WINTER 2018 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 1
connect ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP Randy Leite DEAN Jennifer Horner ASSOCIATE DEAN, RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES Sally Marinellie ASSOCIATE DEAN, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Tia Barrett CHIEF FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Becky Zuspan ASSISTANT DEAN FOR STUDENT SERVICES Elizabeth Jones ASSISTANT DEAN FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT Ginny Valentin SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL OHIO PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS Regina Schwartz SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
SCHOOLS & DEPARTMENTS LEADERSHIP Dhiraj Vattem SCHOOL OF APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES AND WELLNESS, DIRECTOR Terry Cluse-Tolar DEPARTMENT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY HEALTH STUDIES, INTERIM CHAIR Deborah Henderson SCHOOL OF NURSING, DIRECTOR Gary Chleboun SCHOOL OF REHABILITATION AND COMMUNICATION SCIENCES, DIRECTOR Tania Basta DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH, CHAIR
CONTRIBUTORS Graphic Designer: Lauren Dickey Writers: Joe Higgins, Kate Fox, Regina Schwartz, Elizabeth Jones, Randy Leite Photographer: Lauren Dickey
CONNECT WITH US Connect is published for alumni, friends, faculty and staff of the College of Health Sciences and Professions at Ohio University. College of Health Sciences and Professions, W361 Grover Center, Athens, Ohio 45701, Phone: 740.593.1433. Ohio University is an Affirmative Action Institution. Visit us online at ohio.edu/chsp. Send letters to the editor at chsp@ohio.edu. ©Copyright 2018
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Honoring an AT legend Skip Vosler’s impact is clearly seen in Grover Center’s new athletic training facility and OATA Hall of Fame location.
On the cover: CHSP Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Tia Barrett, CHSP Dean Randy Leite, Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis and Senior Design and Construction Project Manager Robin Faires cutting the opening ribbon at the renovation celebration. Photo by Kaitlin Owens
The President’s first 100 days During his first 100 days, President Nellis attended a number of CHSP events and discussed his vision for OHIO.
6 Grover Center’s completed ‘space mission’ From shiny new fitness spaces and labs to cutting-edge classrooms, the old Grover Center gym has been totally transformed.
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Simulation space for all
Passing with flying colors
The new simulation suite provides simulation mannequins, hospital rooms, and other realistic resources for all CHSP faculty and students.
The first cohort of PA students have graduated and all 38 passed their board exams on the first attempt!
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MESSAGE FROM OUR DEAN
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DEAN LEITE
s you are receiving this issue of Connect, spring semester has gotten under way in Athens—even though it is not yet very spring-like here. Despite the very short and very cold days, there is much to be excited about here in the College of Health Sciences and Professions. As you will see in these pages, our long-planned renovation of a large part of Grover Center is now complete and we are using our new state-of-theart teaching and research spaces. It is safe to say our students and faculty are now using some of the most innovative facilities in Ohio. Every day, as I walk through our halls, I get to see the impact these new facilities are having on our students and faculty. Be it new simulation facilities, dedicated teaching labs, or flexiblydesigned research labs, we are transforming how we do our work. The renovated space includes a newlydesigned computer lab, flexibly-designed classrooms, an interprofessional simulation lab, four simulation areas for our School of Nursing, a new classroom and clinical lab for our athletic training program, new teaching and research labs for our exercise physiology program, a new test kitchen and expanded storage space for our food and nutrition program, and a child life simulation room. If you are in Athens, I hope you will stop by and see it.
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As we begin 2018, our new space is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of everything we can be proud of in the College of Health Sciences and Professions. Every issue of Connect gives us a chance to share with you the many incredible things our faculty, staff and students are doing. After you read through these pages, I am sure you will be amazed at how much my colleagues in the college are up to. You will see that, not only are we one of the largest health-focused colleges in America, we are also one of the most innovative. Of course, everything we do is made easier by the support of our many alumni and friends. The time, treasure and talent so many of you offer to us is both very valuable and very much appreciated.
Dean Randy Leite
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to explore the virtual tour of the Grover Center Winter 2018 | connect Renovation!
Representatives from Ohio University and The University of Toledo participated in the Oct. 5 MOU signing event. The MOU document was signed by Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis and The University of Toledo President Sharon Gaber (front row, center) as well as the provosts of each university, Interim Executive Vice President and Provost, Ohio University David Descutner (front left) and Executive Vice President and Provost, The University of Toledo, Andrew Hsu (front right).Photo by Lauren Dickey
‘Together we can do great things’ Groundbreaking partnership created between CHSP and UT
by Joe Higgins
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n Oct. 5, a historic signing launched the Ohio Alliance for Innovation in Population Health, a groundbreaking collaboration between Ohio University and The University of Toledo.
The alliance identified healthcare access, infant mortality, addiction issues and other chronic diseases as priority issues to address early on and will use a population health model created by Dean Leite and Dean Christopher Ingersoll of The University of Toledo.
“Every one of us knows somebody or someplace that struggles with profound health issues,” said CHSP Dean Randy Leite prior to the signing.
CHSP’s Rick Hodges, former director of the Ohio Department of Health and a UT alumnus, serves as the director of the alliance. He said having decentralized population health presents challenges but universities have a unique opportunity to go into a community and provide a support system and resources.
“For most of those issues, we don’t know what the answers and the solutions are yet,” Leite continued, “but I’m so excited to have the opportunity to begin to make life better for those individuals and those places by bringing our resources together.”
Leite said students at both institutions will have the opportunity to be in settings where they can see innovative approaches to health problems and gain real world experience.
The Alliance has the goal of creating community-specific ways to fix health problems in the state with each partner contributing its unique strengths and research capabilities. The collaboration also includes joint academic offerings for students.
“We have two institutions that have done great things in education and research and we’re committed to doing great things outside the walls of our campuses to make a difference,” said Leite.
OHIO President M. Duane Nellis and University of Toledo President Sharon Gaber were on hand at the Ohio Department of Higher Education to offer their support and signatures to formalize the partnership. “Ohio University prides itself on educating students who are committed to using their degrees to benefit their communities in the state of Ohio and beyond. This agreement continues to emphasize the commitment to our mission,” Nellis said. “This is the right thing to do at the right time in our state’s history and in higher education’s history in Ohio.”
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41 Health behaviors
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44 Conditions and diseases
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38 Overall health and wellbeing
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According to Health Policy Institute of Ohio 2017 report. Winter 2018 | connect
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First 100 Days: Ohio University’s 21st president, Dr. M. Duane Nellis has hit the ground running by Joe Higgins n his first 100 days as Ohio University’s 21st president, Dr. M. Duane Nellis hit the ground running including attendance at several CHSP events.
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Nellis was hired on Feb. 22, 2017 and his first official day on the job was June 12.
“It’s been exciting. I feel very good about the decision for Ruthie and me to make the move to Athens and our affiliation with Ohio University. That has been reinforced in a lot of positive ways,” Nellis said. “We remain very passionate and firmly committed, even more so as we’ve come to discover the various treasures that are part of the University.” He and his wife, Ruthie, are no strangers to the area. Nellis was the dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences for West Virginia University for seven years and their sons went to high school and college in The Mountain State. As Mountaineers, the Nellises visited Athens and the region from time to time. “It feels in many ways like we’ve come home,” President Nellis said. Prior to arriving at Ohio University, Nellis was the president of Texas Tech University. Coming into his new position, Nellis said he knew the family was “coming to a very special place.” “That’s been reinforced by what Ruthie and I have had the opportunity to experience,” he said. That experience includes making the rounds of all the colleges that comprise the University. He was also part of the ceremony to christen Grover Center’s renovation and was impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities. He said the level of sophistication and advancement with the renovation goes to show “how well this institution continues to do and the legacy of the leadership that’s been provided through the dean, faculty, student leadership, staff, etc.” “I think we swell with pride when we think about this place and what it has to offer,” he said. As Nellis continues to schedule visits to each college, he emphasized that it’s important to him to continue to reach out to the different colleges and engage so that he has every opportunity to hear from faculty, staff and students in those areas. 4
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AROUND THE COLLEGE
Nellis puts a premium on trying to be accessible to as many people as often as possible but said managing time realistically is always a challenge for a new president. “I have a lot of energy and passion for what I do but I wish there was more time in the days sometimes,” he said. Another challenge facing not only Nellis and Ohio University but higher education across the country is funding. “We appreciate every dollar we do get from the state of Ohio but there’s been a gradual disinvestment in higher education throughout the nation by state. With that, that puts greater pressure on raising revenue in other ways,” Nellis said. “We take great pride here at Ohio University in being affordable for all of our students. Having that level of sensitivity is certainly an important part of working through the challenges with budget and affordability and making sure we maintain excellence as part of our hallmark.”
President M. Duane Nellis Being president has its advantages as well. Nellis said what he enjoys most is interacting with people. “I’ve had a lot of reports to read but the opportunity to dialogue with people, I really enjoy that. To be able to talk to students, faculty, staff, alumni and hear their personal stories and their personal interests, I enjoy that a lot,” he said. It hasn’t been all work and no play however. Nellis has been able to find time to explore and indulge in his love of history. “We like to go out in the rural landscape and explore. We’ve been out to Lake Hope, for example. We’ve been to Strouds Run State Park and have done a little bit of walking. We enjoy getting out and seeing nature and landscapes and getting into the detailed fabric of the region,” Nellis said of he and Ruthie. “I’ve had the opportunity to have my knowledge base (of history) reinforced by reading some of the history of Ohio University as well. Those have all been fun things for me and my wife. We enjoy communities like Athens where you can really get out and experience unique restaurants and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. It’s a lot of fun,” he added. Going forward, Nellis hopes to continue to work with the various groups affiliated with the University including the alumni base as well as with the Board of Trustees in formulating key priorities for the institution. Specifically, he explained that he wanted to examine the University’s strategic plan to see if there is some fine tuning needed. “Trying to create the strategic plan for us … that will be not only the hallmark of my presidency but the hallmark of the institution as we move forward,” he said.
Photos by Lauren Dickey and Ben Siegel
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“ It feels in many ways like we’ve come home
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Top left: Dean Randy Leite welcoming guests to the Grover Center renovation opening. Top right: Faculty member Jeffrey DiGiovanni gives David Brightbill and Gerry Spencer a tour of the new Simulation Suite. Bottom left: Nursing students demonstrate new simulation mannequin capabilities to guests. Bottom right: CHSP Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Tia Barrett, CHSP Dean Randy Leite, Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis and Senior Design and Construction Project Manager Robin Faires cut ribbon at the renovation celebration. Photos by Sarah Roush 6
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GROVER RENOVATION
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by Joe Higgins he visual of wide open learning and instructive spaces and the shine of state-ofthe-art equipment were on full display during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Grover Center Renovation project held on Friday, Aug. 25.
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More than 100 invitees sported smiles as they toured the new facilities to be enjoyed by programs that include athletic training, nutrition, exercise physiology, WellWorks and nursing. Some of the features include a team-based learning laboratory, an interdisciplinary simulation suite and a computer lab that includes a student collaboration center. “It’s very impressive,” said Gary Ament, one of the guests whose son and daughter-inlaw both are employed by Ohio University. “It’s a nice facility, very state-of-the-art.” His wife Ruth added, “It’s very beautiful. I’m excited that my kids work here.”
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During the tour, Leite took a moment to reflect on the scope of the project. “I’m thrilled with it. We really wanted to do something that was going to be different, stateof-the-art. The idea is that it’s all multi-use,” he said. “I’m really happy that the design let us do some very different things. Everywhere you go, the space allows flexibility through options like modular areas and moveable walls.”
It’s very impressive
Gary Ament also said he was very impressed with Ohio University’s President Nellis and Randy Leite, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions.
Nellis remarked that it was his first time in Grover Center since joining the University and said of the facility, “It’s really exciting. To have such state-of-the-art space for teaching and research, it’s just tremendous. From athletic training to WellWorks to nutrition … the interdisciplinarity is really very exciting.”
Leite opened the ceremony with remarks about the renovation that started from the ground up and ended with the immaculate spaces available today. He introduced Nellis, who credited the work done to begin the project and see it through to completion. Nellis applauded those in attendance who had donated funds, equipment and time to the renovation.
“I was glad to have so many people attend and to be able to recognize the people who had a part of this and supported the effort,” he said. “There are a lot of people who do a lot of amazing things. We don’t get to celebrate too often so it’s nice to have a night to celebrate what everyone’s done.”
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Leite was pleased with the turnout for the ceremony.
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FROM GYM GROVER RENOVATION
to gem Interdisciplinary Simulation Suite
Nursing Bedside Skills Labs
Simulation Suite Control Room
Sim Break Room
Student Collaboration Center
LAB 1
LAB 2
LAB 3
Sim Bath
Debrief Room Student Presentation Practice Room
Team-Based Learning Lab Computer Lab
STAIRS/ BRIDGE
WellWorks
Athletic Training Instructional Laboratory
FITNESS ROOM
Y MIND/BOMD ROO
FIRST FLOOR OATA Hall of Fame Charles “Skip” Vosler Athletic Training Clinical Education Facility
Food Innovation Lab Exercise Physiology
ATRIUM Atrium Cafe Atrium Cafe Kitchen
RESEARCH RESEARCH LAB 2 LAB 1
RESEARCH LAB 3
RESEARCH LAB 4
Neuromuscular Biomechanics and Health Assessment Lab
SECOND FLOOR Nursing Skills Practice Lab
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Quick Facts: 52,433 sq ft of drywall was used, which is 1,650 sheets of drywall and 52,800 drywall screws!
73.57% of all demolition and construction material waste for the renovation was diverted from a landfill!
There were nearly 7,000 linear feet of finish base material used. That’s 1.32 miles of finished base!
25,000 sq ft of ceiling tiles were used in the renovation. That’s 6,250 ceiling tiles!
Approximately 425 gallons of paint and primer were used.
24.21% of all materials used in the renovation contain recycled content.
to explore the virtual tour of the Winter 2018 | connect Grover Center Renovation!
To view a virtual tour of the new space check your email for the digital version of Connect! 9
Intensity.
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GROVER RENOVATION
by Kate Fox
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tudents accepted into CHSP’s nationally recognized athletic training program—and alumni, too—might be surprised to learn that the program as we know it today simply didn’t exist until Charles H. “Skip” Vosler came to Ohio University in 1971. Under his leadership, OHIO’s athletic training program became the first athletic training program offered in Ohio in 1972 and one of only three offered in the United States at the time.
Passion. Impact. The legacy of an OHIO athletic training legend Vosler served as an assistant athletic trainer with the New York Titans under coach and former Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh for a season before being recruited as a student athletic trainer at Ohio State University under the tutelage of Ernie Biggs, Lew Crowl and George Nuremberg. He was hired as head athletic trainer at Defiance College in 1964, where he earned his B.S. in education and attended Ball State University in the summers to earn his M.S. in health education. He then accepted a position as head athletic trainer in 1968 at Ashland University, where he and his wife, Sonnie, expected to settle their family permanently. They had just finished building a new home when then athletic director Bill Rohr contacted Vosler in August 1971 about coming to Ohio University, asking Vosler during that first interview about his qualifications. Vosler, who was unassuming but always confident, answered, “I’m probably the best athletic trainer in the country.”
Portrait of Charles “Skip” Vosler. Photo by Lauren Dickey
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The answer satisfied Rohr, as well as Butch Grover and Bob Wren, two former OHIO coaches on the hiring committee. At the time Grover warned Vosler, “You will never leave.”
And though Vosler insisted on oneyear contracts those first few years, he indeed never left. Instead, he and his colleagues went on to build an outstanding athletic training program, accepting the first undergraduate class in 1972, and establishing the master’s program in 1977. One of those master’s students, Chad Starkey, is now director of the OHIO athletic training program. Of his mentor, Starkey said, “Very few people have given their life to Ohio University with the intensity, passion, and duration that Skip has. His impact on athletic healthcare and the education of future healthcare providers has been enormous. In our world, Ohio University is synonymous with Skip Vosler.” According to Starkey, 70 percent of students in the undergraduate program go on to earn their master’s degree, and the master’s degree program has a 100 percent placement rate for those who elect to pursue employment. Graduates have gone on to work in the NFL, AFL, WNBA, professional baseball, numerous college and high school athletic programs, private healthcare agencies, and dance and theater companies. Vosler, who retired from Ohio University in 1997, has seen the program grow from three students to more than 150 and from one training facility in the Convocation Center to several facilities including the new state-of-the-art facilities provided by the recent Grover renovation— including the new Charles “Skip” Vosler Athletic Training Clinical Education Facility named in honor of the pioneering leader of the program. To add to his many accomplishments, Vosler was also inducted in 2017 into The Kermit Blosser Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to the man whose vision and dedication literally set the course for the athletic training profession.
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S P A C E
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by Joe Higgins ithout a canvas, even the greatest painters cannot create art. With the recent renovation of Grover Center, athletic trainers now have plenty of space to practice their craft.
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Prior to the recent renovation, some Ohio University athletes in Athens were treated in a closet-sized area in Bird Arena. Now, athletic trainers also have use of the Charles “Skip” Vosler Athletic Training Clinical Education Facility, a more than 2,000 square-foot facility that is also used as a teaching space in the morning hours. Director of Athletic Training Chad Starkey pointed out that whereas the old area combined classroom and lab space, often creating scheduling problems, the new facility has a classroom in one section and lab space in another.
State-of-the-art facility improves and expands learning environment for AT students
“Now, we can do both,” he said. Starkey said that while the facility itself doesn’t necessarily improve interaction with students—that’s up to the individual instructors—“it certainly makes it a more comfortable, professional learning environment than what we had in the past.” New equipment includes 14 treatment tables and a selfcontained CRYOTherm hot/cold immersion tank donated by Grimm Scientific of Marietta.
CRYOTherm that was donated by Grimm Scientific.
“We went from 1980 to state-of-the-art,” Starkey noted. Another benefit of the renovation is seamless integration of remote lecturing. Students at the Dublin campus can watch and interact with their professor in Grover Center. Both sides can operate the camera. Previously, remote lectures were limited to a rolling television set and camera.
“We have complete and total interaction. You almost forget they’re 80 miles away,” said Starkey. What’s been the reaction to this new facility? “Wow,” answered Starkey. “Both students and alumni who have come back or seen pictures of it are really, really impressed,” he said. The “wow” factor comes before a student even walks into the room. The hallway outside features the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame, giving students a sense of the history of the program and the profession as well as something to aspire to. In and around Athens County, schools will also continue to benefit from the facility, the athletic training program and the students it produces. Equipment on site can be used to treat high school patients if their home school does not have the necessary equipment. Athletic trainers in partnership with schools save money by determining if an injury needs to be referred for further treatment or not as well as providing a wealth of other services.
Athletic Training Lecturer Kristine Ensign teaches AT students in the new Charles “Skip” Vosler Athletic Training Clinical Education Facility. Photos by Lauren Dickey
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Starkey said that on behalf of the faculty, staff and students in the program, a large “thank you” is due to those who have donated toward the renovation of Grover Center and specifically to the equipment and needs of the athletic training program at Ohio University. Winter 2018 | connect
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GROVER RENOVATION
Nursing, communication sciences and disorders, and athletic training students work together to provide care to a patient in an interdisciplinary case study. Photo by Lauren Dickey
ComingTogether by Joe Higgins t the beginning of this academic year, the College of Health Sciences and Professions opened a space with the goal of providing all CHSP programs with a shared working environment. This space is called the Interdisciplinary Simulation Suite. Located in Grover Center E218, these labs are open to any and all programs in the college. The suite contains six fully-equipped simulation rooms featuring all the amenities of real hospital rooms. The suite also includes two debriefing rooms, a monitoring room and the latest technologies to provide the best teambased learning experience. The space is intended to bring together programs from across the college to work as one unit to treat and care for patients.
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In these rooms, students are challenged to assist in a realistic medical situation. The college provides actors who play the roles of injured or ill people. Students are then asked to work on the patient as a team and correctly treat the case. Students may also have the opportunity to work with a high-fidelity mannequin that can simulate having a heart attack, providing a blood sample and even giving birth. All rooms include cameras that provide footage of the scenario which is used in the debriefing rooms for review and instructive feedback.
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Faculty advisor of the simulation labs, Jeffrey DiGiovanni, is a major supporter of the space, stating, “It is one of the first times that resources have been dedicated for all programs to work as a team in the same space.” An example of this teamwork would be in the case of a stroke victim. An actor would come into the lab with symptoms indicating a stroke. The patient is having a hard time remembering certain words and how to say them, so this calls for the practice of a speech pathologist. The stroke has also caused the patient to become extremely weak and in need of physical therapy. The simulation lab provides all the tools for the physical therapist and speech pathologist to work together to assist the patient, all while being recorded to watch afterwards in the debriefing rooms. Through this type of practice and preparation, students can immerse themselves in real world scenarios in a real world environment. This gives CHSP students an opportunity that has never before been offered. Through the support of the faculty, lifelike hospital scenarios and debriefing analysis, CHSP students at Ohio University have a lot to look forward to. In the words of DiGiovanni, this will allow not only the college, but also the students, to “become greater.” They will become greater teammates, greater students and greater professionals. 13
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nurses ordered by Joe Higgins, photos by Liz Moughon
new technologically advanced training and learning facility is just what the nurses ordered.
Grover Center’s renovation benefitted the College of Health Sciences and Professions’ School of Nursing in a way that still has faculty and staff buzzing. “The new nursing labs are a wonderful improvement from our previous lab,” said Libby Hager, a senior in the School of Nursing. “The new labs offer a great learning experience.” Before the improvements, students were limited to a handful of beds on which to practice. Now, there are 26 beds for instructional use. “It’s amazing,” said Debbie Cox, a lecturer with clinical emphasis for the School of Nursing. “With the additional labs, we’re able to divide the students up into their clinical groups which creates a more team-like atmosphere. They learn new skills and practice those skills in the lab so when they go to the clinical site and actually connect to live patients, they’re able to demonstrate what they’ve learned.” It’s really a unique atmosphere,” Cox added. Both Cox and Hager commented on the new, highly advanced Apollo mannequins for use. “When you walk in, it’s almost like there’s a person in that bed,” said Cox. “It’s incredible how real the skin, hair and eyelashes feel.” “The mannequins can simulate different conditions and can adapt to nursing interventions we apply,” said Hager. Cox said the new educational space has “opened up a whole new world for us” and said the meeting area in the lab has led to more creative brainstorming because of the number of options now available. “The technology is state-of-the-art. We have two big screens in each lab as well as a monitor at each bedside,” said Cox. “When I’m teaching skills, I can run a demonstration and the students can be at the bedside hands-on while the video guides them through.” “I think this new lab space will be a great educational benefit for future nursing students and allow for even more hands-on learning than before,” Hager said. “I am so glad I have gotten the opportunity to use the new lab spaces before graduating.”
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Suspended Belief
GROVER RENOVATION
New physical fitness equipment helps WellWorks get off the ground
by Joe Higgins ith physical fitness in a constant state of evolution, the renovated Grover Center has allowed WellWorks to evolve as well, specifically featuring some new ways to push your body’s limits.The stars of the new equipment show are the nine TRX and 10 Rip Trainers.
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The TRX mount is a suspension trainer that looks like a long seatbelt with handles and carabiners to clip on. With this, you can perform pushups, situps, rows, mountain climbers and more with full support for a full range of motion. Jennifer Bennett, director of WellWorks, said that while it may be difficult to perform back exercises using body weight, this piece of equipment allows you to hold on to the handles and pull through while standing. “You can do a whole workout without ever getting on the ground,” Bennett said. The Rip Trainer is essentially a bar with a bungee cord attached that specifically helps with rotational strength. “Bodies don’t just move in one direction, they need to train in all directions and that’s a fun new feature we’re able to offer with this,” she said.
This “total body workout approach” will initially be offered through small, intimate classes with instructors monitoring participants’ progress and gauging interest in this type of training. The renovation didn’t add space but it did reorganize that space more efficiently, according to Bennett. “Our cardio fitness room is a bit bigger and that’s allowed us to keep the number of bikes we have and add some new fitness equipment,” she said. “Our yoga room lost a bit of square footage but it helps to make it feel smaller and more intimate.” Bennett notes that these renovated spaces are more conducive to efficient workouts. “When you walk into the fitness room, it feels energizing, if feels exciting,” said Bennett. “When you walk into the yoga room, it feels like it’s time to get inside yourself, connect with yourself. It’s a completely different feel.”
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WellWorks Director Jennifer Bennett in front of the new TRX straps. Photo by Lauren Dickey
GROVER RENOVATION
by Joe Higgins tudents of the Applied Health Sciences and Wellness’ Division of Food and Nutrition Sciences have a brand new modern facility to explore the rapidly growing science of food preparation.
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The Food Innovation Laboratory received a complete overhaul and now boasts much more space and a full demonstration area. Robert Brannan, associate director of the Division of Food and Nutrition Services, credits past and present students as well as College of Health Sciences and Professions Dean Randy Leite for the program’s upgrades. “The programs selected for expansion were selected because they’ve shown continued excellence. Our alumni were part of that movement to where we are today,” said Brannan. “I also give Dean Leite a lot of credit.” The new space is conceptually the same as the previous kitchen but much more functional. Brannan explained that the previous kitchen lacked places for students to sit and had no instructional area. If an instructor wanted to stop and teach a concept, they’d need to find a classroom. Now, all of the instruction can be done in the lab and through use of camera and monitor technology.
“It got to the point in the last few years that students had better equipment in their apartments than they did in the teaching lab,” he said. Now, the new lab has plenty of room and is even home to a number of events from WellWorks demonstrations to those that involve a number of community organizations. According to Brannan, the general reaction from students and alumni who see the new area is “overwhelmingly positive” and “jaw-dropping.” Samantha Buls, a graduate student, agrees. “Visually, it’s very different now. It’s so new and inviting and exciting,” she said. Buls added that the previous space design led to a more crowded feeling while the new space is more open and people can move around more freely. “There’s a lot more space, it’s more open,” said Taylor Brady, a student recently working on a granola bar recipe. “It’s much more functional for what we do in here.” The students agreed the new lab space is more conducive to both work and study and overall gave the renovation two hearty thumbs up.
Brannan said the old kitchen was dated to the 1990s.
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Photos by Liz Moughon
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GROVER RENOVATION
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Re n o v a t i o n s a d d f l e x i b i l i t y to exe r c i s e p h y s i o l og y
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by Joe Higgins lexibility is an important aspect of exercise Giving students exposure to new technology and and physiology, and for students and faculty practices that few other programs have had is in the School of Applied Health Sciences paramount, Clevidence added. and Wellness’ exercise physiology program, the “When they enter into graduate programs or the Grover Center renovation has provided increased workforce, they are prepared beyond their peers,” flexibility for both research and teaching endeavors. he said.
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Prior to the renovation, the department used two full length basketball courts for various physical education courses and lab spaces. They were adequate for instruction, but had to be shared by research and teaching faculty, creating constraints on time and space for both.
Coming from a small university with limited lab space and equipment, the new lab space in Grover is part of what sold me on coming to the exercise physiology master’s program at OHIO,” said graduate student Kelly Gehlbach.
“The labs are incredible,” she added. “They have According to Associate Lecturer Michael Clevidence, everything we need and they truly make the new design of the laboratory space for the learning how to use the different technology department allows for greater flexibility. and techniques possible.” “We can now separate research and teaching Gehlbach said she is now confident running different endeavors and provide enhanced flexibility to exercises and protocols on her own. all students and faculty,” he said. “In addition, Instructors can better communicate content and the new renovations have been infused with material through multiple formats since the lab is technology that enhances faculty’s ability to equipped with new video and audio equipment as communicate in a variety of ways.” well as large surface areas that allow for teaching Clevidence said the renovation of Grover “throughout every inch of the space,” said Clevidence. Center provided updated equipment and “The college leadership deserves a significant amount modern technologies within the field of of credit and thanks for their investment in our faculty exercise physiology. and student population,” he concluded. Winter 2018 | connect
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Summer camp
NEW • NOW • NEXT
partnership serves students
of all abilities
Kids on Campus and Beacon School join forces in fun by Kate Fox oth CHSP’s Kids on Campus and the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ (ACBDD) Beacon School have provided free summer camps for area students for a number of years. This past summer, however, the two programs joined forces to offer a wider, more diverse experience for participants.
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“This approach allows children from many backgrounds with many different experiences and ability levels to come together to work and play as a group,” said Kids on Campus Assistant Program Manager Amanda Brooks. “It’s a great way of creating community—and of heading off stereotypes or barriers.” All of the participants were divided into two integrated groups, with one group at the Ohio University campus in Athens and the other at Beacon School. Almost 400 students shared in ability-matched reading, swimming, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) activities, recreation/outdoor fun, and team building exercises. Program Manager Jo Ellen Sherow pointed out that just being on campus or at Beacon School for five weeks is a crucial element for these area students. “Oftentimes these kids have never been to a university campus or to a special needs school,” Sherow noted. “Spending time at these places makes them familiar to the students—it becomes a place they can be part of.”
“This is one of the most successful and vital contributions we make to kids and their families in this area,” added CHSP Dean Randy Leite. “Thanks to our contributors, it gives families the help they need now so they can hope and plan for the future.” For more information about Kids on Campus, including summer camp employment and volunteer applications, visit www.ohio.edu/kids.
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Sherow hopes to continue the combined camp, which is provided free of charge to qualifying students. “The partnership between the ACBDD and Kids on Campus was very successful this summer,” she said. “Our hope is that we are able to continue our collaboration to bring additional opportunities in the future.”
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Seventy paid staff members and 25 volunteers worked with the students, receiving both regular and specialized training in the weeks before camp began. Two sessions were held: from June 19 through June 30 and from July 10 through July 28.
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Our Generous Contributors: 21st Century Community Learning Center Grants (Ohio Dept. of Education) Athens County Foundation Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Ohio University Rocky Community Improvement Fund More than 500 Local Private and Group Donors
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rover Center has been reinvented several times in its lifetime. I remember being an undergraduate student here in the 1990s when it was used as the student recreation center. I took, and then instructed, Red Cross first aid and CPR courses in second floor space above the old gymnasium. I played my first (and only) racquetball game in the building. And one time I even substituted for a friend on an intramural volleyball team—let’s just say organized sports aren’t my strong suit. It certainly looked nothing like the Grover Center that has been home to the College of Health Sciences and Professions since 2001! It has been fun watching the transformation of Grover Center over the past 18 months. To see a cavernous gymnasium space turned into two levels of state-of-the-art classrooms, teaching laboratories, simulation and clinical spaces and exercise studios has been remarkable. While much of the new space is featured in this issue of Connect, we hope you’ll take time to stop by and visit us to see it first-hand. It is truly remarkable to see our students and faculty taking advantage of the changes—collaborating on research, practicing clinical skills and preparing to be future healthcare providers. College is always about transformation. Just as we’ve seen Grover Center transform, students also transform during their time at Ohio University. A student enters with an idea of what they want to study and then they grow into their professional self. Whether in nursing, public health, audiology or any of the curriculums we offer, we are fortunate to have dedicated students who desire to be leaders in the healthcare arena.
But here at CHSP we know that the transformation doesn’t stop when you get your degree. We often hear from alumni who are interested in changing career focus or moving into leadership roles in their organizations. That is why the college has developed post-degree continuing education curricula in healthcare leadership, medical practice management and clinical informatics. All of these courses are tailored for working professionals and are offered at our Dublin campus, and healthcare leadership courses are also offered online. If you are interested, please visit the website to learn more at www.ohio.edu/chsp/ce. We hope to see you soon!
Elizabeth Jones Assistant Dean for Outreach and Engagement
Thank you for attending this year’s Alumni Homecoming Breakfast! See you next year! 20
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Graduating PA Class first
Congrats
38th
Annual Student Scholarship Awards Reception Below: First dean of the College of Health and Human Services, Hilda Richards, and the Hilda Richards Scholarship awardee, Versai Murphy. Right: Dean Randy Leite makes opening remarks at the 38th Annual Student Scholarship Awards Reception. Photos by Lauren Dickey
Top: Physician Assistant Medical Director Ann Crickard hoods graduate Amanda Beccera. Bottom left: Assistant Clinical Professor Jeffrey Fisher hoods graduate Kayla Yuska. Bottom right: CHSP Dean Randy Leite congratulates graduates. Photos by Lauren Dickey
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CHSP’s inaugural class of 38 physician assistant students celebrated their graduation on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Keynote speaker Dr. Jack Brose congratulated the class on their accomplishment and commended their commitment to community involvement. The class also passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) with a 100% pass rate and all 38 are now certified to practice medicine. Congratulations, PA Class of 2017!
On Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, CHSP held its 38th Annual Student Scholarship and Awards Reception in Grover Center. 80 awards were granted to a diverse group of students hailing from states across the country including Ohio, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Utah. A complete list of award recipients is available at ohio.edu/chsp/alumni-giving/giving.cfm.
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College of Health Sciences and Professions Grover Center, W379 1 Ohio University Dr. Athens, OH 45701
Did you know CHSP has several online programs? To learn more and view a complete list of our online programs, visit ohio.edu/chsp/about/online-programs.cfm Master of Global Health—coming fall 2018