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RELEASE (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist--Office of Communications) Annual Spring Bear Run May 8 at SSU Looking for a fun, healthy, and relaxing way to welcome the departure of the winter and the cool, fresh, spring air? Perhaps the Spring Shawnee State University Bear Run/Walk 5K Road Race on May 8 is for you. Presented by Shawnee State University's Division of Student Affairs, the Bear Run has developed into one of Portsmouth’s most popular events, attracting in excess of 500 participants to attempt the course at each event. "The (Bear Run) is open to everyone and is growing in leaps and bounds every year," said Larry Mangus, vice president for student affairs at Shawnee State University and director of the event. "We have had runners as young as 3-years-old, and I think our oldest participant in the walking category was 85. Each person gets a free t-shirt, food and pop, and it's really a fun event." A popular misconception of the event is the notion that one has to be in excellent physical condition to complete the course. This notion could not be further from the truth, according to Mangus. “We have a walker’s category so that everyone can enjoy the Bear Run,” said Mangus. “We have one man who is in his 70s and has had heart surgery. He starts the race a half hour before everyone else so that he can finish with everyone else. Everyone can do it, and it is fun because you are with a group of people.” The 3.1-mile course, which begins on Shawnee State University's campus and travels down historic Front Street by Portsmouth’s popular floodwall murals, is relatively devoid of hills, making for quick times for serious runners while also reducing the burden on the less athletically active. "It is a really flat, fast course," said Mangus. "Most people can participate because there are not really any hills. The weather is usually great, so you can go out there, surprise yourself, get caught up in the moment and enjoy it with your family." While many compete in the event just for the sheer enjoyment of it, the Bear Run is still a race, and several cross country teams from around the area vie for the fastest times of the day. John Williams, a mainstay on Shawnee State University’s cross country team, set the record for the fastest time during the fall edition of the Bear Run, completing the 3.1 mile course in 15:27. However, there is plenty of room for improvement, according to Mangus. "John is even faster this year than he was last fall," said Mangus. " All the guys and girls on the cross-country team have been training hard so they will definitely push each other to succeed. I would not be surprised if John broke the record again this time around." One thing that sets the Bear Run apart from other similar events is the fact that, due to an experienced, energetic group of volunteers, the results from the Bear Run are posted almost immediately after the running is done. “We get accolades on the race because of our fast results,” said Mangus. “We start the race at 6 p.m. and have results by a little after 7 p.m., and that just doesn’t typically happen. We also award many medals (140) and that takes a long time, but our outstanding staff makes it happen fast.” The Bear Run is free to all Golden Bears, students (from kindergarten up) and their families, and to all SSU alumni and their families, with a $10 fee to non-students or $12 for race-day registration. Registration begins at 4.30 p.m. For more information, call the office of student affairs at SSU at (740) 351-3280. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SSU Board of Trustees To Meet April 17 The Shawnee State University board of trustees will meet Thursday, April 17 at 1:15 p.m. in the Selby Board Room located in the Clark Memorial Library on the SSU campus. The committees of the board will meet in the University Center at SSU as follows:
# # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by Jennifer Moorhead, communications coordinator--Office of Communications)
Liz Chrisman, center, professor of dental hygiene at Shawnee State University (SSU), holds the plaque she received for being awarded the second annual SSU Women's Forum Distinguished Service Award at a luncheon held in her honor at SSU. Tess Midkiff, left, chair of the SSU Women's Forum, presented the award to Chrisman. Michael Field, Ph.D., right, interim president, also attended the luncheon. SSU dental hygiene
professor receives the This year’s recipient of the Shawnee State University (SSU) Women’s Forum Distinguished Service Award surpasses the meaning of being a role model to women. Liz Chrisman, professor of dental hygiene at SSU, is the second person to receive this annual award given by the SSU Women’s Forum, an organization formed in the fall of 2000 to promote, advocate, educate, and support the women of SSU and the community at-large. Cay Roberts, Ph.D., SSU’s first female interim president and also the first female president of an Ohio public university, was the first recipient of the award. “It is indeed an honor to be recognized by your peers,” said Chrisman. “As a dental hygiene educator, being a role model is part of my commitment to my profession. So, I am very familiar and comfortable with that role. It is very gratifying when students stop in my office or write me notes thanking me for making an important impact on their professional and personal growth.” Chrisman, who holds a master’s degree in higher education from Ohio University, has worked at SSU for over 20 years. The dedication she has for her profession, the institution where she works, and the area where she lives emanates from her involvement in leadership roles that serve to benefit not only students and colleagues, but the community as well. Some of the leadership roles she has assumed at the university include serving on the following committees: assessment, facilities, library building, strategic planning, provost, and presidential search. Working with students is the most rewarding part of Chrisman’s duties, however. “The most gratifying aspect of my career is watching the development of dental hygiene students into professionals,” said Chrisman. “It is also very satisfying to run into a student a few years after graduation and see what a positive impact her education has had on her personal life.” Chrisman, who is married to Fred Chrisman, assistant director and counselor of educational talent search at SSU, also served the Shawnee Education Association (SEA) in various capacities, including as the SEA president, vice president, and health sciences representative of the SEA executive committee. Currently, she serves as the SEA past president on the executive committee. It’s this kind of involvement that initially motivated Larry Lonney, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics at SSU, to nominate Chrisman for the award. “In the midst of this progress (of women filling various leadership roles at SSU), it is particularly fitting that the forum has chosen to honor Liz Chrisman,” said Lonney. “Not only was Liz a first--the first woman president of the Shawnee Education Association since we have been a university--she did an excellent job as SEA president.” In addition to Chrisman and Roberts, other women who either served or are currently serving in positions of leadership at SSU are Martha Rader, Ph.D., dean of the College of Professional Studies and Cheryl Boyd, Ph.D., SSU’s first female interim dean. The SSU community will also welcome its first female president Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., in May. Completing the Interest-based bargaining training presented by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services in 2000, Chrisman was twice a member of the SEA negotiating team for the SSU-SEA collective bargaining agreement and will represent the SEA bargaining for the 2003-06 contract. “She has been working toward improving the relationship between the association and the university for the past six years,” said Tess Midkiff, SSU Women’s Forum chair and the SSU Clark Memorial Library director, who presented Chrisman with a plaque at a luncheon held March 13 at SSU in her honor. Ginnie Moore, director of university outreach services at SSU, and Karyn Leitzell, an attorney for Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, were the other nominees for the Distinguished Service Award. Other Women’s Forum events include two lectures and a workshop. Rachel Simmons, best selling author and a Rhodes scholar, will be at SSU at 7 p.m. in the Flohr Lecture Hall on Tuesday, April 22, to present, “Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls.” Award-winning poet and Virginia Tech. faculty member Nikki Giovanni will be at SSU at 7 p.m. in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts main theater on Tuesday, May 13. Both of these events are part of the Leslie Williams Symposium for the Advancement of Women. The Nikki Giovanni presentation is also sponsored by the Jane M.G. Foster Distinguished Lecture Series. A free financial workshop presented by state treasurer Joseph T. Deters and sponsored by the state of Ohio treasurer’s office titled, “Women and Money: Financial Planning Workshops for Ohio’s Women,” will be held at SSU on Thursday, July 11. For more information about Women’s Forum events, call (740) 351-3267. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Director Tom Bridwell, left, works with actors Phillip Sherick, center, and Jerry Holt, right, on the Shawnee State University (SSU) student theater production of "Waiting for Godot," Samuel Beckett's critically-acclaimed drama, showing Thursday, April 17, through Saturday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kahl Studio in the SSU Vern Riffe Center for the Arts (VRCFA.) Tickets are $5 at the VRCFA McKinley Box office, (740) 351-3600. ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by Joey DePew, communications specialist, SSU Office of Communications) SSU Graduate Center To Hold Informational Meetings on Master’s Programs Shawnee State University (SSU) has scheduled several informational meetings concerning master’s degrees being offered on the SSU campus in Portsmouth by Marshall University, University of Rio Grande, and Central Michigan University. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m. for Marshall University’s master’s degree programs in environmental science and safety technology. It will be held in room 132 of the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) located on the SSU campus. A second meeting will be held Tuesday, May 6 at 5 p.m. for the University of Rio Grande’s master’s degrees in education with concentrations in fine arts and intervention specialist/mild moderate programs. This meeting will be in ATC room 134. On Saturday, June 7, Central Michigan University’s master’s degree in health services administration program will be discussed. This meeting is slated to begin at 10 a.m. in rooms 132 and 134 of the ATC. For more information about these and other graduate programs offered at Shawnee State University, contact the SSU Graduate Center at (740) 351-3177. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist--Office of Communications) Local
Historian/Performer next While most historians teach knowledge they have acquired through study, John Simon, Ph.D., takes a unique approach-he teaches history that he has lived. Simon, who has lived in the Scioto County area his entire life, is an adjunct social sciences professor at Shawnee State University (SSU) and has devoted his life to passing on the importance of the history, culture, and tradition of the area and its music that have left such a profound impression on him. As part of the Ohio Bicentennial Celebration of the Ohio River Valley History, Simon will be appearing at SSU on April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Flohr Lecture Hall located in the Clark Memorial Library at SSU to present Ohio River Valley Music. Simon will sing, tell stories, and give a broad spectrum of the history of music in the history of the Ohio River Valley. “Simon is a well-known story-teller, musician, teacher, and historian in our region,” said David Rodgers, a technical services librarian at SSU and one of the people responsible for Simon’s performance at SSU. “He has lived in the area, playing and learning about traditional music his whole life. It will be an interesting performance that will encompass the history and the music of the river and the valley.” For more information on Simon’s performance or other Bicentennial celebration events, contact the SSU Clark Memorial Library at (740) 351-3255. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Ron Kroutel is the current artist featured at the Shawnee State University Appleton Gallery in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts until May 1. From left, Casey Glenn, Djwana Spradlin, and Elizabeth Quatman admire some of Kroutel’s works. The show is made possible by the SSU development foundation. ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE Knowledge Economy
Community Ohio’s economic landscape is changing, according to Michael Field, Ph.D., interim president of Shawnee State University (SSU). With this changing economy, Ohio’s leaders must make some important choices about how they are going to provide a better education for more citizens and to prepare to build the technology sector that will make the state’s economy stronger and more competitive, Field said. “Our challenge is clear-to make choices that will prepare Ohio, and Scioto County, to be a fierce competitor in the knowledge economy, to capitalize on our heritage of leadership, and to prepare for a bright future,” he said. These choices will be discussed at the Knowledge Economy Community Leaders’ Forum scheduled for April 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall located in the University Center at SSU. Larry Musick, manager of contract training/education for industry in the Office of University Outreach Services at SSU, said this is a chance for SSU and the Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, along with other local business and community leaders, to identify factors and plans for success in the knowledge economy. “This is an excellent opportunity for leaders in our community to come together and talk about how well our community is doing addressing three core issues in the knowledge economy-ensuring citizens are continuously improving their knowledge and skills; creating an entrepreneurial, innovative business climate; and improving the quality of life in our region,” Musick said. Musick said the discussions will allow community leaders to focus on how the knowledge economy will impact the community, what factors will facilitate or impede community success, and ideas to increase the area’s prospects for success. “The results of our forum will be included in the Governor’s statewide conference on ‘Communities, Higher Education, and the Changing Economy’ set for June 17-18 in Columbus,” he said. Everyone is invited to attend the forum free of charge, according to Musick. “Having many members of our community participate is of vital importance to our success,” he said. A continental breakfast will be provided from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m., as well as lunch at noon. Those interested in attending should RSVP to SSU’s Office of University Outreach Services by calling 351-3171 or toll-free at 1-866-672-8778, ext. 3171, by Friday, April 11. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist--Office of Communications)
The rap group Nappy Roots will be in concert at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, on Saturday, April 26. Known for their singles, “Awnaw” and “Po’ Folks,” Nappy Roots will be on campus for SSU's annual Springfest. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for SSU students. Nappy Roots? Happy Students! Where do rappers come from? Several obvious places come to mind-Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York, big cities that provide the urban setting and hardened “ghetto living” that many famous rappers draw inspiration for their lyrics. These and other stereotypes make the unlikely rise of Nappy Roots from relative Midwestern anonymity to rap superstardom even more impressive. Hailing from western Kentucky (not exactly a hotbed for rap superstars), Nappy Roots has had phenomenal success with singles such as “Awnaw” and “Po’ Folks,” emphasizing musical quality and heritage over maintaining an image. While they are still a relatively young group (they have been appearing together since 1995), yet another chapter in their growing musical history will be written when they appear live at Shawnee State University (SSU) in the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. “We wanted to get an act that appealed to as many students and people in the community as possible, and I think that by having Nappy Roots perform, we have achieved this,” said Tiffany Weaver, coordinator of student activities at SSU and the advisor for the student programming board, two entities largely responsible for the concert being held at the university. “Nappy Roots is very recognizable to SSU students, and we really wanted to gear this concert towards them. It is a fun, inexpensive way to experience a concert which would otherwise be unaffordable to a lot of people, and we are expecting a great turnout.” Tickets are available at the student activities office in the University Center at SSU. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. General Admission tickets are $20. SSU student tickets are $15 with a valid SSU identification card.
The concert is part of a weeklong series of festivities know as
Springfest that occurs on SSU’s campus every year during spring
quarter. Now in its seventh year of existence, Springfest has
continued to grow, featuring newer and bigger acts every year, to
where it is now the marquee event on most SSU students’ calendars
every year and a popular community activity. While the Nappy Roots performance will be the marquee event of the week, it is certainly not the only activity that will entertain and enthrall SSU students during Springfest week. Rather, there are a host of activities that will whet the appetites of the students before the big show on Saturday. “It is going to be an amazing week of activities for SSU students, and the concert is just going to be icing on the cake,” said Weaver. A digital caricaturist and Atom the world’s fastest painter will be on-campus to entertain. A scavenger hunt, laser tag, and a big foam dance party with a cookout and luau are also planned. For more information call (740) 351-3217. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by Joey DePew, communications specialist, SSU Office of Communications) SSU
professor discusses a government
The objective of Operation Iraqi Freedom has, for all intent and
purposes, been met--the regime of Saddam Hussein has been ousted
from power by coalition forces. Now that the coalition has won the
war, how does it win the peace?
John Lorentz, Ph.D., director of the Center for International
Programs and Activities (CIPA) at Shawnee State University (SSU) has
some answers.
Lorentz, an expert on the Middle East, earned a master’s degree
from Harvard in Middle Eastern studies, and received his Ph.D. from
Princeton in Near Eastern studies with a focus on history. He
previously lived in the Middle East for nearly six years, taught and
researched as a Fulbright-Hayes scholar, and was at one point the
executive director for the American Aid for Afghans charity. He has
traveled the region extensively throughout the years with his
Iranian wife. He believes that postwar Iraq will be the true test of
coalition resolve.
“In my opinion, the key issue is not who is going to win the war
but who is going to win the peace,” he began. “In some ways
we’ve done the Iraqi people a favor by getting rid of, by
anyone’s estimation, one of the most brutal dictators in the 20th
century.”
After the United Nations insisted military action wasn’t needed in
Iraq and that the inspection process was working, the United States
and Britain, along with 35 other nations, decided to remove Hussein
from power. On March 17, President George W. Bush issued the Iraqi
leader and his sons an ultimatum to leave Iraq within 48 hours. The
ultimatum was ignored, and at 9:45 p.m. eastern time on March 19,
the first cruise missile struck Iraq in what was deemed a “target
of opportunity.”
According to Lorentz, the diplomatic issues that developed before
the war centered on the disbelief of most members of the UN Security
Council that Iraq was a danger. He said that Colin Powell did not
convince members that Iraq posed an immediate threat, and therefore
didn’t support an invasion. This paved the way he said for use of
the word “unilateralism,” a term describing the United States as
“going it alone.”
In terms of Iraq’s postwar government, Lorentz’s concern is
two-fold: first, the process by which a new Iraqi government is
formed, and second, the danger of a unilateral approach towards the
country’s reconstruction.
“We could easily find ourselves in what would be a ‘king
making’ situation,” he explained. “We would have to have a
permanent or semi-permanent presence to maintain our person in
power. We don’t want to be in that kind of situation. We claim to
want democracy for Iraq, but we must remember that, by the nature of
democracy itself, it can’t be imposed,” he said.
Lorentz’s concern is how much influence the coalition would have
on the newly-formed government and that runs it. The
Pentagon has announced a plan for an initial government to control
Iraq before an interim government can take the reins, and retired
Army General Jay Garner has been tapped to take the helm. According
to the plan, Garner would be the top civil authority and oversee the
operations of all governmental ministries. An
American, either military or civilian, would head each ministry
(department) and each minister (secretary) would have two American
deputies as well as eight American advisers. In addition to those
eight, the minister would also have eight Iraqi advisers--four from
inside the country and four exiles.
According to those in Iraq, the administration appears to be
favoring full Iraqi control on the local level. Military
officials from Britain, a key ally of the United States in the war,
have already installed civilian leadership in Basra, Iraq’s second
largest city. A
local sheik, selected to lead the city’s administration, was given
the responsibility of setting up an administrative committee that
had representation from all groups in the Basra community. His
name and religious affiliation are currently being withheld for
security reasons according to British officials.
“It should give us pause in trying to facilitate a new,
democratically-oriented government that one such U.S. backed [Iraqi
religious] official has already been attacked and killed by a crowd
of supposed followers,” he said.
In terms of the interim government, Lorentz also questions the role
coalition partners should play.
“Are we going to be in the position where we seem to be favoring
one particular group? Or are we literally going to allow what
amounts to a constitutional means by which a democratic government
can emerge, whether or not it happens to be in accordance with what
we deem to be our primary interest,” he said. “These
are complex issues and questions that are yet to be determined and
I’m not sure that we, as a matter of our policy, have thought
these matters through.”
Theoretically, Lorentz said that he thinks the best framework to use
in Iraq is the same one used in Afghanistan. American forces ousted
the Taliban government there after they refused to turn over Usama
bin Laden, mastermind of the September 11 massacres.
“I think we have followed quite an enlightened policy in relation
to Afghanistan. I
would hope that we would be wise enough to follow a parallel policy
in Iraq,” he said. However, Lorentz also said that the
circumstances are not entirely comparable. When it comes to UN involvement with rebuilding efforts, Lorentz fully believes that the administration would be wrong to exclude anyone from the process, especially the French. “For us to exclude other nations who have interests, including economic interests, in Iraq I think would be a mistake,” he said. “The issue here is who is going to call the shots. Is it going to be the United States essentially saying ‘here, if you want to help out then provide some humanitarian assistance’? Why should they if they have been excluded from being a part of a process, both with respect to the new government formation and the rebuilding of Iraq’s economy? We need European assistance here, otherwise it is going to be a heavy economic and political burden on the United States.” # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
SSU Ambassador--Hagop S. Pambookian, Ph.D. (pictured on the left in both photos), converses with former President Fidel V. Ramos of the Philippines (top photo) and Dr. Philip Zimbardo, president of the American Psychological Association (APA) (bottom photo). Pambookian spent time recently in the Philippines; Singapore; and Chicago, Ill.; presenting his research and expertise in the field of psychology. SSU Professor Presents
The Philippines. Singapore.
Chicago, Illinois. What
do these areas of the world have in common?
They are several locations on a long list of countries and
cities in which Shawnee State University (SSU) professor Hagop S.
Pambookian, Ph.D., has presented his research and expertise.
Pambookian, professor of psychology at SSU, lectured recently in
Manila, The Philippines. He
discussed “Meet the Real Alfred Binet, the Father of Intelligence
Testing,” at a conversation hour at the 60th Annual Convention of
the International Council of Psychologists (ICP).
Pambookian pointed out the errors authors have made regarding
the French co-inventor of the world’s first intelligence scale.
“Readers are usually misinformed about
Alfred Binet telling them erroneously that Binet had established the
first French experimental laboratory; had been a professor of
psychology at the Sorbonne; had designed the first practical
intelligence scale, called Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale, all by
himself; and that Jean Piaget, the renowned developmental
psychologist, had studied with and worked for Binet,” Pambookian
said.
The SSU professor corrected the errors by documenting his research
findings and by citing accurate French sources.
Pambookian also chaired at the same Manila convention the ICP
interest group on “Educational Psychology and International
Exchange.” He
provided information to the conferees about various programs and
exchange opportunities.
Singapore was Pambookian’s next stop for the 25th International
Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) of the International
Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP).
Pambookian, a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA)
and member of the International Council of Psychologists (ICP),
participated in a symposium with psychologists from Indonesia,
Singapore, and Austria on “International/Regional Licensing” and
discussed recent developments of U.S. psychology and the state of
licensure.
After arriving back in the United States, Pambookian conducted a
conversation hour on “Careful, When Teaching, There May Be Errors
in Psychology Books/Journals” in Chicago at the 110th Annual
Convention of the APA. During
the convention, he brought numerous psychological errors in books
and journals to the attention of psychologists present.
“These errors were presented as true by leading psychologists from
well-known universities,” Pambookian said.
“I presented true facts substantiating them with accurate
sources.”
At the same APA convention, Pambookian had a poster presentation
with the Division of International Psychology on “The Many Faces
of Dr. Th. Simon, the Collaborator of Alfred Binet.”
Pointing out that scholars usually ignore Simon and his
contributions to the development of intelligence testing,
Pambookian’s interest lies in knowing what the real first name of
Simon was, if identified by writers and his first name spelled out.
“Unbelievably, I identified seven first names given to Dr. Th.
Simon including Théophile, Théodore, Thomas, Henri, André,
Theodosius, and Théophilius,” he said.
“Based on reliable and highly credible sources, the true
first name of Dr. Th. Simon is just Théodore.”
“It is greatly to the benefit of Shawnee State University that we
have a scholar of Hagop Pambookian’s caliber bring national and
international notice to the University.
His scholarly productivity is most commendable,” said
Michael Field, Ph.D., interim president at SSU.
“Dr. Pambookian is truly a Shawnee State University ambassador,”
said Jerry Holt, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at
SSU. “When he
keynotes an international conference, this institution travels with
him in a very special way.” #
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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Shawnee District 14 Science Day, held at
Shawnee State University (SSU) on Saturday, March 29, brought
students from four counties in Ohio--Adams, Lawrence, Pike, and
Scioto to the SSU campus. Over 200 students in grades five through
12 who competed in either or both a school science fair or county
science fair and received a superior rating displayed their
projects. Approximately 60 judges representing secondary,
post-secondary, business, industry, and the community volunteered to
judge the projects. Winners of the District 14 Science Day who
will continue on to the State Science Day are: 1st row, Left to Right, Ethan Klinker, Waverly North Jr. High 2nd row, Left to Right Brittany Shearer, Green High 3rd row, left to right Nick Adams, Fairland High # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Article by Jennifer Moorhead,
communications coordinator--Office of Communications)
New York Times best
selling author, Vassar graduate, and Rhodes scholar Rachel Simmons
will be at Shawnee State University to present “Odd Girl Out: The
Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls,” the first book to explore
the phenomenon of bullying between girls. Simmons will be at SSU at
7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, in the SSU Clark Memorial Library’s
Flohr Lecture Hall. Best selling author
Rachel Simmons to
New York Times best selling author, Vassar graduate, and Rhodes
scholar Rachel Simmons will be at Shawnee State University (SSU) to
present “Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls,”
the first book to explore the phenomenon of bullying between girls.
Simmons speaks all over the country to girls, parents, and teachers
about female aggression and its implications for girls and women’s
lives. It’s a topic worth exploring, which is why the SSU Women’s
Forum felt it important to invite Simmons to be the second Leslie
Williams Symposium for the Advancement of Women speaker, according
to Tess Midkiff, chair of the Women’s Forum.
“We think her message will touch our campus and our community as
she talks about how girls interact with each other when conflicts
arise-not with physical violence in most cases, but with exclusion
and isolation,” said Midkiff, also director of the SSU Clark
Memorial Library. “Perhaps in talking about these patterns, we can
help girls to interact more directly, honestly, and positively in a
way that will help them succeed as young women.”
Each year, the Women’s Forum features a number of outstanding role
models who come to campus to enlighten and educate the community
through their experiences, knowledge, and successes. Famed
journalist Helen Thomas, known as the dean of the White House press
corps, was the inaugural speaker for the Leslie Williams Symposium,
created in honor of the late chairperson of the SSU department of
English and humanities.
Simmons easily fills all the criteria for being a positive role
model concerned about women’s issues, according to Susan Warsaw,
director of the SSU office of development and member of the Women’s
Forum steering committee.
“As a forum for women, our group has as the first item on our
mission statement to ‘increase awareness of gender related issues…and
that list goes on,” said Warsaw. “Surely Rachel’s topic fits
these goals to a ‘t.’ How lucky we are to have her as a guest!”
Simmons has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Today,”
“Dateline NBC,” and NPR’s “Diane Rehm Show” and “Talk of
the Nation.” Her work has also been profiled in numerous
publications, including The New York Times Magazine, The Washington
Post, and The Los Angeles Times.
“Rachel Simmons is a young woman who has achieved a lot in a short
time,” said Midkiff.
Simmons grew up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. After
graduating from Vassar College, where she double majored in women’s
studies and political science, she worked for Mayor Rudolph W.
Giuliani in New York’s city hall as an urban fellow.
She won a Rhodes scholarship in 1997 from New York. She worked for
New York’s senior Sen. Charles E. Schumer as deputy finance
director for his U.S. Senate campaign in 1998, and after the
election attended Oxford University, where she began studying female
aggression.
Simmons is currently the director of The Girls’ Leadership
Institute, a Sidwell Friends summer program, and a consultant to
schools all over the country. She is affiliated with the Ophelia
Project of Erie, PA and lives in Brooklyn.
Simmons will be at SSU at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, in the SSU
Clark Memorial Library’s Flohr Lecture Hall. A second Leslie
Williams Symposium speaker, renowned poet Nikki Giovanni, will be at
SSU on May 13. For more information about Women’s Forum events,
call (740) 351-3267. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by B.J. Parsons,
communications specialist--Office of Communications)
SSU Students Plant
Spirit of Arbor Day
Held every year in Ohio on the last Friday of April, Arbor Day is a
day to celebrate the planting of trees and giving back to nature--a
rewarding and important task that can often be forgotten in the
hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Circle K of Shawnee State University (SSU), a university-level
branch of Kiwanis International, is commemorating the event that
falls on April 25 of this year by giving out 500 white pine saplings
to students and community members during the week preceding Arbor
Day, an effort that, according to Circle K president Gail Wolfe, is
more fun than hard work.
“Arbor Day is a worthwhile cause, and we are really happy to be
giving back to the community,” said Wolfe, 21, an SSU junior
accounting major. “The saplings were donated to us by the state
and we are going to be giving them out free to students and
community members, one per person. It is simply a great way of
combining community service and helping the environment.”
After being distributed, Circle K aims to help students plant the
saplings at various locales throughout the community, particularly
Shawnee State Park, in order to replace some of the trees lost every
year to deforestation.
“People have to remember that every little bit counts, and 500
saplings are small now, but they will grow to be big trees in the
future,” said Wolfe. “Circle K will be planting a number of
seedlings on our own, but we are trying to get the community
involved in this project.”
Circle K, which is in its second year of existence, is based upon
the principles of community service and fellowship. Aided by local
Kiwanis clubs such as Portsmouth and Wheelersburg, the Arbor Day
project is one of many community service projects that Circle K
members at SSU are involved in each year.
“We receive a lot of support from our parent clubs,” said Wolfe.
“It is important for students to stop every now and then and
realize how much they have and how much they take for granted.
Circle K is the perfect opportunity for us to realize that and to
pass the good things that people do for us on to somebody else.”
The Arbor Day seedlings will be given away from April 21 to 25, from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of Massie Hall at SSU. For more
information on this project or Circle K, please contact Stephanie
Russell, Circle K secretary, at (740) 574-2112. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Article by Jennifer Moorhead,
communications coordinator--Office of Communications)
Shoulder
Holder: Senior instructor of occupational therapy at SSU, Ed Kehres,
teaches SSU student Corrin Holbrook how to stretch out the shoulder
muscles. Occupational
Therapy program at
It won’t be long before there will be no
such thing as a bachelor of science degree in occupational therapy.
This decision, made by the Accreditation Council for Occupational
Therapy Education (ACOTE) in 1999, gave Shawnee State University
(SSU) two choices: 1. stop offering an occupational therapy degree;
or 2. pursue the accreditation of a master’s degree program.
“We are marching forward,” said Debra Scurlock, program director
of occupational therapy at SSU, a position she has held since 2000.
“There was no reason not to seek accreditation for a master’s
degree program because our program here is excellent already. It
would be detrimental not only to the university but to the community
as a whole for SSU to lose this program.”
The process of developing a master’s degree program for
occupational therapy began in 2002 with Scurlock and Dave Todt,
Ph.D., interim director of SSU’s Graduate Center and chair of the
department of teacher education, working closely to map out what SSU
needed to do in order to achieve this goal.
Todt agrees that it made sense to set a plan into action.
“The occupational therapy profession, nationally, has made a
decision to move to a master’s degree as entry level for the
profession,” said Todt. “We have a very successful occupational
therapy program and have had it here for years, and we don’t want
to lose that.”
Occupational therapy, celebrating Occupational Therapy Month during
April, is a health and rehabilitation profession designed to help
people regain and build skills. The occupational therapist works
with people with physical, developmental, social, or emotional
deficits, teaching them the skills they need to lead independent and
productive lives.
ACOTE’s decision to require a master’s degree is explainable,
said Scurlock.
“The need for more research and evidence-based practice has
increased the demands for more education,” said Scurlock. “That
will be the biggest change in our program now--adding the research
component.”
The program development proposal was sent to the Ohio Board of
Regents in December. The board requested that SSU complete an
infrastructure self-study before reviewing the preliminary program
proposal, said Todt.
“We are completing and writing the infrastructure self-study right
now,” said Todt. “We hope to have the self-study reviewed and
approved by the Ohio Board of Regents by early summer so we can
begin work on the detailed program proposal for the Ohio Board of
Regents.”
Once that is accomplished, the next step is to seek approval from
the North Central Association, the institutional accrediting agency.
“The plan is to accomplish all of this by the end of the next
academic year so we can accept the first students in the master’s
of occupational therapy program in the fall of 2005,” said Todt.
The last class to graduate with a bachelor’s degree will be in
2006.
Traditionally, the occupational therapy program has been a leader
amongst the other health sciences degree concentrations at SSU,
offering the first bachelor’s degree program when SSU became a
university in 1986. SSU has turned out 116 graduates with
bachelor’s degrees in occupational therapy since 1996.
In comparison to other occupational therapy programs, SSU has always
ranked at the top.
“We are above the norm. Our pass rate is in the 90th percentile.
We have outstanding instructors who are dedicated to the university,
and exceptional students,” said Scurlock.
The occupational therapy program has four full-time faculty
instructors, all of whom are currently seeking higher-level degrees.
Scurlock is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in occupational therapy at
Nova Southeastern College in Florida; Edward Kehres, senior
instructor, is pursuing a Ph.D. in education at Ohio University;
Christine Raber, assistant professor, is seeking a Ph.D. in
health-related sciences with a specialization in occupational
therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University; and Melinda Sissel,
instructor, is pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy
at the University of Findlay.
In addition, Scurlock was selected by the executive committee of the
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education as one of
10 new members appointed to the Roster of Accreditation Evaluators
for a three-year term.
“This will allow me the opportunity to evaluate other occupational
therapy programs at other universities,” said Scurlock.
SSU occupational therapy students have also made quite a positive
impact on the community, said Scurlock.
“Through our field work, you see us everywhere,” said Scurlock.
“We are in area schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. You’ll
see our students at places like STAR Workshop, the homeless shelter,
Head Start, the SSU Children’s Learning Center, and many
others.”
Occupational therapy majors also have the opportunity of fulfilling
requirements in other parts of the country. Some students have
completed fieldwork experiences as far away as North Carolina,
Texas, South Carolina, and California.
The demand for occupational therapists locally and nationally is
high.
“Most students have a job before graduation, with annual salaries
ranging from $50,000 to $70,000,” said Scurlock. “I receive
telephone calls and e-mails daily about the demands for occupational
therapists.”
The occupational therapist assistant two-year program at SSU will
remain the same. For more information about SSU’s occupational
therapy programs call (740) 351-3225. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by B.J. Parsons,
communications specialist--Office of Communications)
Tolkien
Lecturer to Visit SSU
Long before Peter
Jackson decided to make the “Lord of The Rings” story into a
trilogy of epic movies, J.R.R. Tolkien, the writer who authored the
books the movie are based on, was one of the most important figures
in the history of fantasy literature.
In
an attempt to better understand the accomplishment and influence of
Tolkien literature, Shawnee State University (SSU) will be bringing
Michael W. George, a professor of English at Milliken University in
Decatur, Illinois, to lecture on an author whose work has made him
one of the most significant fiction writers of the 20th century.
“The
decision to bring someone to lecture on Tolkien was a relatively
simple one,” said Darren Harris-Fain, Ph.D., an associate
professor of English at SSU who helped orchestrate the lecture.
“Tolkien is extremely important to fantasy history and George will
explain why people are so devoted to his work.” With
the movies being so popular, it would be easy to forget that the
books they were based on were fantasy masterpieces. According to
Harris-Fain, while Tolkien did not start the fantasy genre, he
certainly played a large role in its mainstream acceptance.
“Fantasy
existed before Tolkien, but he took it in a different direction,”
said Harris-Fain. “He was a professor in England who was an expert
in mythology, writing fantasy on the side that drew heavily on the
folklore he was familiar with as a scholar. His popularity led to a
fantasy boom in the 1970’s that has continued until today.” The
lecture, which will occur at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 17 in the
Flohr Lecture Hall located in the Clark Memorial Library at SSU, is
part of a series for SSU’s honors program, in which various
literary and educational speakers are brought in to try to develop
an appreciation for their topics amongst honors students.
It is sponsored by the Bess and Marie Pixley Fund of the
Scioto County Area Foundation.
“We
started bringing lecturers to the university through the honors
program with the hope that we could open the students up to
important issues and ideas, both in and out of the classroom,”
said Chip Poirot, associate professor of economics at SSU and
director of the honors program. “Bringing someone in to lecture
about Tolkien is important for reasons that go beyond his impact on
pop culture. His work is transcending its literary importance and is
becoming a pop culture icon, which I believe moves him into the
canon of great writers.” For
more information about the lecture call (740) 351-3396 or (740)
351-3329. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Barb Bradbury, director of
Upward Bound and Pre-College Programs at Shawnee State University,
and Mary Ann Malone, director of Student Support Services at SSU are
presented with a proclamation from the Scioto County Commissioners
Tom Reiser, Skip Riffe, and Opal Spears, in support of the TRIO
programs at SSU. (shown left to right are Spears, Malone, Bradbury,
Reiser, and Riffe). The federally-funded TRIO programs at SSU
prepare qualified individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds for
programs of post-secondary education. For more information about the
TRIO programs offered at SSU, call (740) 351-3439. ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
U. S. Senator from Ohio, George V.
Voinovich discusses health-related issues at the Health Care
Roundtable with Martha Radar, Ph.D., dean of the College of
Professional Studies at SSU. Voinovich was on the SSU campus this
past Saturday afternoon continuing his statewide series of
roundtable discussions to learn about health care issues facing
rural Ohioans. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Article by Jennifer Moorhead,
communications coordinator--Office of Communications)
SSU 2003 Volunteer
Expo: connecting
In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Shawnee State University
(SSU) is hosting the 2003 Volunteer Expo: Connecting People with
People in an effort to encourage volunteerism amongst both SSU
students and the community.
“We wanted to reach not only Shawnee State students, but the
public as well, in order to make everyone aware of volunteer needs
in our area,” said Barbara Pratt, coordinator of volunteer
services at SSU. “In addition, this gives the agencies that are
participating a chance to utilize SSU students and gives students an
opportunity to support the needs of the community. It’s people
helping people get things done.”
Organizations throughout the region in need of volunteers will be on
hand to provide information to prospective volunteers interested in
offering their services.
Some of the organizations that plan to attend include Seal of Ohio
Girl Scouts, Shawnee State Park, Mighty Oaks & Little Peanuts,
Inc., American Red Cross, the United Way, Vern Riffe Center for the
Arts, Sierra’s Haven, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Retired
Seniors Volunteer Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Community
Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Hempstead Manor, Pleasant
Hill Manor, and Portsmouth Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April
30, in the lobby of the SSU University Center. Other agencies in
need of volunteers are also encouraged to sign up by Wednesday,
April 23.
For more information call Pratt at (740) 351-3900, or contact the
SSU Office of Communications at (740) 351-3810. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by Joey DePew,
communications specialist--SSU Office of Communications) Where did we come
from?
Milford H. Wolpoff, Ph.D., a nationally-recognized expert on the
evolutionary development of human beings, will be lecturing at
Shawnee State University (SSU) this month.
Wolpoff, professor of anthropology and adjunct research scientist at
the University of Michigan, has extensive experience in human fossil
records and genetic variations. He will be discussing the two main
themes of modern human origin, the “Population Replacement Theory”
and the “Regional Continuity” theories.
The Population Replacement theory (also know as the “Out of Africa”
theory) states that modern humans evolved in Africa and then
migrated out into the Old World. In doing so, they replaced the
ancient and less evolved human inhabitants and paved the way for
life as we know it.
The Regional Continuity theory, in contrast to its competitor,
writes history in such a way that humans migrated first out of
Africa into the Old World and then evolved into what is referred to
as modern form. This process is said to have started roughly one
million years ago.
Wolpoff will also discuss fossil interpretation as well as the
evidence found in genetic variations in the human world. His
presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 9 in the Flohr Lecture
Hall located in SSU’s Clark Memorial Library.
For further information call (740) 351-3456. ### FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by B.J. Parsons,
communications specialist--Office of Communications)
Youth Basketball
Summer Camps to be held at SSU
A sweaty group of kids, a handful of college basketball players, and
a whole lot of fun.
That is what Shawnee State University (SSU) summer basketball camps
are all about, according to SSU men’s basketball coach Jeff
Hamilton and SSU women’s basketball coach Robin Hagen-Smith.
“We have had summer camps in the past, and they have been
extremely successful,” said Hamilton, whose team finished the 2002
season with a 22-10 record, including a 13-5 conference record. “It
is a good chance for area kids to come to SSU, where they can meet
other basketball players and also spend a week in the summer working
on their basketball game.”
The boys’ camps will be split into two different categories: a
junior/high school group focusing on offensive skills, from July 9
to 11, priced at $45, and then a camp for boys in grades 3 through
8, from July 14 to 18, priced at $75. This gives each of the groups
a good size to work with, said Hamilton.
“We had over 30 kids participate in our camp last year, and this
year we expect most of those kids to come back,” said Hamilton.
“We hope to have over 50 this year. Basically, it is just good to
get kids in the gym to enjoy the game of basketball.”
The girls’ camps feature a similar design, with grades 3 through 8
meeting from June 26 through 27, priced at $30 per player, and
individuals meeting from June 23 to 25, priced at $65 per player.
They will also be hosting a perimeter camp, aimed at improving all
aspects of the outside game, from June 20 to 21, priced at $45 per
person.
“We have been running these basketball camps for nearly 20 years,”
said Robin Hagen-Smith, the camps’ main instructor and coach of
the SSU Lady Bears, where she holds a résumé boasting a 360-77
(82.4 percent) record and the 1999 NAIA national championship. “We
really want to enhance the basketball skills of these athletes as a
team, which is why we have the format that we do.”
The summer camps are also an opportunity for SSU’s coaches to
scout up-and-coming talent in and around area.
“There will be some high school kids with some talent at these
camps, so it will give us a chance to become acquainted with them,”
said Hamilton. “It also gives them a chance to understand what our
program is all about and possibly steer them toward SSU.” # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE SHAWNEE
STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
At its April 17 meeting, the
Shawnee State University Board of Trustees: •
Appointed the following faculty members to the academic rank
listed with each effective at the start of the 2003-2004 academic
year: Orville
Ferguson, professor •
Approved the proposed 2003-2004 SSU academic calendar; •
Approved a policy on misconduct in scientific and scholarly
research effective September 8, 2003, subject to any matters that
must be specifically bargained with any employee bargaining units
under ORC chapter 4117, for which the board grants the president
authority to approve on behalf of the Board of Trustees; •
Granted special recognition to these athletes for their
outstanding accomplishments and commended the individuals as listed
below:
NAIA Basketball Scholar Athletes:
American Mid-East Conference Scholar Athletes:
1st Team American Mid-East Conference: 2nd Team
American Mid-East Conference:
NAIA Honorable Mention All American: American Mid-East Conference Honorable
Mention: American Mid-East Conference Freshman Team: •
Recognized the remarkable achievement of the Shawnee State
University Women’s Basketball team and commended the players and
coaches listed below for their outstanding team and individual
performances: Mandy Deal
Jeanna Diamond Head Coach:
Robin Hagen-Smith •
Approved the recommended room fees schedule for the summer
term 2003 and room and board fees schedule beginning the academic
year 2003-2004; •
Approved a $68 per term communication fee for all
university-owned and managed housing, effective beginning summer
quarter (term) 2003; •
Approved the $150 housing application fee to be assessed to
all first time housing applicants planning to attend SSU, regardless
of the session they enter, beginning with the summer quarter 2003.
This application fee is refundable, less a $35 administration
fee, if housing cancellation notice is received 30 days prior to the
first day of summer, winter, or spring classes.
This application fee is refundable, less a $35 administration
feel, if housing cancellation notice is received from applicant
prior to May 1 for the upcoming fall quarter. •
Approved the creation of a new faculty position in early
childhood education; •
Approved the acceptance of the Ohio Board of Regents Digital
Infrastructure Grant award; and •
Authorized personnel actions; The
next meeting of the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees will
be June 13, 2003, at 1:15 p.m., in the Selby Board Room of the Clark
Memorial Library on the campus of Shawnee State University.
The next meeting of the executive committee of the SSU Board
of Trustees will be May 10 at 4 p.m. in the President’s Conference
Room located in the Administration Building on the SSU campus. # #
# FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by Jennifer Moorhead,
communications coordinator--Office of Communications)
SSU hosting Ohio
American Association of
The Shawnee State University (SSU) Women’s Forum is hosting the
Ohio American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Equity Day.
Equity Day is an annual event in the Ohio AAUW conference as a means
of showcasing success stories in achieving equal opportunities for
women. It also highlights issues that women still do not have equal
treatment in society.
“Equity Day will feature several prominent speakers who are
leaders in their fields,” said Tess Midkiff, chair, SSU Women’s
Forum and director of the Clark Memorial Library at SSU. “We
encourage everyone to attend this exciting afternoon, highlighting
the outstanding contributions made by women to science, math,
education, medicine, and government.”
Jane Butler Kahle, Ph.D., Condit Endowed Professor of science
education at Miami University, is the keynote speaker. Her
presentation is titled, “Equity and Accountability.”
A superintendents’ panel discussion with Jan Broughton, Portsmouth
City Schools; Sheila Reeder, Greenup County School District; and Pat
Ciraso, Washington-Nile School District, will also take place.
Participants have the option of attending either “Rethinking the 3
R’s: Rockets, Roller Coasters, and Robots,” or “Women’s
Health in Ohio.”
Tracy Alley, Ph.D., a teacher of gifted students in the Minford
School District, and an Eleanor Roosevelt Fellow, will present “Rethinking
the 3 R’s,” an after school science, math, and technology club
for girls. Jennifer Lopez, chief of the Ohio Women’s Health
Initiative, will present, “Women’s Health in Ohio.”
The afternoon will conclude with a presentation given by
representative Tanya Pullin of Kentucky House District-98, Greenup
and Boyd counties, titled, “Women and Politics.”
AAUW, founded in 1881, is a national organization that promotes
education and equity for all women and girls. The SSU Women’s
Forum was formed in the fall of 2000 to promote, advocate, educate,
and support the women of SSU and the community at-large.
Equity Day will take place from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11,
in the Flohr Lecture Hall of the Clark Memorial Library at SSU. SSU
students may attend free of charge. Non-members may attend the
program for $15 and should register online at http://members.tripod.com/aauwohio
or at the SSU Women’s Forum web site
For more information call (740) 351-3267. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (Article by Joey
DePew, communications specialist, SSU Office of Communications) SSU announces
creation of student medical clinic on campus
Shawnee State University is pleased to announce the formation of an
on-campus health clinic for students.
Larry Mangus, Ed. D., vice president for student affairs, is heading
up the group that will oversee the clinic and its installation.
Local physician Dr. George Petit will be the supervising physician,
and a nurse practitioner will be on site in the clinic to assist in
meeting the medical needs of students. The clinic will be what
Mangus refers to as “first line care” with referrals to other
area medical services to meet patient needs.
“If a student wakes up in the morning and isn’t feeling well it
is difficult to get an appointment to see a doctor in the local
area. Now he or she will be able to get quick medical attention,”
he said.
Student response has been very positive. Ryan Rolfe, an SSU business
administration senior, thinks the clinic will make life more
convenient for students.
“I’m from this area, but I’m sure people who live in
university housing or those who are from out of town will be able to
get medical assistance and won’t have to wait to contact their
doctor back home,” he said.
Although cost to students hasn’t yet been clearly defined, Mangus
said there would be no charges for the first year of the program.
“This is an undertaking of the university to do something we feel
is in the best interest of the student population,” he explained.
“We’re hoping to keep costs minimal.”
Donnie Edler, a freshman studying to be a paralegal, thinks that
having the low-cost clinic could help the university in the long
run.
“If students save money, that means they will have more money to
spend on school expenses,” he said.
Although the clinic will be located on the SSU campus, Mangus said
it would be for student use only.
Opening in September, the clinic’s office hours have been
tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. weekdays. Mangus said
the hours could change though, depending on student needs. It will
be located in the Rhodes Athletic Center in rooms 118 and 119.
For more information, call (740) 351-3280. ### |
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