News from Development
Generous Supporters Help to Fund the Renewal of Secrest Arboretum
On September 16, 2010, a tornado touched down on Ohio State's Wooster campus, with the Secrest Arboretum & Gardens suffering severe damage. Soon after the tornado hit, Ohio State announced the creation of the Secrest Arboretum Fund, and the generosity of supporters has been tremendous. As of February 2011, 461 donors had given an incredible $277,750, all of which will directly support the arboretum's renewal.
The proposal includes the creation of a few new areas including "The Buckeye Forest," an active learning environment for children of all ages, featuring programming on birds, flowers, toads, butterflies, beetles, dirt, and mud. In addition, children and youth will learn about gardening and foods for an edible ecosystem and healthy lifestyle along "Edith's Garden Pathway" around the Discovery Pavilion.
Also proposed is a new native woodlands area featuring Ohio native trees, understory shrubs, and herbaceous plants. In addition, leaders hope to adjust jogging pathways to allow for cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing.
Despite the tragedy of the tornado, Secrest Arboretum's director, Ken Cochran, is excited about the opportunities for renewal and improvement. "The generous outpouring of concern and support to renew Secrest is truly humbling and gratifying," Cochran said. "Before the tornado hit, we had been working on new plans for Secrest's 'Second Century,' as it was founded in 1908, and the tornado confirmed the immediacy to implement such plans."
The arboretum's mission to provide programs and experiences for people to "learn, explore, wonder, connect" has inspired leaders to develop an action plan, including:
• Renew the Secrest Landscape for the well-being of humanity and community to make an impact on the lives of others.
• Plant trees, grasses, forbs, and other vegetation.
• Manage for sustainability and diverse biological activity.
• Extend pathways and recreational/health-related land use.
• Create theme areas and programming for children and youth.
• Partner with individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to recruit volunteers and support.
To make a donation to the Secrest Arboretum Fund, visit http://giveto.osu.edu or contact the CFAES Development Office at 614-292-0473.
For the latest information on the OARDC Wooster Campus tornado recovery, please visit http://oardc.osu.edu/tornado.
--By Kelly Votino

The Cecil and Dorothy Smith Endowed Scholarship Fund Supports Students First, Students Now Campaign
Cecil Smith's love of agriculture and Ohio State inspired him to establish The Cecil and Dorothy Smith Endowed Scholarship Fund. The fund was approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2010.
At a very young age, Smith began helping his father grow crops on the family farm in Orient, Ohio. For several years, he also operated the family's dairy business with his parents and sister. He was an outstanding member of Ohio FFA and 4-H, winning countless ribbons at the Ohio State Fair. After graduating from Grove City High School in 1939, he was awarded the FFA Degree of American Farmer (1940) and a scholarship to the College of Agriculture at Ohio State where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science.
He advanced the future of agriculture while serving Franklin County and the State of Ohio during a 40-year career with Soil and Conservation Services and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS). He eventually became a production/compliance specialist, a position that he held for 20 years. Smith was known for his solid work ethic and his willingness to always "take the road less traveled," which, friends say, made him all the wiser.
He met his wife, Dorothy Donahue, late in life. She lived on her family farm near Fowler, Indiana, until they married in 1979. They shared the same love of farming. Sadly, Dorothy became ill and passed away after only four years of marriage.
Smith passed away in November 2009 at the age of 88, but his memory will live on through his generous estate gift. He knew the importance of a good education and wanted to pass along to other young people the same kind of assistance that had meant so much to him in furthering his education and expanding his opportunities.
Half of the annual distribution from the fund supports one or more scholarships for first-year CFAES students from public schools serving residents of Pleasant Township in Franklin County, Ohio. The other half supports one or more scholarships for students from Jackson County majoring in animal sciences (first preference) or crop sciences.
The scholarship's first recipients will be selected in April 2011.
--By Kelly Votino

Bringing the Students First, Students Now Campaign to a Close
The university's Students First, Students Now campaign was kicked off by President E. Gordon Gee in January 2009 as one way to ensure continued access to education for current and future Ohio State students. The Students First, Students Now venture is comprehensive, involving scholarships, loans, aid, and emergency funds. While the university's commitment to putting students first is never-ending, the campaign itself is wrapping up on June 30.
The university's fund-raising goal for this initiative is $100 million, and as of December 31, it raised $96,024,682, or 96 percent of the overall goal. CFAES was challenged to raise $2.8 million; as of December, the college's generous supporters had given $2,642,042, or 95 percent of the goal. These dollars are solely for scholarships and emergency funds for students who need immediate financial help to stay on track toward their degrees.
There is still time to make your gift to the Students First, Students Now Campaign. Although the deadline for the campaign is June 30, you can always make a gift to help students in need.
To help Ohio State and CFAES put Students First, Students Now, please visit http://giveto.osu.edu. For more information, contact the college's development office at 614-292-0473.
--By Kelly Votino