News Profile

Update from Campus Partners 1/23/2010

University District Organization
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Arts in the Alley hosts openings February 4

The Arts Initiative at Ohio State invites the public to multiple Arts in the Alley events at South Campus Gateway on Thursday, February 4. The evening features the opening of the exhibition Heroes and Legends, new works by Columbus artist Adam Brouillette, with a reception 6 to 9 p.m. in the Arts Initiative space, 1568 N. High Street. The show continues through March.

About his large-scale paintings, Brouillette says, "I view my work, not as revolutionary, but as a step back in time, knowing what we have learned from our modern forms of communication. I like to use the explosion of color and design that is inherent in advertising and cartoons to convey, in a simple fashion, the broader ideas of social and personal philosophy, ideas of scientific theory and discovery, and commentary on life as I see it."

At the same time on February 4, After, works by tapestry weaver Erin Riley, will open next door in the Shoebox gallery, 1570 N. High Street. Riley works from within the traditions of craft, using weaving as a physical marker of time. As the Shoebox's February featured artist, Riley's exhibition continues until February 27.

The Ohio Art League Gallery hosts an opening on February 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. of Constructing Color, works by Christin Hutchinson and Ian Magargee. Hutchinson’s art is acrylic on wood; Magargee's is acryic on canvas. Both are painters whose studio practices and work are different, but together their work creates a unique dialogue. Their use of three-dimensional qualities and vibrant color tie the work together, while the figure and color field differentiate the work.

Additionally, the first "No-Talent Talent Gong Show" starts at 8 p.m. that evening in the Gateway Film Center Lobby. Stop by for a variety of unique acts, presided over by Eoin O'Brien as MC and a panel of celebrity judges.

Employment opportunities

The Weinland Park Employment Collaborative met January 4 with Dave Phillips, co-founder of the innovative Cincinnati Works. This non-profit agency works with persons in poverty to secure and retain employment. The agency puts an emphasis on job retention. Mr. Phillips has agreed to meet further with folks in Columbus to share what has worked. The co-chairs of the Weinland Park Employment Collaborative are Susan Colbert and Randy Morrison.

Ohio State's Office of Human Resources has posted a talent coordinator position and hopes to begin reviewing resumes by the end of this month. This position will work with neighborhood agencies and residents to promote access to employment at Ohio State and will work with university departments and offices to seek job candidates from the University District, particularly Weinland Park. Susan Colbert, Michael Wilkos and Steve Sterrett met with Katie Hall and Gail Gunderson of OSU Human Resources on January 11 to discuss the selection process.

Columbus State Community College, Godman Guild Association, National Center for Urban Solutions and the National Union Veterans Foundation of Ohio each have submitted a proposal for a construction training program for Weinland Park residents. A review committee, which includes representatives of residents and neighborhood stakeholders, met with the four organizations to discuss their proposals on January 19 and 20.

Middle school changes

Indianola Middle School, 420 E. 19th Avenue, will close at the end of this school year. Supt. Gene Harris has recommended that the building undergo renovation for two years and then re-open in 2012-13 for the district's K-8 Spanish and French immersion schools. Meanwhile, students in University District currently assigned to Indianola Middle School will be assigned beginning next fall to Dominion Middle School, 330 E. Dominion Blvd. in Clintonville. High school students in University District will continue to be assigned to Whetstone High School, 4405 Scenic Dr.

Steve Sterrett of Campus Partners is organizing meetings with the principals of Dominion and Whetstone to discuss the new assignment patterns and talk about ways in which the community, in cooperation with the schools, can help parents and youth meet their academic goals. Contact Mr. Sterrett if you are interested in participating in these meetings.

Neighborhood opportunities

Two student organizations at Ohio State's Fisher College of Business are the primary organizers of a free conference,
"Alleviating Poverty through Entrepreneurship," on Friday, February 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The conference, which is open to the public, will focus on how entrepreneurship can "increase access to opportunities and improve the quality of life for the poor around the world." The conference includes an impressive line-up of speakers, including Hippolyte Fofact, senior economist with The World Bank. For information and to register, visit http://entrepreneurship.osu.edu/alleviating-poverty-summit.

Community Research Partners (CRP) has scheduled three DataSource training workshops in January and February. Each workshop covers how to extract data from CRP's Franklin County Community Data System. The data can be extracted in tables, maps and charts at different geographic levels, including ZIP codes, Census tracts and neighborhoods. The workshops will be 1 to 4 p.m. on January 28 and February 11 and 24. For information, contact David Norris of CRP at (614) 224-5917, ext. 109, and dnorris@communityresearchpartners.org.

Neighborhood committees to meet

-- The Weinland Park Community Civic Association, Wednesday, January 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Schoenbaum Family Center, 175 E. Seventh Avenue.
-- Weinland Park Employment Collaborative, Monday, February 1, 2:30-4 p.m., OSU Extension Community Outreach Center, 1427 N. Grant Ave.
-- University Area Safety Committee, Wednesday, February 10, at 3:30 p.m. in the conference room of 33 W. 11th Avenue.
-- The University District Public Service Committee, Tuesday, March 9, at 1 p.m. in room 100 of the Northwood-High Building, 2231 N. High Street.
Campus Partners
for Community Urban Redevelopment
1824 N. High Street, Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 294-7300 www.campuspartners.osu.edu