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College of Business Named for Investor Alumnus
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The University of Toledo is naming its College of Business and Innovation for one of the greatest mutual fund investors in modern history who got his start on the UToledo campus and generously gave back to his alma mater.

The newly named John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation honors John Neff and his family for their commitment to enhancing the educational experience and competitive advantage for UToledo students.

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The College of Business and Innovation is named for John and Lillian Neff in honor of their commitment to enhancing the educational experience and competitive advantage for UToledo students.

“The generosity of Mr. Neff and his family has made a tremendous impact on our College of Business and Innovation by supporting some of our most promising students and attracting top faculty experts to our campus to train the investors of the future,” said UToledo Interim President Gregory Postel. “We are proud to name the college in his honor and look forward to the impact that connecting his legacy more closely to our business programs will have on generations to come.”

Neff, who died June 4, 2019, at the age of 87, received his bachelor’s degree in industrial marketing in 1955 from UToledo, where he also met his wife Lillian. She preceded him in death in 2017.

“It’s with tremendous pride that we partner with The University of Toledo in celebrating the naming of the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation,” said Lisa Neff-Ryave, their daughter. “My Dad often spoke of his genuine love for The University of Toledo and the humble appreciation he held for the education he received while there. It was that base in finance that propelled him forward in his illustrious career with Vanguard’s Windsor.”

Neff had gone to Wall Street immediately after graduating from UToledo, but didn’t get the interest he had hoped for. He instead started his career at National City Bank in Cleveland and later was offered a position in Philadelphia as manager of the Wellington Management Co.’s Windsor mutual fund, where he earned a reputation for outperforming the stock market for the next 30 years.

Neff’s approach was looking for stocks that in his words were “overlooked, misunderstood, forgotten, out of favor” and he favored steady performers and aimed to pay a low multiple of annual earnings, as described in the obituary article published in the Wall Street Journal.

The naming of the College of Business and Innovation recognizes the alumnus’ success, as well as his generosity. The $18.7 million gift to UToledo encompasses John and Lillian Neff’s lifetime and estate giving, as well as a gift from their children, Lisa and Stephen, who wanted to participate in honoring their parents in such a meaningful way.

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Neff received his bachelor’s degree in industrial marketing from UToledo and went on to become one of the greatest mutual fund investors in modern history.

His previous donations to the College of Business and Innovation established the Neff Trading Room equipped with high-tech Bloomberg terminals, which students use to access real-time information from the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and Chicago Board of Trade. The Neff family also established an endowed chair in the college and they have funded student scholarships and faculty teaching and research awards. The Department of Finance had already been named in Neff’s honor.

Neff also personally shared his experience and expertise with students, mentoring them on investment strategies and methodology. He was instrumental in the design of the Student Managed Portfolio course, in which UToledo students manage an account initially funded with $1 million from The University of Toledo Foundation. The course provides students hands-on money management experience to learn the business and science of investing.

“He relished those experiences, they were precious to him,” Neff-Ryave said. “UToledo was definitely his extended family and he was forever proud to be a Rocket. It is with tremendous pride that my brother Stephen and I join this effort in supporting our parent’s legacy by naming the Neff College of Business and Innovation.”

The UToledo Board of Trustees approved the naming of the college in Neff’s honor at its Dec. 14 meeting. A celebration event will be planned for a future date.

“We are proud to call this Wall Street giant a graduate of our University and our college and we are so appreciative of his generosity that has already impacted generations of students and will continue to elevate the educational experiences of business students for years to come,” said Dr. Anne Balazs, dean of the College of Business and Innovation.
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30 Years Later Rec Center Continues to ‘Make a Difference’
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Celebrating its 30th birthday this week, The University of Toledo’s Student Recreation Center is an almost indispensable part of student life.

But in the late 1980s, when TVs had turn dials and the internet was dial-up, university recreation centers were just becoming fixtures of campus life.

The idea of a multimillion-dollar state-of-the-art rec center on the UToledo campus faced some challenges, including raising student fees to fund it, said Jeff Cole, the student government president at the time, who helped push the student-led initiative through to completion.

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The University of Toledo’s Student Recreation Center begins to take shape during its construction phase on campus. The center officially opened on Oct. 15, 1990.

“There was definitely opposition and there was definitely support as well, but oftentimes the opposition is the stronger voice,” said Cole, Dana’s senior director of Corporate Communication, a UToledo graduate and emeritus member of UToledo Board of Trustees.

“We didn’t have the mechanisms to communicate with students that we do today. It was very much one-way communication and perhaps a misunderstanding that you don’t have today with social media and the feedback that comes with two-way communication.”

To help win over student support, Cole, along with then-Student Government Vice President Sue Adams, wrote an op-ed in The Collegian student newspaper explaining the advantages the rec center will bring to students, including a reference to the soon-to-be mandated change in the drinking age from 18 to 21, that “it will provide a place for students to socialize on the weekend.”

Their efforts — as well as those of others — worked.

Students approved the Rec Center as did the University’s Board of Trustees, which agreed not to raise student fees until the $17.25-million building opened.

“That really helped speed up the acceptance of the new facility,” Cole said.

Designed by St. Louis-based Hastings & Chivetta and Toledo’s Collaborative Inc., the 151,000-square-foot center would feature an Olympic-sized swimming pool and diving pools; an indoor track along with space for basketball and volleyball; racquetball courts, a weight room and locker facilities, and lounge space. It also would have an indoor waterslide, a novelty at the time for university recreational facilities.

“When it opened, it was a magnificent facility … and people were on board,” Cole said.

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Dylan Swicegood, a senior in the College of Engineering, does dumbbell shrugs at the Rec Center. Approximately 2,000 students use the facility daily.

More than a decade since her retirement as Senior Director of Recreation, Pat Besner warmly recalls those winter nights she visited the facility shortly after it opened and seeing the buzz of activity.

“All kinds of people were doing all kinds of things,” she said. “It made me feel good to know that we provided this venue and a legacy.”

In 1996 the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association recognized the Rec Center as one of its 13 “Outstanding Sports Facilities.”

Today approximately 2,000 students use the facility daily and more than 150 students work at the Rec Center, making it one of the largest student employers on campus, said Demond Pryor, director of the Office of Recreation Services.

Three decades later, the Rec Center is still an impressive campus asset, Pryor said, and work continues to improve and update the facility to meet the needs of today’s students.

Since Pryor’s UToledo arrival in 2014, he estimated that $10 million has been invested in the Rec Center. This includes new carpet, a more prominent UToledo blue-and-gold color scheme, updated fitness equipment, and rescheduling intramural activities from weekends to Mondays through Thursdays to better accommodate student schedules.

“Recreational centers are venues that help provide for the health and well-being of students, including their emotional and spiritual health, as sometimes their financial well-being,” Pryor said. “This is what we want students to have: A place to go where they can physically exercise with friends or can engage with other students.”

In celebration of the Student Recreation Center’s 30th birthday, an open house for students and alumni is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, with a formal presentation by Pryor at noon. The event will include light hors d’oeuvres and cupcakes. Face coverings are required, and all social distancing precautions will be taken.

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New Works Installed for UToledo Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition
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A wayward woodsman stands by the University Parks Trail and Ottawa House. Silhouetted fowl fly east near the Ottawa River behind Carlson Library. And a fantastical box sits askew on the east side of the Health and Human Performance Building.

“And Then One Day…” by Charlie Brouwer, “Greater Than” by Pam Reithmeier and “Cubed” by Richard Morgan are three of eight new works installed for The University of Toledo’s 15th annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition.

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“And Then One Day…” by Charlie Brouwer is located by University Parks Trail and Ottawa House.

Brouwer’s medium of choice is black locust wood, which is available where he lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains. His work reflects human themes that are uplifting and universal.

“I like using wood because it is the most ordinary and common of all building materials, and it is friendly, warm and natural,” Brouwer said. “Since the materials and methods are so familiar, my sculptures are approachable and friendly.”

UToledo alumna Reithmeier loves the physical and mental challenges of working with steel, and she is inspired by nature.

“I love to see people interact with my sculptures,” said Reithmeier, who lives in Monclova, Ohio. “Whether it is a nod of the head, a smile, or having their picture taken with my pieces — it does not matter as long as there is a connection in some way between the sculpture and the viewer.”

Thanks to the President’s Commission on Campus Design and Environment, new sculptures are installed at the University each spring.

Ray Katz’s intricate aluminum piece titled “Blast 2” sits outside The University of Toledo Medical Center. Todd Kime’s fun and funky “Class of 87” is between Nitschke and Palmer halls. And Glenn Zweygardt’s bronze “Root Dancer” sprouts up northwest of Gillham Hall.

Painted blue and green steel burst from the hillside west of University Hall with Robert Garcia’s “Questions,” and Sam Soet’s carved wood work, “Ashes V,” can be found in the plaza behind Thompson Student Union by Carlson Library.

More than 30 artists submitted proposals to the Midwest Sculpture Initiative, and the President’s Commission on Campus Design and Environment reviewed the entries and selected works for this year’s exhibit.

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“Greater Than” by Pam Reithmeier sits behind Carlson Library by the Ottawa River.

“We love the opportunity to view sculptures by so many artists and select a few of these creative works” said Dr. Jonathan Bossenbroek, UToledo professor and chair of environmental sciences, who is chair of the President’s Commission on Campus Design and Environment. “The sculptures add to the beauty of our campuses.”

The University removed this summer a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement, that was part of the group of new art works installed on campus. The commission made the decision after a student brought forward concerns about Gandhi’s comments about Black Africans and women. A conversation was held Sept. 24 as part of the Dialogues on Diversity series about the role of art in society, the differences between art and monuments, and how to best recognize the achievements of fallible individuals.

Since the exhibition began, more than 140 sculptures have rotated through the display on UToledo campuses, and several have become part of the University’s collection courtesy of benefactors, colleges and departments.

To make a gift to support the exhibition, contact The University of Toledo Foundation at utfoundation@utoledo.edu or 419.530.7730.
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MAC Presidents Vote to Begin Football Season on Nov. 4
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The Mid-American Conference announced on Friday that its 2020 football season will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The league’s 12 schools will play a six-game schedule of league games that will culminate with the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Dec. 18 or Saturday, Dec. 19.

The announcement followed a meeting of the MAC’s 12 presidents and Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. A complete 2020 MAC Football schedule and other details with respect to the season will be announced at a later date, according to Steinbrecher.

“I am pleased to inform our student-athletes, coaches and fans, that the Mid-American Conference will resume the fall football season,” said Steinbrecher. “Our decisions, in August and again today, have been guided by an overriding concern for the well-being of the student-athletes, institutions and the community at large. Our medical advisory group, presidents, directors of athletics and others, have worked hard to develop a plan that provides the opportunity for student-athletes to compete. We will be diligent in monitoring the dynamic health environment across the conference footprint and the country.”

$\"Graphic$ The conference will implement a COVID-19 testing program requiring four antigen tests per week with all positive tests needing confirmation with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Any student-athlete with a positive test will enter a cardiac screening protocol.

The MAC’s approved COVID-19 testing protocols, including four tests per week, will begin Monday, Oct. 5. The complete set of protocols will be released next week.

One of the primary changes that led to reconsideration was the availability of tests and timeliness of receiving test results across the conference, in addition to the changes and improvements of testing protocols. The MAC is establishing criteria relative to contest interruptions/cancelations, monitoring and reporting of test results as well as other COVID-19 regulations consistent with the NCAA resocialization guidelines. All football return to play is subject to national, state and local health guidelines.

“We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made with our Rocket Restart plan,” said UToledo Interim President Gregory Postel. “The health and safety of our entire campus community remain a top priority, and we believe we now have the appropriate precautionary measures in place to safely resume football.”

“We are very excited that our football program will be playing a fall schedule of games,” said UToledo Vice President and Athletic Director Mike O’Brien. “We are looking forward to the season with the expectation that we will be providing the safest possible environment in which our student-athletes will compete.”

No general public attendance or tailgating will be allowed at MAC football games. The participation of marching band, dance, cheer and spirit squads at football games will be guided by conference protocols at institutional discretion consistent with public health guidance.

All other fall sports, such as women’s volleyball, soccer and cross country, will be played next spring. Schedules for those sports will be announced at a later date.

For more information, please visit the UToledo Athletics website at utrockets.com or call 419.530.GOLD (4653).
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Women & Philanthropy Awards Grant for Art Studio
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Women & Philanthropy, a volunteer organization that promotes The University of Toledo through grants to UToledo, has given its 2020 grant in the amount of $65,000 to Barbara Miner, professor and chair of the Art Department.

The grant will assist in the creation of the University’s Axon Lab/Studio, which will be the first dedicated digital design and fabrication studio on campus.

$\"\"$ The new lab/studio space will build on collaborations across multiple academic disciplines and colleges, and will provide new opportunities for collaboration in STEMM fields and in new curricula development, according to Miner. It will serve as an innovative learning hub where technology, creativity and interdisciplinary practices converge, as students are provided with resources that meet the newest industry standards in relation to software and hardware, and community partnerships are enhanced with new tools and resources.

“The creation of this lab space is pivotal to bringing together traditional skills and contemporary practices in order to prepare our students for the meteoric pace of job/life changes globally. We are so very grateful for this support from Women & Philanthropy,” Miner said.

With this grant, Women & Philanthropy has given a total of 21 grants totaling $623,687 to The University of Toledo over the past 10 years.

“Our mission is to support the University while building relationships among a community of generous, forward-thinking women,” Dee Talmage, chair of Women & Philanthropy, said. “Through this grant, we are excited to provide students with state-of-the art technologies as they prepare for contemporary careers or admission to graduate studies.”

Women & Philanthropy at The University of Toledo was chartered in 2006 and made its first award to UToledo in 2008. Through this giving circle, members of diverse backgrounds and interests work collaboratively to make positive, meaningful and immediate impacts at the University.

Applications and guidelines for 2021 grants will be available in late fall.

For more information, go to the Women & Philanthropy website.
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Trailblazing Chemist Who Served Alma Mater Passes
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Dr. Nina I. McClelland, a renowned environmental scientist who championed safe drinking water around the globe and returned to teach and lead at The University of Toledo, died Aug. 16. The Toledo resident was 90.

“Dr. McClelland was an outstanding alumna of The University of Toledo and trailblazer for women in science,” Dr. John Plenefisch, interim dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, said. “Her lifelong efforts setting high standards for water quality and the environment have truly made the world a better place.”

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McClelland
McClelland, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1951 and a master’s degree in chemistry in 1963 from UToledo, was recognized globally as one of the most influential people in environmental science. She served as chair, president and chief executive officer during her more than 30 years with NSF International, formally National Sanitation Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to certifying products and writing standards for food, water and consumer goods.

As former chair of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific organization, McClelland developed a Water Quality Index to report water quality in lakes, rivers and streams. In time, states and water authorities were required to annually report water quality to Congress using the index. After the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed, she developed a standard adopted by the government regarding chemicals used to treat drinking water, as well as one covering all products that come in contact with drinking water via its treatment, storage and distribution.

When she retired in 1995 from NSF International, she formed a consulting firm whose clients included the World Bank.

McClelland was a principal and consultant with the International Clean Water program, dedicated to providing healthcare, safe drinking water and food, education, disease control, and other essentials to those in developing countries. She also served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Water Treatment Chemicals and for three terms on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Drinking Water Advisory Council.

Safe drinking water was an issue close to her heart. In a 2016 interview, she said, “…safe drinking water from an adequate source through treatment and distribution has always been my strength and passion.”

That passion began with her first job as a chemist and bacteriologist in the Department of Health at the Wastewater Reclamation Facility in the city of Toledo. After five years, she was named chief chemist, a position she held from 1956 to 1963. She became the first woman in Ohio to earn a Class A license for wastewater treatment.

After receiving a master of public health degree and a doctorate from the University of Michigan in 1964 and 1968, respectively, McClelland joined NSF International in Ann Arbor.

During her career, McClelland served on several major committees, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Committee on Water Treatment Chemicals in the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council.

In 2003, McClelland returned to the Glass City and her alma mater as an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemistry. Five years later, she was tapped to serve as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She retired from the University in 2011 after working in the Office of the Provost. The dean emerita and professor emerita also served as executive-in-residence in the College of Business and Innovation.

McClelland was awarded an honorary doctorate in science by the University in 2003, and in 2014 received the UToledo Alumni Association’s Gold T in recognition of her outstanding career accomplishments. In addition, she was the recipient of the Outstanding Alumna Award from the Department of Chemistry in 1993 and the College of Arts and Sciences in 2004, and the University Women’s Commission’s Alice H. Skeens Outstanding Woman Award in 2017. And she was featured in the 2004 book titled “Nine UT Alumni Who Changed the World.”

Her many honors include induction into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame in 2010 and the National Wildlife Federation’s 2016 Women in Conservation Award, which she received for protecting safe water around the world, promoting clean energy, and preserving wildlife and habitats in Ohio. She also was named a Fellow by the American Chemical Society in 2011 and was recognized as a Legend of Environmental Chemistry by the organization.

Last year, the Dr. Nina McClelland Laboratory for Water Chemistry and Environmental Analysis was dedicated in the UToledo College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Located in Bowman-Oddy Laboratories, the lab features state-of-the-art equipment, including novel extraction and microextraction technology and high-resolution mass spectrometry, tandem mass spectrometry, and an advanced imaging system.

“Nina was a tremendous friend and supporter of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and her beloved University of Toledo,” Plenefisch said. “She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live on at the University through the students and the research being performed in the Dr. Nina McClelland Laboratory for Water Chemistry and Environmental Analysis in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She loved our students and was always encouraging them to seek their full potential.”

The funeral service will be streamed live Thursday, Aug. 20, at 1:15 p.m.

Tributes are suggested to the Dr. Nina McClelland Laboratory for Water Chemistry and Environmental Analysis through The University of Toledo Foundation; call 419.530.7730 or email utfoundation@utoledo.edu.
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Rockets Create Scholarship Fund in Memory of Football Player
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The University of Toledo announced the creation of a memorial scholarship fund in the name of slain Rocket football player Jahneil Douglas. Douglas was shot and killed in Toledo July 7.

The Jahneil Douglas Memorial Scholarship Fund will annually award a scholarship to a former Rocket football player who has completed his athletic eligibility and is planning to attend graduate school or is completing his bachelor’s degree. Preference will be given to student-athletes from the city of Toledo, and applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5.

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Douglas

“Jahneil was a beloved member of our football program and our Rocket family, so we felt it was appropriate to honor his memory with a scholarship fund that will benefit future Rockets,” UToledo Vice President and Athletic Director Mike O’Brien said.

Toledo Head Football Coach Jason Candle said the scholarship will allow Douglas’ memory to live on.

“Jahneil Douglas was an inspirational teammate who sought to positively impact every individual that he encountered,” Candle said. “Although JD is no longer with us, his impact will continue to be felt at The University of Toledo. Through the Jahneil Douglas Memorial Scholarship Fund, an individual will have the opportunity to pursue post-graduate education after playing football at the highest collegiate level. We are incredibly thankful for the Toledo community’s generosity, which will allow JD’s legacy to live on at The University of Toledo.”

Friends, family and Rocket fans can make a gift or pledge to the fund on The University of Toledo Foundation website.
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UToledo Athletic Department’s Reverse Raffle to be Held Virtually July 30
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The University of Toledo Athletic Department’s Reverse Raffle will take place virtually Thursday, July 30.

The decision was made to hold the Reverse Raffle virtually in order to ensure the health and safety of guests. The opportunity to win prizes, including the $7,500 grand prize, remains unchanged for all those who purchase tickets.

$\"\"$ This event sells out every year. With only 350 tickets available for sale, be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible. You can still win big in the raffle drawing for cash and other prizes, and also participate in the silent auction with just a smartphone or a computer.

Ticket cost is $150 and includes:

• One entry into the reverse raffle drawing, which awards prizes to 58 total winners (the first ticket, every 10th ticket and the final 10 tickets drawn all receive prizes). The grand prize of $7,500 is based on 100% of reverse raffle drawing tickets sold. If 100% of tickets are not sold prior to the event date, prizes will be based on a sliding scale in proportion to the total number of tickets sold.

• A virtual check-in with coaches during the event while the virtual reverse raffle drawing is conducted.

• Six Rocket football ticket exchange vouchers for the 2020 Rocket football season (worth more than $155).

• Silent auction and premium raffle prizes accessible from your computer or smartphone.

All proceeds from the Reverse Raffle will benefit the Toledo Athletic Department and Rocket student-athletes.

Purchase tickets here or call 419.530.5316 and leave a voicemail.
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President Emeritus Who Helped Lead Merger With MUO Passes
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Dr. Daniel M. Johnson, who became president of The University of Toledo in 2001 and helped lead the 2006 merger with the Medical University of Ohio (MUO), died July 1.

Johnson, who was known for his work promoting a student-centered culture and fostering community engagement during his tenure as the University’s 15th president, served in higher education leadership positions for more than 40 years throughout his career. He developed collaborations and partnerships among public universities, government entities, industrial corporations and international organizations.

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Johnson

He was instrumental in the UToledo and MUO merger that set the University apart as one of just 27 comprehensive public universities in the country with its breadth and depth of academic programs.

In his final State of the University Address on Jan. 19, 2006, Johnson described UToledo in a “state of readiness” to begin shaping the future of the new University of Toledo.

“UT is poised and is now ready to take a giant step that will put it in a new league of universities. Our university — the University to which we all have linked our professional lives — is ready to embrace a future that will include a nationally recognized medical school, a world-class health campus and a distinguished university hospital,” he said. “The University of Toledo is ready for the new opportunities and responsibilities that will come with our merger with MUO. It is a new beginning for two major universities with deep roots in our community and region. The time for the merger has come.”

During his tenure up to the merger, Johnson led the campus through refining its mission, developing and implementing a strategic plan, completing a master plan for campus, and initiating a $100 million capital campaign. He spearheaded presidential initiatives to advance UToledo’s mission as a metropolitan university, including a Commission on Diversity, Council on Outreach and Engagement, and Commission on the River.

“President Johnson was instrumental in shaping the UToledo we know today and for setting this University on our current path of positive momentum that has benefited countless students, graduates and members of our greater community,” said Al Baker, chair of the UToledo Board of Trustees, who also previously served as a member of the MUO Board of Trustees during the merger process. He was the first trustee to complete his service after the 2006 merger when his term ended in 2007. “On behalf of the trustees and our entire University community, we thank Dr. Johnson for his service and express our sincere condolences to his loved ones.”

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Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signed on March 31, 2006, House Bill 478 signing the merger legislation into law with UToledo President Dan Johnson and MUO President Lloyd Jacobs.

Following his term as president, Johnson was named president emeritus and distinguished professor of public policy and economic development.

In 2008, he was invited to serve as provost and chief operating officer of Zayed University in United Arab Emirates. He returned to UToledo in 2011 as director of global initiatives and worked to establish partnerships in Lebanon, South Africa, China, India and other nations until 2013.

Prior to coming to Toledo, Johnson was provost of the University of Alaska Anchorage. His career also included administrative positions at University of North Texas in Denton, Texas; Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond; Sangamon State University in Springfield, Ill.; and Blackburn College in Carlinville, Ill., as well as additional faculty positions at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan., and Christian College in Columbia, Mo.

He is the author of numerous books, chapters, study reports and papers, including “Leading Economic Development: A Toolbox for Public Officials and Civic Leaders” published by University of Toledo Press in 2015.

In his final letter to the campus community upon becoming president emeritus, Johnson described UToledo as “poised for greatness” and wrote that it was time to aim higher to produce more graduates and more research funding and be a powerful force for economic development.

“At historic times like this we are often tempted to look back to see how far we have come, to reminisce about the good things that have happened, and to congratulate ourselves on our progress,” Johnson wrote. “I would urge us not to yield to this temptation but rather spend our limited and valuable time looking ahead, setting high goals and charting a strategic course that will enable us to achieve these goals and our larger mission.”

Johnson is survived by his wife, Elaine Johnson, and two sons, Darin and Brent Johnson. Funeral arrangements are to be handled by Walker Funeral Home.
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UToledo Establishes George Floyd Memorial Scholarship
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In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota that sparked protests across the country calling for racial justice and police reform, The University of Toledo created the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship to support students with a demonstrated passion for social justice who have financial need.

“Following the worldwide outcry against police brutality and racism targeting African Americans in the United States, coupled with the ongoing protests of beautifully diverse people, this fund is one of many ways our University is taking action to strengthen our continued commitment to unfettered opportunity for success and upward mobility for students of color,” Dr. Willie McKether, UToledo vice president for diversity and inclusion, and vice provost, said. “Diversity is a core value of our University. Preference for this scholarship will be given to students of underrepresented minority populations.”

The University of Toledo Foundation is collecting private donations to fund the new scholarship. Once the minimum endowment goal of $25,000 is met, students can begin applying for the scholarship through the Financial Aid Office.

The plan is to begin awarding a $1,000 scholarship to one student each year and grow the endowment to be able to offer half a dozen $1,000 scholarships in honor of George Floyd every year.

To be eligible for the scholarship, a student has to have demonstrated financial need, a GPA of at least 2.5, and involvement in initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice.

Make a donation and learn more on the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship Fund campaign website.
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