Rogers Report

This month, we took the Rogers Report to the sky! Our aviation program continues to grow to serve a critical workforce demand in educating pilots and management and operations professionals. Being a pilot, it was great to fly with our chief flight instructor, Catherine Smith, who leads this academic program of 365 students and nearly 20 airplanes. As you know, the Wood County Airport is located on campus, and we launched a public-private partnership with North Star Aviation to enhance our support of aviation at BGSU! This comprehensive academic program puts students in the sky every single day, providing the training and education they need to be successful.

BGSU recently dedicated a new research vessel to support our water quality research efforts on Lake Erie. RV Ziggy was made possible through the generous support of Debra Scheetz Ryan '74, a former chair of our Board of Trustees, and Patrick Ryan '74, a former member of the Board of Directors of the BGSU Foundation, Inc. The Ryans have had a long relationship with the Department of Biological Sciences and are also responsible for an endowed professorship in biology. RV Ziggy will extend our reach in the Sandusky Bay and help us focus on addressing the harmful algal blooms occurring in our own backyard. This research vessel is an example of our commitment to creating public good, supporting the research of our faculty and students who are hard at work addressing issues of significance.

Student Tess Marjanovic's classroom for her musical survey course was not in Bowling Green this summer, but in sub-Saharan Africa. Through the Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship, she studied abroad, and experienced different cultures, music and education. I am struck how enlightening and inspiring her experience was, and when I planned to share Tess' story in this month's Rogers Report, I knew you had to hear directly from her. She recently penned a blog post so you learn more about her meaningful experience. I hope you take a moment to read it. Tess is an example of how students at Bowling Green State University stand out.

Bowling Green State University is a place where each of our students can belong. Being a residential campus, our on-campus experience and learning communities provide great opportunities for students to form connections and get involved outside of the classroom. These learning communities range in interests and major, and engage more than 1,400 students this year. Whatever their focus, all provide students a smoother transition to college and a supportive group with whom to share this most crucial time in their lives.

BGSU Football defeated the University of Toledo 20-7 on Oct. 12! It was our first victory against our rival since 2009 and the all-time series is now tied at 40-40-4. It was a great afternoon at the Doyt as we also celebrated 100 years of BGSU Football. I am so proud of our student-athletes and coaches who continue to work hard on and off the gridiron. In case you couldn't make it to Bowling Green for the game, you can review photos and stats from the game, along with post-game interviews with the Falcons. Ay Ziggy Zoomba!