Please join us in welcoming Zachary Tackett, Systems Specialist and Software Developer in the IT department.

Zachary is a graduate of the University of Rio Grande in Rio Grande, Ohio, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Aside from programming and building web applications, Zach enjoys hiking/biking, reading programming books and spy novels, and going to hard rock and metal concerts.

As a part of the college web team he will develop programming solutions for various information systems across campus, such as website, intranet and email.  Be sure to give him a warm welcome!

The Admissions Department is excited to have our new students here at Hocking College for the 2014-2015 school year and we welcome visitors throughout the year. As students and colleagues plan their visits to Hocking College, the following information is provided to help make everyone's arrangements as smooth as possible.

1. Admissions Department visitation appointments are scheduled individually by phone Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Group visits are available upon request. We are available for appointments on the second Saturday of each month. During the Saturday schedule, assessment testing is available beginning at 10 a.m. with the regular appointment, to include a campus tour, beginning at noon. Registration for assessment testing is required.
2. Hocking College Showcase is our most popular event. This event showcases individual departments and is about 3.5 hours in length. Visit hocking.edu/showcase for more information.
3. Our Discover Hocking event highlights all Hocking College programs. This will be held once each semester in the Student Center Multiplex. The duration of this event is approximately 3 hours.  Visit hocking.edu/discoverhocking for our next scheduled event. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Department at 740.753.7050.

All aboard the Stuart's Wine Express! On Friday, October 3 at 7 p.m., join Stuart's Opera House for a ride through the Hocking Valley on a historic train and enjoy some wine, all while supporting a great cause.

First Class Car tickets are $35, while Coach Car tickets are $25. The First Class car has modern airline-style seats, air conditioning and a bathroom. The Coach Car has vintage padded bench seats and windows that open. 

All proceeds will go to Stuart's Opera House, a non-profit theater that places its roots in Nelsonville's Public Square Historic District.

To learn more about Stuarts, or to purchase tickets, visit Stuart's Opera House website at stuartsoperahouse.org  or check out their Facebook page.

Tucker Reappointed to Hocking College Board of Trustees 

A caucus of local board of education presidents from Athens, Hocking and Perry counties met on Thursday, August 28, 2014 to fill one trustee position on the Hocking College Board of Trustees. The caucus reappointed Paula Tucker of Logan, Ohio.

Tucker has served on the Hocking College Board of Trustees since 2011. She was a teacher for more than 30 years within the Logan-Hocking School District and served as mayor of Logan, Ohio from 2000 to 2003.

"We residents of Athens, Hocking and Perry Counties are so fortunate to have a community college such as Hocking in our area. It is my pleasure to be able to serve for a second term on the Board of Trustees," Tucker said.

The Hocking College Board of Trustees consists of nine members, three appointed by the Governor of the State of Ohio, and six appointed by the caucus.

The ticketing system, located at support.hocking.edu, has recently been upgraded. According to Wes Crow, Director of Information Services, along with a slightly improved interface this upgrade allows the Information Services department to improve the ticketing system in many ways. One specific improvement is that users can now log-in with their Gmail username and password to see a list of or respond to their old tickets.

The IS department is also currently investigating further improvements to the system that this upgrade may allow.

Reminder: Hocking College Police Department Offers Free Basic Physical Defense Classes for Women 

The Hocking College Police Department (HCPD) will offer free Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) Systems classes for women this September.

Each class will be three days long and will run from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. each evening. The class schedule is as follows:

• Class One: September 2, September 3 and September 4
• Class Two: September 8, September 9 and September 10
• Class Three: September 16, September 17 and September
• Class Four: September 22, September 23 and September 24

Saturday, October 11, is Hocking College Day at Ohio University. 

Show your support of the Ohio University Bobcats against Bowling Green by attending Hocking College Day. Students and alumni are welcome!  It is also OU Homecoming.

The Hocking College Foundation will host a tailgate in Pepsi Tail-Great Park before the game. Food and beverages will be provided.

Tickets are $12 per person. Email Jessie McDonald at mcdonaldj21@hocking.edu or call 740.753.7010 for tickets, or purchase your tickets online here.

Ever wanted to learn a pioneer skill? To re-enact an earlier time period? To find a fun activity that you and your children can enjoy together? Consider joining Robbins Crossing.  

If you are interested in learning more about Robbin's Crossing or becoming a part of the volunteer crew, contact graduate intern Zach Buskirk to sign up. A few things to consider before joining the team:

• They can loan the clothing you will need to "look the part." 
• They provide lunch (on the weekends), cooked on a wood-stove. Many volunteers also bring in vegetables from their gardens, or other dishes to share. For many folks (especially students) this is the best meal of the week! The shared food is often accompanied by lots of laughter, which is the best flavoring!
• Some volunteers are also vendors, selling the arts and crafts they make. The only stipulations are that the work be period appropriate, that the skill be demonstrated while on site, and 15 percent of all sales returns to Robbins Crossing.  
• You don't need to know a skill to participate - they can teach you, or at least provide references to help you learn.
• Children are welcome, though if they are under 15 years old, they ask that a parent accompany them. Stations like Toys and Games or Candle Dipping work well as a family affair.
• The season is over at the end of October, so there are only a few more weekends to try it out!

To contact Zach Buskirk, email him at buskirkz@hocking.edu.  

Gary Obermiller, current chief of the Ohio Division of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Watercraft, became deputy director over Ohio State Parks and Watercraft and the new chief of Ohio State Parks on July 1, 2014.

Obermiller graduated from Hocking College in 1985 and received an associate degree in recreation and wildlife/law enforcement. He was recently featured on outdoornews.com where he was spotlighted for his new position and all of his success following his studies at Hocking.

He began working as a seasonal employee with DNR in 1984. Commissioned in 1987, he became a district preserve manager for the ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves in 1995. He was promoted to north region preserve manager in 2000 and to the role of law enforcement administrator in 2004.

In December 2009, he was named program administrator for the division and assumed management of all field and central support operations. Then in 2010, Obermiller was named chief of the ODNR Office of Law Enforcement. In 2012, he moved to Ohio State Parks and served as the north region administrator and became chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft in November 2013.

According to the website, Obermiller was completely ready for the new position due to all of his past experience. "Gary Obermiller has a passion for the outdoors and is eager to continue work on the capital improvement projects currently being unveiled across Ohio," James Zehringer, DNR Director, said in the article. "I believe his experience and leadership qualities have prepared him for this position as ODNR strives to continue to provide our visitors with the best state parks in the nation."

Visit the full article here.

The Hocking College Health and Wellness Committee is pleased to offer a new benefit to Hocking College employees and retirees. Ohio University's WellWorks is the OU employee health and wellness facility - undergrads are not permitted to join. The facility is open to not only OU employees, but also community members. Hocking College has joined WellWorks as a corporate member, which means that our employees, their immediate family (children 13 - 20 years of age), and retirees are now eligible to join WellWorks at the corporate rate - a significant savings!

WellWorks Corporate Gold annual membership rates are $175 for an individual or $265 per family.  WellWorks offers a fitness facility on OU Campus in Grover Center E124 and many different types of group fitness classes, all included in the annual membership rate. Parking for the facility is free and accessible directly in front of the building. Personal training is also available, and both members and non-members can take advantage of on-site massage therapists and nutrition counseling.

For more information and rates, visit their website at http://www.ohio.edu/wellworks. The Human Resources department currently has free day pass coupons available so that you can try out the facility before you commit to membership. Be sure to notify them that you are an employee/retiree of Hocking College when you join, in order to get the special rate.