Kentucky Health Information Management Association Scholarship

Whit Watkins, Health Information Management major, was chosen to receive the Kentucky Health Information Management Association Scholarship.  The scholarship in the amount of $1,000.00 is available to Kentucky students who are planning a career in HIM. Recipients must be a Kentucky resident enrolled in an accredited Kentucky HIA or HIT program. It is based on GPA., financial need, and professional goals.

College of Health Sciences 2007 Dean’s Award

Brian McDowell, a Health Education major was the recipient of the 2007 College of Health Sciences Dean’s Award.  Brian has understood the importance of being engaged in the local and international communities from an early age.  His early missionary work included working in a food bank in Indiana, rebuilding houses in Tennessee, and teaching inner city kids.  Other mission trips in the U.S included a summer in Anchorage, Alaska with Campus Crusade for Christ.  Through a friend, Brian heard about The Rafiki Foundation which is an organization focused on the health of Africans. He right off that he wanted to work in Nigeria as it was the only country with an orphanage, a boy’s school, and a community clinic. Brian personally raised the needed $5,000 to cover the expenses for the summer.  While there, Brian lived in a village and taught at a school for boys. He  taught one class called Health and Hygiene, which was mostly a class about HIV and AIDS.   He also worked as a lab technician for an open community clinic. During this time, he  did everything from HIV/TB testing, to helping with emergency surgeries and giving lectures on clean food and water.   After the clinic, he returned to the school at the village, and was actually asked to be the interim director for the remainder of the summer.

Outstanding Student Award Winners for 2007

Health Education
Outstanding Graduate Student – Madhubindu Kanneganti
Outstanding Senior – Julie Lasslo & Brian McDowell
Outstanding Junior – Laura Mays

Health Services Administration
HSA Scholastic Excellence Award
Ancillary Health Management – Emily McClure
 Health Care Administration – Nadya Ezaizat
 Health Information Management – Whit Watkins
 HSA Outstanding Student Award – Diba Thakali
HSA Faculty Recognition Award – Katie Ray

Medical Assisting and Medical Practice Management
Outstanding Student Award - Jenny Walters

EKU Undergraduate Presentation Showcase
Several students from the Department participated in the April 2007 event.  The poster presentations were:.    

Children’s Clinic Systems Development Case Study
Pam Childress, Kim Watts, Pooja Shrestha, & Kati Ray

Comparison of Health Information Management Information Management between Richmond, Kentucky and Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2006
Diba Thakali

EKU Community Health Education Department Needs Assessment of Undergraduate Students
KK Jauco-Trott, Meghan Scott, & Sanjita Thapa-Chhetri

Student Presentations at 2007 Kentucky Public Health Association Convention
Assessment of Community Norms and Support for Substance Abuse Policies and Programs: Rebecca Gillis, MPH, CHES Eastern Kentucky University
Drug Trends, Physical Activity and Sexual Activity of Undergraduate students: Nicole Brathwaite, Student Eastern Kentucky University
Drug Usage and Motivation to use Among College Students: Nichole Gibson, Student Eastern Kentucky University
Prevalence of Sexual Abuse and Physical Violence among Students: Saroja Vanacharla, Graduate Student, MPH Eastern Kentucky University
Trends in Autism and Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) in Kentucky, 1981-2005. Sumanth Gandra, Graduate Student, MPH Eastern Kentucky University
Health Behaviors and self-reported Quality of Life (QoL) among College Students; Snigda Chukka, Graduate Student, MPH Eastern Kentucky University
Evaluation of MPH Programs ability to educate students so that they are familiar with the central domains of the CEPH guidelines; Omni McCluney, Student, Eastern Kentucky University.
Assessment of University Health Promotion Department Chairs; Shashi Katukoori, Student, Eastern Kentucky University

Alumni News
Kim Demling-Castelluzzo (’90 & ’91)  was elected to the position of President (elect) of the Kentucky Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (KAHPERD).