August 28, 2025 • 15 mins
Jason Opal, OSU Mansfield Dean and Director, visited with iHeart Radio, WMAN on Thursday to share the latest on what's happening on the local campus. Opal was thrilled to report that enrollment is up around 20% and he is excited heading into his 2nd year in the role. Jason talks about upcoming events and how many different degree options available on the Mansfield campus.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Our guests this morning from the Ohio State University at Mansfield.
It's Dean and Director Jason.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Ople Good morning, good morning to you.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Great to see you again, great to be back. So
how was summer?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Summer was excellent. Summer was a quiet sort of on
chemus at least, you know, in front of things, but
behind the scenes was very busy getting ready for a
big oncoming class and my own family was moving out
to Ohioaks. I was here for solo last year, so
it was a busy and good summer.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
All right.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Good, I say, how with summer because I know we're heading,
you know, into Labor Day and all of that, and
you know, summer, you know, unofficially coming to a close.
But also classes started this week at Ohio State Mansfield.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Classes start of this week. We did convocation yesterday, one
of my favorite days of the year. Get to meet
the new students, get them a sense of things, you know,
set the year off right, and now classes are underway.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
All right, terrific to hear about a brand new year
at Ohio State Mansfield. I guess before we jump in
and talk about some great news for you guys, how
about you officially, I know what interviewed you last year
in August. So now it's officially one year in the job.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
How do the year go?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
It went extremely well. So the job is it's really
kind of a job. It's sort of like being, you know,
the president of a really small college because the campus
is you know, kind of in charge of the campus
as well as a dean. The students are great, my
colleagues are fantastic, and I just love working for an
institution that has the support and love of the people.
It's just a new thing for me. It's not been
(01:29):
my experience in the past. And I'm an adopted son.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Of Ohio but Noah, I love it here.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Jason and I were talking all football off the year.
We'll get to that here in just a moment.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Again.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
The voice this morning is the deed and director of
Ohio State Mansfield, Jason Ople thankfully able to take time
out of his busy schedule with classes underway to join
us in studio. Okay, so enrollment is up at Ohio
State Mansfield. Terrific news. What can you share with us there?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
So, we're really seeing growth across the small or regional
campus of Ohio State on our it's really because we're
kind of expanded our reach of students. So we have,
of course, always lots of students from the greater Mansfield
area and Richland County, but we have a twenty three
county area that we draw students from, and we're just
seeing a very large number of students from let's just
(02:15):
say greater Cleveland, you know, around Cuyhoga County, Lake and
Lorraine County, Medina Summit coming to campus and especially our
new first year class is very large. You know, I'll
get the official number soon, but it's you know, like
twenty percent increase over last year and we're just.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Delighted by it.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
We are having some you know, we're running into sometimes
capacity issues. Yesterday at convocation there were no more seats.
I mean, it was like that kind of thing. But
you know, these are the good problems to I was.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Good that took the words out of my mouth. Great
problem to have. Again, we're talking with Jason Ople Ohio
State University at Mansfield. He is the dean and director.
Did not realize you guys have twenty three counties. I
don't know comparison with all the other regional campuses for
Ohio State in Ohio, but that has to be the
most close to it.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
So we're the unusual of the four regional campus of
Ohio State because we're both a residential place where people
stay on campus housing and also people commuting, and so
we draw from we're unusual and drawing from a large
area like that. And what's really the new trend is
just this very large growth and people who are coming
(03:21):
from farther away. You know, people for anywhere in the
state of Ohio have the right to go to Ohio State.
If you're a high school graduation, you can come to
Ohio State. And we welcome whoever from Ohio particular areas
in all of northeastern part of the state.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
It's terrific to hear the good news in the growth.
And I know you in the last year, you and
I have a great conversation that was kind of a
focal point of the new president of Ohio State. You know,
Don in Columbus was grow those regional campuses. I know
you being a dean and director working with all the
others at the regional campuses, talk about that a little
bit of kind of that that plan, that idea to
(03:55):
grow locally the regional campus.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Absolutely, so President Ted Carter hired me, so you know,
I'm biased towards to like him, but I was really
struck that he took the time to interview me when
I was just a semi finalist for the job, and
he did that for all the four campuses. And it's like,
we're going to hire new deans and the new president
he just started last year, is going to make this
a focal point of things, and.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
He has delivered on his word.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
We coordinate with the other deans and directors some other
regional campuses far more so than in the past. We're
just more part of the university than we've been in
the past, and that's because the president has said that's
what he wants and it is a really good way
for us to deliver on the Landgreat mission. It's really
the way I try to put it is, it is
harder to be Ohio State than it is to be
(04:40):
our enemies to the North University of Michigan because we
have a mandate to serve the state. The University of
Michigan does not, and they take in students of course
in Michigan, but the percentage is much smaller. We are
seventy percent Ohio students. We want to keep it that
way or even increase that. And a big way to
do that is to grow the regional campuses.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
So as we talk about the Ohio State University at Mansfield,
Dean and Director Jason ople is with us in studio.
You know, just back to class for another year. You
were telling me the last time we met, and I
believe it was in the spring of last year. In
terms of, you know, more signage on campus, talk about
the local campus, the efforts. I know what over time
(05:19):
you guys have had I think different people from other
colleges or universities. I go with maybe Tennessee that that
came to Mansfield watched. I don't know if it was robotics.
I couldn't remember. But you know, the great work you're doing.
You know people are recognizing that. So talk a little
bit about brag a little bit about the local case.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
I appreciate. I think. Yeah, So we're we're delighted. We
have lots of degrees.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
We offer twelve degrees that are for year just completeble
on campus and you can start any of the over
two hundred degrees of Ohio State. But we have a
particular signature program in engineering engineering Technology it's only available
in the regional campuses and we're you know, kind of
head of the curve on this one. And then so
we had team from University of Tennessee Knoxville come in
and try to you know, basically copy us are very
(06:00):
respectful about it.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
That was great.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
We're really really growing in our steam field, so the
sort of science and technology fields, also with arts, but
biology is a big.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Growth for us.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
We have a very large number of students. Again, some
capacity issues I'm worried about for the organic chemistry lab,
but we've really been growing a lot in the strengths
that we already had and that's just been a really
fun thing to oversee.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
And in terms of signage, I was going to say,
you told me you were working on that, right.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
It was one of my first things because you know,
Ohio State is not known as a quiet school. It's
quite loud and proud, but our campus was weirdly understated
and there wasn't enough signage and enough kind of flags
and I really wanted to remedy that. And so you know,
now if you're driving on thirty nine, you're going to
see a big, large O high state flag in front
of our housing on campus. You know, lots of banners
(06:46):
and things to give it a sense of this is
Buckeye territory, this is Buckeye soil, and all of our
students are our house state puck geyst.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Well, while you're talking about Ohio State territory and again
we're talking with Ohio State Mansfield dean and director Ole.
Coming off a national title, boy, uh, just you know,
so much excitement around another year. Of course, when the
school year starts, the football season begins, coming off a
national title just has to be everybody got that extra
skip in their staff.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
There's no question about it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
High State's also you know, we're proud of all our
all of our athletics, all of our sports, and football
is the course, the signature one, and it's just awesome
to see, you know, the pride people take and understanding
it is hard to you know, to year after year
recruit remarkable athletes, best athletes from around the United States,
bring them to a High State and deliver on that promise.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Where what do they saying for every game?
Speaker 3 (07:38):
It's like the other team's got to know you're playing
so many different You're playing the Buckeyes and you know,
taking a lot of pride in that is great on
our own campus. We love doing recreation. We love really
kind of like taking advantage of our forest campus and
you know, taking the time out to do a watch
party when the when the buck Eyes are playing.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
All right, terrific. Now your family you mentioned, you know
now coming to town. Are they get in the o
hioh they know all that right, but somebody yels, oh
they It.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Really had to kind of learn this a bit. But
I think I've definitely converted. Definitely, My son is definitely
and I'll take them to a game or two this year,
and I definitely have the towels waving and the OSU
Pride flying.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Jason Ople, Diana Director Ohio State Mansfield with us in studio.
Great visit, We got a bunch more. I want to
get to you brought up Steam and you have a
big event Halloween. I believe you were telling me so
first if people aren't aware, explain a little bit about
Steam and then your event on October thirty first.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
So people often talk about the STEM fields, so science, Technology, engineering, Medicine.
We had in the A for arts because we recognize
as all of our employers around in this area. Tell
Us people have to be well rounded, they have to
go communication skills and the arts are excellent at that.
So anyway, we want to highlight our steam fields and
(08:51):
we do this basically by having an event where area
high schools around twelve or so from all across the
Greater Mansfield area in Richland County come to our campus
and we basically put on sort of workshops for the
students with our faculty in various fields. We did this
on Valentine's Day and we you know, themed it to
Valentine's and you know, loving the steam fields. This time
(09:13):
is going to be about the you know, connecting to Halloween.
So we're going to have people in chemistry and biology.
One of our engineers also works on how to make buildings.
We stand earthquakes better, so we're going to sort of
relate things to hands on work and we'll put some Halloween.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Theme to it.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
So that's October thirty first on campus and lots of
other events too, but that's one we'll have, you know,
hundreds of high schoolers and their teachers and looking forward
to it.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Well, as you talk about high school, if somebody wants
to come to that event, do they need to reach
out in advance. I'm assuming to let you guys know
they're coming. So you got enough room chairs and all that.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Right, Absolutely, yes, we do.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
For for what in the fall, we'll have a bunch
of open houses and Buckeye preview days. These are very
you can just go to our website always you Mansfield
and find it very easily.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
For the steam of that, we're actually.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Organizing that directly with the schools to bring in the
buses and to you know, to organize that days. It'll
be a day off, a day away from school for them.
But we have we'll have five enrollment events over the
course of the fall and many others of the spring.
We try to make it as easy as possible and
as fun as possible to check out campus.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
We're visiting with Ohio State Mansfield Danton director Jason ople
this morning. You think about, you know, kids in high
school are you know, back in the classroom, and you
know those that are juniors and seniors especially thinking where
they're going to go, you know, to college and get
a great local campus, world class education at Ohios day
to a parent right now, maybe's listening or maybe a
(10:39):
student's listening. They want to come out and check out
the local campus reach out to you guys, right, make
sure you set that appointment they can come out and
you know, maybe maybe be important to get on campus
and have eyes on it.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Right, It's crucial to get kind of gets campus. And
that's whether that's through a kind of walk in or
a sort of preview day or one of these events.
You know, that's really the best way to get to
know us. I just put it too. I mean, I'm
a parent myself with I have two kids. One is
you know, approaching college age. One part about the experience
on the parents side is and the student side is
the stress of basically sort of self marketing that students
(11:13):
have to do when they're really trying to get into
especially with a lot of really competitive universities and campuses.
I just want it to be known, you know, in
the state of Ohio that you're the right to go
to Ohio State. And the Columbus campus has a different
enrollment policy and it's a different criteria. But if you
come to Ohio State, Mansfield or Newark or Lima or Marion,
you come, we will train you, you will get an
(11:35):
Ohios education, and after a year you are welcome to stay.
Usually about two thirds of our students stay or you're
welcome to literally sign a piece of paper.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
It's that simple, and you're on your way to Columbus.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
So we take pride in that we make it very
clear that we're going to deliver a world class education
on our local campus.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So if you want to set up some time to
come out, check out the campus, head to the website.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Head of the website, or just email me. I easy
to remember. I'm Opal dot one at OSU. Incredibly on
the only Opal apparently at Ohio State. Other everyone else
has got like, you know, twelve thousand after their last name.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
But I'm easy to remember.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
All right. Well, before I let you go, Jason ople
Dean and Director Ohio State mans Well, you are telling
me Ohio State, you know, well known for the Fisher
College of Business. Somebody thinking about a business degree, they
can get that, they can get that at Ohio State
mansf We'll talk about that a lot.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yeah, we're really wanting to grow our business degree on campus.
The Fisher College of Business, you know, an extremely well
known WRENT across the United States. What we're basically trying
to do is a lot of our students come their
business interested. They do their accounting work in macroeconomics and
micro on our campus. Many of them, after a year
or so go on to Columbus. We want to develop
(12:45):
that a bit more and have it more of a
of a kind of local flavor to the degree itself.
But it's a Fisher College of Business degree, just like
all of our degrees are. Myself am in the College
of our Sciences, as are most of our faculty College Engineering.
So we're just OSU faculty whopen to do our work
in Mansfield rather than Columbus.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
All right, I know you've got to get back to
the office and on campus. But one final thing I
want to bring it up. You told me, and I'll
let you explain. You got a recent donation from a
local alumni here and it's helping everybody distress have fun.
Tell us about something you told me. That's in the
student union.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
That's right, So in our student union on campus, we
now have eight pinball machines that are vintage and awesome.
I've actually played them myself at the donor's home. I mean,
he's a really great guy and I'm gonna I'll thank
him later personally, but he donated these to campus or
we're going to allow them to use our campus. And
it's a great way to distress. It's a non screen
way to distress people play.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
People are watching you play.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I particularly like there's a Star Wars one I particularly like,
but all of them are really fun and it's just
a it's we're gonna have tournaments and it's gonna be
a fun addition to campus.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Jason ople has the top score already.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yes, at all, but I really really enjoy playing. Really,
it's a way to when I'm student. Actually mentioned to
me that it almost felt like fishing, and what he
meant by that is it just turns off that engine
in your mind and it allows you to really really
kind of recenter yourself and just have a good time.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
That's awesome because whether you're a student, whether you you know,
you've graduated college, you're in the workforce, you need that,
you know, time where maybe somebody has exercise after work
or something where you kind of always call it distress.
You have some time where you're you're not thinking about
anything else, you just having a little fun, right.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
And you know it's a thing too. It's really important
to note.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
You know, people do well when they are well and
in order to be well, you've got to have time
that's not screened and it's not stressed. But then it's
not just sitting there, right, so you're doing a thing
for yourself, and you know, pinball is only is one
way that it is actually remarkably, remarkably enjoyable and fun
way to do that good stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Again, if you want to learn more information about some
of the upcoming events at Ohio State Mansfield, also in
terms of maybe you know, getting on campus you're thinking
about it enrolling at Ohio State, go to OSU dot
edu and then just click on the drop down for
war in Mansfield. All right again, Dean and Director of
Ohio State Mansfield, Jason Ople great to visit with you.
Thanks for being with us this morning, anytime,
Our guests this morning from the Ohio State University at Mansfield.
It's Dean and Director Jason.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Ople Good morning, good morning to you.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Great to see you again, great to be back. So
how was summer?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Summer was excellent. Summer was a quiet sort of on
chemus at least, you know, in front of things, but
behind the scenes was very busy getting ready for a
big oncoming class and my own family was moving out
to Ohioaks. I was here for solo last year, so
it was a busy and good summer.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
All right.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Good, I say, how with summer because I know we're heading,
you know, into Labor Day and all of that, and
you know, summer, you know, unofficially coming to a close.
But also classes started this week at Ohio State Mansfield.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Classes start of this week. We did convocation yesterday, one
of my favorite days of the year. Get to meet
the new students, get them a sense of things, you know,
set the year off right, and now classes are underway.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
All right, terrific to hear about a brand new year
at Ohio State Mansfield. I guess before we jump in
and talk about some great news for you guys, how
about you officially, I know what interviewed you last year
in August. So now it's officially one year in the job.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
How do the year go?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
It went extremely well. So the job is it's really
kind of a job. It's sort of like being, you know,
the president of a really small college because the campus
is you know, kind of in charge of the campus
as well as a dean. The students are great, my
colleagues are fantastic, and I just love working for an
institution that has the support and love of the people.
It's just a new thing for me. It's not been
(01:29):
my experience in the past. And I'm an adopted son.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Of Ohio but Noah, I love it here.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Jason and I were talking all football off the year.
We'll get to that here in just a moment.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Again.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
The voice this morning is the deed and director of
Ohio State Mansfield, Jason Ople thankfully able to take time
out of his busy schedule with classes underway to join
us in studio. Okay, so enrollment is up at Ohio
State Mansfield. Terrific news. What can you share with us there?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
So, we're really seeing growth across the small or regional
campus of Ohio State on our it's really because we're
kind of expanded our reach of students. So we have,
of course, always lots of students from the greater Mansfield
area and Richland County, but we have a twenty three
county area that we draw students from, and we're just
seeing a very large number of students from let's just
(02:15):
say greater Cleveland, you know, around Cuyhoga County, Lake and
Lorraine County, Medina Summit coming to campus and especially our
new first year class is very large. You know, I'll
get the official number soon, but it's you know, like
twenty percent increase over last year and we're just.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Delighted by it.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
We are having some you know, we're running into sometimes
capacity issues. Yesterday at convocation there were no more seats.
I mean, it was like that kind of thing. But
you know, these are the good problems to I was.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Good that took the words out of my mouth. Great
problem to have. Again, we're talking with Jason Ople Ohio
State University at Mansfield. He is the dean and director.
Did not realize you guys have twenty three counties. I
don't know comparison with all the other regional campuses for
Ohio State in Ohio, but that has to be the
most close to it.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
So we're the unusual of the four regional campus of
Ohio State because we're both a residential place where people
stay on campus housing and also people commuting, and so
we draw from we're unusual and drawing from a large
area like that. And what's really the new trend is
just this very large growth and people who are coming
(03:21):
from farther away. You know, people for anywhere in the
state of Ohio have the right to go to Ohio State.
If you're a high school graduation, you can come to
Ohio State. And we welcome whoever from Ohio particular areas
in all of northeastern part of the state.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
It's terrific to hear the good news in the growth.
And I know you in the last year, you and
I have a great conversation that was kind of a
focal point of the new president of Ohio State. You know,
Don in Columbus was grow those regional campuses. I know
you being a dean and director working with all the
others at the regional campuses, talk about that a little
bit of kind of that that plan, that idea to
(03:55):
grow locally the regional campus.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Absolutely, so President Ted Carter hired me, so you know,
I'm biased towards to like him, but I was really
struck that he took the time to interview me when
I was just a semi finalist for the job, and
he did that for all the four campuses. And it's like,
we're going to hire new deans and the new president
he just started last year, is going to make this
a focal point of things, and.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
He has delivered on his word.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
We coordinate with the other deans and directors some other
regional campuses far more so than in the past. We're
just more part of the university than we've been in
the past, and that's because the president has said that's
what he wants and it is a really good way
for us to deliver on the Landgreat mission. It's really
the way I try to put it is, it is
harder to be Ohio State than it is to be
(04:40):
our enemies to the North University of Michigan because we
have a mandate to serve the state. The University of
Michigan does not, and they take in students of course
in Michigan, but the percentage is much smaller. We are
seventy percent Ohio students. We want to keep it that
way or even increase that. And a big way to
do that is to grow the regional campuses.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
So as we talk about the Ohio State University at Mansfield,
Dean and Director Jason ople is with us in studio.
You know, just back to class for another year. You
were telling me the last time we met, and I
believe it was in the spring of last year. In
terms of, you know, more signage on campus, talk about
the local campus, the efforts. I know what over time
(05:19):
you guys have had I think different people from other
colleges or universities. I go with maybe Tennessee that that
came to Mansfield watched. I don't know if it was robotics.
I couldn't remember. But you know, the great work you're doing.
You know people are recognizing that. So talk a little
bit about brag a little bit about the local case.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
I appreciate. I think. Yeah, So we're we're delighted. We
have lots of degrees.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
We offer twelve degrees that are for year just completeble
on campus and you can start any of the over
two hundred degrees of Ohio State. But we have a
particular signature program in engineering engineering Technology it's only available
in the regional campuses and we're you know, kind of
head of the curve on this one. And then so
we had team from University of Tennessee Knoxville come in
and try to you know, basically copy us are very
(06:00):
respectful about it.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
That was great.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
We're really really growing in our steam field, so the
sort of science and technology fields, also with arts, but
biology is a big.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Growth for us.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
We have a very large number of students. Again, some
capacity issues I'm worried about for the organic chemistry lab,
but we've really been growing a lot in the strengths
that we already had and that's just been a really
fun thing to oversee.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
And in terms of signage, I was going to say,
you told me you were working on that, right.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
It was one of my first things because you know,
Ohio State is not known as a quiet school. It's
quite loud and proud, but our campus was weirdly understated
and there wasn't enough signage and enough kind of flags
and I really wanted to remedy that. And so you know,
now if you're driving on thirty nine, you're going to
see a big, large O high state flag in front
of our housing on campus. You know, lots of banners
(06:46):
and things to give it a sense of this is
Buckeye territory, this is Buckeye soil, and all of our
students are our house state puck geyst.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Well, while you're talking about Ohio State territory and again
we're talking with Ohio State Mansfield dean and director Ole.
Coming off a national title, boy, uh, just you know,
so much excitement around another year. Of course, when the
school year starts, the football season begins, coming off a
national title just has to be everybody got that extra
skip in their staff.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
There's no question about it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
High State's also you know, we're proud of all our
all of our athletics, all of our sports, and football
is the course, the signature one, and it's just awesome
to see, you know, the pride people take and understanding
it is hard to you know, to year after year
recruit remarkable athletes, best athletes from around the United States,
bring them to a High State and deliver on that promise.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Where what do they saying for every game?
Speaker 3 (07:38):
It's like the other team's got to know you're playing
so many different You're playing the Buckeyes and you know,
taking a lot of pride in that is great on
our own campus. We love doing recreation. We love really
kind of like taking advantage of our forest campus and
you know, taking the time out to do a watch
party when the when the buck Eyes are playing.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
All right, terrific. Now your family you mentioned, you know
now coming to town. Are they get in the o
hioh they know all that right, but somebody yels, oh
they It.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Really had to kind of learn this a bit. But
I think I've definitely converted. Definitely, My son is definitely
and I'll take them to a game or two this year,
and I definitely have the towels waving and the OSU
Pride flying.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Jason Ople, Diana Director Ohio State Mansfield with us in studio.
Great visit, We got a bunch more. I want to
get to you brought up Steam and you have a
big event Halloween. I believe you were telling me so
first if people aren't aware, explain a little bit about
Steam and then your event on October thirty first.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
So people often talk about the STEM fields, so science, Technology, engineering, Medicine.
We had in the A for arts because we recognize
as all of our employers around in this area. Tell
Us people have to be well rounded, they have to
go communication skills and the arts are excellent at that.
So anyway, we want to highlight our steam fields and
(08:51):
we do this basically by having an event where area
high schools around twelve or so from all across the
Greater Mansfield area in Richland County come to our campus
and we basically put on sort of workshops for the
students with our faculty in various fields. We did this
on Valentine's Day and we you know, themed it to
Valentine's and you know, loving the steam fields. This time
(09:13):
is going to be about the you know, connecting to Halloween.
So we're going to have people in chemistry and biology.
One of our engineers also works on how to make buildings.
We stand earthquakes better, so we're going to sort of
relate things to hands on work and we'll put some Halloween.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Theme to it.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
So that's October thirty first on campus and lots of
other events too, but that's one we'll have, you know,
hundreds of high schoolers and their teachers and looking forward
to it.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Well, as you talk about high school, if somebody wants
to come to that event, do they need to reach
out in advance. I'm assuming to let you guys know
they're coming. So you got enough room chairs and all that.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Right, Absolutely, yes, we do.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
For for what in the fall, we'll have a bunch
of open houses and Buckeye preview days. These are very
you can just go to our website always you Mansfield
and find it very easily.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
For the steam of that, we're actually.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Organizing that directly with the schools to bring in the
buses and to you know, to organize that days. It'll
be a day off, a day away from school for them.
But we have we'll have five enrollment events over the
course of the fall and many others of the spring.
We try to make it as easy as possible and
as fun as possible to check out campus.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
We're visiting with Ohio State Mansfield Danton director Jason ople
this morning. You think about, you know, kids in high
school are you know, back in the classroom, and you
know those that are juniors and seniors especially thinking where
they're going to go, you know, to college and get
a great local campus, world class education at Ohios day
to a parent right now, maybe's listening or maybe a
(10:39):
student's listening. They want to come out and check out
the local campus reach out to you guys, right, make
sure you set that appointment they can come out and
you know, maybe maybe be important to get on campus
and have eyes on it.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Right, It's crucial to get kind of gets campus. And
that's whether that's through a kind of walk in or
a sort of preview day or one of these events.
You know, that's really the best way to get to
know us. I just put it too. I mean, I'm
a parent myself with I have two kids. One is
you know, approaching college age. One part about the experience
on the parents side is and the student side is
the stress of basically sort of self marketing that students
(11:13):
have to do when they're really trying to get into
especially with a lot of really competitive universities and campuses.
I just want it to be known, you know, in
the state of Ohio that you're the right to go
to Ohio State. And the Columbus campus has a different
enrollment policy and it's a different criteria. But if you
come to Ohio State, Mansfield or Newark or Lima or Marion,
you come, we will train you, you will get an
(11:35):
Ohios education, and after a year you are welcome to stay.
Usually about two thirds of our students stay or you're
welcome to literally sign a piece of paper.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
It's that simple, and you're on your way to Columbus.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
So we take pride in that we make it very
clear that we're going to deliver a world class education
on our local campus.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So if you want to set up some time to
come out, check out the campus, head to the website.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Head of the website, or just email me. I easy
to remember. I'm Opal dot one at OSU. Incredibly on
the only Opal apparently at Ohio State. Other everyone else
has got like, you know, twelve thousand after their last name.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
But I'm easy to remember.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
All right. Well, before I let you go, Jason ople
Dean and Director Ohio State mans Well, you are telling
me Ohio State, you know, well known for the Fisher
College of Business. Somebody thinking about a business degree, they
can get that, they can get that at Ohio State
mansf We'll talk about that a lot.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yeah, we're really wanting to grow our business degree on campus.
The Fisher College of Business, you know, an extremely well
known WRENT across the United States. What we're basically trying
to do is a lot of our students come their
business interested. They do their accounting work in macroeconomics and
micro on our campus. Many of them, after a year
or so go on to Columbus. We want to develop
(12:45):
that a bit more and have it more of a
of a kind of local flavor to the degree itself.
But it's a Fisher College of Business degree, just like
all of our degrees are. Myself am in the College
of our Sciences, as are most of our faculty College Engineering.
So we're just OSU faculty whopen to do our work
in Mansfield rather than Columbus.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
All right, I know you've got to get back to
the office and on campus. But one final thing I
want to bring it up. You told me, and I'll
let you explain. You got a recent donation from a
local alumni here and it's helping everybody distress have fun.
Tell us about something you told me. That's in the
student union.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
That's right, So in our student union on campus, we
now have eight pinball machines that are vintage and awesome.
I've actually played them myself at the donor's home. I mean,
he's a really great guy and I'm gonna I'll thank
him later personally, but he donated these to campus or
we're going to allow them to use our campus. And
it's a great way to distress. It's a non screen
way to distress people play.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
People are watching you play.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I particularly like there's a Star Wars one I particularly like,
but all of them are really fun and it's just
a it's we're gonna have tournaments and it's gonna be
a fun addition to campus.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Jason ople has the top score already.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yes, at all, but I really really enjoy playing. Really,
it's a way to when I'm student. Actually mentioned to
me that it almost felt like fishing, and what he
meant by that is it just turns off that engine
in your mind and it allows you to really really
kind of recenter yourself and just have a good time.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
That's awesome because whether you're a student, whether you you know,
you've graduated college, you're in the workforce, you need that,
you know, time where maybe somebody has exercise after work
or something where you kind of always call it distress.
You have some time where you're you're not thinking about
anything else, you just having a little fun, right.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
And you know it's a thing too. It's really important
to note.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
You know, people do well when they are well and
in order to be well, you've got to have time
that's not screened and it's not stressed. But then it's
not just sitting there, right, so you're doing a thing
for yourself, and you know, pinball is only is one
way that it is actually remarkably, remarkably enjoyable and fun
way to do that good stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Again, if you want to learn more information about some
of the upcoming events at Ohio State Mansfield, also in
terms of maybe you know, getting on campus you're thinking
about it enrolling at Ohio State, go to OSU dot
edu and then just click on the drop down for
war in Mansfield. All right again, Dean and Director of
Ohio State Mansfield, Jason Ople great to visit with you.
Thanks for being with us this morning, anytime,
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