Story Ideas for Media 2-21-06

News

It's recruiting season for academically gifted – Feb. 24 and 25. About 1,500 top high school seniors from Ohio and across the nation are on campus Friday and Saturday (2/24-25) to compete for scholarships in the 2006 University Scholar Maximus Competition. The students represent some of the best of those admitted for autumn 2006, ranking in the top 3% of their high school class, with an ACT composite score of at least 29 (or a combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of at least 1300). As high-achieving students, they are already considered University Scholars and have been awarded a merit scholarship of $2,400 to Ohio State. In the Maximus competition, University Scholars take an essay test in hopes of winning one of 120 additional scholarships, including a "full ride" – tuition, room and board and a book allowance – with a four-year value of $79,750. Inaugurated in 1991, the Maximus competition has helped to bring ever-larger numbers of high ability students to Ohio State. While students take the essay test, parents attend an information session on Ohio State's freshman experience, honors programs and financial aid. CONTACT: Nina Hoppes, associate director, Undergraduate Admission and First Year Experience (614) 292-0742. hoppes.1@osu.edu

Research

Calcium + vitamin D supplementation does an older body good. The older the woman, the more likely it is that consistent use of calcium and vitamin D supplements will play a role in reducing her risk for osteoporosis, according to the results of a large national clinical trial conducted as part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).
In the final set of results answering the initiative's principal questions about women's health, study leaders say that even the slight benefits demonstrated by the trial involving more than 36,000 participants suggest calcium and vitamin D supplementation provides an overall public health benefit to postmenopausal women.
The findings from the calcium and vitamin D supplementation arm of the WHI are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Rebecca Jackson, lead author of the journal article about supplementation and fractures and Ohio State University Medical Center's principal investigator for the WHI, said it's a huge finding. "The value of a study this large is that it does show, even if only on a small scale, that the intervention can be effective to lower the risk of osteoporosis within two to three years. A physician isn't needed to prescribe these supplements. All this means any supplementation of this kind is potentially beneficial, particularly in women over 60 years old." CONTACT: Emily Caldwell, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737 or caldwell.151@osu.edu

Service

Students offer tax help to low-income residents – In two separate clinics, Ohio State students are assisting low-income Columbus residents in completing their tax returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
*Moritz College of Law: Free income tax preparation assistance is available to students and low-income citizens of Columbus through the VITA program at Ohio State's Moritz College of Law. The VITA Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income ($38,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Assistance is available on a first-come, first-served basis, Tuesdays and Saturdays through April 11, with the exception of February 21, March 18, 21, or 25. The VITA clinic is held in Drinko Hall, 55 West 12th Avenue. The hours are from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and from Noon - 3 p.m. on Saturdays. CONTACT: Liz Cutler Gates, (614) 292-0283.
*Fisher College of Business and OSU Extension: Students from the graduate accounting, MBA and undergraduate programs volunteer on Friday evenings and Saturdays at the Godman Guild Community Center to prepare tax returns for low-income residents. The VITA site offers free tax preparation services on Fridays and Saturdays, by appointment, until March 3rd. To schedule an appointment, families should contact the Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition Information Line at (614) 645-7309. OSU Extension is a partner in this program through donations of laptop computers and IT support; the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is promoting community awareness.

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