Story Ideas for Media 11/5/07

News

Retired racing greyhounds arrive at Ohio State. Today (11/5), 24 retired racing greyhounds will arrive at the College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital to begin a new life. Supported in part through a partnership with Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, students and veterinarians will provide routine medical care for the animals rescued from tracks in Mexico, including spaying or neutering, de-worming, flea and tick control, and placing identification microchips. All 24 greyhounds will be available for adoption or placed in foster homes. CONTACT: Dr. Cristina Iazbik, (614) 688-8460; Dr. Guillermo Couto, Director of the Greyhound Health and Wellness Program, or Melissa Weber (614) 292-3752.

Research

Researcher studies ways to prevent truancy. In an effort to curb the troubling truancy rate among Columbus students, Ohio State's Center for Family Research is partnering with COSI to create a truancy prevention program for area families. Researchers know that the ways families function have a large impact on chronic school absenteeism and other behavior problems. The program, "Successful Students, Strong Families," provides counseling for up to 100 families of 5th to 8th grade students who are believed to be at-risk for chronic school absenteeism. The program strengthens relationships between parents, students, schools and communities with the goal of improving school attendance and family involvement in the educational process. So far, the Hilliard, Reynoldsburg and Southwestern City school districts have agreed to participate in the program. CONTACT: Stephen Gavazzi, (614) 292-5620. SEE: http://familyresearch.osu.edu/3866.cfm

Events

Research project uses Tibetan meditation to treat stress disorder – Nov. 7. Ohio State and Miami University researchers will use an ancient technique to address a modern problem. The researchers will explain their project and introduce the Tibetan monk who will teach meditation skills during "Wellness through Meditation," from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday (11/7) at Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 East Broad St. The research project, "Treatment of Trauma Survivors: Effects of Meditation Practice on Clients' Mental Health Outcomes," investigatew the impact of Tibetan meditation on victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers will work with a group of women diagnosed with PTSD who live in Amethyst House, a women's treatment program for alcohol and drug addiction in Columbus. CONTACT: Liz Alcalde, (614) 247-4462.

High school sophomores invited to campus for special program and performance – Nov. 6.
Ohio State's Office of Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience is inviting local 10th graders to campus tomorrow (11/6) for a performance and discussion with musician/writer James McBride. His books include "The Color of Water," which is a tribute to his mother, a white Jewish woman from Poland who married a black man and raised 12 children, seeing them all through college. When McBride appeared on campus in 2005, he gave a motivational message to the high school students, encouraging them to pursue higher education. The program takes place from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road. CONTACT: Michelle Brown, (614) 688-4468.

Breakfast of Science Champions welcome middle schools students – Nov. 7. More than 150 local middle school students will explore the Colleges of Engineering and Veterinary Medicine, or tour the Byrd Polar Research Center on Wednesday (11/7) from 9-11:30 a.m. during the Breakfast of Science Champions, a special program designed especially for them. Students spend a morning on campus where they meet faculty and graduate students from the sciences, mathematics and engineering while enjoying a continental breakfast. They can ask questions, and learn about career opportunities and attending college. Students then tour labs and participate in a variety of demonstrations. At the end of the school year, participants are invited back to campus for a "virtual conference." Utilizing video technology, students at several different locations around campus are able to communicate with each other and present their experiences. CONTACT: Melissa Weber, Veterinary Medicine, (614) 292-3752; Kristina Kennedy, Engineering, (614) 247-7936; Carol Landis, Byrd Polar Research Center, landis.83@osu.edu or Mindy Wright, Arts and Sciences, (614) 688-5557.

Illibuck tradition revived for 2007 football game – Nov. 10. Bucket and Dipper, Ohio State's Junior Class Honorary, will prepare for the traditional Illibuck pass prior to Ohio State's football game versus Illinois in a ceremony on Saturday (11/10) at 10:30 a.m. at the Women's Field House, 1790 Cannon Drive. The Illibuck trophy pass dates back to 1925. Each year members of Ohio State's Bucket & Dipper and Illinois' Atius-Sachem meet on the field to pass the trophy (nicknamed "Illy Illibuck") to the victor of the previous year's game. Originally a live turtle, picked for its long life expectancy as a symbol of the long life of the rivalry, the trophy became a wooden turtle when the original passed away in 1927. Since then 9 "Illibucks" have been carved, each with the scores from games on its back. CONTACT: Megan Conroy. SEE: http://bucketanddipper.org.ohio-state.edu/illibuck.html

Pulitzer Prize-Winning columnist Connie Schultz discusses life on the campaign trail – Nov. 15. Connie Schultz, a nationally syndicated columnist for The Plain Dealer, will offer an insider's view of life on the campaign trail when she speaks at Ohio State on Nov. 15 as part of the third annual Barbara K. Fergus Women in Leadership Lecture Series. In June, 2007 Schultz published "...and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man," which chronicles her experiences working on her husband Sherrod Brown's successful race for U.S. Senate. In 2005 she won the Pulitzer Prize for a series of columns. Schultz' lecture is free and open to the public, but reservations are required by November 8 to http://www.glennschool.osu.edu/rsvp/ferguslecture.php CONTACT: Laura Sipe, Glenn School of Public Policy, (614) 247-6369.

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: Liz Cook,(614) 292-7276 or cook.17@osu.edu; Shelly Hoffman, (614) 247-4748 or hoffman.511@osu.edu; Jim Lynch, (614) 247-4110 or lynch.270@osu.edu; or Amy Murray,(614) 292-8385 or murray-goedde.1@osu.edu