University News

Oden Named Health Sciences & Social Work Chair

May 4, 2015

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MACOMB, IL -- Lorette Oden, interim chair of the Department of Health Sciences and Social Work at Western Illinois University, has been named chair of the department, effective May 1, according to College of Education and Human Services Dean Erskine Smith.

Oden has served as interim chair since 2013, and has served as the department's internship coordinator since 2014. She joined the department (formerly called Department of Community Health and Health Services Management) as an assistant professor in 1999. Oden was promoted to associate professor in 2003 and to professor in 2008. Previously, she served as a doctoral research assistant and instructor in the Department of Health Promotion and Human Performance at the University of Toledo. Oden also served as a Fellow of the 2012 American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Leadership and Mentoring Institute at Miles College in Birmingham.

"Dr. Oden brings many years of experience to the position. She will serve the department well as chair and continue to build upon the department's successes," said Smith.

She has authored and co-authored numerous articles professional publications, and has served as a presenter at various professional conferences. Oden is the chair of the WIU Minority Health Month Planning Committee, and is a member of the Strategic Plan Update Team, the Black Caucus and the Retention Task Force.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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