Ohio Northern University will put active learning and community involvement into practice with the annual Ada Community Engagement (ACE) event from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 24.

The program is designed to engage incoming students with their college home and provide opportunities for ONU’s first-year students to contribute to the village and surrounding communities.

University members will travel to several individual residences to help with projects such as weeding, mulching and painting.

They also will assist with several village-wide projects such as landscaping and visiting with the elderly residents at Vancrest of Ada and the Good Samaritan Society of Arlington, as well as washing vehicles at the Ada Liberty EMS and assisting at the Ada Public Library.

In the spirit of the event, ONU members are partnering with individuals from Ada and Allen East 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 supply drive with eight small groups collecting items for Ada ReStore and the Ada Exempted Village Schools.

40 service projects last year
Last year’s efforts included more than 40 service projects and involved approximately 360 ONU volunteers, including new students, upperclassman students, faculty and staff members. A similar number is anticipated this year.

“Community engagement is one of the distinguishing features of the ONU educational experience and helps prepare students for lives of impact both during and after their college careers,” said Director of Student Involvement Jennifer Lambdin. “It is important they feel connected to the village that will serve as their college home.”

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

Students move in Aug. 22
Ohio Northern University opens its doors to the 2019-20 academic year with the traditional move-in day for new students on Aug. 22. Classes begin on Aug. 26.

Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw, ONU vice president for student affairs, said, “We have several events planned to help students make the transition to college life as they begin this exciting chapter of their lives.”

After move-in day, a series of activities highlight the Welcome Weekend. New students will be formally welcomed by ONU President Daniel DiBiasio at a convocation event beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 in the ONU King-Horn Field House.

The traditional Greekapalooza, the social activity hosted by fraternities and sororities for new students, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, and Welcome Fest, an event that introduces new students to ONU student organizations and local businesses, will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 25 in the ONU King-Horn Field House.