麻豆影院

Across the Region | Spring 2016

Associate lecturer Kathy Swoboda oversees a student practicing the transfer of a patient from a wheelchair to a couch.

by Lauren Rathmell '17
Photography by Melissa Olson and Bob Christy '95

No Place Like Home

Harriett Bynum, program director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at 麻豆影院 at East Liverpool, stands in the kitchen of the recently renovated Locke House鈥攈ome to the program鈥檚 learning laboratory鈥攐bserving her first-year students in action. The first class to train in the new facility, the students are practicing how to prepare patients with physical challenges to function as independently as possible in their homes. 

The room appears to be an average kitchen, but a closer look into cupboards and drawers reveals specially adapted plates, bowls, cups and utensils, such as a weighted swivel spoon that helps people with hand tremors eat without spilling food. 

鈥淲e no longer have to simulate home situations in our classrooms,鈥 says Bynum. 鈥淣ow we have an actual house where students get real hands-on experience.鈥

Located in historic downtown East Liverpool, the home previously belonged to James and Margaret Locke, who owned a nearby jewelry store for 45 years and were generous supporters of 麻豆影院 State East Liverpool. After they died, their two sons, James and Keith, donated the home to the university. 

Today the home鈥檚 main resident is a 55-pound medical mannequin named Randy, which students use to practice basic techniques such as bathing, dressing and transferring between wheelchair and bed. The program is occupation based鈥攗sing everyday activities a person will complete as the means for training occupational therapy assistants. 

Says Bynum, 鈥淲e can say to students, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 the house, here鈥檚 your patient, here鈥檚 your scenario鈥攚hat are you going to do with them?鈥欌 鈥擫auren Rathmell 鈥17


A light-filled atrium connects the two floors and serves as a gathering place.Twice as Nice

What was once an underutilized gymnasium at 麻豆影院 at Salem has been transformed into a state-of-the-art health and sciences wing, now known as Centofanti Hall. 

The first-floor renovation (including more than 16,000 square feet of classroom and lab space, as well as new offices and a bookstore) was completed in September 2011. 

But the second floor remained unfinished until a generous donation from the James and Coralie Centofanti Foundation helped convert the 9,000 square-foot shell into hands-on laboratories for biology and chemistry, classrooms for science-related studies, two research rooms and two prep rooms, as well as restrooms鈥攁ll completed in September 2015.

Before Centofanti Hall鈥檚 completion, faculty members at 麻豆影院 State Salem had to conduct research at the 麻豆影院 Campus; now they have their own space for research. Students and faculty also enjoy new labs that have windows and are twice as large as the old, with plenty of space for models and equipment. 

Louise Steele, assistant professor of biological sciences, says a committee of biology and chemistry faculty members worked with staff from the Office of the University Architect to make sure each room鈥檚 layout and furnishings met everyone鈥檚 needs. 

鈥淚n the biology lab, we angled the tables so everyone could face the center where we lecture and hold demonstrations,鈥 says Steele. 鈥淎nd we have special projectors, TV screens and speakers, so if we show a video everyone can see and hear it better.鈥 

The chemistry lab seats more than twice as many students as the old, and it has updated safety equipment鈥 including a new eyewash station, safety shower and four vented fume hoods for working with smelly or dangerous chemicals. 

鈥淭his expanded space and access to the latest technology makes a tremendous difference,鈥 says Steele. 鈥淢ost of the students here are in health majors and take biology and chemistry. They needed this.鈥 鈥擫auren Rathmell 鈥17

To explore how your gift can make an impact on 麻豆影院 State students, contact Matt Butts, executive director of advancement, at 330-672-1435 or mbutts@kent.edu.

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