81 Because of apathy toward student involvement on a national level, a leadership workshop was provided by NEHA at the 1980 annual meeting. Professors who par ticipated were Karl Ford, California State University, Northridge; Dr. Trenton G. Davis, East Carolina University; Dr. Harold Barnhart, University of Georgia; Vince Sikora, East Tennessee State University; and Michael Ells, Ferris State College. As a result of the 1980 meeting, it was decided that chapters would research job openings and send the results to NEHA for distribution to SNEHA chapters. Chapters were also to contact their alumni to help sell active memberships in NEHA since the conversion rate from student to active status was low. In 1981, SNEHA President, Steven Hill, University of Georgia, sent letters to over 50 chapters that had at one time been organized; however, less than 10 replies were received. SNEHA news published in the Journal ofEnvironmental Health showed active chapters in 10 schools. Student attendance at the National Environmental Health Association's annual meetings has declined from the peak in 1976, as several factors exerted influence. Many students are involved in internships for college credit; others have jobs during the summer; and travel and housing costs for the annual meeting increased considerably over the years. Mentors from among the NEHA active membership were assigned to students who attended the 1984 meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During the week, they attended meetings and social functions with their mentors, and conversations acquainted students with practitioners. In 1985, SNEHA officers Mary Williams at Western Carolina University and Sean Smith at Colorado State University undertook a project to prepare, print and sell a calen dar with environmental health cartoons to help establish group identity. They enlisted the help of NEHA for the project, and the 1986 calendar was ready for distribution in December 1985. With students leaving their campuses for an extended holiday, interest waned and sales were slim in spite of mailings to all NEHA affiliates and to all schools with active chapters. Also in 1985, SNEHA chapters in the Southeast conducted the first Southeast Regional Student Conference, with Western Carolina University the host chapter. The new tradi tion continued in 1986 with East Tennessee State University the host chapter; and in 1987 with the University of Georgia as host.
Faculty Support
Throughout the years, faculty members at the various schools have served as national advisors to the Student National Environmental Health Association. Dr. Herman Koren, Indiana State University, in 1974 recruited all 105 of his environmental health majors into the Indiana State Student Association. His modus operandi continues to be to pre sent each student with a copy of the Journal ofEnvironmental Health when they enroll for the fall term and solicit their membership in the SNEHA group. Chapters that have been most active on the national level have been encouraged to participate by the dedicated professionals who are faculty advisors.
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