Ohio State's Polaris Center To Make College Education More Accessible

The Ohio State University at Marion will expand its presence in southern Delaware County by leasing 15,000 square feet of classroom and office space in a new building at 7991 Columbus Pike (U.S. 23 and Orange Road).

Ohio State's Polaris Center will allow Ohio State Marion to expand its offerings to about 30 classes each quarter and offer both day and evening classes beginning in September 2001. Courses to be offered include general education, graphics technology, and some selected graduate programs in education.

Ohio State's new home will include 8 classrooms, two computer labs, an art room, a conference room, a small student lounge, 9 offices, and storage space.

Since September 1997, Ohio State Marion has offered evening classes at the Delaware JVS South Campus. Enrollment at that location has reached a maximum capacity of about 200 students per quarter, according to Ohio State Marion Dean and Director F. Dominic Dottavio.

Students who enroll at the Polaris Center will benefit from the tuition reduction avaiable to students at regional campuses, Dottavio said. Currently, regional campus freshmen and sophomores pay $1,117 per quarter for full-time enrollment - equal to 76 percent of what full-time Columbus campus students pay ($1,461 per quarter.) Also, regional campus tuition is expected to decrease again next year by 5 percent.

The new building will be one of several buildings that comprise SubmitOrder.com's (an e-commerce fulfillment company) "technology campus."

For Ohio State Marion students, especially those living south of Marion, it will mean many more options for enrolling in Ohio State courses.

Five Nights On Campus Series Kicks Off New Season Oct. 17

Five Nights on Campus, the cultural arts series sponsored by The Ohio State University at Marion, begins its sixth season on October 17 with a performance by Australian Folk Musician Seona McDowell.

Anyone who found excitement and enjoyment in learning about the culture and history of the "Land Down Under," featured in programs from the 2000 Summer Olympics, is sure to find this program a delight. McDowell's family-oriented musical program of traditional and original pieces reflects life in Australia as well as her humanitarian and ecological beliefs.

McDowell calls herself a "Singer of songs," but she's also a storyteller, an emissary of knowledge, and an unusual and versatile entertainer. She will perform on her six-string guitar, her autoharp, and the Aboriginal instrument called the didjeridoo. Come prepared to participate in this performance.

The program begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Morrill Hall Auditorium on the Campus of Ohio State Marion, 1465 Mt. Vernon Ave. Tickets are $3 for students and $7.50 for adults. Season tickets are still available for $28 (adults), $22 (senior citizens), and $15 (students). For ticket information, contact the Office of Community Relations at Ohio State Marion, (740) 389-6786, extension 6279.

Other Five Nights performances slated for the year are:

• The Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, scheduled for Dec. 7. The group will perform excerpts from its concert of traditional seasonal numbers, and will be joined by the Marion Civic Chorus for selected choruses from Handel's Messiah. This holiday event will include entertainment for the entire family.
• Tufts University Choir, on tour and stopping in Marion for a Nov. 9 concert. The choir includes Harding High School graduate Ed Boyer. This event is a "Five Nights Extra" - free to season ticket holders and $5 for the general public. o Gospelfest, by Raise Productions of Columbus, presenting a concert of gospel music as a true African-American art form. The event is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2001.
• Mad River Theatre Works performance of "John Henry," a play based on the famous American folklore character. The performance, scheduled for April 5, 2001, incorporates storytelling, drama, and music to bring the story of an American legend to life. The tale speaks to young and old, and carries a strong contemporary parallel about the importance of our humanity in the face of changing technology.
• "Poetry Around the World," featuring regionally recognized poets on campus on May 3, 2001. The campus' annual "Poetry and the World" celebration will be expanded to include an evening of literary readings by the invited poets and several from Central Ohio.
• Sunset Serenade at 5 p.m. on June 24, following Celebrate Summer: Marion's Art and Music Festival. This outdoor concert on the steps of the Marion Campus library will feature several musical groups. This event is another "Five Nights Extra" - free to season ticket holders and $5 for the general public, and is sponsored by the WOSB Advisory Council.

This year's sponsors for the Five Nights series are Whirlpool Corp., Aldelphia, Marion Steel Co., WDIF, Bun's Restaurant, Wyandot Inc., Medical Mutual of Ohio, and Herald Printing in New Washington.