By Cole Hatcher DELAWARE, Ohio – In nominating Grace Ison for a Charles J. Ping Student Service Award, Ohio Wesleyan University President Rock Jones, Ph.D., praised the sophomore as a “shining example of all that is best about this new generation.” Ison, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is one of 12 students across the state being honored with a 2021 Ping Award, presented by the Ohio Campus Compact “to recognize and honor undergraduate students for their outstanding leadership and contributions to community service or service-learning on their campus and within their community.” Of Ison and her work, President Jones said: “Grace is the ultimate example of the coming together of service and leadership in a way that is meaningful and productive, and evidence of her work abounds on our campus and within our community. … Grace has changed the service landscape at Ohio Wesleyan. Her deep passion, her vision, and her sustained commitment are a shining example of all that is best about this new generation.”
Cincinnati Magazine December 14, 2020 It’s not an exaggeration to say Roger Grein is always doing something for someone else. Even as he shuffles into Magnified Giving’s Evendale offices on a sunny summer morning Grein has been living with cerebral palsy for all of his 78 years he’s carrying a large cardboard box and a stack of mail. Photograph by Chris Von Holle As he talks about the nonprofit headquartered here, his life’s major work, he makes his way through the halls, pointing out a series of thoughtful drawings from former campers here, dropping off the package and letters there. Sometimes he stops, pointing out photos of kids presenting checks to local nonprofits or packing sack lunches in tie-dye T-shirts. Once, he’s overcome with emotion after hearing from two staffers that, even despite the pandemic, Magnified Giving is still going strong, with 100 schools signed up for the organization’s programs this year, basically on par with last year.