Dr. Gribschaw is a family and consumer economist and Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS). She teaches undergraduate courses in family and consumer sciences including the introductory and capstone seminars in the major; housing: physical, social and economic environment; family financial and resource management; and consumer in our society. Dr. Gribschaw is an active member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and its Pennsylvania affiliate. She serves on campus as the advisor for the Family and Consumer Sciences Club as well as the Kappa Alpha Gamma Chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu honor society. As a first generation college student, Dr. Gribschaw met and joined the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, the founding and sponsoring congregation of Seton Hill University. Her teaching and research is inspired by this quotation of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: “. . . I would wish to fit you for that world in which you are destined to live. . .”

Education

• Ph.D. in Consumer and Family Economics, The Ohio State University , Columbus, Ohio.
• M.S. in Family Resources/Home Economics Education, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia.
• B.A. in Chemistry, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Awards

• Outstanding Professional, presented by the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, April 11, 2008
• Kappa Omicron Nu Leadership Academy Scholarship to participate in the American Association of Family and Consumer Scineces Pre-Conference, "Kappa Omicron Nu's Impact on the Future of Leadership Development", Chicago, IL, June 23, 2000.
• Professor of the Year, presented at the Seton Hill Senior Honors Convocation, May 12, 2000.
• Caritas Medal for twenty years of distinguished service to Seton Hill, 1997.
• Outstanding Service Award for 1984-85, presented by The Ohio State University Council of Graduate Students for service to graduate students, May 1985.
• Doris and Clifford Risley Fellowship for dissertation study at the Ohio State University, College of Home Economiics, Columbus, OH, 1984-1985.
• Insurance Industry Consumer Affairs Exchange Scholarship to attend and participate in the Mid-American Consumer Conference, "Consumerism in a Global Economy", Oklahoma City, OK, November 14-16, 1984.
• Elaine Knowles Weaver Research Award, Department of Home Management and Housing, The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio for support of research presentation at Family Economics-Home Management National Workshop, Madison, Wisconsin, June 1983.
• Honorary Member, Pennsylvania Home Economics Association, Student Member Section, awarded by the PHEA SMS, May 2, 1981.
• Undergraduate Teaching Scholarship, for undergraduate study at Seton Hill College (now University), presented by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, 1960-61.

Organizations

• Kappa Omicron Nu, Family and Consumer Sciences National Honor Society, formed through the merger of Omicron Nu and Kappa Omicron Phi in 1990.
• Alpha Sigma Lamda, National Honor Society for Non-Traditional Students.
• American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) formerly American Association (AHEA), 1972-
• Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (PAFCS) formerly Pennsylvania Home Economics Association (PHEA) 1972-
• Vice-President, Internal Relations, 2008-2011. • Immediate Past President, 2004-05; 2007-09. • President, 2003-04; 2006-07.

Presentations

• Gribschaw, V. M. & Rottmund, M. L. (2007, April 13). Transforming AAFCS and assessing PAFCS: Giving voice to the spirit of change. Workshop presentation at the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Meeting: Focus on the Future, Cranberry Township, PA.
• Gribschaw, V. M. (2006, June 21). Secrets of success in recruitment and retention of members in Pennsylvania. Invited presentation for Membership & Marketing Workshop: Membership to the Rescue! The 97th Annual Conference and Exposition of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Charlotte, NC.
• Gribschaw, V. M. (2006, April 8). The future is ours to create. President’s Inaugural Address at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
• Gribschaw, V. M. (2005, May). Working with adjunct faculty. Workshop presentation at 2005 Council of Independent Colleges Workshop for Department and Division Chairs, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Gribschaw, V.M, Graham, S., McCombie, S., Meyers, C., & Shenk, B. (2004, April 3). Future Directions: A dialogue with Pennsylvania colleges and universities. Panel presentation at the 81st Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Coraopolis, PA.
• Gribschaw, V. M., Glispy, C., Graham, S., McCombie, S., & Rhude-Faust, M. (2003, April 4). University panel discussion, dialogue, and recruitment. Panel presentation at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Bethlehem, PA.
• Gribschaw, V. M. (2003, April 5). Toward an optimal future. President’s Inaugural Address at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Summary published in spring 2003 PAFCS Newsletter.
• Brown, M., Gardner, L, Gribschaw, V, Olson, L, Purcell, R, Wilder, K. (2001, June). Student perceptions of poverty: A pilot study. Poster presented at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Pre-Conference, Providence, RI. [Note: Collaborative research group lists names in alphabetical order]
• Vissat, M., Gribschaw, V. M., Brode, C., Matway, E. B., Paharik, J., Wendland, A. (2001, October 11). Curriculum for the millennium generation. Panel presentation at the 41st Annual Conference of the Association for General and Liberal Studies “The Changing Face of Liberal Education for a Democratic Society”, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Brown, M., Gardner, L., Gribschaw, V., Metz, S., Olson, L., Purcell, R., Taitano, R., Wilder, K. (1999, June 25). Utilizing a collaborative model across Institutions for the development of a research agenda to study issues related to family well being. Poster session presented at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Pre-Conference, Seattle, WA. [Note: Collaborative research group lists names in alphabetical order]
• Gribschaw, V. M. & Schaeffer, L. (1999, April 17). Enneagram: Personality tool for professions. Invited two-hour workshop presented at the 76th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Harrisburg, PA.
• Lettrich, S. & Gribschaw, V. M. (1995, August). The Impact on the Family of a Child with Disabilities: What Teachers Need to Know. Refereed Presentation at the summer Association of Teacher Educators Conference, Williamsburg, VA (presented by S. Lettrich).
• Lettrich, S. & Gribschaw, V. M. (1995, April 29). Children with disabilities: Impact of families and schools. Refereed presentation at the Earl R. Siler Children’s Learning Complex of Clarion University Early Childhood Conference “Children First”, Clarion, PA,
• Gribschaw, V. M. (1992, September 17). A new introductory housing textbook: Topics, format, and authorship. Invited presentation as part of a five-member panel for the Academic Section at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Housing Educator, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
• Gribschaw, V. M. (1988, April 16). Economic mobility of single women with children. Paper presented during research reporting session at the Pennsylvania Home Economics Association Annual Meeting, Reading, PA, April 16, 1988.
• Gribschaw, V. M. (1987, June 29). Economic mobility of single mothers and intervention model for pregnant teens. Paper presented as part of a three member panel on the “Economic and Social Implications of Parenthood” at the American Home Economics Association Annual Conference and Exposition, Indianapolis, IN.
• Gribschaw, V. M., Hayes, J. R. & Swartzlander, A. (1984, April 13). Past and present consumer research: Priorities for the future. Round table discussion led with Jill Rader Hayes and Anne Swartzlander at the American Council on Consumer Interests Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 13, 1984.
• Swartzlander, A., Gribschaw, V. M., & Bowers, J. S. (1983, June 23). Participation in the food stamp program among households with a head who is sixty years old or older. Paper presented with Anne Swartzlander and Jean S. Bowers at the Family Economics-Home Management National Workshop, Madison, WI.

Certifications

• Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS #02479).

Achievements

• Served as Chair of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciencs: July 1995-July 2002..
• Served as Chair, The Division of Management, Family and Consumer Sciences: July 1997-July 2002.
• Served as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences: June 2005-June 2007.
• Served as President of the Pennsylvania Association of Family and Consumer Sciences: 2003-04 and 2006-07.
• Selected to serve on the National Advisory Committee to develop criteria for the development of the revised Praxis II: Family and Consumer Sciences Test by Educational Testing Service Praxis Licensure Development, 2005-2008.
• Served as Editor of the Proceedings of the 1994 Conference, Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association,
• Reviewer for the Tessie Agan Undergraduate Research Award, June, 2008. Housing Education and Research Association.