Loyal Bearcat Alum Wins A View from the Top

When UC alumna Maria Nosse graduated from the Carl H. Lindner College of Business in 2005, she knew her education would provide her with a view from the top. After giving back to the university, that view became a reality. As the grand prize winner of the Bearcats Come Back campaign, part of the 1819 effort aimed at increasing alumni giving rates, Maria won an aerial tour of her alma mater in the UC Health helicopter. 

Now a Cleveland-area resident, Nosse sees the importance of giving back to the university and understands that when it comes to funding education, every donation counts.

“I am Proudly Cincinnati because UC gave me the great education and tools to achieve everything that I wanted so far in my life,” said Nosse. “I’m happy to give back to them.”

Nosse was one of 20 alumni who gave back to UC before June 30, 2012, and were entered to win VIP experiences ranging from a tour of the President’s office to tailgating parties with friends.

Congratulations to Maria Nosse and all of the VIP winners! And, if you're feeling inspired to give back, visit http://uc.edu/1819 to make a donation today.

Bearcats Celebrate Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary

University of Cincinnati alumni living in the San Francisco Bay area celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge with a tour of the bridge.  Joseph Strauss, primary engineer and designer of the Golden Gate Bridge, was a graduate of the University of Cincinnati.

Approximately 25 alumni attended the 90 minute guided tour led by a tour group called San Francisco City Guides.

The San Francisco Alumni network hosts events for Bearcats living in the Bay area throughout the year.  Previous events include game watch parties, a Reds versus Giants game, all-Ohio networking event and more! On average, 75-100 UC alumni attend these red-and-black themed events.

For more information on how to get involved, please visit the alumni network website and Facebook page!

UC alumni at the Golden Gate Bridge

Joseph Strauss Memorial

New CEAS Learning Center Provides Students with Collaborative Space

The UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Learning Center, located on the eighth floor of Rhodes Hall, opened its doors at the beginning of Autumn Semester. The new Center provides an academic home for the Department of Engineering Education and first year students. 

Designed to keep students engaged and connected, the center accommodates 175 students and features state-of-the-art wired classrooms, open study areas, mobile tables and chairs, white boards and an inviting social area.

Within the first few weeks of classes, students filled the center on a daily basis, meeting with instructors, other students and tutors. The new space fosters a sense of belonging among students, which is especially important for students living off campus or taking courses outside of the college.

Several UC alumni, including Chicagoans for Cincy! leader, Bob Fealy, were instrumental in raising funds for the Learning Center. Generous support from alumni and donors has helped create a collaborative learning environment for current and future students.

For more information about the center, please click here.

UC Alum Photographs Top Sporting Events

Hansbauer shooting track from the moat at the Olympic Stadium

Think back to the hundreds of photos you saw during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Chances are, you were looking at the work of one of UC's own. UC Lindner College of Business graduate, Brett Hansbauer '00,  attended the 2012 Olympics as a contract digital technician (digi-tech) for Sports Illustrated. During the Olympic Games, Hansbauer photographed BMX and mountain biking, both sports he enjoys himself.

Hansbauer began his career with Sports Illustrated as a photo assistant in 1997. With a major in business and info systems, Hansbauer credits UC for pointing him in the right direction. While attending UC, he was a member of UC's student newspaper, The News Record, which got him involved with sporting events. At these sporting events, Hansbauer made numerous connections, launching his photography career.

While the London 2012 Games were Hansbauer's first Olympic Games, he has worked the Final Four for the past 11 years, the World Series, PGA tournaments, numerous college football bowl games, the NBA Finals and much more.

 How have you made a career out of a hobby? Tell us by commenting below!

Homecoming 2012 Ends, Memories Remain

Representing 1819 in Homecoming Parade

As Cindy (Chiang) Halvorsen said, "Homecoming is the best holiday of the year" for Bearcat fans. Like many UC alumni living around the nation, I anticipated attending Homecoming 2012 months prior to the event. I booked my flights from Eugene, Oregon to CVG and made sure I had ample time in the Queen City to visit the UC community.

My Homecoming 2012 weekend started off with the Homecoming 2012 Kick Off Party at the Myers Alumni Center. Even though the event moved inside due to impending rain, it was a blast! The Alumni Center was packed full of fellow UC alumni. Bearcats fans enjoyed free Cincinnati favorites including Skyline Chili, Graeter's, Montgomery Inn and LaRosa's pizza. Because I live so far away from Cincinnati and can never get my fill of the local Cincy flair, this was one of my favorite things about the event!

Coach Jones, Athletic Director Whit Babcock and the UC Bearcat all made appearances at the kick-off party and pumped the crowd up for game day.

Nippert Stadium under the lights

My red and black themed weekend continued with a walk in the traditional UC Homecoming parade, followed with tailgating at the Bearcat Blitz and the CATWALK. The main event, UC vs. Miami, did not disappoint and the Bearcats defeated Miami 52-14 for a Homecoming victory!

As I waited for my flight to board at CVG on Monday afternoon, my husband and I discussed how far UC has come over the years and what an exciting future UC has to look forward to! I can't wait to visit Cincinnati next year for Homecoming 2013! I hope to see you there!

Mandy Drakeford, A&S '09, '11
New Media/PR Manager
UC Foundation

P.S. Share your favorite Homecoming 2012 memory below!

Take Advantage of Free Career Management Workshops In Person or From Afar!

Julie Bauke

In today’s work world, it’s almost impossible to avoid a “career transition” at some point — probably at many points. Whether done by choice or necessity, navigating these occasional career “course changes” has become a necessary skill, and the UC Alumni Association (UCAA) is offering some valuable assistance.

The UCAA has partnered with noted career coach and strategist Julie Bauke to offer a free, three-part workshop series to help UC alumni dealing with or contemplating a job or career change.

In “Want a New Career? Strategies for Change — at Any Age,” participants will learn:

• How to decide when the time is right to make a change 
• How to look at your skills, your interests and experiences in new ways 
• Developing the career messages that point you toward your new career
• Networking as a core career-change strategy 
• …and much more!

The workshops will take place on three consecutive Tuesday evenings, October 9, 16 and 23, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the Myers Alumni Center on UC’s main campus. For those who cannot attend in person, the sessions will be videostreamed live to facilitate remote participation.

Register to attend in person and to access the live, interactive videostream during the workshop sessions. The sessions will also be archived for future viewing.

Read what others said about the two-part career development workshop Julie held in July that focused on the fundamentals of a job search.

RSVP for the October sessions online now!

Homecoming All About Tradition, Togetherness

If you love being a UC alum, you’re probably feeling the tug of Homecoming this week. The big day is this Saturday, October 6 — but Homecoming is more than just one day. In fact, it’s a lot of events over several days that encourage all Bearcats to return to campus.

The students are celebrating Homecoming all week, and the theme they created — “We Love Lucy: A Flashback to Yesteryear” — honors the generations-old Homecoming tradition as well as today’s real-life binturong school mascot. UC Blue Ash starts its festivities on Wednesday and will bring a float to the parade for the first time. The UC Alumni Association’s African American Alumni Affiliate (known as 4A) begins three days of fun on Thursday. And the inaugural Homecoming Kickoff Party will take place Friday evening at the Myers Alumni Center … Coach Butch Jones, an array of “Cincinnati Favorites” to eat, beer-tasting from local brewery Christian Moerlein, a steel drum band, campus tours — and it’s all FREE!

Then comes Saturday, and it will be worth waiting for:

• College-based and other organizations will have events throughout the day.
• The annual Homecoming Parade will start down Clifton Avenue at 3 p.m. This year's Homecoming Parade Grand Marshals are Ernie and Cindy (Chiang) Halvorsen, champions of The Amazing Race in 2011!  Cindy, CEAS ’04, was a UC Honors student, creator of Camp Bearcat, recipient of the 2004 Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence, and Homecoming Queen in 2002.
• The UC Alumni Association’s Bearcats Blitz starts at 2 p.m., part of the vibrant UC Gameday environment.
• Starting at the Blitz and then winding through The Grid tailgate area, the football team’s traditional CATWALK begins at about 4:30 p.m.
• UC meets its longest football rival, Miami, at 7 p.m. in Nippert Stadium, which means the Bearcats should be ringing the Victory Bell shortly after 10 p.m.

“This weekend, UC is the place to be,” said UC Alumni Association executive director Myron Hughes, ’86. “Old and new friends all over the place, great food, winning football, family fun, our old stomping grounds … There’s a reason they call it Homecoming. We hope Bearcats everywhere make plans to come back.”

Check out all the events and activities on the UC Homecoming website.