Speaker Series: Anita Foeman – The DNA Discussion Project

Media Fellowship House is proud to announce Dr. Anita Foeman, West Chester University Professor as the speaker for our  December Speaker Series event. 

Anita Foeman, Ph.D.,  is the founder and primary investigator of the DNA Discussion Project. Dr. Foeman holds the rank of Professor in the Department of Communication Studies. Dr. Foeman is a scholar of intercultural and organizational communication. She holds a B.A. from Defiance College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Temple University. Dr. Foeman joined the faculty of West Chester University in 1982. The DNA Discussion Project is integrated into courses she teaches in intercultural communication.

The DNA Discussion Project encourages the West Chester University community to talk about diversity in a new, positive and engaging way.Since the project started in 2006, it has provided ancestry DNA tests to hundreds of students, faculty, and staff at the University, local schools and the West Chester community to help them find out who they really are. We invite you to follow the links on this website to learn more about the project, to contact us for more information, or to learn how to participate.

Have you ever wondered about the origins of your family? Are you curious about your ethnicity or race? Have you heard or told stories about your family’s past? Would you like to know the truth behind family secrets? DNA is a scientific way to answer all these questions with a high level of accuracy.

Everyone has a unique combination of DNA molecules in their cells. They form a genetic blueprint, providing insights into one’s ethnic heritage. But many people don’t know what their DNA says about them; and many are surprised when they find out.

The goal of the DNA Discussion Project at West Chester University is to encourage greater understanding of the science of genetics, the construction of race, and the perception of ethnicity. By engaging participants in discussion before and after DNA testing, we are discovering that we share a rich background that is often unexpected.