The University of Toledo College of Nursing will offer guaranteed admission for freshmen into its competitive Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program for select, well-prepared applicants starting fall 2020.

“Nursing is a competitive field, but we feel strongly that by offering a commitment to entering freshman students whose academic achievements show they are uniquely prepared, we can add depth to a highly skilled, compassionate workforce that will meet the needs of northwest Ohio and beyond,” said Dr. Linda Lewandowski, dean of the College of Nursing.

Beginning fall 2020, applicants with a high school GPA of 3.7 or higher and an ACT score of at least 24 will be directly enrolled in UToledo’s B.S.N. Program.

Previously, all applicants pursuing a B.S.N. were first enrolled in UToledo’s Pre-Nursing Program with a requirement that they officially apply in their sophomore year to get into the nursing major to complete their degree. Applicants who do not meet the initial guarantee criteria will still have an opportunity to be admitted into nursing via this current pathway.

“By expanding pathways and opportunities for prospective students into our nursing program, we’re responding to the changing needs of students and the healthcare environment,” said Jim Anderson, vice president for enrollment management.

The College of Nursing’s application process also considers a range of personal attributes, such as community service and leadership skills, participation in extracurricular activities, and demonstrated responsibility. Consideration also will be given to those with military experience, first-generation college students, and those who would contribute to the cultural, gender, age, economic, racial or geographic diversity of the healthcare workforce.

The nursing field is expected to be one of the nation’s fastest growing occupations during the next decade as America’s population grows older and current nurses leave the workforce. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected there will be more than 370,000 new nursing jobs added between 2018 and 2028.

“Many parts of the country, including northwest Ohio, are experiencing nursing shortages. We are rising to meet that challenge with well-educated, well-trained and compassionate nurses,” Lewandowski said. “Our new admission process, which includes a path to guaranteed admission, is just part of our overall strategy.”

This fall, the College of Nursing experienced a 10% increase in enrollment with the largest cohort of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing and also recently received full 10-year accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education with a positive review of all of the college’s programs. The college also recently launched the state’s first R.N. to B.S.N. online Competency-Based Education Program, which provides unique flexibility to working nurses to advance their careers at their own personalized pace.

UToledo’s Master’s and Doctoral Nursing programs also have been recognized among the best in the nation, with the master’s program jumping 48 spots to No. 135 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings. The Doctor of Nursing Program is ranked 135, up 17 spots from the previous year.

Mulford Library is seeking submissions for its 15th Annual Health Science Campus Artist Showcase.

The deadline to apply for consideration to be included in the exhibition is Friday, Jan. 10.

The library is accepting submissions from UToledo faculty, staff and students in the health sciences — nursing, medicine, pharmacy and the health professions — as well as hospital employees.

To be considered for the show, digital images of artwork can be sent to hscartshow@utoledo.edu, along with a submission form that can be found with guidelines on the Health Science Campus Artist Showcase website.

In the past, the showcase has featured artwork in a variety of media, including photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry, quilting, multimedia, graphics, wood carving and more.

Artists will be notified by email if their work is accepted into the show by Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The showcase will be on display from Feb. 17 through April 8 on the fourth floor of Mulford Library.

Questions about the exhibit can be directed to Jodi Jameson, assistant professor and nursing librarian at Mulford Library, who is a member of the artist showcase committee, at 419.383.5152 or jodi.jameson@utoledo.edu.

More than 2,000 students at The University of Toledo will graduate at commencement ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 14, in Savage Arena.

The University is holding two ceremonies to include both undergraduate and graduate students from each of the colleges.

A total of 2,070 degrees will be awarded: 1,474 bachelor’s degrees, 426 master’s degrees, 104 doctoral degrees, 41 associate’s degrees, 15 education specialist degrees and 10 graduate certificates.

The 9 a.m. ceremony will recognize all Ph.D. candidates and graduates from the colleges of Arts and Letters; Engineering; Judith Herb College of Education; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The 1 p.m. ceremony will recognize undergraduate and graduate students receiving degrees from the colleges of Business and Innovation; Health and Human Services; Nursing; University College; and Medicine and Life Sciences.

Commencement is always a time to celebrate with family. Their support is critical to achieving success. For several students walking across the stage this year, family was literally at their side for the journey.

At 48 years old, Lori Boyer is set to take the stage and grasp her diploma on the same day as her son, Jordan.

Lori, a preschool teacher, started taking classes at UToledo in 1990, but stopped to raise her three children.

After returning in January to cross the finish line, the UToledo employee at the Early Learning Center is graduating from University College with a bachelor’s degree in an individualized program of early childhood education and educational leadership. Her son is graduating from the College of Engineering with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering technology.

“I am proud to share this special moment with my oldest son,” Boyer said. “It’s important to me to prove to all of my children that you can accomplish anything no matter what point you are in life. I accomplished something I set out to do a long time ago, and it has the potential to take me in different directions in my career.”

Fall commencement also is a family affair for a brother-and-sister duo who worked side by side as undergraduates in the same exercise biology research lab.

Dylan and Nicole Sarieh, two-thirds of a set of fraternal triplets, both chose to study exercise science as pre-med students in the College of Health and Human Services, while their brother studies business at UToledo.

Together, Dylan and Nicole researched the molecular regulation of skeletal muscle growth under the guidance of Dr. Thomas McLoughlin, associate professor in the School of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, in order to help clinicians develop ways to help patients grow stronger after suffering from muscle loss.

“The opportunity to do real, meaningful, hands-on work in the lab definitely built our confidence and opened our eyes to what is important,” Dylan said about his undergraduate research experience. “My sister and I both plan to next go to medical school. She wants to be a dermatologist, and I want to be a general physician.”

“Whether at home, in the classroom or in the lab, I always had someone I could lean on who was tackling the same challenges,” Nicole said. “Putting our two brains together — even during car rides — made a big difference in our success.”

For some graduates, they found love and are starting their own family.

McKenna Wirebaugh, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, met her soon-to-be husband at UToledo. Both she and Travis Mang, her fiancé, will receive degrees Saturday.

Turns out, planning their upcoming wedding is the only item left on the to-do list. Wirebaugh secured a full-time job as a process engineer at BP’s Cherry Point Refinery in Blaine, Wash., located about 40 minutes south of Vancouver. She is scheduled to start her new job in March, about a month after her honeymoon.

“I chose to go to UToledo because of the mandatory co-op program in engineering,” Wirebaugh said. “It guaranteed I would have a paycheck while in school and build my resumé. I’m grateful for my decision because it ended up launching my career.”

Wirebaugh completed four co-op rotations with BP while at UToledo. She also helped build a water purification unit that was sent to Ecuador through the nonprofit organization Clean Water for the World.

Her favorite experience as a student in the Jesup Scott Honors College was a class focusing on creativity. For a group project on the dangers of cell-phone use, they brought in a PlayStation 2 system and challenged students to text and drive on Mario Kart without crashing.

“My professors have truly cared about me inside and outside of my academic career,” Wirebaugh said. “I don’t see the friendships I’ve made here ending anytime soon.”

In the event of inclement weather, the approximately two-hour commencement ceremonies will be moved to Sunday, Dec. 15.

For those unable to attend, the ceremonies will stream live at video.utoledo.edu.

For more information, go to the UToledo commencement website.

Fatal overdoses tied to Ohio’s ongoing opioid epidemic cost the metropolitan Toledo economy $1.6 billion and more than 2,000 jobs in 2017, according to a new study by The University of Toledo.

At $1.6 billion, the total economic impact of the opioid epidemic is equivalent to approximately 4.5% of the region’s gross domestic product — or roughly the same amount of economic activity generated annually by the entire private construction industry.

“The University of Toledo has an important role to play in addressing the major issues that affect northwest Ohio and beyond,” UToledo President Sharon L. Gaber said. “This research provides another piece of the puzzle as we work together to confront the opioid epidemic.”

The research was led by Dr. Oleg Smirnov, associate professor of economics, in close collaboration with members of The University of Toledo Opioid Task Force.

“Over a relatively period of short time, the number of deaths from opioid overdose has skyrocketed, and the crisis doesn’t show any signs of abating,” Smirnov said. “This report helps give us a better understanding of how the epidemic affects our region and also provides a benchmark to evaluate the effectiveness of our community’s ongoing response.”

Among the report’s key findings:

• Fatal opioid overdoses directly resulted in $1.27 billion in lost economic output in 2017.

• Each overdose death costs the economy $8.67 million.

• The indirect, or spillover, effects of fatal opioid overdose were $329.2 million in 2017.

• Premature deaths caused by the opioid epidemic cost metropolitan Toledo the equivalent of 2,082 jobs in 2017.

• While Narcan is relatively expensive at approximately $130 per dose, there is clear evidence the economic benefit outweighs the cost of administering the drug.

“These new findings add valuable context to our understanding of and response to the opioid epidemic,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, vice provost for faculty affairs, professor of public health, and co-chair of the UToledo Opioid Task Force. “The research can be used to advocate for funding that goes toward prevention efforts and treatment of opioid use disorder. It also can be used to inform local businesses how this epidemic is affecting the job market and creating financial loss in the community.”

The report’s calculations are based on data from the Ohio Department of Health’s Ohio Public Data Warehouse, which documented 147 fatal opioid overdoses in Lucas, Wood, Fulton and Ottawa counties in 2017. Data from 2017 is the most recent finalized figures available.

State records show those four counties had 22 deaths attributed to opioid overdose in 2007. The state data relies on the official cause of death listed on state-issued death certificates and differs slightly from fatal overdose data from local sources.

“While it may seem morbid to put a price on human life, there are established economic models that show how an individual’s premature death ripples through the economy,” Smirnov said. “This report shows just how costly each death is to our entire community, on top of the personal loss of a friend, brother, sister or parent. The opioid crisis may appear hidden to some, but it affects all of us.”

To calculate the economic cost of a fatal opioid overdose in metro Toledo, researchers began with a federally established finding that a premature death has an economic cost of $9.4 million. By adjusting for northwest Ohio’s lower per-capita income and lower cost of living, they arrived at a figure of $8.6 million per premature death and $1.27 billion in lost economic output in 2017.

Each fatal overdose also hurts the economy indirectly. As spending and demand for goods and services shrink, employers may begin to reduce staffing. In turn, individuals who have lost their jobs cut back on their own spending. UToledo researchers calculated those indirect, or spillover, effects cost the local economy $329.2 million in 2017, while reducing full-time equivalent employment by 2,082 jobs.

The total economic burden in UToledo’s report does not include calculations from non-lethal overdoses. While those incidents do have costs associated with them — emergency room visits, criminal justice proceedings and mental health services, for example — the spending stays within the local community.

The report also offers some hints that the region’s response to the opioid epidemic is making a difference.

For example, a comparison of overdose-related 911 calls received by Lucas County dispatchers in 2016 and 2017 to the total number of overdose deaths in those years found the mortality of opioid overdoses declined from 8% in 2016 to 6% in 2017.

Researchers attribute that to first-responders dealing with opioid overdose more effectively, particularly with the use of naloxone.

UToledo’s research also supports the notion that the expanded use of naloxone prevents not only additional deaths, but also significant damage to the local economy.

While first responders in Lucas County administered an estimated $1 million-plus worth of naloxone in 2017, a single premature death would have cost the regional economy $8.6 million.

Access the full economic impact report online at utoledo.edu/economic-impact/opioids.

The University of Toledo College of Nursing has received full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education following a positive site review earlier this year.

The commission granted its maximum 10-year accreditation to UToledo’s Master of Science in Nursing Program, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, and Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Program. The accreditations run through December 2029.

UToledo’s newly independent Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program received a five-year accreditation running through December 2024. Five years is the maximum for what the commission considers to be a new program.

“The outstanding review the College of Nursing received during the accreditation process helps validate our standing as a premier nursing program,” said Dr. Karen Bjorkman, UToledo interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “This is an exciting accomplishment, and I’m proud of the continuing excellence our faculty and staff show in preparing the next generation of nursing leaders.”

“It takes a team to have such an outstanding review, and I want to thank our leadership team, faculty and staff for the many, many hours that went into producing the accreditation materials that were so positively reviewed,” said Dr. Linda Lewandowski, dean of the UToledo College of Nursing. “This really attests to the excellence of our nursing programs that are truly a leader in our region.”

The UToledo-Bowling Green State University consortium also received 10-year-accrediation for its joint B.S.N. Program, though the final students who are enrolled in that program are expected to graduate in 2022.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education is an autonomous accrediting agency that ensures the quality and integrity of nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and nurse residency programs.

The University of Toledo is celebrating the opening of a specialized undergraduate advising center to support students in UToledo’s growing pre-professional and allied health programs.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the new Pre-Health Advising Center will take place Thursday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m. outside University Hall Room 2160. The Nursing Advising Center, relocated across the hall, also will be recognized.

The new Pre-Health Advising Center brings together a comprehensive array of services for students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.

Academic advisers will be available to help students who have declared a pre-med/pre-vet/pre-dental concentration with course selection, provide information about clinical and networking opportunities, and offer guidance on navigating the application process to medical school and other professional healthcare programs.

“We know that jobs in healthcare are growing. As part of our commitment to student success, we want to ensure our students are on track and well-prepared to enter those career fields,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, vice provost for faculty affairs and professor of public health. “This center provides specialized resources to support and encourage students, as well as help them review their options at UToledo.”

UToledo boasts an extensive catalog of options for undergraduate students pursuing a career in healthcare; these include a number of pre-medicine tracks, pre-physical therapy, pre-dental, pre-veterinary and pre-pharmacy.

The Pre-Health Advising Center is open to all undergraduates enrolled in a healthcare program. Staff at the center also can provide guidance to those considering attending UToledo or who are undecided on a major explore the University’s numerous pre-professional and allied health fields.

“We want our students to find the right home for their interests and talents,” Thompson said. “Our advisers can walk students through academic prerequisites and help them evaluate all possible majors that are in the health professions so that they find the best fit.”

The center also has special workshops for pre-medicine, pre-dental and pre-veterinary students, as well as students enrolled in UToledo’s Bacc2MD Program and the UToledo/Case Western Reserve University’s School of Dental Medicine Program.

Looking to advance your career? Want to learn more about continuing your education? Stop by the Graduate and Professional Program Fair Wednesday, Oct. 30.

The event will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. in the Thompson Student Union Auditorium.

Attendees can meet with representatives from colleges and programs; learn ways to fund graduate education; and start the graduate program application process.

On hand will be representatives from all UToledo colleges: Arts and Letters; Business and Innovation; Engineering; Health and Human Services; Judith Herb College of Education; Law; Medicine and Life Sciences; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Nursing; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Graduate Studies; Jesup Scott Honors College; and University College.

Go to the Graduate and Professional Program Fair website and register.

The first 100 to attend the event will receive an application fee waiver; J.D., M.D. and Pharm.D. applications not included.

For more information, email graduateinquiry@utoledo.edu.

Providing culturally sensitive care to transgender individuals will be the topic of the 12th annual Dorothy Hussain Distinguished Lectureship hosted by The University of Toledo College of Nursing.

Dr. Jordon Bosse, a registered nurse and project manager of research and education for Boulder Care Inc., will be the keynote speaker.

The free, public lecture, “What’s the ‘T’? How to Provide Patient-Centered, Culturally Sensitive Care to Transgender People,” will be held Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Collier Building Room 1000. Register in advance through the College of Nursing website. Students do not need to register.

Bosse, who holds a Ph.D. in nursing science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has worked with vulnerable and marginalized populations in both the social service and healthcare fields for more than two decades. Much of his work has been focused on the needs of the LGBTQA+ community.

According to Bosse, many transgender or nonbinary people have had negative experiences in healthcare because of difficulty finding providers who have the knowledge, skills and experience to work with transgender and nonbinary people, a lack of understanding from physicians, or even the binary choices presented on forms and electronic medical records.

One of the best things healthcare providers can do, he said, is educate themselves.

“Caring for transgender and nonbinary patients isn’t a clinical specialty. You will likely come in contact with people from diverse gender groups in the course of your practice. The only way to know is to ask,” he said. “Get in the habit of asking all patients what they would like to be called, what pronouns they use and then use them. If people give responses you’ve not heard before, it’s OK to ask for more information.”

Bosse will be joined by Dr. Michelle Boose and Dr. Robert Gottfried, both assistant professors in the Department of Family Medicine in the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, for the conversation on serving healthcare needs of the transgender population.

The lecture is named after the late Dorothy Gladys Hussain, whose professional career spanned 32 years as a staff nurse and critical care nurse at the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital. She was known for patient advocacy and championing patients’ rights.

UToledo’s third annual Day of Giving will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 16.

The 36-hour campaign, “Rocket Forward: You Launch Lives,” will begin at midnight Oct. 15 and end at noon Oct. 16.

Several events are planned Tuesday, Oct. 15:

Day of Giving Fall Festival — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Centennial Mall

• Student organizations will host booths with games.

• The Rocket Marching Band and UToledo cheerleaders will perform.

• President Sharon L. Gaber will greet students from noon to 12:30 p.m.

• The festival also will offer a dog-petting station, corn hole games, a basketball contest, pie in the face, pumpkin bowling and pumpkin golf.

College of Business and Innovation — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Savage & Associates Business Complex Second-Floor Atrium

• Giving station with ice cream.

Judith Herb College of Education — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Gillham Hall

• Giving station with popcorn.

College of Health and Human Services — 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 16, 8 to 10:30 a.m. in the Health and Human Services Building Atrium

• Giving station with popcorn, other snacks and prizes.

Jesup Scott Honors College — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside MacKinnon Hall

• Giving station with snacks.

College of Law — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Law Center Patio

• Fall Fest hosted by the Student Bar Association: Donate to decorate mini-pumpkins; play corn hole, ring toss and horseshoes; and eat kettle corn, caramel apples and cider.

Student Recreation Center — 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• Giving station; popcorn from 2 to 6 p.m.

University College — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 16, 9 to 10:30 a.m. in Rocket Hall

• Giving station with popcorn, snacks, and a chance to spin the wheel to win prizes with a donation.

The University of Toledo Medical Center — starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 16, in the Four Seasons Bistro

• Giving station in the cafeteria.

Colleges of Nursing; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; and Medicine and Life Sciences — 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Collier Building Lobby

• College of Nursing will host a Day of Giving party with a giving station, snacks, a pumpkin decorating contest, music and entertainment. President Sharon L. Gaber and Health Science Campus deans will be on hand for Day of Giving selfie photos with students, faculty and staff.

Give online at rocketforward.utoledo.edu Oct. 15-16 and share your UToledo story on social media at #RocketForward.

The Office of the Provost has appointed two deans to take on additional responsibilities as vice provosts.

Dr. Christopher Cooper, dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and executive vice president for clinical affairs, has been appointed to serve as vice provost for educational health affairs.

Dr. Linda Lewandowski, dean of the College of Nursing, has been appointed to serve as vice provost for health affairs for interprofessional and community partnerships.

In his vice provost role, Cooper will serve as a liaison between the Office of the Provost and the deans of the four health-related colleges with a focus on facilities and college resources related to health education.

In her vice provost role, Lewandowski will serve as a liaison between the Office of the Provost and the external community for targeted health-related partnerships and initiatives, and will be responsible for the development and implementation of interprofessional collaborations among the University’s health-related academic programs.