Issue 8, Winter 2019

Emeriti Connection

Letter from Our Executive Director

It was a productive fall for the Emeriti Association. The Board and I had set forth an ambitious agenda to create new partnerships on campus and in the community, to increase programming and social activities available to emeriti, and to begin the process of adding new student interns to our support team. We successfully accomplished these goals.

 

In an effort to expand interdisciplinary opportunities for emeriti, I had a series of beneficial meetings. I met with a representative of UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub and discussed potential research collaborations as well as hosting emeriti events at their new facility.  With UC Press, I discussed a book that could be authored by emeriti. With Board members and other stakeholders, there was a productive brainstorming session about a new version of the Oral History Project, as well as a meeting with the Office of the Provost about how emeriti can be involved with the new Faculty Enrichment Center.

Board President Pat Mezinkis and I met with the leadership of the retirement community Maple Knoll Village and organized an on-site meeting for emeriti interested in engaging with their community. (Please see Pat's letter and the feature article about this below.) Members of the Luncheon Speaker Series' Committee and I were able to solidify the first two EmeriTALKS events. The first occurred last week and was a big success. The next one will be held in April. And, the Special Activities Committee organized a calendar of CCM events for emeriti to attend free of charge. We'd like to encourage you, your friends and associates to attend these talks, performances and special events. More information about them appears later in this newsletter.

 

The Board approved hiring multimedia interns, who will assist with our digital communications, the design and build of a new Emeriti Association website, photographing and videotaping our special events, and archiving this documentation in a new web presence, so that all members can easily access it. We will interview student candidates soon.

Thanks to the hardworking members of the various standing committees that assisted in creating what is truly a significant number of opportunities and activities to engage emeriti on and off campus. Finally I want to express appreciation to all emeriti who participated in the end-of-year Membership Survey, which was emailed this past December. The information collected will be valuable, as we continue to develop new projects and programs.

Peter DePietro

[email protected]

Provost Fellow/Executive Director of the Emeriti Center           

Professor of Electronic Media/New Media

University of Cincinnati

Details about the following events will be emailed to members in advance of the scheduled dates.

February 21

Keisha Love, PhD

Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Special Initiatives, University of Cincinnati

UC's Faculty Enrichment Center: A Hub for Professional Development, Collaboration, Inclusion and Community

Dr. Keisha Love will talk about the future Faculty Enrichment Center (FEC). Construction of the FEC on the fifth level of Langsam Library is underway, with an anticipated opening in Fall 2019. A task force has been working with the Office of the University Architect to design a space that is comfortable and attractive to diverse faculty, but is also well-equipped to foster innovative activities, collaboration and host events (educational and social) that will be of broad interest to faculty. The FEC strives to create a culture of engagement for all UC faculty that has a positive impact on professional development, collaboration, inclusion and community.



Langsam CETL Room 480C, Lunch - 11:45 AM, Talk - 12:15 PM

February 28

Diana Schorry Brightman, PhD

Genetic Counselor I, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Direct-to-Consumer Ancestry Testing in the Age of Genetic Crime Solving

Millions of Americans have already sent DNA samples to Ancestry.com or 23andMe, to learn about their ethnic origins – sometimes with very interesting and surprising results. But Dr. Diana Brightman, will focus instead on a powerful and controversial new development in genetic testing: the use of public genealogical databases to identify suspects through analysis of DNA from crime scenes. This approach has stimulated outpourings of relief from grateful communities in some high-profile cold cases, such as the Golden State Killer, but also has raised serious ethical questions. Join us on the 28 ^th  for a lively presentation and discussion.

Langsam CETL Room 480C, Lunch - 11:30 AM, Talk - 12 noon

March 28

EmeriTALKS Special Event

Adam Gelter

Executive Vice President, Development, 3CDC ( Cincinnati Center City Development Corp.)

Transforming Cincinnati's Urban Core:

An Economic and Social Metamorphosis

3CDC was formed in July 2003, as part of an overall system to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of development activities in the City of Cincinnati. At the time, government officials and industry leaders agreed that the economic future of Cincinnati depended on a strong and vibrant downtown. Working collaboratively with the City of Cincinnati, the State of Ohio, and members of the corporate community, 3CDC is a leader in the effort to transform Cincinnati's urban core. Executive Vice President of Development, Adam Gelter, will discuss the transformation, its impact on the city and its residents, and some of 3CDC's future projects.

Location TBA, Lunch - 11:30 AM, Talk - 12 noon

April 25

Nancy Zimpher, PhD



Former President of the University of Cincinnati and former Chancellor of the State University of New York system of public institutions

Everything I Know, I Learned in Cincinnati:

A Case Study of Collective Impact

I n her storied career, Dr. Nancy Zimpher has held the titles of Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM), President of the University of Cincinnati (UC), and Dean and Professor of Education at Ohio State University. She has the distinction of being the first female to serve as Chancellor of SUNY, UWM's first woman chancellor, and UC's first female president. In her return to the UC campus for the Emeriti Luncheon Speaker Series, Dr. Zimpher talks about the collective impact her time in Cincinnati has had on her journey as a professional.

Langsam CETL Room 480C, Lunch - 11:30 AM, Talk - 12 noon

Grant Challenge for PR1ZE

Gene Lewis, Professor Emeritus, and his wife Dottie have offered a generous matching grant of $4,000 for the PR1ZE Mentoring Program. The Board has met the $4,000 challenge, and now we are asking Emeriti-at-large to also meet this challenge. This would give the Emeriti Association a total of $12,000 for this important program. This is an exciting opportunity to expand mentorship with UC students.

Please act now by donating at the UC Foundation website by clicking the button below. Thank you!

Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” In 2010 Dr. Anthony Perzigian, Professor Emeritus and former University of Cincinnati Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, would travel to Egypt to help young adults with their education. This would be his second act. And with it, he would help change the world of Egyptian students.

In 2006, Future University in Egypt (FUE) was created. Located in New Cairo, Egypt, it is an institution of higher learning that aims to provide students a higher education experience that will prepare them for the global stage. FUE has partnerships with major corporations and academic institutions throughout the world, including the University of Cincinnati (UC).

Upon announcing his retirement from UC, Tony was approached by Dr.  Adel Sakr, Professor Emeritus, and asked to take up a new challenge in Egypt. The opportunity was to assist Future University in Egypt in developing curricula similar to that of an American university, curricula that would present students with a kind of learning, different than that which the university had offered.

So, in 2010 with a position secured at FUE, Tony and his wife moved to Cairo to contribute to the development of this young university. However, his time in Egypt would be marked by social unrest and political upheaval. In 2011 the Arab Spring began, and the Egyptian government became unstable. This affected the livelihood of numerous institutions and organizations, and for a period in 2011 FUE closed. This would cause Tony and his family to return to Cincinnati. When the turmoil subsided, he returned to continue his work at the university. But, in 2013, a second revolution occurred in Egypt. Once again Tony and his family returned stateside.

An unpredictable and interesting thing happened. During the the time of the turmoil, FUE saw a rise in attendance. Young adults in Egypt became emboldened and determined to educate themselves. Today, the university has a student population of over 8,000 students.

In Cincinnati, Tony continues to interact with FUE exchange students, who come to the UC to study. He says that his work with FUE is some of the most gratifying of his career. Egyptian students studying in the United States are quick to embrace American culture, and, in particular, that of UC. They show much pride in wearing the ‘C’ paw.

UC and FUE have been faithful partners for years. The success of the partnership is because of the abundant support from UC, especially President Pinto and individual contributors. Recently UC extended its agreement with FUE, so the partnership will continue. Thanks to all these individuals these young adults in Egypt are given an opportunity to change their society through education.

Tony returns to Egypt two to three times a year. He truly has made a lasting impact on FUE, UC, and the students on both campuses.

Photographs courtesy of Dr. Anthony Perzigian

Do you happen to be in the middle of your own Second (or third) Act? Email us to let us know and you may find your story in a future newsletter.  

A formal affiliation with Maple Knoll Village, a continuing care retirement community with a 170 year history, and The University of Cincinnati has brought intergenerational relationships, opportunities to age in place, technology, real world experience and more to both campuses. 

 

The collaboration is based on a 30-year history of working together in nursing, medical, and pharmacy education and practice. In 2012, through a partnership with the UC College of Nursing, a villa on the Maple Knoll campus was transformed into a learning and test environment for the development of technologies aimed at keeping seniors in their own homes or communities longer.

 

The house serves as a location for experiential learning for students and volunteers in health care fields, engineering and other related areas. The Innovation Collaboratory is home to telehealth robots and patient simulators, and is now the testing ground for innovative student projects aimed at detecting falls, preventing medication errors and making life easier for an aging population. A university wide Affiliation was signed in April of 2015 and then renewed in May of 2018 to further promote collaboration. 

 

The relationships continue to be a draw for retirees who are focused on active, intellectually stimulating and intergenerational retirement environments, which is exactly what an affiliation with a college campus has to offer. The mission of the partnership is to create a nationally recognized interdisciplinary learning partnership for students, faculty, practitioners, employees, and researchers that strives to enhance the quality of care and services for older adults. This will further the missions of the University of Cincinnati and Maple Knoll Communities by fostering a sustainable program of innovation, research, and practice. 

For additional information please visit https://www.mapleknoll.org/ucaffiliation or call 513.782.2424. 

This article was written by Megan Gresham-Ulrich, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing and Development at Maple Knoll Communities, Inc.

CCM Performances

The Emeriti Association is pleased to announce the calendar of CCM performances available to members during the Spring 2019 semester. As a bonus to emeriti, there is  no charge for these events, so come hear the stars of tomorrow on stage today at CCM.

Die Fledermaus

Saturday, February 9

Cohen Family Theatre, 8:00 PM

CCM Concert Orchestra

Friday, March 8

Patricia Corbett Theatre, 8:00 PM

CCM Chamber Winds

Wednesday, April 10

Patricia Corbett Theatre, 8:00 PM

UC Bearcat Bands in Concert

Thursday, May 2

Corbett Auditorium, 7:00 PM

Information about picking up tickets, as well as associated social activities will be emailed in advance of performances. If you have questions, please email Terrence G. Milligan, Board Vice President, [email protected].

These events have been organized by the Social Activities Committee, Terry Milligan and Mary Stucky, Co-Chairs.

There are many volunteer opportunities for emeriti in Greater Cincinnati. Here are a couple.

Split the Pot: Cincinnati Reds Home Games

Split the Pot takes place at all Reds home games. When volunteering for Split the Pot, individuals canvas the Great American Ball Park and sell 50/50 raffle tickets: 50% of the money taken in by the raffle ticket sales benefits The Reds Community Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth by leveraging the tradition of the Cincinnati Reds and the game of baseball. Volunteers are needed from the time gates open until the seventh inning. After volunteers finish their shifts they can watch the remainder of the game.

For more information about The Reds Community Fund , visit https://www.mlb.com/reds/community or call (513) 765-7510.

Queen City Kitchen

In 1976 Father Thomas Bokenkotter created a soup kitchen that would cater to the growing demand for free meals in the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine. Over the last few decades it has grown into an organization and added a new location in Walnut Hills. The volunteer opportunities include preparing food for serving, serving those who are in the soup kitchen, and cleaning up the Queen City Kitchens. The Walnut Hills location also includes a pantry where volunteers can bag groceries, stock shelves and distribute groceries to guests. 

For more information visit https://www.queencitykitchen.org or call (513) 961-1983

Satellite Campuses Go Green

Thanks to an agreement between  the University of Cincinnati and American Electric Power UC Clermont and UC Blue Ash along with all satellite campuses are powered by wind energy. The new contract began in October of 2018 and is projected to save the university approximately $25,000 annually. Additionally, UC Clermont is considering upgrading all their heating and cooling systems, so that they have energy efficient products. Right now, some of the systems are original, dating back to 1972. When all the work is complete, UC Clermont will see a decrease in expenses by at least 25 percent. This will have a positive impact for generations to come.

Bicycles are Welcome

The League of American Bicyclists recently named the University of Cincinnati as a bicycle friendly university. The award, established by the league in 2011, recognizes states, communities, universities and businesses for creating safer roads, stronger communities and a more bicycle-friendly America. UC has a unique feature with UC Bike Kitchen located near French Hall on the Uptown West Campus. The bike kitchen trains students to repair bikes and educates them about safety on the roads and paths. Students can also lend and share bikes through this location. Biking is a healthy alternative to driving from place to place. UC is doing its part to create a more eco-friendly environment.

The Crack Down on Reoccurring Strokes

University of Cincinnati’s Achala Vagal, MD , Pooja Khatri, MD, Brett Kissela, MD and Albert Barnes Voorheis were recently granted 3.2 million dollars to study why reoccurring strokes are occurring and why they have spiked in the last five years. Dr. Vagal, Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Radiology, is the principal investigator in the study. Annually, around 800,000 people will have a stroke each year and of those the likelihood of a reoccurring stroke is around 25%. While health professionals understand the triggers and risk factors of an initial stroke, researchers are trying to pinpoint the cause of reoccurring strokes. The study is titled APRISE (Assessing Population-based Radiological brain health in Stroke Epidemiology). It will be based off the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Stroke Study (GCNKSS) which has compiled stroke data since the 1990s.

DAAP Professor Creates an App to Help Children Learn

Renee Seward, Associate Professor in the School of Design at the UC College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) was inspired to create an app for cellphones that helps adolescents learn to read. Professor Seward’s friend's son was struggling to learn how to read because of default formatting issues on the Apple's i-Phone. Professor Seward realized early on in her research that a child's struggles to read after the fourth-grade can lead to other negative learning outcomes. For her new app, she researched sensory methods that help kids learn how to read, applied graphic design principles to the challenges that some students face when trying to learn, and even designed a new font. The app, called See Word Reading, is available in the Apple App Store.

In 1904 the University of Cincinnati enrollment had grown prompting the need to plan a better campus layout. President Howard Ayers hired well known campus planner and architect McKim, Mead and White, who created a plan in the Beaux Arts tradition: with symmetry of form and axial alignments composed of hierarchical spaces surrounding a central quadrangle. These plans would lay the ground work for the campus present day, pictured above.

Issue 8, Winter 2019