Student speakers are named for OU-C ‘Recognition of Graduation’ event

Student participants and faculty marshals have been named for the upcoming Recognition of Graduation event at Ohio University-Chillicothe. OU-C will salute students who have earned their college degrees during the 2008-09 academic year at 7:45 p.m. Friday, June 12, in the Shoemaker Center. Admission is free. Because of ongoing construction, those attending the ceremony should enter campus by the Pohlman Road entrance. Chelsea Hatfield, an Associate Degree in Nursing student, will serve as the associate degree representative and will deliver the Pledge of Allegiance. Joe Seyford, an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient who is earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Technical and Applied Studies, is the bachelor’s degree student representative and will share his reflections. Seyford earned his Purple Heart commendations on Nov. 9, 2004, and Nov. 13, 2004, during Operation Phantom Fury in the Fallujah city of Iraq. Seyford was interviewed for a story when the battles were featured on the “Shootout” series on The History Channel. The joint U.S.-Iraqi operation was termed some of the heaviest urban combat U.S. troops have been involved in since the Vietnam War. “When you are engaged in a battle, you have to rely on your buddies to your right and your buddies to your left. That’s all you have,” Seyford said. From the fighting, Seyford has steel shards embedded in his cheek and shoulder from the combat. He has since dedicated himself to helping fellow Iraqi and Afghanistan war veterans as a transition patient advocate at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center. After his experience in Iraq, long nights of homework do not intimidate Seyford, who graduated from Adena High school in 1996. “After being through combat, you realize that you can do most anything,” he said. “Joe Seyford’s extraordinary story exemplifies the spirit of what OU-C is all about,” Dean Richard Bebee said. “At its founding as the first regional campus in Ohio in 1946, the Chillicothe Campus largely enrolled World War II veterans who utilized the GI Bill to pursue a college education and pursue their dreams. His selfless service to others and pursuit of a college degree continue that legacy.” Faculty marshals for Friday’s event include Jim McKean, associate degree; Jan Schmittauer, bachelor’s degree; and Robert Knight, master’s degree. Music will be provided by the Great Seal of Ohio Band. As previously announced, Colleen Marshall, well-known TV newscaster with NBC 4 in Columbus, will deliver the keynote address. Marshall is co-anchor of NBC 4 at 6 and 11 p.m. Approximately 105 students are expected to participate in the ceremony on the OU-C campus. A pinning ceremony for graduates of OU-C’s nursing program will take place at 2:30 p.m. the same day in the Shoemaker Center. Rehearsal for faculty and staff members participating in the ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Shoemaker Center. A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Shoemaker room 215 for faculty and staff. A reception for the graduates and their families will be held afterward in the Family Service/Child Development Center. Formal commencement activities are held on the Athens campus.

OU-C graduating student Jessika Holmes driven by desire to make a difference

OU-C student Jessika Holmes is driven by a desire to make a positive difference in people’s lives. That attitude has led her to volunteer taking phone calls at an area crisis center during much of her college career and also underpins her career goals. Holmes, a psychology major who aspires to become a therapist, looks to eventually work with autistic children and/or military veterans. She will take her next step when she graduates from OU-C before enrolling in graduate school at Ohio State University in the clinical social work program. OU-C will hold its Recognition of Graduation event at 7:45 p.m. June 12 in the Shoemaker Center. “I have always been the type of person that my friend would come to me with their problems and ask for advice. Strangers even seem to tell me their problems,” said Holmes, a Chillicothe High School graduate. “I have always gotten a good feeling out of helping others and want to continue that in my career.” Working at the crisis center, Holmes faces a different challenge each time the phone rings. “You never know what crisis will arise. It is important to keep a clear mind and always be ready for the next call. You try to keep people calm and discussing what is bothering them,” she said. “It can be emotionally draining and even daunting at times. However, there is great satisfaction in being able to make a difference. You never know whom you are helping and the impact you have.” That same approach will be important as Holmes advances in her career. “Psychiatry is a very non-predictable field. You need to be non-judgmental and be able to go with the flow. I have always been a free spirit and enjoy waking up, going to work and not knowing what will happen,” she said. Holmes has distinguished herself for her academic and personal abilities. “Jessika’s interpersonal skills are stellar,” remarked OU-C Assistant Professor of Psychology Cindy Matyi. “She is an easy-going, good-humored young woman, and people are drawn to her as a result. She is admired, respected and liked by both students and faculty. Her oral and written communication skills are superb, and her essays are thoughtful as well as thought-provoking.” Social work faculty member Gregg Hungerford said, “Jessika is a leader inside and outside of the classroom. She is sought by other students for her guidance and discussion. It is easy to discuss complex concepts with her. Jessika is very amenable to learning and growing.” Holmes has seen herself grow during her college career. “I am a lot more motivated. College pushed me to set limits and manage my time. The experience has made me more responsible,” she said. “I am glad I attended OU-C. I feel that I received a good education and that I am prepared for the future.” Holmes and classmate Paul Fairbanks placed highly in the recent Ohio University Student Research and Activity Expo on the Athens campus. Their research project,” The Effect of Morality and Social Capital on Retributive Justice,” placed second among undergraduate psychology student presentations. The project, which was also selected for presentation at a national professional conference in Chicago, involves research into how factors such as a person’s morals, community involvement and trust in social systems impact their views on the appropriate harshness of punishment for criminal behavior. Ann Rumble was faculty advisor for the research project.

Paul Fairbanks is making career out of passion for psychology

For OU-C student Paul Fairbanks, psychology is more than just an academic major of choice. It has become a pastime he pursues on a regular basis in many facets of everyday life. “Studying psychology has changed how I think about everything,” he said. “I am always using psychological theories to explain individual’s behaviors, attitudes and actions, and they are generally a strong predictor. It is enjoyable to apply some of the theories I have learned in class to the everyday world.” Fairbanks is graduating from OU-C this spring with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. The campus will hold its Recognition of Graduation event at 7:45 p.m. on June 12 in the Shoemaker Center. For Fairbanks, his interest in psychology and sociology was love at first psych. “The very first time I was in class in Psychology 101, I knew this was it. It is something about the theories and how they are applied. Human behavior is very interesting to me. I have always been fascinated with how we interact with each other,” he said. Fairbanks looks to make a career of his passion for psychology. He plans to attend graduate school with the goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in industrial organizational psychology. In this field, he can put his skills to use by helping companies design products that are more usable by consumers, evaluate training processes and gauge employee relations and workplace attitudes, he explained. Fairbanks graduated from Unioto High School in 2003 and took a year off from academics before enrolling at OU-C. His college choice has worked well for Fairbanks, who balances academics with a job at a local resturant. “OU-C is definitely designed to accommodate the individual who is looking to strike a balance between various responsibilities,” Fairbanks said. “For most students, we do not have to travel far from home, so it is convenient for area residents. Also, the campus does a great job of staggering classes at various times to accommodate our schedules. For example, I have been able to work in the afternoon and take evening classes.” Fairbanks and fellow OU-C student Jessika Holmes placed second among undergraduate psychology presenters for their research poster, “The Effect of Morality and Social Capital on Retributive Justice,” at the Ohio University Student Research and Creativity Fair this spring. The research was conducted under the direction of faculty member Ann Rumble and studied, among other issues, how various factors determine a person’s desire to punish another for criminal behavior, defined by the term retributive justice. They also presented their research at a national professional conference in Chicago this spring. “I always have been fascinated with the law,” Fairbanks said. “I took a class, ‘Social Justice of Psychology’ with Dr. Rumble that blended my interests in both psychology and the law. I am intrigued with how we punish and what types of factors are taken into consideration regarding punishment.” OU-C Assistant Professor of English Kathleen Davies said, “Paul has demonstrated the strong analytic skills required of graduate students. His writing skills have shown increasing proficiency and eloquence over the time I have known him, as well. Even in non-major courses, Paul’s passion for psychology came through. He is fluent in psychological and sociological discourses and enjoys exercising his knowledge in these fields when the opportunity arises.” Fairbanks’ college career has been both an eventful, and fast-moving, adventure. “I never thought it would get to this point. It has gone by quickly,” he said.

OU-C Student Art Show winners are announced

Winners have been announced for the recent 18th annual Student Art Show at Ohio University-Chillicothe. Judy Beckman, artist and educator at Columbus State Community College and Pontifical College Josephinum, served as the awards judge. Winners include:

• Best of Show Award: Ellen Doerres for Collective Memories, Photographs, colored inks, watercolor on canvasette paper
• First Place Award: Laura “Bug” Boll for When forever fails, Mixed media on canvas
• Second Place Award: Caleb Marhoover for Family portrait for Tiffany Ragland, Photography
• Third Place Award: Nicole Pickerrell for Forgotten, Photography

Honorable Mention:

• Whitney Bland, Fetus, Mixed Media
• Sarah Lewis, Michael Stipe, Oil on canvas
• Joan Stephens, Main Dish at Chinese Restaurant, Clay
• Marcus McGuire, Moonknight, Ink on paper

Artwork donated by Dr. Barbara Trube to the OU-C Permanent Art Collection:

• Hoovercraft, Ellen Doerres
• The Lord of the Wild Hunt and His Royal Hawk, Bug Boll

Barbara Trube and colleague publish work in international professional journal

A chapter, "English Immersion Teacher Evaluation and Feedback Form (EI- TEFF): Collaborative Development Process," which was written by OU-C Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education Barbara Trube and Xiaodan Huang of Shawnee State University was published in the April 2009 edition of Education Policy, Reform, and School Innovations in the Asia-Pacific Region. The professional publication, which is designed for educators, is published by the Association for Childhood Education International-Hong Kong and Macau (ACEI-HKM). The collection contains 30 chapters in five parts, with articles contributed by educators, researchers, administrators and planners. The chapter presents a collaborative process used to design and pilot an evaluation and feedback form for English Immersion teachers in China. Supervisors, visiting scholars, researchers and teachers use the form as they observe an English immersion lesson. Work on the EI-TEFF began in 2003 and the latest version was implemented in March 2009. Trube has been a member of the China, Canada, United States English Immersion (CCUEI) research collaborative for seven years. She participates in CCUEI research initiatives, curriculum development, workshop presentations, model teaching demonstrations and consultation as a visiting scholar. This summer, she will participate in a workshop as a native-English speaker with 20 kindergarten through grade 12 Chinese teachers from the northwestern region of China. The workshop is sponsored by Plan International, an international relief organization with the mission of improving access to educational opportunities in rural China. The 20 participating English teachers are classroom teachers and teacher trainers in their respective villages and towns. They will take classes in English Language instruction and train teachers throughout northwest China, upon returning home at the end of the workshop. This will be Trube’s 11th trip to China, and her 10th trip to the Xi’an area where the CCUEI English Immersion model began 12 years ago.

Art pieces by OU-C faculty members are included in statewide exhibition

OU-C art faculty members Margaret McAdams and Dennis Deane each have a ceramic work in the Best of 2009 Annual Juried Members Exhibition at the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus through June 21. Juror Wendy H. Outland, an independent curator, art consultant, and president of Who Knows Art in Asheville, N.C., selected 110 works by 79 artists out of 332 works entered by 131 artists. The exhibition will tour Ohio thorough mid-December showing at the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth, the Mansfield Art Center and the Wayne Center for the Arts. McAdams' work, Jackalyn is a stoneware and porcelain ceramic figurative urn with metallic wax, wire and bone. Deane's work is a wood-fired stoneware vase.

Recent Student Senate activity is a bloody success

A recent American Red Cross blood drive hosted by the OU-C Student Senate on June 1 met its goal of collecting 33 units. “We are grateful to all of those who rolled up their sleeves for a good cause,” Student Senate representative Bridgette Beatty said. “This type of activity continues the tradition of OU-C students being involved in community service.” The next campus blood drive will be Aug. 11.

OU-C construction update

The following is a rundown of ongoing or recently-completed construction projects on campus:

• Summer campus construction projects will become more apparent this week as work to install air conditioning to Shoemaker Center by extending the chilled water system from Bennett Hall to Shoemaker and work on the Parkway Project are both in full swing.
• The air conditioning project moves inside of Shoemaker as trenching work is completed to the building.
• The walking track in Shoemaker Center will be temporarily closed until duct work is completed on the west end of the gym.
• Construction of the Parkway Project has begun, with construction workers, trailers and equipment on campus. Parking lots on the east side of campus and access to the road adjacent to Shoemaker Center will be temporarily unavailable as construction begins. A temporary lot will be built near the Child Development Center. Those attending Friday’s Recognition of Graduation event should enter by Pohlman Road.
• The ramp for handicapped individuals on the east side of Bennett Hall is being relocated with a temporary, slip-proof ramp on the west side of the building. The doors will be propped open to accommodate those entering the building.
• The memorial trees near the east entrance of Bennett Hall are being preserved