WVU Parkersburg Diversity Week

WVU Parkersburg to observe Diversity Week Oct. 16-20, 2006, with presentations, seminars and a performance by WVU's African Ensemble.

CONTACT: Debbie Richards, Executive Assistant to the President for Policy and Social Justice, 304-424-8201.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

West Virginia University at Parkersburg will observe Diversity Week, October 16-20, with presentations, seminars and a free performance by the West Virginia University African Ensemble.

Photo of Tim Harrington On Monday, Oct. 16, the executive director of the Ability Center of Greater Toledo will discuss "Building Communities ... One Person at a Time," in a presentation at 9 a.m. at WVU Parkersburg's Jackson County Center and at 11 a.m. in the multi-purpose room on the Parkersburg campus. Both programs are free and open to the public.

Tim Harrington is a nationally known consultant on disability issues. Recipient of the National Rehabilitation Association's 1996 E.B.Whitten Award, Harrington began his schooling as a student at a segregated special education grade school. Born with cerebral palsy, he defied expectations and upon reaching high school age, insisted on being mainstreamed into public schools. There, he surprised the "experts," not only graduating from high school but going on to the University of Toledo, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Today, Harrington combines a hard-edged business sense with a keen sensitivity to the rights of people with disabilities, and is widely recognized as one of of the nation's leading corporate consultants in areas of accommodation, accessibility, and ADA implementation.

Monday (Oct. 16) evening, WVU's African Ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. in the multi-purpose room. The performance is free and open to the public. This energetic drum and dance ensemble is dedicated to presenting the music and dance of various cultures of West Africa. The ensemble draws its membership from the diverse community of students at WVU. This internationally recognized ensemble has performed throughout the United States, Taiwan, and South Korea.

A presentation on "Providing Services to Individuals in Higher Education Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 18, in the WVU Parkersburg auditorium and at 2 p.m. at the Jackson County Center. Presenter will be Roy Forman, deputy director for the WV Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The program is free and open to the public. Forman will speak about issues affecting the deaf and hard of hearing in higher education. The child of deaf adults, he knows first hand the issues faced by the deaf.

Also on Wednesday, a free program on "Life As a Little Person" will be held at 11 a.m. at the Jackson County Center and 1:30 p.m. in the Parkersburg campus' auditorium. The presentation will be conducted by Marlo Hornsby, president of the WV Chapter of Little People of America with Diana Sova. The program will feature discussion of the biological and genetic components of dwarfism, the most common types of dwarfism, medical complications and psychosocial issues that are common in the dwarf population. The discussion is open to the public.

A variety of other programs and seminars are being arranged for the campus community during the week of observance, including Safe Zone training by Dr. T. Anne Hawkins, staff psychologist at WVU's Caruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, and an online seminar on "Creating and Maintaining a Climate of Civility on Campus" with presenter Gary Pavela of the University of Maryland.

The designation for the Diversity Week observance was established by WVU. The WV Legislature later designated the same week as "Disability History Week in West Virginia."

Funding for the WVU Parkersburg's Diversity Week observance is sponsored by the college's Social Justice Program with financial assistance from: the WV Higher Education Policy Commission, the WV Council for Community and Technical College Education, WVU Parkersburg's Student Services/Perkins Vocational Grant, and the college's Education Division's The Partnerships Project.

cd09/29/2006

For additional information, contact:
Connie Dziagwa
WVU Parkersburg
Executive Director
Institutional Advancement
(304-424-8203)