96-05-17 Story Tips for Local News Media STORY TIPS University Communication offers this list of potential news stories on the Columbus campus. We'll update this listing every week. This and every University Communications news release is available on the Internet and World Wide Web. To access by Internet, you may reach us through either OASIS (Ohio State Information System), the Columbus Freenet or World Wide Gophers. Select News and Weather, then Ohio State University News Releases, then News Releases from University Communications. Our Web address is http://www.acs.ohio- state.edu/ Choose News Releases from The Ohio State University, then News Releases from University Communications. AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL--May 14-18. The final two days of the festival offer several events. The goal of the festival is to expand and diversify the participation of the campus and surrounding communities in African American arts and cultural traditions. The schedule includes a crafts bazaar May 17 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the west lawn of the Ohio Union. The Heritage Festival on May 18 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the west lawn of the Ohio Union will feature gospel, poetry, jazz, an African dance performance and a greek organizations step show. CONTACT: Brenda Fields, coordinator of the Student Events Committee, (614) 292-2324. COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES IS REVIEWED--May 20-21. The newly organized College of Humanities Board of Visitors will make its first visit to the college to meet with departmental representatives. The 10-member board of nationally prominent leaders in the humanities has been asked by Dean Kermit Hall to serve as critics and friends of the college for the next three years. The three main topics for this meeting will be research support, graduate education and job placement, and commitment to interdisciplinary cooperation. The board members will return every several months, each time to review different aspects of the college's programs. CONTACT: Melinda Nelson, assistant dean, College of Humanities, 292- 1882. SENIOR LIFE HEALTH FAIR--May 21. Senior Life, a day of health screenings, exhibits, and activities offering tips for staying healthy and active over age 55, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St. The event, sponsored by The Ohio State University Medical Center, includes free screenings for blood pressure, nutrition, blood sugar, glaucoma, dental health and drug interactions. A special performance of the Grandparents Living Theatre play Once I was Young, Now I'm Wonderful will take place from 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Some screenings require a appointment. CONTACT: Betsy Samuels, Medical Center Communications, 293-3737. STUDENT-DESIGNED ROBOTS COMPETE IN CONTEST--May 22. How do engineers learn to design things? Through contests like this. Robots created by first-year engineering students will collect weighted Ping-Pong balls and carry them to a goal on a specially designed course. Some of the balls are on the floor of the course, others are on shelves, and one is suspended above the course with a magnet. Robots will compete for points on the course. The contest will take place from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the lobby outside 131 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Avenue. CONTACT: Judy Kauffeld, director of college communications, College of Engineering, 688-4423. NEW AND GRADUATING YOUNG SCHOLARS ARE HONORED--May 22. The Columbus Young Scholars Program of The Ohio State University will honor its third class of college-bound graduating seniors in a ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Columbus Music Hall, 734 Oak St. Forty students from Columbus public schools will pass the torch to the incoming class of 20 sixth grade Young Scholars during the event. The Young Scholars Program gives first generation college-bound Ohio minority students a college education at little or no cost to the students. The goal of the program is to increase the number of underrepresented minority students at the college level with particular emphasis on African American, Latino American, Native American, and Appalachian students. In 1994, 93 Young Scholars enrolled in Ohio State and in 1995, 180 Young Scholars entered. Students are chosen in the sixth grade based on a written essay, grades, and a standardized test by a committee of educators in their hometowns: Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lorain, Toledo and Youngstown. After this year's new class is inducted, there will be some 1,615 scholars in the program. CONTACT: Shaletha Mitchell, Columbus program coordinator, (614) 292- 4884. THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE MOON--May 23. Former astronaut Harrison "Jack" Schmitt will deliver two lectures about the moon and his travel there aboard Apollo 17 in 1972. Schmitt, a geologist and author, will present Earth & Moon: One Environmental System at 3:30 p.m. in room 100 Mendenhall Lab, 125 S. Oval Mall; and A Trip to the Moon at 8:00 p.m. in room 131 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Ave. Following his space travel, Schmitt served in the U.S. Senate (from New Mexico) from 1977-83. His lectures are sponsored by the Department of Geological Sciences in cooperation with the Center for Mapping as the 54th annual Bownecker Lectures. CONTACT: Lynn Everett, Byrd Polar Research Center, 292-9909. BLOCH CANCER SURVIVORS PLAZA DEDICATION--MAY 23. Hope and strength. That is what the creators of the Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza on The Ohio State University campus seek to convey through the 4-acre, interactive park at the northeast corner of Lane Avenue and Olentangy River Road. Through a gift from the R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Ohio State has become the first university in the nation to construct and maintain a cancer survivors park, which celebrates life through a multi-sensory design. Richard Bloch, co-founder of H&R Block, has dedicated his life to building such parks across the nation and Canada. A dedication ceremony will take place at the plaza on Thursday, May 23, at 4:00 p.m. Among those expected to speak at the event are Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee, Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka, Ohio First Lady Janet Voinovich, and Richard and Annette Bloch. Speakers will be available for questions from the media at the conclusion of the formal program. CONTACT: Janet Oberliesen, Chadwick Arboretum, (614) 292-4678. IT'S JOB HUNTING SEASON: HIT THE HIGHWAY--Summer jobs for college students can be found this year on the information superhighway. Amy Thaci, career services director for the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, says many employers are looking for students to help build home pages on the World Wide Web. Thaci says many companies are putting home pages together and are finding that college students have the computer skills and knowledge needed to do the job. CONTACT: Amy Thaci (pronounced Thatch-ee), Colleges of Arts and Sciences, 292-7055. "HOSPICE: A PHOTOGRAPHIC INQUIRY"--May 18-Aug. 4. This Wexner Center exhibit explores the hospice approach to health care through the eyes of five contemporary photographers. In addition, the Center will present a series of educational programs aimed at broadening public understanding of the goals and benefits of hospice care. The programs are offered in partnership with seven local hospices and hospitals. May programs include Hospice: The Artists' Response, on May 17, 2-3:30 p.m.; Hospice: Healing, and the Arts, on May 18, 9:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.; and Ethical Issues in Hospice Care, on May 31, 10 a.m.-3:15 p.m. The exhibit opens with a reception on May 17, 8-11 p.m. CONTACT: Darnell Lautt, Wexner Center, 292-9923. TWILIGHT OUTDOOR CONCERTS IN AMPITHEATRE--May 23, 30. On seven evenings in May, the School of Music will present free outdoor concerts in the Browning Amphitheatre next to Mirror Lake on campus. These highly popular events provide an informal setting and great music that people of all ages can enjoy. All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Remaining concerts include the Jazz Ensemble performing on May 23 and the Jazz Combos performing on May 30. CONTACT: Lois Foreman Wernet, College of the Arts, 292-8835. ASIAN AWARENESS MONTH--May 1-31. Manifesting a new GenerAsian is the theme for the 1996 celebration at Ohio State. Throughout the month there will be panel discussions, dances, concerts, conferences and other activities. CONTACT: Lakshmi Raman, Office of Asian American Student Services, 292-0625. The person listed as the contact for each item will have the best information about the story. However, feel free to call on our news services staff for assistance with these or other Ohio State news stories. Amy Murray, 292-8385; Ruth Gerstner, 292-8424; Tom Spring, 292-8309, and Tracy Turner, 688-3682. -Compiled by Amy Murray, University Communications, (Murray- Goedde.1@osu.edu). [Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) Fri, 17 May 1996 16:19:38 -0400] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.