was conceived in a BW screenwriting class and through her research on 15th century England and the 12th century Islamic Assassin Sect.

The modest author shares that she submitted to BlueCat for "the exposure and the feedback," not expecting the sweet surprise she received six months after submission.

After graduation, Lydia's dream career is filmmaker, screenwriter or producer.

BW's Seminar in Europe Touches Down in Athens

And they're off! BW students arrived in Athens this week,  the first stop along their six-week tour through Europe, with visits to Delphi and Olympia, Greece; Florence, Rome, and Venice, Italy; Munich, Germany and London, England, before returning to the US on May 1. 

Seminar in Europe, a biennial Explorations/StudyAbroad experience, has been exposing BW students to the vast history of Europe for nearly three decades. The seminar involves eight weeks of intensive study and orientation on BW’s campus, followed by the six weeks of travel. Since 1976, more than 500 students from BW have participated in this seminar and its predecessor, the Humanities Year Program.

Student-Athletes Score Big at Nationals

It was an amazing week for BW student-athletes Jesse Gunter ’16, and members of the women’s basketball and wrestling teams.

Talent and tenacity led Gunter, who has 10 percent vision in one eye and none in the other, to a third place finish and All-America status at the 2014 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. His coach, Jamie Gibbs, believes Gunter is just beginning to tap his potential. The story was reported in the Plain Dealer and covered by WKYC.

The women’s basketball players also netted success this season, as covered by major Cleveland media. Their outstanding Sweet 16 ride to nationals bridged on-court teamwork with off-court heroics and bonding that include saving a child from drowning, motherhood and family-like camaraderie. Although the team fell to home-court advantage Fairleigh Dickinson (N.J.) University-Florham in playoffs, it was BW’s 12th NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament in the 24 years Cheri Harrer has coached. 

Congrats also to three members of the track team who became NCAA Division III All-Americans at the Indoor National Championship Meet in Nebraska. They include senior sprinter Kevin Johnson and sophomores Melanie Winters and Kim Gallavan in the long jump and 20-pound weight throw.

Political Science Professor Talks Ukraine on Alumnus' Radio Show

Political Science and International Studies professor Dr. Judy Krutky joined BW alumnus Jasen Sokol '11 on his Akron talk radio show to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine.

In the clip available for replay on WAKR radio's website, Dr. Krutky explains how recent sanctions will affect the situation between Russia, Ukraine and neighboring nations.

By the way, The Jasen Sokol Show is a recent addition to WAKR's lineup, debuting in late February. Jasen's background, studying political science and broadcasting at BW, came together for his recent interview with Dr. Krutky. In his online biography, Jasen attributes the discovery of his passion for radio while working for WBWC The Sting. He minored in Broadcasting/Communications at BW and went on to earn a Master's degree from Kent State.

In addition to hosting his new midday radio show, Jasen serves as the morning news editor for AkronNewsNow.com and RCRG. You can also catch Jasen delivering morning traffic reports for 1590 WAKR, 97.5 WONE, 94.9 WQMX and 107.3 The WAVE in Cleveland.

Alumni Keep Players Healthy for Return of America’s Pastime

As BW waves goodbye to winter and welcomes the long-awaited spring, we look forward to melting snow, rising temperatures and baseball.

With Opening Day fast approaching, did you know that that four graduates of BW's Athletic Training Program are hard at work keeping Major League Baseball players healthy and ready to chase a playoff spot? They are:

• George Poulis ’88, Head Athletic Trainer for the Toronto Blue Jays
•  Rick Jameyson ’92, Head Athletic Trainer for the Boston Red Sox
•  Nick Paperesta ’94, Head Athletic Trainer for the Oakland A’s
•  Brad Epstein ’05, Rehabilitation Coordinator for the Cincinnati Reds

We wish our alumni good luck with their respective teams...and add an enthusiastic, Go Tribe!

BW Alum Wins on Jeopardy

Matt Kish, a Baldwin Wallace University grad and social studies teacher at North Royalton High School is the latest Northeast Ohioan to succeed at Jeopardy. As the winner of last night's (March 13, 2014) edition of the trivia game show, Kish will appear again tonight (3/14) on WOIO-TV 19 at 7:30 p.m.

The Plain Dealer story on Kish's $23,000+ win quotes the principal at his high school as saying, "He's just got a knowledge base that's unheard of. He can talk about anything."

Kish picked up at least some of that knowledge earning a BA in secondary education and history in 2003, and later an MA in educational leadership, right here at BW, where he also happened to be an Academic All American Yellow Jacket football player!

Update: Before he lost in a close second appearance on Jeopardy (and added another $2,000 in winnings), the PD posted this follow-up interview with Kish on his prep and strategy for the game.

Event Planning Class Creating "Udder Nonsense"

BW students are designing a cow-themed Udder Nonsense 5k Walk, Waddle, and Run to attract new visitors to Ohio's only state park with a working farm, Malabar Farms. The students are teaming up with The Malabar Farms Foundation to preserve and restore the historic "big house" at the State Park.

"My class actually created and implemented the event for the first time last April," BW Public Relations professor Tina Mihalek said. "It's full of lots of silly cow-themed antics and designed to get more visitors (especially first-timers) to this wonderful State Park."

The class is split into groups that are responsible for drafting sponsorship letters, developing partnerships, and managing advertising strategies.

 
Alexa Donner '16 says, "As a public relations major, this class has really helped me learn about event planning through a very hands on approach. It's great to already have a lot of experience outside of the classroom that I can put on my resume as a sophomore."

The race will be held Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Malabar Farm State Park.