The Center for Continuing Studies entered and won this year’s homecoming office contest. The theme was “Connecting Otterbein Pride One Decade At a Time”.  Amy Witt designed the display, and with the help of Ashley Bruehl and Sammie Corbin, symbolized Otterbein’s history from 1847 to 2009. The time progression was expressed by the use of road materials (dirt, brick and paved) and significant memorable events.

Please stop by The Center for Continuing Studies to see the “road of success”.

Otterbein is proud to be a participant in the National Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program which helps U.S. military veterans attend college.

The Yellow Ribbon Program expands the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, which pays up to the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition for eligible veterans, by working with participating institutions to cover tuition costs higher than the state school fees. The VA will cover a portion of a veteran’s tuition and Otterbein will provide a grant to pay the remaining amount. In addition, eligible dependents will receive a monthly housing allowance and an annual books and supplies stipend.
Service members enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program can also transfer unused educational benefits to their spouses or children starting Aug. 1, 2009.
To determine your eligibility for the program, visit the GI Bill website at www.gibill.va.gov.

You have opened your inbox and received a notice from your HR department about an upcoming Education fair. If you have been considering going back to complete your education, an Education fair is sometimes the turning point in making that decision.  At these fairs, you will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with representatives from area colleges and universities and pick up program brochures.  These brochures also contain websites and contact phone numbers to help you find out more detailed information.

Representatives from Otterbein College will be in attendance at the following Education fairs:

Transfer fair at Columbus State (Nov. 12)

VSP – Vision Insurance Company (Nov. 17)

BMI Credit Union (Nov. 18)

American Commerce Insurance (Nov. 19)

If you are employed at any of these locations, please stop by our information table.  We will have a small gift for you.

Otterbein will soon be providing bicycles for use by anyone who has a Cardinal card.  The college is starting the program with 7 used bikes which will be housed at the Courtright Library under the south side overhang.  These bikes have been repaired and are in good working order thanks to the Westerville Bike Shop.  Here is how the program will work:

            A fee of $10.00 per year will be required to help defray maintenance costs.  

            A liability waiver will need to be signed by each user.

            The bicycles will be checked out at the front desk of the Library.

            Hours of operation will coincide with those of the Library.    

            The rental period will be  for 3 days.

            For more information, call 823-1235.

                
All bikes are equipped with lights and locks.  Safe routes to the Equine Center will be available at the Library. HELMETS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!  If you have a bike in good riding condition and would like to donate it to the Otterbike Sharing Program, please contact Mary Kerr at mkerr@otterbein.edu.

My O-Zone is a personalized online environment for Otterbein students, faculty and staff that can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. You can customize it to fit your personal needs, plus get easy access to all the information and services you use most. For more detailed information, please visit: http://ozone.otterbein.edu. You can also attend a live demonstration of My O-Zone on the following dates:

• Wednesday, November 11, 2-2:50 p.m. in Roush 117
• Wednesday, November 18, 2-2:50 p.m. in Roush 117

My O-Zone will replace the Otterbein Intranet home page on January 4, 2010.

Does your stomach start to growl before, or during class?  Otterbein has several places you can go and get food to satisfy your hunger.

• The Cardinal’s Nest (Campus Center) Monday-Thursday 7:30AM-8PM; Friday 7:30 AM-7:00PM. Saturday & Sunday 10AM-2PM (Brunch), and 5PM-7PM  (Not all items available at all times).
  • Sizzle/Grill; Ohio Fresh ( local farmers’ produce); Hemisphere; Better for You (healthy salads and wraps); Pizza; The Stacks (cold meats); and desserts.
• Quiznos at the Roost (Campus Center)Monday-Thursday 11AM-11PM, Friday 11AM-10PM, Saturday & Sunday 4PM-10PM
  •  Subs, soups, cookies, chips, salads, drinks
•  The Otterbean Cafe (Library) Monday-Thursday 7:30AM-10:30PM, and Friday 7:30AM-2PM
  • Frozen Explosions, tea, hot chocolate, wraps, fruit, parfaits, bottled drinks, chips/snacks, gum/mints, donuts, muffins, candy, etc.
• The Roost Express (Roush) Monday-Thursday 7:30AM-8PM, and Friday 7:30AM-2PM
  • Grilled sandwiches, bagels, wraps, chips/snacks, cookies, bottled drinks, muffins, donuts, desserts, gum/mints, candy, etc.

*Note:  The hours of operation vary for each place during exam week.

To eat in the Cardinal’s Nest without an Otterbein meal plan, it is $5.00 for breakfast, $7.00 for lunch, and $8.00 for dinner. 

Also, we now have a “Cardinal Dining Card” which allows you to get your 9th purchase free from the Roost Express or the Otterbean.  Be sure to have your Cardinal Dining Card punched each time you make a purchase.

In my last post Network or Not Work, I briefly discussed four ways to utilize resources and networking potential. This post will focus on the first topic: volunteerism. Volunteering provides one of the best means of acquiring the skills needed for a new career. Continuing Studies student, Miles Glover*, is realizing the benefits of volunteering. As a Sociology major with limited experience in the field, Miles is volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. He receives extensive training and is working for Habitat in areas beneficial to his field of interest. Additionally, the experience gained from the hours of volunteer work can be listed on Miles’ resume. According to Miles, there are “…no regrets,” about the decision to volunteer for Habitat.  Miles is acquiring useful knowledge, making contacts, and securing valuable employment references.

For anyone looking to gain experience within a new career field, e.g., communication, public relations, accounting, business, psychology, environmental studies, etc…, volunteering is probably one of your best resources. For more information, please contact the Center for Continuing Studies at 614-823-1356 and ask for Stacie or visit the FirstLink.org website.

*Permission given by Miles Glover, 10/16/2009.

Making connections within the community is a priority for those of us in the Center for Continuing Studies. As we’re out and about, it’s a pleasure to meet folks, hear about where they’ve been and where they want to go.

One such moment occurred at the Chalmer P. Wylie Veteran’s Hospital when we participated in an educational fair on Oct. 15. This bustling facility is full of some of our nation’s bravest people — veterans who gave selflessly in the service of our country.

In all of the busy commotion, we noticed an elderly gentleman relying heavily on a cane, making a bee-line to our table. He couldn’t wait to tell us that he was an Otterbein graduate, class of ‘51!! He was obviously very proud and excited to see us.
What is it about being a Cardinal that’s so special that folks can’t wait to share it? It happens everywhere we go. Maybe it’s the faculty that become more like friends than instructors, the camraderie of fellow students who sometimes become closer than family, or the liberating experience of unlimited learning. There is an undeniable spirit of joy in being an Otterbein Cardinal!

Come join us! If you’d like to meet us at your workplace or your community, please contact Vicki Miller @vmiller@otterbein.edu, or (614) 823-1839.

Our environmental impact is something each of us must be attentive to.  Though we can’t immediately solve the global issue of climate change, there are other actions we can do that will have a more immediate effect.

• Turn off un-needed lights and other items that continually draw electricity when not in use, i.e. cell phone chargers, computer monitors, and small appliances.
• Purchase a reusable beverage container for water and coffee to use at the office and in the classroom.  You can purchase refills while minimizing the amount of disposable cups.
• Recycle paper, plastic bottles, aluminum and glass.  Cans made from recycled aluminum require only 5% of the electric power that it takes to manufacture a new can from virgin bauxite ore. *
• Reuse that water bottle! In 2007, 39 billion water bottles were manufactured, and 4 out of 5 of them ended up in the garbage stream. Refilling your water bottle just once will cut that number in half. *

Look for the BLUE RECYCLING bins on campus!  Paper, aluminum cans, water bottles and glass can be co-mingled. Visit Otterbein’s Sustainability webpage to learn what the College is doing in its Recycling efforts!

 Crampton, N., (2008). Green House.  Lanham, MD: M. Evans

The Financial Aid Office maintains information regarding other sources of educational loans for undergraduate and graduate students. These loans are consumer-based; therefore, your credit history is a factor in determining eligibility. Private (alternative) loan programs are designed to bridge the funding gap when savings, grants, federal loans, and other resources are not enough or simply not available. Repayment is simplified by borrowing with the same lender throughout your entire college career.

When borrowing money for college expenses, you want to get the most out of what you borrow and you want to borrow on the best possible terms. FASTAlt Solutions provides you with  the information you need to make an informed decision on specific loan programs and various lenders. It is important to find the one that is the right fit for you.
FASTAlt Solutions https://choice.fastproducts.org/FastChoice/Welcome.do?configId=1196281515354&loanType=private

The inclusion of a loan program or lender on this website does not imply endorsement. Although we have narrowed the list to certain lenders, we do not endorse any specific alternative loan program or lender. Note that information is subject to change at any time, and we are not responsible for the content of lender websites. Contact lenders directly to confirm details or get current information.