Spring 2025 Class Notes

Have an update to share? Send your recent achievements to ohiotoday@ohio.edu.

*Denotes accolades featured at ohio.edu/news or in the media

1961

The Scioto Foundation announced the establishment of a memorial scholarship fund in honor of Constance (Burns) Ackerman, BSED ’61, MED ’62*. The scholarship will be given to graduates of Portsmouth High School who plan to major in education, with a preference for students attending Ohio University. The scholarship was created by Ackerman’s husband, Marion Ackerman, in memory of his wife of nearly 57 years.

1962

Gary Croy, BSED ’62, was selected to receive the 56^th annual Grindstone Award, presented by the Berea (Ohio) Chamber of Commerce to those with outstanding contributions to the community. Croy’s local volunteerism spans decades; he also served as a teacher at both Berea High School and Baldwin Wallace University and earned the Berea High School Outstanding Teacher Award in 1990.

1968

Cheryl (Schultheis) Cook, BSED ’68, MED ’71*, retired after 56 years with Marietta City Schools. Starting out as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, Cook recently finished her final term as the principal at Washington Elementary School in Southeast Ohio.

1972

As of his 74^th birthday on June 5, 2024, Joel Cross, BBA ’72, had fitness walked for 1,624 consecutive days—nearly four and a half years—averaging 11 miles per day. Cross can often be found on the beaches and streets of Redondo Beach in Southern California.

R. Marc Kantrowitz, BA ’72, MA ’74, was inducted into the Massachusetts Lawyers Hall of Fame. Kantrowitz has had a prolific career, having worked as an assistant district attorney, juvenile court judge and higher education instructor; he also is a highly published author on numerous topics. In 2012, Kantrowitz was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Arts and Sciences, and in 2015 he taught in the college as a Glidden Visiting Professor.

On Feb. 13, 2025, Mike Schmidt, BBA ’72*, was inducted to the College Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class of honorees. Schmidt lettered in baseball for four years at Ohio University from 1967 to 1971. He set 16 OHIO baseball records during that time, many of which still stand, and is also a member of the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame (1977) and MAC Hall of Fame (2012).

1973

Two OHIO alumni were inducted to the Greater Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalists’ Journalism Hall of Fame last August: John Popvich, BSC ’73*, and Ken Broo, BSC ’74*. Popvich retired in 2019 after a 40-year career with WCPO-TV, while Broo’s nearly 50-year career at radio and TV stations in Cincinnati and beyond has included time as the play-by-play voice of the Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network.

Frank Robertson, BSC ’73*, joined the Wall of Honor at Bernards High School in Bernardsville, New Jersey, last spring. Created by the BHS Student Council in 2013, the Wall of Honor recognizes alumni with significant contributions to their field. An Emmy Award-winning news anchor and reporter, Robertson’s 36-year career has taken him to stations in Ohio, New Jersey, South Carolina, Arizona and Florida. He retired from WTVT in Tampa in 2009.

1979

Tire Business special projects reporter Bruce Davis, BSJ ’79, was named the 2024 Outstanding Individual Contributor by parent company Crain Communications Inc. In his 40-plus-year career with Crain, Davis also worked on sister publications Rubber & Plastics News, European Rubber Journal and Urethanes Technology and spent 13 years in Germany as the European correspondent for those titles and Tire Business.

Last June, longtime Central Ohio football coach William “Ed” Terwilliger III, BSED ’79*, was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. Terwilliger won 138 games during his 24 years as coach at Olentangy High School and has been a recruiting assistant and director of high school relations for Ohio State University’s football program since 2015.

1980

On Aug. 3, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Richard “Dick” Dickerson, BSCE ’80*, to the Ohio University Board of Trustees. Originally of West Jefferson in Madison County, Dickerson will serve until the end of his term in May 2033.

1981

Dianna Vargo, BS ’81*, was named the 14^th president of Wheeling University in West Virginia. Previously, Vargo served as Wheeling University’s chief operating officer and spent 30 years as an educator and administrator with the Ohio County Schools system in West Virginia.

1982

Last summer, Hazel Beeler, MS ’82, was featured on Virginia Tech’s radio station, WUVT. Beeler is an songwriter and plays acoustic music. The station featured two of her original songs: “Sweet Mary” and “You Play the Hand You’re Dealt.” Beeler enjoys playing her music with friends, on her porch or in her living room.

Milbert “Milt” Brown Jr., MA ’82*, was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame. Brown was recognized for his talent and dedication to storytelling over a decades-long career, which includes a 2001 Pulitzer Prize awarded to Brown and his Chicago Tribune colleagues for their coverage of America’s complicated air traffic system.

1983

Mark E. Sigrist, BBA ’83*, was elected to represent House District 10, which includes Grove City and parts of southern and southwestern Ohio. Previously a Grove City Councilmember, he began his term at the Ohio Statehouse in January.

1984

William “Byl” Herrmann, AB ’84, is the new executive vice president and general counsel for Amtrak. A 25-year veteran of the company, Herrmann will be responsible for setting the strategic vision, priorities and operating plans for Amtrak’s corporate objectives.

Zanemvula “Zakes” Mda, MFA ’84*, made The New York Times’ Book Review’s “Best Books Since 2000” list last May with not one, but two titles. His novel “The Heart of Redness” is often cited as one of South Africa’s top 10 classics, while “Sometimes There is a Void: Memoirs of an Outsider” “absorbingly illuminates his wide, worldly life” according to the list’s compilers.

A former ambassador to Australia and Canada, Maris Sangiampongsa, MA ’84*, is now Thailand’s minister of foreign affairs. After receiving endorsement from the Thai king for his spring 2024 appointment, Sangiampongsa got right to work, speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in July to reaffirm the U.S.-Thailand treaty alliance.

1985

The Youngstown Press Club honored Lisa Abraham, BSJ ’85*, with the First Amendment Award, which is presented to those defending First Amendment freedoms. Abraham has been a member of the Ohio press corps for more than 30 years, covering local and state politics and earning other accolades, including the Society of Professional Journalists’ National First Amendment Award and the Ohio Associated Press’ First Amendment Award.

1986

Last year, the Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored Terra Brantley, BSC ’86*, with a Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Emmy. Brantley is an evening news anchor at WFFT Fox 55 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she has the distinction of being the longest-serving Black news anchor in the state’s history. The award recognizes Brantley’s nearly 40 years of accomplishment and dedication to providing information and a support system for her community.

Paul Carringer, MBA ’86, presented at the Raymond E. Mason Jr. Leadership Symposium, an annual event of the Columbus, Ohio-based Franklin University Leadership Center. His session, titled “AI Today: Using AI Today for Organizational Impact,” provided an overview of recent AI conferences, industry studies and reports.

Former WOUB sports anchor Suzanne Hargrove, BSC ’86*,was named Executive Producer of the Year at the Ad Age A-List and Creativity Awards. The vice president and executive producer at Los Angeles-based PRETTYBIRD was honored for her “skill, attention to detail and humanity.”

1987

The National Tax Lien Association has appointed Austin B. Barnes III, BBA ’87, as the organization’s new general counsel—and just the second in its 27-year history. Barnes is an attorney at Sandhu Law Group and specializes in tax lien and mortgage foreclosures. In his new role he will provide strategic legal counsel and foster partnerships within the tax lien industry.

The founder of Passion Works Studio, Patty Mitchell, BFA ’87, MFA ’91*, was acknowledged by CNN’s “Champions for Change” series for creating a space “where artists with developmental differences collaborate to create marketable works using otherwise discarded materials.”

Last May, Jon Snyder, BSC ’87*, was awarded the Konneker Medal for Commercialization and Entrepreneurship at the Ohio University Inventors Dinner. The award recognizes “faculty members or students who have demonstrated excellence in innovation, invention, commercialization and entrepreneurship.” Snyder is the managing director of investor relations for the Ohio Life Sciences Association, a nonprofit trade association for the state of Ohio.

1988

The Board of Directors of sports apparel powerhouse Nike announced last fall that Elliot Hill, MSA ’88*, is the brand’s new president and chief executive officer. Hill is no stranger to Nike; prior to his retirement in 2020, he held senior leadership positions at the company across North America and Europe.

1989

After securing a March primary to run unopposed in the November general election, Matt Chafin, BSC ’89*, took office as judge of the Pickaway County Common Pleas Court in January. Chafin was most recently chief legal counsel at the Ohio Department of Transportation and a board member of the Pickaway County Community Foundation.

Jennifer Mayer, BSC ’89, is proud to announce that the 2024 documentary “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor,” which she edited, is now available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime after appearing in theaters across the country. The documentary tells the story of Carol Doda, who defied convention and the law in 1964 by becoming America’s first topless dancer.

Mitchell J. Silver, DO ’89, has joined Contego Medical as chief medical officer. A renowned interventional cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist, Silver will be a key part of shaping Contego Medical’s clinical strategy and in advancing its portfolio of carotid and thrombectomy products.

1990

Sheri (Martis) Ward, BSJ ’90, continues to produce award-winning documentary film. Her latest project “Black Uniform,” was awarded Best Documentary at the Orlando Urban Film Festival and Diamond State Black Film Festival, as well as Best Historical Documentary at the Manhattan Film Festival. The film tells the story of 12 Black veterans and is streaming on Amazon Prime.

1991

Last summer, Kris Crenwelge, MSA ’91*, was selected as a fellow of the seventh annual Native American Feature Film Writers Lab, a talent development program that boosts the careers of Indigenous writers. Crenwelge was most recently a staff writer on the CBS action-adventure spy comedy True Lies and was a 2023 fellow in the Native American Showrunner Program.

Attorney Michael Elliott, AB ’91, recently joined Roderick Linton Belfance, LLP as a partner. He joins the firm with 26 years of experience representing individuals in a variety of employment, personal injury and other litigation matters. Most recently, his professional focus has been on estate planning, trust and probate administration, acting as counsel for guardianships, and handling Medicaid appeals and otherwise contentious probate matters.

1992

“Dancing Faces of Bali,” directed by Cathleen “Cathee” Mang, MAIA ’92*, is now streaming on Amazon Prime. The film about Balinese masked dance drama won the Best of Festival Directors award in the 2021 “So You Think You Can Direct/Act” competition.

After more than a decade as a member of the Wayne County (Ohio) Community Foundation’s board of trustees, Brent Steiner, BBA ’92*, has been elected to serve as its president. He previously served as a board member and chairman for the Orrville Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Green Local School District’s Board of Education for 12 years.

Three-term incumbent Julie (Olson) von Haefen, BSJ ’92*, was re-elected to represent District 36 in the North Carolina House of Representatives. The Democrat’s platform included pledges to support public education, lower health care costs, workforce investment and more.

1993

Katrina Bell-Jordan, BSJ ’93, MA ’94, PHD ’97*, is the new president at Northern Illinois University after filling the role in an interim capacity for the last year. NIU’s eighth president previously served as an assistant professor and chair in its Department of Communication, Media and Theatre and associate dean of its College of Arts and Sciences.

Kristina (Kerr) Bell, BSC ’93, MSHCS ’00*, was named the new health commissioner for the Coshocton (Ohio) Public Health District. Bell has more than 30 years of experience in public service and has spent the 16 years working for the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, also in Ohio.

1995

Matthew Smith, MA ’95, PHD ’98*, has been selected as the next dean and director of Ohio State University at Newark. In his new role, Smith “will spearhead efforts at Ohio State Newark to align campus priorities and further strengthen the university’s commitment to student success, innovation in teaching and learning, research opportunities and community engagement,” according to an OSU press release.

Prospect League Baseball has named Bryan Wickline, BSSE ’95*, General Manager of the Year. The award is given to team executives who have a high impact on their team and community during the 2024 season. Wickline was awarded this honor for his exemplary work as the Chillicothe Paints President.

1996

The city of Dublin, Ohio, named Brandon Brown, BS ’96*, its chief innovation and technology officer last summer after Brown had filled the role in an interim capacity for more than a year. In his 20-year career with the city, Brown has also served as a GIS administrator, data manager and director of innovation and analytics.

The Blue Devva, a three-part limited TV series written by Daryl Malarry Davidson, AA ’96, BSS ’97, PHD ’20, was selected as a quarterfinalist in the 2024 Page Turner Screenplays competition. Set mainly in the 1950s, the drama centers on a dancer of Ugandan and Indian descent who becomes an international star.

Matt Stoneburner, BBA ’96*, was inducted into Philo High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame last fall. A 1992 graduate of the Duncan Falls, Ohio, school, Stoneburner was a four-letter winner in golf, a three-year letter winner in basketball and baseball, and earned the title of All MVL for golf and baseball, among other accolades.

1997

Ullman Design, owned and operated by Christina Ullman, MS ’97, received an Award of Excellence from Creative Quarterly for the design of her book, “Discovering Vienna, West Virginia: Origins. History. Heritage.” The book provides a visual history of the Briscoe and Spencer families, who were responsible for the founding of the city in the late 1700s.

1998

Theresa “Teri” (Guinan) Rozic, BSC ’98*, has earned her sixth Emmy for her contributions to Super Bowl LVIII, which took home the Outstanding Technical Team Event award. Rozic got her start producing OHIO hockey games for WOUB before becoming a technical director for football and basketball games on OhioSportsNet, sparking a lifelong passion for technical directing live sports.

1999

Last summer, the Supreme Court of Ohio named Andy Ellinger, BSJ ’99, MS ’08*, as its director of public information. In that role, he will oversee operations to enhance public and media understanding of Court activities and the sharing of information to the public. Ellinger previously served as senior public information officer in the Ohio Department of Commerce and communications and marketing director at OHIO.

Last fall, Alan Freitag, PHD ’99*, professor emeritus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award from University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Also a retired lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Air Force, Freitag was honored for creating a strong public relations program at UNCC, as well as numerous personal, community service and professional accomplishments.

Bart Gray, BSA ’99*, Joshua Podlich, BSA ’12, and three colleagues made history with Century Mission, a record-breaking flight around the world spanning more than 26,000 miles and just 11 stops. The catch? Their westward route was a first-of-its-kind feat that required overcoming headwinds the entire trip. Gray and Podlich led the venture—inspired by the first round-the-world flight, which kicked off on April 6, 1924—embarking just before midnight on April 3, 2024. It concluded, fittingly, on April 6 after just 67 hours and 28 minutes of flight time, breaking the westward speed record in a stark contrast to the 175-day-long inspiration flight a century prior.

Incumbent Democrat Greg Landsman, BA ’99*, kept his seat as U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 1^st Congressional District, which includes Cincinnati and Warren County. Landsman is the first Democrat to be re-elected for a second term in District 1 in more than 30 years and only the second to do so in the last 150 years.

2000

Beth Walker, BSH ’00*, is the new CEO of Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans—and the first woman to serve in that role. Walker was previously the CEO of nearby Ochsner Baptist and has spent her career at Ochsner since participating in its Administrative Fellowship program in 2002, impacting nearly all clinical departments at various levels of responsibility over the last 20 years.

2002

Though she majored in magazine journalism, Christina Xenos, BSJ ’02*, is making a name for herself in other ways: by winning Food Network’s mystery-ingredient cooking competition Chopped in October. The former book and magazine editor became a personal chef in 2017 and now owns Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services in Los Angeles.

2003

On July 1, Christine Bhat, PHD ’03*, began her term as the 2024-25 president of the American Counseling Association. She is the 73^rd president of the ACA, an OHIO professor and chair of Patton College of Education’s Department of Counseling and Higher Education, and an expert in cyberbullying prevention. Bhat listed child and adolescent mental health, research to support counselors’ work, and promoting the value of counselors as key priorities for her term.

Janel Jackson, BA ’03*, was included on Barron’s fifth annual list of the 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance. The list honors women who have achieved prominent positions in the financial services industry and recognized Jackson for her work as the Global Head of ETF Capital Markets for Vanguard.

2005

The city of Knoxville, Tennessee, named Kim (Bedford) Day, BSJ ’05*, its 2024 Fountain City Woman of the Year. Day is the president of her local PTO, owns fitness facility Kim Day Training and stays very involved in her community. She credits the skills she learned at OHIO for helping her become a successful business owner.

Sarah Van Frank-Affrunti, BSC ’05, has been named the new general manager for Southwest Regional Water District in Hamilton, Ohio. Van Frank-Affrunti has worked with the Southwest Regional Water District for nearly three years as a regulatory compliance and safety manager.

2007

Jennifer Moore, BSJ ’07*, and several other alumni won prestigious 2024 National Edward R. Murrow Awards for their work in broadcasting, visual storytelling and graphic design. Moore served as executive producer on a special called “Juneteenth 2023: The Freedom to Learn” produced by KHOU TV in Houston, Texas. Other winners include Kevin Martin, MA ’07, who works in the photography department at The Boston Globe; Boyzell Hosy, BSVC ’11, a visual storytelling editor at ProPublica; and Amanda Weisbrod, BSJ ’19, MA ’22, a graphic designer at Radio Free Asia in Washington, D.C.

Equality OHIO, a nonprofit advocacy group supporting LGBTQ+ and other Ohioans, named Dwyane Steward, BSJ ’07*, as its new executive director. Steward joins the organization from his previous role as director of inclusive excellence, accessibility and belonging at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; he also is the founder and CEO of Make It Better Counseling, which supports nonprofits with sustainability tools.

2008

Adam Givens, BA ’08, PHD ’19*, co-authored a September 2024 story about Ukranian strategy in its war against Russia for military and foreign affairs outlet RealClearDefense. Givens dual-majored in history and political science for his undergraduate degree and completed his doctorate in history; today he works for global policy think tank RAND Corp.

2009

Last summer, Luke Frazier, MM ’09*, served as the conductor of a performance at the Library of Congress in honor of NATO’s 75^th anniversary. The global symphony included student musicians, composers and singers from 32 NATO countries, including trombonist Ellie Abbott, BMUS ’24*.

2010

The Ohio State Bar Association recently appointed Morgan Lyles, BSJ ’10*, to serve as chair of its Agricultural Law Committee for the 2024-25 bar year. Lyles is an associate attorney focusing on estate planning, real estate, agriculture and business matters at the law firm of Stebelton and Snider. She also serves as a member of the family advisory council of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

2011

This summer, Kimberly (Castor) Rouse, BA ’11, MSW ’12, PHD ’21*, stepped into a new role as the associate dean of students in OHIO’s Division of Student Affairs. She had been serving in the interim role since last November and previously held the interim assistant dean position from February 2022 to April 2023.

2012

Season Journals, a guided journaling company focused on promoting mindfulness, mental health and relationship-building founded by Annette (Drapac) Furio, BSVC ’12, launched two new products last year. The Pregnancy Journal built on the success of memory-documenting keepsake products the Engagement Journal and the Marriage Journal to focus on this unique life stage with its June launch. And in October, Furio launched the brand’s Everyday Collection with the Everyday Positive Journal, designed to provide a framework for focus on self-care, growth, gratitude, kindness and abundance.

2013

Three WOUB employees, including Adam Rich, BSC ’13*, were nominated for an Ohio Valley Regional Emmy for their work on the station’s “Our Town: Chillicothe,” which aired in March 2023. While it didn’t take home the gold, the hourlong film was a contender in the Historical/Nostalgia Documentary category for its exploration of Ohio’s first capital.

2014

Multiple OHIO alumni, led by Annah Korpi, MS ’14*, and Lisa Wigal, BSHCS ’05, collaborated on the Alexander Inclusive Playground Project, a nonprofit endeavor to install new playground equipment that’s inclusive for children with disabilities at Alexander Elementary School in Southeast Ohio. Co-chairs Korpi and Wigal were joined by vice chair Taylor Weaver, BA ’11, MA ’14; secretary and school liaison Rich Maskiell, BSED ’04, MED ’11; Alexander Elementary School Principal Abigail Rouse, BSED ’04, MED ’11; and Alexander Local Schools Superintendent William Hampton Jr., AB ’91, in efforts to fundraise for, plan and begin installing the equipment with input from children, people with disabilities and the local community. Construction began last summer, with an ongoing wish list that aims to address a variety of adaptive play needs.

2015

Zachary Spal, BSSPS ’15, married Michelle Stein on April 20, 2024, at the Logan Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

2016

College Hockey Inc. announced last August that Sean Hogan, MSRSS ’16*, would be promoted from senior director of men’s hockey athlete relations to executive director of the organization, effective immediately. Hogan joined College Hockey in 2019 as its director of education, leading efforts to promote NCAA hockey awareness.

Ray Perez, BFA ’16*, earned the 2024 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award from the International Sculpture Center last August. His sculpture, titled “Lighthouse,” is a metaphor for the experiences of Black men navigating complex social structures. The piece symbolizes the duality between guidance and danger, reflecting Perez’s own personal journey.

Nelsonville City Auditor Taylor Sappington, BA ’16*, will be the new Athens County Treasurer after winning a whopping 93% of the vote against write-in candidate Dawn Deputy. While he previously ran unsuccessful bids for Ohio State Auditor and the Ohio House of Representatives, Sappington has been involved in Nelsonville city government since 2016.

2018

Nina Adjanin, MSRSS ’18, MED ’20, PHD ’21*, became a fellow of The Explorers Club, an international organization dedicated to the advancement of field exploration and scientific inquiry, last spring. Adjanin is an assistant professor at Northwest Missouri State University whose research focuses on extreme environment and modern technology. Her “Climate Sentinels” project was featured on the cover of the fall 2022 edition of OHIO Today Magazine.

A Fulbright fellowship has continued to further the career of Francisco Cintron, BA ’18, who last fall saw the publication of a chapter he authored in “Canon Law and Christian Societies Between Christianity and Islam”. The book is the 11^th volume of “Religion and Law in Medieval Christian and Muslim Societies,” published by Brepols. This newest volume was edited by Matthias Maser, Jesús Lorenzo Jiménez and Geoffrey K. Martin, a research team Cintron joined as a continuation of his Fulbright studies in Spain during the 2018-19 academic year.

The first episode of Fool-Courting Press, co-written by Ian “Iggy” Cossman, BSC ’18; Daryl Malarry Davidson, AA ’96, BSS ’97, PHD ’20; and Marc Olson, was named one of the 17 official selections of Ink & Cinema’s 2024 First 10 Pages Showcase. The comedy TV series follows a white professional basketball player who feels unappreciated and issues a controversial challenge on social media.

Brittney Williams, BS ’18, had a big 2024: After earning her Ph.D. in chemistry from Northwestern University, she was hired by the federally funded nonprofit Institute for Defense Analyses in June. At IDA, she will serve as a research staff member in the Operational Evaluation Division of its Systems and Analyses Center.

2019

Asynt Solutions, founded by Archie Scott III, BSME ’19, to improve infrastructure technology worldwide, recently announced the deployment of its Ape Barrier System on the Pennsylvania turnpike. Asynt touts the composite, temporary traffic barrier as a safer, more efficient and eco-friendly alternative to traditional pre-cast concrete barriers; the system is being prepared to test in several other states as well. Asynt got a nod from Forbes, which named Scott to its “30 Under 30 Transportation & Mobility” list for 2025.

2020

Sisters Thelma Agyekum, BSS ’20*, and Nana Agyekum, BBA ’22*, starred in their own reality docuseries that launched last spring. Royal Rules of Ohio follows the pair, plus a third sister, Brenda Agyekum, and their parents, Yaw Owusu Agyekum and Delali Agyekum, as descendants of two wealthy Ghanaian kingdoms. The show’s first season is streaming on Hulu and Freeform.

Jarus J. Wilson, BS ’20, graduated from the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine on May 10, 2024.

2021

On July 17, Madi McCrady, BSED ’21, MED ’22*, returned to OHIO’s softball team as its new assistant coach. A former pitcher for the team, she was previously an assistant coach at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio, where the pitching staff held a 4.00 team ERA.

Last spring, NBC4 in Columbus added a new face to its weekend morning anchor team: Andrea Robinson, BSJ, BSC ’21*. Robinson also reports on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 4 to 7 a.m. She made her anchor debut on co-anchoring NBC4 Midday on Wednesdays.

Alexandria “Alie” Skowronski, BS, BSVC ’21*, received national attention when the Associated Press ran her freelance story about the risks climate change pose to the Galapagos Islands and their inhabitants. The AP took things a step further, selecting one of her photos for the AP Week in Pictures: Global gallery.

2022

Kyle Balzer, PHD ’22*, co-authored a September 2024 TIME Ideas opinion piece on modern U.S. nuclear strategy amid China’s growing nuclear program. After earning his doctorate in history at OHIO, Balzer now is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

Utah Jazz guard Jason Preston, BSM ’22*, married Micaylah (Nash) Preston, BBA, BSM ’22, last July. The two met their freshmen year through mutual friends, sharing their first date over Chipotle. They used their wedding at Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay, Jamaica, to give back to the American Lung Association in honor of Jason’s late mother; the event was later featured on The Knot.

2023

After serving as a graduate assistant for the OHIO men’s basketball team, Casey Crawford, BBA ’23, MSRSS ’24*, joined Stony Brook University’s coaching staff for the 2024-25 season. He will serve as the director of basketball operations.

The University of Cincinnati recently named Mary Kate DeWees, BSVC ’23*, as its director of volleyball operations. She will be involved in the day-to-day operations of the program, including management of the program’s budget and coordination of team travel. DeWees was a former graduate assistant at OHIO and president of Aleta club volleyball.

Timothy Oh, BFA ’23*, made his Broadway debut as an understudy in Sam Gold’s production of “ROMEO + JULIET” last fall. The production features Emmy Award winter Kit Connor and Gold Globe Award winner Rachel Zegler, as well as music by Grammy Award winner and prolific record producer Jack Antonoff.

Pro Football Focus ranked Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke, BSC ’23*, No. 7 among the Big Ten’s expected starting quarterbacks last August. Rourke was also ranked 36^th nationally among the 70 Power Four quarterbacks that were evaluated.

2024

Emily Hanna, PHD ’24, returned to the nation’s capital this summer to intern at the White House after previously participating in the Scripps in D.C. program. As a White House intern, Emily was assigned to photograph the president, vice president and other staff, along with their spouses. Several of Emily’s photos were featured on the official White House Instagram and other social media platforms.

OHIO alumni publish books across subjects and genres. Here are releases within the last year.

• Black and White, Blue and Gold, crime fiction (self-published), by Jason “Jay” Bender, BSJ ’89
• Social Media and Digital Politics: Networked Reason in an Age of Digital Emotion, sociology and political science (Routledge), by Jeffrey Layne Blevins, PHD ’01, and James Jaehoon Lee
• The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook, cookbook (University Press of Florida), by Dalia (Wheatt) Colón, BSJ ’03
• The Slow Down, interior design (Abrams Books), by Leanne Ford, BSS ’03
• Artistic and Life-Like: Photography in Washington, 1850-1900, history (Grey Day Press), by Tim (Daum) Greyhavens, BFA ’70
• The Prop Building Guidebook: For Theatre, Film, and TV, craft and DIY (Routledge, third edition), by Eric Hart, MFA ’20
• Her Pretty Lies and ThePerfect Affair, thrillers (Storm Publishing), by Angela Henry, AB ’92
• Less Helping Them / More Healing You: The Transcendent Gift of an Ancient Spiritual Tradition, self-help/spiritual memoir (ACTA Publications), by Jean Kelly, PHD ’03
• Star Late Rising, fiction (Dorrance Publishing Co.), by R. (Ron) Luce, MA ’82, PHD ’89
• The Transformative Journey of Higher Education in Prison: A Class of One, social science, legal system and higher education (Routledge Academic Press) and Witness: An Insider’s Narrative of the Carceral State, social science and legal system (Haymarket Books), by Lyle May, AA ’13
• Whatever Happened to Frankie King, graphic novel (Graphic Mundi), by Eli Neugeboren, BFA ’97, and Jay Neugeboren
• An Augury of Birds, poetry (Redhawk Publications), by Scott Owens, AB ’84
• Emergency Management Threats and Hazards: Water, emergency and disaster management (CRC Press), by Michael Prasad, BBA ’87
• Root and Bone, fantasy/murder mystery (Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing), by Jessica Raney, BS ’97
• Hiking Waterfalls Ohio: A Guide to the State’s Best Waterfall Hikes (FalconGuides) and Hocking Hills Day Hikes (Get Out! Publishing, second edition), nature guides, by Mary Reed, BSJ ’90, MA ’93
• Discovering Vienna, West Virginia: Origins. History. Heritage., local history (Friends of Vienna), by Christina Ullman, MS ’97
• Iridescent Pigeons, poetry (Yellow Arrow Publishing), by Candace Walsh, PHD ’24
• The Philosopher’s Wife, historical fiction (Stone Ring Press), by Edwin Wollert, MA ’98

Send your published work updates to ohiotoday@ohio.edu or to OHIO Today Magazine, Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH 45701-0869. And don’t forget to add your achievement to the Ohio University Alumni Association’s Bobcat Authors database.

Feature photo: A northern lights display above the Ohio University Observatory at The Ridges. Photo by Eli Burris, BSJ '16