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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Mistie Cook Spicer,
communications coordinator)

SSU names new registrar
(Jonica Burke named as new SSU registrar to
replace Steve Midkiff)
A former Scioto County 4-H extension agent,
Jonica Burke has been named as the new registrar
at Shawnee State University, effective May 7.
“I’m looking forward to coming back to SSU,”
Burke said. “A lot of exciting things are
happening here, the university is growing. It’s
such a positive force in our community.”
Burke replaces Steve Midkiff, Ph.D. who has been
named the director of Institutional Research at
the university after serving 23 years as
registrar.
Burke will not be a stranger on campus when she
starts her new job. She is a former employee of
the Student Success Center where she worked from
October 1999 to April 2001.
“I have a bit of familiarity with how the
university works, and I’m excited to work with a
staff who has a lot of expertise,” Burke said.
“I hope to work well with them to use their
knowledge and their talents as much as possible
for a seamless transition.”
Burke’s experience on college campuses is
extensive.
Burke worked in the registrar’s office at the
Columbus College of Art and Design and worked as
an academic advisor at The Ohio State University
where she was responsible for processing student
registrations, maintaining student records and
assisting students with scheduling concerns.
At OSU, Burke said she also advised and provided
career counseling to first year and upper-level
at- risk students and provided support to those
on academic probation. While at the University
of Houston, Burke developed and maintained
articulation programs for transfer students.
Through her various university positions, Burke
said she has worked with integrated student
information systems on all four campuses and has
accessed or maintained student data within
numerous subsystems, including those of the
registrar, admissions, advising, financial aid
and the bursar.
Burke is ready to face the challenge of
transitioning from a quarter system to a
semester system when she begins her new job and
wants to make the transition as smooth as
possible.
“I worked in student record positions at four
universities both under the quarter system and
the semester system, so that should really help
me with Shawnee State’s transition,” she said.
Burke said good communication will be essential
for a smooth transition.
“I think the most important thing is to continue
to get the word out to everyone within the
campus community, especially the students,”
Burke said. “I know faculty and staff have done
a great job of communicating that it will be a
big adjustment for students.”
In addition to her university experience, Burke
spent several years as 4-H extension agent
working with volunteers to help run the program.
“The Scioto County 4-H program is actually one
of the strongest traditional programs in the
whole state. It has a huge participation base
and great history in the community,” Burke said.
In her role as a 4-H Extension Agent, Burke was
president of the Canter Cave 4-H Camp Board of
Trustees, where she supervised the camp manager.
She was also responsible for the Junior Fair
budget and had direct oversight of the Scioto
County 4-H committee and Canter’s Cave annual
budgets.
Burke earned her undergraduate degree in Spanish
with a Psychology minor at the University of
Houston. She went to The Ohio State University
for a dual masters program in public
administration and natural resources
administration. Burke is currently pursuing her
doctoral degree in Public Administration from
the University of Kentucky.
When she is not working or busy with school
work, Burke trains with her husband, Ryan, for
triathlons. She is also active with the Buckeye
Trail Association where is works to help
maintain the state-wide trail.
Burke is excited about the opportunity to serve
as SSU’s new registrar. She said she sees great
things ahead for the university and wants to be
a part of them.
“Shawnee State is a small school so it maintains
a personal connection with the students but it’s
also big enough that it offers a good variety of
programs and things in the region that wouldn’t
otherwise be available. So, I’m really excited
about coming back to campus.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)
SSU to perform “Plays for a New Millennium”
(SSU hosts international playwriting competition
with performance)
For the fourth year in a row, Shawnee State
University is hosting its “International Play
Competition: Plays for a New Millennium.” Five
plays have been chosen to be performed on May 3
and 4 in the Kahl Studio Theatre in the Vern
Riffe Center for the Arts.
Jim Hayes, senior instructor of theatre at SSU
was amazed the program has grown like it has.
“We begin doing this four years ago,” Hayes
said. “We thought, wouldn’t it be fun to do a
playwriting competition? So, we jumped right
into it and worked in conjunction with A Working
Theatre Company, a non-profit organization in
the area. We thought we’d offer the contest to
the playwrights in this area. We put an ad in
the “Writer’s Digest” and on the internet
and—wham—we had submissions from all over the
country the first year.”
Hayes said having plays produced as a playwright
is like an author having his or her novel
published.
“Writers don’t mind coming to southern Ohio to
see their plays put on the boards,” he said.
“They’re very happy about it. Suddenly, they’re
a produced playwright and it’s a wonderful
thing.”
The second year, Shawnee expected the same
results. Suddenly, their project became an
international playwriting competition.
“Shawnee State has taken this event to heart
every year and we have people seriously
interested in drama, theatre and writing who
look forward to it,” Hayes said. “The first year
the winner of our competition rode from Bangor,
Maine, on a greyhound bus to see his play
produced. Fortunately, his was the winning
play.”
The audiences choose which play they like the
best each night. Then, at the end of the second
and final night, the winner is declared.
“This is the first year we are featuring two
local writers,” Hayes said. Both SSU professor
John Joy and SSU senior Aimee Taylor have
written plays to be performed as part of “Plays
for a New Millennium.”
The short, one-act plays include:
· “True Blue” by Mary Steelman of southern
California;
· “The Trip and the Money” by Theodore Kemper, a
professor of sociology at St. John's University
in New York, directed by Jim Hayes, SSU senior
instructor of theatre;
· “Strangers in the Night” by Evan Gilford-Blake
of Stone Mountain, Ga., directed by SSU student
Danielle Gillstrap;
· “Penumbra” by Aimee Taylor of New Boston, Oh.;
and
· “Mr. Right” by Jonathan Joy of Huntington, W.
Va.
“These are all serious pieces,” Hayes said.
“There’s some comedy in them, but they’re all
serious compositions by young playwrights and
not-so-young playwrights, who may be seeing
their work produced for the first time.”
Hayes is excited about all the plays.
“’True Blue’ is very much a war statement,” he
said. “It has comedic moments but it has a very
serious theme, also. ‘Penumbra’ is about a
dystopian kind of society, like 1984. It’s about
the individual against the system or the
individual dealing with the system. ‘The Trip
and the Money’ is about a social question. When
do you leave your friends behind if they are not
achieving the same social status you are? It’s
an interesting play. ‘Strangers in the Night’
deals with loss. Jon Joy’s play, “Mr. Right” is
a very funny one-character play about a girl
deciding who she is and where she wants to go.
It’s probably the funniest of our plays.”
Hayes said the actors are local students who are
taking acting courses at SSU. Some actors and
familiar names include Melanie Manchester,
Brandi Norris, Brittany Williams, Charles “Chaz”
Farley, Stewart Perkins and Antwain Battle.
“We stress our local stars,” Hayes said. “We
have plenty of talented people here. So far,
we’ve presented two variety shows, two
full-length plays and we have two more to go
before our season finishes.”
There is a small cash prize that will be given
to the winner of the playwriting competition,
but that’s not what this is all about, Hayes
said.
“We’ve had authors from San Diego, New York City
and Bangor, Maine, to name a few. The
playwrights are not really interested in the
cash prize—they are interested in seeing their
plays produced and becoming a produced
playwright.”
In choosing the plays, some important aspects
were considered.
“It should be a very entertaining and
thought-provoking evening. These are
contemporary plays about who we are at this
point in time, as a society and as a nation. The
plays are geared toward a university audience. I
would not find anything in the plays I would
object to young people seeing; however, it is
serious material and people should bear that in
mind.”
For more information or to order tickets,
contact the McKinley Box Office at (740)
351-3600.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article and photo by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)
SSU secretary receives WPAY’s secretary of the
year award
(Debbie Schwamberger is secretary of the year)
Debbie Schwamberger did not expect anything out
of the ordinary when she went to work at Shawnee
State University on April 25. Schwamberger,
SSU’s TRIO Center representative in Student
Support Services, received WPAY Radio’s
Secretary of the Year Award.
WPAY’s KC presented Schwamberger the award live
on location at SSU. The TRIO Center found out
the day before Schwamberger had won and everyone
found it hard to keep the secret.
As it turns out, KC and Schwamberger worked
together at WPAY as a board operator for a year
and a half before she came to SSU.
“You only heard me when I did a public service
announcement, gave the time and weather, or any
special information, such as school closings,”
Schwamberger said. “I was not a regular DJ but
it was a fun job.”
Because of this ironic connection, KC jumped at
the chance to present the award to his former
colleague.
“I saw the nominations as they were coming in
and I thought: oh, that’s cool, Debbie’s getting
nominated,” he said. “I never gave it a second
thought since there were so many nominations. I
never thought the winner would turn out to be
Debbie. That’s really cool.”
KC said Schwamberger was the most nominated
secretary.
“This is very surprising,” Schwamberger said. “I
love everyone I work with and working here is
not like work – it’s wonderful. I like working
with the students and the people I work with are
great.”
Schwamberger completes the clerical and
bookkeeping duties for the office, as well as
tutoring students.
“This office tries to be a catch-all kind of
thing. We try to meet all the needs the students
have and there are very many,” she said. “Our
goal is to help them be successful—that’s what
we work toward all the time. While I’m not a
counselor, I support the counselors so they can
do that and I can take care of the other needs.”
Stacey Manchester, a 2007 Shawnee State
graduate, a former member and student worker at
TRIO, began the nomination process.
“Working in the trio center, as well as just
being a member of student support services,
Debbie’s always there to help with anything,”
Manchester said. “As soon as I heard that
request for nominations, I thought of Debbie.
All the students would say, ‘She’s the
greatest.’ What better way to let her know that
than to nominate her for the WPAY award?”
The many students and faculty members who
nominated Schwamberger also included the
following jingle with their nomination, titled
“Our Secretary”:
Phones, Messages, Filing, OH MY!
Copier, Printer, Computers, OH MY!
Scheduling, Data Entry, Blumen, and CARS
Might overwhelm some secretaries, but not ours!
Schwamberger has more to be proud of. In March,
she received her Bachelor of Arts in Social
Science from Shawnee State University, a degree
she’s been working on for years. She had already
received her associate of executive secretarial
technology in 1979.
“I went back to school in 89 and it has taken me
this long to finish because I can only do a
class or two at a time while working,”
Schwamberger said. “I just held my breath until
I finally received my degree.”
Schwamberger was presented flowers from Flowers
and More, a certificate for lunch at Williams
Restaurant, a pedicure/manicure gift certificate
from Paramount Beauty Academy and a plaque
proclaiming her as WPAY’s Secretary of the Year.
Schwamberger, of Sciotoville, is married to Jim
and they have a daughter, Veronica and a son,
Vincent.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Rebecca Cox, communications
specialist)
(Photo by: submitted photo)
(Cut-line by Rebecca Cox)

Shawnee State University students on the
Alternative Spring Break in New Orleans.
Pictured in the background are the numerous
houses students have worked on through Habitat
for Humanity.
Alternative spring break in New Orleans
(SSU students participate in community service
down south)
While many spring breakers were lounging around
the house or soaking up the rays on the beach, a
group of students from Shawnee State University
decided to lend a hand in New Orleans. The
alternate spring break this year allowed
students to travel to Louisiana to build houses
for the victims of Hurricane Katrina through
Habitat for Humanity.
This is the second alternative spring break at
SSU. Last year, a group of students went to
Yonkers, New York, on another Habitat for
Humanity trip.
Amy Richardson, AmeriCorps VISTA, Ohio Campus
Compact coordinator of community service, said
the participants stayed at Camp Hope, an old
renovated elementary school in Violet,
Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The girls
slept in a huge room with bunk beds, while the
boys occupied a room with cots. There were
approximately 400 other volunteers where the
students stayed.
“We saw things on the worksite that made us
realize we have nothing to complain about.
Nothing,” said Richardson. “We have a roof over
our head. It’s clean. We have a bed to sleep
on.”
Although thousands have been working to re-build
New Orleans, the condition of the city is still
horrific.
“The devastation of New Orleans is unbelievable.
I had heard others say that before I left, but
it cannot sink in until you are there and see
the remains of the city,” said Shanna Mustard,
an English major who went on the trip. “Even
nearly two years later, the evidence of Katrina
is extremely visible.”
Mustard and Kelly Hatas, an international
relations major, said the students worked Monday
through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Some
had never lifted a hammer in their life.
Mustard was assigned a chop saw to cut boards
for various projects, including porches,
framing, air conditioner unit structures, and
other components found within the typical home.
“It was extremely rewarding to realize my work
contributed to a safe home for a family,”
Mustard said. “I have no construction experience
at all, so I learned a lot during our work
time.”
Hatas said many of the students spent the first
day working on the top and cap plating on both
houses. For the next couple of days, Hatas and
Monica Abel worked on the unit that holds the
heating and air conditioning units. Hatas also
helped install the starter strips of Hardiplank
on the sides of the houses. Other students
worked on putting in the windows and doors of
the home.
The work of the students did not go unnoticed in
New Orleans.
“The people of New Orleans were really
welcoming,” said Hatas. “They really appreciated
what we were doing down there.”
After work the students were permitted to
sightsee. They explored the French Quarter and
Bourbon Street. Mustard enjoyed the French
Quarter because of the architecture and the
abundant places to shop.
Memorable moments for Hatas included dinner at
Café du Monde and Margaritaville.
The week in New Orleans was “The most rewarding
trip I’ve ever been on,” said Hatas. “It builds
character when you get to experience different
things and travel, and actually help people.”
Participates included: Kelly Hatas, Jillian
Mummey, Chamika Morrow, Tiffany Patterson,
Heather Keplinger, Alison McNeil, Sarah Webb,
Jenn Bourne, Shanna Mustard, Monica Abel, Amy
Richardson, Lawrence Ellis, Drew Carter, Dustin
Martin, Seth Haynes, Ryan Appell and Michael
Hall.
Every student walked away from the trip with a
new appreciation for the extent of damage caused
by hurricane Katrina.
“All of the students have been blessed enough to
not live through a disaster of that magnitude,
so I thought it would be a learning experience,”
Richardson said.
For more information about community service at
SSU, contact Amy Richardson at (740) 351-3662 or
at aricharson@shawnee.edu.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
MEDIA ADVISORY
There will be a memorial service tonight for
Travis Ralston at 9 p.m. by the flag pole in
front of the Administrative Building at Shawnee
State University.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Photo by Shanna Mustard, editor of The SSU Chronicle)

Susan Haack, Ph.D. a law professor
at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida
spoke at Shawnee State University on April
26 on the topic, “Is scientific evidence
more reliable in a court of law?”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)

Saving Jane

Josh Gracin
SSU welcomes three well-known bands to
Springfest 2007
(Saving Jane, Wylde Bunch and Josh Gracin to
perform at Springfest)
The Shawnee State University Student
Programming Board is excited to introduce
three great acts to its campus during
Springfest on May 31, beginning 7 p.m. in
the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center.
“Springfest consists of a week leading up to
a big show,” said Jessica Crosby, president
of the student programming board at SSU.
“Springfest is a fun time to let loose and
have some fun while listening to music of
great artists.”
This year, the SPB sent out a campus-wide
e-mail, requesting feedback on proposed
acts. Based on the responses, SPB scheduled
Saving Jane, Wylde Bunch and Josh Gracin, to
appear at Springfest.
“We chose these bands because they offer a
variety of music for the campus,” Crosby
said. “We really wanted to utilize all types
of music, such as a festival, to try to
please everyone.”
The up-and-coming band Saving Jane, based in
Columbus, Ohio, is an alternative pop/rock
group with hits like “Girl Next Door,”
“Don’t Stop” and “Come Down to Me” and
albums, "Something to Hold Onto" and "Girl
Next Door." Lead singer Marti Dodson has
local ties having grown up in Franklin
Furnace. When Dodson and friends started the
band, they had a tough time finding a name.
According to their Web site,
www.savingjaneonline.com, Dodson was
doodling, illustrating a comic strip
featuring three of the band members as
superheroes. The title of the comic strip
was “Saving Jane” and so it became the
band’s name.
The alternative hip-hop group Wylde Bunch
returns to Shawnee State by popular demand.
The group includes family members and
long-time friends from South Central Los
Angeles. According to the band’s Web site,
www.wyldebunch.com, the group “pioneered a
sound infusing elements of funk, soul, rock
and world music into an incredible hip-hop
sound.” Their story was big enough to land a
spot on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” With hits
like “Yeah Yeah (Stomp the Bleachers),”
“Last Day of School” and “Clash,” Wylde
Bunch keeps their audiences moving.
Country singer Josh Gracin, born and raised
in Westland, Michigan, 30 minutes west of
Detroit, was the only boy among four
sisters. Gracin started out as a young
Marine in Fox network’s “American Idol 2.”
Later, he signed with Lyric Street Records
and recorded his debut album, “I Want to
Live.” According to his Web site,
www.joshgracin.com, after Gracin sang Rascal
Flatts’ “I’m Moving On” during the American
Idol contest, Rascal Flatts’ bass player Jay
DeMarcus hooked up Gracin with Marty
Williams, co-producer of the band’s
breakthrough album. This contact led to a
record deal and to the world of country
music.
“We hosted the MTVU tour last year which
included Motion City Soundtrack,
Hellogoodbye, and Straylight Run,” Crosby
said. “It went very well and the band
members were really nice and welcoming. We
had a great turnout and a well-received
audience — I was very pleased with the turn
out of last year's Springfest.”
Tickets are on sale in the McKinley Box
Office, located in the Vern Riffe Center for
the Arts. Shawnee State students and
employee tickets cost $10 each, while
tickets for the general public are $15 each.
Tickets will cost $15 for all persons
purchasing them the day of the show.
The SPB is currently organizing other events
for Springfest, like SSU Idol, where members
of the Shawnee community “audition” and
participate in an American Idol television
show-like series of performances.
“We try to involve the campus and the
surrounding communities, such as other local
universities and the local high schools,”
Crosby said. “It should be a lot of fun and
people should have a great time with it.”
Springfest is sponsored by the Shawnee State
University Student Programming Board and
Pepsi. For more information, contact Student
Activities at (740) 351-3217.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Rebecca Cox, communications
specialist)
National Nurses’ Week
(SSU to host event celebrating the hard work
of nurses)
In celebration of National Nurses’ Week,
Shawnee State University will host a special
event, recognizing the contributions of
nurses and the nursing profession. Sponsored
by University Outreach Services, the SSU
Nursing Professional Development Committee,
the SSU Student Nurses Association, and the
Ohio Nurses Association, Southern Ohio
district, the activities will be held in the
Vern Riffe Center, on May 7 from 11 to 2
p.m.
According to Barbara Conn, M.S.N., associate
professor, nursing, director for the center
for semester transition, posters and
presentations will be provided by AD and
RN-BSN students at SSU. Displays and nursing
opportunities will be offered by recruiters
and representatives from SOMC, KDMC and the
Ohio Nurses Association.
Continuing education credit will be awarded
to registered nurses who present or
participate in the event.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics
projections, nursing careers top the list of
occupations with the largest projected job
growth from 2002-2012. At this moment, there
is a serious nursing shortage in the U.S.
Despite the hard work involved in the
profession, students are excited about the
career.
“It’s just something I have always wanted to
do,” said Erin Mulholland, a second year
nursing student at SSU. “I like to help
people. There’s job security and the salary
is good. Your opportunities are endless. You
are not stuck in one spot.”
The theme for 2007 is “Nursing: A Profession
and a Passion.”
National Nurses’ Week is celebrated annually
from May 6, National Nurses’ Day, through
May 12, the birthday of Florence
Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
The American Nurses Association, founded in
1896, supports and promotes the profession
of nursing and the 2.9 million registered
nurses in the United States.
For more information, contact Conn at (740)
351-3109 or at bconn@shawnee.edu.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Photo by
Chris Dunham)

The regional Ohio Academic Competition was
held on the campus of Shawnee State
University on Saturday, April 28th. Twelve
teams from around the state competed. Upper
Arlington High school came in first with
Fisher Catholic High School from Lancaster,
Ohio coming in second. The Upper Arlington
team consisted of Zach Kloos, Alex Masheter,
David Saalfeld, Xin Yu, Stacey Maheras and
Kelly Epstein.
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|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Rebecca Cox, communications
specialist)
Get things done!
(SSU hosts a seminar on personal
organization)
Are you extremely busy, but don’t feel
things are getting done? Is your desk and
office piled and cluttered? For the second
year, the Shawnee State University Office of
Business & Industry Training will hold a
seminar, “Getting Things Done: Setting Goals
and Priorities,” a personal organization and
productivity seminar on Friday, May 11 from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Advanced Technology
Center, room 132.
Seminar instructor Dave Beam has been
helping businesses overcome challenges for
18 years. He is the owner and operator of
ACTION International business coaching
franchise.
Brenda Covert, manager, Business & Industry
Training, went to the seminar last year.
“It was very helpful. I was able to actually
come back to my office and organize the
piles of information on my desk,” said
Covert. “He teaches you how to delegate and
how to defer the items that you can’t get to
right as they come in the door.”
The seminar is based on proven personal
effectiveness and productivity principles
espoused by Steven Covey, author of Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People, and David
Allen, author of Getting Things Done.
Cost is $149 per person. Lunch will be
served.
For more information, download a complete
brochure at: http://www.shawnee.edu.off/uos/bie/shedule.html.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Photo by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)

AmeriCorps/AppalCORPS raise money and
collect books for area school children
AmeriCorps/AppalCORPS members gathered to
distribute more than 2000 books purchased or
collected during their annual book drive.
Nearly $2,100 was also raised to purchase
books. AmeriCorps members provide reading
tutoring services in seven local schools and
distribute books to young children to
encourage reading in the home by giving
books to students.
The AmeriCorps members include (left to
right) Amy Bianco (Notre Dame), Charity
Nagel (Northwest Elementary), Roshell
Caudill (Portsmouth Elementary), Jessica
Thompson (Northwest Elementary), Nora Carver
(Portsmouth East Elementary), Claire Miller
(Wheelersburg Elementary), Priscilla Wright
(Rosemount Elementary), Kendra Wasch
(Stanton Elementary), Tracy Campbell
(Portsmouth Elementary), Brenda Thompson
(Portsmouth West Elementary), and Meagan
Rhea (Portsmouth West Elementary).
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)

Registrar turns a new leaf at SSU
(Midkiff becomes new director of
institutional research)
When one door closes, another one always
opens. Steve Midkiff, Ph.D., has been
Shawnee State’s registrar for more than 20
years.
For several months, Midkiff has been both
the registrar and part-time institutional
research director. As of May 7, he will
retire as registrar and assume full-time the
position of director of institutional
research.
Midkiff is currently both the registrar and
part-time director of institutional research
at SSU — but as of Monday, May 7, he will
focus on his role as director of
institutional research.
“One of the fastest growing responsibilities
in higher education has been reporting
assessment — the accountability of the
institutions, particularly at the federal
level, but also at the state level,” said
Midkiff. “It’s expanded beyond what I can do
in my part-time position.”
Midkiff is still learning about his
newly-created position and about the
responsibilities that are still being
outlined.
“Some of my duties will be assessment, which
is evaluating programs, looking at potential
programs, helping with such projects as the
president’s initiative, the “’Shawnee
20/20’,” Midkiff said. “A major portion of
the job is reporting to state, federal and
other agencies, as well as doing internal
reporting of a variety of statistics. As an
institution, we have to submit the
enrollment information, graduation rates and
use of financial aid.”
Midkiff will work closely with Dave Todt,
associate provost and director of
institutional planning.
“Shawnee State is very fortunate to have an
individual of Dr. Steve Midkiff's caliber to
be the first full-time director of
institutional research,” Todt said. “Shawnee
State is committed to using information and
data to make improvements as part of the
Academic Quality Improvement Program. Dr.
Midkiff knows higher education data and the
requirements at both the state and federal
level to report data. His leadership will be
important in elevating Shawnee State’s use
of information to make good decisions that
will benefit student learning at the
institution.”
Midkiff said other offices on campus will
provide the office of institutional research
with information needed for the reports, but
he will coordinate the efforts to make sure
the reporting is completed.
In 1975, Midkiff began his career at Shawnee
State as an adjunct faculty member teaching
psychology. He became a full-time employee
in 1984, working as the director of records,
which later became the registrar.
Midkiff holds a Bachelor of Arts in
education from the University of Kentucky, a
degree of Master of Education from Harvard
University and a doctorate from Ohio
University.
After establishing the new position,
creating the office and framework with which
the position will run, Midkiff plans to
retire next summer.
“I hope to get the office created, the staff
set up, procedures and policies in place —
there’s a lot of that stuff that doesn’t
exist yet,” he said. “We’re working with a
consulting firm that is providing us with
information about the best practices.
They’re preparing a report for us now that
we hope will guide us in the design of the
office, what type of staffing is needed,
what type of funding should support it — a
lot of details we hope to get in place.”
Midkiff and wife, Tess Midkiff, director of
SSU’s Clark Memorial Library, have a
daughter, Lindsay, who is a librarian at
Miami University in Ohio, and a son, James,
who graduates from the University of
Kentucky on May 6 – the last day of
Midkiff’s tenure as registrar.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Photos and Cutline by Monica J.
Bradbury, communications specialist)
Dads score big at CLC’s “Dad’s Day at the
Field”

Photo 1: Rich Hawk, SSU UIS employee and
father of Sam Hawk, encourages children in
the sack race while Madeline’s father, Jeff
Queen, and Hayden’s father, Jeremy Wasch
coach from the sidelines.

Photo 2: Cortney Collier runs the bases
while Gabe’s dad, Coach Tyler Conley, looks
on.
Nearly 25 dads and 12 moms participated in
“Dad’s Day at the Field” with students from
the Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs’
Children’s Learning Center at Shawnee State
University.
The May 2 event was a modification of the
former spring track and field meet the
Toombs CLC has hosted in previous years.
The children participated in sack races,
t-ball, broad jumping, bean bag toss,
football toss, soccer and a ladder run.
“We extended this as a family involvement
activity to connect our children to the dads
in their lives,” said Cindy Ferguson,
director of the Toombs CLC. “Children being
raised by a single mom often have very few
male role models and the majority of early
childhood educators are women. We created an
opportunity for everyone to work with dads
for a day.”
In addition to having fun, Toombs CLC
educators were also able to assess the
children’s developmental skills. According
to Ferguson, nearly 50 of the children will
be entering kindergarten this fall and the
developmental assessments will be part of
their entrance requirements.
“This was our first ‘Dad’s Day at the
Field,’ but it won’t be our last,” Ferguson
said. “We had a wonderful turnout of fathers
and mothers, making it a rich day indeed. At
the conclusion of the events, there was a
medaling circle where every child received a
gold medal. When their names were
individually called and they entered the
medaling circle, if a child had a dad
‘coach’ or mom ‘cheerleader’ with them, the
child placed a gold medal on their parent.”
For more information, contact Ferguson at
(740) 351-3188.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article
by Mistie Cook Spicer, communications
coordinator)

SSU history professor publishes major
research on Iran
(John Lorentz, Ph.D. has published the
“Historical Dictionary of Iran)
While most people were preparing for the
holiday season last November, SSU history
professor, John Lorentz, Ph.D. was unveiling
his new book, the “Historical Dictionary of
Iran,” at a major national conference in
Boston on the Middle East.
“It’s a comprehensive, nearly 500 page book
which covers the entire spread of Iranian
history, which is very deep and rich and
goes back nearly 3,000 years,” Lorentz said.
“The primary focus of the book is on the
19th and 20th centuries. There is a lot of
contemporary history.”
The book was published by Rowman and
Littlefield under one of their imprints
called Scarecrow Press.
“It’s organized like a dictionary. Entries
are in alphabetical order and run about a
page. Each entry is complete within itself,”
Lorentz explained.
Entries include, “The Film Industry in
Iran,” and another entry on “Women in Iran,”
among others .Lorentz organized the book in
this manner so if people had a quick
question about Iran they would be able to
easily find the answer.
“This was a very difficult book to write
mainly because Iranian history is incredibly
rich and deep,” Lorentz said. “I had a
limited number of pages. To distill it down
and organize it in this fashion I had to
make all sorts of choices.”
One of those decisions was to make sure that
Lorentz had a book that was accessible to
the general public but also useful to
someone who wanted to go deeper into a
particular subject.
“To balance those two demands between
writing a book that was academically sound
and yet make it accessible to the general
audience who know nothing about Iran was a
very difficult task, but I’m very pleased
with the outcome,” he said.
Lorentz is an expert on the Middle East,
especially Iran where he spent a total of
four years between 1962 and 1976. Lorentz
worked in the Peace Corps in Iran and also
did some part-time teaching at the
University of Tehran.
The “Historical Dictionary of Iran” is
available at the SSU bookstore and
Amazon.com. The list price for the book is
$99. It is available on Amazon for $67.
Book-signings are currently being planned
for Lorentz’s book at the SSU book store as
well as other locations.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Rebecca Cox, communications
specialist)
Get things done!
(SSU hosts a seminar on personal
organization)
Are you extremely busy, but don’t feel
things are getting done? Is your desk and
office piled and cluttered? For the second
year, the Shawnee State University Office of
Business & Industry Training will hold a
seminar, “Getting Things Done: Setting Goals
and Priorities,” a personal organization and
productivity seminar on Friday, May 11 from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Advanced Technology
Center, room 132.
Seminar instructor Dave Beam has been
helping businesses overcome challenges for
18 years. He is the owner and operator of
ACTION International business coaching
franchise.
Brenda Covert, manager, Business & Industry
Training, went to the seminar last year.
“It was very helpful. I was able to actually
come back to my office and organize the
piles of information on my desk,” said
Covert. “He teaches you how to delegate and
how to defer the items that you can’t get to
right as they come in the door.”
The seminar is based on proven personal
effectiveness and productivity principles
espoused by Steven Covey, author of Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People, and David
Allen, author of Getting Things Done.
Cost is $149 per person. Lunch will be
served.
For more information, download a complete
brochure at: http://www.shawnee.edu.off/uos/bie/shedule.html or please
call 740.351.3171 or toll free at
866.672.8778.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)
SSU grad Eric Goodman selected as
semi-finalist in ‘American Idol for Writers’
(Goodman’s excited about the attention his
novel has received)
Eric Goodman, Shawnee State University alum,
may be on his way to becoming a published
novelist.
Goodman’s novel-in-series, “TRACKS” is one
of the semi-finalists in a contest sponsored
by Simon and Schuster and Gaither.com, which
is becoming known as an “American Idol” for
writers. Simon and Schuster is one of the
top three publishing companies in the world.
“TRACKS” is a novel in stories, set in
Baltimore, the same city in which Goodman
resides. The stories take place on an Amtrak
train that travels from Baltimore to
Chicago. Each story is told from the point
of view of a passenger on the Amtrak train.
Each story of “TRACKS” stands alone but they
connect to form a complete novel. A
secondary character in one story becomes the
central character in the next.
“I like to set my stories and novels in
familiar places,” Goodman said. “I’ve lived
in Baltimore for seven years and expect to
stay here a long time. I’ve put some
characters in downtown Baltimore, the harbor
area, Federal Hill, Fells Point, East
Baltimore, Towson, Owings Mills, all over
the place. There’s a bit of Chicago in
‘TRACKS,’ too. But most of these characters
are from Baltimore.”
Goodman is a full-time writer in the
Baltimore-DC area and writes mostly
government and corporate media material for
a living. He writes fiction in his free
time.
Readers from around the world read, rated
and commented on the second chapters of the
final 20 entries. By advancing to round two,
Goodman’s “TRACKS” was among a group of 20
individuals out of a total of 2,676
manuscripts received.
Though he was not one of the 10
semi-finalists who advanced to the final
round, he is excited about the attention he
received.
“Making it to round two was a way of rising
above America's slush pile to be in the top
half percent of fiction submitted,” Goodman
said. “Now, I expect finding an agent or
publisher will be easier due to this
success.”
While a student at SSU in the mid-ninetieis,
Goodman was a presidential honors scholar
who traveled to Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia as
an ambassador for the university.
Goodman was also an assistant editor for the
student newspaper, The Chronicle. He majored
in social science with a focus on sociology
and a minor in English.
“I have fond memories of my years at Shawnee
State,” Goodman said. “I remember the
literature courses of Dr. Holt, and the
history courses of Dr. Mirabello — many fond
memories, but better left to fictionalized
accounts!”
Goodman published a story in The Baltimore
Review and took third place in the Maryland
Writers’ Associations’ short fiction
contest. Last year he read from his work at
the Baltimore Book Festival at the historic
Patterson Theater. He has also published
short fiction and non-fiction in The
Washington Post, The Federal Voice, On Stage
Magazine, Coliquio, and a number of other
publications.
Goodman has been writing fiction since grade
school and always wanted to be a writer. He
majored in social sciences because he
thought it would help him understand
character motivation and develop story
ideas. He has also worked as a reporter for
a Navy base newspaper and was editor of four
newspapers, two in high school and two at
two different colleges.
Goodman lives with his wife of 13 years and
their 9-year-old daughter and
2-year-old son.
Goodman may not have advanced in the
competition but he already shares a
distinction with famous writers — he was
invited to read from “TRACKS” on NPR on May
4.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Photo and Cutline by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)

SSU celebrates National Nurses Week
To celebrate National Nurses Week, nearly 35
nursing students at Shawnee State University
presented posters on May 7 in the Vern Riffe
Center for the Arts.
Pictured are: Sarah Myers, a first year
student from Wheelersburg, Ohio; Britanni
Yerardi, a first year student from
McDermott, Ohio; and Erin Mulholland, a
second year student originally from
Columbus, Ohio. These students are in the
associate’s program.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
To news directors, editors, producers,
and reporters:
Shawnee State University and South China
Normal University to sign faculty and
student exchange agreement
Shawnee State University officials and a
delegation from South China Normal
University will participate in a ceremony
during which they will sign an historic
faculty and student exchange agreement. The
signing will take place at 11 a.m. in the
Shawnee State University board room in the
Clark Library.
The agreement, the first of its kind in
Ohio, will provide Shawnee State education
students with the opportunity to complete
their student teaching requirement at a
school in China.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)
SSU hosts Environmental Education Day for
local sixth-graders
(Environmental Education Day to educate and
prepare students for the future)
Not only interested in shaping the future of
academic education, Shawnee State University
is also concerned about the environmental
education children are receiving. On May 18
Shawnee State is hosting Environmental
Education Day for local sixth grade
students.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. on the green between the parking lots
across from the SSU University Center.
This will be the third year this event has
been held.
Jon Bedick, Ph.D., assistant professor of
biology and advisor for the Environmental
Club at SSU, believes Environmental
Education Day is a very important tool to
shape the future.
“Many of the most pressing problems of our
time are environmental, including global
warming, species extinctions, oil spills,
recycling, energy and deforestation, among
others,” he said. “An informed public is
imperative so people can make a reasoned
decision.”
The environmental fair is geared toward area
sixth-grade students, including Scioto and
Pike County in Ohio and Greenup County, Ky.
Presenters include community organization
representatives, SSU students and faculty,
as well as faculty and staff from nearby
universities. This year, SSU will welcome
The Ohio State University, the Scioto Soil
and Water Conservation District, the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources and Marshall
University, among other businesses and
organizations.
Logan Minter, SSU senior and president of
the Environmental Club, is presenting
students with information about invertebrate
defenses or invasive exotic species, such as
gypsy moths and emerald ash borers. An
emerald ash borer is an exotic beetle
discovered in southeastern Michigan near
Detroit. The beetle is also indigenous to
Ohio. The gypsy moth is a serious threat to
some of North America's deciduous trees
including maples, oaks and elms.
“Really, the only way the environment can
change is if the future changes,” Minter
explained. “The best way to get the future
to change is to get involved in kids, teach
them about what’s happening and give them
ways to make the world a better place.”
According to Minter, 500 to 700 students
have attended in the past with 100
presenters and volunteers. Typically, there
are nearly 25 exhibits for students to
enjoy. Some exhibits include logging — good
and bad types of logging, plant adaptations,
evasive insects, disturbance in plant
communities and acid rain.
Minter hopes the event inspires and
motivates students.
“We like to think so, we hope so,” he said.
“When the students get to be about 18, 19,
at the college age and voting age — that’s
about the time they’re predicting a lot of
these environmental problems to be really at
the forefront. We hope the kids can
recognize at an early age they can identify
these problems and help, basically as far as
what they want to do in the legal realm
(voting), what they want to do in their
personal realm (recycling) and things like
that.”
For any more information or to provide
assistance for this event, contact Logan
Minter at ssu_eclub@yahoo.com or Jon Bedick
at (740) 351-3469.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Monica J. Bradbury,
communications specialist)
SSU to host Celebration of Scholarship
(Students showcase undergraduate research at
annual conference)
Undergraduate college students are asked to
submit projects in the classroom everyday,
but only a few become the exceptional
research projects worthy of presentation at
Shawnee State University’s Celebration of
Scholarship, the third annual undergraduate
conference on May 17 at SSU.
While other universities have participated
in the past, this year the Celebration of
Scholarship will be exclusively for Shawnee
State students.
“It’s an all-day celebration of Shawnee
State students’ scholarship,” said Shannon
Lawson, M.A.T., assistant professor of
English at SSU and co-chair for the
Celebration of Scholarship committee. “We
have three breakout sessions and there are
several presentations offered at these
times. Students and participants can pick
which ones they want to attend. We have
seven to eight sessions going concurrently.
You have to pick and choose what you want to
see, what you want to hear about.”
The event lasts from 9-3:30 p.m. Oral
presentations will begin at 9 a.m., followed
by welcoming remarks by SSU President Dr.
Rita Rice Morris. At 10:15, the invited
guest, Jennifer Pauley-Gose, Ph.D., will
speak for an hour on “How do I get there
from here? Graduate Writing Groups,
Authority, and the Process of Creating
Scholarship.” There will be a campus cookout
from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of Massie
Hall (weather permitting). At noon, the
first poster and oral presentations session
will begin, followed by another session at 1
p.m. The keynote speaker, Kendra McSweeney,
Ph.D., will present “Last stands in the
rainforest conservationists, native people,
and the fate of biodiversity in Latin
America” from 2 to 3 p.m. The event will end
with the awarding of door prizes from 3:10
to 3:30 p.m.
The Celebration of Scholarship committee
chose Dr. Jennifer Pauley-Gost as the
invited guest and Dr. Kendra McSweeney as
their keynote speaker.
“We wanted to try to bring someone who has
done research in a science area and one in a
humanities area,” Lawson said. “Pauley-Gost
is a graduate of SSU and currently the
interim director of the Writing Center at
Ohio University. She’s going to talk about
how one selects a field of study for a Ph.D.
She’s also been involved in interesting
writing groups.”
When Pauley-Gost was working on her Ph.D.,
she grouped with other candidates to discuss
the challenges they faced. Eventually this
group became more formalized. When she
finished her Ph.D., she became a facilitator
for other candidates at Ohio University.
McSweeney is more of a traditional
scientist, Lawson said. McSweeney has
completed field research in Latin America
and she’s going to share that experience
with the Shawnee State community.
“I think she’ll appeal to students who are
interested in the natural sciences or are
interested in travel or interested in other
cultures,” Lawson said. “I think she’s
bringing slides, so we’ll get to see some
pictures.”
A sample of the oral presentations titles
includes:
· “Modern Slavery”;
· “The Many Faces of Roman Portraiture”;
· “Science Fiction or Science Face: The
Evidence of Global Warming”;
· “AIDS in Africa: A Case for Support”;
· “Femininity and the Self-Portrait:
Examining Ourselves”;
· “Poetry in Middle School”;
· “Various Elements of Jane Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice”; and
· “Mate Selection.”
“Each student had a faculty mentor who was
willing to work with them to prepare the
presentation,” Lawson said. “Students
weren’t required to go out and do a whole
new presentation. They could take something
that they’ve done for a class and use that
as the basis for their presentation.”
Shawnee State’s Celebration of Scholarship
is sponsored by USEC, Churchill and Mary
Hodges, and the Deans of the College of Arts
and Sciences and the College of Professional
Studies and the Provost.
For more information, contact Scott Douthat,
co-chair for the Celebration of Scholarship
committee at (740) 351-3620.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
Shawnee
State University and South China Normal
University sign faculty and student exchange
agreement
(Ohio’s newest public university teams up
with South China Normal University in one of
the world’s oldest countries for a novel
faculty and student exchange program.)

PHOTO CUT LINE: Professor Hu Zhongping,
Dean, College of Educational Faculty, South
China Normal University, looks on as Shawnee
State University President Rita Rice Morris
signs a faculty and student exchange
agreement between the two universities.
Officials from Shawnee State University and
South China Normal University today signed
an historic agreement that will provide for
the exchange of faculty and students who
will have the opportunity to immerse
themselves in another culture while
continuing their academic endeavors.
“What makes this agreement so unique is the
array of options provided to Shawnee State
students and faculty members,” said Shawnee
State University President Rita Rice Morris.
“We wanted to provide as many individuals as
possible with the chance to have an extended
stay in China while being able to pursue
their academic or professional activities.”
Shawnee State students will have the
opportunity to take courses at SCNU in
English or Chinese, and, in a first for
Ohio, education students will be able to
fulfill their student teaching requirements
in China under the guidance of a Chinese
mentor. The students will teach subjects as
they would in Ohio, for Chinese children who
have enrolled in courses taught in English.
Faculty members will be able to teach,
present lectures or collaborate on research
with Chinese colleagues.
South China Normal University is located in
Guangzhou. About 50,000 students attend the
university, which has 16 colleges and 7
departments. Its education sciences
department have a particularly strong
international reputation.
Attending the ceremony representing SCNU
were:
Prof. Hu Zhongping, Dean, College of
Educational Faculty
Prof. Huang Fuquan, Dean of Dept. of
Curriculum and Instruction
Prof. Qiang Haiyan, Dept. of Curriculum and
Instruction
Prof. Liu Zhaohui, Dept. of Curriculum and
Instruction
Michael Field, Shawnee State vice president
for academic affairs and provost, Paul
Madden, chair of the education department,
and John Lorentz, director of Shawnee
State’s Center for International Programs
and Activities, all participated noted the
special experiences the exchange will offer.
“Traveling abroad is great, but having the
opportunity actually to work in another
country, be it studying or teaching,
provides insights and perspective
unavailable to a typical tourist,” said
Field. “We want as many members of the
Shawnee State community to go to China and
come back with experiences that will benefit
them professionally and as members of the
global community.”
Also in attendance at the signing ceremony
were Matthew Colopy, Governor Strickland’s
Advisor on Global Relations, and Eric
Calvert, Assistant Director for
International Education, Ohio Department of
Education.
While in Portsmouth, the SCNU delegation
will tour the world-famous Portsmouth
murals, and dine at the Shawnee State Park
Lodge.
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2007
Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative
Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740)
352-5566
E-mail:
jperez@shawnee.edu
(Article by Rebecca Cox, communications
specialist)

President of the Ohio Children’s
Foundation to speak at SSU graduation
(Shawnee State University Graduation
Commencement to feature Barbara D. Miller as
keynote speaker)
Barbara D. Miller, President of the Ohio
Children’s Foundation, will address the
Shawnee State University class of 2007, and
will discuss “Beyond the degree - giving
back to your world.” Commencement will take
place on Saturday, June 16, at 10 a.m., on
the Alumni Green.
“I am honored and excited about being asked
to speak,” Miller said.
The Ohio Children's Foundation is a
grant-making charity that has awarded more
than $7 million to hundreds of organizations
working to enhance the lives of children and
their families.
Childhood issues have formed the basis for
much of Miller’s work, both professionally
and as a volunteer. She founded VOICES for
Children and Families in 1997, a nonprofit
organization addressing a wide variety of
children’s issues.
Miller said improving the lives of children
through policy and philanthropy has been her
greatest accomplishment.
Beginning her career in New Jersey, she was
the first executive director of the New
Jersey Children’s Trust Fund.
Securing sizeable contributions to education
comprises a considerable amount of Miller’s
work. She led a 60-member coalition of
representatives from child-serving agencies
and public schools that established Pre-K
Partners, a school-readiness initiative
which has impacted nearly 25,000
kindergartners and their families over the
last four years.
Miller has been an active member of numerous
nonprofit boards, including the Caring
Program for Children, Cities in Schools of
Columbus, Columbus State Community College
Development Foundation and the Central Ohio
Breathing Association.
Her volunteer work earned Miller the
President’s Award from the Junior League of
Columbus in 1995.
Miller is also involved in projects for the
betterment of her community. She raised more
than $2 million in public and private funds
for school-readiness programs in six school
districts in Franklin County.
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