Mark Berkman Named Student Trustee

BEXLEY RESIDENT TO JOIN OHIO STATE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

     COLUMBUS -- Gov. George V. Voinovich has announced his 
appointment of Mark E. Berkman of Bexley to a two-year term on 
The Ohio State University Board of Trustees.  Berkman's term runs 
through May 13, 1998.

     Berkman, who is completing his first year of studies in the 
College of Dentistry, will succeed Thomas Smith of Chesterhill 
who will receive his law degree June 7.  Berkman was selected 
from a slate of graduate and professional students for the seat.  
He joins Holly Smith, an undergraduate student from North Canton, 
who is in the middle of her term.

     "I am very honored and very excited to be a part of the 
board," said Berkman.  "I want to contribute whatever I can to 
the university and the university community in terms of a student 
perspective on various issues.

     "I've always been impressed with the depth and the 
intensity of the university's systematic campus-wide reviews of 
academic structure as well as student concerns.  I look forward 
to contributing to those efforts."

     As a new dental student, Berkman was one of five students to 
receive the merit-based Steffel Scholarship.  He is a member of 
the American Student Dental Association and the American 
Association of Dental Research and is house manager of Alpha 
Omega Dental Fraternity.  In addition, he has served as a 
research assistant in the oral biology section of the college.

     Berkman is one of 10 national winners of the 1996 National 
Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental Research Summer 
Dental Student Award.  Through the fellowship, Berkman will be 
conducting research this summer on craniofacial growth and 
development at the National Institutes of Health laboratories in 
Bethesda, Md.

     He also won first place in the 52nd Post-College Assembly 
Table Clinic Research Poster Presentation and was a finalist in 
other university and national research competitions held earlier 
this year.  

     Berkman was valedictorian of the Class of 1993 at Bexley 
High School.  He attended Ohio State as an undergraduate before 
enrolling in the College of Dentistry.

     As an undergraduate at Ohio State, Berkman was a member of 
several honor societies, including Mortar Board National Senior 
Honorary and Golden Key National Honor Society.  He was president 
of Romophos Sophomore Class Honorary and helped to develop 
programs to acclimate new freshman honors students to Ohio State.  
In addition, Berkman served as special events chair for the North 
Campus Student Association.

     Berkman is an open water scuba instructor, certified by the 
Professional Association of Diving Instructors and specializing 
in wreck, night, deep and rescue diving.  He also is a licensed 
amateur radio technician.

                             #

Contact:  Mark E. Berkman, (614) 294-6878.
Written by Tom Spring, (614) 292-8309.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Thu, 30 May 1996 16:28:41 -0400]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.