The following is an excerpt from the Dean's Welcome Reception address:

Welcome to a new academic year at Ohio University and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs.  I recently attended the President's annual faculty and staff convocation at Walter Hall.  President McDavis reflected on OU's great faculty, its staff, its students and how they have worked together to achieve so much over the last twelve years.

Toward the end of his remarks he talked about legacy.  One particular comment he made is significant for us:  

Ohio University's legacy lives in the ambitions of the graduates of the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs who vow to dedicate their lives to public service and one day may lead our state and our nation to further greatness, as its namesake George V. Voinovich did during his lifetime.

As the school year gets underway, I'd like to share a bit about the Voinovich School's namesake and legacy.

The late George Voinovich graduated from Ohio University in 1958.   He went on to a 44-year career in public service in the Ohio Legislature, as Mayor of Cleveland, Governor of Ohio and U.S. Senator. Senator Voinovich always encouraged the Voinovich School to design and deliver practical solutions to wickedly difficult problems; expand higher education public-private partnerships; and, most importantly, educate, mentor and develop people from every sector and walk of life engaged in public service.

Reflecting on his remarkable career serves as an inspiration to you who have dedicated your lives to public service. One day you will - not may - lead our communities, state, nation and other countries to greatness.  

At the Voinovich School, we charge you to: (1) have a great and rewarding career, (2) to be guided by core beliefs, and (3) to make a difference. We are committed to mentoring you and providing you with opportunities to help you become leaders of tomorrow who will make our world the best it can be.

In a 2013 interview with The Columbus Dispatch, the Senator was asked how he wished to be remembered.

"My legacy? I want it to be that I've touched peoples' lives and I've made things better."

This is the legacy and you are the future!

 

Please RSVP here and share with the Voinovich Future Leaders what you intend to bring to the event. Post on Facebook what you intend to bring to avoid duplicates of food/drink.

New this year, all Ohio University students and staff will have free access to ride Athens Public Transit, which stops through The Ridges at 12 minutes after the hour starting at 8:12 a.m. and ending with the last pickup at 7:12 pm, Monday - Friday.

This is especially important for students who do not have cars, not only for attending classes but also transport to and from Voinovich School events throughout the year.

The Ridges bus stop is not marked with an APT sign, but riders should expect to be picked up and dropped off outside Building 22. Riders must show their Ohio University ID card to the driver, who will place an APT sticker on the back of the card. The sticker is valid for free transportation indefinitely.

For additional information, including the time table and route, visit http://www.athenstransit.org/routes-2-3/.

Take your entrepreneurship skills to the next level by enrolling in the upcoming course, "Moving Innovation to Commercialization," offered by the Center for Entrepreneurship.

This four-week course is designed to help student, faculty and staff entrepreneurs learn the crucial commercial and enterprise considerations, as well as how to balance the academic and entrepreneurship roles. Each week is broken into two or four-hour modules covering different topics. Discussions include the entrepreneurship and commercialization ecosystem at Ohio University, role of consultancy and consulting projects, and research project management.