Media Tips

WITH 1,850 STUDENTS and 136 faculty members, Ohio Wesleyan University always has something newsworthy happening on campus.

If you are a journalist and wish to arrange an interview on these or other topics, please contact Ann Marcum (740-203-6909, ammarcum@owu.edu) or Cole Hatcher (740-203-6908, cehatche@owu.edu).

Fall Semester 2007

Hillary’s Race for the White House: The question isn’t whether Hillary Clinton can be elected as the nation’s first woman president, says Joan McLean, an OWU politics and government professor and one of the women who helped strategize Geraldine Ferraro’s 1984 vice presidential nomination. The question is under what dynamic. “There’s a difference between running for office and actually governing,” McLean says. “Hillary’s strength is in governing. Her challenge as she campaigns will be to make clear-cut statements. Hillary still is working out how to win the party nomination, win the election, and be ready to govern.”

Creating an Effective Resume: A successful resume must highlight relevant experience effectively and target the type of position you’re seeking, says Nancy Westfield, OWU’s assistant director of career services. To create a winning resume, emphasize skills that match the qualifications for the position. If you lack job experience, Westfield says, study-abroad participation or involvement in campus activities can signal that you are flexible and have developed leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. You also should use a professional-sounding e-mail address that you check frequently and proofread your resume carefully. Many employers are looking for ways to reject submissions, so make sure your resume is perfect.

Economic Literacy: Ever wonder why a plate of spaghetti cost a nickel in the 1940s, and why professional athletes make more money than teachers? OWU economics professor Alice Simon says it’s all about supply and demand. Once the market knows people are willing to pay a certain price, why lower it? In the rare case of technology resulting in more efficient production, prices stay steady if the product remains in demand. As for professional athletes, Simon says we value them more as a society because they bring in more direct dollars. It is a shorter-term product that can be measured, while the value of a future generation of leaders is not as tangible.

U-CAN Helps with College Search Process: Ohio Wesleyan is among more than 600 private colleges and universities participating in the recently launched “University & College Accountability Network,” or “U-CAN,” Web site. Overseen by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), the site allows students and families to compare colleges based on a set of common characteristics. Margaret Drugovich, OWU’s vice president for strategic communications and university enrollment, says: “U-CAN now provides easy access to straight-forward, clear, verifiable, and important facts about each participating college. This should prove to be a useful, time-saving tool for years to come.” See the site at www.ucan-network.org.

Debating the 1960s: The political debates of the 1960s—including those over health care, foreign policy, and women’s rights and roles—continue to influence and shape American culture today, says OWU history professor and ’60s expert Michael Flamm. Flamm is the co-author of a new book, “Debating the 1960s: Liberal, Conservative, and Radical Perspectives,” which is part of publisher Rowman & Littlefield’s “Debating the 20th Century” series.

Cell Phone Psychology: There’s no doubt today’s technology is affecting America’s children. But exactly how? OWU psychology professor Kim Dolgin says long-term issues include the ability of teens to plan ahead, now that cell phones allow nearly instantaneous access to people. Also, parents may give their teens more freedom to go places and do things because of their cell phone safety net, but psychologists are continuing to examine how this will affect the teens’ transition to true independence.

Microfinance – A New Lending Option: Nearly 2.8 billion of the world’s 6.5 billion people live on less than $2 a day, says Saif Rahman, assistant professor of economics at Ohio Wesleyan. Options to assist those in developing countries include microcredit (a small loan made by a bank or other institution) and microfinance (other forms of financial services). The microfinance trend has reached 100 million low-income people around the world, helping them to help themselves improve their standards of living. Says Rahman: “Because the socioeconomic status of the world’s 3 billion poor people is so low, $25 would give them enough to start up a business.”

Adjusting to Campus Life: First-year college students can be overwhelmed as they enter a new phase of their lives, says Wendy Piper, OWU’s assistant dean of student life/director of residential life. To smooth the transition, Piper offers these tips: Don’t study in your residence hall—it’s a hub of distraction. The library is always a smarter choice. If your parents are worriers, schedule a set time to call them each week. And if you can’t resolve a roommate dispute, consult your resident adviser. These individuals are trained to mediate conflict and are ready to help.

Rooting Out Answers: How do environmental factors such as light, touch, and gravity affect plant growth? Can we manipulate these factors to improve food production, increase drought tolerance, and make other changes to improve people’s lives? OWU botany professor Chris Wolverton is researching these and other issues in his campus laboratory.

The Place for Space: OWU professor Tom Burns knows what’s shining, shooting, and circulating throughout the night sky. He is director of the university’s Perkins Observatory, which has allowed central Ohioans to keep an eye on the sky for more than 70 years. The observatory features a 32-inch reflector telescope, one of the largest in the state, with public programs available most weekends.

College Cash: Families concerned about future tuition costs may want to consider opening 529 accounts for their young scholars, says Lee Harrell, OWU’s vice president of admission and financial aid. Some accounts allow parents to lock-in today’s tuition rates, even if their children won’t be ready for college for many years. Others allow parents to save for room and board and books as well as tuition.

Understanding Iranian Society and Culture: Despite Iran’s prevalence in world news, information about its traditions and culture are not well-known. Ali Akbar Mahdi, an OWU professor of sociology, says the country is experiencing an identity crisis. While some are embracing more vocal and visual roles in Iranian society, others continue to support the nation’s time-honored traditions. Middle class women and youth, for example, are demanding more rights and protesting against the restrictions imposed on their life.

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