Ohio Northern University will put active learning and community involvement into practice with the fifth annual Ada Community Engagement (ACE) Day beginning at 9 a.m. on Aug. 20. The program is designed to engage incoming students with their community and provides opportunities for ONU’s first-year students contribute to the village.

University members will travel to 10 individual residences to help with projects such as weeding, mulching and painting. They will also assist with several village-wide projects such as clean-up at the village pool, weeding at Railroad Park and trimming trees at the Industrial Park. In the spirit of the event, ONU members are partnering with individuals from the local schools for projects such as landscaping and painting as well as assisting with the ONU Child Development Center and the Ready Set Grow preschools.

The endeavor also includes a community-wide food drive with 13 small groups collecting items for the Ada Food Pantry.

Last year’s effort included more than 40 service projects and involved approximately 335 ONU volunteers, including both new and continuing students, as well as faculty and staff members and alumni. A similar number is anticipated this year.

“Community service is an important component of the ONU educational experience, and we want our students to appreciate the benefit of this type of engagement,” said Director of Student Involvement Jennifer Lambdin. “These are the types of experiences that prepare students for lives of impact.”

The ACE activities are part of a larger effort to help incoming students become engaged with the university and local community.

Ohio Northern University opens its doors to the 2016-17 academic year with the traditional move-in day for incoming freshmen and other new students on Aug. 18. Classes begin on Aug. 22.

Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw, ONU vice president for student affairs, said, “Move-in day is a great tradition at the University, and our staff has been working diligently making preparations for the incoming freshmen. We have several great introductory activities for the students to prepare them for life at ONU and to make their transition to college life easier.” 

When ONU’s residence halls open at 8 a.m. on Aug. 18, incoming students can begin the process of moving in with the support of the campus community. 

After move-in day, a series of activities highlight the following welcome weekend. After moving in, freshmen will be formally welcomed by ONU President Daniel DiBiasio at a convocation event beginning at 4 p.m. in the ONU Field House. The traditional Greekapalooza, the Greek social activity for new students, is scheduled for Aug. 20, at 7:30 p.m. on the Tundra, and on Aug. 21, Welcome Fest will be held in the ONU Field House beginning at 2 p.m.