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By WAYNE ALLEN

PDT Staff Writer

In January 2011, Shawnee State University began a year-long celebration for its 25th birthday. That celebration came to a close this weekend with homecoming.

On Friday, SSU President Dr. Rita Rice Morris released her annual state of the university address online, at www.shawnee.edu/progress. As a part of the address, “Web of Relationships” was created showing various relationships of the university and how they are connected.

“Taken from an economic model, our web illustrates the interconnected relationships that exist between the people and entities that make us who we are, including students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, retirees, donors, trustees, and community members. It also takes a look at forces, priorities, and aspects that influence us — including quality, academic programs, safety, government, campus life, recruitment, retention, finances, housing, the external environment, our history, mission, and even ‘the unknown’ – and how we use our strategic plan and master facilities plan to bring focus, considering all these areas of influence,” Morris said in her weekly Friday letter to the university community.

Morris said the web depicts how complex the university has become.

“Our sole focus is to provide a quality education for our students. There are lots of constituencies that have attachments to the university and we need to serve their needs as well,” Morris said.

Some of the events that were a part of the celebration included the annual Celebration of Scholarship, a community birthday celebration, Rock and Roll House Party. Other events included the annual Fourth of July celebration, Scioto County Fair and River Days, among others.

“What’s a better way to close a celebration of what we’ve done than to bring back the people that have been a part of that process. We’ve talked about the pioneers of the university who have made us what we are. The people who are here now are pioneers for that next celebration,” Morris said.

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.