Otterbein University: Graduate Symposium

The Graduate School Symposium Series. Questions get answered. Knowledge gets shared. The Many Faces of Social Justice - April 2, 2012 Otterbein University, Roush Hall 114 and lobby area Gather in Fisher Gallery, Roush Hall for coffee, drinks - 5 p.m. Event begins at 5:30 p.m. in Roush Hall 114 Reception to follow at 6:45 p.m.  Event is free and open to the public.  No registration required.  Be challenged through the exchange of ideas and knowledge among community members, faculty and students...  Featured speakers include:    Scott Marier - Executive Director of Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM provides compassionate, short term assistance, educational services, and spiritual support in order to encourage individuals to achieve a God-reliant, self-sufficient life while restoring dignity and hope.  In 2009 Marier was recognized as the Business Person of the Year by the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce.  The Rotary Club of Westerville also honored him as the Grand Marshal of their 2010 Independence Day Parade celebration. 
Gary Katz - Associate Research Fellow in Global Nutrition Research and Development at Abbott Nutrition.  Katz developed unique and patented infant and other nutritional formulations for U.S. and global markets implemented in more than 100 commercial applications.  He holds nine patents for research innovations.  His current responsibilities at Abbott Nutrition include leading the innovation and technology assessment efforts within the Pediatric Nutrition Research and Development group.
Diane Ross – Otterbein University, Associate Professor, Dept. of Education.  Ross has taught courses at Otterbein University in middle childhood education, educational technology, and multicultural education courses since 2001.  She has a background in middle childhood education and taught 17 years in public education grades 5-8. Diane’s international experiences led her to create a partnership with one of her Ugandan students to improve literacy, technology and health care at a p-7 school in Uganda.  She took eight students from Otterbein last summer to Uganda and will take a team of ten this summer.
Barb Nash - MS,RNC,CNS, Otterbein University, visiting instructor, Dept. of Nursing.  Nash has incorporated humor into her nursing care for 47 years. She uses humor as an effective way to communicate, ease fears, decrease pain, and create a level playing field in a health care world that often functions from an “I’m okay, but you’re not!” perspective. A persistent connection exists between health disparity and societal inequality. Since more research is designed to document, rather than alter, those trends, nurses are called on to invest in a social justice agenda.  Barb’s use of humor creates an environment where all the players can open their minds to creative possibilities.