Dayton prepares to welcome NATO guests with unique gift bags
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Preparations continue for the upcoming NATO Parliamentary Assembly coming to Dayton at the end of May.
This week, Congressman Mike Turner's office worked in collaboration with some Dayton businesses and organizations to gift the over 600 visitors a welcome token as they arrive in the Gem City.
'These gift bags are more than tokens, they're expressions of Dayton's legacy of annuity, equality and community pride,' said Jacquelyn Powell, Destination Dayton CEO and president.
In less than 24 days, over 600 delegates from 45 countries will fly into Dayton, and to welcome them, local businesses and organizations are working with Turner's office to give them a one-of-a-kind gift bag.
Each gift bag is made in Dayton, with all the materials used made in the U.S.
The Dayton Sewing Collaboration is producing the nearly 700 bags, after they were given a one-week time crunch from Turner's office to come up with the design and prototypes.
'And ours are just far superior, and they will last forever because of the fabric they're made out of,' said Brenda Rex, Dayton Sewing Collaboration. 'Congressman Turner has done a great job with them and Destination Dayton deciding that what goes in this banquet represents Dayton.'
The Lion Group helped the Dayton Sewing Collaboration bring the bags to life, and Hero Coins LLC helped fill the bags with a special Dayton coin.
On the outside of each bag is a zipper, with an exclusive 3D-printed Wright Flyer plane, courtesy of local business Kingman Creations LLC. The business says they are happy to include a small but impactful detail.
'It's a small addition, but just be able to see our 3D-printed item on the outside of the bag is that zipper pole has been just awesome,' said Chandler Hemmerich, Kingman Creations LLC.
The bags are unique, made out of firefighter turnout material and designed around Dayton history. All of the organizations and businesses involved are hopeful that the gift makes a long lasting impression on our international guests.
'These bags are just the beginning of what we hope will be an unforgettable experience for our guests,' said Powell.
Alongside the bag, there will also be a snack bag full of Dayton-centric treats like Cheez-it crackers and Ester Price candies.
The NATO Spring Parliamentary Assembly arrives in Dayton May 23-26. to find more coverage.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The P&Q Interview: Kingston's Human-Centered, Future-Skills Approach To Business
Sankar Sivarajah, head of Kingston University Business School in London, wants the school to be known as a human-centric institution grounded in future skills. Courtesy photo When Sankar Sivarajah became the new head of in London, he was given an opportunity not afforded to many incoming deans: to redefine what a business education should be. Since September, Sivarajah has been working with senior leadership to create a new identity for Kingston Business that both builds upon its entrepreneurial foundation and prepares its graduates for the future of work. 'We want to create graduates and business leaders who are enterprising, not only in the entrepreneurial startup sense, but in being resourceful, adaptive, and able to think creatively in a world where resources are limited,' says Sivarajah, professor of Technology Management and Circular Economy. 'We want them to be future-focused and open-minded, people who can navigate complexity and misinformation and still move society forward. Simply put, I want Kingston Business School to be known as a human-centric institution grounded in future skills.' Sivarajah came to Kingston from the University of Bradford where he was dean of the School of Management for five years. There, he led the expansion of online programs, championed socially responsible business education, and led the launch of the UK's first MSc in AI in a business school, as opposed to a computer science department. The program also secured £1 million in scholarships for underrepresented students in AI. Kingston University is located about 30 minutes from central London and enrolls about 20,000 students per year (over 2,500 are business students). Its flagship business programs include a residential MBA, and several specialized masters. It is developing a program in AI for Business, focusing on ethical and human-centric applications. Its undergraduate business degree is built around Kingston University's 'Future Skills' framework that includes adaptability, critical thinking, and collaboration. 'Our edge comes from how we embed human-centric, life-ready skills in a structured way,' Sivarajah says. 'It's not just for a select few students who are highly engaged or have the time for extracurriculars. Every single student who comes into our programs, regardless of background, has an opportunity to hone those essential skills.' Poets&Quants recently connected with Sivarajah to talk about how Kingston is rethinking what business education means. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. My academic journey began at Brunel University London, where I also did all my undergraduate studies. I actually describe myself as an accidental academic. I come from a family business background in Sri Lanka, and I originally came to the UK to pursue higher education with the goal of returning home to help grow the family business. I went on to do a master's in management, specializing in entrepreneurship, at Bayes Business School, City University London. At that point, I had shipped all my things home and was set to go back to Sri Lanka, but then, I was to apply for fully funded PhD scholarship by the Dean of the Business School at Brunel. That PhD was a turning point. My supervisors were heavily involved in European Commission-funded research projects, and that opened up a whole new world to me. My research was focused on technology evaluation and smart cities. I had always assumed I'd either go into business or maybe do consulting, but these R&D projects offered a unique opportunity: you weren't handed a fixed brief; You could create and pitch your own ideas. That freedom was new to me, and I really valued it. Around 2017, I joined the University of Bradford and asked to set up a new, forward-looking department focused on business analytics. At the time, the UK was still playing catch-up in this area, but it gave me my first experience running a department. I developed new programs, built a team, and helped shape the culture. By 2019, I was asked to step up as dean. I spent five years there, commuting from London, and was really proud of the transformation we led. We focused on rebuilding the school's identity and launched the UK's first MSc in AI in a business school setting. Most AI programs were housed in computer science departments, but we believed that AI and analytics were just as critical for future managers and business leaders. By 2025, I was still tenured at Bradford and they wanted me to extend my stay. But I knew I wanted to take on a new challenge. That's when Kingston came knocking. I didn't know much about it initially, but it had a similar story: strong in the '80s, but momentum had faded. I did some research and saw real potential. Their distinctive institutional strategy, entrepreneurship focus and values resonated with me. I felt like I could genuinely add value and help shape an identity that was authentic to Kingston but also forward-thinking. Some parts of the curriculum needed modernization, but the foundation was there. I officially started in September 2024, so it's been about eight months. Now, I'm working closely with the senior leadership on defining a new identity for the business school. They've given me the freedom to redefine and restructure, which is exciting. Of course, in the UK, you have to align with the parent university. We don't have the same autonomy as independent business schools, but I see that as part of the challenge. The big thing is something they call the . For context, Kingston is located in southwest London. It was previously a polytechnic, so very skills based. Like many post-1992 universities, it retained that emphasis on practical, career-focused learning. That's been its DNA for over 150 years. The Town House Strategy, launched by the current Vice Chancellor, is built on several key pillars. One of the boldest and most unique is what they call the 'Future Skills' approach. Everyone talks about future skills, but Kingston actually developed a methodology behind it. In 2021, the university launched its own large-scale research project in partnership with YouGov. They surveyed 2,000 businesses, 2,000 members of the public, and 1,000 current students – 5,000 stakeholders in total – to identify which skills are most valued by society and industry. The outcome was a framework of nine core life skills, ranging from curiosity to critical thinking and adaptability. What's impressive is how they've embedded these skills across every single undergraduate program as part of the curriculum. Kingston Business School is located about 30 minutes from central London and enrolls about 2,500 business students a year. Courtesy photo Some of the skills that I think really resonate right now are things like creative problem-solving, digital competencies, a questioning mindset, and things like resilience and self-awareness. Those are all part of the nine core skills we identified through our research. Kingston's approach is a structured, three phase model for each year of the undergrad experience. In the first year, called the Navigate phase, students reflect on those nine skills and where their strengths and gaps are. It might turn out a student is already strong in critical thinking, but needs to build more confidence in collaboration. That becomes a foundation for their development throughout the rest of the program. The second year is Explore, where they work on projects beyond their own discipline. For example, this year, over 800 students from business, arts, engineering all worked together on interdisciplinary teams to respond to a real business brief. It's a bit like a hackathon, but assessed as part of the curriculum. It's not optional; it's built in. The third year is Apply, where students complete real-world experiences like micro-placements, live projects, or case challenges. We also work with a group called Gradcore to run simulated assessment centers, just like what students would go through in real job application processes here in the UK. It's structured to get them ready for employability, but also ties back to the future skills framework they've been building on since year one. This model has gained traction at the policy level: Our local MP recently brought a motion to Parliament advocating for the Future Skills model to be adopted more broadly across the UK higher education sector. So yes, many universities talk about skills and employability, but I haven't seen this level of strategic implementation before. Structuring the student experience around Navigate, Explore, Apply, that's something tangible. It gives students a clear developmental journey and gives us a language to talk about how our programs are different. In terms of purpose, we want to be a human-centered business school that delivers future skills and truly walks the talk for a progressive society. We aim to shape businesses through people and knowledge. This human-centered approach runs through everything. Our curriculum already integrates future skills, and now we want to align our research around that same ethos. For example, in our future-of-work research cluster, we're looking at behavioral insights and how employers and employees interact. Even in traditionally technical areas like economics, we're asking: can we explore the behavioral side? In marketing, how do consumer behaviors reflect deeper societal trends? The question we keep asking is: where does the human add value? That's the identity I'd like us to build: A business school that doesn't just equip students with technical knowledge but also prepares them to think critically and act responsibly. One that I think has huge potential is our , Behavioural Research Analytics in Neurotechnological Systems. While many universities have similar labs, they're often used primarily from a psychology perspective. What's great here is that we're integrating it into business-focused research and teaching. The lab is equipped with tools like eye-tracking and monitoring equipment to study human decision-making. For instance, you can run simulations like a financial market crash scenario and study how people make decisions under stress. You can analyze sentiment, track attention, and evaluate reactions in real time. There's also a team collaboration room that allows you to observe and study how people interact and work together in group settings. So whether it's for marketing research, financial behavior, or workplace team dynamics, it offers a wide range of business-relevant use cases. I really see this as one of Kingston's best-kept secrets, a resource we need to spotlight and scale up. Our current MBA program is undergoing a complete overhaul, and that's one of the key places where the human-centric philosophy is really taking shape. The MBA is an important offering for us both for talent development and for those already in business who want to upskill. Kingston had strong recognition for its MBA in the past, but it's a very crowded market now. So we asked ourselves: how can Kingston's MBA stand out? Sankar Sivarajah: 'We want graduates to be future-focused and open-minded, people who can navigate complexity and misinformation and still move society forward' We've centered the redesign around three key themes: digital intelligence, human value, and sustainability. One of the new features we're excited about is a leadership component called the 'MBA X.' It's designed to help students build confidence and presence. We leverage Kingston's strength in the arts and use creative spaces like a media studio where students can record podcasts, deliver presentations, and really learn to project themselves with authenticity. It's about helping them bring their unique 'X factor' into leadership. We're also embedding leadership development and coaching throughout the program in our 'The Kingston Impact: Leadership and Personal Growth' module. Currently, the MBA is offered full-time on campus, but we've just had the business case approved for launching an online version potentially in September 2026. Through my experience running an FT-ranked online MBA at Bradford, I know how saturated that space is. But I think there's a real opportunity for Kingston to stand out by leaning into our human-centric approach. Our MSc in International Business remains a flagship, as it does in many institutions. But we're also launching new programs in areas like Digital Marketing and Business Analytics. We are working on developing a new program in AI for Business with a clear emphasis on the human good and responsible application, which will set it apart. One final standout is our MSc in Occupational and Business Psychology. It's accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), and it bridges social science and business in a meaningful way. That's quite rare in UK business schools, and it naturally supports the human-centered identity we're building. Our current mix is about 70% regional, 30% international. In the current climate where UK higher education is facing challenges with international student numbers, we're in a stronger position than many other institutions. That said, our postgraduate programs are where we see most of our international enrollment. We have a strong contingent from South Asia, and we also receive European students through our partnership with BI Norwegian Business School. Our MBA in particular has seen a big uptick in international interest. In the current MBA cohort, out of 35 students, 70% were from South Asia. But here's the surprising part: the second-largest group was from the United States. When I asked them why they chose Kingston, many mentioned wanting the UK and London experience. But they also did their research. A lot of the decision came down to word-of-mouth recommendations, which was encouraging to hear. So while we continue to serve a strong regional student base, especially at the undergraduate level, we're definitely building momentum internationally, particularly in our postgraduate and MBA offerings. At the institutional level, Kingston has a broader strategy for embedding AI across teaching and assessment. But within the business school specifically, we've developed a structured approach to how AI is integrated both in terms of policy and practice. We're using a three-level framework to guide how AI can be used in assessments: Level 1, AI not allowed. For example, live presentations where students must demonstrate their own thinking. Level 2, AI-assisted work is allowed. Students might use ChatGPT or Grammarly but must disclose it. Level 3, AI use is required. Students may have to build models or chatbots as part of the brief. This tiered model helps us stay consistent and intentional. It gives faculty the tools to design assignments that either exclude, allow, or mandate AI use, depending on the learning objectives. And because it's embedded into modules across subjects, we're able to build students' digital fluency in a clear and structured way. So it's not just about offering one AI course or launching a degree; We're taking a much broader, integrated approach that aligns with our human-centered philosophy. We're asking: how can AI augment learning while still developing the critical thinking, creativity, and ethical awareness that make human contributions valuable? On top of that, we're also developing a new program specifically designed to build AI skills for non-technical learners, particularly for future business leaders. It's still in the design phase, but the idea is to help students and professionals who don't have a technical background understand how to engage with AI in a responsible, ethical, and strategic way. I think one of the biggest is staying relevant in such an uncertain and fast-changing environment. The more I reflect on it, and the more I attend conferences and conversations across the business school space, the more it becomes clear that we need to constantly redefine what our value add is. Today's learners, especially Gen Z and the upcoming Gen Alpha, are different. They've been exposed to vast amounts of information, screen time, and digital tools from an early age. So, when they come into the classroom, it's not enough to just deliver knowledge. They've already encountered much of it, or at least the surface of it, online. So we have to ask ourselves: What is the real value of coming to a business school? For me, it's about depth. It's about knowledge creation, critical thinking, intellectual debate, and the human touch – the philosophical and behavioral side of business. That's where our strength lies: in helping students question, evaluate, and apply knowledge with purpose. Especially with the rise of AI, we need to ensure that students still understand the fundamentals. You need the depth to be able to assess whether AI is giving you the right answer. You can't do that without understanding the foundation behind it. But we also have to keep pace with how businesses are operating right now. That's the real tension: staying academically rigorous while also remaining industry-relevant. Businesses are using tools and technologies at a pace that's hard to match in education, and we have to make sure our teaching and our programs reflect that. For example, in one of our Future Skills surveys, we asked businesses whether they thought graduates were fit for roles involving AI. Fewer than 30% said yes. That's a clear signal. One thing that stands out to me is the increasing role of geopolitics and how that intersects with business education. More and more, we're having to think about how political and cultural shifts affect not only what we teach but how we build partnerships and engage with students. Things like equity, diversity, inclusion, all of those are critically important. But they can also become very personal, very emotive topics. So I think a key challenge for business education, and for Kingston specifically, is how we help students navigate that complexity. How do we equip them to operate in global business environments where diplomacy, relationship-building, and cross-cultural understanding are essential? How do you hold onto your values while still learning how to engage constructively in partnerships, even with people or entities you might disagree with? That's something we need to continue reflecting on as educators: how to keep students ready for the world as it is, not just the world as we wish it would be. One more thing I think is really important is the role of place. Business schools shouldn't operate in a bubble, and one thing I learned from my previous role was how deeply a school can engage with its local community. At Bradford, for example, it's a city with high levels of deprivation, very different from London. We did programs to support social mobility, rehabilitation projects for prisoners, support for Ukrainian refugees, and training initiatives for people who had never had access to higher education. We worked with local government and played a role in the city's cultural and economic development. Now at Kingston, the context is different, but the responsibility is the same. Kingston is known as a safe and prosperous borough in London. We have Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common right next to us. But even here, we have students who come from less privileged backgrounds. Just because it's a wealthy area doesn't mean every student has had the same opportunities. We're already working with large organizations – Unilever's headquarters is here, for example – but the question is, how do we make sure all of our students, regardless of background, have access to those opportunities? We're partnering with the local council, the Kingston Chamber of Commerce, running Future of Work summits, mock assessments, and leadership events—not as optional extras, but as built-in parts of the student experience. We want our students to be the first choice, not the insurance choice. That means developing their skills, yes, but also giving them high-value experiences and networks. And by doing that, we also give back to our community. That's how I think business schools should operate: Not just as institutions of learning, but as civic partners helping shape the places they're in. DON'T MISS: LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN SERGEI GURIEV AND IVEY DEAN JULIAN BIRKINSHAW HAS GLOBAL AMBITIONS FOR ELITE CANADIAN B-SCHOOL The post The P&Q Interview: Kingston's Human-Centered, Future-Skills Approach To Business appeared first on Poets&Quants. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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New Director for Greater West Dayton Incubator announced
The director for the Greater West Dayton Incubator has been announced. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The University of Dayton announced last week that alumna, educator, community advocate, and entrepreneur Juanita-Michelle Darden was named as the director of the Greater West Dayton Incubator. TRENDING STORIES: Back-to-back crashes cause hours-long backup on I-70 1 hospitalized after drive by shooting in Dayton Trump deploys California National Guard to LA to quell protests despite the governor's objections The Incubators is an initiative between the University of Dayton's L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and The Entrepreneurs' Center that supports underrepresented and under-resourced entrepreneurs. This support comes in the form of micro-lending, consulting, and educational programs. Darden founded popular local dining options Soul Food Carryout and the former Third Perk Coffeehouse & Wine Bar, according to a release from the university. She was a tenured associate professor of mathematics at Sinclair Community College for 12 years, where she developed programs aimed at reducing barriers to success in mathematics for underrepresented students. Darden has a master of Science in education from UD, according to the release. 'She brings a passion for community and a proven track record of lifting underrepresented entrepreneurs,' Vince Lewis, UD's associate vice president of entrepreneurial initiatives, said. 'She has created spaces that celebrate local talent, build connections, and drive real economic growth. We're excited to see her lead the Greater West Dayton Incubator.' Darden has three priorities for the incubator: increasing awareness and use of resources among Greater West Dayton entrepreneurs; reactivating the advisory council to ensure community voices shape the incubator's direction; and overseeing the launch of its permanent space. 'I'm honored to lead the Greater West Dayton Incubator and to work alongside passionate entrepreneurs and community members,' Darden said. 'Together, we'll build a more inclusive and prosperous future for West Dayton.' [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
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House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'
FIRST ON FOX: A House committee witness who was called out by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California during a hearing this week is pushing back after the congressman unearthed a past social media post on Social Security in an attempt to discredit his testimony. During a House oversight DOGE subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Garcia grilled Power the Future CEO Dan Turner while holding up a posterboard of a past tweet calling Social Security a "government-sponsored Ponzi scheme." "Madoff went to jail for it. Congress runs on it," the post said. "I should be able to keep 100% of my money and not watch government waste it with a paltry percentage return." Garcia then suggested that post was evidence that Turner lacks the credibility to be testifying about the billions of federal tax dollars directed to left-wing NGOs. Social Security Commissioner Breaks Down Plan To Save Agency From Insolvency "A Ponzi scheme and so I think it's interesting, of course, as one of our Republican witnesses is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and that's the person that we should be taking advice from here today," Garcia said. Read On The Fox News App "Without Social Security, 22 million people would be pushed into poverty. That includes over 16 million seniors and nearly 1 million children. And in fact, Elon Musk has also said and agreed with you, sir, that this is a Ponzi scheme. I think it's ironic that you are one of our witnesses talking about efficiency when you want to attack the single best program that we have to support people not just out of poverty, but across this country to uplift them, to ensure they can afford a decent life." Fox News Digital spoke to Turner, who stood by his post and outlined his belief, echoed by many, that Social Security is structured like a Ponzi scheme by definition. Sen Elizabeth Warren: Social Security Is Under Attack. Gutting It Is A Broken Promise "Rep Garcia does not know the definition of Ponzi scheme," Turner said. "Social Security is the ultimate Ponzi, demanding more and more people at the bottom pay in to fund the people at the top, expect our demographics have this now reversed. The system will default. Mr. Garcia nor I will likely never see a dime. That should worry him more than my social media feed." Turner told Fox News Digital that if Garcia's staff were to spend as much time trying to save Social Security as it did "combing through my social media" then "perhaps the Ponzi scheme can survive long enough for me to get a small percentage of what the government confiscated during my lifetime." Turner explained that his father had received a "paltry percentage" of what he paid into the program and the the government "kept the rest" when his father died. "That's not just a Ponzi scheme, it's government greed and politicians running a money-laundering operation to get reelected. No one should be compelled to pay into a failed system, yet in a free America, you don't have that choice." In addition to Turner and Elon Musk suggesting that Social Security is by definition set up like a Ponzi scheme, Fox News Digital previously spoke to James Agresti, president of the nonprofit research institute Just Facts, who said the characterization has "validity." 'Failure's Not An Option': Trump Budget Bill Will Be 'Big' Help For Seniors, Top House Tax-writer Says "A Ponzi scheme operates by taking money from new investors to pay current investors," Agresti said. "That's the definition given by the SEC, and contrary to popular belief, that's exactly how Social Security operates." Agresti explained to Fox News Digital that Social Security, a program mired for decades with concerns about waste, fraud, and improper payments, "doesn't take our money and save it for us, as many people believe, and then give it to us when we're older" like many Americans might believe. "What it does is, it transfers money when we are young and working and paying into Social Security taxes," Agresti said. "That money, the vast bulk of it, goes immediately out the door to people who are currently receiving benefits. Now, there is a trust fund, but in 90 years of operation, that trust fund currently has enough money to fund two years of program operations." The trust fund only being able to last for two years is not a result of the fund being "looted," Agresti explained, but rather it was put in place to "put surpluses in it" from money that Social Security collects in taxes that it doesn't pay out immediately and pays interest on. "The interest that's been paid on that has been higher than the rate of inflation," Agresti said. "So, the problem isn't that the trust fund has been looted. The problem is that Social Security operates like a Ponzi scheme." Democrats have vocally pushed back against efforts by Republicans and DOGE to reform Social Security or make cuts to what they say are examples of wasteful or improper spending from the department. "There's been a lot of misinformation about that as of late," Agresti told Fox News Digital. "You know, when DOGE came in and suggested that the Social Security Administration cut, I think it was about 10,000 workers, Democrats erupted that this is going to weaken Social Security. But the fact of the matter is that Social Security pays those workers who are for administrative overhead from the Social Security trust fund. So, by cutting out the money that they're paying them, you actually strengthen the program financially." Agresti told Fox News Digital that the current administrative overhead for Social Security is $6.7 billion per year, which is enough to pay more than 300,000 retirees the average old-age benefit. "Every single study shows social security going completely bankrupt in the next few years. Garcia and other democrats know the iceberg is ahead but rather than turn the ship, they are yelling at the iceberg about the senior citizens onboard," Turner said. "This Ponzi scheme is collapsing fast, and turning my tweets into posters is not going to stop it."Original article source: House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'
