2 TEXAS WOMAN’S Ask
2 TEXAS WOMAN’S Ask Steve Latham what he thinks of Texas Woman’s University, and he’ll tell you the university saved his life.
A health crisis in 2016 had left the former Southern Gospel quartet singer with greatly compromised mobility — until he found firmer footing again through community programs offered by TWU’s College of Health Sciences. “TWU has been a salvation for me,” proclaims Latham, 74, who attends the LEAD-UP and AWAVE programs on the Denton campus. “In the water, I can stand, walk and run. I’m a whole new person. “These are fantastic programs and resources for the community,” he adds. “I hope and pray TWU continues to be an integral part of my community long into the future.” GETTING IN THE SWIM As part of their curriculum, students in the School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology complete clinical rotations with LEAD-UP (Lifestyle Education Access for Diabetics: a University Program) and AWAVE (Adaptive Water Activity Venues for Everybody). Through LEAD-UP, students invite community members to the Denton campus, where they teach individuals how to make wellness-oriented lifestyle changes. Similarly, AWAVE helps people regain their muscle mobility and movement. George King, the school’s director, is excited not only about the outcomes the programs provide people like Latham, but also the school’s new research-focused labs and faculty hires. King believes TWU’s strategic plan enhances the school’s mission. “The efforts underway are going to provide a lot of future opportunities,” he says. Health promotion and kinesiology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy are the three schools along with the departments of communication sciences and oral health and nutrition and food sciences that make up the College of Health Sciences. The college encompasses an array of allied health fields while also exemplifying TWU’s values, especially community service, through its clinical and community outreach. PLANTING THE SEED Clinical experiences are essential elements of the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences. Experiential learning opportunities, “whether in the lab or in the community, give TWU students experiences that employers want to see,” says department chair Shane Broughton. The department’s community programs range from teaching children about whole foods and growing plants to providing health assessments to firefighters. This year 450 students in Head Start programs received pots, soil and seeds to grow tomatoes, beans, beets and carrots. “The children were so excited,” says Leyla Soleymani, a director at the Mid-Cities Child Development Center in Denton. “Their parents came. They had so much fun, and the children brought me pictures of their plants at home. I told them, ‘When your radishes grow, bring some to share.’ ” The Denton Fire Department has also benefited from TWU’s holistic wellness-testing program. Students conducted hearing screenings as well as strength, fitness, endurance and body composition tests on 150 firefighters this year alone. According to battalion chief David Boots, “This provides a great benefit to our firefighters. They can see how they’re doing physically. It’s absolutely huge for them, and it makes a big difference.” CORE VALUES ARE A GUIDING LIGHT George King isn’t the only College of Health Sciences school director for whom TWU’s strategic plan offers a guidepost. Cynthia Evetts, the director of the School of Occupational Therapy, keeps TWU’s core values tacked to the wall of her office as inspiration. Caring, Collaboration, Creativity, Diversity, Excellence, Opportunity and Wellbeing “guide our actions on a daily basis,” she says. Living out that credo, the School of Occupational Therapy participates in more than 10 community clinics and programs serving neurodiverse populations in Dallas, Denton and Houston. Evetts and her faculty believe that altruism is integral to wellbeing. “Our students realize the benefits of volunteering and being involved in the community, and they see the difference they can make in a person’s life. That’s just a small glimpse of what they will experience as professionals in the field,” she says. Juliette Greer, 66, is one occupational therapy client who has benefited from that altruistic mission. Greer, who has arthritis and uses a walker, has partnered with TWU students who serve at Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, a West Dallas neighborhood center that offers multiple resources, from food and wellness to health care tests and job training. Greer worked this year with Jennifer Mosley-Garcia ’23, who provided occupational therapy services to seniors including adaptive TEXAS WOMAN’S 3
