Volume I – 4th Edition | June 2018
Greetings:

Over the last few months of the semester, the faculty, staff, and students have been busy continuing to meet our strategic priorities. In this newsletter, you will see the exceptional learning opportunities our students are engaged in, as well as the research that aims to improve public health and well-being. Our faculty and students have made it a priority to recruit students to the college through a variety of community partnership programs, as well as engage our alumni and community supporters as our champions. It has been a wonderful academic year and we look forward to building on our success in the future.

Regards-
Scott Heinerichs, Dean (interim), College of Health Sciences
CHS Wraps Up The Year On A High Note!
As the Spring Semester began to wind down, the CHS sponsored two of its biggest events of the year. On April 7, the first Annual Scholarship Breakfast took place with over 150 students, staff, friends and family. It was a great success! Just a few weeks later, we hosted Exercise is Medicine Day and the whole campus came out to learn and have some fun!
Saturday, April 7, 2018
CHS Scholarship Breakfast

Thursday, May 3, 2018
Exercise is Medicine Day
CHS Partners with Chester Charter School for the Arts (CCSA)
In April and May the college initiated a mentoring program with CCSA. Ten students representing each of the programs within CHS attended CCSA once a week during the month of April to discuss life skills with the high school students. In May, the CCSA students came to engage in experiential learning activities with faculty and students to be exposed to health science majors. 

Kudos to our college wide student success and retention committee for their work on this initiative! The
CCSA students will also be invited to a week-long Health Sciences Summer Academy in July at the CHS.

Communication Sciences & Disorders ( CSD)
At the recent PSHA ( Pennsylvania Speech Language Hearing Association ) meeting, several students and faculty presented posters, including Impact of Study Abroad on Speech-Language Pathology Students , Clinical Experiences in a Study Abroad Context, and The Effect of Reduced Audibility on Performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination . Dr. Aaron Roman and Dr. Patricia Swasey Washington were the research advisors for the students. Faculty presenters included Dr. Elizabeth Grillo, Dr. Mareile Koenig,and Dr. Patricia Swasey-Washington.
Health ( HEA )
Dr. Chiwo Tinago took a group of students to Uganda over spring break, where they participated in community health outreaches including cervical cancer screenings, HIV testing and counseling, family planning counseling, IUD and injectables insertion, dental screenings, fluoride application and tooth extractions, among other health services. The program also received a WCU  Global Rams Initiative Designation for the 2017-18 academic year, allowing 7 students to receive a Global Rams Scholarship to participate.
Dr. Neha Sunger received the first Faculty Visionary Award from the College of Health Sciences. The criteria for the award is to “recruit, retain, and create a welcoming and inclusive environment for faculty, staff and students who reflect the diversity of our world today.” Dr. Sunger embodies these priorities in many ways, such as establishing a connection with the local Indian-Diwali Food Drive organization which resulted in the collection of over 56,000 lbs. of food. She is also an acting partner of the Global Water Alliance and is vested in working with emerging researchers at both the undergraduate and graduate level .

WCU was selected by the Maternal & Child Health Consortium (MCHC) to receive their Volunteer Award which represents their longstanding relationship with the University and as an expression of appreciation for the faculty and students who coordinate this partnership. The Department of Health currently has 6 students completing their internships with the MCHC this semester alone. WCU also received two citations from PA Senator Andy Dinnamin & the Chester County Commissioners
Kinesiology ( KIN )
Dr. Margaret Ottley, a mental performance specialist who has trained elite Olympic athletes to defeat mental hurdles, and graduate student teachers in her Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology class, collaborated with the Philadelphia-based Black Women in Sport Foundation (President Tina Sloane-Green '66) and the Global Leadership Academy/Global Academies to sponsor, " Dream Big: Play Like You Know --- Your Inner Power," the full-day program helps youth learn about the science of movement and self-care through hands-on activities that explore anatomy & physiology, exercise physiology, and biomechanics.
Students in the Deaf Studies program, under the direction of Dr. Kat Ellis, traveled to Gallaudet University on April 5th. They had a full day of class observations and meetings with professors, including those involved in the graduate programs for various specializations (interpreting, SLP/AuD, Psychology to name a few). Each year the number of students increases and there were 44 representing the Deaf Studies program and WCU. It was a great day!
Nursing ( NUR )
Seven nursing students were presented with scholarships from the Brandywine Health Foundations. Pictured are Dr. Scott Heinerichs and Dr. Nancy Barker with nursing students, Heather Bushover, Molly Hudson, Julia Dobson, Audrey Wood-Bianchi , Aislinn Flynn, and Julianna Zak along with a few of the contributors. The West Chester Nursing students received multiple awards.
Eighteen sophomore, junior and senior nursing students attended the National Student Nurse Association Conference in Nashville TN with Michelle Kensey, Dr. Rachel Joseph and Dr. Nancy Barker. The students presented a resolution related to car seat safety which was passed during the convention.
Nutrition ( NUT )
Twenty-two students and Drs. Subach and Karpinski traveled to Portugal and Spain over spring break on a culinary immersion trip. They participated in two cooking workshops, making a Portuguese feast in Lisbon and Spanish omelets and paella in Seville. They visited an exclusive olive tree ‘museum’ and did an olive oil tasting, observed a demonstration of Iberian ham cutting, and took a tour of a huge fresh market in Barcelona. 
On April 10th, two groups of undergraduate students of nutrition, a total of 50 students, attended a field trip to visit the production facility of Penns Woods Winery in Eddystone, PA as part of their Food Science course. Dr. Amir Golmohamadi and Rosa Morar, an undergraduate student, worked on this trip for two months and students enjoyed the trip!
April 28 marked the first ever Nutrition Alumni Event, hosted by the WCU Department of Nutrition. The theme for the event was "Culinary Immersion of the Foodways of West Chester." The event included a series of food tour stops for tastings and samplings of local food establishments, including a coffee cupping at Golden Valley Farms, samplings at Classic Diner, Taste of Olive, Baked, Saloon 151, beer flight tastings at Levante Brewing, and shopping at the Artisan Exchange market. Ten alumni and eight faculty members of the nutrition department attended the event. The event was a true success and the day was enjoyed by all who attended.
Dr. Christine Karpinski was honored with the 2018 SCAN Achievement Award. The SCAN ( Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition) Award, which is SCAN’s highest honor, recognizes a member for outstanding service to SCAN and professional accomplishments that advance the focus areas of SCAN: sports, cardiovascular health, wellness, and disordered eating, and are achieved with high visibility and broad impact. CONGRATULATIONS!
Sports Medicine ( SMD )
Jared Maisel ’10 hosted the 3rd annual Certified Athletic Trainers of China (CATC) meeting last weekend at Concordia International School Shanghai. Ram Alum Pride was seen halfway around the world with 3 Golden Rams in attendance. Stephanie Mitchell '08, Megan Aukett '09, and Jared Maisel '10. The purpose of this annual meeting is to establish a platform for ATs in China and the region for collaboration in professional practice, education, and advocacy. 
The Sports Medicine Department hosted their 8 th annual golf outing at Ingleside Golf Club on Sunday, April 29th. It was a great event, with so many alumni and friends of the program. There were over 80 golfers, and countless donations for food, auction items, and sponsorships. Thank you to all of our supporters of this event, especially to our tournament sponsor (and alum) Phelan Construction.
A group of WCU Athletic Training students traveled to New York City for National Athletic Training Month to spread the word at the Today Show as part of a regional annual initiative, and they showed up on TV!
Alumni Heroes
Tracey Rarich, '08 and Christian Loedel '16, Athletic Training alumnus, were both presented with a life saving award by the Upper Providence Township for providing CPR to a 15 year old softball athlete at Pope John Paul II High School. The athlete made a diving catch in the outfield, falling chest down directly on the ball, sending her into cardiac arrest. Tracey and Christian performed CPR for close to 7 minutes until EMS arrived take her to the hospital. On the ride over, they were able to regain a pulse. The athlete's father attended the award ceremony and commented that the trainers were "true heroes," who "saved my daughter." CONGRATULATIONS!
College of Health Sciences | West Chester University | 610-432-2825 | www.wcupa.edu/chs