What's News – Welcome to Alma Matters; Opportunities Fair; Dean Stanley Lemeshow to present research; ‘This is Public Health’ campaign; Net-Wellness awarded substantial funding
Faces and Places – CPH students earn research funding; student wins research paper competition; OWD employees promoted; epidemiology professor helps national association write strategic plan; cancer study receives significant funding from NCI
Student Scoop – Looking for those traveling to Winter Olympics; promote public health in ’08 election; Global Health Photo Exhibit
Society Page – Student societies; CPH Alumni Society; HSMP Alumni Society
Alumni Notes – Learn what College graduates are up to
Useful Tidbits – National Public Health Week; present a mini-lecture; show your O-H-I-O spirit
The World we live in – Health spending exceeds record $2 trillion; local pastor urges church men to see doctor
Photo Finish – SPH alum Bill Radler competes on USA's duathlon team

Welcome to 'Alma Matters'

Welcome to the first issue of Alma Matters, a monthly newsletter for students and alumni of the OSU College of Public Health. Our goal is to bring you an informative, interactive and contemporary-looking news medium. But the newsletter isn’t complete without feedback from you – the readers. Let us know what you think and tell us how we can make it better. Send your thoughts, story ideas and photos to Communications Coordinator Wendy Pramik wpramik@cph.osu.edu.

Opportunities Fair, Feb. 26

Recreation & Physical Activity Center (RPAC), 3 to 5 p.m.
The College of Public Health’s Opportunities Fair allows students and alumni to network with potential employers and obtain leads for practicum and post-graduate positions. Representatives from more than 25 organizations will be at this year’s fair, now in its 15th year. Lori Bolton, fair organizer and programs manager for the College of Public Health’s Office of Academic Programs, encourages alumni to get involved by having their affiliated organizations reserve a table to recruit new employees. Exhibitors include employers for all degree programs. Thinking of attending? Remember to bring several copies of your resume. For more information, e-mail Lori Bolton at lbolton@cph.osu.edu.

Dean to present research on elderly and cognitive disorders

During spring quarter 2007, Dean Stanley Lemeshow collaborated with top French neuroepidemiologists in Paris on a population-based study of the elderly at the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale. His research focused on analyzing the vascular risk factors for vascular and cognitive disorders in a study of more than 9,000 elderly people. He also researched possible correlations between Alzheimer’s and height, income and educational achievement. Lemeshow will present information on his research as part of the College’s Seminar Series on Feb. 18, from 12:30 to 1:18 p.m., M-008 Starling-Loving Hall.

ASPH offers student grants for ‘This is Public Health’ campaign

ASPH has issued a request for applications for students to develop and execute a “This is Public Health” communications campaign during National Public Health Week, April 7-13. The request challenges students at ASPH-member schools to raise awareness about public health and how it affects our lives. ASPH is awarding up to $2,000 per project. Deadline is Feb. 15. Questions? Contact Communications Director Christine O'Malley at 293-9406 or comalley@cph.osu.edu. For more info >

Public health Web site awarded $421,000 in funding

NetWellness.org, a nonprofit consumer health Web site operated by the College of Public Health and two other Ohio universities, has been awarded $421,000 to support operations in 2008. The funding comes from the State Library of Ohio and Ohio Public Library Information Network. It will help sustain the $600,000 operational budget of NetWellness.org, an advertisement-free, consumer health Web site produced by OSU, Case Western Reserve University and University of Cincinnati. Read more >

CPH students Sarah Heaner and Megan Knapke, two students in the Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, were awarded research funding from OSU’s Critical Difference for Women program. Assistant Professor Mira Katz is the faculty advisor for both Sarah and Megan. The OSU Critical Difference for Women, founded in 1986, is a program that offers scholarships and grants to female students, faculty and staff who are seeking advanced education and enhanced professional lives. The research awards will be used toward conducting Heaner’s study entitled “Health-related lifestyle changes among young breast cancer survivors,” and Knapke’s study entitled “Youth empowerment strategies (YES!): enhancing learning and assessing health needs.”

Health policy paper wins award

CPH student Ellen Yard is the recipient of the 2007 Best Ohio Health Policy Student Research Award for her paper titled “An Epidemiologic Comparison of Injuries Presenting to a Pediatric Emergency Department and Local Urgent Care Facilities.” Yard's academic advisor is Randy Harris.

Two staff members in the College’s Office of Workforce Development were recently promoted. Adam Negley is now assistant director. Since joining OWD in 2004 as a program manager, Adam has served as the liaison between OWD and the Ohio Department of Health’s Bureau of Public Health Preparedness. Adam also coordinates the College’s Summer Program in Applied Biostatistical and Epidemiological Methods. Joanne Pearsol now serves as OWD’s associate director, assuming additional responsibilities in the reorganization. For more info >

David Murray, professor and chair of the Division of Epidemiology and interim chair of the Division of Biostatistics, was one of two OSU representatives called on to help the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute write its strategic plan. More than 600 researchers from around the U.S. contributed to the completion of the 54-page document. Read more >

Kenneth Steinman, assistant professor in the Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, will present a White Paper on Improving Family Violence Prevention in Ohio at a statewide conference on Feb. 19. The conference titled "Preventing Family Violence: What Can be Done in Ohio?" will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Longaberger Alumni House. The purpose is to share the policy findings of a report by the Ohio Family Violence Prevention Project and to solicit feedback. For more info >

Cancer study receives $1.4 million grant from NCI

Chris Weghorst, associate professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, has received $1.4 million in funding from the National Cancer Institute for a 5-year RO1 study titled “Food-Based Modulation of Biomarkers in Human Tissues at High-Risk for Oral Cancer.”

Allard E. Dembe, associate professor and chair of the Division of Health Services Management and Policy, was featured in an article titled "Safety: Nonstandard Work Shifts May Hinder Recovery" in the Jan. 29 issue of The New York Times. The article sums up a research study, led by Dembe, about how employees who work nonstandard shifts are at an increased risk of being injured while on the job. The study appeared in The Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation in October. Read more >

Jonathan R. Studnek, a PhD candidate in the Division of Epidemiology, was featured in an article in The New York Times on Jan. 15. The article, titled “Hazards: Needing the First Aid They Give to Others,” reported that ambulance workers face a high risk of getting hurt on the job, resulting in time off work due to injury. The study stems from research by Studnek and Mac Crawford, assistant professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences. Studnek's academic advisor is Amy Ferketich, assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology. Read more >

The College of Public Health is well represented in an article about infectious diseases and the threat of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" in the Jan. 24 issue of onCampus, The Ohio State University's newspaper for faculty and staff. The article, titled "Preparing for the Threat," features Dean Stanley Lemeshow, Frank Holtzhauer, clinical associate professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, and Eric Lutz, the division's program manager. The article cites experts at OSU who are researching infectious diseases and preparing the public for an outbreak. Read more >

Kurt Stevenson, joint professor in the Division of Epidemiology and the College of Medicine, was featured in an article in Jan. 9 edition of The Columbus Dispatch about a teenager who died of an antibiotic-resistant staph infection. Read more >

Dean Stanley Lemeshow’s comments on President Bush’s veto of a $606 billion bill were featured on The Columbus Dispatch’s Web site on Nov. 16. “Investing in public health helps everyone,” said Lemeshow on the blog. “The failure to do so exposes every citizen to increased risks from threats like pandemic influenza, natural disasters and preventable health conditions.” Read more >

If any students are traveling to Beijing for the 2008 Winter Olympics, please contact the College’s communications office at comalley@cph.osu.edu. We are interested in possible stories for future publications and news releases.

Workshop, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., M-100, Starling-Loving Hall
See what’s in store at the upcoming job fair and learn how to increase your chances of getting an interview. This workshop will show you how some prep work and follow-up calls can make the job fair a success. RSVP to Jenny Laughbaum at jlaughbaum@cph.osu.edu.

Help elevate public-health issues in ’08 election through Facebook

Interact with ABC reporters via a new Facebook application called “US Politics.” To sign up, visit www.facebook.com and click on “Sign up.” Once registered, users will receive an e-mail confirmation. After that, just log back onto Facebook and search for “US Politics.” Select “Browse Reporters” on the pull-down menu, and you’re set to “follow” the reporter of your choice. Examples of questions for reporters could include:

• What budget priority would you give to public health? Given that health care spending cost more than $2 trillion last year, and public health efforts prevent unnecessary death and disease.
• What public health measures would you advance as President? Knowing that the lack of well-trained public health professionals exposes America to increased risks
• What would you do to fortify our public health infrastructure?

Photographs sought for OSU Global Health Photo Exhibit

The Global Health Initiative at Ohio State is seeking photographs for the second annual Global Health Photo Exhibit to be held Feb. 28 in the lobby of Hagerty Hall. Submissions should seek to educate people about any aspect of global health including health care for underserved populations within and outside of the United States, physical health care structures, administration of health care, preventative measures, and indigenous medicine. OSU faculty, staff, professional, graduate or undergraduate students are eligible to enter. Gift certificates will be awarded to the top photos. Enter by Feb. 11. Contact: jaung.1@osu.edu. Read more >

SPHS
The Society of Public Health Students (SPHS) is a student organization comprised of all students currently enrolled in the College of Public Health. The organization's mission is to be a conduit for communication of public health issues with students, faculty and members of the surrounding community, and to provide networking opportunities for those interested in public health careers. There are typically one or two general body meetings per quarter, but the officers of the organization meet regularly to plan community service activities, social gatherings and professional development events. This past January, SPHS organized a successful food drive with all donations benefiting the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. In addition, on Feb. 23, members of SPHS will be participating in and volunteering at the Climb for a Cure, an event benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis foundation.

SPHS Officers:
Jake Snoble, President
Lisa Frazier, Vice President
Laura Yodice, Secretary
Christina Jackson, Treasurer

For more information about SPHS, please contact Jake Snoble at snoble.2@osu.edu.

AFHE
The Association for Future Healthcare Executives (AFHE) is an official student lead organization of the University. Membership is open to MHA students and to other graduate students in healthcare professions. The overall goal of AFHE is to facilitate opportunities for students to accomplish their professional objectives specifically for those whom are seeking careers in health care management.

AFHE Officers:
Nicholas Schmidt, President
Malissa Frost, Vice President, Community Service Chair
Aaron Spaulding, Treasurer

For membership information, contact Aaron Spaulding at aaron.spaulding@gmail.com. For more info >

Notes from CPH Alumni Society
President Amy Wermert

The College of Public Health Alumni Society is in the process of examining how it can best support and encourage involvement of alumni and students. An alumni society survey on how to improve the organization will be mailed out to CPH alumni and students in February. Please take the time to complete this important survey. If you have questions or comments, please contact Amy Wermert, at cphalumni@cph.osu.edu.

2008 CPH Alumni Society Board members:
President: Amy Wermert (MPH, ’02)
Vice President: Blake Warner (MPH, ’07)
Past President: Suellen Bennett (MS, ’01)
Treasurer: Lisa Jones (MS, ’93; Ph.D., '96)
Secretary: Randi Love (CPH faculty)
Student representative: Laura Yodice (MPH, expected '09)
Representatives at large: Sato Ashida (Ph.D., ’05), Yong Chu (MPH, ’06), Mac Crawford (MS, ’89; Ph.D., '95), Laura Hoye (MPH, ’07), Denise Kissell (MPH, ’04), Andrew Knecht (MPH, ’06), Jen Luca (MPH, ’06), Jill Oliveri (MPH, '99) and Sandhya Ramachandran (MPH, '00)

CPH NEWS:
You're invited to a social gathering at Rooster's, 2454 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy complementary appetizers while socializing with other students and alumni. Then join the group for bowling at the Columbus Square Bowling Palace, 5707 Forest Hills Blvd., at 9 p.m. Plan on attending? E-mail Blake Warner at warner.blake@gmail.com or call 419-439-2215.

The HSMP Alumni Society helps provide and promote a continuing relationship of cooperation, understanding and fellowship among students of various graduating classes, students of the HSMP program and faculty. Currently there are 150 members. Conference calls are held once a month.

HSMP Membership Benefits include:
Access to the online alumni directory; access to current salary and benefits survey; access to the Executive Search Service, Looking List and job opportunities; eligibility for HSMP Alumni Society and OSU awards; registration discounts for the Management Institute; and career counseling and mentoring by the Career Services director

Want to join? Contact Amy Thaci, at 614-292-6457 or e-mail hsmpalum@cph.osu.edu. For more info >

HSMP NEWS:
Patricia Sodomka (MHA '78), senior vice president of Patient and Family Centered Care at MCG Health, was selected as the 2007 recipient of HSMP's Distinguished Alumnus Award. The alumni society extends this recognition to those who have made outstanding contributions to the field of health services management and policy. Sodomka earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy and her master’s in Hospital and Health Services Administration at The Ohio State University. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has more than 28 years experience in healthcare management.

Alumni are cordially invited to attend the OSU HSMP Alumni Society Dinner on March 11, 2008 in Chicago. The event coincides with the 2008 ACHE Congress on Health Care Leadership. More info to come!

Kevin Smith (MHA, '77) will become president and CEO of Winchester Health Care Management in Winchester, Mass., in Oct. 2011.

Loretta Haddy (MS, ’77) is the state epidemiologist for West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources in Charleston. She would like to extend that she has one entry- and two upper-level epidemiologist vacancies in her office. “As an alumnus, I would love to consider a graduate of OSU,” she said. If interested, please e-mail lorettahaddy@wvdhhr.org or call (304) 558-5358.

Daniel Lebish, (MHA, ’78) was recently appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Concordia Companies, one of the nation’s largest dental insurance providers, headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa. Along with his new responsibilities, Lebish will remain chairman, president and CEO of HM Insurance Group, a position he held since 2002.

Mike Lee (MHA, ’81) is proud to report the recent achievements of his daughters, Eva and Taylor. Eva earned a master’s in accounting from Texas Tech University in 2007, and Taylor, who has a degree in hospitality management from North Texas University, recently moved to Hyde Park, N.Y., to pursue an education at the Culinary Institute of America.

Jennifer (Taylor) Tonkli (MHA, '91) and her husband Tom adopted Matthew Tyler on Sept. 11, 2006. Matthew was born on March 7, 2006. Jennifer currently works as the administrator for Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at the Cleveland Clinic.

Laura K. Peters (MHA, ’93) recently became engaged and is planning a small wedding in Washington, D.C., next January. Her fiancé, Philip Moortgat, is a native of the D.C. area and is a programmer with America Online.

Greg Hudson (MHA and MPA, '96) achieved the status of Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives in January. He was also promoted to corporate director of the department of Planning at the Valley Health System in Winchester, Va.. He also says, "Go Bucks!"

Manoj Sharma (Ph.D., ’97) is a newly published author of “Theoretical Foundations of Health Education and Health Promotion.” Details of the book may be viewed here. (Interesting side note: Sharma was the first to receive a doctorate in 1997, from the then newly established School of Public Health. His focus was on Health Behavior and Health Promotion.)

Sarah L. Sampsel (MPH, ’00) was recently promoted to research scientist at the National Committee for Quality Assurance in Washington, D.C. Her responsibilities include managing projects geared toward improving the health care of patients suffering from obesity, back pain and cardiovascular disease. She also manages programs on children’s health.

Abram Brown III (MHA, '01) is featured as one of 40 business and community leaders under the age of 40 who are making their mark in East Tennessee. He's listed in the Greater Knoxville's Business Journal as one of its '40 under 40' for his success as director of performance and accountability at the Cherokee Health Systems. Read more >

Michele Battle Fisher (MPH, ’02) welcomed baby Michaela Corinne to the world on Sept. 13, 2007. Fisher was also the recipient of Ohio University’s FLAS Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship for 2007-08, through which she will perform her research in Somali. In addition, she was honored for a research paper titled “An Empirical Test of the EPPM while Promoting HIV Tests: Does Trait Reactance and Sensation Seeking Moderate the Model’s Predictions?” at the 2008 International Communication Association Conference in Montreal.

Jason E. Rock (MPH, MD, ’03) is working on his final year of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship in Pittsburgh, where he is the chief resident. Rock has signed a contract to begin working in July for Sharon Regional Health System in Sharon, Pa. Rock, who was married in 2000, says he and his wife are the proud parents of two boys: 2-year-old Jason Jr. and 9-month-old Johnny. He also says his family is happy to be returning to the Youngstown area after five years in Pittsburgh.

Brenda R. Clark (MPH, '04), NetWellness program manager, can now add “published author” to her resume thanks to work she did on her thesis while studying for her MPH. Her research study called “Evidence of population mixing based on the geographical distribution of childhood leukemia in Ohio” was published in November in Pediatric Blood Cancer. Co-researches included CPH faculty Amy Ferketich, Randy Harris and Jay Wilkins.

Tamira Moon, (MPH, ’04) has recently accepted a new position as project director for Georgia’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program. She is responsible for planning and implementing Georgia’s first statewide cancer survivorship conference. Her efforts have been recognized and applauded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute.

Duane Reynolds (MHA, ’04) relocated to Baltimore in 2006 to accept a position as rheumatology division manager with Johns Hopkins Medicine. He was recently selected to be a participant in the Johns Hopkins System Leadership Program, where he’ll help foster diversity in selecting the future leaders at Hopkins. Contact: Duane.Reynolds@jhmi.edu.

Ashley M. Schramm (MPH, ’05) recently left her position at OSU Medical Center to pursue a career as program manager at Global Robotics Institute, a part of Florida Hospital Celebration Health in Celebration, Fla.

Joseph E. Yonke (MPH, ’05) recently earned a Master of Science in biomedical science from the University of Toledo, Health Science Campus. He also passed a national board exam to become a physician assistant. Yonke plans to return to Columbus and work as a physician assistant in emergency medicine for a company that supports Mt. Carmel Hospital, where he will also conduct research.

Emily Allinder (MHA, ’06) completed a fellowship at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville. In 2007, she returned to her home state of Missouri, where she accepted a position as business manager for Surgical Services at Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City.

Kellie Carlyle (MPH, ’06) received her doctorate from The Ohio State University School of Communication in August 2007. She is currently an assistant professor of health communication in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University.

Erik Vidmar (MHA, '06) is continuing his work for the Cleveland Clinic and is setting up a new hospital system in Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates.

(If you’d like to add updates to this section or are interested in contacting other alumni, please e-mail College of Public Health Communications Coordinator Wendy Pramik at wpramik@cph.osu.edu.)

National Public Health Week, April 7-13

For assistance in marketing your events for National Public Health Week, contact CPH Communications Director Christine O’Malley at 293-9406 or comalley@cph.osu.edu.

Math and Science Club looking for volunteers

A free Math and Science Club organized by the OSU Medical Center for youth in grades 4-12 is looking for faculty, staff, students or alumni volunteers to present a mini-lecture and hands-on activity at an upcoming club meeting. The club meets on the fourth Monday of the month from 5:30-7 p.m. at the African American African Studies Community Extension Center. The club’s goal is to introduce youth to the variety in math and science fields. If you are interested in attending one of the club meetings, please contact Christine O'Malley at comalley@cph.osu.edu.

Show your O-H-I-O spirit

Since The Ohio State University aired a 30-second TV commercial for the Web site www.osu.edu during the National Championship game, hundreds of people from around the world have submitted photos of themselves spelling out the letters O-H-I-O. The College of Public Health encourages you to submit photos relating to public health to the site. If you’re inspired to do so, please also submit your photo to Communications Coordinator Wendy Pramik at wpramik@cph.osu.edu. She may use your photo in an upcoming newsletter.

The OSU Alumni Association and the OSU African American Alumni Society welcome African American alumni to the OSU African American Alumni Reunion May 2-4. The theme is Faces, Places, Memories: Honoring the Past, Creating Our Future. Activities will include a healthy lifestyle fair, financial/leadership workshops, artist showcase, business expo and hospitality suites. Register here. Contact: holmes@ohiostatealumni.org.

Health spending exceeded record $2 trillion in 2006

National health spending soared above $2 trillion for the first time in 2006 and has nearly doubled in the last decade, amounting to an average of $7,000 a person. Read more >

Local pastor urges church men to see a doctor

After too many men in his church's congregation were dying of preventable illnesses related to poor health, pastor Troy Keith at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, ordered about 900 adult men to see a doctor in the next three months. Read more >

PUBLIC HEALTH CHAMPION – Bill Radler (MHA, ’84) is a member of Team USA’s duathlon team. Last year, he competed in the 2007 World Long-Course Duathlon Championships in Richmond, Va. The competition consisted of a 15-kilometer run, a 77-kilometer bike ride, and a second 7.5-kilometer run. Radler has qualified for the team three times in the past four years.

Photo request
The communications department wants your photo submissions to publish in the Photo Finish section of Tuesday Times and Alma Matters. We're looking for photos that depict any "public health experience." Ideas for entries include a school or community event, a faculty or student research project and a fellowship or internship experience. Please send images with a brief description to wpramik@cph.osu.edu.

FEB. 8

PEP practicum presentations: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Starling-Loving, room M-010. RSVP to Jenny Laughbaum at jlaughbaum@cph.osu.edu.

FEB. 11

Seminar: “Gene E in the chromosome of Salmonella typhimurian: Relationship to the Pla (Plasminogen activator) of Yersinia pestis,” 12:30 to 1:18 p.m., Starling-Loving Hall, room M-008. Speaker: Ling Zheng, PhD- Public Health College of Fujian Medical University, China. Sponsor: College of Public Health.

FEB. 18

Seminar: “Report on the Dean’s Special Research Assignment in Paris,” 12:30 to 1:18 p.m., Starling-Loving Hall, room M-008. Speaker: Stanley Lemeshow, PhD, Dean, OSU College of Public Health. Sponsor: College of Public Health.

MARCH 5

Cover letter clinic: 30 to 1:30 p.m., Starling-Loving, room M-008. RSVP to Jenny Laughbaum at jlaughbaum@cph.osu.edu.