WriterAnastasia OlsonContactOlson, AnastasiaTelephone706-778-8500 x1553Cell706-548-8505 x8020Emailjschmitz@piedmont.eduWebsitewww.piedmont.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 4, 2020

Piedmont Professor Julie Schmitz incorporates Global Hand Washing Day as an attempt to bring awareness to a pandemic struck world. 

Demorest, Georgia, September 4, 2020 – Biology Professor Dr. Julia Schmitz wants to bring a new understanding of proper hygiene to Piedmont students, and Global Hand Washing Day on Thursday, Oct. 15 presents the perfect opportunity.

“You guys are all going to think differently about handwashing now,” said Schmitz.  “You should wash your hands anytime you feel like they aren’t clean.” 

Schmitz emphasized the need to understand how to properly wash your hands, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Global Hand Washing Day on Oct. 15 is an advocacy day created to stress the importance of hand washing. Schmitz wants students to learn the effectiveness of soap and the correct way to wash your hands. 

“Soap is a surfactant that binds to the water and the oil on your hands,” Schmitz said. “When you rinse off the soap you will also rinse off the germs connected to the oil on your hands.” 

Schmitz said it is vital to wash your hands after activities such as going to the bathroom, touching animals and before eating, adding that using the hottest water possible will most effectively kill any harmful bacteria.

Schmitz sees Global Hand Washing Day as an opportunity to add a new understanding of hand washing to students, and on Thursday, Oct. 15, an event will be hosted on campus to promote handwashing.

 “I have my students create their own lab project about handwashing,” Schmitz said. “I want them to design something interesting to them.” 

As a biology professor who is constantly working with germs, Schmitz strives to show her students the impact germs have on society. Schmitz and Global Hand Washing Day have a common theme of asking individuals to design and test creative ways of washing their hands in order to encourage and bring awareness to others. 

Mass Communications Professor Joe Dennis decided to get involved in Schmitz’s activism, helping develop and promote events on campus.

“The evidence is clear that proper handwashing is one of the best ways to combat coronavirus.” Dennis said. “I didn’t realize there were so many places on the hands that people often miss when washing.” 

Global Hand Washing Day is calling all of society to step up their hand hygiene in a critical time. Hand Washing is a priority and the future of the world. For more information about Piedmont events relating to Global Handwashing Day, contact Dennis at jdennis@piedmont.edu.

About Piedmont College

One of the most dynamic small colleges in the Southeast, Piedmont is an independent liberal arts college of more than 2,260 students. The college’s four schools—Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, and Nursing & Health Sciences—develop tomorrow’s leaders by engaging students in the classroom, in their community, and around the world. Founded in 1897, Piedmont offers bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degree programs at its Demorest residential campus in the foothills of the northeast Georgia mountains and at its Athens campus in the heart of Georgia’s Classic City. Information can be found at www.piedmont.edu.