COLUMBUS - More than 75 men and women will embark on a two-day journey, covering one-fourth of Ohio to see the statewide impact of Ohio State University.

The 2001 Ohio State Roads Scholars Tour will take place Tuesday, Sept. 11, and Wednesday, Sept. 12, with stops in five Ohio cities: Marion, Celeryville, Toledo, Bowling Green and Findlay. The tour is for Ohio State's newly hired and newly tenured faculty, individuals in senior leadership positions, and those individuals who are leading outreach and engagement initiatives to see how their colleagues in other parts of Ohio are engaging their research, teaching and service with local communities.

Members of the media are welcome to participate in any portion of the tour and talk to Scholars along the way. An itinerary is attached.

WHAT: The fifth annual Ohio State University Roads Scholars Tour

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 11 and Wednesday, Sept. 12

WHY: The Ohio State University Roads Scholars tour gives faculty and staff a glimpse of the vast opportunities the university offers in the area of outreach and engagement.

9:15 a.m.- "Big business in small Ohio towns - their partnership with Ohio State." Tour Wyandot Snacks Factory in Marion.

10:40 a.m. -Noon"Ohio State's regional campuses - partner with Ohioans in many different ways." Visit Ohio State Marion campus.

2-3:15 p.m.-"The diversity of Ohio's agriculture." Visit a migrant worker camp and Buurma Farms, Celeryville.

5-6:15 p.m.-"Partnerships with Ohio's Industry for Research and Learning." Visit Owens-Corning for presentation on the partnership with Ohio State and tour of the facility.

7:15 p.m. - "Ohio State's current and future students." Dinner and discussions with Ohio State students and current participants in Ohio State's Young Scholars program.

8:30 a.m.- "Ohio's high school students - what we can learn from them."

10 a.m.-Visit Bowsher and Waite high schools. One bus will go to each school for a panel discussion with students.

10:30 a.m.-noon-"Growing partnerships - from seed to the fruits of our labor." Tour the Botanical Gardens. Presentation on Ohio State partnerships and agricultural economic development.

1:30-3 p.m.-"Supporting partnerships - in the lab with our university partners." Officials from Bowling Green State University and the Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium will discuss their research partnership.

3:30-6 p.m.-"Impacting Ohioans with our partners." Visit Hancock County Ohio State Extension Office for presentations and tour the Mazza Collection at the University of Findlay.