New Ohio State faculty to take two-day road trip

COLUMBUS – Nearly 70 new professors and administrators from The Ohio State University will take a two-day road trip (Sept. 16-17) as part of an annual effort to provide new faculty with a first-hand look at Ohio State's partnerships across the state.

“The truest way to understand the value of this university to the people of Ohio is to get out and talk with them,” said Gee, who will join the group for a few stops on first day of the tour. “Through partnerships large and small, Ohio State uses its resources to enrich lives and to address pressing issues in every county, every neighborhood in Ohio.”

As the state's land-grant institution, Ohio State has created partnerships in each of Ohio's 88 counties and works aggressively to address Ohio's emerging needs and opportunities. The trip will highlight a few of the university's partnerships, including a visit to Honda to see how current collaborations are benefitting both partners and a meeting with Procter & Gamble executives to talk about research initiatives and learn about how the changing economy will impact graduates.

The group also plans to visit the university's Marion campus, Gwynne Conservation Area at the Farm Science Review, Princeton High School in Cincinnati, a health clinic in Franklin County and the new Ohio State Urban Arts Space in downtown Columbus.

Gee first initiated the Road Scholars Tours in 1997, and since then, more than 600 new faculty have traveled to all parts of the state to better understand how its partnerships have helped make this state a better place to work and live. One of the president's strategic goals for the university is strengthening its commitments with Ohio's communities.

Several members of the faculty who are participating in this year's tour plan to blog about their experiences at http://outreach.osu.edu/roads_blogs.php.

The following events are open to the media:

Tuesday, September 16:
9:20-10:40 a.m.Ohio State Marion (Tour concludes at Maynard Hall)

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Honda East Liberty Plant

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.Gwynne Conservation Area at the Farm Science Review, Arbuckle Rd, London

4:15 - 5:30 p.m.Procter & Gamble Business Center, 8700 Mason-Montgomery Rd.

Wednesday, September 17:

9 – 10:30 a.m.Princeton High School, 11080 Chester Rd., Mason

12 – 1:00 p.m.Lunch with student scholars to talk about College of Engineering's partnership with Kings Island
Great Wolf Lodge, 2501 Great Wolf Dr., Mason

3 – 4:15 p.m.Southside Clinic, 1415 South High St., Columbus

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St.