OSH students bring in huge scholarships, career opportunities

By Eric Reikowski, media relations assistant

Students in Oakland University’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) program have been busy racking up scholarships and acquiring the skills to succeed in a range of professional job opportunities.

In 2010, OSH students received 31 scholarship awards worth a combined total of more than $50,000. The scholarships were offered through the Michigan Safety Conference, the American Society of Safety Engineers, Oakland’s OSH program and the OU Alumni Association.

Many scholarships were sponsored by well-known companies such as Chrysler Corporation, UPS and Liberty Mutual.

“Businesses support these scholarships so they can have the opportunity to hire qualified graduates,” said Dr. Aaron Bird, assistant professor of Occupational Safety and Health. “Students who are successful in our program have very good job prospects.”

Oakland’s OSH program prepares students for a variety of public and private sector jobs whose responsibilities include managing safety records, recommending employee protections and teaching safe and healthy work practices.

One OSH scholarship recipient, Nick Desrochers, earned a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health in 2009 and is working toward a Master of Science degree in Safety Management (MSSM). He believes that the university’s OSH program offers distinct advantages to students.

“The OSH program at OU is smaller than a lot of other undergrad programs, and with that comes an incredible sense of community, lots of networking opportunities, and close-knit relationships with both fellow safety students and faculty," Desrochers explained.

The program boasts faculty who are among the most respected experts in their fields. Dr. Charles McGlothlin, OSH program director, was named the 2008 Michigan Safety Professional of the Year by the Michigan Safety Conference, and adjunct professor Dr. Daryl C. Hill currently serves as president of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the most prestigious safety organization in the world.

“I have always been very happy with the quality of instruction,” said Desrochers. “Courses in environmental safety, fire protection and prevention, construction safety, industrial hygiene, toxicology, and accident investigation cover the nuts and bolts of safety that ensure graduating students are overly prepared for whatever safety job they may attain.”

“Certain classes offer field trips to local businesses to expand upon what is being learned in the classroom, providing students with real-world experiences and giving them the opportunity to see how safety is applied in different industries," he continued. “I feel prepared, confident, and excited about attaining my first job upon graduating from OU, and it's because of all the support I've received through the OSH and MSSM programs."

Oakland’s OSH program is one of only ten nationally to be approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. For more information, view the program website at oakland.edu/shs/osh.

A list of OSH students and their scholarships can be found below.

• Joel Prusaitis - Stephen Hall Scholarship: $1000
• Chelsea Salkeld - Stephen Hall Scholarship: $1000
• Tracy Schwark - Stephen Hall Scholarship: $300; SEL Scholarship: $700 (total of $1000)
• Nue Vue - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Kristen Salk - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Micah Nichols - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Ernine Porter - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Traver Glassner - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Sherree Camillo - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Tareva Saunders - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Samantha Reichenbach - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Brian Williams - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Andrew Jazowski - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Judy Wheeler - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Wendy Kue - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Casandra Weems - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Christina Stackhouse-Lockard - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Charlotte Rose - SEL Scholarship: $1000
• Rebecca Zaror - SEL Scholarship: $1000