AHS Magazine 2009-10 by UIC College of Applied Health Sciences

2009–2010 A P U B L I C AT I O N F O R A LU M N I A N D F R I E N D S O F O U R CO L L EG E

AHS MAGAZINE SO FAR. SO GOOD.

One student takes PT practice beyond the basics

PLUS: AHS RESEARCHERS CREATE NEW KNOWLEDGE

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DEAN

THIS IS THE REAL AHS

AHS MAGAZINE

Welcome to the second annual issue of the new AHS Magazine, the publication to keep you informed about what’s happening in the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences. Please take a look at “Notebook” for a number of news briefs from all of our departments as well as from the college and campus. The “People” and “Honor Roll” sections are back to celebrate our generous donors. And flip to the back to read about our extraordinary student support center, the Academic Support and Advising Program. The feature stories in this issue are about the people who make us the outstanding college we are. “Good Fellows” (p. 10) takes a look at the college’s Urban Allied Health Academy in action, and asks the most dedicated participants to tell us what they’ve learned through their experience. Be sure to read “So Far. So Good.” (p. 14), the story of the remarkable Uchenna Ossai, a Schweitzer Fellowship awardee and student in our Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Uchenna is definitely someone to keep an eye on now and long after she finishes her degree later this year. “Knowledge Hunters” (p. 16) focuses on three AHS professors (and one student!) who are discovering new knowledge through ground-breaking research and applying discoveries to help even more individuals. What you explicitly won’t find in this issue is talk about the state of Illinois’ ongoing financial crisis and its impact on the University of Illinois system. There are two reasons this has been left out. First, the College of Applied Health Sciences is standing strong. We have managed our finances intelligently and responsibly, and that effort is now paying dividends (pardon the play on words). Second, and more important, this magazine is dedicated to telling the stories that define our college. While the details of the financial downturn in Illinois do affect all of us in the state’s university system, they do not define us. They do not affect our priorities so dramatically that we defer our responsibilities as extraordinary allied health students, educators and researchers. The mainstream media reports the dispiriting aspects of Illinois’ financial condition, and we’ll let them. For our part, we choose to provide here the brighter details—as true and important as any you’ll read in the papers. These reports tell the real story of the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences.

WRITER AND EDITOR

Charlotte (Toby) Tate, PhD Dean, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences

2009–2010

Elizabeth Harmon Miller Director of Marketing and Communications DESIGN

Stacy Sweat Designs CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Anne Petersen Kathryn Marchetti ©2010 University of Illinois at Chicago. All rights reserved. Published by the Office of the Dean (MC 518), UIC College of Applied Health Sciences, 808 South Wood Street, 169 CMET, Chicago, Illinois 60612-7305. Telephone

(312) 996-6695

Fax

(312) 413-0086

E-mail

ahsalum@uic.edu

Web site

www.ahs.uic.edu

Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor, the college or the university.

You will notice abbreviations throughout this issue. They correlate to academic units in the College of Applied Health Sciences. BHIS

Department of Biomedical and

Health Information Sciences

BVIS

Program in Biomedical

Visualization

DHD

Department of Disability and

Human Development

Program in Health Informatics

HIM

Program in Health Information

Management

Department of Kinesiology

and Nutrition

Department of Occupational

Therapy

Department of Physical Therapy

2009-2010 TA B L E O F CO N T E N T S

AHS MAGAZINE FEATURES

So Far. So Good. Since 1996, Uchenna Ossai is only the third PT student in Chicagoland to win a Schweitzer award. It won’t be the last time she stands out.

Good Fellows

Knowledge Hunters

Eager students join a rigorous fellowship program to learn about the people they’ll soon serve.

AHS researchers are filling the textbooks from which other professors will teach.

DEPARTMENTS N OT E B O O K Kinesiology professor loves having the blues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Alumni gathering shines a light on loyalty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 AHS professors win three of five grants available campuswide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

PEO P L E Giving with purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Donor seeks out AHS’ disability studies programs for unexpected gift Accelerated learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Business partners and PT alumni sponsor lecture series at their alma mater Willing and able. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Giving back is a noble priority for OT alumnus and his wife

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS The college warmly thanks its contributors of last year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

L A S T S H OT Numerical and photographic snapshot of AHS’ student support program. . . . . . . 24

NOTEBOOK

AHS NEWS AND NOTES

Charles Walter: professor by day, bluesman by night.

Blues blooded

Kinesiology professor enjoys practicing what he teaches

In September, Charles Walter, PhD, became the new head of the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition. He was selected from a slate of excellent candidates identified via a national search. Walter has been with AHS since 1985 as a professor and researcher (he studies bilateral control of human movement with an emphasis on stroke rehabilitation). As a man who has spent his life teaching and studying human movement, AHS Magazine asked 2

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Walter about his preferred way to get moving: “My favorite form of ‘applied kinesiology’ is playing blues harmonica at the open jam at Kingston Mines [a blues club]. Amplified blues harp was born and bred in Chicago by a long list of greats, like Little Walter, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Junior Wells, etc. As an area native, I really enjoy engaging in a local tradition. Also, open jams always involve committed players and a fun, supportive audience. What

better way to escape today’s economy than playing the blues.” Learn more about the professional side of Prof. Charles Walter using the Find a Person link at www.ahs.uic.edu.

AHS

City centered

UIC

great friend to our college will be honored with one of the university’s most prestigious awards later this year. Gloria Curtin, longtime community partner to the College of Applied Health Sciences and two-time alumna of the UIC College of Education, has been named recipient of a 2010 UIC City Partner Award. For 12 years, AHS has partnered with El Valor, where Curtin serves as vice president for adult programs. Based in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, El Valor provides support, residential homes and employment for adults with intellectual/ developmental disabilities. It has also provided internships and volunteer experiences to more than 70 AHS students—bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, even post-doctoral—from our programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiology, nutrition and disability studies. “The programs Gloria oversees make the difference in whether a person with a disability can work and live independently, can move out of an institution, and can be a full participant in his or her community,” says Gail Fisher, clinical associate professor of occupational therapy, who nominated Curtin for the award. Curtin will be honored by the University of Illinois Alumni Association, which confers the award, at a celebration on Nov. 5, 2010. Learn more about El Valor at www.elvalor.org. For more about UIC honors for alumni, visit www.uiaa.org/uic/honors.

“I measure my success in seeing a person with disabilities being acknowledged for their accomplishments.” - Gloria Curtin

The alumni advantage The University of Illinois Alumni Association now offers Alumni Career Center online services, as well as advising and professional development events, to all alumni without requiring membership in UIAA. The change aligns the Career Center with UIAA’s universal membership model—counting every current student and alumnus as a member—which was adopted in 2009. Here are some highlights of the new offerings for alumni of any University of Illinois campus.

One-hour advising sessions available for $60

Three-month advising package for $200

All professional development webinars free of charge

Access to online resources, including the Hire UI Alumni job board

($125 for alumni who graduated within the past three years)

Alumni can look at all resources available at www.uiaa. org/careers. Questions? Contact the UIAA Alumni Career Center at (312) 575-7830 or career@uillinois.edu.

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A H S M AG A Z I N E

Return of the master’s PT reincarnates its MS program with a new focus

he Department of Physical Therapy has retooled and relaunched its master’s degree program. The new MS in rehabilitation sciences prepares practicing professionals for leadership roles in the field. “This program extends its boundaries to other health professionals, in contrast to the master’s programs in PT offered by other universities for entry-level education of physical therapists,” says professor of physical therapy Alex Aruin, PhD. He indicates the broadly based program

will prepare graduates to become leading teachers and researchers not only in PT, but in rehab sciences in general and even other allied health disciplines. The PT department still offers the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and is a partner in both of the college’s interdisciplinary doctoral programs: one in disability studies, the other in kinesiology, nutrition and rehabilitation. Check out the MS and our other physical therapy programs at www.ahs.uic.edu/pt.

AHS

Alumni get together One cool evening last November, alumni gathered for an even cooler event: a networking reception in honor of the college’s 30th anniversary, celebrated throughout 2009. The featured guest of the evening was Kristina Ripatti-Pearce, a former Los Angeles police officer who shared her inspirational story of being shot in the line of duty, finding herself paralyzed from the chest down. She learned from therapists and athletic trainers how to regain the active lifestyle she enjoyed before her injury. A very special moment of the evening came when Evelyn Alston, OT ’94, received the prestigious University of Illinois Alumni Association Alumni

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Evelyn Alston humbly accepted the UIAA Alumni Loyalty Award, an honor bestowed each year to very few alumni UIC-wide. Loyalty Award. One reason Alston was recognized is that, each year on her birthday, she makes a donation to the Department of Occupational Therapy to fund an African-American OT student’s attendance at Illinois’ major professional conference for OTs. The event was hosted by the AHS Alumni Board.

Kristina Ripatti-Pearce will return to campus as our 2010 commencement speaker. The ceremony is Thursday, May 6, at 2 p.m. in the UIC Forum. Alumni are invited to attend on a firstcome, first-served basis. Please call Elaine Nicholas at (312) 996-2077 to reserve a seat.

DHD

Alumnus and author John Kramer

Family man

A At 30, the Model of Human Occupation is still cited as one of the most frequently used frames of reference by entry-level OT practitioners.

MOHO’s still got gusto 2010 marks 30 years since the publication of the Model of Human Occupation, the first contemporary body of research-proven theory in occupational therapy to focus on human occupation in practice (here “occupation” means the activities of daily life). MOHO was developed by Prof. Gary Kielhofner, PhD, from his master’s thesis and practice. When it debuted in 1980, the model presented a brand-new view of how human occupation is motivated, patterned and performed—with an emphasis on understanding the physical and social environments in which it takes place. Since then, MOHO has been expanded with ideas, research and practice efforts of

professionals all over the world. That’s why it was appropriate that, in January of MOHO’s 30th anniversary year, the Department of Occupational Therapy hosted a two-day international institute on the Model of Human Occupation. The “think tank” event drew academicians, researchers, clinicians and students from the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Japan. Contemplating the future of their field, participants discussed the optimal means for promoting best practice. The OT department now plans to host the institute annually. To learn more about the Model of Human Occupation and related upcoming events, visit www.moho.uic.edu.

Good morning, AHS!

BC News visited the college in May 2009 to feature the fall-prevention research of kinesiology professor Mark Grabiner. The network sent “Good Morning America” weather anchor Sam Champion to do a live broadcast. Champion himself simulated the experience of a research participant by getting strapped into a safety harness and being intentionally “slipped” on air. The live segment led into an extended news segment on Grabiner’s work, which was taped in the lab two weeks earlier. Missed it? It may not be too late. As of press time, a search for “Grabiner” on ABCnews.com still returned the video file for viewing.

Prof. Mark Grabiner educates “Good Morning America’s” Sam Champion on fall prevention.

lumnus John Kramer, who earned his doctorate in disability studies in 2008, is the author of “I Am Not My Brother’s Keeper,” one of 39 essays in Thicker Than Water: Essays by Adult Siblings of People With Disabilities. The collection was published in May 2009. In his essay, Kramer reflects on his relationship with his brothers, twins who have developmental disabilities. He also explores a rarely discussed idea: While there’s lots of professional interest in whether siblings of people with disabilities get too little attention from parents, “few of us consider whether or not people with disabilities want things that way,” writes Kramer. “My guess is that ... most people with disabilities would rather not be the suns in their families’ solar systems.” In 2006, Kramer co-founded (with Tamar Heller, PhD, head of the Department of Disability and Human Development) the national Sibling Leadership Network. Its mission is to provide siblings of people with disabilities the information, support and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to their families. Learn more about the book at www.siblingsupport.org and more about the Sibling Leadership Network at sibleadership. blogspot.com. 2009-2010

A H S M AG A Z I N E

BVIS

Body and show

ere you one of the thousands of people who visited Chicago’s International Museum of Surgical Science last fall when “Redefining the Medical Artist” was on display? The exhibit showcased artwork by our biomedical visualization students, faculty and alumni. Curated by student Meena Malhotra, it included 26

images and animations of everything from surgical tools to ovulation to Influenza A infection. “Redefining the Medical Artist” was widely celebrated in local media, including the Chicago Tribune and Time Out Chicago, both of which referenced AHS’ biomedical visualization program as being the best of its kind. Each year, approximately 50 people

apply to our BVIS program, which can only enroll about 15 students. To learn more about the field of biomedical visualization, watch “The Digital daVinci: Medical Imaging in Education and Information,” a webcast by BVIS program director Scott Barrows. Find the link in the “News & Events” section at www.ahs.uic.edu/ bhis.

KN.PT.DHD

Three’s a crowd ... to celebrate! Last year, UIC announced the Chancellor’s Discovery Fund for Multidisciplinary Pilot Research Projects, a grant program to support new collaborations among “emerging research leaders” from different fields throughout UIC. Researchers submitted 26 applications to compete for the five grants available. In December, the recipients were announced. Three of the five grants were awarded to researchers in the College of Applied Health Sciences! 6

AHS MAGAZINE

Shane Phillips, assistant professor of physical therapy, and Krista Varady, assistant professor of kinesiology and nutrition: “Role of adipose tissue in mediating cardioprotective effects of alternate day fasting”... or, “How losing weight by fasting every other day might protect against heart and vascular disease.” Karen Troy, assistant professor of kinesiology and nutrition, working with faculty from the College of Engineering: “A fundamental study of nanoscale material properties of dental composite-tooth interfaces”... or, “How can we make the fillings in our cavities last longer for healthier teeth?”

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Jennifer Rowland, assistant professor of disability and human development, working with a faculty colleague in the College of Medicine: “Active video game exercise to improve balance and reduce falls in community-dwelling older adults”... or, “How Wii Fit Plus exercise programs can help older adults to stay on their feet.” For more on the awards, visit www.uic.edu/depts/ovcr.

AHS

(En)rolling up our sleeves AHS faculty and staff are busier than ever, as the fall of 2009 brought record enrollment to the college. With 1,342 students, the student body is nearly 19 percent larger than in fall 2008. Why? Four main reasons:

AHS' Five years of AHS increasing fall enrollments enrollment 961

‘05

’06

953

‘07

1,018

‘08

1,131

’09

1,342 0

500

1000

1500

The online MS in health informatics continues to astound, growing from 34 students in fall 2007 to 137 students in fall 2009 (and 179 students in spring 2010, thanks to rolling admissions not available in other programs).

The Department of Physical Therapy welcomed its largest DPT class ever: 52 students. In past years, the limit was about 37 students.

The Department of Occupational Therapy enrolled 38 students in the MS program. It was the only way to respond to a 30 percent increase in the number of applicants, who had an average GPA of 3.7.

Undergraduate kinesiology classes just keep growing. With 619 students, enrollment is up nearly 21 percent since fall 2007.

Phyllis Mugge Bartlow, member of the first OT graduating class, 1923-2010

t was with great sadness that our college learned of the passing of Phyllis M. Bartlow, OT ’46, on Feb. 17, 2010 in Little Rock, Ark. Ms. Bartlow was a graduate in the first class—the “guinea pig” class, as she once called it—of our now top-ranked program in occupational therapy. She also designed the first student patch for U of I occupational therapy students to wear on their uniform sleeves; her design was later used for students from all of the health professions colleges. Later in her career, she became an OT educator and taught at Illinois Central College in Peoria and the University of Central Arkansas. Through the years, Ms. Bartlow was a loyal supporter of UIC’s OT program. During a visit many years ago, she regaled students with stories of “the good old days,” and her generous philanthropy has been an inspiration to many. She was also a lifetime member of the Uni-

Phyllis Bartlow, recently and standing, second from left, with her classmates in the 1940s. Ms. Bartlow designed the patch seen on the women’s uniform sleeves. versity of Illinois Alumni Association. “I have warm, lasting regards for my choice made so long ago,” said Ms. Bartlow in a 2009 note to Gail Fisher, clinical associate professor in OT. “My father was an alumnus and insisted that I attend there, but with my insistence that I could transfer after two years. I always teased Miss [Beatrice] Wade [founding director of the OT program],

saying that she ‘brainwashed’ me [into staying].” Ms. Bartlow remained extraordinarily active until becoming ill shortly before her death. She traveled the world and enjoyed her life at home with regular book and bridge clubs, a life membership in the Arkansas Audubon Society, and a seat on the board at the Halberg Ecology Camp. 2009-2010

A H S M AG A Z I N E

HI.HIM

Leading the electronic charge UIC will be instrumental in spurring adoption of electronic health records

Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

UIC

See the world with UIC

D Professionals like alumna Patricia Cunningham, HI ’09, will see business boom as the nation drives toward adoption of EHRs. Annette L. Valenta, DrPH, professor in the Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences (BHIS), is UIC’s principal investigator for a statewide consortium to bring technology training and expertise to physicians across Illinois. The consortium, including three universities (Northern Illinois, UIC and Illinois State) and seven healthcare-related agencies, has won a two-year, $7.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to create a central hub of information to get medical offices up and running on electronic health record systems, stat. The hub is known as a “Regional Extension Center” (REC), and it will serve doctors throughout Illinois, with headquarters in DeKalb and regional offices in suburban Chicago, central Illinois and southern Illinois. Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is supporting establishment of 70 such RECs nationwide. Through education, outreach and technical assistance, the REC will help providers select, implement and meaningfully use certified electronic health record technology to improve the quality and value of healthcare. Valenta and co-investigator Andrew Boyd, MD, research assistant professor in the BHIS department, will contribute their expertise in health informatics to the education and outreach activities within the consortium. For more on the grant, visit www.ahs.uic.edu/ bhis and look in “News & Events.”

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id you know the University of Illinois Alumni Association offers amazing, world-expanding group travel opportunities through Explorers, the alumni tour program? Imagine traveling with old and new friends as well as rekindled acquaintances—all people who share your passion for seeing firsthand the world you live in. UIAA has searched through hundreds of prospective tour itineraries to choose the best options to offer, selected for variety, uniqueness and special access. Each month they offer four or more different destinations. Find out why so many travelers return year after year. Here’s just a sampling of the trips UIAA is taking in 2010: JUNE: Grand Journey Ireland JULY: The Great Journey Through Europe AUGUST: Machu Picchu and Beyond SEPTEMBER: Waterways of Russia OCTOBER: Rails of New England Find out about the Explorers program at www.uiaa.org/ explorers.

Colorful houses of Strasbourg

What happens When you give someone a chance?

you cReate a heaLthy LeaRning enviRonment. UIC friends and alumni like Bridgette Williams MAMS ‘01, BSN ‘08 know firsthand that scholarships and fellowships sometimes make the difference between earning or forgoing an education. When Bridgette chose to pursue a degree in healthcare, she relied on scholarships to help fund her education at UIC. Now she is living the brilliant future she envisioned as a student: serving as a rehabilitation nurse for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Your gift to the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences helps create brilliant futures for students who might not otherwise have a chance to earn a world-class education in a world-class city. To learn more about the Brilliant Futures Campaign, visit brilliantfutures.uic.edu.

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A H S M AG A Z I N E

AHS students who pursue fellowships in the Urban Allied Health Academy grow as practitioners ... and as people

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To be truly great at what they do, healthcare professionals need technical expertise. But they also need compassion, sensitivity, perceptive interpersonal skills and an open mind. The UIC College of Applied Health Sciences is committed to producing truly great healthcare professionals.

he AHS Urban Allied Health Academy is an extracurricular program that offers students opportunities to study the economic, social and cultural issues that affect healthcare in urban environments. In the process, students come to grasp the circumstances that lead to health disparities as well as the conditions that make them so hard to overcome. The Academy hosts cultural experiences for all AHS students (see sidebar, p. 13), but those who wish to engage in a deeper exploration of issues affecting health in urban communities can participate in the Urban Allied Health Academy Fellows Program. The Fellows Program provides students a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with faculty mentors to build a portfolio of cultural experience, advocacy, service and research in diverse environments. Once a student is accepted into the Fellows Program, he or she is matched with an Academy advisor, who guides the student through an individual program of learning in order to acquire competencies deemed essential to the program, including cultural awareness and sensitivity; knowledge of urban health issues; leadership and advocacy skills; and more. The program is rigorous. Besides specific trainings, each fellow is required to complete a minimum of 45 hours of service-learning with an approved community partner and to create a Fellows Program portfolio that documents how he or she has experienced and acquired the outlined competencies. On these pages we introduce you to just a few outstanding Academy fellows from recent years, all of whom continue to make the college proud.

JASON CARABALLO Program BS, Nutrition, May 2010 Hometown Aurora, Ill. Volunteering at Aunt Martha’s Health Center and Provena Mercy Medical Center, both in Aurora, Ill. Type of service At Aunt Martha’s, I work with the nurse practitioner in charge to help rewrite educational pamphlets for the large Latino/Hispanic community that resides in Aurora. At Provena Mercy, I shadow the dietitians and not only get real-world experience for my field, but also valuable patient exposure—and I’m able to do some patient education as well. Why I became a fellow Dietetic internships are very competitive, and I wanted to have something that helped set me apart from my peers to give me an advantage. What I’ve learned Before I joined [the Academy], I’d never done volunteer work. It has been a lot of fun and really rewarding to be able to give my time and know that it has helped make a difference. Also, some of the stories I’ve read through the semester book club meetings have been powerful and insightful. It’s given me a new set of eyes from which to view people and their situations. Add to it the discussions of those stories among my peers, where we would debate and share our insight, and it makes for a great experience. I’ve enjoyed being in a group with people from other disciplines because it has helped me to truly understand the concept of what a medical interdisciplinary team means.

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A H S M AG A Z I N E

Through immersive experiences, students in the Academy learn about delivering care that not only makes people well, but improves people’s lives.

UCHENNA OSSAI

ANNE KIRALY

Program DPT, Physical Therapy, May 2010

Program I participated in the Academy during my master’s program in occupational therapy, but I’m a threetime grad of UIC: BS, Movement Sciences, 2005; MS, 2007; Doctorate of Occupational Therapy, 2008.

Hometown I grew up in Dallas, but consider Boston my home. I lived there for six years and did my undergrad at Boston University. Volunteering at The Broadway Youth Center and The Night Ministry, both in Chicago Type of the service Outreach to homeless youth in need of information on self-care, using healthcare system and advocating for themselves. Why I became a fellow The point of having this skill [as a physical therapist] is to serve others. I was aware that health disparities existed but wasn’t sure what that meant. Through the Academy, I saw holes in communication systems that impact healthcare. So the academic program taught me how to do my job, but the Academy opened doors to the more applicable information about what’s really needed. What I’ve learned Healthcare distribution isn’t always equal, even when the intention is. As a healthcare provider of any kind, it’s my job to ensure that the care I provide is consistent, fair and good to every patient I see. Just being aware that people come from different backgrounds is NOT enough. Making treatments and interventions environmentally relevant is the very best way to sustain long-term improvements.

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Hometown Naperville, Ill. Volunteered at El Valor*, Chicago Type of service I worked with adults with developmental disabilities on daily living skills and community participation. Why I became a fellow Going into the field of occupational therapy, I knew that I would be working with individuals from diverse backgrounds. I became a fellow to satisfy my desire to learn about different cultures and become a more culturally competent clinician. What I’ve learned Through participation in the seminars, book groups, film screenings and community practicum, I learned to acknowledge and appreciate the diversity that surrounds us daily. The Academy increased my awareness of existing health disparities and gave me the tools to help advocate for those facing challenges.

* El Valor is a community organization in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. It supports individuals and families who are dealing with disabilities and disenfranchisement to participate fully in community life. See page 3 for a story about a director at El Valor who is a treasure to AHS.

SANDRA (WELLS) BEIL

NICOLE HORN

Program BS, Nutrition, 2008

Program OTD, Occupational Therapy, July 2010

Hometown Chicago

Hometown Aurora, Ill.

Volunteered at El Valor*, Chicago

Volunteering at El Valor*, Chicago

Type of service I helped conduct a health, fitness and nutrition workshop. It included a hands-on presentation of [nutritional] label reading, understanding of nutrients in foods, a healthier-cooking demo, exercise tips, and a tour of the local grocery store to show better choices when shopping.

Type of service I developed and facilitated money management groups with adults with intellectual disabilities.

Why I became a fellow I always believed that, if you have a gift to share, it’s selfish not to share it with others. I had knowledge and understanding of the basics of nutrition and many people in underserved areas don’t have the luxury of receiving guidance in that area. What I’ve learned One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa: “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.” If someone takes to heart one piece of information I’ve given to them, no matter how small, it has changed their lives. That’s an incredibly powerful feeling.

Why I became a fellow I saw a need for cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness in suburban places for healthcare. The opportunities provided through the program seemed to be the optimal way to develop these skills. What I’ve learned While I put extra effort and work into the groups and to teach [El Valor] staff to carry on those groups, I felt as though I learned so much from the participants. The learning was a two-way street and everyone benefited. That is what makes for a good community partnership.

COME ONE, COME ALL! The AHS Urban Allied Health Academy isn’t only for students who wish to pursue participation in the rigorous Fellows Program. Every student in the college has an open invitation to attend Academy-sponsored events including: Seminars that showcase scholars engaged in advocacy, multicultural research and the elimination of health disparities. Past topics have included the world food crisis and how homophobia and heterosexism hurt everyone.

Lectures by highprofile guest speakers who present intimate knowledge of life in urban America. Recently, the program hosted Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist Leon Dash, who spoke about his years documenting social conditions among Washington, D.C.’s underclass.

Film showings that concentrate on nonfiction accounts of life in an unequal world, such as the PBS documentary series “Unnatural Causes,” a multipart examination of “what connections exist between healthy bodies, healthy bank accounts and skin color.”

Book groups to discuss a different book each semester, each illustrating an aspect of life in our country, far from the American Dream. Recent titles include Luis Alberto Urrea’s The Devil’s Highway, Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle and Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

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A H S M AG A Z I N E

SO FAR. SO GOOD. Spirited PT student and Schweitzer Fellow Uchenna Ossai puts her knowledge of health to use well beyond the realm of traditional physical therapy ... and she’s just getting started

ears before she enrolled in AHS’ Doctor of Physical Therapy program, Uchenna Ossai knew she wanted to be a therapist— and also more than that. She wanted to understand health in a broad context and be able to advise clients about the basics of caring for themselves. Ossai is now a PT student due to graduate in May 2010, as well as a fellow of the AHS Urban Allied Health Academy. The Academy is an extracurricular program that offers students opportunities to study the issues underlying the disparity in healthcare delivery between the haves and have-nots in urban environments. (See more on the Academy and Ossai’s experience with it on p. 10.) The Academy, Ossai says, opened her eyes to the breadth and depth of that disparity and some of its root causes. 14

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“I craved that. Some people think that being AfricanAmerican is the same as being culturally competent,” says Ossai, the daughter of Nigerian-born parents. “Being minority doesn’t mean you can’t have prejudice.” Through her Academy work, Ossai discovered that accessibility (including deficiency of information) tends to be one of the larger failures in the healthcare system. She saw a pronounced detriment to populations of LGBT and homeless youth, especially transgender individuals, who face musculoskeletal implications and who require much education and treatment. “A lot of people just don’t know what’s available to them,” Ossai observed. “I wanted to focus on community health. I wanted to educate [LGBT and homeless youth] that they have a right to quality healthcare. This population lacks the audacity and self-advocacy that gives insured people significantly better healthcare and, in

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turn, better health outcomes.” Her vision was so clear, it was practically a business plan. All she needed was an “investor.” Around the same time, Ossai learned about the Schweitzer Fellowship, a oneyear program that provides a stipend to graduate-level students in health-related programs who commit to designing and carrying out a service project concentrated on unmet local health needs. Perhaps it was just what she needed.

PREP WORK Before applying for the Schweitzer Fellowship, Ossai had to lay some groundwork. She knew that, if she wished to work with homeless individuals, she’d need to earn their trust by getting to know them over a period much longer than the one-year time frame of the award—which, by the way, “I didn’t really think I had a chance [to win],” she confesses.

So to prepare (and to fulfill her community service requirement as an Academy fellow), Ossai began volunteering in April 2008 with The Night Ministry, a Chicago nonprofit that serves homeless youth. Two nights a week, yearround, Ossai and the rest of the Night Ministry’s Youth Outreach Team serve homeless people where they are: on the street. They host educational health wellness circles on a corner in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood to discuss concerns raised by participants, including anxiety, insomnia, back pain, foot care, dental health, and more. Participants are both regulars and drop-ins. “I know most of these people by name now,” Ossai says.

THE FELLOWSHIP COMETH With a sure connection to a receptive community, Ossai applied for the Schweitzer award in February

“I ultimately would like [to use what I’m discovering] to develop a community-health template that could be transferrable to other disciplines, especially physical therapy,” she says. “I primarily would like to use this data in everyday interactions with my patients and future colleagues.” Though it isn’t traditional physical therapy practice, she acknowledges, “I believe basic, general healthcare should be within the scope of every health professional. I think it is most definitely feasible to promote a holistic approach to patient advocacy and prevention in clinical and academic settings.” In addition to her Schweitzer Fellowship, Ossai is spending this academic year in a rotation of full-time clinical internships, and she holds a part-time job. How does she have the energy to go out to the street corner week after week, Chicago winters included? “There is this large population of individuals who historically have decreased health status and healthcare outcomes. There are very few good resources available that provide them with comprehensive care,” she says. “I don’t want to be a therapist that focuses on perfecting my manual therapy skills, but can’t provide my patients with education and community resources to maintain their newly improved health status. That makes no sense.” ■

“A lot of people just don’t know what’s available to them. ”

2009. In May, she learned she’d been chosen for a fellowship, complete with a $2,500 stipend. Since 1996, Ossai is only the third physical therapy student in the Chicago area to win a Schweitzer; most are students

of medicine, nursing, public health or social work. As a Schweitzer fellow, Ossai is continuing her work through The Night Ministry, and now she’s learning as she’s teaching—investigating how homeless youth in Chi-

cago learn about and use resources in the community, and collecting information about their experiences with the healthcare system. Research isn’t a requirement of the fellowship; it’s just important to Ossai.

At time of writing, Uchenna Ossai was applying for a one-year residency in women’s health with an eye toward becoming a board-certified clinical specialist, an elite credential for physical therapists. She hopes one day to own her own practice concentrating on physical therapy and women’s health issues.

2009-2010

A H S M AG A Z I N E

AHS faculty aren’t just teaching what’s in textbooks; they’re performing research and creating new knowledge that will fill the textbooks of the future. Alongside our top-notch educational programs, research is always percolating in the College of Applied Health Sciences. Collected here are three stories by Paul Francuch, associate director in the UIC News Bureau, written and originally published in the campus newspaper UIC News.

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Brain scan could advance diagnosis, treatment of Parkinson’s disease R A N F E B R UA RY 1 0, 2 0 1 0

arkinson’s disease, a debilitating movement disorder, is usually controlled by using drugs that compensate for a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Parkinson’s patients have a deficit of this important chemical because of degeneration in an area of the brain stem where it is made—a structure called the substantia nigra. A team of researchers led by David Vaillancourt, associate professor of kinesiology, believe tests using functional and high-resolution structural brain imaging will reveal new clues about early Parkinson’s disease.They were awarded a two-year, $855,000 National Institutes of Health grant to do the work. “What’s not well understood is how the structure and function of the basal ganglia, or other parts of the brain, are affected early on in the disease,” Vaillancourt said. He and his colleagues are recruiting 25 subjects with early signs of Parkinson’s who haven’t yet begun taking drugs to control the disease. Their study will compare findings to a control group matched for age, gen-

David Vaillancourt, PhD

der and handedness—because all subjects will perform motor tasks with their hands while their brain is being imaged. The study will be the first into early Parkinson’s to use functional brain imaging during gripping tasks designed to simulate everyday activities such as buttoning a shirt or blouse, or holding a cup. “Individuals will undergo a brain

Occupational therapy expert helps war vets make transition home R A N N OV E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 0 9

scan while they exert force using their hands against a device that measures how hard and how fast they squeeze,” said Vaillancourt. “Functional brain imaging will be targeted at the basal ganglia, which is the part of the brain that underlies symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.” Vaillancourt’s group wants to study what is happening before Parkinson’s patients begin treatment with drugs such as levodopa that can change the way the brain functions. Pre-treatment brain scans may be useful to develop markers for screening and diagnosis. Those with Parkinson’s will be imaged as soon as possible after volunteering and will begin treatment with anti-Parkinson’s drugs afterward. “With Parkinson’s, the brain must change over time, because it’s a neurodegenerative disease,”Vaillancourt said. “This study will serve as the basis

In February, Vaillancourt also won a $383,771 grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to further his work. for trying to understand how the disease progresses.” Cynthia Comella, professor of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center, will assist on the project. Imaging will be performed at UIC. Co-investigators at UIC include Daniel Corcos, professor of kinesiology, Deborah Little, associate professor of neurology and rehabilitation, and Jane Prodoehl, research assistant professor of kinesiology. ■

ith nearly 200,000 Afghan and Iraqi war veterans returning home with warrelated mild brain injuries, the U.S. military is turning to AHS occupational therapy professor Gary Kielhofner to help them make the transition back to normal, productive civilian lives. The U.S. Army Medical Department’s Proponency Office for Rehabilitation and Reintegration is recommending that affected veterans follow three clinical assessments developed by Kielhofner, his colleagues and his graduate students when pursuing occupational therapy. “First, an occupational self-assessment,” said Kielhofner, in which people indicate perceived abilities for performing everyday tasks, and how important these abilities are to their lives. “This assessment allows us to determine discrepancies between how people want to perform and how they’re actually doing,” he said. The second assessment is called the “work environment impact scale.” “This assessment looks at the relative stress, stimulation, satisfaction and other things that accrue from demands and opportunities from one’s workplace, in both social and physical aspects,” Kielhofner said. Finally, the ability for communication and interaction is assessed. “This was included because brain trauma is sometimes associated with changes in interpersonal abilities, and challenges in getting along with others.” Kielhofner hopes the use of cliniContinued on page 18 2 0 0290-02 9 0 -1200 1 0 A H A S HMSAG A Z IANZEI NE M AG

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War vets Continued from page 17

A gentle touch may help people with neurological diseases

Gary Kielhofner, DrPH: “We’re proud to have our work recognized in this way.” cal assessments will have a meaningful impact on veterans’ lives. “We’re proud to have our work recognized in this way, and to be able to make a contribution to the care of our soldiers,” he said. Clinical assessments, intervention protocols and service programs are among the items Kielhofner offers to practicing occupational therapists around the world. Internationally recognized for his work, Kielhofner has spent three decades developing what he calls a “model of human occupation” that addresses the psychosocial challenges of clients with disabilities taking part in rehabilitation therapies. The model, which has gained worldwide use among occupational therapists for research and practice, is detailed at www.moho.uic.edu. The University of Illinois holds copyrights on 20 assessments Kielhofner and his students have developed over the past few decades. Some are available for free, while others are sold for use by occupational therapists through an e-store on the MOHO clearinghouse Web site. Proceeds are used for research in developing new assessments and clinical tools. ■ 18 18

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Physical therapy professor Alexander Aruin, PhD, studies the grip force that MS patients need to use to lift certain objects. R A N N OV E M B E R 4, 2 0 0 9

rinking from a cup or placing a book on a shelf is easy for most people, but such simple tasks can be challenging for those with neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s, or for people who had a stroke. The problem, according to a team of UIC physical therapists: using too much force when lifting objects. The tight gripping can cause fatigue, making everyday tasks difficult.

The answer to regaining control and coordination may be as easy as applying a gentle touch to the affected hand from a finger of the opposite hand. “We studied how this light touch application changes the way people apply force to an object they want to grip,” said Alexander Aruin, professor of physical therapy. The study, reported in the journal Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, compared eight adults with multiple sclerosis to eight without the disease,

Students get in on the act

n April 2009, 77 undergraduate and 90 graduate students throughout UIC competed in the annual Student Research Forum. The competition—judged by some 200 alumni and more than 70 faculty—features student research projects in three categories. In 2009, students from the College of Applied Health Sciences were honored in every undergraduate category.

Life sciences Honorable mention: Charles Tate, kinesiology and nutrition, for “A Study of the Os Peroneum: Relationship to Degenerative Joint Disease in the Foot and Ankle” l

Physical sciences/engineering/computer science/mathematics 2nd place: Ivy Abraham, kinesiology and nutrition, for “High-resolution Diffusion Tensor Imaging in the Putamen and Globus Pallidus of De Novo Parkinson’s Disease” l Honorable mention: Christine Hofmann, kinesiology and nutrition, for “Biomechanical Evaluation and Redesign of a Universally Designed Accessory Unit for Exercise in Manual Wheelchair Users” l

Humanities/social sciences/ business practices Honorable mention: Brandon Postel, kinesiology and nutrition, for “Undergraduate Student Attitudes on Human Cadaver Use in an Anatomy and Physiology Course” ■

Kinesiology student Charles Tate, who will graduate in May 2010, won an honorable mention for his extensive study on joint disease in the foot and ankle.

gender-matched and of comparable age. “In each case, the grip force required to lift an object decreased” with the light touch, Aruin said. He found similar results in an earlier study he did of people with arm weakness caused by stroke. Why the simple light finger touch application works so well is not fully understood, but Aruin offers a hypothesis. “It could be due to auxiliary sensory information from the contra-lateral arm,” he said. “When we use our second hand and touch the wrist of the target hand, available information to the central nervous system about the hand-object interaction may increase. Without the touch, the information needed to manipulate an object comes only through vision

At time of writing, the 2010 Student Research Forum on Tuesday, April 20, was fast approaching. As in years past, AHS expects a large number of students to participate—and to head home with honors.

and sensory input from just the target arm and hand.” Aruin and his colleagues tested subjects gripping and lifting a variety of objects that they moved in several different ways, directions and velocities. The gentle finger touch always helped to reduce grip force, making the task easier. The researcher said he and his colleagues plan to test the approach on those with other neurological and muscular diseases to examine the effects. “We look forward to developing training and rehabilitation procedures on how to use this,” said Aruin. “We know that MS patients are prone to fatigue and muscle weakness. This finding may enable them to perform daily activities more indepen-

dently to improve their quality of life.” The paper’s lead author was Veena Iyengar, a former graduate student of Aruin’s now at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Other authors were Marcio Santos, a former UIC postdoctoral fellow now at Santa Catarina State University in Brazil, and Michael Ko, a neurologist with Loyola University Medical Center. Earlier findings were reported in the journal Clinical Neurophysiology. The research was supported by a grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. ■ Many additional stories on AHS research and programs have run in UIC News since assembly of this article. The newspaper is accessible to the public at www.uicnews.uic.edu. 2 0 0290- 02 091- 0 MSAG Z IANZEI NE 2 0 1 0A H SA H MA AG

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PEOPLE Giving with purpose Activist and philanthropist Margaret Staton supports graduate studies of women with physical disabilities

ometimes people surprise us. Such was the case one day in fall 2009, when Tamar Heller, head of the Department of Disability and Human Development (DHD), returned to her office to find a short letter from the Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation. The letter, written by ELA Foundation founder and president Margaret A. Staton, stated that the foundation would like to make a gift of $500,000 to DHD, primarily to provide fellowships to women enrolled in the doctoral program in disability studies, and also to support dissertations and to bring women with disabilities to campus to serve as faculty or guest speakers. “The ELA Foundation’s mission meshes beautifully with our department’s focus on removing bar r ier s that have prevented people with disabilities from equal participation in the world,” says Heller. Staton decided to make the unsolicited donation based on DHD’s superior reputation and her online research about its programs. “The UIC PhD program already demonstrated a track record,” says Staton. “Also, Chicago has been a hub for people with disabilities for quite a while with its strong independent-living center.” She also had some per20

AHS MAGAZIN E

2009-2010

Ethel Louise Armstrong in her McGill graduation photo, 1895

sonal insight: “I looked at who I had given grants to in the past and how many students from UIC had applied for our scholarships. It was obvious the program was growing.” Disabled by a spinal cord tumor at age 2, Staton has dedicated her life to bettering the position of people with disabilities in society. She served as executive secretary for the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals during the Carter administration and has trained countless people on accessibility and the Americans with Disability Act through her activity in various advocacy organizations. Staton was motivated to get involved by, among other things, a distaste for the way women with disabilities were overlooked by the women’s movement of the 1960s and ’70s. Worse was her frustration at seeing women with disabilities identify so deeply with the women’s movement but not at all with the disability movement. In 1994, she founded

the ELA Foundation with a mission “to change the face of disability on the planet.” She recalls, as recently as the early 1990s, being unable to use public restrooms and being forced to take freight elevators because passenger cars couldn’t accommodate her wheelchair. “It took me back to where black people and white people couldn’t use the same bathroom,” she laments. The foundation is named for Staton’s grandmother, Ethel Louise Armstrong, with whom she has long felt a distinct kinship. Armstrong aspired to become a doctor but was denied her dream because of societal expectations of women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In-

stead, she studied arts at McGill University in Montreal, graduating in 1895 as class president and valedictorian. A widow with four children by age 48, Armstrong opened her home to boarders to sustain her family. “She epitomized the values of independence, self-reliance, perseverance, dignity and caring—all with a sense of humor— as she forged new territory for herself and her family,” Staton wrote for the foundation’s website. “It’s with those same values that the ELA Foundation serves people with disabilities.” Get up to date on the Department of Disability and Human Development at www.idhd.org. Learn more about the Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation at www.ela.org.

Accelerated learning Alumni business sponsors esteemed lecture series in physical therapy The Department of Physical Therapy is thrilled to introduce this year a new sponsor for its longstanding Distinguished Lecture Series. Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers has committed to three years of funding to attract the best speakers and produce promotional materials for two lectures per year. The support is made more meaningful by the fact that Accelerated was founded in 1988 by two PT alumni: Randolph Frieser, ’85, and Eric Warner, ’88 (they continue to lead the company as president and CEO, respectively). The first Accelerated-sponsored lecture in the series was April 8, with guest speaker Freddie H. Fu, MD, who discussed “What We Have Learned in ACL Surgery.” Dr. Fu joined us from the University of Pittsburgh, where

he is the David Silver Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and chair of the medical center’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “As an alumnus of UIC’s physical therapy program,” says Warner about the first Accelerated-sponsored lecture, “I considered it both an honor and a privilege to cosponsor [Dr. Fu’s lecture] on ACL surgery. It expanded our knowledge in the treatment of those with this critical diagnosis to achieve the best-in-class in functional outcomes for our patients.” Watch www.ahs.uic.edu/pt for announcement of the next Accelerated-sponsored presentation in the Distinguished Lecture Series.

Proud alumnus Eric Warner, PT ‘88

Willing and able

Rita Fink is honoring the request of her late husband, Gilbert “Gibb” Fink, to give back to AHS’ occupational therapy program.

OT alum Gilbert Fink spent a lifetime helping the disabled. Now a trust in his name seeks to help students wishing to walk in his footsteps. The multi-tiered planter that Gilbert “Gibb” Fink (OT ’59) built to keep deer from eating his wife’s herbs is a small but telling example of his ability to solve anything. Gibb’s ingenuity drove a career and a company dedicated to assisting the disabled. Now Rita Fink, a 1974 graduate of the UIC College of Education, is honoring her late husband’s wish to give back to UIC’s occupational therapy program, which helped to propel him on his career path. The gift is a charitable remainder trust, which will provide Rita income for the rest of her life. Thereafter, the trust will create an endowed fund for the OT department, with at least half its annual income used to award fellowships to students who demonstrate financial need. The balance will be used to advance the department’s mission.

“Gibb was passionate about everything he did, and always wanted to help others,” says Rita. Gibb was particularly indebted to former OT program director Beatrice D. Wade, who made arrangements for him to pursue his degree while working to support his family. He later established Therafin Corp., a supplier of equipment for the disabled. “We honored Gibb with our college’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2003, and are honored to learn that he never forgot where he came from,” says OT department head Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar. This story, written by Jessica Olive Stanczak, originally appeared in the January/February 2010 issue of UIC Alumni Magazine. It is reprinted here with permission. 2009-2010

A H S M AG A Z I N E

The UIC College of Applied Health Sciences is made better every day by the generosity of alumni, friends, corporations and foundations who support our programs through private donations, in-kind donations and corporate matching gifts. We are honored to acknowledge the donors who contributed to the college during the 2009 fiscal year, ending June 30. Their concern for the future—and present—of AHS helped us improve the student experience by upgrading classroom technology, sending students to professional conferences, and providing enhanced learning and living spaces. It also created seed funding for additional scholarships. To each donor, our deepest thanks. CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS

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A H S M AG A Z I N E

LAST SHOT Student support delivered ASAP

inesiology is the only academic program in the College of Applied Health Sciences that accepts students at the freshman level (i.e., right out of high school). When the college realized the added benefits that its undergraduates in kinesiology—who make up nearly 50 percent of the student body—could reap from

more personal support, we inaugurated the Academic Support and Advising Program. ASAP offers students the individualized help they need to succeed. This takes many forms: tutoring; peer mentoring; career counseling; seminars on time management, test taking and study skills; and professional emotional counseling.

ASAP is larger now, having attracted nutrition undergrads, graduate students and even students from other UIC colleges. Through ASAP, the college offers personalized collaboration to help students confront the unique and personal challenges that threaten to derail their success. And we’re all the better for it.

What’s happening at ASAP? Total number of students visiting

Total number of visits

FALL 2008

397

FALL 2008

SPRING 2008

390

SPRING 2008

FALL 2009

511

4,056

5,242

FALL 2009

3,810

FALL 2008

SPRING 2008

FALL 2009

Number of tutoring sessions

Number of attendees for time-management training FALL 2008

142

SPRING 2008

275

FALL 2009

309

FALL 2009

ASAP is such a hit with AHS students that word has spread. Life sciences students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) are now showing up for assistance.

The word is out! Where are the students coming from?

Spring 2009 AHS grad students 4%

Fall 2009

86% AHS undergraduates

AHS grad students 4%

Students from LAS 8%

Students from LAS 14%

Other 2%

Other 3%

79% AHS undergraduates

WHAT ASAP HAS ALWAYS OFFERED:

WHAT’S NEW AT ASAP AS OF SPRING 2010:

• one-on-one peer tutoring • personal and career counseling • academic support seminars (skills for test-taking,

• quiet room exclusively for individual study • tutor-led study groups for Human Physiological

studying and reducing stress)

• free computer use • scholarship information 24

Number of students tutored

AHS MAGAZIN E

2009-2010

Anatomy (a famously tough core course)

• ongoing student textbook exchange • Power of Peers Mentoring Program

Sandra Strome, center, huddles up with the close-knit staff of the Academic Support and Advising Program

ASAP owes much to its founder

he Academic Support and Advising Program was the brainchild of Sandra Strome, PhD. A clinical psychotherapist, Strome observed too many bright, capable students struggling in core courses or entirely dropping out of our bachelor’s

program in kinesiology. She felt certain those students could persevere if only they had resources for dealing with whatever beset them, be it personal issues or academic challenges. Five years later, Strome still leads ASAP, and more than 500 students visit the center

some 3,800 times per semester. By fall 2009, life sciences students from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences accounted for 14 percent of visitors— a result of word-of-mouth praise for a simple concept made exceptional by Strome’s passionate dedication.

BREAK NEWS GROUND! New address? New job? Promotion? Professional award? We’d like to hear from you! We may include your news in future alumni publications. First name

Last name

Program

Degree

Maiden name

Graduation year

Mailing address

City E-mail

Tell us what you’ve been doing:

Send your updates to Helen Massey, Director of Alumni Relations Mail: UIC College of Applied Health Sciences 808 S. Wood (MC 518) Chicago, IL 60612 Fax: (312) 413-0086

State

ZIP

E-mail: hamassey@uic.edu

AHS MAGAZINE

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID

University of Illinois at Chicago Office of the Dean (MC 518) College of Applied Health Sciences 808 South Wood Street, 169 CMET Chicago, Illinois 60612-7305 Address Service Requested

PERMIT NO. 4860 CHICAGO, IL

AHS is looking forward to Commencement 2010

s is true at this time every year, the College of Applied Health Sciences—and especially its graduating students—is eagerly anticipating Commencement 2010, happening May 6 at the UIC Forum. The commencement speaker this ye a r i s K r i s t i n a Ripatti-Pearce, a 10year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, who was shot and paralyzed from the chest down by a robbery suspect. She’ll share her inspiring story of Tammy Duckworth, reclaiming her active commencement lifestyle with the help speaker in 2009 of professionals in rehabilitation, nutrition and physical activity. Last year’s ceremony was made memorable by speaker L. Tammy Duckworth, major in the Illinois Army National Guard, Iraq War veteran, and an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She told graduates: “When you are asked to compromise your standards ... remember what you learned here, from this school and from one another.” Alumni are invited to attend Commencement 2010 on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call Elaine Nicholas at (312) 996-2077 to reserve a seat. 2010 commencement speaker Kristina Ripatti-Pearce