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.

“Where is My Uniform??!!”



Myron Hughes, Executive
Director, UC Alumni Association



The Bearcats' appearance in last night's Sweet Sixteen tournament game was met with unbridled red and black pride from coast to coast. Myron Hughes, executive director of the UC Alumni Association and '86 grad, shares his lingering emotions from the trip to Boston and his heartfelt appreciation for Bearcat alumni and fans everywhere.



Hughes' excitement for Bearcats Basketball
stems from his former days as a UC player.



When I played basketball for the Bearcats in the 1980s, we had some good, tough teams and played some big games, but we never made it to the NCAA Tournament. I’m sure that’s partly why I’ve had the recent urge to suit up and get back on the floor. Last night I actually started to report to the scorer’s table so I could bang against Sullinger for a while. Yes, the atmosphere, excitement and intensity have been that unbelievable!

The outcome of the much anticipated Ohio State rematch wasn’t what we wanted, but the season exceeded our expectations, our team made us very proud, and I’m just as pumped the day after the game as I was before tip-off. That’s because of the UC fans! They came to Boston in great numbers, wearing their Bearcat gear, and ready to roll! There were UC people here from all generations — senior citizens providing “veteran leadership” (including three members of the 1961-62 National Championship teams!), former classmates of mine, young alums, little kids — you name it, they came to support their Bearcats in Boston, just as they had done in New York for the BIG EAST Tournament and in Nashville for our wins over Texas and Florida State.

So my two thoughts today are:  1) How great it is to be at UC right now!, and  2) How grateful I am for the pride and passion of our alumni family. Thanks to all Bearcats everywhere!!!

I am Proudly Cincinnati,
Myron Hughes

How were you feeling throughout the Bearcats' trek to the Sweet 16? Comment below!

New Program Gathers Students and Alumni Around the Dinner Table

Diners take a quick photo break with their host alum,
Myron Hughes, at Clifton's Cactus Pear restaurant.

Nothing brings people together better than good food and great company! Such was the reasoning behind the UC Student Alumni Council's decision to create the all-new  "Dinner with 12 Strangers" program, which brings students and alumni together around the dinner table to make Bearcat connections across varying generations, careers and interests.

The second annual event held  this February included five dinners hosted by alumni all around Cincinnati (up from two last year). 

Even family members got in on the fun at the Uhls' dinner
hosted at their home in Sharonville.

The Student Alumni Council looks to grow the program within Cincinnati next year, and even possibly to include future alumni hosts in networks across the country too.

Thanks to this year’s alumni hosts, including:

• Tom and Missy Uhl (Business, '85)
• Scott and Eileen Tucker (Engineering, '83 and '91)
• Chris and Andrea Zahumensky (Business, '98 and '00)
• Myron Hughes and Diane Lewis (Business, '86; Evening '94 and Business, '99)
• Richard Posey and Jeff Klump (DAAP, '85)

“We really enjoyed the students,” Zahumensky said. “They were so easy to talk to and seemed genuinely happy to be there and engage. We had a nice, diverse group across ages and student groups but still found lots of commonalities to discuss. We’d definitely participate again and would also encourage other alumni to

do the same. What a great event!”

The event provides an opportunity for students and alumni to interact in a fun and relaxing environment, while also expanding their networks and developing relationships with fellow Bearcat mentors.

“The dinner was a great opportunity to step outside my typical Saturday night and spend it with such accomplished and interesting individuals," said Ella Koachway, a current junior majoring in hospitality management. "Hearing one another speak and meeting others who are bound for successful futures encouraged me within my own journey.”

Want to host or co-host a dinner in your city the next time around? Let us know below!



Cleveland sportswriter and alumni network leader brings ‘Wright stuff’



UC Alum Branson Wright’s sports journalism career has
taken him from UC’s News Record to earning his own sports
column in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

 In case you missed the first edition of our all-new "UC Where You Are" e-newsletter, we're featuring some of the top-read stories here on our blog. If you like what you see, check out the full issue online and then update your contact information to ensure you receive the latest version in your inbox every few months. Comment below if you have the perfect alum in mind for us to feature in our spring edition too!

Branson Wright‘s sports journalism career has taken him from UC’s News Record to northeastern Ohio working for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where he still manages to keep a close eye on Bearcats Athletics. He’s also helping keep fellow alumni connected as the new co-leader of the UC Alumni Association’s Cleveland Alumni Network.

Like virtually all alumni, Branson Wright’s professional path was altered at UC, where the aspiring sportswriter leveraged every opportunity available to make his career dreams come true.


Cleveland sportswriter and UC alum Branson Wright poses
with NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann at the East-West Shrine
College All-Star game in 1989 where UC's Andrew Stewart
was participating.

 “I grew up in Silverton in suburban Cincinnati — right across the street from [major league baseball player] Buddy Bell,” Wright says. “My dad wanted me to go to UC, but I wanted to see other places and ended up going to West Virginia. After a couple years and diminishing funds, I had to leave. An adviser at WVU suggested I go home, enroll at UC for a while, then return to Morgantown. That was my plan.”

But when Wright got to UC and started to work for The News Record, he saw that sports editor Angelique Chengelis, who now covers the University of Michigan for the Detroit News, was about to graduate. “I was ‘next in line’ and decided to stay, and that changed everything for me,” he said.

The News Record promotion helped open doors — from internships, to relationships with people in athletics, to invaluable mentoring from faculty and staff such as Eric Abercrumbie and Ken Simonson. “They knew about my dream to be a sportswriter and urged me to stay focused.”

As a result, Wright covered and became friends with many fellow Bearcats, including basketball player and future UC Alumni Association executive director Myron Hughes, who recently asked Wright to volunteer with the Cleveland Alumni Network.

While Cashmere Wright is dishing out assists for the basketball Bearcats these days, Branson Wright (no relation) notched an unofficial assist on one of the biggest buckets in UC hoops history. The first game ever played in Fifth Third Arena saw new coach Bob Huggins’ undermanned UC team beat 20th-ranked Minnesota 66-64 on a three-point buzzer-beater by Steve Sanders, a Cleveland native who had just joined the team largely on the advice Wright offered to both coach and player.

“Steve’s team of football players was my intramural basketball team’s biggest rivals — they would always beat us in the championships,” Wright recalls. “When Huggins showed up, he needed players and announced he would hold tryouts. I told him, ‘You need to look at Steve Sanders.’ Steve had completed his football eligibility, and I encouraged him to try out. So I take credit.”

When he’s not writing for the newspaper, Wright works on a film project about Dwight Anderson, a Dayton, Ohio, basketball legend who went on to play at both Kentucky and Southern California but never realized his vast potential due to a string of bad choices and personal problems. Working without a budget for three years now, Wright hopes to assemble the film in the near future.

Meanwhile, he’s bringing new energy to Cleveland-area Bearcats. Wright helped organize the most recent Crosstown Shootout game watch and hopes to come up with some creative new ways for Cleveland alums to reconnect with UC and one another. He welcomes help from other volunteers.

“I’m putting out the word — we’re looking for more involvement and some fresh ideas.”

Cleveland-area alumni can reach Wright at bwright11@aol.com.

Dayton Engineering Grad Pays It Forward to Young Aeronautic Enthusiasts

In case you missed the first edition of our all-new "UC Where You Are" e-newsletter, we're featuring some of the top-read stories here on our blog. If you like what you see, check out the full issue online and then update your contact information to ensure you receive the latest version in your inbox every few months. Comment below if you have the perfect alum in mind for us to feature in our spring edition too!

It’s not often that a kid can invite friends and family to an Air Show featuring his or her own airplane in flight. But that’s what happens at the end of College of Engineering grad Dale Whitford’s 15-week Model Airplane Building and Flying Program, open to any child in grades 4 to 12.

After 41 years of a remarkable career at the University of Dayton Research Institute, Whitford’s UC co-op experience inspired him to launch his aeronautics education program for youth. For the past fifteen years in a church gymnasium, Whitford and his team of volunteers have taught approximately 600 children about flight and engineering through hands-on weekly classes. Once a year for 15 weeks, children representing 15 different schools in the Dayton area learn how to read mechanical drawings, build a model plane, and study the principles of flight. The program culminates in a final Air Show, where kids fly their miniature aircraft in front of an audience.



Engineering grad Dale Whitford launched his youth model
airplane building program to share his lifelong passion for
airplanes with young aeronautical enthusiasts.

 According to Whitford, “When we first got married, my wife was uneasy about my flying, so I continued my hobby of model building from childhood. I taught my two young sons to build models, and eventually my grandchildren, and then some other kids. In 1998, our church asked the congregation for ideas for uses of the gym other than athletics.  I suggested the model building program to seed engineering interest in kids, and in September of that year I recruited my first class of 23 kids. The church loves it, the kids and volunteers love it, and I’ve never looked back.”

Whitford’s remarkable career and retirement followed a unique college recruitment experience. When the aspiring aeronautical engineer spoke to the dean of Engineering at the University of Tulsa, he told the young Whitford he belonged in a more impressive program than what Tulsa had to offer –the engineering school at the University of Cincinnati. And so it was that yet sight unseen, a mere three weeks after ending his Navy tour, Whitford walked on to UC’s campus.

After graduating from UC in the spring of 1951, Whitford married his (now) wife Sylvia the following day. With 13 job offers to choose from, Whitford accepted a full-time position at a small engineering firm in New Jersey. After six months, Whitford’s last supervisor at Wright Field contacted him and said he had recommended Whitford to University of Dayton officials for employment on a new government-sponsored research project that had been awarded to the University of Dayton.  Whitford and four other engineers launched Project Delta, a nuclear weapons testing project where he was involved in testing the effects of nuclear explosions on military aircraft.

Students of Whitford’s 3-month model airplane building
session at his home in Dayton show off their model airplanes.

These days, in addition to teaching children aerospace techniques, Whitford, the perennial educator, also instructs at the University of Dayton’s Lifelong Learning Institute. Whitford is also a published author on a variety of topics, including nuclear research, the Wright Brothers and jet engine history.

At least three of the Model Airplane Building and Flying Program graduates have gone on to pursue successful engineering careers, two of which attended the University of Cincinnati. UC President Gregory Williams successfully nominated Whitford for a “Co-Op Hall of Fame” award in 2011 by WACE (Advancing Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education), an honor that the dedicated UC alum considers a favorite lifetime achievement.

“I consider myself lucky to have known so early on what I wanted for a career when I grew up and then to have had so many opportunities to make that dream a reality,” Whitford said. “For me, the greatest satisfaction in leading the youth flying program is seeing that same spark of interest in the kids.”

Cindy Chiang: One 'Amazing' Chicago Bearcat



Cindy Chiang (Engineering, 2004) and fiancé Ernie Halvorsen

earned $1 million after being named co-champions of CBS’s

19th season of The Amazing Race.

 In case you missed the first edition of our all-new "UC Where You Are" e-newsletter, we're featuring some of the top-read stories here on our blog. If you like what you see, check out the full issue online and then update your contact information to ensure you receive the latest version in your inbox every few months. Comment below if you have the perfect alum in mind for us to feature in our spring edition too!

Meet University of Cincinnati alumna Cindy Chiang and her fiancé Ernie Halvorsen, both inspirational winners of CBS’s 19th season of The Amazing Race.

Before becoming a UC alum, Cindy earned her undergraduate degree as an honors student in biomedical engineering and was involved in as many activities as she could cram into a week. A member of Chi Omega sorority, Sigma Phi women’s honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honor society, Golden Key, and president of both the Women’s Panhellenic Association and CWEST (Cincinnati Women for Excellence and Spirit Together), Cindy made the seemingly impossible schedule part of her daily routine.

Fast forward to 2011--Cindy and Ernie watched the Amazing Race together for several seasons before Cindy suggested they submit an entry. Shortly thereafter, the newly engaged couple received notice that they were to be race contestants. The two travelled and competed in the televised contest for 23 days -- to twenty cities on four continents. Using clues provided at each leg of the journey, Cindy, Ernie and the other contestants performed prescribed tasks and raced off to their next destinations.  In the end, Cindy and Ernie handily won The Race—receiving $1 million and announcing their honorable intent to dedicate the funds to improving the lives of children worldwide.

The case of The Amazing Race, Season 19.



Cindy credits serving on the Student Alumni Council (SAC) as one of her favorite college experiences. Cindy recalls her time with UC SAC fondly because of the relationships she built with a broad cross-section of students, as well as alumni. Despite her involvement and growing confidence, Cindy knew she would be at the bottom of any professional hierarchy upon graduation. In order to be most competitive in the job market, she connected with three alumnae mentors: Kristin Bush, Heather Borchers Rogers and Caty Grzymajlo. Under their influence, she decided to work for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati.

Now grateful that she “couldn’t say no to volunteerism” as an undergraduate, Cindy knows the relationships she built with alumni as a student have had a tremendous impact on her life. Through that network, she not only carved out a meaningful career path, but also discovered the value in staying connected to the UC Alumni Association (UCAA).

Now a Chicago resident working for Kraft Foods, Cindy’s plans for the future are a perfect combination of the values and integrity she developed over time while both an undergrad and alumna at UC.  She and Ernie are using their Amazing Race award funds to build a business that will encourage American youth to live a healthier lifestyle. Cindy and Ernie’s young athletes’ program will support academic scholarships for educating youth around the world.  

Cindy and Ernie competing in Amazing Race.



In her not-so-spare time, Cindy serves on the UCAA’s strategic mission and goals committee. Ask Cindy what UCAA means to her, and she’s likely to tell you that everyone involved with the UC Alumni Association has affected her life.

According to Cindy “I’ve met some really inspirational alumni who challenged me to dream big and go for it. If it weren’t for the advice of UC alumni, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

History Buff? Test and Polish Your UC Trivia!

Did you know that one of the first attempts to establish the University of Cincinnati back in the early 1800's was through a community sweepstakes to raise $6,000?! Sadly, the first half-built university building being funded by the lottery was destroyed by the disastrous tornado that struck Cincinnati in 1809.

In his first of seven UC history lectures, UC's own Greg Hand uncovers this suprising tale, among several other historical unknowns surrounding UC's most formative years. Hand, associate vice president, university spokesperson and resident history buff is delivering a series of free 55-minute lunchtime talks in the Tangeman University Center Theater the third Thursday of each month. Each installment takes the audience through another entertaining chapter of the university's storied history.

In his next session on March 15, Hand will explore the university's geography through the campuses UC has occupied over the centuries. Some of these campuses are large and permanent while some were just fleeting outposts. Some “ghost” campuses still haunt the landscape. All have unusual and surprising stories.

Get caught up on what you missed and watch the first two sessions here or on the Proudly Cincinnati YouTube channel: "Patrons & Poltroons" and "140 Years in 55 Minutes."

Even if you can't attend in person, you can participate in the remaining sessions too by tuning in live on our live streaming channel. Mark your calendars now:

12:30 p.m., March 15  --  Evolution of UC's Campus and Many Campuses of UC's Colleges

12:30 p.m., April 19     --  Student Pioneers: First Alumni

12:30 p.m., May 17     --  Origin of UC Regalia & Symbols

Surprise your friends with a ton of UC fun facts...you won't believe what all has happened in 200 years!

New Alumni e-Newsletter Might Spotlight You Next

If we don't have your e-mail address, chances are you missed the first edition of our new "UC Where You Are" e-newsletter! It's not too late to check out the full issue online and then update your contact information to ensure you receive the latest version in your inbox every few months.

Like this blog, the new e-newsletter is all about bringing UC to you...no matter where you live. Some of the staff at UC (like John Albachten featured in this first issue) have the good fortune to meet and stay connected with incredible alumni like you, all with awesome stories about life after, yet still including, UC.

Through them, we're finding out that the depth of stories surrounding your Bearcat communities all around the world is even too much for this blog to handle at times. And oftentimes, your stories of accomplishment and community building are a good reminder of the unique role UC still plays in your personal, professional and social lives - even long after you leave campus.

So this is our way of spotlighting the amazing things alumni like you are doing to advance UC, your communities, your industries and often, the world. We hope it inspires you to connect with your local Bearcat community, connected to UC and even share your story with us, if you feel so inclined. We'll be featuring the top alumni spotlights right here on this blog too, so be on the lookout for these most recent ones over the next couple of weeks!

Comment below or give us a shout on Twitter @UofCincyAlumni or at alumni.association@uc.edu to let us know what's new with you or even nominate a fellow alum to spotlight on this blog or in the next newsletter.

Hope you enjoy this first edition and let us know what you want to see in the next one!

Father, Son Alums Publish Motivational Book about "Going the Distance"

How far are you willing to go for a loved one?

Sharing both the Bearcat and father/son bonds, UC alums Jim Serger Jr. and Sr. recently came together to answer this question on their own terms. The duo wrote and published their first book, Go the Distance, to share a redemptive personal story about the power of unconditional love through life’s greatest challenges.

For the Sergers, their greatest challenge – and the inspiration for their book – was Jim Senior’s battle with alcoholism. Despite the toll the disease took on the family, the Sergers came out of it stronger and with a personal testimony to the power of family commitment.

“The book is about highs and lows. It’s about being down in the valley and looking toward the tallest peak,” Jim Jr. said. “We wrote it to help others see that no matter how big the challenge, there are ways to survive the storm. Life gave us extra innings and we took advantage of them and we hope it’s an inspiration for anyone else facing the same family hardships we faced.”

Jim Jr. credits his UC experience for empowering him to overcome his family odds. “Once I graduated I was prepared to handle any obstacle. UC equipped me with the skills to handle the work place and anything life threw at me.”

Jim Jr. earned his degree from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences in 1991. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed aboard the USS Independence CV – 62. During his four year deployment in Yokosuka, Japan, Jim climbed Mount Fuji and backpacked throughout Asia. He currently serves as the plant manager at the Indianapolis Home City Ice.

His father, Jim Sr., was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies out of high school, but opted to play third base on UC’s baseball team. He graduated from University College in 1967. He raised his family in Anderson Township for 30 years. A youth baseball head coach for 14 years, Jim strengthened the bond between himself and his two sons through this shared love.

Let us know what’s inspired you to “go the distance” in your own life – this book, a friend’s advice, a UC professor or class?


Video courtesy of Cincinnati's Fox 19.com

Share the Love…Send a UC e-Valentine!

This Valentine’s Day, forget the flowers and show that special someone just how much you appreciate them with a UC e-Valentine! Our new custom app gives you an all-new way to share your love for UC with the other Bearcat lovers in your life. Personalize and send a custom UC e-Valentine to a fellow alum, favorite professor, student, co-worker or that special someone and tell them just how much you love them (and UC too!).

In the spirit of showing the love, you can also make a gift from the heart to support UC’s top notch students, faculty, programs, research and more, giving everyone around you even more reasons to love UC, too. As always, your gift – no matter the amount – makes a huge difference! You might also consider making your gift securely on the UC Alumni Association’s Facebook page to take advantage of a limited-time promotion to receive an “I Love UC” button and long-sleeved T-shirt!

Still undecided? Watch this video to see all the awesome e-valentines you have to choose from and be sure to tell us below the #1 reason you love UC this V-Day! Thanks for sharing the love and Happy Valentine’s Day!

UC Alumni Association and Graeter's Ice Cream Hold Bearcat Photo Contest

Your UC alumni family, in partnership with Graeter’s Ice Cream, presents the Season’s Greetings Holiday Photo Contest!

We want to treat you to a familiar taste of Cincinnati this holiday season no matter where you live, so we’re putting a new twist on the holiday family photo tradition. This year, give your holiday photo a UC theme and be entered to win a six-pint supply of free Graeter’s Ice Cream, shipped directly to your home anywhere in the continental US.

We’re awarding six grand prizes to the:

• Most Spirited UC Clan
• Best Dressed in Red & Black
• Most Multi-Generational Group
• Best Dressed Baby
• Best Dressed Pet
• Best Inclusion of Graeter’s

Participating is easy!

1. Snap a photo of you or your family all decked out in your holiday’s best red and black.
2. Post your photo to the UCAA Facebook page or email it to alumni.association@uc.edu by December 30th. 
3. Check out our Facebook page on Tuesday, January 3rd at noon to see if you’re a winner!

Good News!
Can’t wait to see if you’re a winner? Graeter’s Ice Cream can now be found in grocery stores around the country, including a store near you.

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TGFF -- Thank Goodness For Football

Bearcat fans were so excited to kick off the 2011 football season, almost nothing could keep them away from Clifton to support the team – not even a record-breaking heat wave.

Fans came out in force to watch the ‘Cats cruise to a 72-10 victory over Austin Peay State on Saturday, September 3, even though the daytime high reached 100 degrees and shade was a precious commodity.

The UC Alumni Association’s Bearcat Blitz was packed with sun shelters and tents, as was the brand new Bearcat Tailgate Grid on Sigma Sigma Commons.

The enthusiasm for the new year was palpable, but perhaps the best showing of support came as the team made its way to the stadium on the CatWalk. The players and coaches were thrilled to see such a strong show of support, and some people had to stand on nearby tables just to get a view of the action.

The Bearcat even got a few extra cheers of support considering how hot it must have been in the bodysuit!

Here’s to hoping this victory was a sign of things to come this season. Make sure to join the party on September 17 as the Bearcats host Akron at Nippert Stadium!

UC celebrates Earth Week

UC Students plant trees

Earth Day is all about demonstrating commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, and the University of Cincinnati is no exception.  UC has been celebrating Earth Week on campus, with various events geared towards environmental awareness and responsibility.

Bearcat Bike Share

The Princeton Review also recently named UC among the nation’s leading green universities for the second year in a row.  This was in part thanks to:

• UC's increased commitment to recycling on campus
• Bearcat Bike Share, reducing carbon emissions through free bike rentals
• LEED certification of six academic buildings, including one Silver and one Gold

UC DAAP students have also been hard at work with finding eco-friendly design solutions, recently winning the International Staples EcoEasy Challenge.

Earth Day is a great time to get out and do something good for nature, with events being held nationwide.  Click here to find an event near you!

ROAR Invites YOU to Tour UC's Campus




ROAR President Ravi Grandhi gives prospective students an
insider's perspective on life as a college student at UC.

 Ahh, spring. The air is fresh and mild, the birds are singing, and myriads of spring flowers are emerging from their winter slumber. It’s a relaxing time of year for the most part – unless you’re a high school senior still trying to decide between colleges for next fall!

Fortunately, the admissions office at the University of Cincinnati is used to this oft-faced conundrum and has a variety of resources for those still on the fence. And one of their most useful resources may be the ROAR campus tour group, a devoted group of UC students who, as a whole, give more than 1,500 tours to prospective students, parents, and even alumni who want to take in the revamped campus each year.

Ravi Grandhi, ROAR’s current president, just completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at UC this month, and is currently pursuing an MBA in Operations Management from UC’s College of Business. A tour guide for the better part of four years, Ravi describes the value of ROAR to students curious about more than purely academics. “The admissions officers and staff may be able to answer specific questions concerning the university, but the tour guides are able to show students what life is really like as a college student at UC."

Fellow tour guide Rod Gerardo shares Ravi's passion. “School spirit has a lot of different meanings, but to me, it's giving a tour of campus and showing people how great UC is. Through ROAR, I can do that every week.”

Haven’t been to campus in a while or want to show off your old stomping grounds to a graduating senior? Let ROAR's students show you what you've been missing since you last visited!

Contact ROAR’s Advisor, Ryan Harder, to schedule a tour during your next visit to Cincinnati. Or, just visit UC's YouTube Channel to get a virtual tour of various parts of campus. Tours of MainStreet and Nippert Stadium are featured right here!