Ohio Northern University has received a grant from the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) to support Vision Builders, a minority recruitment program aimed at increasing diversity at ONU. This is the second consecutive year that ONU has received this grant.

Vision Builders is a mentoring program that pairs ONU students with multicultural students from the School of Multiple Intelligences at Lima Senior High School. The program provides academic mentoring, college-preparation workshops and monthly activities at ONU and in the Lima community.

Dr. David Rouch, chairman of the Ohio Northern University Department of Technological Studies, is the recipient of a Solid Works STEM Education Grant, which will provide software valued at $6,000.

Solid Works is a leader in three-dimensional computer-aided drafting (CAD) technology and high-performance software. Software received from the grant includes a copy of the Solid Works Student Edition with COSMOS design validation curriculum.

Dr. Bruce Berdanier, associate professor of civil engineering at Ohio Northern University, has been awarded a planning grant in the amount of $29,664 from the National Science Foundation.

ONU is the lead institution of an international consortium of professors in mainstream universities in the United States, Mongolia and Jordan, as well as Tribal Colleges and Universities, known as the International Assessment Containment and Treatment Group (ACT Intl.). The focus of ACT Intl. is to promote international science outreach, teaching and research efforts.

The Ohio Northern University T.J. Smull College of Engineering, in conjunction with Rhodes State College, American Trim and the city of Lima, have announced their submission of a $3 million grant proposal to the state of Ohio's Third Frontier Project to establish a Materials Deposition Center (MDC). Rhodes State College is serving as the lead organization for the grant proposal and has been successful in prior collaborative efforts in bringing Third Frontier resources to the community.

The Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy, working with the nursing program, has received a $26,000 grant from Improvita Health Products Inc. of Cleveland to perform a clinical study of their Fasprin® product.

ONU will conduct on-campus clinical research to determine how fast aspirin from Fasprin® enters into the bloodstream. Unlike traditional aspirins, Fasprin® dissolves in the mouth (not in the stomach), which may allow it to work quicker than other aspirin products on the market.

The Cardinal Health Foundation has awarded Ohio Northern University a $15,000 scholarship grant to be used for minority pharmaceutical business students.

The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration in collaboration with the Raabe College of Pharmacy created the pharmaceutical business major in 2006. The major concentrates on three areas: pharmaceutical economics, pharmaceutical manufacturing management and pharmaceutical marketing and sales.

To best prepare students for professional employment, the curriculum primarily focuses on the pharmaceutical industry.

Ohio Northern University has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Presser Foundation for the purchase of five new pianos. Organized by professor of music, Dr. M.J. “Sunny” Zank, and Dr. Rebecca Casey, assistant professor of music, the grant will help the music department replace several older pianos. “We are delighted to receive this grant—pianos are such a vital part of our department,” says Zank. “Our unique relationship with the Presser Foundation is one we hope to maintain in the years to come. It’s a great way to carry out the wishes of Theodore Presser.”

Ohio Northern University, has been awarded a $50,622 grant from Rudolph Foods of Lima, Ohio to fund a summer research project entitled, "Vision Driven Robotic Processing for the Pork Skin Processing Industry."

More than 100 students from 10 universities are scheduled to be part of the fourth annual Ohio Northern University Undergraduate Research Colloquium, April 27 in McIntosh Center on the ONU campus.