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Geoff Halsey

AU graduate courses help longtime educator have a varied career, including his new director of administrative services job

Even though Geoff Halsey said he’s about five years away from retirement, the longtime educator plans to earn a doctorate degree before he retires. That’s because he said he loves learning and being in school settings. Some of the best of the many graduate courses the 52-year-old said he has taken throughout his education career were through Ashland University, where he earned his building principal license, as well as a master’s equivalency in educational…

Koffi Akakpo

Ashland University's Accent on the Individual motto guides MBA grad to new job as Kentucky State president

Koffi Akakpo was planning on attending Ohio State University for his Master of Business Administration degree, until he had a change of heart. “My human resources director, Pat Schell, recommended Ashland University,” said Akakpo, who was working full time at a company in Mansfield, Ohio, at the time. “When I looked into it, it had an MBA program with an executive strategic planning edge, and it was closer to home.” Akakpo said he is grateful he decided to…

Angela Chapman

Chapman, who earned a master's degree from AU, named superintendent of Columbus City Schools

Ashland University allowed Angela Chapman to take graduate courses while still working full time as an elementary teacher early in her education career. “My school district at the time, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, had a partnership with Ashland University,” said Chapman, who earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction in 2000 after two years of AU classes. “The partnership provided extension and outreach courses in our district after…

Olivia Pliske

AU student getting jump on her career in sports broadcasting with Cleveland camera crews

Ashland University student Olivia Pliske shouldn’t be on track to graduate early.    She started college during the COVID pandemic, changed her major three times and sometimes skipped classes to go to Cavs and Guardians games.    Taking College Credit Plus courses in high school helped Pliske overcome switching majors and the COVID pandemic so she can graduate this December in 3 ½ years and really start focusing on her career.…

Michelle Miller

Career path to Richland Youth & Family Council director job included AU graduate classes

Taking graduate courses at Ashland University worked out really well for Michelle Miller for a couple of reasons. First, they were available through a partnership between AU’s Columbus branch and Columbus City Schools, where she was working at the time. Second, as a full-time literacy specialist for Columbus City Schools, Miller loved being able to take classes in the evening. “I would absolutely recommend Ashland University for graduate work,” said Miller…

head shot of Larry Dorenkamp

2022 MAHG graduate earns Fulbright Roving Scholar award for 2023-24 academic year

ASHLAND, Ohio – Larry Dorenkamp, who graduated with a master’s degree in American history and government from Ashland University in May 2022, has earned a prestigious Fulbright Roving Scholar in America Studies award, the Fulbright Program announced recently. This Roving Scholar award affords Dorenkamp the opportunity to go to Norway and spend the 2023-24 academic year there holding workshops for secondary school students, their teachers and higher education…

Katie Foster

'Great support system' from JDM program key to recent AU grad thriving in new job

Katie Foster admits she decided to attend Ashland University because it was close to home.   “I chose AU out of convenience, but I have no doubts that is exactly where I was meant to be,” said Foster, who was living in Ashland when she graduated from Shelby High School. “The college not only gave me a great education and experiences through the journalism department, but also friends and memories I’ll treasure forever.”  The “great education…

Sarah Watson high school senior photo

Sophomore Sarah Watson steering mental health initiatives on AU campus

From great tragedy has come a powerful mission for Sarah Watson. The Ashland University sophomore has made it her personal goal to make mental health awareness a priority for all students on the AU campus, another important step in what has become a life calling. Watson began her current worthy pursuit during the 2022-23 academic year, bravely sharing the personal story of her father’s mental struggles and suicide with teammates on the Eagles’ women’s soccer…

Mackenzie Pflum

AU grad Mackenzie Pflum working her way to sideline reporter goal with sports radio job

Recent Ashland University graduate Mackenzie Pflum has wanted to be a sideline reporter since she was 12 years old.   At that age, she had attended a Cleveland Guardians (Indians back then) baseball game with her family and, due to a long rain delay, they were able to make their way down to the front row by the time the game resumed because so many fans had left.   “There ended up being a walk-off home run in the 12th inning and I…

founders hall

More than 1,000 students named to AU Dean’s List for spring 2023

ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University is pleased to announce its Dean’s List honorees for the 2023 spring semester. More than 1,000 students earned the distinction. In order to be eligible for the Dean’s List at Ashland, one must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at the university and receive a grade point average of 3.50 or above for the semester. The students and their hometowns can be found here.

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