Dow Health Care Professional Teaches Nursing Students in Unusual Setting

Louisiana - October 12, 2005

Dow Louisiana Regional Health Promotion Coordinator Paul LeBlanc was recently contacted by the LSU School of Nursing instructors to assist in providing instructional hours for students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He was asked to teach the students in an unusually big classroom…a local movie theatre.

The LSU School of Nursing was located at the Louisiana State University Medical Center near the Superdome in New Orleans, but now students are taking classes in a variety of office buildings in Baton Rouge. The University's Senior II class is scheduled for graduation, but needs to complete the required hours in order to graduate on time.

LeBlanc presented a two-hour lecture on Environmental and Occupational health nursing and Health Promotion in the workplace. It was held in the CitiPlace United Artist movie complex on Corporate Blvd.in Baton Rouge. LeBlanc said, "I have never seen my presentation that "BIG" before, (since it was projected on the theatre's movie screen), I think it will be the closest I will ever come to being on the Big Screen."

Dow Public Affairs donated water bottles to the group as well. The majority of the students are displaced and many have no home to go to. Nursing school is difficult under normal circumstances much less having to deal with the stressors of a new city, traffic, temporary housing, no books or computers, clothing, and clinicals, said LeBlanc.

"It was an experience I will never forget and I was glad to be a part of helping bring this group one step closer to their graduation," said LeBlanc.

	Dow Health Care Professional Paul LeBlanc with the LSU School of Nursing students (holding their Dow water bottles) at the CitiPlace Cinema.

For Editorial Information:

Gary Cambre
The Dow Chemical Company
(225) 353-8265