May 23, 2023
Shawnee State University has announced the 2023 Faculty Awards. As part of this year’s presentation, the recipient of the Shannon Lawson Faculty Service Award is Dr. Christine Raber. A Professor of Occupational Therapy in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Dr. Raber has been with the university since 1994.
As a Professor of Occupational Therapy, Dr. Raber has played a key role in the development of three Occupational Therapy degree programs: the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, the Master of Occupational Therapy, and the Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate. She has served in various leadership roles including Interim Program Director of the Bachelor of Science Occupational Therapy program, Interim Associate Provost, and Provost Fellow where she co-led preparation of the Assurance Argument for Higher Learning Commission’s accreditation mid-cycle review. In her clinical and publication work, she has focused much of her experience on dementia and productive aging as they relate to facilitating positive engagement in daily life.
“Dr. Lawson was an inspiration, and I am so very honored to be presented with this award,” said Dr. Raber. “I’m grateful for all the collaborative opportunities with many community partners I’ve been involved with over the years. Creating meaningful service-learning experiences for students and resources for older adults has been incredibly rewarding.”
Dr. Raber received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy in 1984, as well as her Master of Science in Allied Health, with a concentration in Gerontology/Post-Professional Occupational Therapy in 1992 from Ohio State University. She completed her PhD in Health-Related Sciences, with a specialization in Occupational Therapy, in 2007 at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a member of the Occupational Therapy Leaders and Legacies Society, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association, and is a board member for the Area of Agency on Aging District 7.
The Shannon Lawson Faculty Service Award memorializes the impact of the late Dr. Shannon Lawson through her service to both the Portsmouth area and the university. The annual honor is awarded for dedication to service in the form of committee work, leadership roles within the university, and promoting activities focused on campus service and outreach.