Bluffton University was informed that the University of Findlay Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, not to proceed with the joint application to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for merger approval and to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 19, 2024. This decision comes after nearly a year of collaboration and preparation for the proposed merger.
The university issued this statement:
The merger work has resulted in an invaluable reflective process for both campuses as we have examined our strengths, areas for growth and capacity to change. The due diligence of the past year will help each university move forward in important ways.
My path regularly crosses with that of Apollo Career Center Superintendent Keith Horner when we attend Ada and Bluffton school board meetings. His invitation to visit the facility was a welcome opportunity to see what draws students from 11 different districts who chose an alternative to traditional high school for their junior and senior years.
As a nod to the Icon reader base, I was given the opportunity to meet Lauren Bowers, a welding student from Bluffton, and Ashley Hevlin, a sports exercise science (SES) student from Ada.
On February 20, members of the Ada Board of Education met and congratulated Spelling Bee winners Aleks Thompson, 6th grade; Annabel Onyekelu, 5th grade; and Beckett Sleesman 6th grade. From Facebook: "These students showcased incredible spelling skills, hard work, and determination."
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is offering training academies across the state for those interested in becoming hunter education instructors. The two-day academies certify instructors to teach Ohio’s Hunter Education Courses, which cover a range of topics from conservation, safety, ethics, and proper handling of hunting equipment.
Northwest Ohio
Saturday, August 9 through Sunday, August 10, 2025
Division of Wildlife District 2 Office, 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, OH 45840
