Ohio State News Tips 11/4/13

Veteran-focused Ohio State program provides scholarships and advocacy. More than 2,200 military and veteran students and their family members are enrolled at Ohio State and using their education benefits to continue their education.
Now, through the new Veteran Community Advocate Program, many are continuing their service by assisting fellow veterans on campus.
Through the program, Advocates receive scholarship money and are assigned to offices throughout the university to help connect fellow veterans to resources and experiences. They also help bring understanding to the challenges veteran students face and how to best meet those needs.
The Veteran Community Advocate program currently supports 10 Advocates and plans are underway to expand to 30 by next year and include regional campuses.
Among the Advocates in the Office of Student Life, one is developing a planner to help veteran students plot their academic path. Another is planning a boot-camp style fitness program. CONTACT: Dave Isaacs, Student Life, 614-292-8424 or isaacs.84@osu.edu

Ohio State, West Virginia Researchers Awarded $2 Million for Shale Energy Research. Researchers from Ohio State University and West Virginia University have been awarded a National Science Foundation grant to study the microbial biodiversity found in deep underground shale formations.
The research award is the first activity to occur under the Ohio State-WVU partnership for shale energy research, entered into in February 2013 to motivate the universities to work collaboratively on research in the Appalachian Region’s developing shale energy industry. CONTACT: Gina Langen, 614-688-4423, langen.2@osu.edu. SEE: http://oee.osu.edu/ohio-state,-west-virginia-researchers-awarded-$2-million.html.

Student Safety is Topic of Town Hall Forum – Nov. 5. Ohio State University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) will host a Safety Town Hall Forum at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the Interfaith Prayer Room on the third floor of the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St.
The forum will include guest speakers and a panel discussion moderated by Taylor Stepp, president of USG.
The speakers will discuss safety issues on campus and throughout the University District, and the strategies and tools available to help students.
Speakers will include Jay Kasey, senior vice president, Office of Administration and Planning; Javaune Adams-Gaston, vice president, Office of Student Life; Paul Denton, chief, Ohio State University Police Division; Thomas Quinlan, deputy chief, Columbus Police Department and Christopher Bowling, commander, Columbus Police Department. CONTACT: Taylor Stepp, stepp.45@osu.edu.

The person listed as the CONTACT will have the most current information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story: Jane Carroll, 614-292-5220 or carroll.296@osu.edu; Liz Cook, 614-292-7276 or cook.17@osu.edu; Gary Lewis, 614-292-2048 or lewis.330@osu.edu; or Amy Murray, 614-292-8385 or murray-goedde.1@osu.edu.