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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by Jennifer Moorhead, communications coordinator-Office of Communications)
Shawnee State University graduates recognized
The following
graduates received outstanding achievement awards from the
department of fine, digital, and performing arts:
The following
graduates received outstanding graduate awards from the department
of natural sciences:
The following graduates received outstanding graduate awards from the department of social sciences:
The following graduates received outstanding graduate awards in the department of business:
The following graduates received awards for excellence from the
department of English and humanities:
The following
students received recognition from the department of athletics:
The following students received awards of excellence from the department of mathematics:
The following students received awards as honored graduates from the department of teacher education:
The Children’s
Learning Center, a state-of-the-art lab school affiliated with the
department of teacher education, awarded Bronywn Sites, of Jackson,
the Children’s Learning Center “SPIRIT” award. The SSU alumni
association awarded Patricia Moore, of McDermott, a 1988 SSU
graduate with an associate degree in science, the Silver Star Alumni
award. Moore, who now holds a master’s degree in education, is
director of the office of financial aid at SSU. Ray Musser, of
Portsmouth, a 2003 SSU graduate with a Bachelor of science in
business administration with a concentration in accounting, received
the Alumnus of Tomorrow award. The Student Success Center awarded
Jimmy Nichols, of Garrison, Ky., and Dorothy Marder, of Portsmouth,
the Tutoring Appreciation award. Student Support Services awarded
John Lute, of Wheelersburg, the 2003 Outstanding Participant award.
The student government association recognized Tracey Leo, of
Pemberville; Eric Marit, of West Alexandria; and Terri Wallace, of
Portsmouth, as outstanding members. SSU, graduating 524
students this year, offers more than 80 bachelor’s and associate
degree programs in areas such as the arts, English and humanities,
mathematical sciences, social sciences, teacher education, business
administration, natural sciences, and industrial and engineering
technologies. SSU has one of the lowest tuition rates among Ohio’s
public universities, and offers reduced in-district rates to
eligible students in Kentucky and West Virginia. For more
information, call (740) 351-3221.
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SSU student Nateasia Baker, right, accepts the award as the Outstanding AHANA member award for 2003 from fellow AHANA member Khalila Outar at the Evening of Honors ceremony in March. The African-American, Hispanic, and Native America campus organization celebrates cultural diversity. SSU Student Receives Award from Cultural Diversity Club Shawnee State University (SSU) English and humanities major Nateasia Baker, 21, of Cincinnati, is one person who makes a difference. The president of the SSU African-American, Hispanic, and Native American (AHANA) club, an organization created in 1990 for culturally diverse students to bond together while improving the college and local communities, was recently named the Outstanding AHANA student for the school year ending in spring 2003 to honor the significant contributions she made to the AHANA club. “I was given this award by the members of AHANA, but as president, you don’t expect to be given things like this,” said Baker. “I just assumed the responsibilities of the position, and I think people responded to that. I am really not focused on winning awards--we are more interested in working together as a team to create something we are all proud of.” Since joining AHANA during her sophomore year in 2000, Baker has helped the club experience one of the largest periods of growth in its 13-year history, gaining membership, and also hosting activities for both the students and the community. “When I first came to school at SSU, I heard about AHANA from some friends,” said Baker. “When I decided to get involved, membership was extremely low and we had almost no funds whatsoever. The members that were in the group worked very hard to improve and promote AHANA, and now we are seeing the rewards of the hard work in the fact that AHANA is now a strong club.” AHANA will be even stronger next year, as Baker and her fellow members will be even more active than ever. The activities for next year will feature community-based programs such as volunteering at local community centers, homeless shelters, and visiting nursing homes; while students will be able to experience programs such as talent shows, basketball competitions, and fashion shows. “We will be in the community even stronger this year,” said Baker. “We are working on programs now that will let the university community know who we are and what we are about. We are going to be a vital force in the community.” According to Matt Matthews, coordinator of multicultural affairs and AHANA adviser, Baker is the perfect selection for this award and a great leader for the club members to follow. “Baker is a natural leader,” said Matthews. “Her ability to lead from the front and to get the most out of her fellow students is really what separates her from her peers. She also cares a lot about her fellow students and the people around her. She is a true student advocate.” Baker was recognized for the award at the SSU Evening of Honors program in May where fellow AHANA member Khalila Outar presented Baker with a plaque. For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-4778. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications) Volunteers
and sponsors needed for Sponsors and volunteers are needed for the Scioto County Habitat for Humanity Fourth of July celebration. “We began the event last year as a fund-raiser and it was tremendously popular,” said Charlie Bayless, of Wheelersburg, an event organizer. “We are hoping to get even more people to come out this year. It is really an event that the whole of Scioto County and its surrounding area can go to and experience a fun time for the entire family.” Included in the day’s festivities, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 4 at the Scioto County Fairgrounds, will be an antique and classic car show, also including tractors, fire trucks and equipment, and monster trucks; children’s games with prizes, balloons, and a clown; live country music; food; and more. Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization, helps provide better living arrangements for those in need. “A lot of people want to help but they don’t know how to get involved,” said Bayless. “Just by coming to the celebration, they are helping people in their communities–people they might see down the street or even their neighbors. There will be plenty to see and do at the celebration, but it is the help you give that makes all the difference.” Tickets for the Habitat for Humanity Fourth of July celebration are $3 for adults; $1 for students; and admission is free to children 5 and under. For more information, call Bayless at (740) 574-6567. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications) Historical Oral Presentation to Visit SSU
With each new county that “From Here: A Century of Voices from
Ohio” visits, a special chapter, relating specifically to an
important historical event that occurred in the area, is added to
the performance by a playwright who accompanies the show.
“From Here,” an oral presentation of local and regional Ohio
history, will visit Shawnee State University’s (SSU) Vern Riffe
Center for the Arts (VRCFA) on September 12, 13, and 14. The
presentation will include an act written specifically for Scioto
County about the 1937 Ohio River flood.
“There were 37 communities selected to host presentations of
‘From Here,’ and Scioto County was lucky enough to be one of
them,” said John Lorentz, Ph.D., professor of history and director
of the Center for International Programs and Activities at SSU, and
the event organizer. “It is very exciting to have ‘From Here’
coming here, because Scioto County is historically a very important
part of Ohio. This will help promote the history of the area and the
state to the people of Portsmouth.”
Promoting the history of the area is something that is not new to
Lorentz, who co-produced a documentary with his son, Nathan Lorentz,
entitled, “River Voices,” about the 1937 Ohio River flood. The
documentary is the basis for the local section of the play that will
be included in the script.
“In order to localize each performance of ‘From Here,’ a
significant amount of research has to be collected and oral
histories have to be taken,” said Lorentz. “With the work that
Nathan and I had done on ‘River Voices,’ the groundwork was
already in place. The Wallpaper Project saw what he had and liked
it, and decided that it would make a good part of their
production.”
Area actors are also added to the roster at each destination to
perform the local scenes.
The Wallpaper Project, the producer of “From Here,” is a
project supported by the Ohio Humanities council and, since its
inception in 1997, has been the only ongoing oral history
performance in the state of Ohio. “From Here,” the 2003 version
of the Wallpaper Project, will be the first to visit Portsmouth.
Lorentz was pleased with the request to include his research from
“River Voices.”
“They called and asked if they could use the information we
had gathered on the event, and we were delighted,” said Lorentz.
“They sent it off to their playwright, who will write in the local
part of the show, and the rest is history.”
A photography exhibition will also appear in the Appleton Gallery in
the VRCFA on dates corresponding the showings. Split into two
sections, the show will feature a photographic history of the 1937
flood, and also a collection of historical photos of the people of
Portsmouth.
“Ariana Lindquist, a master’s student from Ohio
University, is working on the photography exhibition as part of her
master’s degree in photography thesis,” said Lorentz. “The
professor from Ohio University that is helping her is a former
photographer for National Geographic, so we can be sure that the
exhibit, along with ‘From Here,’ is going to be something
special for the people of Portsmouth and the SSU community.”
For more information about the presentation, call (740) 351-3127. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by Jennifer Moorhead, communications coordinator-Office of Communications) Silent auction items
ready to go for
The 15th annual President’s Gala, a dinner and dance that will be
held at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, in SSU’s University Center
with KellyReds and the HammerHeads providing entertainment, is a
major fund-raiser for SSU with all proceeds benefiting the
university.
SSU, graduating 526 students this June, offers more than 80
bachelor’s and associate degree programs in areas such as the
arts, English and humanities, mathematical sciences, natural
science, social sciences, teacher education, business
administration, industrial and engineering technologies, and health
sciences. SSU has one of the lowest tuition rates among Ohio’s
public universities, and offers in-state tuition rates to eligible
students in Kentucky.
In other words, the President’s Gala benefits a very worthwhile
cause and the silent auction, new this year, will hopefully create
even more success, according to Susan Warsaw, executive director of
the SSU development foundation.
“The generosity displayed by all who donated gifts and services to
the silent auction is overwhelming,” said Warsaw.
Proceeds from the silent auction will go toward the creation of a
purchase award fund, which will award financial prizes to students
whose art is selected to become part of the university’s permanent
collection.
Anyone who wishes to submit an absentee bid for the silent auction
items may call the SSU development office at (740) 351-3284. Bidders
must specify what item they are bidding on and what is their highest
bid. Absentee bidders will be required to give credit card
information.
The following is a complete listing of auction items: 1. Jim Kadel:
Air tour of Portsmouth and fly-over of your home in a sport two-seat
airplane; 2. Grace Martin and Mary Martin: Traditional southern tea
at Grace’s home with 20 guests to enjoy an afternoon of delectable
treats; 3. Jan Gerken at Gabby’s: “His and her haircuts;” 4.
Cay Roberts, former interim president of SSU, and her husband, Dick
Roberts: French dinner for eight at your home; 5. Diane Field and
Gail Roberts: round trip rides to either the Cincinnati or Columbus
airports. 6. Jo and John Thatcher with chef’s assistant William
McKinley: Country Cookin’ for eight at the Thatcher’s; 7. Mickey
and Susan Warsaw: Up to six hours of babysitting; 8. Donna Chabot:
Elegant summer picnic for four; 9. Design consultants Lisa Coriell
and Gina Chabot: Design make-over offering their services to
including design arrangement, color scheme, and suggestions on
furniture and accessories, to make over a room in your home; 10.
Donald Reeves, licensed massage therapist: Couple’s in-home
massage therapy.
Also, 11. Denise Gregory, Human Resources technician at SSU: Four
seasonal pies for all four seasons; 12. Terry Hapney, director of
communications and assistant to the president at SSU, owner of The
Hitman Productions, a mobile disc jockey service: Three hours of
disc jockey services; 13. Wid and Elinda Boyles, director of
personnel at SSU: Certificate for 10 two-piece Chester Fried
Chicken; 14. Vivian Robson, associate professor of theater and a
certified Alexander Technique teacher: One-hour Alexander Technique
lesson; 15. Southern Ohio Medical Center LIFE CENTER: one-year
membership; 16. The SSU Clark Memorial Library staff: Breakfast for
15 with delivery for an office coffee break in the Portsmouth area;
17. Deborah Jewett, licensed massage therapist: Message therapy
session for one hour; 18. Trudy Bostick, a senior instructor of
mathematical sciences at SSU and accomplished caricaturist: a
caricature; 19. Dennis and Dawn Scott Little: Kentucky Speedway in
Warsaw, Ky., trip for two with the choice of either the NASCAR Busch
Series “Meijer 300” or the Indy Racing League “Belterra Casino
Indy 300”; 20. Martha Rader, dean of the college of professional
studies at SSU: Four one-gallon containers of winter soups.
The President’s Gala will serve as a welcome to SSU’s newly
appointed president, Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., and her husband, Jim
Morris. The public is invited to attend the gala, according to
Warsaw. Tickets are $100 per person. Invitations should be
requested.
Members of the 2003 President’s Gala planning committee are Gina
Chabot, Diane Field, Cynthia Jenkins, Dawn Scott Little, Jodi Rahal,
Kelly Raise, Janis Waller, and Susan Warsaw.
For more information call the SSU development office at (740)
351-3284. #
# #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- SSU Board of
Trustees The Shawnee State University (SSU) Board of Trustees will meet Thursday, June 12 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 Contact: E- (Article by Jennifer Moorhead, communications coordinator-Office of Communications) SSU Children’s
Learning Center Holds Graduation Ceremony Twenty-nine proud
preschool students from Shawnee State University’s Children’s
Learning Center (CLC) received their preschool diplomas at the 2003
Superstar Celebration graduation ceremony held May 21 at the CLC.
The kindergarten-bound students were given certificates and pencils
from their teachers, entertained the audience with songs, and
enjoyed cookies and punch after commencement. SSU teacher assistants
who graduate this spring were also honored at the celebration. The
CLC is a state-of-the-art lab school affiliated with the SSU
department of teacher education. Children, ages 3 to 5 years old who
are potty trained, may be enrolled for 2 to 5 days per week. For
more information, call (740) 351-3252. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- SSU RELEASES THE
DEAN'S LIST Michael Field, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affair at Shawnee State University (SSU), has announced the dean's list for the winter 2003 quarter. To be named to the list, individuals must be full-time and achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or better. Students named are: OHIO BEAVER CHESAPEAKE FRANKLIN FURNACE FRIENDSHIP GALLIPOLIS IRONTON JACKSON LUCASVILLE MANCHESTER McARTHUR MCDERMOTT MINFORD NEW BOSTON OTWAY PEDRO PATRIOT PEEBLES PIKETON PORTSMOUTH/ WEST PORTSMOUTH PROCTORVILLE RARDEN SEAMAN SOUTH POINT SOUTH WEBSTER STOUT WAVERLY WATERLOO WEST UNION WINCHESTER WHEELERSBURG KENTUCKY ASHLAND FLATWOODS GARRISON GRAYSON GREENUP RUSSELL SOUTH SHORE VANCEBURG # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by Jennifer Moorhead, communications coordinator-Office of Communications)
Jim
Flavin, Ph.D., English professor at Shawnee State University, works
on an English paper with SSU student Abigail Watson of Cincinnati.
Flavin was presented SSU’s Distinguished Teaching Award, an
award that recognizes faculty members for outstanding classroom
teaching. Flavin
presented Shawnee State University’s
Jim Flavin, Ph.D., professor of English at Shawnee State
University (SSU), takes his job very seriously and it shows. His
colleagues recognize it, his students experience it, and his
supervisors appreciate it.
“I like the challenge of getting students to read
literature and write,” said Flavin, who came to SSU in 1983. “I
want them to talk and think about literature. I want them to talk
and think about writing.”
For his commitment and dedication to SSU students, Flavin
recently received the prestigious SSU Distinguished Teaching Award,
an award that recognizes faculty members for outstanding classroom
teaching, according to Nicholas Meriwether, Ph.D., SSU associate
professor of philosophy and president of the Educational Policies
and Curriculum Committee (EPCC), which chooses the recipients of the
award.
“It is quite an honor,” said Flavin.
Jerry Holt, Ph.D., dean of the SSU college of arts and
sciences, and Timothy Scheurer, Ph.D., chair of the SSU department
of English and humanities, both respect and admire Flavin as a
professor.
“Jim Flavin is one of the most dynamic presences I have
ever seen in the classroom,” said Holt. “He involves his
students in the works under consideration in ways that create worlds
heretofore unsuspected for them. I have seen him teach subjects
ranging from Irish literature to Native American studies; whatever
the material, Jim’s students emerge as if from a deeply-involved
and thoroughly informative journey.”
Scheurer, who nominated Flavin for the award, echoes Holt’s
sentiments.
“Dr. Flavin is a dedicated and hard working teacher in the
classroom,” said Scheurer. “He takes his class preparation
seriously and demands the very best from his students. He is known
for his rigorous standards in the classroom, yet students are quick
to note that he cares about them, he listens to them, and is willing
to help them as much as he can and as much as they want.”
It is always about the students, said Flavin, who took five
SSU students from his Native American literature course to the Great
Plains, the Black Hills, and the Badlands, in South Dakota and
Nebraska, over spring break. The trip was made possible through the
Betty and James Hodgden Fund, established to provide students and
faculty members the opportunity to travel together.
“We get a student whom we can have a tremendous impact on,”
said Flavin. “People look at the graduates we put out there. That
is how we build our reputation. The success of Shawnee depends on
the students.”
In addition, Flavin is actively involved in hiring faculty
members, making curriculum revisions when necessary, and
volunteering to serve on various committees. He also proposed and
defended the four-year English and humanities degree to the Ohio
Board of Regents and served as chair of the department of English
and humanities from 1985 to 1989.
“Just this past year alone he has served on our
departmental promotion screening committee, our writing program
oversight committee, a committee formed to review departmental
hiring needs, and he continues to serve as our Shawnee Education
Association representative,” said Scheurer. “I am not
exaggerating when I say that without Jim, the task of shepherding
these initiatives through the department and the university would
have been much more difficult and they might not have come to
fruition.”
Candidates for the SSU Distinguished Teaching Award,
established in 1995, are nominated in the fall and winter quarters.
One candidate is then selected by the EPCC, said Meriwether.
“However, there is no requirement that the EPCC give the
award,” said Meriwether. “The candidate must truly deserve the
award, that is, be an outstanding instructor.”
Upon nomination, the candidate places a file with his
teaching evaluations and curriculum vita on reserve at the SSU Clark
Memorial Library where EPCC members review the file, and then make a
decision at a meeting during spring quarter on whether or not to
award the candidate the honor, said Meriwether.
Past recipients of the award are: Tom Stead, MFA, chair of
the SSU fine, digital, and performing arts department, 1996; Jeffrey
Bauer, Ph.D., professor of geology, 1997; Patric Leedom, Ph.D.,
associate professor of teacher education, 2000; Julia Basham,
professor of biology, 2001; and John Lorentz, Ph.D., professor of
history and director of the Center for International Programs and
Activities, 2002. Flavin’s name will be inscribed on the plaque,
located in the office of the provost in Massie Hall, that honors the
recipients.
Originally from Kansas, Flavin received his doctoral degree
from Miami University in Oxford. He received bachelor’s and master’s
degrees from Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Before moving to
Ohio, Flavin taught in South Dakota and Missouri. He and his wife,
Louise, an English professor at Raymond Walters College, a branch of
the University of Cincinnati in Blue Ash, Ohio, were married in 1972
and reside in Georgetown, Ohio.
For 21 years Flavin has traveled east to Scioto County, home
of SSU. In the beginning, he did not plan to stay. Then, in 1986,
Shawnee State Community College became Shawnee State University—a
change that piqued his interest.
“I wanted to be involved in the transition,” said Flavin.
“I wanted to help.”
So far, Flavin is pleased with the results.
“We have a good, credentialed faculty,” said Flavin.
With role models like Flavin, said Scheurer, SSU is well on
its way to becoming a great institution.
“He is a role model for our faculty in his dedication to
the work of the department and in his commitment to making Shawnee
State a great university,” said Scheurer.
Holt could not agree more.
“Jim Flavin is one of our best, and is richly deserving of
the SSU Distinguished Teaching Award,” said Holt.
For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-4778. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications)
Elona Musha, Shawnee
State University (SSU) visualist degree graduate with an animation
minor, received the SSU fine, digital, and performing arts
department’s Outstanding Achievement in Visualist-Imaging Track
award presented by Greg Lyons, SSU Senior Art Instructor, at the SSU
Evening of Honors. Musha, of Albania, was recently selected to
attend the Texas A&M University visualization sciences
master’s program this fall. SSU Grad Selected for Prestigious Grad School It
is called the American Dream–the belief that if a person works
hard, has talent, and strives to achieve, he or she will become
successful. This ideology, however, is not limited to Americans.
Albanian-born Elona Musha, Shawnee State University (SSU)
visualist degree graduate with an animation minor, was recently
selected to attend the prestigious Texas A&M University
visualization sciences master’s program, and she will begin
attending classes there in the fall. According to Musha, the program
is just the next step on the path to achieving her dream of success
in the field of animation.
“I applied to six graduate schools, but A&M was my
first choice,” said Musha, whose mother and father were employed
as a schoolteacher and a physician, respectively, in Albania. “One
of my instructors, Greg Lyons, who teaches animation and computer
art at SSU, knew I had an interest in a master’s degree and
recommended the school to me. It is one of the top programs in the
country, and I am excited about going there.”
Musha was raised in Albania, a country of 3.5 million people
located on the Adriatic Sea, and considered seeking tertiary
education in Europe. However, Musha found out about SSU when she met
Vivian Robson, associate professor of theater at SSU, who instructed
her sister in college. Robson, who was in Bulgaria teaching theater
at the American University, offered the younger Musha a place to
live while studying in the United States and finds the success of
her young protégé as no surprise.
“She is such a tireless, talented, and diligent worker. It
has been fascinating to have her in my home for the past four
years,” said Robson. “She has sacrificed so much in order to
attend SSU--she has been isolated from her family and her
culture--and it is just very rewarding for her to see these
sacrifices pay off.” For Musha, the United States offered two things–the market for animation and computer art and the technical expertise and equipment to prepare her for the job market, which, regardless of the continent, will help her in the future. “The Albanian universities are good institutions, but they do not have the money to handle the changing speed of computer technology,” said Musha. “From that standpoint, it just made more sense to come over to the United States to study and learn. People sometimes don’t realize how fortunate they are to have access to cutting-edge technology here.” For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-4778. # # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications)
Shawnee State University graduates spend some time with SSU President Rita Rice Morris, second left, at the Kente cloth ceremony held at SSU on June 5. From left, Shondrika Merritt, of Cleveland; Hui Suk Jones, of Portsmouth; and Falilatu Busari, of Dayton, were three of the 15 students who participated in the ceremony. Mother and daughter Shawnee State University (SSU) graduates Cynthia Greene and Cyneca Greene, of Portsmouth, took part in the Kente cloth ceremony on June 5. SSU has held the ceremony that recognizes cultural diversity for the past 13 years. Kente
cloth ceremony recognizes diverse cultures Graduation
is often a time of great pride: pride in oneself for achieving a
life-long goal, pride in the institution from which one is
graduating, and pride in one’s heritage.
For
the past 13 years, Shawnee State University (SSU) has been
recognizing the latter, holding a traditional Kente cloth ceremony,
where graduates are awarded hand-woven scarves to wear at
graduation, representing their cultural diversity. “Graduation
is a time when people want their achievements and their cultures to
be recognized,” said Matt Matthews, SSU’s coordinator of
multicultural student affairs. “The cultural groups at SSU have
often been small populations in relation to the size of the student
body, and in the past they have felt underserved and unrecognized.
The Kente ceremony is more than just a cloth to wear at
graduation--it is a visual representation of one’s heritage and
success in academic studies.” Fifteen
SSU graduates were honored during this year’s Kente ceremony, held
on June 5. Representing their African-American heritage were
students Falilatu Busari, of Dayton, who earned a Bachelor of
science in business administration; Hibret Ellos, of Columbus, who
earned a Bachelor of science in individualized studies; Donald Estis,
of Portsmouth, who earned a Bachelor of science in sports
studies/management; Cyneca T. Greene, of Portsmouth, who earned a
Bachelor of science in business administration; Cynthia D. Greene,
of Portsmouth, who earned a Bachelor of arts in social sciences;
Shondrika Merritt, of Cleveland, who earned a Bachelor of science in
business administration; Carla Womack, of Portsmouth, who earned an
associate in applied science degree in early childhood development;
and Barbara Robinson, of Portsmouth, who earned a Bachelor of
science in early childhood development.
Representing
their Native American heritage were students Michael Gillispie, of
Frazier’s Bottom, W.Va., who earned a Bachelor of science in
radiology technology; Jody Gray, of Stout, who earned a Bachelor of
science in nursing; and Troy McCall, of Portsmouth, who earned an
associate of applied science degree in engineering technology. Representing
their Hispanic heritage were Sarah Shively, of Stout, who graduated
with an associate in applied science degree in physical therapy;
Jade Stincer, of Marietta, who graduated with a Bachelor of science
in business administration; and Maria Temple, of Portsmouth, who
graduated with a Bachelor of arts in social studies. Hui
Suk Jones, of Portsmouth, who graduated with a Bachelor of science
in business administration, represented the Asia-Pacific region. Eight
of the graduates were also recognized for achieving a 3.0 or better
cumulative grade point average at the ceremony. Those who received
certificates recognizing their academic success were Gray, Jones,
McCall, Shively, Stincer, Temple, Womack, and Robinson.
The Kente ceremony, which originated in Ghana, Africa, in the
17th century as a symbol of affiliation with a clan or
group, has grown to encompass many different affiliations, such as
nationalities, fraternal organizations, and religions. According to
Matthews, the cloths are an excellent way of representing something
that one feels strongly about. “The multicultural student affairs office, formerly the office of minority affairs at SSU, first began the Kente ceremony in 1990, the companies that produced Kente cloths were predominantly making cloths with African-American colors,” said Matthews. “Now they are diverse and have expanded the opportunity to celebrate cultures by manufacturing a variety of cloths, allowing us to recognize more people. There are a wide variety of heritages and they all deserve to be recognized.” For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-3221. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications) Scioto
County 4th of July Celebration
The Scioto County Habitat for
Humanity will host the second annual July4 th celebration from 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. that day at the Scioto County Fairgrounds. With
various activities including a car show, live entertainment, a
children’s carnival, a magician, and food and drinks, as well as
historic displays and vendor booths, the event will be fun for the
entire family, according to one of the event organizers, Charlie
Bayless.
“We began the event last year as a fundraiser and it was
tremendously popular,” said Bayless. “We are hoping to get even
more people to come out this year. It really is an event that
everyone in Scioto County and surrounding areas can go to and
experience a fun time for the entire family.”
Scioto County Habitat for Humanity,
the local branch of Habitat International and the host of the event,
is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing more
comfortable living arrangements for those living in substandard
housing. All of the
money raised by the celebration will be directed towards improving
or building homes for the needy in the Scioto County area, a process
that requires a significant amount of money, according to Bayless.
“Our first project started in 1999 and involved a house on Charles
Street in Portsmouth that was donated to us,” said Bayless. “We
found a family in desperate need that could meet the necessary
requirements for selection and we began rehabilitating the house.
That was four years ago, and we have been working ever since, with
our current project located on 20th Street in Portsmouth.
It is a long process to restore or build a house, and it
costs quite a bit of money, but in the end, it is all worth it,
especially for the people we help.”
Bayless believes that the celebration will be an excellent
opportunity to not only have a great time with family and friends,
but also to help the Scioto County area improve itself--something
that all people from this area should want to do, even if they
don’t know how.
“A lot of people want to help but they don’t know how,” said
Bayless. “Just by coming to the July 4th celebration they are
helping people in their communities--people they might see down the
street or even their next door neighbors. There will be plenty to
see and do at the celebration, but it is the help you give that
makes all the difference. We
currently need people who are interested in serving on our board of
directors or who can help on July 4th at the fairgrounds.”
Spaces for anyone interested in setting up an historic display are
provided free of charge. If
you wish to set up a vendor booth, for quality arts and crafts only,
there is a $35 charge.
Other sponsors of the event, in addition to Habitat for Humanity,
include Shawnee State University, Southern Ohio Medical Center,
AutoMania, CDR Radio, Charter One Savings Bank, Desco Federal Credit
Union, Glockners, Gahm’s Car and Truck Parts, Hospice of Southern
Ohio, Hurt Candy Company, Lamar Advertising, Estep Sporting Goods,
Life Ambulance, Market Street Hardware, O’Mally’s Pub and Grill,
Ohio River Valley Juvenile Correctional Facility, Pepsi, Krogers,
OSCO, Scioto Shoe Mart, Phil Malone, Pictures by Jim Fridenmaker,
Scioto County Fair Board, Scioto County Sheriff’s Deputies, Sunoco
Chemicals, Scioto Voice, The Community Common, Tim Horton’s, WHCP-TV,
Vaughter’s Auto Center, WSAZ NewsChannel 3, WLGC Radio, WNXT
Radio, Wendy’s, and Wagner Rental.
Habitat for Humanity 4th of July ticket prices are: Adults $3,
students $1, and children 5 and under are admitted free of charge.
For more information, contact Bayless at (740) 574-6567. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications)
Debra Wade, 43, of
Hillsboro, a Shawnee State University graduate, discusses her
painting displayed at the SSU student art exhibit in the Appleton
Gallery at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts. Wade was awarded a
fellowship to Western Michigan University where she will continue
her education. SSU Student Offered MFA Fellowship When Debra Wade of Hillsboro sets her mind to something, it usually happens. The Shawnee State University (SSU) bachelor of fine arts graduate aimed her sights several years ago at achieving a master of fine arts degree and she is one step closer to that dream, having recently been offered a fellowship at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich., to complete her desired course of study. “When I started college, I decided I wanted to go the whole nine yards,” said Wade, who graduated from SSU this June with a degree in painting. “Ever since then I have been working towards that goal. About two years ago, I began preparing applications for various graduate programs and, after sending them in, I was offered a fellowship at Western Michigan which I accepted.” The fellowship, which pays full tuition throughout the course of study, is significant as only three vacancies were open in the art department overall and only one fellowship was offered, with hundreds of applicants for both. “It is quite an honor to be selected, particularly considering the talent of the competition and the fact that so few were selected,” said Wade. “This is a fantastic opportunity to pursue my dream to be an artist. I have put in a tremendous amount of work and it is rewarding to see it come to fruition.” While it may seem as if Wade’s success has arrived in a hurry, it did not. Wade, 43, studied opera directly after graduating from high school in 1978. Wade’s passion was not music, however, and she left her studies to enter the workforce, before eventually re-enrolling at SSU in 1998. “Opera was something my parents wanted me to do,” said Wade. “My heart was not in it. I had been doing art in some form or another from the age of three and the calling was extremely strong. I could not be happier with my decision to pursue an arts degree now.” With success comes sacrifice, and Wade is well aware of this fact. Wade is a mother and a wife, and in order to accept the fellowship, she has had to relocate her family, consisting of her husband, Steven, and son, Zachary, 8. Wade also has another son and daughter, James, 19, and Danielle, 17, who will remain in college in Ohio. “It is very difficult, and we have certainly had a strain put on the family,” said Wade. “But I still believe a career is worth having and, if anything, it has pushed me forward even more. We will make it work.” With all of the study that she has completed, it is obvious that Wade enjoys learning. “I am not going to stop at the fellowship,” said Wade. “I plan on pursuing a doctorate and then embarking on a career, hopefully, as a nationally- and internationally-recognized artist.” One of Wade’s mentors, Lane Raiser, associate professor of art at SSU, believes that these goals are certainly attainable. “Debra is certainly talented enough, but it is her determination that sets her apart from other students,” said Raiser, who, along with other faculty members, selected Wade for the SSU 2003 Outstanding Achievement in Painting award. “ She simply outworks the competition. I believe she is capable of achieving a successful career in this industry.”
The
bachelor of fine arts degree at SSU has the following
concentrations: visualist, studio arts, art education, ceramics,
drawing, photography, and painting. Minors in music and theater are
also offered. For more information about the bachelor of fine arts degree or SSU, call the office of admission at (800) 959-2SSU or visit SSU’s website at www.shawnee.edu. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications) Southern Ohio Light Opera to perform at SSU
The Southern Ohio Light Opera (SOLO) will present the Johann
Strauss, Jr. classic “Die Fledermaus” on July 9, 11, and 12 at
7:30 p.m. in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State
University (SSU). The
performance, which depicts a tenor named Alfred competing with
Gabriel Von Eisenstein for the love of a former flame, Rosalinde,
combines humor, good fellowship and love, and is a celebration of
the Romantic period. Saundra
Wheeler, president of the board of director’s for SOLO, believes
that the show will be even more spectacular due to the presence of
Faith Esham as the lead female character Rosalinde.
“Faith is a Grammy award-winning opera singer from
Vanceburg, Ky.,” said Wheeler. “ She is the daughter of two
Portsmouth musicians, and to have her in the area for a performance
is special.”
While Esham is an extremely talented local performer, she is
certainly not the only one. “Die Fledermaus” has several cast
members from the local area, including Jonathon Burton, as Alfred;
Stanley Workman, also artistic director, as Gabriel Von Eisenstein;
and Corey Crider, as Dr. Falke. “SOLO
gives local performers the opportunity to perform on stage, which is
a great benefit to them and to the community,” said Wheeler. “It
is also a cultural benefit to Portsmouth-there is not a lot of
cultural activity during the summer, so this is something the entire
family can go to and expand their horizons.” Tickets,
available at the VRCFA McKinley Box Office, are $21 for adults and
$19.50 for students and seniors. For more information, call (740)
351-3600. Patron seating is available for $50 a person and includes the
opening night dinner on July 9 at 6 p.m., and attendance at the cast
party on July 13 at 4 p.m. For
more information, call Wheeler at (740) 353-5044. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications)
Shawnee State University (SSU) plastics engineering technology students Thomas Brower, second left, of Waverly, and Adam Toft, third left, of Wheelersburg, both were awarded Society of Plastics Engineer's Miami Valley student grant awards. Only five students in the Miami Valley area were awarded the $1,000 scholarships. On hand at the presentation were Don Keyes, first left, education chair of the Miami Valley section of Society of Plastics Engineers, and David Finlow, Ph.D., assistant professor of plastics engineering technology at SSU. SSU offers the only four-year plastics engineering technology degree in the state of Ohio. SSU Plastics Engineering Technology Students Claim SPE Awards
Adam Toft of Wheelersburg and Thomas Brower of Waverly, two Shawnee
State University (SSU) plastics engineering technology students, were
recently awarded Society of Plastics Engineer’s Miami Valley student grant
awards.
The pair of $1,000 scholarships was given to the SSU students from only five
available for the entire Miami Valley area. According to David Finlow,
Ph.D., associate professor of plastics engineering technology at SSU, the
notification that two SSU students had received grant awards came as quite a
pleasant surprise.
“It was
quite a shock,” said Finlow, who accompanied the students to the awards
banquet at Miami University on April 3. “We encourage all of our students
to apply for grants and awards, and two of our more exceptional students
did. It is an amazing achievement, particularly considering that the Miami
Valley area is comprised of several large universities, and yet we walked
away with two of five awards.”
The award
is not only indicative of the quality of the students at SSU, but also a
true indicator of the quality of the plastics engineering technology
program. According to Finlow, the program is the premier one of its kind in
the state.
“A lot of
people don’t even know that we have plastics engineering technology at
SSU,” said Finlow. “But we are unique in the fact that we have the only
four-year plastics engineering technology degree in the state of Ohio.
Awards like this will certainly gain us recognition in the plastics
industry, and hopefully we can build on the success of the program.”
Meanwhile
both Brower, a junior who plans to become a plastics mold or part designer
upon graduation, and Toft, a junior who is pursuing a job in polymer
research and development, are continuing to build on their already strong
work in the field of engineering. The two will be interning during the
summer for Battelle, an engineering and technology firm in Columbus that
generates almost $1 billion in revenue per year. That said, Brower continues
to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground.
“I feel
pretty good. I mean, who doesn’t like having an extra $1,000 to spend?”
said Brower. “On top of that, I have an internship this summer, I made
some new contacts, I have an award list on my résumé, and, to top it all
off, they served me steak and potatoes at the awards banquet. I am pretty
happy.”
For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-4778. #
# # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications) SSU Director of
General Education Named
A chemistry professor at Shawnee State University (SSU) was elected
for a two-year term as president of the National Association for
General and Liberal Studies (AGLS), an organization that promotes
general and liberal education. Robert
Mauldin, Ph.D., is also director of the SSU general education
program (GEP), a series of classes designed to give students a broad
and diverse learning experience in addition to a focus on their
major. “This
was certainly unexpected, but I am very honored to be president of
the AGLS,” said Mauldin. “In late 1997, I was approached by Dr.
Jim Miller, chair of the department of social sciences at SSU, who
was the coordinator of the GEP at that time, to take over SSU’s
program. At that time, we were in the process of reviewing the GEP,
so I searched for an organization that might have people willing to
serve as external reviewers, and that was the AGLS.” During
the fall of 1998, Mauldin attended an AGLS conference in St. Louis
and gained so much from the experience, he has gone back each year. Through
attending the conferences, Mauldin has met John Gottcent, of the
University of Southern Indiana, and John Hinni, Ph.D., of Southeast
Missouri State University, who nominated Mauldin for the role of
president of AGLS. Both men have served as resources for Mauldin as
he continued to work on the GEP at SSU. “
I have developed a very strong professional and personal
relationship with Hinni,” said Mauldin. “I have visited the
Southeast Missouri State University campus every summer since 1998
in order to discuss issues concerning general education. We
discovered that we share a passion for general education, our
families, and the outdoors, and a strong friendship developed. It is
just one of the many things I have gained from being in the AGLS.” During
his term as AGLS president, Mauldin hopes to ensure that the
regional accrediting bodies do not soften the guidelines regarding
general education. “There
are six regional accreditation bodies in the United States that have
requirements in general education so that an institution can be
accredited,” said Mauldin. The
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredit SSU, a
credential that is important for academic institutions. “It
is a priority that we will continue to address and, along with
engaging two-year degree programs in the discussion of improvements
for general education, we will be very busy over the coming
years,” said Mauldin. For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-3221. # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: E- (Article by B.J. Parsons, communications specialist-Office of Communications)
Melissa Hacker (right), 21, Shawnee State University (SSU) senior mathematics major, assists SSU student Ashley Adrian, 20, of Beaver, with some math homework. Hacker was one of only 35 undergraduate students from across the country selected to attend the Park City Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics in Park City, Utah, this summer. SSU Student Selected for Prestigious Math Institute Melissa Hacker loves something most people only love to hate--mathematics. The 21-year-old Shawnee State University (SSU) senior mathematics major has had a passion for numbers for as long as she can remember, and will simply be reaching the next level of her goal for mathematical success when she visits the Park City Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics in Park City, Utah, from June 29 to July 19. The Institute for Advanced Study, an independent, private institution, was founded in New Jersey in 1930 by several academics who were dedicated entirely to the encouragement, support, and patronage of learning through fundamental research. It is now linked with Princeton University, and has been holding a highly-recognized research institute each summer in which small groups of people involved in different areas of mathematics are accepted to study together in specialized fields over a three-week period. The limited number of successful applicants, according to Hacker, makes her selection especially remarkable. “I was extremely surprised to get accepted,” said Hacker, of Ironton. “Only 35 undergraduate students from across the country are accepted every year, and they are all very gifted at mathematics, so to be selected is a tremendous honor.” Joining her at the Park City Institute will be high school teachers, college faculty members, graduate students, and mathematical researchers, which Hacker believes will give her an excellent opportunity to gather information on what to do after she graduates. “I am excited to get to know some of these people and to investigate different graduate schools,” said Hacker. “I am planning on getting a Ph.D. in mathematics, so I will be trying to gather as much information as possible on different programs across the country.” While at the Park City Institute, Hacker will be indulging in the study of wavelets, a relatively new form of mathematics. The study is so new, in fact, that SSU does not focus on the topic in any classes that it offers. “This is something that I haven’t seen before,” said Hacker. “Although SSU does not offer a course in this, I am doing my senior research paper on wavelets, so I do have some background in the material, but I am just getting into it.” According to Chris O’Connor, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics at SSU, Hacker’s presence will be a benefit to the institute for two reasons: her intelligence and her outgoing personality. O’Connor and Doug Darbro, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics, recommended Hacker for the camp. “Melissa is the kind of student who study groups seem to form around,” said O’Connor. “If you have her in your class then several people around her start doing better. She will certainly gain a lot from this experience.” For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-4778. ###
Contact: E- (Article by Jennifer Moorhead, communications coordinator-Office of Communications)
Shawnee State
University students Kami Post, Jenny Messer (front row left to
right), Stephanie McGill, Gordon Crites, Jessica Burkhart, and
Amanda Moore (back row left to right), were recognized for selection
into the 2003 edition of “Who’s Who Among Students in American
Universities and Colleges,” by Tiffany Weaver, SSU coordinator of
Student Activities, at the Evening of Honors ceremony in March. Eleven SSU
students selected for Who’s Who
Eleven Shawnee State University (SSU) students have been
included in the 2003 edition of “Who’s Who Among Students in
American Universities and Colleges.”
Students named this year from SSU are: Jessica Burkhart, of
Batavia, early childhood education/early childhood intervention
specialist; Gordon Crites, of Ashville, business administration;
Ambra Knoche, of Ripley, visualist; Rebecca Link, of Cincinnati,
respiratory therapy/health management; Carrie Matheney, of
Hillsboro, social sciences; Stephanie McGill, of Wadsworth, business
administration; Jenny Messer, of Bethel, early childhood education;
Amanda Moore, of Lucasville, business administration; Jimmy Nichols,
of Garrison, Ky., computer engineering technology and an associate
in electromechanical engineering technology/robotics certification;
Kami Post, of North Lewisburg, social sciences; and Elizabeth Wood,
of Portsmouth, early childhood education.
Established in 1934, Who’s Who Among Students is one of the
most prestigious national honors programs. Students selected into
the program must have shown scholastic achievement, campus
leadership, and community involvement. The SSU students were
recognized for their achievement at the Evening of Honors program
held at SSU in March.
For more information about SSU, call (740) 351-3221. #
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