Many students took advantage of the first of three “Doughnuts with the Dean” sessions on Tuesday at Ohio University Southern.

“Our ‘Doughnuts with the Dean’ event was a great way to interact with students in a fun and relaxed environment and one which provided the opportunity for sharing,” Nicole Pennington, OUS dean, said. “We want to know that we are providing the best educational experience possible at Ohio University Southern.”

The idea behind the hour-long question-and-answer sessions, Pennington said, is allowing students to inform her about anything that is working well and anything that needs improved.

“We want our students to want to be here so it is important for us to create a culture to make that happen,” she said. “Giving students the opportunity to provide input and express their ideas gives them a sense of belonging.”

A student being able to speak one-on-one with Pennington is important, she said.

“We are here to serve our students and I want to make sure that they know that we are here to listen and that we value their opinions,” she said. “We think the event was very successful and students were very interactive and willing to share their experiences and ideas.”

Two more “Doughnuts with the Dean” sessions are scheduled. The next one is set for 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, and another at the same time on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Free doughnuts, coffee and juice are provided for students at the sessions.