Development News

Donnelly Hamilton named executive assistant to the president

Ann Donnelly Hamilton has been named Ohio Northern University’s executive assistant to the president. Donnelly Hamilton replaces Bill Robinson, who retires later this year.“I am honored to be appointed to this position,” said Donnelly Hamilton, who served as ONU’s director of alumni relations for the past decade. “I look forward to assisting President DiBiasio in my new capacity and working to maintain the great reputation of Ohio Northern University.”Donnelly Hamilton served as ONU’s assistant director of alumni affairs from 1999-2002. In January 2002, she became director of alumni relations at Lake Ridge Academy; she returned to ONU as an associate director of alumni affairs in September 2002. In 2003, she was named ONU’s director of alumni relations. She also served as campaign manager for “The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow” from 2006-12.Donnelly Hamilton earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and education from ONU in 1999 and a master’s degree in educational... Continue reading ...

Two scholarships established in memory of Charlene McComas

Ohio Northern University has announced the establishment of two endowed scholarships, in the name of Charlene S. McComas, that will benefit students in the Getty College of Arts & Sciences.The two endowed scholarships, the Charlene S. McComas Memorial Scholarship for an English major and the Charlene S. McComas Memorial Scholarship for a public relations major, were made possible through the generous donation of her parents, the late Clyde and Viola McComas, and her siblings, the Roy and Claudia (sister) Barnhart family, the Kevin (brother) and Nancy McComas family, and the Chad (brother) and Michelle McComas family.“Throughout her time as an alumna of Ohio Northern, Charlene was a consistent donor to the university’s annual fund, realizing the importance of education and ‘paying it forward’ to others, as others had done for her,” said Ann Donnelly Hamilton, executive assistant to the Ohio Northern University president. “She was conscious about making sure that her places of... Continue reading ...

Prasher named director of alumni relations

Sarah N. Prasher has been named Ohio Northern University’s director of alumni relations, effective June 1. Prasher, who has served as associate director of alumni relations since 2010, replaces Ann Donnelly Hamilton, who has been appointed executive assistant to the president. “I feel very honored about my new position, and I am excited about continuing my relationships with the outstanding ONU alumni and friends.” Prasher said. “I would like to thank Ann Donnelly Hamilton for all of her support and hope to maintain the high standard she has set for this office."Prasher, who graduated from ONU in 2005 with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering, served as director of development for ONU’s T.J. Smull College of Engineering from 2008-10. Prior to that, she was employed as a production team adviser for Schreiber Foods Inc. in Green Bay, Wis., from 2006-08. Continue reading ...

ONU receives USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant

The United States Department of Agriculture has awarded the entrepreneurship program at Ohio Northern University’s James F. Dicke College of Business Administration a Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) to support small business growth and development in a four-county area surrounding ONU. The grant totals $92,000.The grant provides ONU with the funds to develop outreach programs to help develop growth and expansion of microenterprise development (small businesses with less than 50 employees and gross sales less than $1 million) and growth in a four-county area: Allen, Hancock, Hardin and Wyandot. The outreach programs are focused on serving the needs of any individual that may have an interest in starting or expanding a small business, including the targeted counties’ business community.Through Ohio Northern University’s entrepreneurship program, the funds will provide technical support in the form of one-on-one counseling, classes and workshops with the goal to assist at... Continue reading ...

ONU to host estate-planning seminar

Ohio Northern University will host its 17th annual estate business and financial planning seminar at the Pettit College of Law on Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.The one-day event, “Staying Atop the Shifting Sands: Estate planning in today’s uncertain climate,” will be presented by Samuel A. Donaldson, J.D., LL.M., from the University of Washington School of Law, and ONU alumnus Laird A. Lile, J.D., LL.M., CPA, from Naples, Fla.Topics for the seminar will include a federal tax update including current cases, rulings and legislation from the past 12 months; electing out-of-estate tax and allocating basis under the new form 8939; a portable guide to the Portability Election; and the $5 million exclusion state law considerations for the migrating client.Continuing education credit has been approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio, Ohio Department of Insurance, Accountancy Board of Ohio, CFP Board of Standards and PACE.This seminar is sponsored by ONU’s Office of Gift Planning and the Pettit... Continue reading ...

Profiles in Giving: Katherine F. Karas

Katherine F. Karas Endowed Fund for Innovations in Teaching at the Raabe College of PharmacyThis article originally appeared in the Spring 2010 issue of The Ampul.When Katherine Karas, BSPh ’75, was a student at the Raabe College of Pharmacy, she gave little consideration to the impact the college would make on her professionally. “I never connected the influence that the college’s professors and the environment would have on me until April 1997, when I was installed as president of the Ohio Pharmacists Association,” says Karas. “It was that night that really showed me what being an alumna of the College of Pharmacy at ONU was all about.”All of the college’s academia who attended that night focused their attention on her – expressing excitement, confidence and enthusiasm. As years passed, Karas saw the same attitude shown to fellow alumni when they had their turn in the limelight.It was this support outside the classroom that really caught her eye. “I know that I received the same... Continue reading ...

Director of ONU's Heterick Library creates scholarship for ONU nursing students

Paul Logsdon, director of Ohio Northern University’s Heterick Memorial Library, has established the Robert and Vivian Logsdon Endowed Scholarship Fund for outstanding ONU nursing students in honor of his parents. In an effort to honor his parents’ unwavering dedication to public service, Logsdon has created a scholarship fund that will benefit the school that has played a large part in his family. His older brother, Robert D. Logsdon, earned two undergraduate degrees and a law degree from ONU and served as an assistant professor of accounting at Northern from 1982 to 1986. Sister Sara Babich received a BA in history from ONU in 1980. “My parents recognized the contributions made by Northern’s graduates and, accordingly, sent a son and daughter to this institution,” said Paul Logsdon. Paul Logsdon’s father graduated from the University of Illinois Medical School in 1938 and served as a surgeon in the Army Medical Corps during World War II. He practiced medicine in Marion... Continue reading ...

ONU to host Scholarship Recognition Days

More than 250 top high school students from Ohio and the surrounding states will attend the first session of Ohio Northern University’s annual Scholarship Recognition Days on Saturday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Presidential Scholarship Recognition Day kicks off ONU’s honor scholarship evaluations, which run for three more weekends. Last year, the four scholarship events attracted more than 970 students. A similar number is expected for the class of 2011. The scholarships will be awarded to leading students entering each of Ohio Northern’s undergraduate colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, and Pharmacy. “These scholarship events are exciting opportunities for the exceptional students we have selected and admitted to ONU,” said Karen Condeni, ONU’s vice president and dean of enrollment. “We look forward to personally meeting the families and awarding significant dollars to many who will benefit from an ONU education.” ... Continue reading ...

Campus Campaign Says Thank You!

A special thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Campus Campaign. An outstanding 69 percent of our faculty and staff have contributed more than $120,000 in gifts and pledges. You are an important part of a family of faculty, staff, alumni and friends committed to helping the next generation of students succeed.Congratulations and thank you for your continued support!Kelly M. BrantDirector of Annual Giving Continue reading ...

National Collegiate Athletic Association grant received

Professor Tom Simmons, assistant professor of sports management and director of athletics, recently received a $1,800 grant from the National Collegiate Athletic Association to promote student-athlete welfare. The grant will be used to bring in an expert speaker to present a program on the negative effect that alcohol consumption has on the body’s physical recovery from athletic activity. Continue reading ...