Student Successes

The following are just a few examples of the documented student successes at The University of Akron:

Academic Achievements

• University of Akron law students took top honors at the 2008 American Association for Justice Student Trial Advocacy Regional Competition — winning first and second place at the tournament. Teams are judged on their skills in case preparation, opening statements, use of facts, the examinations of lay and expert witnesses and closing arguments.
• The School of Law trial team defeated 15 other teams to win the National Civil Trial Competition at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in November 2007. This invitational tournament is open to all American Bar Association-accredited law schools that have demonstrated excellence in mock trial competitions and/or the training of law students in litigation skills.
• Students from the Surveying and Mapping Technology Program took first place in a national surveying competition sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors. The March 2008 contest involved students from nine schools in the United States and Puerto Rico. Since this competition was inaugurated in 2002, University of Akron students have taken first place a total of four times and have finished second three times.
• Graduates of The University of Akron's Collaborative Program in Counseling Psychology rank fifth in the nation among those taking the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, based on test result data between 1997 and July 2003. (The most current time frame for which scores are available.
• In their inaugural participation in the American Society of Civil Engineers' Student Lunar Construction Robotics Competition in 2006, Akron engineering students won the event and became the first team in the event's history to complete all tasks of the challenge
• In 2005, a group of University of Akron engineering students placed 2nd among 17 college teams from the U.S. and Canada selected to design and build a better Sports Utility Vehicle in the first year of the prestigious multiyear “Challenge X” competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors Corporation.
• Gamma Kappa, the UA Chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon — the national professional fraternity in marketing, sales management and selling — has been ranked among the top seven chapters in the country for the past 15 years and has won many national awards at annual PSE conventions.
• The most recent graduating class in the College of Nursing’s Graduate Anesthesia Program achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the 2006 national certification examination. The program, where enrollment has more than doubled in the past five years, is the largest of five in Ohio and one of the 10 largest in the United States.
• The Ohio Communication Association chose the 2380 Project as Ohio's Distinguished Student Organization for 2007. Named for the 2,380 miles between UA and Hollywood, its members work as actors, cameramen, grips, editors, writers and directors as they create feature length films.
• Z-TV, the University’s student-run television station, earned its first Emmy Award at the Lower Great Lakes chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ceremonies in September 2007. Z-TV programming earned four nominations, and “Z-TV: Get Experienced” was the winner.
• WZIP-FM radio station is a 24-hour a day learning laboratory in the School of Communication that features popular music, news, sports and community information. According to the Arbitron rating service, nearly 92,300 people listen to WZIP every week, making it one of the highest-rated, student-operated radio stations in the country.
• For the second time in three years, University of Akron communication students were nominated for a regional Emmy. In July 2004, the Cleveland Chapter of the National Television Academy announced that the Akron filmmakers, along with their professor, Phil Hoffman, had been nominated in the Best Cultural Affairs Program category for “It’s Everything and Then It’s Gone.” The documentary traces the Akron music scene of the 1970s. In 2002, Hoffman and his students received an Emmy nomination for “Floating on Air,” a documentary about Akron’s history with blimps and lighter-than-air craft. That project earned an Award of Excellence in the National Videographer Awards as well as a Telly Award for Best Documentary in 2002. Another program, “A Simple Life,” also earned a Telly Award in 2002.
• Design x Nine in the Mary Schiller Myers School of Art, an in-house studio for select senior graphic arts students, allows outstanding artists and designers to work on projects for area clients. The studio has won numerous regional “Addys,” an award that is the industry’s equivalent to Oscars and Emmys for the best work of the year
• The University of Akron was named the 2008 Regional School of the Year by the Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (CAACURH). This is the highest honor bestowed by the region, which is comprised of colleges and universities from Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The University has received this award six times since 1989, and has been named National School of the Year twice during that period. UA also received CAACURH’s 2008 Commitment to Diversity Award.
• In 2007, UA’s National Residence Hall Honorary received the Regional Chapter of the Year award for the Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls Region for the fourth consecutive year. Known as one of the more active chapters in the United States, UA’s NRHH also has won the National NRHH Chapter of the Year award in 2001, 1995, 1994 and 1990.
• The Office of Residence Life and Housing received three awards at the 2006 National Association for Campus Activities Mid America Regional Conference. The Katrina Kids Relief Toy Drive was recognized with the Outstanding Service Program Award, while the Series Program Award went to UA’s 7:17 p.m. Coffeehouse Series. UA also won the Outstanding School Spirit Award.
• UA mascot Zippy (and the talented students who bring him to life) rang in 2008 with a national championship by winning the Capital One Bowl Mascot of the Year Challenge on Jan. 1. The victory capped off a perfect season — Zippy went undefeated through the 13-week challenge.

Students-Athletes Excel

• Junior Stevi Large was named the 2008 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Field Performer of the Year for the 2008 NCAA Division I indoor season. She also was named the top field performer at the Mid-America Conference Championships for the second consecutive year after winning the weight throw with a MAC Championships record distance (69-6) and placing second in the shot put. Her season-best effort of 70-3.50 in the weight throw ranks third on the 2008 NCAA season list.
• In March 2008, the women’s track and field team made history, winning the program’s fourth straight Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship. UA not only becomes the first MAC women’s program to win four straight indoor titles, but also the first to win four MAC Indoor titles.
• Student-athletes Anthony Ampaipitakwong and Steve Zakuani were each named to the 2007 College Soccer News All-Freshman team. Ampaipitakwong was also named first team All-MAC and second team All-Great Lakes Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Zakuani’s honors include first team NSCAA All-Region, first team All-MAC and MAC Newcomer of the Year.
• In 2007, the men’s soccer team won its 10th MAC Championship, fifth MAC Tournament title and was 14th seed in the NCAA Championship. Zips’ senior Corey Sipos, who was the 2007 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, also was named third team All-American by College Soccer News, marking the 38th such honor for the Zips’ men’s soccer program
• In November 2006, Krystin Wilson, a goalkeeper, and Christine Vacha, a forward, were two of 25 student-athletes named to the Women's Soccer Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team.
• The University of Akron football team clinched its first MAC Championship in school history with a 31-30 victory over Northern Illinois on Dec. 1, 2005, at Ford Field in Detroit.

Alumni Success

• Michael Morell B.A. ’80, whose career with the Central Intelligence Agency spans more than 25 years, currently serves as associate deputy director. He will become director for intelligence on May 5, 2008.
• Karen Ziemba B.A. ’79, frequently stars on the Broadway stage. Currently appearing in the musical comedy, “Curtains,” Ziemba won the 2000 Tony Award as "best featured actress in a musical" for her role in "Contact." She had an earlier Tony nomination for "Steel Pier."
• Dr. Greg Davis B.S. ’76, M.S. ’82, was part of the NASA team that made the 2004 exploration of Mars possible with the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. He is in the Materials and Structures Technology Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and served on the Mars Exploration entry, descent and landing team
• Shane Wolfe J.D. ’03, has been the U.S. Department of the Interior press secretary since January 2006.
• School of Law graduates now serving on federal court benches include Judge Deborah L. Cook ’74 and ’78, and Judge Alice M. Batchelder ’71, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; and Judge John R. Adams ’83, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
• Sandra Pianalto B.A. ’76, has been president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland since Feb. 1, 2003. Pianalto had served as first vice president and chief operating officer of the bank since 1993
• Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, a former Zip, received the 2007 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award at Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3, 2008. It is the league’s only award that recognizes a player's community service as well as playing excellence. Taylor, the Dolphins’ all-time career sack leader and six-time Pro Bowl selection, established the Jason Taylor Foundation in 2004 to improve health care, education and quality of life for South Florida’s children in need.
• Former Zips Chase Blackburn and Domenik Hixon were crowned world champions as the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots, 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3, 2008. Each time UA has been represented in a Super Bowl, that team has come out victorious. Dwight Smith, the only other Zip to play in a Super Bowl, picked off two passes and returned them 44 and 50 yards, respectively, for touchdowns to help lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 48-21 win over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII
• Charlie Frye, former quarterback of the Zips, became the highest NFL draft pick in UA history when the Cleveland Browns selected him in the third round of the 2005 draft.
• Ten former Zips football players are currently in the pros. Now on NFL rosters are Andy Alleman, New Orleans Saints; Chase Blackburn and Domenik Hixon, New York Giants; Charlie Frye, Seattle Seahawks; Luke Getsy, San Francisco 49ers; Kiki Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs; Dwight Smith, Detroit Lions; and Jason Taylor, Miami Dolphins. In the Canadian Football League, Jason Nedd and Jermaine Reid are playing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.