Eating Disorders Conference at Pitzer College February 27-March 1

Students Plan Conference to Raise Awareness of Eating Disorders among Male and Female College Students

Claremont, Calif. (February 23, 2006) – Emily London, a senior at Pitzer College, along with fellow classmates discussed the need for a conference to raise the awareness of eating disorders among male and female college students. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Approximately 25 million more are struggling with binge eating disorder.

The three-day conference includes experts addressing such topics as Eating Healthy on Campus & Nutritional Therapy for Eating Disorders, Get Informed: An Overview of Eating Disorders, Treatment: Group Therapy for Eating Disorders. “It is unusual for a student to coordinate a conference of this magnitude, but this is typical of how Emily has demonstrated her initiative and independence throughout her four years at Pitzer,” Professor Norma Rodriguez said.

London is the founder and president of The Pitzer Student Psychological Association and the president of the Pitzer College Chapter of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. “We planned this conference to raise the awareness of eating disorders to the students of all of The Claremont Colleges, as well as to bring attention to the many resources available at the colleges to those suffering eating disorders,” said London.

London completed an internship with Dr. Lynn Ponton, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco, which inspired her academic interest in this topic and led to her thesis titled: “Analysis of Disordered Eating, Perfectionism, and Body Dissatisfaction.” From Marin County, London will graduate this spring from Pitzer College as an honors candidate in both Psychology and Gender and Feminist Studies, and plans to complete a post-baccalaureate premedical program and then medical school.

The conference is funded by the Pitzer College Campus Life Committee Forum Fund. Lunch will be provided to those who r.s.v.p. in advance to Emily London at elondon@pitzer.edu or (415) 385-6518. For additional conference details, visit http://www.pitzer.edu/news_center/events/ed.asp

About Pitzer College

Pitzer College is a nationally top ranked undergraduate liberal arts institution. A member of The Claremont Colleges, Pitzer offers a distinctive approach to a liberal arts education by linking intellectual inquiry with interdisciplinary studies, cultural immersion, social responsibility and community involvement. For more information, please visit www.pitzer.edu.

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