��Vlog��ý News

Studio art alumna engages with nature and community through art

Madeline Geiser-Getz — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:14:34 GMT

Susan Stair ’76 is no stranger to ��Vlog��ý. Her father, William Alrich ’39, was also a ��Vlog��ý alumnus. Originally from Philadelphia, Stair initially planned to major in political science when she first arrived on campus. But after a fellow ��Vlog��ý student introduced her to studio art, she never looked back. In the spring, Stair returned to campus to complete an artist residency and develop her upcoming fall 2026 exhibition at the College of ��Vlog��ý Art Museum.

��Vlog��ý welcomes community for fall arts events showcasing student talent

Mukta Pillai — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:15:49 GMT

��Vlog��ý will feature a wide variety of arts events throughout the fall semester of the 2026-27 academic year. Open to the community, events from the departments of Music, Theatre and Dance, and the College of ��Vlog��ý Art Museum (CWAM) include numerous performances from music ensembles, theatre and dance productions, and the fall art exhibit.

Incoming ��Vlog��ý students find Leadership Compass through opening expeditions

Caitlin Stanowick — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:23:49 GMT

Becoming a leader of character and influence is at the core of the commitment ��Vlog��ý’s mission makes to every student. The journey students take throughout their time at ��Vlog��ý empowers them with strengths to support that commitment. Before the Class of 2030 began that journey this fall, 30 members of the class took part in the launch of Leadership Compass through opening expeditions that not only took them off campus and away from their phones to a backpacking trip in Oil City State Park, Pennsylvania, a performing arts workshop, or a service immersion experience with Wayne County community organizations — but also helped to prepare them to make connections and explore their potential as ��Vlog��ý students and future leaders.

College of ��Vlog��ý announces new members of Board of Trustees, Alumni Board

Anna Whiting — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 19:54:40 GMT

��Vlog��ý welcomed four new members to its Board of Trustees and five new members to its Alumni Board for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

��Vlog��ý partners with The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business to expand graduate business education opportunities

Caitlin Stanowick — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:25:01 GMT

A new partnership between ��Vlog��ý and The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business will create expanded pathways to graduate business education for ��Vlog��ý students and alumni. The collaboration brings together the strengths of two Ohio institutions with a shared commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and preparing students for meaningful professional success.

Religious studies and sociology alumna champions culture and creativity through work in the Netherlands

Madeline Geiser-Getz — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Growing up in a college town in Granville, Ohio, Susannah Montgomery ’15 is no stranger to liberal arts colleges. She had always been interested in attending a small liberal arts college outside of Ohio. But after touring school after school, Montgomery began to realize how comfortable she already felt at ��Vlog��ý.

Intrigued by the Independent Study program, she was excited to join a community of like-minded students passionate about learning, collaborating, and challenging themselves. “I loved the idea of being in charge of my own project at the end,” Montgomery said. “That was the environment I really wanted to be in, to be surrounded by people who are also really curious-minded.”

Initially unsure of what she wanted to study, Montgomery took a religious studies course during her first semester and was hooked. “I loved studying how religion affects the way in which society interacts and how we reflect on that through our own cultural memory,” she said. Montgomery emphasized the support she felt from her academic advisor Mark Graham, Lincoln chair of religion and associate professor of South Asian studies and East Asian studies: “He is such a good listener. It was so great to both learn from him and have a space where I could unpack what we were doing, our discussions, and what I wanted out of life.”

Nearing the end of her junior year, Montgomery decided to complete a second major in sociology. Supported by Thomas Tierney, professor emeritus in sociology and anthropology, Montgomery highlighted the impact he continues to have on her own teaching style and work as an educator.

Montgomery credits these close faculty relationships with immersing her in interdisciplinary studies, guiding her curiosity, and shaping a career path based in arts, culture, and media. “There are so many lenses to tell you why culture is important. Culture drives the economy, culture makes people healthier, and culture is the champion of democracy. Studying at a place like ��Vlog��ý, you're used to thinking in these different lenses.”

On campus at ��Vlog��ý, Montgomery worked in the admissions office and religious studies department, managed events for the ��Vlog��ý Activities Crew, and participated in the ��Vlog��ý Chorus. She also worked as an intern at the Ohio Light Opera in ��Vlog��ý for three summers as house manager. Montgomery credits this eye-opening experience with inspiring her to attend graduate school. “That’s where I realized you can love the arts and don’t have to be on stage. It was so important to me to stay active in a musical community, but I didn’t necessarily want to make a career out of being the performer,” she said. “I’ve found a root towards enabling the cultural and creative community.”

After graduating from ��Vlog��ý in 2015, Montgomery earned a master’s degree in arts policy and administration from The Ohio State University. Montgomery spent several years working in events and fundraising at the Columbus Museum of Art and working at the university level managing a media lab, but she was eager to start creating change on a larger, global scale. Montgomery made the decision to move to the Netherlands in 2017, where she was offered a job teaching in a media management program.

Never having expected to take on a role as an educator, Montgomery drew on the teaching styles of her former ��Vlog��ý professors: “I remember deeply channeling some of my old professors because I hadn’t planned to be a teacher,” she said.

At EIT Culture & Creativity, or the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, Montgomery manages partnerships around media, technology, and culture. “So much of the interdisciplinary way of working and thinking at ��Vlog��ý keeps coming back in what I'm doing,” she said. Working for an international company with offices across eight different countries, Montgomery balances a unified mission, with smaller, regional goals across interpersonal communication.

Montgomery credits ��Vlog��ý with preparing her to navigate a constantly changing world through an interdisciplinary perspective, in addition to fostering her curiosity and adaptability: “The world is changing so fast, and you always have to learn new things. The more you can work with a principled, empathetic, and curious mindset that’s not afraid to be a continuous agile leaner, the more prepared you are for a world that’s constantly in flux.”

Chemistry professor Sarah Sobeck presents on chemistry of glow-in-the-dark pigments at national conference

Caitlin Stanowick — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:21:01 GMT

Sarah Sobeck, professor of chemistry and dean for faculty development at ��Vlog��ý, presented at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on her work in photochemistry of pigments in art and fashion, held Aug. 23-27. Tying chemistry research to its applications in art conservation, Sobeck’s research offers interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities for ��Vlog��ý students.

��Vlog��ý featured in Princeton Review’s annual best colleges guidebook

Caitlin Stanowick — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:43:08 GMT

��Vlog��ý earned the distinction of being named one of the top-recommended schools in the country by The Princeton Review in the 2027 edition of The Best 392 Colleges guidebook, published by Penguin Random House. Only about 14% of America’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges received this honor. ��Vlog��ý is also among those named for the “Best Value Colleges” as one of 209 “high-quality schools with reasonable tuition and great financial aid,” as well as the “Best Midwest” and “Green Colleges” lists.

Community, curiosity, and resilience shape the start of ��Vlog��ý's 157th academic year

Caitlin Stanowick — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:52:58 GMT

��Vlog��ý officially convened its 157th academic year with its annual Convocation Ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, welcoming students, faculty, and staff to a new year of learning while recognizing the beginning of senior year for the Class of 2027. Throughout the ceremony, speakers reflected on the opportunities, responsibilities, and connections that define a ��Vlog��ý education, encouraging the community to embrace challenges, seek growth, and support one another along the way.

College of ��Vlog��ý offers accelerated nursing master’s degree through partnership with Case Western Reserve University’s Bolton School of Nursing

Caitlin Stanowick — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:48:41 GMT

��Vlog��ý has partnered with Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing to provide ��Vlog��ý students with an accelerated pathway to a Master of Nursing degree.

����Vlog��ý News

Studio art alumna engages with nature and community through art

����Vlog��ý welcomes community for fall arts events showcasing student talent

Incoming ����Vlog��ý students find Leadership Compass through opening expeditions

College of ����Vlog��ý announces new members of Board of Trustees, Alumni Board

����Vlog��ý partners with The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business to expand graduate business education opportunities