Affiliated Departments & Programs

Jan Thomas specializes in health and gender issues. Before coming to Kenyon in 1996, Thomas worked as a counselor, educator, and administrator at women's health centers in Chicago and Denver and operated her own health counseling practice in Denver. Thomas teaches courses on gender, health and illness, social movements, and research methods. She is particularly interested in service-learning and connecting the life of the College with the life of the greater Gambier community.

The focus of Thomas' scholarly work has been primarily in the area of women's health. She has published articles on the legacies of feminist women's health centers, midwifery and childbirth. Most recently, she has been engaged in collaborative research projects on maternity care in the U.S. and Sweden.

Thomas spent her sabbatical (2005-2006) in Stockholm, Sweden. She also co-directed a study abroad program for ten years, which took students to Sweden and Finland for two weeks in the summer to learn about the health and social welfare systems. Thomas is currently serving as an associate provost at Kenyon. She has served as chair of the Department of Sociology and the chair of women's and gender studies. Her most recent sabbatical was spent teaching at Colorado College.

Education

1995 — Doctor of Philosophy from Univ Colorado Boulder

1982 — Master of Arts from Univ Chicago

1980 — Bachelor of Science from Cornell College

Courses Recently Taught

This course provides the academic preparation for students to become a Health Coach with the Community Care Network (CCN) at Knox Community Hospital. Health Coaches are members of the CCN team that promote holistic physical, mental and social wellness through in-home visits with members of the community. Any student interested in becoming a Health Coach must take this course.\nCourse content focuses on population health, diseases that can lead to chronic illness, and psychosocial aspects of health and illness. Activities in this course will include interactive lectures, group discussions and presentations focusing on the conceptual and practical issues surrounding community healthcare. Case studies (actual de-identified patient scenarios) will be key tools in preparing students to become Health Coaches charged with the education and motivation of at-risk patients during in-home visits. The overarching goal of the program is to empower these patients to take an active role in their own wellness by promoting positive behaviors.\nAfter successful completion of this class, it is expected, although not mandatory, that students will participate in the Health Coaches program during the following semester(s). In teams of two, Health Coaches will be assigned their own clients and will collaborate with the hospital healthcare team to promote healthy lifestyle changes. Prerequisite: sophomore standing and permission of instructor to ensure students are prepared to become health coaches following the class.