January 28, 1998 Contact: Jean Moore, 615-322-2706 jean.moore@vanderbilt.edu or Jan Rosemergy, 615-322-8240 jan.rosemergy@vanderbilt.edu

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Preventing violence to be topic

of Kennedy Center Occasional Conversation

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--"Why do you do me the way you do? Preventing violence, sexual and otherwise" is the topic of a John F. Kennedy Center Occasional Conversation, Thursday, Feb. 5, at 4 p.m., in Room 241 Kennedy Center/MRL Building on the Peabody campus of Vanderbilt University.

"This Conversation on preventing violent behavior will bring together three experts from diverse disciplines and with varied experiences who will talk about preventing violence at different developmental stages - in childhood, adolescence and adulthood," said Jan Rosemergy, Kennedy Center director of communications and community relations who will be moderator for the Conversation.

Ann Kaiser, professor and chair of the Department of Special Education at Peabody College, will discuss how family violence affects child development and early intervention projects aimed at preventing conduct disorders in children.

Davidson County Juvenile Court Judge Andy Shookhoff, a member of the Kennedy Center's Leadership Council, will discuss juvenile violence and its prevention.

Bruce Ellis, a Kennedy Center research associate and postdoctoral fellow in developmental psychology, will discuss his studies of violence in dating and marital relationships, specifically issues of love and anger in relationships.

The purpose of this series is to encourage experts from diverse disciplines to explore scientific and ethical issues pertinent to problems of human development. The University and the Nashville community are welcome. For more information call 322-8240.

-VU-

Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education and human development, engineering and music, and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.

For more news about Vanderbilt, visit the News and Public Affairs home page on the Internet at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/News.