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Dr. Dama Burkhart to Receive Austin C. Furbee Award from Ohio University's Eastern Ohio Alumni Chapter
The Eastern Ohio alumni chapter of Ohio University has chosen Woodsfield resident Dr. Dama C. Burkhart as the 2010 Austin C. Furbee Award honoree in recognition of her dedication and contribution to Ohio University and the community. There will be an award dinner Wednesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. at the Belmont Hills Country Club in St. Clairsville to honor her. Alumni and friends are invited to attend. The dinner will be $35 per person, and reservations are required by April 15 by calling 740-699-2494.
"Dr. Burkhart has been a long time supporter of the Ohio University Eastern Campus serving on the Regional Coordinating Council for many years,” said Dr. Rich Greenlee, Eastern Campus dean. “She has also been a strong advocate for the need for greater access to higher education opportunities for Monroe County residents, particularly women."
After receiving her high school diploma from Woodsfield High School in 1944, Burkhart earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Taylor University in Upland, Ind., in 1950. In the summer of 1964 she pursued clinical pastoral education at the Indiana University Medical Center, and in 1965 she completed her master’s degree in personality theory at Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind. Burkhart then continued her education by earning her doctorate in 1968 from Purdue University in Counseling and Guidance with minors in clinical psychology and sociology.
Her career was spent in the education field. She taught at Purdue University, first as an instructor, and then became a visiting assistant professor supervising practicum in counseling and guidance. She served as a human development specialist in Cooperative Extensions Service for the state of Indiana and assistant professor in the department of child development and family life at Purdue. From 1974-1978 she was an associate professor in the same department before becoming the assistant dean for home economics extension in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue. In 1980 she became the associate dean of the school.
Her other experiences have included being the director of Christian education at Central Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, Ind., serving on the National Council on Family Relations as well as the Indiana Council on Family Relations where she was a board member and president.
After moving back to the Woodsfield area upon retirement, Burkhart remained involved in higher education.
“Dama was from Monroe County and since that was one of our service areas, the [Ohio University Eastern Campus] Regional Coordinating Council felt that we needed to make sure that the Council has representation from that county,” said Dr. James Newton, retired Eastern Campus dean. “Mr. John Kirk, who was the chairperson of the Council, knew Dama and recommended for her an appointment to the Council….After being appointed by the Ohio University Trustees, Dama instantly became a valuable member of the Council.” Burkhart served on the Council for twenty years, 1987-2007.
“During her service on the Council, she provided insightful information on various topics,” Newton said “She served on the Third Century Campaign committee. I was particularly impressed with Dama’s work in developing a scholarship for students who came from Monroe County and attended [the Eastern Campus]…. I personally valued her council, service and friendship during my tenure as the Campus Dean.”
The Austin C. Furbee award was first given in 1981 after Furbee’s wife, Gladys, established an endowed fund in memory of her husband. Each year someone who has shown dedication, commitment and service to Ohio University and to the community is given the honor.
Austin Furbee, for whom the award is named, played a key role in the formation of the Eastern Campus. He was a Belmont County commissioner when the commission acquired the former Belmont County Experimental Station farmland, which was to become the home of Ohio University Eastern Campus. Furbee later served as a member of the campus’ regional coordinating council.
Burkhart is the wife of the late Judge George F. Burkhart. Her daughter is Paige Amsler of Naples, Fla., and her son is Scott Cofield of Brownsburg, Ind.
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