Here are some stories of interest to the Ohio University-Chillicothe campus community:  

• Rotary Scholarships Assist OU-C Students Reach their Career Goals

• OU-C Faculty Member Ronald Vance Provides Mentoring for Fulbright Scholar

• Sandra Christman Uses Spanish Classes to Allow Students to Explore Unfamiliar Culture

The full stories are below.
 

ROTARY SCHOLARSHIPS ASSIST OU-C STUDENTS REACH THEIR CAREER GOALS

 

Ohio University-Chillicothe students Shaina Hammond and Amy Allen recently earned annual Chillicothe Rotary Club/OU-C Scholarships. The scholarships include full tuition for a year and are awarded to second-year OU-C students from Ross and Pike counties and are based on scholarship merit and achievement, with financial need as a supporting factor.

 

“These students have demonstrated the ability and determination to succeed in college and in their careers following graduation,” OU-C Dean Richard Bebee said. “We are appreciative of the local Rotary Club’s support of our students and are pleased to partner with Rotary members in this venture that benefits our regional community.”

 

Hammond, a 2004 graduate of Paint Valley High School, is enrolled in OU-C’s nursing program. She plans to begin her career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

 

“The Rotary Scholarship has helped me immensely by providing the tuition support for next year,” Hammond said. “It has also given me a feeling of satisfaction by knowing that my hard work and effort has been recognized and appreciated by members of the community.”

 

Allen, a 1987 graduate of Chillicothe High School, is majoring in business management technology and works full-time for a local physician.

 

“I always wanted to earn a college degree. While my main motivation is personal fulfillment, I am confident that a business degree will be helpful in whatever career path I may pursue,” Allen said.

 

“This scholarship will allow me to take a fuller course load and complete my education sooner. It can be difficult to juggle several responsibilities, and I am grateful to the Rotary Club for this help,” she said.

 

OU-C FACULTY MEMBER RONALD VANCE PROVIDES MENTORING FOR FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR

 

Ohio University-Chillicothe faculty member Ronald Vance was a mentor for a Fulbright Scholar from Oman during winter quarter. Vance, assistant professor of nursing, shared his insights with Mohammed Al Ghenaimi in the classroom and clinical situations while the Fulbright Scholar completed practicum hours for his master’s of science degree in nursing from Ohio University-Athens.

 

“I met Mohammed while we were both enrolled in the master’s program at Ohio University-Athens and agreed to serve as his mentor,” Vance said. “The experience was very beneficial for both of us. Mohammed has been able to see what nursing is about and learn practical aspects while increasing his knowledge of the profession. He was able to offer feedback to me that I have applied in being more effective as a classroom teacher and will be helpful to future students.”

 

Al Ghenaimi is a registered nurse who is looking to become an educator. He earned his master’s degree from Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pa.

 

Al Ghenaimi was able to observe Vance’s classroom techniques and also joined the OU-C faculty member when he evaluated nursing students at clinical sites.

 

“I learned much from Professor Vance and other members of the nursing faculty, such as their teaching philosophy and the best methods for teaching nursing,” Al Ghenaimi said. “I was able to look at how the curriculum is designed and the methods of teaching that are most effective. Because of this, I feel that I am much better prepared as an educator.”

 

SANDRA CHRISTMAN USES SPANISH CLASSES TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO EXPLORE UNFAMILIAR CULTURE

 

Sandra Christman sees the study of Spanish as going far beyond grammar and vocabulary. Christman, who has taught Spanish at Ohio University-Chillicothe for more than 30 years, encourages students in her Spanish classes to explore a culture that may be unfamiliar to them and to learn from that exploration.

 

“In studying another language, students learn more than just the language itself,” Christman said. “As I tell my students, hopefully they will become more culturally tolerant. I want them to learn that different does not mean inferior or superior; but it just means different.”

 

To more fully experience what the study of an international language has to offer, Christman has taken groups of OU-C students to Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico, to become immersed in the Spanish language and another way of life. The experience has done more than sharpen their Spanish-speaking skills.

 

“During experiences such as this, students learn about life. As one student summed it up, ‘Once bread becomes toast, it can never be bread again.’ I think this captures the life-changing experience that can result from the type of cultural experience that you cannot get just in the classroom,” Christman said.

 

Christman has traveled to several Spanish-speaking countries such as Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in improving her Spanish skills and broadening her horizons.

 

It is the classroom experience and interaction with students that keeps the veteran educator looking forward to her job.

 

“I have been teaching nearly 40 years in public schools and college, and it’s still the contact with students that makes the job enjoyable,” Christman said. “I enjoying seeing them achieve and gain something from their time in my class.”

 

Christman joined the OU-C faculty as an adjunct member in 1974 and was named an instructor in the fall of 2005. She also taught in the Chillicothe City Schools system for 31 years.

 

“One thing I especially like about teaching at OU-C is the diversity of the students, especially in terms of age range. I think it is positive for students to see that they are never too old to learn,” Christman said.

 

A key to being an effective teacher is to embrace change, Christman said.

“You need to be open to questions and other ideas and you need to be clear in terms of expectations.”

 

Christman, a native of Galion, Ohio, was one of the first two foreign language graduates when she received her bachelor’s degree from Bluffton College, which is now Bluffton University. She later earned her master’s degree from Kent State University.

 

In her spare time, Christman enjoys sewing, embroidery, reading and playing the keyboards.

 

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Campus News Archive 2007

Campus News Archive 2006