OSU Alumnae Tabitha/English Major is MOVING!!

Is this OSUM Alumnae’s Move to North Carolina Going to Go Smoothly?

 

“How am I going to get all my packing done and get out of Marion?” is what OSUM Alumnae Tabitha Clark wondered aloud as we spoke about her day on Monday, August 27th. She asked a Magic 8 Ball if her move was going to go smoothly, and the answer was “yes.”

Tabitha has spent the year since graduation reporting all the crime news at The Marion Star, and even won an award for breaking news, but now she feels it is time to move on. While she loves to write, loves her Ohio roots and loves being a Buckeye, she is not seeking to further her career in any of Ohio’s larger market newspapers.

Since Tabitha feels it is really hard to go from a small market paper to a large market in this state, she decided to look beyond her “borders.” She is leaving this Thursday for North Carolina to write for The Jacksonville Daily News.

Tabitha was born and raised in Marion, Ohio.  She graduated from Marion Harding High School in 1998.  She married after high school and moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina with her husband, a Marine stationed at New River Air Station.  They later separated and she moved back home to Marion with her two children in 2005.   Tabitha started classes here on the Marion Campus in the winter 2007 and graduated with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2011 with a magna cum laude and honors research distinction in English.

I first met Tabitha in one of Professor Ben McCorkle’s classes, oddly enough a BLOGGING class, where she was a sophomore and “tutoring” our class as part of her independent study class in basic writing pedagogy.

She found her start in journalism on the Marion Campus as student editor and head writer of For Insight and News (FIN).  FIN was the monthly campus news publication for over three years, but unfortunately, it is no longer printed.

In September 2011, just a couple of months after her graduation, Tabitha found herself employed with The Marion Star.  After all the work she’d done to get through school while raising two children on her own and working, just having to go to work eight hours a day seemed like a breeze.

She said, “It was odd because of how much I had done in school, writing my thesis, writing papers for classes, homework, it was so odd to just have a job and go to work, it was almost like a vacation to just have a job and not go to school and work.” 

 

She feels blessed because she went to school for writing and she is working as a writer. She was published in five editions of the Cornfield Review, took ten creative writing classes with Dr. Stuart Lishan, and she was instrumental in the resurrection of the Creative Writing Club (prior to KaPow) on campus here, where she held the position of Vice President. 

At one point she had her hand in everything literary on this campus plus taking classes.  She is “blessed” because this is what she wanted to do and she is doing it.  She parlayed her talent, drive and experience into a career.

I asked her how she came to apply for North Carolina and she said “that’s a really funny story.”

She has actually wanted to move back to North Carolina ever since 2005. One day, she randomly sent an email to the managing editor of the Jacksonville daily newspaper, along with a few clips and information that she would be visiting in July 2012 if the editor was interested in meeting with her.  The editor wrote her back two weeks later and told her there were no positions open at that time but to get in touch with her before her NC trip.  Two weeks later, after Tabitha returned the email with a “thank you for responding,” the editor responded asking for Tabitha’s resume.

A few weeks passed, and Tabitha thought the position had been filled. Three days before she went on vacation (July 18), she received a phone call asking for an interview.  Tabitha had the interview and then two weeks later was offered the job.  She went after this job. She knew she wanted to live in Jacksonville, and she pursued a job that put her in the place she wanted to live.

Tabitha is the author of her own story, making whatever edits necessary in the plot to achieve success by the epilogue.  Strangely enough, Stuart Lishan just popped into the room we are talking in.

Tabitha has accomplished everything she wanted to in her undergraduate career and more.  She received many writing awards, scholarships, including the C. Eugene Maynard Award of Excellence. She went out on a “high note.”

Her time at OSUM taught her that she could accomplish something, and gave her the confidence to move forward into her journalism career and future as a writer. She cherishes the support she still receives from professors like Dr. Stuart Lishan, Dr. Ben McCorkle and Dr. Sara Crosby. They will be her mentors and role models for years to come.

I asked Tabitha to consider writing for this blog, so we will watch for some of her work from the warm shores of North Carolina.  She is going back to the place where her whole 128-page thesis took place – the town of Jacksonville. Call Me Tabs: the Making and Breaking of a Marine Corps Wife is available for viewing at the Ohio State Knowledge Bank, https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/handle/1811/48661.

 

By: Val - August 27, 2012

 

Stephanie Austin, Jr Rank Non-Trad, 2012 Homecoming Court Member

Stephanie Austin is on campus today, Freshmen Welcome Day, Monday, August 20^th, 2012, to be introduced as a member of our Marion Regional Campus Homecoming Court for 2012.  Stephanie is a junior rank non-traditional student.  Stephanie’s major is psychology and her minor is anthropology.  After Stephanie completes her undergraduate degree she plans to attend the main campus of The Ohio State University in the summer of 2013 to begin her Graduate Program in a Master’s of Nursing.  Her goal is to teach nursing at a major university so she will be pursuing and graduating with a PhD.  Her PhD will probably be from The Ohio State University.

I asked her why she wants to teach nursing, Stephanie said she currently has an LPN and there is currently a shortage of nursing educators and she has always wanted to teach nursing so when she decided to pursue her nursing level to an RN, she also decided to keep going and work towards completing her goal of eventually teaching in a university setting. 

Stephanie has been an LPN since 2004.  She started back to classes for her RN in 2010 at our Marion Campus.  She graduated in the Spring of 2012 with her Associates of Arts Degree from The Ohio State University and attended the awards ceremony at our historical (and beautiful) Palace Theatre here in Marion.  She describes our campus as” small but it’s very inviting especially for a non-traditional student.”  She finds the professors are very accommodating and always willing to answer questions at their office hours.  The administration has always assisted her, answered her questions and been willing to help her with any matter needed.  For her personally she has found this campus to be less overwhelming as a non-traditional student than she would encounter personally on our main campus.

Another interesting fact about this student is that she is married to Shad Austin, a local missionary and early Childhood Education major here at OSUM. Stephanie has been on several missionary trips. She has traveled to Mexico on medical missions. She went with an organization called Busses International. She assisted in the on board medical clinic, provided hair cut/services to women and children, handed out new clothing, shoes and food care packages. During this past spring break, Stephanie went to Missouri and work with an organization that helped the recent Missouri tornado victims. In May, she went to the Bahamas and performed with their puppet ministry inside the public school system.  Stephanie said, “She enjoys getting to know new people and is fascinated by the different cultures and customs that she has had the privilege to see”. She also has traveled with OSUM to India. She is the current President of the OSUM India Culture Society and if you would like to join or have every thought about traveling to India please send her an email at Austin.271@buckeyemail.osu.edu.

Stephanie decided to run for homecoming when she was in a conversation with English Professor Alexis Martina.  “Professor Martina expressed to me her feelings that non-traditional students should run for homecoming on this campus because there are students on this campus who make up a vast majority of students and they are involved and should be involved and she encouraged me to apply.”  So she applied and Stephanie was selected as one of three female homecoming court members.  She was officially introduced today, along with the other court members, to our incoming Freshmen class at Welcome Day today.

I asked Stephanie what she would say in encouragement to a non-traditional female student who is starting classes this autumn semester.  “I think the most important thing is to stay encouraged, know your syllabus, when things are due, make a schedule and FOLLOW IT that way you will not feel overwhelmed when due dates approach.”  It’s very hard to juggle classes, kids, husband, home and life, and she finds doing this very helpful.  “If they need help ASK, don’t wait until the last minute when you are struggling, ask your professor right away, they are always willing to help”, Stephanie also strongly advises new non-traditional students starting classes and all students really.

I wish Stephanie good luck in her 2012 Homecoming Court candidacy and to enjoy all the homecoming activities.  I was the 2011 Marion Campus Regional Homecoming Chair and it was truly a great experience watching our first homecoming court go through the candidacy of being on the court and all the wonderful activities our campus and the main campus planned for them.  Then of course the homecoming football game on main campus was a lifetime experience for them and it was just great to be a part of this.

By:  Val

      August 20, 2012

Kathleen Clemons, Admissions/Financial Aid Counselor

I am sitting here with Kathleen Clemons who is one of our Admissions/Financial Aid Counselor’s here on our Marion Campus.  Kathleen has been in this position four years now.  Kathleen received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from The Ohio State University, with a Major in Social Work. Kathleen came to the Marion Campus to pursue her undergraduate degree in 1993.  She herself was a non-traditional student at this time.  She finished her degree in 1997 and then started to work in the Marion School System.

 

Kathleen was born and raised here in Marion.  She decided to go into the area of social work for her major because she wanted to help others and give back to others.  She wanted to be in a position that would enable her to impact the lives of young people.  Kathleen didn’t go to work in a position with a social work agency she put together a job description which encompassed working with youth in the local school system.  She had help putting the job description together with Dr. Leslie Beyer-Hermsen, Dr. Dan Christie, and Larry Prude,  the previous Diversity Coordinator/ Marion Campus.

This job was created and Kathleen worked for the Marion school system from 1997 through 2005.  She found this job to be very rewarding. This also put Kathleen in working hands-on in her passion in working with young people and developing programs to enhance their educational and personal needs.  She watched them grow through this program into responsible students.  This program was enabled and designed originally to grow our own minority teachers but turned into more of a mentoring program.  This program was called “Growing Our Own” and was to try to get our own local minority teachers.  In 1998 the government sent to the State of Ohio grants to the local school districts to promote minority teachers to work in their local school system.  This had to be in collaboration between the Marion City School system and The Ohio State University at Marion.  This program would let the students who wanted to teach be able to attend the OSU Marion Campus and then go back and teach in the local Marion school system.  Unfortunately though the majority of the students in this program wanted to obtain their teaching degrees but move away from the Marion area and not stay and teach within it.

Kathleen found herself in the midst of budget cuts in the local school system and was unemployed for three years before she was hired to work in her current position in July 2008.

Now  she works mostly with non-traditional students who are coming to campus for their first time and transfer students.  I asked her if she has seen a rise in non-traditional students enrolling for their higher education and she said yes, this past year especially.  She feels this is due to the current climate of the economy, and loss of jobs.

I asked Kathleen if she saw trepidation when the new non-traditional comes into to talk to her about financial aid and admissions, she said some are nervous about starting college then some are confident, comfortable and relaxed and ready to get started.  Some of the students want to stay locally due to family responsibility and job, so they want to complete their degree here not transition to classes on the main campus.

Kathleen sees a need to better serve the non-traditional students on our campus so she is heading up putting a “Non-Traditional Student Advisory Committee” together, which she asked me to a part of.  We did have a “Non-Traditional Student Informational Night” here on campus a few months ago which Kathleen was instrumental in putting together.  She asked for my help in the area of the non-traditional military student information and I contacted the offices who have helped me in the past with non-traditional students who are military or family of military and they all came to campus to help us.  There were also non-traditional students who are attending classes here speak on their role on campus in class, student life, student organizations and even a full time employee who is a student herself spoke on her insights on being a student here.  Of the prospective students that attended this informational night but who were not already students, of these not all applied and started classes but some did.  So this makes it a success because we helped individuals start their goal of completing their undergraduate degree and answered all questions that were asked.

(Watch for another chat with Kathleen in the upcoming weeks.)

Kathleen Clemons
Admission and Financial Aid Counselor
The Ohio State University at Marion
1465 Mt. Vernon Avenue
Marion, OH  43302-5628
phone: 740/725-6251
fax:       740/725-6258
e-mail:  clemons.8@osu.edu

By:  Val

       8/2012

Chat with Gary Cox Jr., Non-Trad, 8/yr Marine Veteran!

Gary Cox Jr., is in his junior year here at OSUM.

 Gary is the USG Vice President, a member of the BMSA (Buckeye Military Support Alliance), Non-Traditional  and Psychology Club Student Organizations.

Gary has found that he is not only taking classes here but he has found himself immersed into being actively involved in these student organizations and as a leader among students here.  If our student organizations, the USG or BMSA or Non-Trad organizations need help, Gary is always there 

Gary is a person that if you want something done, need something done, he is the man.  His student life here has merged into an active OSU student in all aspects.  If you are looking for Gary on campus, all you have to do is look for his red 2007 Dodge Ram Cummins “Buckeye War Horse” truck on campus.

(Members of the Buckeye Military Support Alliance, an Ohio State Marion student organization, whose mission is to provide support to student veterans and military personnel overseas, take stock of a recent generous donation from Con Agra Foods of 120 cases of ACT II Butter Popcorn. The group works with Vets for Vets to collect personal care items, food, letters and more to distribute care packages to local veterans stationed overseas. Pictured from left are student member Gary Cox; staff advisor Sharon Gattshall, and student member Val Walton, April 2012.)

Last year Gary applied for the Inaugural Homecoming Court for The Ohio State University, Marion Campus.  Gary was elected by the student body to be one of three 2011 Homecoming Court male members.  I asked Gary how he felt about this experience and he replied:

“The experience was a great opportunity to network out with the other regionals and be able to make friends that you would never have been able to do as a basic student.  When I got out of the service I wanted to do what I couldn’t do in high school and I wanted to make the best of the opportunity I had in front of me.  I wanted to give back to the community that supported me through my service with the Marines.  College shouldn’t just be for a “traditional student”.  I wanted to show that it didn’t matter how old you are you can still do anything you put your mind to. Having the sights and sounds of that weekend, meeting football players, Archie Griffin, my first Skull Session, the OSU Marching Band, being at the Wisconsin game, just being there for the closing moments when OSU won was the cherry on top of an outstanding weekend!”

As the 2011 Homecoming Chair I want to thank Gary and the entire 2011 Homecoming Court for their time, effort and cooperation in all areas of a once in a lifetime experience for all.  Great memories were made.

Embassy of Croatia in Ottawa

Croatia Embassy

The Embassy of Croatia is housed in a classic Victorian style home on a residential street in Ottawa.

  This embassy is not as massive and grand as the French Embassy but it is unique in its own style of Victorian architecture and décor.   The informational pamphlets and dvd we picked up from this embassy definitely gave us the travel bug to visit the beautiful blue water shores and white sandy beaches of Croatia.

Ambassade de France

As you recall a few months back I started the series of stories on my Canadian Parliamentary experience and life in Ottawa for a couple months for this non-trad.  A few months have passed and I have had time to absorb the entire experience.  Now, is the time to put this life story into words.

In retrospect when I think of the Ambassade de France the same feeling of awe overcomes me just as it did when I first walked through the front entrance one year ago.

WOW, the French Embassy in Ottawa is just magnificent!   During the Open Doors Ottawa event I had the opportunity to tour this embassy.  When I walked through the front doors I felt like I was walking into a James Bond movie. 

 The grand room for entertaining is larger than life, the pictures posted do not do it justice, but it does give you a taste of the grand estate.  The décor is elegant and all the sculpture throughout are art masterpieces.

I would travel back to Ottawa for the Open Doors Ottawa again.  In fact this June I was in Ottawa just one week before the event, darn, maybe next year!

June 2012

by val

PS: Here are a few more photos :)

This is the first in a series of interviews from current students or alumni students of OSUM

Edan Mossbrugger
OSU Alumni (Marion Campus)

Edan Mossbrugger

March 13, 2012

Edan Mossbrugger graduated from The Ohio State University in 2010

Bachelor of Art Degree, Major - Psychology and Minor – Sociology

Edan stated when she was in the beginning years of her undergraduate degree she thought she was going to seek a degree in sociology but as she continued through the sociology and psychology classes realizing she enjoyed the psychology classes more.

Edan received her Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice this year, 2012, with a concentration in Forensic Psychology at Tiffin University.  This graduate program was a fourteen month program with three classes every quarter.

During her graduate degree program her class participated in a cultural competency seminar which was a one week stay near a homeless shelter.  They investigated different cultures beliefs while participating in other cultures daily lives.  By this I mean her class visited the following cultural areas while at this seminar:  Chinese Restaurant, Indian Restaurant, a Mosque and the homeless mission.

At the homeless mission they worked hands-on with the people.  They cooked them lunch at their pantry, which was located next door to the shelter but a completely separate building.  They were given a tour of the living shelter and the pantry.

She said the class met both individuals who were homeless and people just wanting a free meal.  Some of the individuals they met had mental disorders.  Others were men who had lost their long-term employment and were facing a different path in their life that they had not possibly known before. The woman’s shelter they stopped at were woman who had been abused by their husbands or significant other and in need of a place to stay. 

I asked Edan what some of her most interesting classes were in her Master’s Program.  She first stated  “ that most people think of a degree in forensic science as a CSI job but a Forensic Science Degree is for employment in the criminal justice system and the many areas  it is involved in”. These areas are in court, in the community, and in the prison system.  She said she thought most interesting were the following classes she had her last quarter:

The psychology of sex crimes was a little bothersome at times but most interesting because of the many aspects that were discussed; such as voyeurism, fetishes, and paraphilia’s. The class went into the thought process that was associated with individuals who participate in such

crimes. It was not only about the crimes themselves but the individual’s relationship to the crimes and how they made connections between the two.

The next class she found most interesting was Ethics in Law.  This class covered the different ethical guidelines and laws that are involved with the Criminal Justice System and the field of counseling.  Guidelines such as maintaining confidentiality and the safety of individuals you are involved with are important.

Psychological assessment was a helpful class that Edan participated in. The assessment tools that the class was introduced to are used currently and aid in the evaluation of not only the Criminal Justice System but other areas of psychology as well. The class was very beneficial for career fields in counseling, mental health, and the criminal justice system.

She found her text book a good source of this information which is the text book:  Foresnic Psychology, Third Edition.  Solomon M. Fulero and Lawrence S. Wrightsman.

These authors state in Chapter 1 that Forensic Psychology is “any application of psychology research, methods, theory and practice to a task faced by the legal system”.

I asked Edan what type of employment she is looking for in this field and she stated she “is just looking for a job” that can get her foot into the door.  This would enable her to start working with her degree.  She would eventually like to be employed in a prison counseling the prisoners but is open to any ideas. The relationship between psychology and law is what she is interested in and looking for a career related to that area of study.

Interview by Val