WSU to honor students, staff at Safety, Health and Security Fair Oct. 22

Don't fear the WSU Safety, Health, and Security Fair and Awards Ceremony.
The 2020 Washington State University Safety, Health and Security Fair is happening Oct. 19-23.

Four Washington State University staff and three students will be honored during this year’s Safety, Health and Security Fair happening Oct. 22 at the Compton Union Building in Pullman.

Each recipient will be recognized at the Presidential Awards ceremony scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. inside the CUB Senior Ballroom. More information on the fair can be found online.

Awards will be distributed across each of the fair’s areas—safety, health and security—as well as an overall award.

Health

Sunday Henry, director of Athletic Medicine, led the department in providing exceptional healthcare and prioritizing the mental health of student athletes. Under her leadership, Athletic Medicine increased mental health staffing by nearly 500 percent, providing annual mental health screenings for all student-athletes.

Morgan Atwood, ASWSU Global Senate President, is a passionate advocate for students and is particularly focused on mental health. She coordinated numerous student, career and family-oriented events and worked to expand mental health services WSU Global Campus offers to include an emphasis on wellness and self-care. She also worked with stakeholders to assemble a mental health lecture/webinar series that will take place this year.

Safety

Mary Rezac, Dean of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, encouraged her college’s safety council to institute a college-wide policy requiring safety glasses for personnel entering laboratories with chemical or physical hazards. With Voiland leading the way, more than 10,000 individual safety trainings have taken place system wide this year.

Emma Ballew is a junior majoring in psychology at WSU Tri‑Cities who finds time to serve as a university senator. In her role, Ballew advocated for the relocation of a campus transit stop, where students faculty and staff would previously stand in dirt along a busy roadway while waiting for the bus. An accessible bench and accompanying weather shelter will serve Cougs long after Ballew graduates.

Security

David Makin, associate professor of criminal justice, collaborated with the City of Pullman Police Department to create the CCTV Public Safety Internship Program, allowing students to gain more than 12,000 hours of experience in law enforcement technology. Last academic year, Makin paired student teams from his Crime Prevention class with regional law enforcement and public safety and health agencies to research issues and provide solutions.

Jordyn Creighton exemplifies service in her role as WSU Tri‑Cities’ director of Campus Student Support Services. This is especially true of her attention to addressing food security on a campus where approximately 37 percent of students identified difficulty meeting their daily living experiences and 7 percent of students indicated they are at risk of homelessness. Last year, Creighton helped secure a partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide the Cougar Cupboard access to more fresh food, increasing the pantry’s use by 600 percent.

Grand Award for Health, Safety and Security

Riley Clark is being recognized this year for her commitment to the health, safety and security of her fellow students. Last year, she served as the head of the ASWSU Health and Safety Committee, hosted committee meetings and tabled events that provided students with valuable resources. During Week of Welcome, she taught multiple “Booze, Sex and Reality Checks” workshops with freshmen to educate them on the dangers of unsafe alcohol use and sexual decision making.

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