News Story

Recent gifts put students first

Posted 05/11/2009

Two philanthropic gifts to Ohio State's College of Public Health will help attract the best and brightest students.

Mrs. Berneice Lachner of Chicago, Ill., recently contributed $25,000 to the Bernard J. Lachner Graduate Fellowship in the Health Services Management and Policy Division. This endowed fund provides financial assistance each year to a student in the Master of Health Administration program.

Julie Johnston is the most current Lachner recipient. "The Lachner scholarship has been a huge blessing to me as I balance school, work and family. I am very grateful to Bonnie and the entire Lachner family for supporting me and other Ohio State students through the years as we pursued the MHA. As I embark on my own career, I hope to emulate Mr. Lachner's passion for hospitals and the patients they serve," said Johnston, who will graduate this June.

Mrs. Lachner created this fund in 1976 with her sons Bernard J., III, Thomas F. and James T. Lachner in honor of her husband, Bernard J Lachner. Mr. Lachner started the MHA program at Ohio State and was an OSU medical center administrator. He passed away in 2005.

"Bonnie and Bernard Lachner have been instrumental in establishing and growing the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program into one of the nation's elite. The Lachner family has had a long standing commitment to the Bernard J. Lachner Scholarship Fund. Bonnie Lachner has continued to be most supportive of the program and was recently inducted as an honorary member of the HSMP Alumni Society," said Stephen F. Loebs, emeritus professor.

"Bonnie is a wonderful friend of the college and the MHA program. Her generosity has had a great impact on the lives of many students," said Dean Stan Lemeshow.

Liz and Brian Burkett of Worthington, Ohio, directed their recent gift of $7,500 to the College of Public Health's first general scholarship fund. This new fund was created as part of a university-wide initiative, "Students First, Students Now," to ensure continued access to education for Ohio State students. Mrs. Burkett graduated with a Master of Public Health in 2007.

"Liz is a talented lawyer and a wonderful person who benefited greatly from having received her MPH degree at the College of Public Health. She added a new dimension to our program in being able to blend her legal interests with our offerings in health services management and policy," said Allard Dembe, ScD, chair, Division of Health Services Management and Policy.

"We are grateful for the Burketts' gift. Their generosity truly puts students first and will open doors for students to study in public health," said Dean Stan Lemeshow.

 

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The Ohio State University's College Public Health is an integral part of the most comprehensive health sciences campus in the nation. The college was created in February 2007 by the University Board of Trustees. First established in 1995 as part of the College of Medicine, we are the first and only accredited school of public health in the state of Ohio. Specializations within the college include biostatistics, epidemiology, health behavior and health promotion, environmental health sciences, health services management and policy, veterinary public health and clinical investigations. The college is currently ranked 21st in public health graduate schools by US News & World Report. Its Master of Health Administration program is ranked 12th.