9/3/98

ATHENS, Ohio -- Thomas S. Hodson has been appointed by Ohio University President Robert Glidden to lead a special project to enhance community neighborhoods surrounding the University's Athens campus.

Hodson, an Athens attorney and former university trustee, will spearhead an effort to forge a university-community partnership with governmental units and the private sector to upgrade city neighborhoods and to improve the living conditions for students, faculty and non-university affiliated residents.

His new function is an outgrowth of the intensive student housing study conducted by Ohio University over the past two years.

"Tom brings to this job a unique blend of talents," Glidden said. "He's an experienced local attorney and former trial judge and he also has served as university trustee for nine years and university foundation trustee for three. With this background of experience he will be able to unite many segments of our community toward the common goal of improving some of our city's blighted neighborhoods."

Initially, Hodson will be pulling together a task force of local officials, residents and university administrators to identify and target neighborhoods for immediate improvement.

Hodson is currently a partner in the Athens law firm of Eslocker, Hodson, Oremus, L.P.A., Inc. He will be devoting half his professional time to this project. With the other half, he will maintain his law practice concentrating on criminal defense and civil litigation.

He is a 1970 Ohio University graduate in journalism and a 1973 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Law. During his legal career, Hodson has served as both Municipal Court and Common Pleas judge in Athens and also was awarded a Judicial Fellowship at the Supreme Court of the United States.

Hodson is a part-time faculty member in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and also acts as a media consultant to various judicial organizations across the country.