Campus Happenings

From beautiful renovation projects, to new academic programs, to prestigious student honors; fall semester was an exciting time to be at Ohio Dominican!

Matesich Theatre Restored to Former Glory

Crews have completed the third phase of a $1-million restoration of the historic Sr. Mary Andrew Matesich, OP Theatre. During the Christmas break, the theater’s carpet and seats were replaced, which will offer guests a much more comfortable experience. Over the past several years, work has been done to strengthen and repair the theater’s exterior roof and walls; repair plaster and woodwork; and paint the walls and ceiling. Click here to make a donation to support the purchase of new lighting, audio and visual equipment, or to purchase a seat as part of the “Save Your Seat” campaign.

Software Engineering Students Win 2018 JPMorgan Chase “Code for Good” Competition

Software Engineering students Mustafa Nor ’19 and Chidi Emeh ’18 were on a team that took first place at the 2018 JPMorgan Chase “Code for Good” competition. More than 100 students participated in the 24-hour competition, which took place Oct. 19-20 at JPMorgan Chase’s technology headquarters in Columbus. Their team designed a prototype mobile app to benefit clients of OhioGuidestone, a foster care and family services organization that offers community-based services, including mental health and residential care. Every year, several ODU Software Engineering and Computer Science majors participate in the competition. A team of five ODU students also claimed top spot in 2015 when they designed and developed a prototype of an app to be used by the LeBron James Family Foundation.

Saliba ’18 Wins Honors in National Elie Wiesel Essay Contest

Jacob Saliba ’18, Sr. Joan Franks, OP, Ph.D., Marion Wiesel and Ron Carstens, Ph.D.

Jacob Saliba ’18 earned third place in the prestigious 2018 Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. His essay, “Why the Night Trilogy Matters,” was based on his senior Honors thesis. Thousands of college juniors and seniors from around the country submitted essays to the Foundation as part of this year’s contest. Saliba and the other honorees were recognized on Oct. 12 at an awards dinner in New York City, and had an opportunity to meet Wiesel’s widow, Marion Wiesel.

Higher Learning Commission Grants ODU 10-Year Reaccreditation

Ohio Dominican has been reaccredited by the Higher Learning Commission for a 10-year period, the maximum amount of time possible. The regional accreditation agency validates the overall quality of institutions and has affirmed the mission and responsibility of ODU. As part of the accreditation process, a team of HLC peer reviewers visited ODU on March 26-27, 2018.

Partnership with The Catholic Foundation Enhances Planned Giving Services

Ohio Dominican has partnered with The Catholic Foundation to engage with alumni and friends of the University who are considering supporting ODU through a planned gift. A planned gift is any major gift, made in lifetime or at death, as part of a donor’s overall financial and estate planning. This partnership allows ODU’s advancement team to focus on gift cultivation and annual giving efforts, while providing donors with access to the vast resources and knowledge of the Foundation’s staff as they consider future gifts and long-term planning to benefit the University.

ODU Launches New Online Master’s Degrees

Three additional master’s degree programs are available at ODU completely online. Students can now earn their master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Sport Management, or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, as well as a range of other certificates and degrees, 100 percent online. Click here to learn more about ODU’s online offerings.

More Than 170 Graduate at Fall Commencement

ODU celebrated its 110th Commencement ceremony on Dec. 15. More than 170 students received their degrees as they were joined by ODU faculty, staff, alumni, and hundreds of family and friends in Alumni Hall. Jim Strode, Ph.D., ODU associate professor of Sport Management, and dean of Graduate Studies, delivered the keynote address.

Panther Student-Athletes Excel During Fall Semester

Ohio Dominican’s fall athletic teams enjoyed another successful season. The football team went 9-2 and finished the regular season ranked in the top 25 in the country. They’ve won at least seven games in seven straight seasons. Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams qualified for their respective conference tournaments. The women’s soccer team won 10 games for the 10 th time in the last 11 seasons, and the men’s team picked up a win against Tiffin University, the top-ranked team in the region. The men’s golf team registered five topfive finishes, and the women’s golf team finished every tournament in the top 10. The volleyball team picked up a pair of victories at the nation’s largest collegiate volleyball tournament, the Midwest Region Crossover, and the women’s cross country team took first place at the Rio Grande Invitational under new head coach, Connor Callahan ’15.

New Dual-Licensure Programs Are Ohio’s First

Ohio Dominican has developed the state’s first undergraduate dual-licensure programs for high school mathematics and art teacher candidates to also earn their Intervention Specialist license within four years. The combination of these licenses will allow the candidates to better support all students, including students with special needs. The licensure programs, which will launch in fall 2019, were developed with the help of a nearly $225,000 two-year grant funded by the Ohio Deans Compact on Exceptional Children.