From practicing medicine in Appalachia to confronting Indiana’s public health concerns, State Health Commissioner Dr. Judith Monroe has met her share of challenges. At this year’s Felker Series on April 13, she will share the lessons she’s learned from her experiences and explain why she believes women in particular have an important role to play in improving the health of Indiana families.

As State Health Commissioner, Dr. Monroe (at right) guides the Indiana State Department of Health in its mission to support Indiana’s economic prosperity and quality of life by promoting, protecting, and providing for the health of Hoosiers in their communities. Since the July 2005 launch of INShape Indiana, she has traveled throughout the state to promote a fit and healthy lifestyle. A strong advocate for public and private partnerships, she believes the issues threatening our health demand strong leadership and collaboration at every level.

Please join me in West Lafayette on April 13 for this year’s Felker Series as we explore the public health concerns facing Indiana and how we can help lead the way to a healthier quality of life.

Hail Purdue!
Dennis Savaiano
Dean

Visit the 2007 Felker Series Web page for a detailed agenda and registration information.

The seventh annual symposium of the Botanicals Center for Age-Related Diseases will be held February 22–23 on the West Lafayette campus. The symposium brings scientists and corporate partners together around the center’s research into the biological effects of botanicals, especially as they relate to the aging population. The center is housed in the Department of Foods and Nutrition and led by Purdue University in collaboration with the University of Alabama–Birmingham. For more information on the center or symposium, visit the center’s Web site.

The Center for Customer Driven Quality will team with American Teleservices Association, a not-for-profit trade association that represents contact centers, to collect research and provide education on the more than 57,000 contact centers in the United States. “Through our partnership with one of the largest trade associations of contact centers in the nation, we can continue to provide broad education, research, and professional leadership to companies everywhere, but especially right here in Indiana,” says Richard Feinberg, director of the center and a professor in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing. Read more about the new partnership.

When Sesame Workshop and Wal-Mart stores partnered to create the Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment kit, they asked the Military Family Research Initiative at Purdue University to help design an evaluation tool. The bilingual kits are designed to help military families cope with feelings, challenges, and concerns experienced during the various phases of deployment. Working on behalf of MFRI were Shelley MacDermid, MFRI co-director and associate dean of the College of Consumer and Family Sciences, and Germán Posada, assistant professor in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies. For more information on the Talk, Listen, Connect kits, visit the Sesame Street Web site. 

The College of Consumer and Family Sciences is accepting nominations for the 2007 Inspiring Families and Building Communities Award through March 30. The annual award honors a program or collaboration that has improved the well-being of Indiana families. A $1,500 cash award will be given to the winning organization and cash awards of up to $500 to a select group of finalists. Youth programs serving both caregivers and children will be considered, and self-nominations are welcome. For more information on the award, including eligibility and a nomination form, visit the CFS Web site.

Consumer Sciences and Retailing

Duleep Delpechitre, MS graduate and current doctoral student, received the Outstanding Master's Thesis Award, and Sophia Chiremba Anong, PhD graduate, received the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award at the Western Family Economics Association conference in Tucson, Arizona, in January. Professor Sharon DeVaney was the advisor for both students.

February 9–13: President's Council–Naples Weekend

February 22–23: NIH Botanicals Center Symposium

February 28: Purdue on the Road (Louisville, KY)

March 1: Purdue on the Road (Washington, DC)

March 20: Purdue on the Road (Detroit, MI)

March 23: HTM Black Tie Dinner

March 30: Avanelle Kirksey Lecture Series

April 13: Felker Series
April 13: CFS Alumni Awards Dinner

April 14: Spring Fashion Show
April 14–15: Spring Fest

April 14–16: Gala Week

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