OU-C theater program to present The Quick-Change Room

The Ohio University-Chillicothe theater program will present The Quick-Change Room at 8 p.m. on March 19 & 20 in the Bennett Hall auditorium. Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens, free for OU-C students. Tickets are available at the Bennett Hall Information Desk during business hours and at the OU-C Box Office the evenings of performances. Group rates of $8 per ticket are also available. The Quick-Change Room is a comedy set in 1991 in St. Petersburg, Russia, that portrays the theater company’s struggles to learn the rules of commercialism as the Soviet government is toppled. The theater’s quick-change room, where actors change costumes during the play, serves as a microcosm for the quick changes in Russian society that are brought on by the downfall of communism. The play illuminates how Russian society attempts to adjust to more Western social and financial structures in a transition that is not quite seamless. For example, less government intrusion means more freedoms, but it also signals a reduction in subsidies for the performing and fine arts. Suddenly, to survive, the arts must share the stage with the principles of capitalism. “I am confident that the audience will really enjoy being taken backstage in the play and experiencing the controlled chaos that is theater,” director Ken Breidenbaugh said. “It is a double-setting, with two areas of action going on at one time and a surprise finale that promises to be entertaining.” “Change is a major theme of the entire play,” said Colt Cheney of Chillicothe, who plays the role of Sergey, the director who, as part of the old guard, is being eased out of the way by young capitalists. “The play takes a good look at the changes that are occurring but with a humorous approach. The entire play is hilarious.” Rachel Abbott of Chillicothe plays the role of Ludimilla, the leading actress and grand dame of the Kuzlov Theater. “She is a fun character who is very sensitive about her age and how is being pushed out of the way by a younger girl.” PHOTO CUTLINES: Rachel Abbot (left), Margaret Breidenbaugh and Bradley Jadwin rehearse a scene from The Quick-Change Room. Abby Johnson (left), Jessica Stewart, Carly Joseph and Josh Thacker rehearse a scene from The Quick-Change Room.

Ross County students encouraged to enter Rotary speech contest

High school students can put their oratorical skills to the test during the Rotary Four-Way Test Speech Contest at Ohio University-Chillicothe’s Bennett Hall room 134 on March 24. Registration begins at 6:45 p.m. and the speeches will begin at 7 p.m. The contest is sponsored by the Chillicothe Rotary and First Capital Rotary clubs. All Ross County high school students are eligible to compete except for past State Four–Way Test winners. Participants will give a 5- to 7-minute speech, without the use of note cards, on the subject, “Applying the Rotary Four-Way Test in our everyday relationships with other people.” The prize for first place is $250, second place $150 and third place $75. Completed registration forms are due by March 19 to contest co-chair Patty Griffith at c/o Ohio University, 101 University Dr., Chillicothe, Ohio 45601. Registration forms and other information can be obtained by contacting Griffith at griffith@ohio.edu, or fellow co-chair Eric Braunlin at ebraunlin@gmail.com The Rotary Four-Way Test includes: • Is it the truth? • Is it fair to all concerned? • Will it build good will and better friendships? • Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

OU-C student Adam Hammond beats the odds to regain mobility, new lease on life

OU-C student Bruce “Adam” Hammond has a new lease on life and a perspective to match his situation.

Hammond, 27, a former member of the Army’s elite Golden Knights parachuting team, nearly lost his life in a skydiving accident near Xenia in September 2006 that broke his back, femur and hip, as well as tore his aorta and femoral arteries. At the time of the accident, Hammond was training to fly Blackhawk helicopters.

“My doctors said that, by all reasoning, I should have died. Usually, with the aorta being torn, a person bleeds to death in two minutes,” Hammond said.

Instead, Hammond has shown the perseverance to fight through his injuries and has become a medical pioneer of sorts. During surgery in Charleston, W.Va., on Aug. 5, 2008, he became the first person in the world to be fitted with an Eon mini neurostimulator, a tiny spinal cord simulator that sends electrical impulses to the brain, substituting constant debilitating pain with a more bearable tingling sensation.

While his life is far from pain-free, because of the device, his optimistic attitude and tenacity, Hammond has been able to gain much of his mobility and return to his daily routine. He is now able to do things the physicians thought would be impossible after his accident, such as sit in a chair, walk, travel and even return to skydiving.

“With everything that has occurred, I try to make the best of everything and every opportunity,” he said. "I had never taken things for granted before, but I now realize how precious life is and try to live every day to its fullest. I try to be positive and be the best person I can be.”

Hammond, a Zane Trace High School graduate who earned an associate degree in Law Enforcement Technology from OU-C in 2004, will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and plans to attend law school. He and his wife, Maranda, are expecting their first child this spring.

“The device takes away 90 percent of the pain. Without the device, the pain is so overwhelming, I would just want to lie in the fetal position,” he explained. “The device gave me my life back and allowed me to again be a productive member of society.”

You can read about Hammond’s story online at:

http://fox.daytonsnewssource.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wkef_vid_3455.shtml http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgnl1TaPL7U

A parachute malfunction caused Hammond to hit the ground at 45 miles per hour on that fateful day. “I said a prayer, told everyone around me where it hurt, passed out and awakened from a coma six weeks later,” he said.

Upon awakening from the coma, Hammond immediately asked for a Coke. It has been a long road to recovery with 18 surgical procedures, including open-heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. It took 18 months before he could walk at all, and his weight plummeted from 210 pounds to 140 pounds during the recuperation. “I had to learn to do everything over again. It hurt to just roll over,” he said.

After leaving the hospital, Hammond’s days consisted of crawling from his bed to the couch to spend the day.

“Just going back to school was a big goal for me,” said Hammond, who returned to OU-C during winter quarter 2009 to pursue his bachelor’s degree.

He has since testified at Congressional hearings in Washington, D.C., regarding the ability of patients to bring lawsuits against the makers of medical devices such as the one easing Hammond’s pain.

“I am thankful for every day I have and try to try to stay positive. Life is too short for conflicts and arguing,” he said.

Recent activities illustrate OU-C’s dynamic learning community

Message from OU-C Dean Richard Bebee

Members of the Ohio University-Chillicothe community,

It is often appropriate to reflect upon the attributes that make OU-C such a unique campus and a great place to pursue an education or a career. While I am always mindful of what a vibrant campus we have, some recent events especially illustrate that the Chillicothe Campus is an energetic learning community that is truly engaged with its community.

During the last portion of winter quarter, OU-C hosted a Kennedy Lecture event that discussed the place of faith and science in a person’s life, a Black History Month talk regarding President Obama’s first year in office and a Salon Series dialogue regarding the art of storytelling.

These occasions capture the essence of a learning community that embraces its region by encouraging individuals from campus and the community to join together and share viewpoints on topics of particular relevance. And, they are a sampling of the many cultural and other extracurricular opportunities on campus.

Beyond the recent events, the campus also offers student organizations, lively arts programs, athletic events, lunchtime brown-bag discussions and other opportunities for individuals to explore areas of interest, broaden their horizons and connect with other individuals.

With the recently-completed Parkway Project, the campus has the look of a traditional college campus. And, the look is not deceiving. Just as importantly, OU-C offers a dynamic learning environment thanks to the students, faculty and staff members who bring various backgrounds and perspectives and a common sense of energy.

As we emerge from winter, there is an increased sense of electricity in the air. I look forward to working together with individuals from across campus to capture that vigor and keep the momentum moving forward.

With the resources of a great national university and the close-knit sense of community most often found in a small campus setting, we truly have the best of all worlds at OU-C.

Let’s have fun.

Cordially,

Richard Bebee, Dean

Chillicothe Campus

Annual quilt project on display in art gallery allows students to express themselves creatively

Quilts and other creative projects that are designed by students in the Women and Gender Studies 100 class, which is taught by Associate Professor of Communication Studies Lisa Wallace, are currently on display in the Patricia Scott art gallery in Bennett Hall through March 31. The students’ projects are intended to celebrate National Women’s History Month by sharing information about influential women. The theme for 2010 is “Writing Women Back into History.” This is the fifth annual display for the WGS 100 quilt show, and the display includes past winners in addition to this year’s submissions. Andrea Phouthavong, a human services technology major from Vinton County High School, won first prize for her quilt project, Women United. “Since my husband is from a different culture, I wanted to do something that emphasized women of different cultures standing together for the common theme of women’s rights,” she said. Derrik Willett, a business management major from Southeastern High School, earned second prize for his quilt project, Women of the Civil War. “I was in the military and wanted to do something along those lines, then made it specific to the Civil War. From my research, I found that many women dressed like men and fought in the war, with some actually leading battles. As a male student in the class, I had the opportunity to see things from a different perspective,” he said. Julia Sevy, a middle school education major from Unioto High School, placed third with her quilt display, Ohio Stars. “I chose to call my quilt Ohio Stars because I thought it was important to highlight great women who were born in Ohio. Having been born and raised in Ohio I know how easy it is to think that nothing great can be accomplished unless you come from New York, Chicago, California, or anywhere else that seems glamorous or important. I wanted to show myself and others that no matter where you come from, geographically or financially, you can make a difference in the world,” she said. Melissa Carpenter’s entry Roles We Live earned honorable mention. “My idea for the quit was displaying the many roles that women play in our lives to describe ourselves. It is also a self-evaluation piece on who the viewer is,” said Carpenter, a psychology major from Algonquin, Ill. Patricia Scott Memorial Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. The gallery is free and open to the public.

Cutline: Andrea Phouthavong, a human services technology major from Vinton County High School, won first prize for her quilt project, Women United

Stevenson gallery displays artwork of current OU-C students

Some Ohio University-Chillicothe students who have completed the series of painting classes offered on campus have been invited by Professor of Art Margaret McAdams to display their artwork as one-person shows in the Stevenson Center gallery. “All of these students did well in their painting courses and are seriously committed to their art. I wanted them to have the experience of having their first one-person shows,” McAdams said. The first exhibit, which runs through March 12, is by student Leah Dyke, an arts & theater major from Adena High School, who used the medium of oil on canvas. “You can tell a lot about someone from their artwork or writing,” Dyke said. “All of my paintings are based on entries from my fictitious journal, so they’re really not going to make sense to anyone but me. For me, this is a visual diary of how I was feeling when I wrote those particular journal entries.” Karalea Lane, a creative writing/art major from Lancaster High School, will exhibit her acrylic paint on canvas and board work from March 12 through March 18. “The art class assignment was to paint 6,000 square inches utilizing a common theme. I chose squares because I wanted to experiment with a simple geometric shape. By the end of the quarter, I had more ideas than I expected, and I had begun some work with circles,” she explained. Student exhibits in this series, tentative installation and final days for exhibits, include: Karalea Lane, March 12 to March 30 Lawrence Stone, March 30 to April 6 Whitney Bland, April 7 to April 13

Upcoming Campus Events

• One-Person exhibits by OU-C painting students in Stevenson Center gallery from March 4 through April 13 • Silent Movie Night at 7 p.m. on March 11 in Bennett Hall auditorium. Sponsored by the OU-C American Sign Language Club • Women and Gender Studies class quilt display in Bennett Hall Patricia Scott Art Gallery through March 31• OU-C theater program presents The Quick-Change Room at 8 p.m. on March 19 & March 20 in the Bennett Hall auditorium • Video Game Day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 27 in the Shoemaker Center. Sponsored by the HSA Club

OU-C students, faculty members visit Akron Art Museum exhibit

Art students from Ohio University-Chillicothe traveled to the Akron Art Museum on Friday, March 5 with art Professors Margaret McAdams and Dennis Deane to see the "Pattern ID" exhibition. The art in the exhibition is highly explosive and pattern-oriented, McAdams noted. The 15 contemporary artists from around the world evoke themes of Identity, politics, globalization, and art history in their works.

"When a cutting edge show by current day artists is within driving distance of Chillicothe, I like to take a group of art students. This show includes artists as young as 30 from the United States and around the world. Much of the art is large scale incorporating non-traditional materials and methods. Seeing work like this will inspire our students to broaden their art making approaches,” McAdams said.

Pictured are (from left) Josh Detillion, Ashley McAfee, Sarah Strausbaugh, Kim Roush, Margaret McAdams, Marcus McGuire, Whitney Bland and Crystal Detty. (Photo by Dennis Deane)

Upcoming Campus Events

One-Person exhibits by OU-C painting students in Stevenson Center gallery from March 4 through April 13

Silent Movie Night at 7 p.m. on March 11 in Bennett Hall auditorium. Sponsored by the OU-C American Sign Language Club

Women and Gender Studies class quilt display in Bennett Hall Patricia Scott Art Gallery through March 31

OU-C theater program presents The Quick-Change Room at 8 p.m. on March 19 & March 20 in the Bennett Hall auditorium

Video Game Day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 27 in the Shoemaker Center. Sponsored by the HSA Club

OU-C American Sign Language Club hosting silent movie event

The American Sign Language Club of Ohio University-Chillicothe is hosting a Silent Movie Night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 11, in the Bennett Hall auditorium. The movie “Wrong Game” (PG-13) will be shown entirely in American Sign Language with captioning provided. Admission is free. “Events such as this offer a great opportunity for individuals to improve their signing skills or to become exposed to sign language,” ASL Club President William Terrian said. “Bring a date, friend or family, but please leave your voices at the door for this silent event.”