Rowan Edmonds

706-347-3374

redmonds0323@lions.piedmont.edu

Global Handwashing Day 

Dr. Julia Schmitz discusses the importance of handwashing. 

Demorest, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2020 – With the world in a pandemic, students and faculty at Piedmont College are collaborating to host an event on Oct. 15 for Global Handwashing Day. 

“You obviously can’t wash your hands constantly, but you definitely want to make sure you wash your hands before eating,” said Dr. Julia Schmitz, a biology professor at Piedmont College. “Pretty much all the time, whenever you can.” 

Until this year, Global Handwashing Day was just one of those fun little “holidays” that was always looked over. It was one of those things that would make someone mildly chuckle at the thought of having a day to celebrate and acknowledge handwashing. However, when the pandemic rolled around, handwashing became a little less goofy and a little more serious. 

“Most people know about the importance of washing hands, but many don’t know how to properly wash their hands,” said Joe Dennis, an assistant mass communications professor at Piedmont College. “It’s my hope that an event like this will help show people the proper way to wash their hands.” 

With a pandemic going on, stressing the importance of washing our hands has become even more critical than ever before. On Thursday, Oct.15, the college will recognize Global Handwashing Day by holding a handwashing event on campus, as well as hosting a TikTok video competition for students.  

For more information about the event, email Joe Dennis at jdennis@piedmont.edu. For more information about handwashing, visit https://globalhandwashing.org 

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