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AU master's degree not only helps graduate with teaching career, but also as council member and now as mayor
Mason Boldizar earned his master’s degree in administration in 2007 from Ashland University to help his teaching career, but it has benefited him in many other ways, too. It also has served him well as a Minerva council member since 2018 and he expects that to continue as the village’s mayor, which the council named him recently following the September death of Mayor Tim Tarbet. “Learning how to deal with people in respectful ways is always something that we…
Jon Parrish Peede pledges commitment to Ashland University during presidential inauguration
ASHLAND, Ohio – Jon Parrish Peede expressed an optimistic vision while pledging his commitment to Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary, as he was inaugurated as president during a joyous ceremony inside Jack and Deb Miller Chapel on Friday, Oct. 25. Prior to Peede’s inaugural address, the formal occasion featured an impressive processional, an invocation and Scripture reading, performances by the AU Brass Ensemble and a series of greetings, led…
AU education helps former inmate find employment after prison release
Jessica Bruner never imagined she would have the opportunity to attend a university. “But in September 2020, on a tablet with a rubber keyboard, I began my journey with Ashland University,” Bruner said. “By May 2022, I proudly accepted my associate’s degree in cap and gown. I didn’t stop there — I pushed forward and earned my Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies in August 2023, graduating with honors as valedictorian.” And in December 2023, she left…
Face-to-face cybersecurity courses available with new full-time professor
Abdulbast Abushgra allows Ashland University to do something it hasn’t been able to do the past few years – offer face-to-face cybersecurity courses. “Ashland University has not had a full-time assistant professor of cybersecurity since spring 2022,” said Christopher Swanson, Ph.D., 25-year AU professor of Mathematics. “As there is a desire to grow the cybersecurity program, it was vital that we hire Dr. Abdulbast Abushgra to teach face-to-face courses,…
Ashland University to celebrate inauguration of President Jon Parrish Peede Oct. 25
ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary will celebrate the inauguration of its new president, Jon Parrish Peede, on Friday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. The ceremony, which is open to the public, will take place inside Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. There will be a community reception at the Dauch College of Business and Economics following the inauguration at approximately 4:30 p.m. For those unable to attend, a link to a live stream of the…
New program director looking to help grow the Social Work Program
For various reasons, it didn’t work out the first time Jenni Jacobsen applied for a job at Ashland University several years ago. The same thing happened a few years ago. That didn’t deter Jacobsen, though, who was finally hired by the university as an associate professor and program director for its Social Work Program on her third try a few months ago. “I trusted the process and felt like I would eventually end up here,” Jacobsen said recently from her…
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science excited about adding a statistics professor
With careers dealing in statistics growing significantly in recent years, Ashland University’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science felt it needed an instructor who specialized in this area. “The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science has not had a professor with expertise in statistics since 2016 and department faculty members requested this position to support our actuarial science program and to prepare students for careers as data…
Ashland University hosts Connecting 4 Justice International Conference
ASHLAND, Ohio – With everything offered at the three-day Connecting 4 Justice International Conference at Ashland University last month, participants couldn’t go wrong with whatever sessions they chose to attend among the many available. Sandra Joy, a professor at Rowan University in New Jersey, who also teaches for a prison, said she really enjoyed the session, “Fatherhood; Building a Legacy of Strong Families for Justice-Impacted Fathers,” she attended.…
New superintendent at Windham earned master's degree at Ashland University
Michael Dobran appreciated that Ashland University’s Master of Educational Administration program wasn’t filled with busy work like some graduate programs. “I was working full time and coaching, and long assignments and busy work would have not made me a better educator,” said Dobran, who earned his master’s degree from AU in 2003 a few years into his education career. That and learning from professors, many of whom were former principals and superintendents…
Alumna with strong family ties to AU starts new job teaching nursing students
When Jillian (Shultz) Robinson says that Ashland University has been as important to her as family, she really means it. More than 20 family members are alumni; a grandfather, John Shultz, was even president of Ashland Theological Seminary, a graduate division of AU, from 2006 to 2016; and she met her husband at the university. “I love the family ties I have with the university,” said Robinson, who graduated in 2015. “It is really special to think about all…