Dear OVU Alumni and Friends:   

Voices fill the chapel air. Laughter rises above the aroma of dinner in the cafeteria. Lights are on in Lowland Hall dormitory, again. Laptop screens glow well into the night before exams. Students, faculty and staff approach the end of another semester. Everyone anticipates the holiday break.

As I hear the sounds and see the sights of the university at work, I'm reminded of the voices too distant to hear and the faces too far away to see. Although you are not among us, you as a partner help make all this happen. Many of you, as alumni, have actually experienced those sights and sounds of life at OVU.

Perhaps for a moment you can hear the university community singing praise and enjoying lunch. Maybe you can see the coed buried in her laptop notes or the young men loading up for the holiday break. You should chuckle and smile with satisfaction. What you hoped would happen with our mission has happened as we at OVU "seek to transform lives in a Christ-centered academic community."

I hope that if you listen carefully, you can hear me say, "We appreciate you." If you squint, you can see me smiling with gratitude for all you do. And in the midst of the hectic season, hear me say,

"Merry Christmas. Best wishes for a Happy New Year."

Dr. Harold Shank, President

Ohio Valley University

P.S. As we begin 2012, we have plans to launch the OVU e-Newsletter to keep you informed about the good things happening on the "hilltop" in Vienna, WV. It is our way of reaching out to stay in touch with almost 8,000 alumni of OVU/NCJC and the countless other friends whom God has scattered throughout the world. Another way of staying connected is by visiting our website at www.ovu.edu. It's the next best thing to being here.