Instead of cashing his bonus, this college president gave it to local families and students.
In fact, President Ono has never accepted his annual bonus at the University of Cincinnati.
Santa Ono is like the Santa Claus of college presidents.
Not like in a jolly old guy kind of way. And not just because he can rock quite the festive bow tie or snap selfies with students dressed in a red robe. (Look below! How cute is that?)
Much like Kris Kringle, Santa Ono loves giving.
Ono being adorable and taking selfies at graduation in 2014. Image via University of Cincinnati, used with permission.
For the third year in a row, Ono gave away his six-figure bonus to those who could use it more than he does.
While he was at it, he also turned down a raise — yet again.
His bonus at the University of Cincinnati was $200,000 this year — two hundred thousand freaking bucks that will now go toward awesome, worthwhile causes.
Like a university initiative that supports first-generation students. Like a local agency that helps families in need. Like the school's LGBTQ Center, 10 student scholarships, and workshops for young musicians (and so much more!).
He's also giving $10,000 to the family of Sonny Kim — a Cincinnati police officer who was recently killed on duty.
Ono shakes hands with former University of Cincinnati student-athlete Ralph David Abernathy IV. Image via University of Cincinnati, used with permission.
It's nice to see a university president give back when, nationally, his peers' paychecks have risen sky high, alongside tuition costs.
In 2014, the average public college president earned $428,000. That's a 7% hike from the year before.
The figure might be a tough pill for a college student to swallow, seeing as since 2007 the average annual tuition at a four-year public school has spiked 29%. If you do the math, that's $2,068 more than what those crazy college kids were paying just eight years ago!
That's why Ono's gifts have been a big deal.
They're helping students, families, and marginalized groups in Cincinnati who could use a hand up.
"We've learned that the way to satisfy President Ono is to give him the ability to help others," Board President Tom Humes said. "We heartily endorse his decision."
As do we, Mr. President. As do we.
He's been given so much — in life and in bonuses — and he's giving A LOT of it back. I love it.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."