Brooke Tacsar

Fourth-year student at Ohio State studying public affairs journalism and criminology & criminal justice studies with a minor in nonprofit management. 

Brooke Tacsar Journalism Portfolio

Student assistant for Ohio State's Parent and Family Relations and creator of Department Debriefs, senior editor and writer for Her Campus and reporter for The Lantern.

The Lantern •

Opinion: Reimagining justice: Why the death penalty should be left in the past

I had just turned 14 when my life resembled that of an American classic killer-next-door story.

My 13-year-old neighbor fatally shot his 11-year-old brother — a horrifying act subsequently reduced by local media to mismanaged behavioral choices. My own experience with the brothers, however, was deeper than something that could merely be classified as a tragic incident. It was a glaring reflection of systemic failure when it comes to society’s attitude toward crime.
The Lantern •

Centuries awaited: Ohio State prepares for Ohio’s first total solar eclipse since 1806

While headphones are enough to drown out Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Ohioans will need more protective gear in preparation for Monday’s total solar eclipse.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, creating a path of totality, also known as the track of the moon’s shadow across the Earth’s surface, according to NASA. Those within the path of totality — a 124-mile-wide band that spans diagonally across the country — can see a full solar eclipse.
The Lantern •

Ohio State English Department launches reader experience lab

Instructors, advertisers and politicians are always trying to find ways to make their message more clear, persuasive or attention-grabbing. A new lab at Ohio State may be able to provide more concrete answers.

The Department of English’s new “reader experience lab,” launched in January, is looking to concentrate on gathering direct data on how readers interact with, generate, interpret, analyze, comprehend and respond to both verbal and written messaging formats that are created by students themselves, Christa Teston, the director of business and technical writing in the Department of English, said. The lab is built into the business writing curriculum and is an official course in Denney Hall, but Teston said the lab has the potential to be reserved by researchers starting next semester.
Parent and Family Relations •

March 2024 Department Debrief: Buckeye Food Alliance: Parent and Family Relations

Department Debrief is a monthly article from the Parent and Family Relations office dedicated to helping family members and supporters better understand the services, opportunities and support offered by particular offices for students.

This month, our team met with the Buckeye Food Alliance (BFA) to delve into their impactful mission of combatting food insecurity and explore their approach in providing a diverse array of essential items such as meat, dairy products, personal care items and more through their accessible food pantry so all students have the resources they need to thrive.
The Lantern •

Fuel for thought: The dynamic duo of energy drinks and their health ramifications

Before reaching for that extra boost of energy, dietitians recommend students consider the “monster” hidden within seemingly innocuous cans of energy drinks: too much caffeine.

Though students can expect to feel less fatigued after consuming one of the drinks, Liz Weinandy — an instructor of practice in dietetics and nutrition at Ohio State’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences — said energy-seekers should first contemplate the perils of excessive caffeine consumption. These include heart failure, increased anxiety, high blood pressure, jitters and, in the worst cases, even death.
The Lantern •

College of Nursing debuts new accelerated bachelor’s degree program

A new academic initiative designed for non-nursing graduates was recently established by the College of Nursing, providing an accelerated pathway to a nursing career and a potential remedy to staff shortages.

Launching this summer, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will allow students who already hold a bachelor’s degree to take part in a full-time curriculum spanning 18 months, or five consecutive semesters, said Wendy Bowles, the assistant dean for baccalaureate programs in the College of Nursing. Successful completion of the program makes students eligible to take the State Board’s National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nursing.
Her Campus •

Book Review: Sarah J. Maas' “Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow”

Sarah J. Maas’ latest installment in the “Crescent City” series, eagerly awaited by fans, fell short of expectations and instead proved to be predictable, tedious and uncharacteristically not a masterpiece.

In “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third book in Maas’ series released on Jan. 30, 2024, we continue to follow Bryce Quinlan’s journey as she navigates a perilous world, striving to overthrow the Asteri while safeguarding her loved ones in the process. The book maintains its familiar structure, narrating chapters and plotlines from different characters’ points of view, including Bryce’s love interest Hunt Athalar, Bryce’s brother Ruhn Danaan and Bryce’s childhood friend and former love interest’s sibling Ithan Holstrom.
The Lantern •

Center for Ethics and Human Values celebrates over a decade of encouraging civic debate

In its 13th year of facilitating the “Conversations on Morality, Politics and Society” program, the Center for Ethics and Human Values celebrated the past decade of events with an exhibition in Hopkins Hall.

The exhibition, which opened Feb. 8, celebrates the COMPAS program’s many-year-long series of events, including conferences and panels to encourage civil discussion and debate on a topic of public concern chosen by the center, said Piers Turner, the director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values, said.
The Lantern •

Student Wellness Center removes free HIV and STI testing

The Student Wellness Center no longer provides free HIV or STI testing for students due to the capacity limitations of local clinics in Columbus.

Before COVID-19, the Student Wellness Center was able to supply free testing for both sexually transmitted infections and the human immunodeficiency virus – a virus that attacks a body’s immune system and causes AIDS – by trained students and staff, Arianna Camel, the associate director of the Student Wellness Center, said.

In April 2022, free STI and HIV testing were brought back to the center, with roughly 300 students using the service year-round through the help of outside clinics such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Camel said. It was removed this academic year because the capacity of local health care communities became smaller due to limited staff and low funding in the health care system since COVID-19.
The Lantern •

BuckeyeThon: Making Miracles

BuckeyeThon, the largest student-led philanthropic initiative in Ohio, continued its battle against childhood cancer Feb. 10.

Raising roughly $500,000, all of which is earmarked to go to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and its Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit, BuckeyeThon recommenced its signature 12-hour fundraising event.

At its core, BuckeyeThon promotes philanthropy, cultivates awareness of childhood cancer and fosters a culture of service and spirit amongst Ohio State students and staff and the wider Columbus community.
Her Campus •

“Better Than the Movies” Book Review

Lynn Painter’s New York Times bestseller “Better Than the Movies” is a classic high school rom-com where the goody two-shoes girl falls for the bad boy neighbor. A quintessential romance book, “Better Than the Movies” kept me up until 2 a.m. to finish binge-reading it in one sitting.

This love story follows Liz Buxbaum, a hopeless romantic with a flair for melodrama. After her childhood crush, Michael, returns to their hometown, Liz is determined to capture his attention.

The only way in? Wes Bennett. Portrayed as a quirky senior on the search for the romance of the ages (as portrayed in movies like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Notting Hill”), Wes is the perfect man to fake-date until she wins Michael’s heart. Little did we know, however, that Wes was her hidden dream boy all along.
The Lantern •

More programs to be offered by CCS, target graduate students

Ohio State’s undergraduate students may dominate campus in numbers, but graduate and professional students are still a priority for the Counseling and Consultation Service.

Under Ohio House Bill 33, which established budget estimates for state agencies and programs for 2024 and 2025 after it passed in July 2023, Ohio State received $2.5 million as part of the $20 million dedicated to university mental health support for students, Micky Sharma, the director of CCS, said.

Alongside other university-wide endeavors, such as a program aimed at training student organizations in establishing mental health ambassador positions, CCS plans to implement a variety of their own, including teletherapy services, a graduate student administrative assistant position, biofeedback equipment and online mental health modules, Sharma said.
Parent and Family Relations •

Feb. 2024 Department Debrief: Buck-I-SERV : Parent and Family Relations

To contact Buck-I-SERV: Email buck-i-serv@osu.edu, call 614-247-4447, visit their website or learn more about the program

Department Debrief is a monthly article from the Parent and Family Relations office dedicated to helping family members and supporters better understand the services, opportunities and support offered by particular offices for students.

This month, our team met with Buck-I-SERV to discuss how students can build relationships with community partners, fellow students and Ohio State staff, partake in civic engagement and community service, help domestic and international organizations challenge various social justice issues and acquire week-long transformative experiences.
The Lantern •

Condom Club among most popular Student Wellness Center services, promotes safe sex

Although “Sex Week” has condoms at the ready this Valentine’s Day, one service at the Student Wellness Center has been keeping students prepared since 1997.

The Condom Club, a service in the RPAC, allows students to purchase a variety of condoms and barriers year-round, Arianna Camel, the associate director of the Student Wellness Center, said. Around 1,000 students use the resource every academic year, making it one of the center’s most popular services.

“We definitely have students coming in every single day," Camel said. “It’s a regular thing, and I’m just really happy that students feel comfortable enough to come in and have conversations or just come in and grab what they need and head out.”
The Lantern •

New oral and maxillofacial imaging clinic opens in Postle Hall

A transformative era of dental excellence at Ohio State has begun with the College of Dentistry’s recent completion of a new oral and maxillofacial imaging clinic.

Located in Postle Hall, the clinic opened Jan. 8 and was built to enhance patient comfort, advance dental education and integrate new, efficient and state-of-the-art technology, Dr. Carroll Ann Trotman, the dean for Ohio State’s College of Dentistry, said.

“This facility allows [us] to accommodate so many more patients,” Trotman said.
The Lantern •

North Campus residential dorms are experiencing extreme temperatures

Students living in residential dorms on North Campus have been experiencing abnormally high and low temperatures this academic year, with some students enduring temperatures as high as 84 degrees and as low as 54 degrees.

The newest dorms, located in the North Residential District and completed in 2016, use a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, Dave Isaacs, Student Life communications and media relations manager, said. These buildings use fan coil and passive valance systems, which allow the buildings to use minimal energy to heat or cool the dorms.
The Lantern •

Revitalizing excellence: Interfraternity Council revamps educational presentations

Ohio State’s Interfraternity Council is spearheading the transformation of its educational program topics under Greek Life’s standards of excellence to focus more on men’s health and wellness.

The council’s standards of excellence initiative — a program established in 2001 to improve Greek Life’s development and growth — will be altered to include presentations on more complex topics like male privilege, Mitch Howard, the Interfraternity Council’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion, said.
Parent and Family Relations •

Jan. 2024 Department Debrief: STEP : Parent and Family Relations

To contact STEP: Attend an information session, call (614) 247-7837, email step@osu.edu or visit the STEP website

Department Debrief is a monthly article from the Parent and Family Relations office dedicated to helping family members and supporters better understand the services, opportunities and support offered by particular offices for students.

This month, our team met with the Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) to discuss how students can further develop their personal and professional leadership skills, receive financial coaching, faculty mentorship and real-world experiences and design an approved project for a fellowship if desired.
The Lantern •

Swipe less and tap more: BuckID begins its hybrid initiative

BuckID has begun its initial stages of transitioning all university identification cards to include both magnetic stripes and contact chips.

Joshua Bodnar, the director of BuckID, said this initiative, called BuckID 3.0, is primarily for security purposes. The data on a magnetic stripe is directly within the black band on the card and is easily accessible through equipment such as a skimmer – a device hidden within or disguised as a card reader.
The Lantern •

Sorority recruitment goes beyond formal rush

The structured, formal recruitment process for Greek Life membership can appear daunting, but an alternative option dwells within the background at Ohio State.

Known as continuous open bidding or informal recruitment, COB exists as a more casual process for students interested in joining a sorority. The informal process begins after “bid day” — when those who went through formal rush find out which sorority they are a part of — if the required member quota for a specific chapter is not met, according to the Panhellenic Association's website.
Parent and Family Relations •

Dec. 2023 Department Debrief: Buckeye Careers : Parent and Family Relations

Department Debrief is a monthly article from the Parent and Family Relations office dedicated to helping family members and supporters better understand the services, opportunities and support offered by particular offices for students.

This month, our team met with Buckeye Careers to discuss the resources and opportunities available to assist students in figuring out their career path.
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