The Kentucky Arts Council fellowship recognizes and encourages artistic excellence in Kentucky. The $7,500 awards, named for Al Smith, journalist and former Arts Council chair (1977-1980), alternate between two discipline groupings: writers, composers, choreographers and interdisciplinary artists in one year, and visual and media artists in the other.

“I feel honored to be one of the recipients of such a prestigious award and to be recognized by both the Kentucky Arts Council and my peers for my creative works,” said Afsah-Mohallatee, who joined the EKU faculty in 1998. “Over the past few years, a number of my colleagues in the Department of Art and Design have received the Al Smith fellowship award. This recognition speaks highly of the quality of our department’s faculty and their continued commitment to their creative works.”

Afsah-Mohallatee earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in studio art, painting and drawing from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, and a master of fine arts degree in printmaking from the Tyler School of Art at Philadelphia’s Temple University. He has also completed a crafts workshop at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland and received his master printer certification in lithography from the Univeristy of New Mexico’s Tamarind Institute. At Eastern, he teaches drawing, printmaking and advanced printmaking courses.

His works have been exhibited in 22 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as overseas in Belgium, Brazil, Chile and Sweeden. He combines relief, intaglio and digital printmaking techniques in his current pieces.

In the past few months, Afsah-Mohallatee has received the Arts and Humanities Research Award from EKU’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Rothermel Alumni Award, which recognizes the notable and distinguished achievements of alumni in their professional life 16 years or more after graduation from Kutztown University.

He worked for more than 16 years as the Frankfort reporter, while also having a partnership with Kentucky Educational Television (KET). He is a past recipient of the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award for Radio News, as well as the National Headliner Best of Show Award.

“When I was a kid, I only wanted to do two things: work in radio and play basketball,” said Wellman. “It became obvious in college that my future was in radio, not in basketball.”

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from EKU and a master’s degree in mass communication from the University of South Carolina, Wellman came back to his alma mater in 1994 to teach.

“The best thing about being a reporter and being in the classroom or academic setting is that it’s two jobs that you get to learn something new every day,” said Wellman.

He noted that reporters often wonder if anyone is actually watching their stories. He said that his induction into the Hall of Fame confirms the answer.

“It was nice to finally know that ‘yes,’ somebody was paying attention,” said Wellman. “When you’re recognized by your peers, and it’s something that’s not given out frequently, that’s special. This honor validates my career.”

The Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame was established by the University of Kentucky Journalism Alumni Association in 1980. The purpose of the establishment is “to recognize Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the profession of journalism.”

Criteria for the award includes that the nominees must be “Kentucky natives or outstanding journalists who have spent the bulk of their careers in the state.”

Wellman, along with five other new honorees, will join a group of 142 journalists who have received this honor since the Hall of Fame was created.

Pogge will present “How is Global Justice Possible?” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, in the Student Services Building Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Pogge has been a professor of philosophy at Columbia University in New York City since 1983. He is the author of several books, including “World Poverty and Human Rights,” which has been noted “as one of the most important works on global justice.”

Pogge is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and is a professional fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, Australian National University.

He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard.

For more information about the Chautauqua series, call program director Bruce MacLaren at 622-1503.

While serving as a special agent in the FBI’s explosives unit, Thurman played a key role in the investigation into the Pan Am 103 explosion over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people in 1988. After a British detective discovered a tiny piece of a green circuit board, half the size of a thumbnail, Thurman determined the evidence was part of a timing mechanism used to detonate the bomb. The timer had come from a batch of prototypes made by a Swiss electronics company, and most of those prototypes had been sold to the Libyan government.

“I know Tom realized right away we had something very important,” John Hicks, assistant director in charge of the Washington FBI lab and Thurman’s boss, told the Lexington Herald-Leader in 1990. “That’s what Tom had been looking for. That’s what kept him going.”

The discovery led to the criminal indictments in 1991 of two intelligence aides of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

In addition to his laboratory work, Thurman also spent considerable time at the Lockerbie site, talking to investigators from several countries and sifting through thousands of pieces of evidence.

Thurman, a Manchester native and the son of former EKU alumni director J.W. “Spider” Thurman, now teaches in the Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigations Program at Eastern.

The Discovery Channel series will look at several other high-profile bombings, including that of the Bali nightclub, the Oklahoma City Federal Building, the USS Cole and U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Throughout 2006, Jones, in his 25th year at EKU, will speak on “Plants and People” in a series of presentations sponsored by the Kentucky Humanities Council at various locations around the Commonwealth.

The book, which retails for $75, is available at most regional bookstores and at Amazon.com.

A program titled “Vic Hellard: Leader, Mentor, and Visionary” will be held on March 9 at 5 p.m. in the Capitol Annex in Frankfort.

Hellard was an EKU alumnus, as well as a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law. He served three years as state representative for Woodford County. He was also the chief counsel for a house speaker before becoming the director of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (LRC) in 1977. He was the first director of the LRC to have served in the General Assembly and retired from the position in 1995.

Due to Hellard’s death in 1996, his wife, Ellen, will accept the Combs Award, to be presented by Judge Sara Combs. A panel discussion about Hellard’s life will also occur at the event and will include various individuals in government who knew Hellard well.

The Bert T. Combs Award is an annual honor given by the Center for Kentucky History and Politics. The Center was founded on Eastern’s campus in 1999.

“The Center for Kentucky History and Politics is largely about creating a dialogue between practitioners, academics and the public,” said Dr. Joe Gershtenson, director for the Center. “It provides information for not only students, faculty and staff on campus, but members of the community.”

For more information on the event, contact Gershtenson at 622-2606.

Registration for the event begins at noon on March 3 and various fees apply, depending on the level of participation.

Events on March 3 include various panel discussions, as well as a dinner and keynote address by Congressman Ben Chandler, to be held at the Main House at Arlington Golf Club. Chandler will also receive the Cooper Award for Excellence in Public Service in Kentucky.

On the second day, roundtable discussions will be held on economic development and the General Assembly. These discussions will feature several members of the Assembly.

For more information on the event and associated fees, contact Dr. Joe Gershtenson, Director for the Center of Kentucky History and Politics, at 622-2606.

The schedule:

• “A Conversation with Justin Maxson,” president, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, March 1, 3:30-4:30 p.m..
• “Exposing the True Cost of Coal: Stories from the Valleys,” Teri Blanton, activist and former chair of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, March 8, 3:30-4:30 p.m., co-sponsored by Center for Kentucky History and Politics.
• “Importing Solutions or Exporting Problems? Progress in the Safe Treatment of Military Waste,” Elizabeth Crowe, March 29, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• “Engaging Students in Research and Service for the Region,” Dwight Billings, professor of sociology, University of Kentucky, and editor of the Journal of Appalachian Studies, April 5, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• Women in Appalachia: A Concert with the Reel World String Band, April 5, 7 p.m., Ravine (Pearl Buchanan Theatre, Keen Johnson Building, if rain), co-sponsored by Women’s Studies.
• “Margaret Mead Was Right,” Tom Fitzgerald, director, Kentucky Resources Council, April 12, 3:30-4:30 p.m., co-sponsored by Center for Kentucky History and Politics.

For more information, contact the Center for Appalachian Studies, 622-3065 or 622-1622.

Requirements for PEF Membership are:

• Hold a full-time faculty appointment at Eastern Kentucky University,
• Commit to serving as a fellow for up to three years with annual renewal,
• Agree to spend no less than the equivalent of two weeks of fulltime activity in a P-12 school setting for each year of PEF service,
• Prepare a brief proposal (see below for explanation) outlining a collaborative plan for a three-year P-12 commitment which will be submitted to and evaluated for acceptance into the program,
• Be trained to serve as a Teacher Educator in the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (KTIP) with an opportunity to serve in the program,
• Participate in planning and attend a series of Innovative Instructional Practices conferences sponsored by the Center for Renewal of Schools and the Education Professions,
• Demonstrate innovative instructional and assessment practices for other EKU faculty through the EKU Center for Teaching and Learning, and
• Submit a report of PEF activities and accomplishments to the PEF Committee by May 15 of each year of service for consideration for annual renewal of PEF service.

Benefits of PEF Membership include the following:

• Training in cutting-edge instructional and assessment strategies,
• Opportunities to work directly with P-12 faculty, on-site, in an area of academic interest,
• Over-load compensation of $1,500 per year, for each year’s commitment.
• Funding up to $1,000 for professional development for each year of service (Any hardware purchased with these funds will be ordered through the Office of Field Services and Professional Development, assigned to the use of the PEF, and maintained in the inventory of the Office of Field Services and Professional Development. If the PEF should leave the employment of EKU the hardware must be returned to the Office of Field Services and Professional Development),
• Reimbursement for all travel expenses to the P-12 site(s), and
• Supplies necessary to initiate the outreach program outlined in the proposal.

The Project Proposal will be submitted by each PEF applicant and will include the following:

• Identification of the specific P-12 site in which the PEF will work,
• Identification of the specific academic area/grade level in which the PEF will work,
• Outline of the specific goals and objectives for the PEF involvement, for each of the three years,
• Outline of the activities to be pursued during the three years, and
• A list of three expected outcomes, written in specific terms, in each of three areas- personal/professional, institutional (EKU and the P-12 setting), and students (EKU and P-12).
• Upon acceptance, if no school partner site has been identified, the information about the proposal will be communicated to P-12 schools across the EKU service region and beyond, to identify a partner site.

The conference “is an opportunity for our students to hear successful men and women share their views about critical skills that new graduates will need in order to succeed as professionals,” said Dr. Janna Vice, associate dean of EKU’s College of Business & Technology.

Activities begin at 8 a.m. with registration and refreshments in Brock Auditorium. Llewellyn will speak at 8:30.

The luncheon begins at 11:45 a.m. in the Keen Johnson Ballroom.

Students who are enrolled in College of Business & Technology 300- and/or 400-level courses are required to attend the Conference. The pre-registration fee is $7 and must be paid in advance in Combs 313.

Tickets for the morning session in Brock Auditorium also are available to the public at $7 and may be obtained by calling 622-1574 in advance.

For more information about the event, call 622-1574 or visit www.cbt.eku.edu/DEAN/Publicity/20060407Skills/default.html.

The event will be held at 8 p.m. in Brock Auditorium. Tickets are $10 each ($5 for students) and can be purchased by calling (859) 622-3266 or stopping by the Department of Music office, located in the Foster Building. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the night of the performance.

Performers at the event will include all student ensembles.

Richard Crosby, keyboard division coordinator for the Department, will also premiere “Appalachian Variations,” a symphonic band piece in honor of EKU’s centennial this year.

“This gives the public and parents of our students a great opportunity to see all our groups at one event and see what our music program has to offer,” said Rob James, chair of EKU’s Department of Music, “and our Scholarship Fund enables us to attract the brightest, most talented student musicians to our program.”

All proceeds from the event go to the Scholarship Fund. Donations to the Fund are welcome and donors will be listed in the event program.

The Job Fair will be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom on the University of Kentucky campus. The event is free.

“This is the job fair event for Central Kentucky for all education majors and graduates,” said Amanda Tudor, associate director of EKU’s Division of Career Services. “This is the opportunity for education job seekers to network with school recruiters and learn about opportunities within Kentucky and the surrounding states.”

Between 75 and 100 school recruiters are expected to attend the event. All teaching candidates, as well as education alumni, are encouraged to attend and bring copies of their resumes.

For more information on the event, contact Career Services at 622-1707 or visit www.career.eku.edu.

Eastern’s IFC won the Fraternal Excellence Award, the top honor a council can receive. The award is based on excellence in management, leadership development, philanthropy and community service, publications, public relations, recruitment, scholarship and academic achievement and social programming. EKU was one of six councils to receive the award this year.

The Council also received first-place awards in the areas of excellence in alumni development, outstanding community service and philanthropy, and outstanding publications.

Honorable mention awards were given to the Council in the areas of outstanding educational program, interfraternal relations and recruitment.

“The Council was very pleased with all the awards that we received,” said Jordan House, IFC President. “The fraternities on this campus should be proud that they accomplished so much under last year's IFC.”

Five executive officers and one adviser of EKU’s IFC attended the conference in Atlanta.

The purpose of the IFC is to “act as a governing body over fraternities, as well as a liaison between the fraternities and rest of campus,” said House.

EKU has 11 social fraternities that belong to the IFC.

Sheila Pressley
Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Science Department

How did you come to be interested in the field of Environmental Health Science?
Even in middle school, I loved science. My earth science teacher was a big role model for me and we still keep in touch from time to time. When I graduated from high school I knew I wanted to be involved in the health field, but because I had participated in vocational clubs like the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) I knew I did not want to be a nurse or a doctor. Through HOSA, I learned about a variety of public health careers and decided I wanted to prevent people from exposures to disease and injury. Knowing this, I began to look at public health programs in my home state of North Carolina. I visited several UNC schools, but choose Western Carolina because of its focus on preventive medicine and environmental health. At that time, Western Carolina was one of only two schools in the state of North Carolina, and one of 22 in the nation, that offered an accredited program in Environmental Health. After meeting the department chair, (Joe Beck, who is now my department colleague, was the chair at that time), I entered Western and declared my major as a freshman. I had a great career and I have never looked back!

Eastern is leading a national effort to attract more minorities into this field. Why is that important?
It’s important because of the demographics we are facing in the United States today. According to the last Census in 2000, the U.S. population grew by 2.5 percent to 288 million people. Hispanics accounted for half of that national increase. Hispanics make up about 38 million, African Americans about 36 million, and Asians are about 13 million. With more people of color in the U.S. population, we need to see the same representation in our health professions. We are seeing health disparities in environmental health and all aspects of public health, such as nursing, medicine, therapy and administration. To combat that, we need to see more people of color represented in fields that they would not normally consider. Traditionally, environmental health has not attracted students of color, not because students were not qualified or interested, but because there were not enough mentors or faculty who could attract them and educate them about the field. I was very fortunate to meet Joe Beck and Franklin Carver (now a provost at North Carolina Central University), who are two of my longtime mentors. I intend to provide that same kind of mentoring and careful guidance to my students — no matter what their race of ethnicity is.

What factors are contributing to growth in this career field, and what new roles might environmental health scientists play in the years to come?
Of course many people understand the economic and social impacts the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, had on our nation. Other events such as the battle SARS, avian bird flu, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have also influenced our profession. In fact, these unfortunate events have impacted our profession tremendously. We have always offered courses and training on infectious diseases and occupational safety and health, but now we see even more interest in those areas because employers want to hire students who understand how to use personal protective equipment and who understand how to prevent exposure to infectious diseases and injury. Prevention has always been the key to environment whether we are talking about food hygiene, waterborne diseases or chemical agents.

What is being done to interest more females in environmental health science?
Hiring more women is certainly a large part of that. Students feel more comfortable about their potential career if they see someone they can relate to in and outside the classroom. Part of my job as a faculty member and as a continuing student of environmental health is to introduce the profession to others. This is still a male-dominated field and I always take a special interest in my female students. One of my personal goals is to recruit more women into our program. I have spearheaded a number of recruitment activities and personally recruited students one-on-one since I arrived. I am starting to see the fruits of my labor in the classroom. Students who have spoken to me or other members of the faculty are taking courses and declaring environmental health at their major. That real challenge is in helping them graduate and find a job!

What strengths make EKU’s Environmental Health Science Program a national leader?
All of our faculty members give students the attention and guidance they need to be successful as a student AND as a professional. Our doors are always open and we talk frequently and candidly with students about the choices they need to make. We have a tough curriculum that requires a number of courses in chemistry, biology, and physics along with environmental health courses in air pollution, toxicology, water and wastewater, hazardous and solid waste, and many others. We let our students know that there will be challenges but they can come to us for help at anytime. When our students graduate they have already completed six or more hours in a field experience. Our program requires students to get work experience before they graduate and we make sure it is meaningful. Our students typically have jobs when they graduate, especially if they are willing to work in other areas of the country. Once a student enters our program, they become members of the environmental health family and they develop lifelong mentors and contacts just as I did at Western Carolina. Today there are about 28 schools in the nation that offer an accredited bachelor of science degree in Environmental Health and Eastern’s program is the largest and the best. We offer many of the elective courses that the smaller programs do not have such as bioterrorism and a new course on how minority health issues are influenced by environmental health issues. Our students also have the highest nation average for passing the Registered Environmental Health Sanitarian’s exam (REHS). This is a very tough exam to pass and many seasoned professionals do not have this certification.

The workshop, scheduled for March 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is limited to 50 participants. Those interested in facilitating critical and creative thinking are strongly encouraged to attend. Registration forms are available at Registration Forms and should be returned to Tina Nix at SSB 433, CPO 71, by Feb. 27. There is no charge for attending the workshop.

As part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) re-accreditation process, EKU’s QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan) will be a carefully designed and focused university-wide initiative to improve student learning. Together, the EKU community of faculty, staff and students will continue to pursue one clear objective: to enhance student learning on our campus.

SACS requires that the topic selected for a QEP be creative and vital to the long-term improvement of student learning. The theme that has been selected for our QEP is: Eastern Kentucky University will develop informed, critical, and creative thinkers who communicate effectively. SACS also requires evidence that developing the QEP has engaged the entire university community in the process. While developing a QEP is a required element in SACS reaffirmation, more importantly EKU’s QEP process provides an opportunity for everyone to talk and work inclusively to positively enhance student learning.

For additional information about the workshop or for more information on EKU’s QEP, please contact Dr. Hal Blythe at hal.blythe@eku.edu or Dr. Onda Bennett at onda.bennett@eku.edu.

A $1,000 cash prize will be awarded to the top concept, the faculty sponsor receives $250 and their institution receives a plaque. The top concepts will be selected to participate in the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Collegiate Business Concept Challenge where participants will have the opportunity to discuss launch strategies for their concepts with entrepreneurs and business professionals.

Blakeney, Anne. “Educating Culturally Sensitive Health Professionals in Appalachia,” Appalachian Cultural Competency: A Guide for Medical, Mental Health, and Social Service Professionals, Ed. by S.E. Keefe, Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2005, pgs. 161-178.

Blakeney, Anne. “Health Care in Appalachia” Virginia Appalachian Teachers Network Conference, Radfor, Va., October 2005.

Gerken, Michelle. “Disabilities Awareness,” Kentucky Recreation & Parks, Vol. 55, No. 4 (Winter 2005/06), pgs. 20-21.

Myers, Marshall. “General Hylan Benton Lyon Fought Hard and ‘Raised Cain,’” Kentucky Explorer, Vol. 20, No. 6 (November 2005), pgs. 48-50.

O’Brien, Shirley P. , and Janssen, Karen N. “Internships for Women in Higher Education Administration: Springboards for Success?” Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation, Vol. 24, No. 4 (2005), pgs. 353-359.

O’Brien, Shirley P. “[Review of] Working Women in America: Split Dreams (2nd ed.) by S.N. Hesse-Biber and G.L. Carter,” Journal of Occupational Science, Vol. 12, No. 3 (October 2005), pgs. 196-197.

Pierce, Doris. “Designing Creative Occupation-Based Practice,” 2005 John Bazyk Lecture, Cleveland State University, Department of Occupational Therapy, Cleveland, Ohio, November 2005.

Pierce, Doris. “Strategies for Socio-Cultural Intactness: Practice, Research, and Education,” Keynote Address, Occupation UK and Ireland Occupational Science Symposium, Cork, Ireland, September 2005.

Pierce, Doris; Keough, J.; and Thomas, T. “Using Ritual to Support Client Change at Discharge,” OT Practice, Vol. 10 (17 October 2005), pgs. 17-18.

Schneck, Colleen, and Tomchek, Scott D. “Evaluation of Handwriting,” Hand Function in the Child: Foundations for Remediation (2nd ed.), Ed. by A. Henderson and C. Pehoski, St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier, 2006, pg. 291.

Shordike, Anne, and Pierce, Doris. “Cooking Up Christmas in Kentucky: Occupation and Tradition in the Stream of Time,” Journal of Occupational Science, Vol. 12, No. 3 (October 2005), pgs. 140-148.

St. Michel, Gordon. “[Review of] The Mind at Work: Valuing the Intelligence of the American Worker by Mike Rose,” Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, Vol. 22, No. 1 (2006), pgs. 87-89.

Kentucky Occupational Therapy Association Conference, Paducah, Ky., September 2005:
Allen, Katy. “Preparatory Methods - If You Are Using Them - Use Them Correctly!”
Bennett, Onda. “Psychiatric Rehabilitation.” [in two parts]
Blakeney, Anne, and Marshall, Amy. “Using the AOTA Practice Framework: Application in a Community Setting.”
Clark, Kathy. “Creating Significant Occupational Performance Experiences.”
Kalscheur, Jean. “Finding and Evaluating Evidence to Support Practice.”
Marshall, Amy, and Pierce, Doris. “PRISYM: New Directions in Occupational Therapy: Adolescent Mental Health.”
Myers, Christine T. , and Rous, Beth. “Perspectives on Early Childhood Transition Practices: Implications for Occupational Therapy.” Poster Presentation.
O’Brien, Shirley P. ; Cecil, S.; and Colburn, C. “Making OT Known Entity: The 1,2,3’s of Advocacy and Public Relations.”
Schneck, Colleen, and Shasby, Sharon B. “Third Annual School-Based Forum.”
St. Michel, Gordon, and Griffin, Tammy. “Kentucky Case Managers Perceptions of OT: Implications for Practice.”

Society for the Study of Occupation Conference, Washington D.C., October 2005:
Marshall, Amy, and Pierce, Doris. “Liberating Structures: Balancing Collaboration and Control in Occupation-Based Practice With At-Risk Youth.”
Shordike, Anne; Pierce, Doris; et al. “The Unfolding of an International Study of Valued Food-Centered Occupations in Older Women.”

Health Fair
EKU will host a Campus Health Fair on March 6 to provide you an opportunity to get a variety of health screenings and wellness information. Drop by the Powell Building between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and earn five Wellness Credits for participating!

What’s Your Score?
Visit the Healthy You! At EKU wellness website to take the 2006 Wellness Assessment worth 10 Wellness Credits. You will get your Personal Wellness Score and individual report detailing your health risk areas and information you can put to work right away. To get the most from your report, enter your screening results from the Health Fair or from your health professional.

Learning Opportunities
Learn how to add activity to your lifestyle during the “Get Ready, Get Set, Go” wellness seminar presented on site on March 7 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Library 208.

Or take the “Get Ready, Get Set, Go” interactive wellness seminar online anytime during March when you visit www.HealthyYouAtEKU.com.

Join presenter Dennis Weisert on March 21 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Library 208 to learn more about “Diabetes: Physical Activity and Nutrition.”

Each of these learning opportunities is worth one Wellness Credit. Be sure to record your completion of on site seminars and events using the “My Credits” link on the website.

News to Use
EKU’s wellness website features the Impact Newsletter, a monthly must-read with wellness tips, articles and a healthy recipe to try!