The 2012 NAGPS Midwest Regional Conference will be held in Columbus, Ohio from April 13-15. It will feature sessions on advocacy, budgeting, lobbying, and more. Keynote speakers include D'Andra Mull from Ohio State and Dean Patrick Osmer. The conference aims to share best practices, network graduate students, and advocate for graduate education in the Midwest region.

1. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
AND
XAVIER UNIVERSITY
PRESENT
2012
NAGPS
MIDWEST
REGIONAL
CONFERENCE

2. LETTER FROM NAGPS PRESIDENT
Dear Midwest Regional Conference Participant,
Welcome to Columbus, Ohio! Thank you for your participation this weekend. We have an exciting event
planned for you, and hope that you find your time with us productive and enjoyable.
The power of our regional conferences lies in the contribution of participants: sharing best practices and
lessons learned, networking, and forming new connections that will be the foundation of your future
success. I encourage you to fully utilize the extraordinary network of talent that surrounds you at this
conference by asking meaningful questions and finding ways to become a useful resource to those you
meet. Many of us are in similar stages of life and leadership—strategically guiding our organizations and
careers toward short- and long-term goals, learning and internalizing lessons of effective leadership, and
developing a network of peers with whom we will share our personal and professional future. You might
be surprised at the lessons you can learn while engaging in thoughtful discussion with other attendees this
weekend. I encourage you to seek out every opportunity to learn from and contribute to one another.
This is an exciting time to be a graduate-professional student in the US. Our research, creative works,
and collective impact are the driving force behind our nation’s future competiveness. We are starting
companies, conducting groundbreaking scientific inquiry, uncovering new relationships and themes in art
and literature, and training to educate the next generation of scholars. We are our nation’s future business,
political, and intellectual leaders, and we stand united with one voice.
That voice is NAGPS. The Association exists to help you develop as a leader and learn from a talented,
diverse group of peers from across the nation. Through our events you will have the opportunity to
collaborate with other leaders from across a wide range of disciplines and institutions, share the lessons
you have learned in your organization, and shape the future of graduate-professional education through
advocacy at multiple levels.
Our hosts this weekend have done a tremendous job organizing the conference. I am grateful for their hard
work, and ask that you take a moment to personally thank them when you see each of them next. I am
especially grateful for the contributions and tireless service from The Ohio State University, Xavier University
and their graduate student governance organizations. Specifically, I’d like to thank Daniele Bologna, Allen
Cochran, Vijay Gadepall, Zach Kenitzer and Caitlyn Riederer for their leadership in planning this regional
conference. Without their contributions and dedication, we wouldn’t be here this weekend.
I hope to see you next at our National Conference November 1-4 at Duke University in Durham, NC.
Matt Cooper
President & CEO, NAGPS

3. LETTER FROM CONFERENCE COORDINATOR
Dear 2012 NAGPS Midwest Regional Conference Attendees,
I could not be more excited about serving as your NAGPS Midwest Regional Chair for 2012!! NAGPS has
recently witnessed snowballing excitement from schools across the country, which has in turn led to a
nationwide sense of success from NAGPS and its constituents. Specific to the Midwest, Universities want a
better sense of camaraderie and are looking for ways to better communicate between schools in order to
share best practices and develop together.
Along with NAGPS, it is my personal goal to provide a forum for this communication to take place. Graduate
education has experienced some immense challenges in the Midwest this year, and as a result we are
focusing on best practices of graduate leadership. We plan to make as many presentations and talks
available in some form of recorded media, just in case your passion for discussion hinders your ability to take
notes this weekend.
May the NAGPS 2012 Midwest Regional Conference help us all to develop our practices and to return to
our respective schools with increased knowledge and confidence and a greater sense of support from our
neighboring Universities.
I look forward to meeting all of you and hope that this is the beginning of many connections and friendships
that will last for years to come.
Thank you and welcome.
Sincerely,
Daniele Bologna
NAGPS Midwest Regional Chair

4. GETTING AROUND COLUMBUS
Driving directions to from the Varsity Inn
North to the Ohio Union Parking at The Ohio Union
Ohio Union South Garage
Varsity Inn OSU North The Ohio Union South Garage is located immediately
3246 Olentangy River Road adjacent to the north side of the building with access
Columbus, OH 43202 from High Street and College Road. This garage offers 800
visitor-only spaces, including accessible parking and main
1. Head northwest on Olentangy River Rd campus disability permit access. A passenger drop-off
loop is located off of the 12 Avenue entrance to
2. Make a U-turn
the Ohio Union.
3. Turn left onto W Lane Ave
4. Turn right onto N High St
Ohio Union North Garage
Destination will be on your right The Ohio Union North Garage is located just north of the
Ohio Union South Garage and provides an additional 600
Ohio Union visitor parking spaces during off-peak hours. Guests of the
The Ohio State University Ohio Union may utilize this garage from 4:00 p.m. - 3:00
a.m. Monday through Friday and all day
1739 N High Street
Saturday and Sunday.
Columbus, OH 43210

5. CONFERENCE HOTEL INFORMATION
Varsity Inn OSU North
Transportation Information
Conference Group: CGS12
For CABS map visit:
The hotel for the conference will be Varsity Inn http://tp.osu.edu/cabs/mapsschedules/
North, located convientaly near The Ohio State cabsmaps/BVmap.pdf
University’s campus and on the CABS system. The
rooms are discounted to $70 a night for a double For Varsity Inn North’s website visit:
bedroom. It is a short walk to the campus bus sys- http://www.varsityinnosunorth.com/
tem, known as CABS, at which has a stop at Kenny
and Ackerman and goes to the Oval in the middle of For The Ohio Union’s website visit:
Ohio States campus, with a short walk to the Ohio http://ohiounion.osu.edu/
Union, where the conference will be taking place.
Varsity Inn OSU North
3246 Olentangy River Rd,
Columbus, OH 43202
Phone: 614-267-4646
Fax: 614-267-1535

6. GETTING AROUND OHIO STATE
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8. CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
TIME EVENT LOCATION
Friday, April 13, 2012
2:00 PM Registration Opens Ohio Union Lobby
4:00 PM Ohio State University Tour Meet in Ohio Union Lobby
5:00 PM Welcome Reception w/ hor d’oeuvres Student Alumni Council Room
Saturday, April 14, 2012
8:00 AM Continued Conference Registration Ohio Union Lobby
8:00 AM Continental Breakfast Suzanne M. Scharer Room
10:00 AM Session A Ohio Union
Breakout 1 Hayes Cape Room
Breakout 2 Rosa M. Ailabouni
11:00 AM Session B Ohio Union
Breakout 1 Hayes Cape Room
Breakout 2 Rosa M. Ailabouni
12:00 PM Lunch and Presentation by Zach Waymer Suzanne M. Scharer Room
Students at the Shoe (Optional) Meet in Scharer Room
1:30 PM Midwest Regional Board Meeting Suzanne M. Scharer Room
3:30 PM Session C Ohio Union
Breakout 1 Hayes Cape Room
Breakout 2 Rosa M. Ailabouni
Midwest Regional Committee Meetings Suzanne M. Scharer Room
6:00 PM Dinner and Presentation Suzanne M. Scharer Room
6:30 PM Keynote Address by Dean Patrick Osmer
Following Dinner - Outing Kildaire’s on High Street
Sunday, April 15, 2012
8:00 AM Continental Breakfast Ohio Union CGS Office
10:00 AM Midwest Regional Board Meeting (As needed) Ohio Union CGS Office
12:00 PM Official End of Midwest Regional Conference Ohio Union CGS Office

9. OHIO UNION MAP
FIRST FLOOR SECOND FLOOR
THIRD FLOOR

10. SESSION A 10:00 AM SATURDAY
Room / Time Presentation Title Presenter
Hays Cape Room “Students Serving Students”: Student run Joshua Waldman,
10:00 AM programs that better the graduate student University of Toledo
experience and facilitate organizational grow
Rosa M. Ailabouni Room Graduate Student Quality of Life Survey Emily Haas,
10:00 AM Purdue University
Hays Cape Room Lobbying How-to Jon Kowalski,
10:30 AM Immediate Past
President NAGPS
Rosa M. Ailabouni Room Budgeting Daniele Bologna,
10:30 AM Xavier University
SESSION B 11:00 AM SATURDAY
Room / Time Presentation Title Presenter
Hays Cape Room The Midwest Graduate Research Symposium: Michael Bechill,
11:00 AM Our lessons came from the journey, not University of Toledo
the destination
Rosa M. Ailabouni Room
11:00 AM John Carroll University Presentation made by
11:15 AM Xavier University University Representatives
Hays Cape Room Successful Events Madeleine Thompson,
11:30 AM Xavier University
Rosa M. Ailabouni Room
11:30 AM University of Toledo Presentation made by
11:45 AM Western Michigan University University Representatives

11. REGIONAL BOARD MEETING 1:30 AM SATURDAY
Room / Time Presentation Title Presenter
Susan M Scharer Room Agenda, Overview Daniele Bologna,
1:30 PM Midwest Regional Chair
Committee Updates Midwest Committee Chairs
Elections For Vacant Positions Midwest Region Members
Agenda & Goal Setting Midwest Region Members
SESSION C 3:30 PM SATURDAY
Room / Time Presentation Title Presenter
Hays Cape Room Advocacy - Successes and Challenges Ochas Pupwe, LaTasha Chaffin, Reed Salih,
Samson Abolaji, Mauricio Nuno, Mauricio
3:30 PM Abolaji, Mathana Yaqoob, Marlies Haage
Western Michigan University
Rosa M. Ailabouni Room Emily Haas,
3:30 PM Purdue University Purdue University
3:45 PM University of Cincinnati
Hays Cape Room Freesource: Get help, get healthy, give back! Paulette Penzvalto,
4:00 PM University of Cincinnati
Rosa M. Ailabouni Room Daniele Bologna,
4:00 PM The Ohio State University Xavier University
4:15 PM Grand Valley State University

12. FEATURED SPEAKERS
D’Andra Mull
D’Andra serves as the Chief of Staff and Director for Strategic Partnerships in the Office
of the Vice President for Student Life. In her role as Chief of Staff, she offers assistance
and expertise in special projects and assignments, oversees the operations of the
Vice President for Student Life’s office, and serves as liaison for the Vice President
and Student Life with university administrative offices and external and internal
constituents. She holds a B.A. in political science and criminal justice studies from Kent
State University, an M.A. in higher, adult and lifelong education from Michigan State
University, and a Ph.D. in higher education from Ohio State. D’Andra has held student
life positions for 12 years, at Kent State, Michigan State, and since 2004, at Ohio State.
Dean Patrick Osmer
Patrick S. Osmer was named vice provost for graduate studies and dean of the Graduate
School in 2006. Prior to these appointments, he was chair of the Department of
Astronomy, a position he had held since coming to Ohio State in 1993. From 1986
to 1993, he was a member of the scientific staff of the National Optical Astronomy
Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, serving as deputy director from 1988 to 1993.
He received a B.S. in astronomy with highest honors from the Case Institute of
Technology and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology. His
primary research interests are observational surveys and studies of the evolution of
distant quasars and their relation to their host galaxies.
MIDWEST REGIONAL BOARD MEMBERS
REGIONAL CHAIR REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF
Daniele Bologna, OUTREACH
Xavier University VACANT
REGIONAL VICE CHAIR REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF
Hamir Mahajan, COMMUNICATIONS
Xavier University VACANT
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF
EMPLOYEMENT CONCERNS INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CONCERNS
LaTasha Chaffin, VACANT
Western Michigan
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF
LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS
Yongli Wang,
Northwestern University

13. MIDWEST REGIONAL BOARD POSITIONS
REGIONAL CHAIR
• Represents interests of the members of their Region to the Board of Directors;
• Is responsible for the recruitment and retention of members within their region;
• Promotes the Association to potential members in conjunction with the Director of Outreach;
• Provides monthly updates on Association activities to members within their region via their
electronic Regional discussion list, and/or the production of a Regional newsletter;
• Coordinates efforts of regional and state volunteers;
• Serves or appoint a regional representative to serve on the Outreach Board.
Note: Please also see Regional Chairs Handbook
REGIONAL VICE-CHAIR
• Performs the duties of the Regional Chair in the Chair’s absence;
• Assists with recruitment for the regional conference
• Oversees the process of amending the Regional By-Laws and Constitution in accordance
with the goals of the Association;
• Oversees the job performance of each Regional Director.
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH
VACANT
• Identifies 10 top schools for recruitment, contact those schools, and recruit as new NAGPS members
• Creates and maintain a comprehensive database of regional membership information to be made
available online by the Director of Administration
• Assesses member needs and present conclusions and recommendations to the regional board
• Devises and executes a regional strategy for recruitment and retention of members
• Works in conjunction with regional officers to promote the Association to potential members
• Promotes Association activities, programs, and services to regional members
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
VACANT
• Oversees publication and distribution of a regional newsletter at least four times a year;
• Assists with the internal and external communications of the regional board;
• Implements communication strategies that promote the purpose and agenda of the Association;
• Serves as a liaison between the National Communication Board and the Regional Board
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CONCERNS
VACANT
• Monitors campus issues and legislative developments that affect the ability of graduate
and/or professional students from other countries to study in the United States
• Ensures that international students are well-informed, fairly treated
• Serves as a liaison between the National International Student Concerns Committee and
the Regional Board and its members
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS
• Monitors pending federal, regional, and state legislation
• Recommends advocacy efforts, issue policy statements, provide analysis, issue calls to
action when needed
• Supports the legislative mission of the Association
• Assists in the development of its Legislative Platform each year at the National Membership
• Serves as a liaison between the National Legislative Concerns Committee and the Regional Board
and its members
Based on NAGPS By-Laws http://www.nagps.org/structure/governance/by-laws#a3

14. LL BUCKEYE FOOTBALL BUCKEYE FOOTBALL BUCKEYE FOOTBALL BUCKEYE FOOTBALL BUCKEYE FOOTBALL
GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS
GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS GO BUCKS
SATURDAY
at the
SHOE
Students, faculty, staff,
and families welcome.
Student Saturday at the Shoe
Saturday, April 14
Gates open at 10:15 a.m.
Practice begins at 10:45 a.m.
Cheer on the Buckeyes as they prepare for the Spring Game.
Tour the locker room and press box.
Spend time on the field after practice.
Photos with the Buckeyes on the field.
Enjoy inflatable games.
And much more!
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