Emeriti Connection

Issue No. 24 - May 2023

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Letter from Our New Board President

Dear Emeriti,

As the Vice President of the UC Emeriti Association, I am acting on behalf of our President, Ralph Katerberg, who has had to step back for personal reasons. Ralph has done an excellent job directing the organization through an exciting and productive year. We are fortunate to have a vibrant Board planning and implementing the goals of the organization.



Our Executive Director Antoinette Larkin is retiring. We thank Antoinette for her many contributions to the Emeriti Association, which included oversight of the update and redesign of our website, assisting in the organization of our highly effective communications team, and hiring a student photographer to record our numerous Emeriti Association events.

I am excited to welcome over 80 new members into the Emeriti Association this spring. It was a pleasure to meet or renew associations with many of you at our Annual Dinner for New Emeriti on May 4. Many thanks to Pat Kumpf for organizing this event, to Antoinette Larkin for designing the Emeriti Welcome Booklet, and to Vice Provost Keisha Love for serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Recently the Emeriti Association hosted its inaugural Spring Arts Festival, which showcased the talents of emeriti, in collaboration with faculty, students, and alumni from DAAP and CCM and members of the Cincinnati community, in a day of lovely music, stunning artwork, and delicious food. A silent auction, which included donations from emeriti and artists, earned $2680 for the Emeriti Scholarship for undergraduate first-generation students. We are grateful for the support of Deans Timothy Jachna (DAAP) and Jonathan Kregor (CCM), which made this event possible. Special thanks go to emeriti Cynthia Lockhart, Terry Milligan, and Joan Murdock for the tremendous effort they put into organizing the art, music, and auction events, respectively.

You will have received an online ballot for the election of Board members and officers. These are the folks who keep the Emeriti Association running. Results of the election will be announced at the Emeriti Annual Meeting on May 18, 12:00–1:30 pm, with lunch at 11 am, in the Faculty Enrichment Center, Langsam Library, room 540 F/G. All emeriti faculty are welcome and encouraged to attend, whether in person or via zoom.

Best wishes to all for a pleasant and long-awaited spring.

Sincerely,

Sally

Sally Moomaw

Acting President and Vice President, UC Emeriti Association

sally.moomaw@uc.edu



Ratified at UC Board of Trustees meeting, February 28, 2023:

Ratified at UC Board of Trustees meeting, April 25, 2023:

We welcome these colleagues to the community of Emeriti as ratified by the UC Board of Trustees at their February 28th and April 25th meetings, 2023.

Annual Dinner for New Emeriti

2022-2023

Appreciation & Recognition Celebration

New emeriti gather for the traditional photo on the stairs

Colleagues connect with old friends and new, generating ideas and enthusiasm

The Provost's Office and the Emeriti Association Board were pleased to host this celebration on May 2, 2023, to honor new Emeriti Faculty in appreciation of their service to the university and to welcome the 81 individuals achieving emeritus rank from February 2022 to April 2023.

Dr. Keisha Love, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Undergraduate Affairs, served as Master of Ceremonies. In her new role as the Emeriti Association’s liaison to the Provost’s Office, she spoke of the many ways emeriti faculty can stay engaged with the university.  Provost Valerio Ferme confirmed his recognition and appreciation for how much emeriti do for the university. Past President Pat Mezinskis paid tribute to the late Bert Huether, first President of the Association, and Cate O’Hara, Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, extended a free OLLI membership* to new emeriti.  UC Foundation’s Rodney Parks and past President Terry Milligan acknowledged the impact of emeriti contributions and the opportunity to help fund the Association’s scholarship for underrepresented Gen-1 students.

Acting President Sally Moomaw’s slides displayed throughout the evening, underscoring the multi-faceted activities of the Association. The evening’s program highlighted the Emeriti Faculty’s status as colleagues, retired from all colleges, who come together to create and participate in a myriad of intellectual, cultural, social, service, and health-promoting activities. 

Special thanks to CCM's Alex Merk Jazz Trio who provided music to dine by (and whose holiday music enhanced our winter Spirit & Sparkle party), and to the members of the Emeriti Recognition Committee who created an elegant and festive affair.  The evening buzzed with camaraderie and the enthusiastic energy that embodies our Association.

Enjoying hors d'oeuvres, wine and jazz

* All new emeriti may take advantage of one free term membership ($90 value) during the 2023-24 school year. They just need to call or email the office before they register so we can apply the membership. 513-556-9186 or olli@uc.edu.

News & Announcements

Association of Retirement Organizations 

in Higher Education

AROHE Spotlights UC Emeriti Association

Reflecting the theme of “Aging Unbound,” the May 2023 issue of the AROHE Matters newsletter leads off with a story about the UC Emeriti Association’s “Spring Festival of the Visual & Musical Arts” held this past March.  Our Association is spotlighted as exemplifying the intergenerational principle of an age-friendly university as promoted by AROHE. Read it here. 

AROHE, founded in 2002, is a national organization that supports all phases of faculty/staff retirement in higher education and links retired faculty/staff associations, retiree and emeriti centers, and campus offices that engage retirees such as human resources, academic affairs, alumni, and development.

The UC Emeriti Association is one of over 100 member organizations representing colleges and universities, including Case Western Reserve, Clemson, Cornell, Emory, Georgetown, Harvard, John Hopkins, Loyola, Michigan, Stanford, UCLA, UNC Chapel Hill, and UT Austin.

The Emeriti Association Bids Farewell

to Antoinette Larkin as our Executive Director

Dear Emeriti,

It has been my pleasure to have been your Executive Director (ED). My time serving the Emeriti Association & Center has deepened my appreciation for your remarkable community.

This is an organization that truly lives up to its mission to advocate for the interests of emeriti, to provide intellectual and social opportunities to emeriti, and to strengthen ties between the emeriti and the university, local, national, and international communities.

Antoinette Larkin presenting the New Emeriti Welcome Booklet at the Annual Recognition Dinner 2022

In the fourteen months I have been ED, I have been privileged to see new “first annual” events (or revivals in the case of the Bus Tour for New Faculty) such as the Spirit & Sparkle Holiday Party, the Annual Picnic, and the Spring Festival of the Visual & Musical Arts 2023.  The fundraising for the Association's Endowed Scholarship Fund for first-generation (GEN-1) & underrepresented college-bound students has garnered so much generous support from several of these events.

As I step down, I am delighted that UC is very likely to join the ranks of the Age-Friendly Universities around the world.  The dynamic energy of the Executive Committee, the Board, Committee Chairs, and members have made all these achievements possible. We now have an Emeriti Office (in Lindner Hall) and an address, and the Faculty Enrichment Center continues to host many of our meetings.  To single anyone out for special thanks would be impossible. However, the Editorial & Communications Team has been a special part of my journey as the ED. 



Thanks to everyone for this extraordinary opportunity to serve. I will look forward to volunteering when I attain the rank of Emerita. It has been a privilege to serve.

– Antoinette 

Antoinette M. Larkin, PhD 

Associate Professor, Professional Writing Program 

The Emeriti Association Welcomes María Ortiz to the Faculty Enrichment Center

María I. Ortiz, PhD, Associate Professor-Educator, Spanish, and Co-Director of the Learning and Teaching Center at UC Blue Ash, has been appointed Interim Executive Director of the Faculty Enrichment Center (FEC), effective July 5, 2023.

“Dr. Ortiz has been a long-standing partner with the Faculty Enrichment Center,” says Keisha Love, PhD, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Undergraduate Affairs. “She embodies the vision of the FEC, she’s deeply committed to faculty development, and she has a collaborative style that will further the Center’s partnerships with both internal and external collaborators.”

Dr. Ortiz joined the university in 2013, teaching Spanish language, culture, and communication. She is a member of the Academy of Fellows in Teaching & Learning and was awarded the 2020 A.B. Dolly Cohen Award for Excellence in Teaching.  María is a member of the UC Latino Faculty Association as well as the AAUP UC Contract Compliance and Education Committee and ACE Women’s Network Ohio. Her research and publications include the study of food and literature from a cultural studies and literary theory perspective, as well as innovative pedagogical strategies for active learning classrooms.

"I am honored to be able to serve the Faculty Enrichment Center and continue to grow its programming and support for faculty," says Ortiz.

Dr. Ortiz will succeed Rita Kumar, PhD, who is transitioning back to her full-time faculty position at UC Blue Ash as Professor of English. Dr. Kumar, the FEC’s inaugural Executive Director, has stewarded its development for the past four years.

“I value the interaction and collaboration with the Emeriti Association during my time leading the Faculty Enrichment Center. I have had the opportunity to personally talk with many of the emeriti who visit the FEC and really enjoyed our conversations. It has been a privilege to serve our emeriti faculty,” says Kumar.

Learn more:  Read about Dr. Ortiz’s instructional endeavors for Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, and her service to the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Cincinnati featured on PBS Newshour in 2020.

Puerto Rico Alzheimer's

Annual Meeting of

the Emeriti Association Membership

Thursday, May 18, 2023

11:00–1:30 pm

Faculty Enrichment Center, Langsam Library, room 540 F/G



Light luncheon will be provided at 11.

New Emeriti attending will be recognized.

This year's accomplishments will be reviewed.

Election Results of Board members and Officers will be announced.

All emeriti are welcome and encouraged to attend, in person or zoom.

Link to Zoom broadcast of the Meeting

Meeting ID: 967 6983 6887

Call for Applications

Emeriti Association's Executive Director

Job title: Provost Fellow and Emeriti Executive Director, Emeriti Association and Center

Reports to: Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Undergraduate Affairs, with supervision and oversight from the Board of the Emeriti Association

This is a half-time position with responsibilities that continue during the summer.

Candidate must be either a current, active UC faculty member, an active or retired UC staff member, or an emeritus/emerita UC faculty member.

For job description details and to apply, here is the link for retired emeriti faculty or staff:

 https://jobs.uc.edu/job-invite/92565/

Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors.

Review of applications has begun and will continue until the position is filled.

Contact Sally.Moomaw@uc.edu or Joanna.Mitro@uc.edu

Volunteer Opportunity

UC SERVES 2023

Friday, May 19

Emeriti are invited to participate, along with other UC faculty and staff, in one of the 72 service projects scheduled around campus and in the greater Cincinnati area on May 19, 2023 as part of UC Serves 2023. These projects were proposed by UC's local non-profit partners. Join with them for this day of focused service to the communities surrounding the University of Cincinnati campuses.

To learn more about UC Serves, review the site locations, check out past events, and register to volunteer for your chosen project, visit the UC Serves website.

University of Cincinnati faculty and staff members give back to the community through UC Serves 2019 at the Concord Community Garden in Walnut Hills.  Photo/Joseph Fuqua II

Mentoring Committee

We cooked an elegant meal with the Gen-1 students on February 27.

Many hands made fast work of the chopping and mixing.

Ralph Katerberg, Kathryn Lorenz, and Terry Milligan getting ready to cook at the 1MPACT House.

Age-Friendly University Working Group

The Age-Friendly University Project, described in the December issue of the newsletter, is gathering steam. With the design help of DAAP co-op student Satanay Bras, our group produced a PowerPoint presentation describing the Age-Friendly University designation, outlining some of the age-friendly activities and practices already underway at UC, and offering reasons why UC should join the AFU network. The following graphic summarizes some of the many components of age-friendly activity at UC.

Following presentations to the UC Faculty Senate, the OLLI Board, and the UC Alumni Association, all of those organizations passed resolutions of support, like the one below.

We plan to continue spreading the word to other units on campus. We are scheduled to make a presentation to the UC Staff Senate in June.

Next steps include gathering more examples of research dealing with aging and of age-friendly programs and practices at UC, and writing a white paper to present to the UC Administration in the fall.

For more information, contact Joanna Mitro.

Luncheon Speaker Series

The Luncheon Speaker Series has had a terrific line-up this spring. 

We welcomed popular Cincinnati Pops conductor John Morris Russell on February 23 with "On and Off the Podium: A Conversation with Maestro JMR," appropriately followed on March 23 by Emeritus Professors Terence Milligan and Howard Jackson presenting "The Music and Physics of the Clarinet."

Our April 20, speakers from the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, Jennifer Spieser and Jason Barron, delighted us with an early spring look at the “History of Parks in Cincinnati.”

In addition, the Health & Wellness Committee sponsored two special luncheon presentations (not part of our regular once-a-month line-up) this spring: 

On April 27, Barbara Walker, UC Health Integrative Health and Performance Psychologist, presented a program on "Mindfulness," and on May 11, Regina Menninger, Trauma Prevention and Outreach Coordinator for UC Health, demonstrated “Hands-Only CPR and Use of an AED (automated external defibrillator).”

See speaker events in our Spring Photo Gallery below.

Our next Luncheon Speaker Series event will be in August.

We program August through April

(with a break in December).

All lectures on Thursdays, noon to 1 pm.

Light luncheon provided at 11:30 am.

Faculty Enrichment Center, Langsam Library.

Zoom option for those who cannot attend in person.

Do you have ideas for a speaker or a topic you'd like to hear?

Your ideas are welcome.

Contact Tim Sale, Luncheon Speakers Committee, chair. 

Watch for announcements with more details as future events approach and plan to join us!

Spring Photo Gallery

The Association’s Spring Arts Festival: 

The Reviews Are In!

Top: (1) CCM Students' Clarinet Quintet; (2) CCM Emeritus Terence Milligan & CCM Dean Jonathan Kregor; (3) Jewelry Designer Renee Hearn 

Bottom: (1) Artist Cedric Cox, DAAP Alumnus; (2) Cellist Sally Moomaw, UC Emerita & CCM Alumna; (3) DAAP Emerita Cynthia Lockhart, Curator Mary Heider, DAAP Dean Timothy Jachna, Sketch Artists Randall Wilson & Sue Blaney; (4) Cynthia Lockhart and her fiber art

One of our most ambitious undertakings, our first-of-its-kind Spring Festival of the Visual and Musical Arts was held this past March.  The intergenerational collaboration showcased the musical and artistic talents of students, alumni, and emeriti from UC’s renowned Colleges of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning (DAAP) and College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and members of the Cincinnati community.

Patrons enjoyed free admission and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. All funds generated by a silent auction and on-site sketch artists were transmitted directly to the Emeriti Association’s Scholarship for underrepresented, first-generation undergraduates.

Enjoy our Reviews & Photo Gallery of the event:

Crystal Huie Arnold, local artist and musician:

The Spring Festival was an exciting, entertaining, and festive event with a great location that provided so much positive energy. The fine art and musical performances were refreshing and amazing. The diversity and variety of younger and older artists and musicians made this event so unique. 

Members of CCM's New Horizons Orchestra

Crystal Huie Arnold, artist

I cannot leave out the New Horizon Orchestra’s String Quintet of which I am a part-violinist.  The NHO is directed by CCM professor Betty Anne Gottlieb, and members are adults aged 50 and older who previously played or would like to learn how to play a string instrument. Before discovering the NHO, I had initially returned to my violin during Covid with zoom lessons from a teacher in Serbia. I am also a local artist at the Pendleton Art Center and donated a piece of my artwork for the Emeriti Association’s silent auction.   

There was a great diversity of people attending the event, from the very young to the vibrant baby boomer generation.  It was so wonderful to see families, musicians, students, former students, and faculty mingling, observing, interacting, and enjoying the art, music, and refreshments.

To be a part of this event was a great honor. I volunteered and worked with so many incredible people, and it was worth all the time and energy.

Cedric Cox, DAAP alumnus, local artist:

As a DAAP alumnus, I was honored to be a part of this exhibition.  The event was beautifully curated and showcased an equally engaging blend of the musical and visual facets of the arts. Both creative colleges were highlighted elegantly, bringing communities and disciplines together for a great cause. 

I look forward to continuing to be a part of this event in the future.

Rebecca Barker, local artist:

The festival was a joy to participate in. I create abstract acrylic paintings and was very pleased to have sold one of my large images that will be donated to the UC Medical building. I also enjoyed the artists that were near me, and I feel I learned from them and they from me.

Joan Murdock, UC emerita and chair of the event’s silent auction:

The Silent Auction added an exciting aspect to a day of incredible artwork that was professionally displayed, stunning music presentations, great food, and strong examples of UC collaboration and camaraderie among colleges and disciplines. Community support for the Spring Festival was significant.

Cynthia Lockhart’s “Juxtaposition”

Patrons peruse donated works of art at the silent auction

Crystal Huie Arnold’s “Tapestry of Love”

The many desirable items, including artworks donated by the artists, enticed countless browsers and buyers. One patron was thrilled with her purchase of a lovely Japanese wall painting for her new home. The bidding process was on! The bidding got intense a few times, particularly for artwork and for the Bengals football signed by Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor. Hand-crafted jewelry was highly regarded, and gift cards for the BonBonerie and Maggiano's, and special treats, such as Graeter's, were very popular. And all for a great cause!

Link to Photo Gallery and Festival Brochure

The festival was produced by UC Emeriti Association's Acting President Sally Moomaw, CCM Emeritus Terence Milligan (music), and DAAP Emerita Cynthia Lockhart (art). 

BEARCAT BASEBALL

The Social Activities committee organized an outing to the baseball game on Saturday afternoon, April 22, between the UC Bearcats and the Tulane Green Wave at the UC Baseball Stadium.



Despite the intermittent rain and a cold wind, the “boys” had a great time, enjoying the charm of the campus stadium and the $2 group ticket price.  

Dan Durbin &

Terry Milligan

Dan & Bearcat

Dan, Terry & George Babcock

LUNCHEON SPEAKERS

John Morris Russell

in conversation

Lunchers ready to learn

Musician Milligan

& Physicist Jackson

Mindfulness meditation

Hands-only CPR

Practicing with the AED

P.O.E.T.S. Club Enjoys Cincinnati's Brew Pubs

Phooey On Everything! Tomorrow's Saturday!

Final Friday in March, the P.O.E.T.S. Club met at MadTree Brewing, Madison Rd in Oakley.  A late St. Patrick’s Day celebration was enjoyed in the renovated airplane hangar.  MadTree’s many community support endeavors, such as its partnering with Cincinnati State’s Brewing Sciences program to create scholarships for women and people of color, add to its appeal.

MadTree scholar studying the science of brewing at Cincinnati State

Bruce & Helene Ault, Bob Conyne, Terry Milligan,

Sally & Charlie Moomaw

Following a frosty January visit, April’s Final Friday found the brew afficionados back at Bad Tom Smith Brewing in Madisonville. The speak-easy brewery offers 18 Bad Tom Smith craft beers and their own Barrel Strength Bourbons.  Must-try beer: Coal Hearted Killer is a professional beer drinker’s beer, and at 11.9% will convince you that calling Uber is probably a good idea. 

George Babcock, Paul Elliot, Charlie & Sally Moomaw, Kathy Lorenz, Helene & Bruce Ault.

Pre-retiree John McNay and emerita Joan Murdock at Bad Tom Smith Brewing

LET'S GET SOCIAL!

The Social Activities Committee

[Sally Moomaw, Joan Murdock, Howard Jackson, George Babcock, Pat Kumpf, and Terry Milligan, chair]

sponsors ongoing events for socializing and enjoying each other’s company.

P.O.E.T.S. Club Gatherings



The P.O.E.T.S. Club (Phooey On Everything! Tomorrow’s Saturday!) 

gets together on the Final Friday of each month at 5 pm.

Friday, May 26, 2023

High Wire Brewing Cincinnati

4600 Beech Street

Suites 100 and 300

Cincinnati (Norwood) 45212

Beer, wine, cider, non-alcoholic beverages, and food are available.  High Wire is pet friendly and features a 24-tap bar, large outdoor patio on the ground floor, a rooftop deck on the third floor, and 360 degrees of vibrant indoor murals.  

Feel free to bring guests ... especially newly-named emeriti!

Join us for a fun start to your Memorial Day weekend!

We hope to see you then!

Looking ahead:

Friday, June 30

Dead Low Brewing

Located along the Ohio River in the California

neighborhood of Cincinnati.

College of Engineering & Applied Science

Preserving CEAS History

Contributed by Austin Hall

Editor's note: Austin Hall recently reached out to the Emeriti Association to tell us about this project and to possibly tap into some of the memories and materials our members may possess.

While many emeriti may remember the days when the College of Applied Science existed as a separate unit, only a few of us will recall the institution before it merged with the University of Cincinnati in 1969. The brief overview of the histories of UC’s College of Engineering and OCAS, found in the “Our History” section of this CEAS webpage (ceas.uc.edu), describes the series of developments that led to today’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.

The CEAS Archival, Research, & Preservation Project was launched to research, identify, and preserve documents and materials related to the histories of the two former colleges, OMI College of Applied Sciences (OCAS) and the College of Engineering (COE) prior to their merger in 2010.

Photo: The Ohio Mechanics Institute and Emery Theater building on Central Parkway now houses apartments.

This project is a collaborative effort involving UC History Department faculty member Dr. Jason N. Krupar, fourth-year History Ph.D. graduate student Austin C. Hall, faculty and administrators from the UC College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, staff of the CEAS/Engineering Library, and librarian Ted Baldwin, Director of the CEAS, Chemistry-Biology, and Geology-Mathematics-Physics Libraries.

Editor's note: Austin Hall recently reached out to the Emeriti Association to tell us about the project and to possibly tap into some of the memories and materials our members may possess.

Presently the project team is sorting through two large storage rooms filled with uncatalogued or uninventoried materials connected to OCAS. These rooms are located on the UC Victory Parkway campus. A sorting/cataloguing room has been set up in the Chemistry-Biology Library in Rieveschl Hall. Materials retrieved from Victory Parkway are inventoried and then placed in archival folders and boxes.

Excitingly, the project is entering a new phase! Along with the continual cataloging of materials, we are moving forward with plans to digitize photographs from both OCAS and COE and to examine the contents of numerous CDs, VHS tapes, floppy disks, and 35mm slides and film. Further, we are creating a display this summer that will grace Baldwin Hall detailing the histories of OMI, OCAS, COE and CEAS.

If you have materials that you wish to see preserved in the archives, please contact Austin Hall at hall3at@mail.uc.edu.

We would be happy to add your materials to our growing collection!

Health & Wellness

MINDFULNESS PROGRAM

Consider Adding a Practice to Your Routine

On April 27, Barbara Walker, UC Health Integrative Health and Performance Psychologist, presented a program on Mindfulness at the Faculty Enrichment Center. She explained the benefits of mindfulness "meditation" to a group of curious emeriti and led us in some introductory mindfulness exercises.

Studies have shown that with a regular practice of mindfulness meditation you can decrease stress, control anxiety, improve emotional health, enhance self-awareness, generate kindness, and enhance your overall happiness (and much more).

Emeriti are invited to "tune in" to her program:

Mindful Mondays

This is a free, guided meditation session held via Microsoft Teams.

Mondays from 8:30 - 9 am

Use the link below to add this to your calendar.

To explore Mindfulness on your own, try one of these books or apps:

1. Hanh, T.N. (2017). The art of living: peace and freedom in the here and now.
2. Williams, M & Penman, D (2012). Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World
3. Zinn, J.K. (2005). Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

apps: Insight Timer; Calm; HeadSpace; Inscape; Stop, Breathe, Think

Health & Wellness

BOOK CLUB

The Health & Wellness Book Club explores non-fiction and fiction books on topics supporting physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual well-being, and hosts virtual discussions of selected books.

Earlier in May, the Book Club met and discussed the book:

The Good Life: Lessons from the World's

Longest Study of Happiness

by Robert Waldinger, MD, and Marc Shulz, PhD

Health & Wellness

PICKLEBALL

In our last newsletter, we published an article describing the popularity and benefits of the game of pickleball (Pickleball, Anyone?).

Did that pique your interest? Looking for a way to jump on the pickleball bandwagon?

The Health & Wellness committee is sponsoring a pickleball introduction and demonstration on Thursday June 15 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Corryville Community Recreation Center, 2823 Eden Ave. 

Free parking is available on site, and some pickleball equipment will be available for participants to try out. Bill and Joan Hautz, experienced players and “Pickleball Ambassadors,” will be our guides for this experience.

Health & Wellness

WALKING for FITNESS Program

This Program, sponsored by the Health & Wellness Committee, aims to enhance a healthy lifestyle for improving or maintaining health and wellness.

The Walking for Fitness group walks outdoors in the spring and fall months. We walked the Harbor Trail in Winton Woods on Wednesdays in April.

In May, we're walking the

Wetland Loop nature trail

Glenwood Gardens

10397 Springfield Pike

Cincinnati (Woodlawn) 45215

This 335-acre park features formal gardens, prairies, forests and wetlands, and a 1.0-mile paved trail as well as the 1.6-mile Wetland Loop nature trail.

Meet at the Gatehouse entrance at

9 am Wednesdays in May

to join the walkers.

No walks are planned during the dog days of summer.

We'll resume on September 13 in Sharon Woods.

Contact Jennifer.Pearce@uc.edu for information.

Here are some of the many benefits for walking (list provided by Jennifer Pearce):

1.Walking is inexpensive; it requires only a pair of sturdy, well-fitting, comfortable walking shoes and a willingness to walk either indoors or outdoors.

2.Walking provides sensory enrichment. Walking in the spring is energizing, allowing us to witness the resurgence of life: the sprouting of new leaves, spring flowers, the return of birds, and many other sights and sounds. Nature awakens following a cold and deary winter. Walking in the fall helps us appreciate the beauty of nature at its best. The changing colors of the leaves and the cool temperatures remind us that summer is at an end and nature is preparing for winter.

3.Walking outside is restorative. In a comparative study of 90 volunteers assigned to either walk inside on a treadmill, walk outside in nature, or watch nature videos, researchers reported that walking in nature improved mood the most and lowered cortisol more than simply watching nature videos.

4.If there is one exercise that should win the gold for its impressive list of benefits, and minimal risks... it is walking. Walking is convenient (just think, no gym membership, no equipment!) and it is contraindicated for very few conditions and comorbidities.

5.Being physically active can provide substantial health benefits and improves the quality of life, even for people with chronic health conditions. It lowers the risk of early death, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and several cancers. (Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, 2018).

6.Being physically active as we grow older is now identified as one simple, low cost strategy that can help reduce the burden of dementia, the greatest global challenge for health and social care in the 21st century. Regular physical activity helps older adults maintain their independence, reducing their risk of falls, and delaying the onset of cognitive decline and dementia (Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, 2018). Older adults have a heightened risk of social isolation and loneliness. Exercise (walking) supports social interactions.

7.A single bout of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can improve sleep, memory, and the ability to think and learn. It has also been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms. Physical activity also improves strength, balance, flexibility, and muscle tone.

Conclusion: The benefits of walking or any physical activity outweigh the risks. Including physical activity, like walking, into daily lifestyle activities provides multiple health benefits. However, before embarking on any exercise routine, physical activity or program, it is important to consult your healthcare provider. Anyone with a chronic condition, such as heart disease or asthma, knee injuries or spinal osteoarthritis may aggravate their condition by walking.

Contributed by Joanna Mitro with Roger Collins

Clinical psychologist Roger Collins joined the faculty of CECH when it was still the College of Education and Home Economics in 1980. Collins had been a high school teacher in New Haven, Connecticut, prior to doing his graduate studies at Harvard University, and recalls starting the practice of using fiction to teach psychology in those high school classes – assigning books like The Lord of the Flies and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.  His students responded well to recognizing and discussing psychological concepts in works of fiction.  At UC, he continued to integrate fiction into his courses (books such as The Bluest Eye and The Dollmaker), which he feels helped students think differently about the topics he was teaching. Collins participated in the Writing Across the Curriculum workshops in the early ‘90s, and at one point experimented with a creative writing assignment in one of his psychology classes. That experiment met with a lot of push-back from students, especially the ones who excelled in traditional academic content, and was not repeated.

Over time, fiction found its way into Roger’s writing, and he began to compose short stories that explored his interests in race, culture, mental health, human behavior, and “feelings about feelings.” His attraction to writing fiction led him to join writing workshops and connect with writing groups, and several of his stories got published in literary journals. However, he got the message from administrators that this work didn’t count as “scholarship,” but as some other category of effort. Was it “service,” or something else? His output didn’t fit into the traditional workload of the School of Education – and Collins decided to retire in 2011, so he’d be free to pursue creative writing.

By the time he retired, Roger was creating both fiction and plays. He had begun to feel that the process of writing and publishing fiction was somewhat isolating – his email interactions with editors lacked human contact. He perceived the theater community to be more social and inviting, and he wondered:  could he tell a story just via dialog? To answer that question, he took a playwriting course taught by Pauline Smolin, then a retired University College professor, offered by OLLI or through Communiversity.  He used ideas from one of his short stories to create a play for her class, and she became a mentor to him as he took up playwriting.  He developed that first play via workshops and readings, and it was eventually produced at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Other plays followed, and he is now working on shorter (ten-minute, or even one-minute) plays, achieving performances and readings of his work at events such as the Village Players of Fort Thomas Festival, the Cincy Fringe Festival, playwriting conferences, and public readings for the Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative. Roger finds the short format very attractive and writes scenes tied to a theme or a prop (e.g., a beach ball).  The social/community aspects of the creative process of playwriting are exactly what he was looking for.  He is now president of the Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative.

Roger recently published his first novel, Cities of Glass (June 2022).  He describes this book, whose protagonist is a female astrophysicist from Trinidad, as “science fiction” or “speculative fiction.”  This project challenged him with the question: can I look at the world through another person’s eyes? With this accomplishment under his belt, Roger intends to continue writing fiction in addition to his playwriting.  He currently envisions working in the shorter format of the novella.

We wish him continuing success and ongoing satisfaction with these retirement projects.

The OLLI Connection

Contributed by Cate O'Hara, OLLI Director

Free OLLI Experiences for Emeriti and

Opportunities to Teach

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UC offers noncredit classes—one time and multiweek, in person and online—for adults aged 50 and better. Many UC Emeriti and their partners/spouses participate both as students and as moderators. If you are interested in joining the ranks of volunteers who teach for OLLI, please visit www.uc.edu/olli and navigate to the Teach for OLLI page for information.

Spring OLLI classes are underway.



FREE — FREE — FREE 

OLLI is offering the following programs, both in person and online, to Emeriti who would like to check them out for free:

Protecting LGBTQ+ Students and Students of Color #2480 (Zoom#2481)

Thu., May 18, 12:45-2 pm, in person at UC Victory Pkwy Campus or online via Zoom

Shawn Jeffers, Lead Trainer for GLSEN, will review proposed legislation targeting vulnerable student populations and share strategies for advocating for them.

Review of the Human Immune System #2483

Fri, May 26, 1-3 pm, in person at UC Victory Pkwy Campus

Richard Wendel, MD, will provide a frame of reference to understand the complexity of the human immune system and genetics.

Supreme Conservative and Liberal Activism by Justices Making Law #2528 (Zoom#2529)

Thu., June 1-15, 2:15-4:15 pm, in person at UC Victory Pkwy Campus or online via Zoom

Over three sessions, UC Professor Emeritus of Political Science Howard Tolley will examine how political ideology, legal principles, and personal preference impact the Supreme Court.

Successfully Managing Polypharmacy in Seniors #1268 (Zoom#1269)

Mon., June 5, 12:45-2 pm, in person at UC Victory Pkwy Campus or online via Zoom

Holistic Clinical Pharmacist Cathy Rosenbaum will address how to manage multiple medications and supplements to prevent adverse drug interactions.

To sign up, call 513-556-9186 or email olli@uc.edu. 

Find out more about all OLLI offerings at www.uc.edu/olli or 513-556-9186.

William “Bill” E. Lasher, 78, of Lebanon, passed away on October 5, 2022 at Hospice of Cincinnati. Born July 25, 1944 in Hammond, Indiana, Bill was Professor of Linguistics at the University of Cincinnati for 39 years and retired as Professor Emeritus. Bill attended the University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate degree and received his PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 

Always a professor, he entertained friends, family, and care givers with his amazing knowledge of the English language and linguistics. He could pinpoint any dialect with amazing accuracy. For many years, he wrote a weekly article for the Cincinnati Enquirer about linguistics and the English language. Bill served as an expert on linguistics in legal matters. He also was an active member of his church, serving as warden and junior warden. 

Preceded in death by his parents and his adoptive father, Bill is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary (nee: Lavigne) Lasher, his daughter, Katherine (Andrew Miller) Lasher, his two sons, Stephen (Leanne) Lasher and Joseph (Jenifer) Lasher, his two brothers, his sister, and his eight grandchildren.

Donations may be made to either St Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Lebanon, or to Hospice of Cincinnati.

David Byer Nash, 74, passed away on February 19, 2023. Born January 21, 1949 and raised in Lexington, MA, he was a graduate of Colorado College and received his PhD from the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty of the Department of Geology at the University of Cincinnati in 1978 and retired as Professor Emeritus in 2015. 

Dr. Nash was the founder of the University's CV Theis Groundwater Observatory at the Great Miami River (now the Theis Environmental Monitoring and Modeling Site), a research site that monitors the river and adjacent aquifer to identify potential environmental and public health threats.

David is survived by his wife, Professor Emerita Ruth Anne Van Loon; his sons, Nathan (Andrea Evans) Nash of Chicago, and Samuel Nash of Cincinnati; his sister Vivian Nash and brother-in-law Jeffrey Sklar of Brookline, MA; and all their children, families, cousins and in-laws who greatly loved him. 

In retirement, he enjoyed reading on the porch, perfecting his grilling techniques, and building robots. All will miss his curiosity, his unique sense of humor, and the way his presence could fill up a room. 

A memorial service was held in March at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, in Cincinnati (video link).

Contributions may be made to the University of Cincinnati Foundation for the David B. Nash Memorial Fund to support the mission of the Theis Environmental Monitoring and Modeling Site, Geosciences Department.

Bernard Goodman, 99, died peacefully at his home on March 28, 2023, after a long decline. Though he was physically frail, his mind was sharp to the end and many friends and family members were able to visit during his final weeks. 

Born June 14, 1923 and raised in south Philadelphia, Bernie was the youngest of four children. His parents had immigrated from Russian-ruled Ukraine. At age 16 he won a Mayor’s Scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a BA and PhD in physics, conducted research on sonar during World War II, and became an avid badminton and tennis player. 

Dr. Goodman had a long academic career in theoretical condensed matter physics at the University of Missouri (1952-1965) and the University of Cincinnati (1965-1993 and emeritus 1993-2023), where he was highly regarded as a teacher and trained many successful future physicists.

Bernie married Joyce Willoughby (1928-2018) in Chicago in 1951 and is survived by their three sons, David (Philadelphia), Jonathan (New York City), and Mark (Bethesda), five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.



His funeral was March 31, when his ashes and those of his late wife Joyce were buried together at Clifton Jewish Cemetery. A memorial is planned for the weekend of June 16-18, 2023, in Cincinnati. His family encourages donations in his name to Doctors Without Borders.

Help us pay tribute to our deceased emeriti colleagues. If you know of any emeriti who have passed since our last issue, please send information to:  

Lynn Davis davislk@ucmail.uc.edu

Emeriti Endowed Scholarship Fund

SUPPORTING UNDERREPRESENTED GEN-1

The twenty-one members of the Board of the Emeriti Association have pledged gifts to establish an endowed fund for the Emeriti Scholarship for underrepresented, first-generation undergraduate students at UC.

We are off to a good start ... as of the end of March 2023, the principle was $42,909.

We, the Board, ask you to partner with us to grow this endowment principle to enable a yearly $5000 scholarship. We need your help to make this a reality!

You may wish to transfer (not withdraw) directly to the UC Foundation all or part of your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) to a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), naming this scholarship fund.

OR

Make a gift at: foundation.uc.edu/give

After the funds load, in the “Search Funds by Name” field,

Enter “Emeriti Scholarship”

Fund details:

University of Cincinnati Emeriti Association

Endowed Scholarship Fund (S201318)



This scholarship helps "pay it forward" from our association of retired faculty to future generations of students. 

Located on the green between Muntz and Walters Halls, this giant aluminum structure is hard to miss but, at first glance, could be mistaken for an electric tower. This work of art, by sculptor Eric Nordgulen, has been a fixture on the UC Blue Ash campus quadrangle since the sculpture’s dedication in 2001.

The tower is open on two sides permitting the viewer to step inside and be centered in the airy, open artwork. Fabricated semicircular ribs form the architectural underpinning for what appear to be bony tree limbs, twisting and stretching skyward. One perspective views it as a metaphor for seeking knowledge: “The ribs suggest the human anatomy. The tree limbs suggest arms and hands reaching for something.”  Another sees “a network of branches that resemble blood vessels branching out and running throughout the human body, or perhaps strands of DNA twisted together.”

Named Anatomy Vessel by sculptor Eric Nordgulen, it was installed to accompany the addition to the campus of the Science and Allied Health Building built in 1999. Later renamed Walters Hall, the building supports space for a variety of health care and science programs.

Anatomy Vessel is part of a larger series of works by Nordgulen, all with the same name. Sculptures within this same series can be found on the campuses of the University of Indianapolis and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), where Nordgulen is a professor of sculpture at the Herron School of Art and Design. 

Photo/Pete Bender

Join the Emeriti Association's LinkedIn Group

Register to join using this link and search

"University of Cincinnati Emeriti Association" on LinkedIn.

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Send your thoughts and ideas ... help us make the Emeriti Connection newsletter better.

Be A Contributor!

Share your experience ... be interviewed by our team or write your own contribution.

Contact the Editorial & Communications Team: Joanna.Mitro@uc.edu

Emeriti Association & Center | Who We Are

President | Ralph Katerberg |  katerbrj@ucmail.uc.edu

Vice President| Sally Moomaw | moomawsc@ucmail.uc.edu

Secretary | Kathryn Lorenz | lorenzkm@ucmail.uc.edu

Treasurer | Patrick Kumpf | kumpfpc@ucmail.uc.edu

Editorial & Communications Team

Chair | Joanna Mitro | mitroj@ucmail.uc.edu

Editor | Lynn Davis | davislk@ucmail.uc.edu

Reviewer | Jonathan Kamholtz | kamholj@ucmail.uc.edu

Emeriti Connection is produced by the Office of the Executive Director of the Emeriti Association & Center assisted by the

Editorial & Communications Team.

 Contact us at mitroj@ucmail.uc.edu

University of Cincinnati Emeriti Association & Center

2412 Carl H. Lindner Hall

P.O. Box 210066

Cincinnati, OH 45221-0066

Issue No. 24 - May 2023