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Placing students first

Fine academics alone aren't enough to attract an impressive student body, so UC|21 puts a priority on students' needs — through scholarships, attractive facilities, social activities, a support system for studies and avenues for gaining a sense of empowerment.

 

  • Paying for college will be less painful for these incoming nursing students — getting their first look at what to expect in clinical skills lab — thanks to the Cincinnatus Scholarship. UC's 10th class of Cincinnatus winners — about 2,100 students (some of them a bit squeamish) — divided more than $12 million in scholarships.

    photo/Dan Davenport

  • Autumn grads no longer have to wait so long to celebrate their big accomplishment since UC added a second commencement in December. All graduating seniors now have a more personal experience during commencement as each is called to the stage to be congratulated by their college dean and President Nancy Zimpher.

    photo/Andrew Higley

  • Last year's student government leaders (from left) Andrew Burke and Dominic Berardi (pictured with President Nancy Zimpher and new student VP Jeremy Driscoll) worked closely with administrators to begin several new efforts focusing on student health and safety. Accomplishments included a new day-and-night Bearcat bus system for students who need a lift to and from surrounding communities, a smoking ban within 25 feet of campus buildings and an effort to increase lighting standards in neighborhoods surrounding campus.

    photo/Lisa Ventre

  • A sorority member dons her finest "swimsuit" for the Greek Week belly splash contest. Dozens of UC sorority and fraternity members enter the annual competition, which this year tested their abilities at egg tossing, chariot racing, slip-and-sliding, pie eating, wall climbing and, of course, belly flopping. The annual goofy games have a serious purpose, and this year's events raised $15,000 for the local Make-a-Wish Foundation, enough to send two seriously ill children on a trip to Disney World.

    photo/Andrew Higley

  • President emeritus Joseph Steger (center) and Cincinnati vice mayor Jim Tarbell (right) take part in the MainStreet dedication at UC in May.

    photo/Lisa Ventre

  • The Meet Me on MainStreet event officially opened the completed pedestrian-friendly corridor that stretches from the renovated Tangeman University Center, past the new Steger Student Life Center to the newest facility, the Campus Recreation Center (pictured here). Where once a street ran through the middle of campus, visitors now find impressive open spaces for larger gatherings and intimate outdoor settings for quiet study.

    photo/Lisa Ventre

  • More than 10,000 people took part in the weekend of activities including the Friday afternoon MainStreet dedication and foot parade (led by Mr. Bearcat), a Friday night rap concert featuring Talib Kweli, family day on Saturday and the Sigma Sigma carnival featuring Rozzi's Famous Fireworks Saturday night.

    photo/Lisa Ventre

  • Five years ago Yahoo Internet Life ranked UC among the "most wired" campuses in the country. Now Cincinnati is taking a lead role among tech-savvy schools that are "unwiring" campus — cutting the cords to landlines and data jacks. Partnering with Cincinnati Bell, the university has committed to creating a comprehensive wireless connectivity environment where students, faculty and staff aren't tied to desks and dorms but, rather, completely mobile on smart phones and laptops. The first phase of UC Mobile includes a Bearcat cell plan with UC-specific features such as five-digit dialing, a wayfinder, a help button and access to course information. Once the wireless network is fully in place, the UC neighborhood will be the largest public access Wi-Fi hotspot in the state of Ohio. Data services, including wireless access for PDAs and laptops, will extend across the Uptown East and Uptown West campuses and as far as a half-mile out into the surrounding communities.

    photo/Dottie Stover

Campus Recreation Center climbing wall

Challenging experiences at UC extend beyond the classroom. Opened in February [2006], the $113 million Campus Recreation Center offers the university community a place to get fit — whether it is climbing this 40-foot wall, working out on one of 200 fitness machines, playing basketball in the six-court gym or swimming in the Olympic-sized pool.

photo/Andrew Higley