Siena Heights Spanish Students Featured in Chicago Tribune

A group of SHU Spanish students and “Maestro” (A.K.A. Associate Professor of Spanish) Nick Kaplan (below) were featured last spring in the Chicago Tribune after completing the Fox River Taco Challenge. Maestro Kaplan and Siena alumnus Lee Rincon invented the challenge based on an article written by Tribune writer Kevin Pang. Following a map of taquerías (taco restaurants) along the Fox River (west of Chicago), the students ate one taco at each of the 11 restaurants before returning to Siena.

Siena Serves Group Travels to Jamaica

A group of five students and two advisors from Siena Serves traveled to St. John Bosco Home for boys in Jamaica in May. Bosco is a home for orphaned and homeless boys. Karin Barbee Has Two Poems Published Assistant Professor of English Karin Wraley Barbee recently published two poems, “The Young Pictographer” and “Diving Lessons,” in the Spring 2014 issue of “Natural Bridge: A Journal of Contemporary Literature.” Natural Bridge is a publication of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Rickinger Named New Director of Residence Life

SHU named Rachel Rickinger as its new director of Residence Life. Rachel previously served as a residential learning coordinator at Valparaiso University. She began at SHU June 16.

Mark DiPietro Directs “Les Miserables” at the Croswell Opera House

SHU Professor of Theater Mark DiPietro directed “Les Miserables,” last summer at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian. There were several current and former students in the production, including: graduates Michael Lackey (below), Eric Parker, Jamie Buechele, Natasha Ricketts, Ryan Tymensky, current students Alisha Bond, Dani Helfrich and SHU faculty member Michael Yuen.

Marsh Wins National Photography Award

New SHU Multimedia Specialist Laura Marsh earned a second place in the national MerlinOne photo contest. This contest was open to university and college photographers who shot an assignment for a university or college marketing, communications, news and information or sports information department. Her winning photo in the Sports category was a shot of a Saints running back (right).

SHU Named ‘Best Online Program for Veterans’ by U.S News and World Report

Siena Heights University was ranked among the top 50 institutions in the nation—including the top private college or university in Michigan—as a Best Online Program for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report. This is the second year that U.S. News & World Report has established this ranking, with Siena Heights tying for 47th. The methodology is based on participation/service in various veteran-related programs and academic quality attributes from SHU’s standing as a Best Online Bachelor Degree Program.

Siena Heights Now Part of the Kalamazoo Promise

Siena Heights is one of 15 private state institutions that will partner with the Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program. SHU President Sister Peg Albert attended a June 10 press conference in Kalamazoo, Mich., announcing the agreement. The Michigan Colleges Alliance, which includes Siena Heights, will be a part of the Kalamazoo Promise. Beginning in fall of 2015, eligible students may use their Kalamazoo Promise scholarship to attend any one of the MCA liberal arts colleges and universities in Michigan. In each case, tuition and fees will be fully and jointly funded by the Kalamazoo Promise and the MCA member institution. The Kalamazoo Promise will fund at the level of the undergraduate average tuition and fees for the College of Literature, Science and Arts at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The MCA member institution will cover any difference between that amount and the amount of its yearly tuition and fees.

Bob Gordon Receives Fred Smith Champion Award

Robert Gordon was the recipient of the Fred Smith Champion Award. The award was established in 2003 to honor SHU’s longtime athletic director and Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach. Besides his 30-plus years of service, this award honors Smith’s friendly and caring attitude, his ability to shoulder responsibility without complaint and overcome adversity with success. Gordon retired last year after 37 years of service to the University.

New Faculty Members Announced at SHU

Here is a list of new full-time faculty members who recently started with SHU:

•  Rhonda DeLong, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
•  Patricia Eason, Lecturer
•  Tony Farina, Assistant Professor of Humanities
•  Jon Kleinow, Instructor Criminal Justice
•  Justin Matchulat, Assistant Professor of Philosophy
•  Mad Mohre, Assistant Professor of Art
•  Alan Moore, Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Science
•  Julie Ross, Assistant Professor of Education
•  Dana Schumacher-Schmidt, Assistant Professor of English
•  Linette Will, Assistant Professor of Nursing 

Several Honored for Service to Siena Heights

Several employees were honored with service awards at the All-University Work-shop Aug. 18. Those earning awards for years of service included the following:

10-Year Award:
•  Kerry Graves, Professor of Theater
•  Sue Syljebeck, Women’s Basketball Coach
•  Pat Wallace, Director of the McNair Program

20-Year Award:
•  Mark DiPietro, Professor of Theater
•  Jun Tsuji, Professor of Biology

30-Year Award:
•  Mark Schersten, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences

Carol Himelhoch Publishes New Leadership Book

SHU Professor of Management Carol Himelhoch just published her new book, “Transformational Leadership and High-Intensity Interval Training” with MindBodyMed Press. The book shares her research on the ways in which the lived experiences of avid exercisers intersect with their leadership styles. The book is available on Amazon.

Brenda Doremus to Retire as SHU Registrar

SHU’s longtime Registrar, Brenda Doremus, has announced her retirement effective Oct. 31. She has served Siena Heights since 1974 with distinction and dedication. The Siena community wishes her the absolute best in her future endeavors and thanks her for her outstanding service over these many years.

SHU Honors for 2013-14

Those listed below were recognized for their achievements at the annual Honors Convocation and Academic Division Receptions April 25, 2014.

Division Outstanding Student Awards:

•  Business and Management: Michael Lollo, Travis Mielcarek
•  Computing, Mathematics and the Sciences: Alyssa Hoff, Vitalii Maximov
•  Undergraduate Education: Amanda Carlisle
•  Graduate Education: Sara Joyce Rober
•  Humanities: Ashley O’Leary, Hillary Weiss
•  Nursing: Daniel Fenderson, Christine Hardy
•  Social and Behavioral Sciences: Jessica Rinehart, Tiffany Swoish
•  Visual and Performing Arts and Education Division: Julia Cassell, Melissa Dojcsak

St. Catherine of Alexandria Medal: Matthew Robinet

Outstanding Undergraduate Student Awards: Christine Hardy, Michael Lollo

Outstanding Graduate College Student Awards:

•  Counselor Education: Ula Sky Rutan
•  Leadership: Vicki Schroeder

Academic Major Awards:

•  Accounting: Andrew Byers, Christopher Schurr
•  Business Administration and Management: Matthew Robinet, Ines Rodriguez-Adams, Courtney Walter
•  Sport Management: Kyle Benschoter, Michael Bohnett, Mary Fraser
•  Outstanding Service to the CMS Division: Eric Wilson
•  Computer Information Systems Outstanding Senior: Vitalii Maximov
•  Senior Math Award: Alyssa Hoff
•  Outstanding First Year Math Student: Jessa Rappleye
•  Biology Outstanding First Year Student: Tiffany Logan
•  Outstanding Senior Biology Research: Chas Frey
•  Chemistry Outstanding First Year Student: Anh Duong
•  Communications: Eva Lang
•  English: Alyssa Hoff, Alexandra Lepsy
•  History: Ashley O’Leary
•  Psychology: Colleen Delaney, Stanislavs Motornaks, Brandon Roof
•  Criminal Justice: Lauren Baker, Leonie Leahy, Jason Peltier
•  Outstanding Students in Art: Lorenzo Cristaudo, Melanie Glinski, Savannah Haig, Koreena Hemker, Brianna Nordby
•  Fra Angelico Awards: Lorenzo Cristaudo, Koreena Hemker, Brianna Nordby
•  Outstanding Students in Theatre: Alex Gibson, William McMillan
•  Alpha Psi Omega Award of Theatre Excellence: Aaron Treadway, Mariah Valdes
•  Sister Therese Craig, OP, Award: Samantha Castle, Alison Workman
•  Outstanding Students in Music: Michelle Force, Samantha Weber
•  Outstanding Student in Child Development: Iesha Gray
•  Excellence in Education: Hannah Ulrich
•  Outstanding Student Teachers: Mackenzy Hickner, Alyssa Hoff, Lauren Jagger, Nicholas Knezevich, Aubrey Laughlin,
•  Kelsey Moran, Joshua White

Other Awards:

•  Thomas A. Emmet Award (Top Junior Student-Athlete): Richard DePalma, Morgan Warfield
•  Team Academic Award: Women’s Golf
•  Eileen Rice Award for Outstanding Teacher: Christy Mesaroz-Winckles
•  Staff Excellence Awards: Gabe Dunbar, Mickey Rawson
•  Stimson-Tsuji Outstanding Research Award: Claudia Blanchard

SHU Students Complete Summer Internships

Summer may be a time for many students to take a break from classes, but not from the learning experience. Several Siena Heights students completed summer internships with area businesses and organizations, including:

Senior accounting majors Lucas Bartz and Megan Dubois completed internships with Stryker Corp. in the Battle Creek (Mich.) area (left). Both worked with SHU’s Career Services Office to prep for their interview, which was a rigorous four-step process. Bartz interned with the internal audit department in Kalamazoo. His experience allowed him to travel around the state, as well as to California and New Jersey to perform audits at Stryker’s endoscopy and spine divisions. Dubois interned with Stryker’s tax division at its corporate headquarters in Battle Creek. Dubois worked on several projects, and also got a chance to meet and learn from Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo.

Katie Mullin, a senior at SHU’s Monroe County Community College campus, volunteered this summer at WGTE FM 91, public radio for Toledo, northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The professional communication major conducted interviews, recorded audio and edited radio stories about five signature multi-cultural events and organizations in Toledo and southeast Michigan. A Monroe native, Mullin’s “Community Culture Reports” aired during NPR’s “All Things Considered,” every Wednesday afternoon at 5:44 p.m., beginning Sept. 17 through Oct. 15. The audio portraits explored five diverse regional nonprofits:

• Sofia Quintero Art & Cultural Center in Toledo, which uses art to make a difference in the community.
• The Lagrange Street Polish Festival, Toledo’s largest street festival, presented by United North, also known as ONE Village, dedicated to Toledo’s Old North End neighborhoods.
• Partners in Education of Toledo’s Dragon Boat Festival on the Maumee River, with participation by the Chinese Association of Toledo.
• Toledo’s annual Hibernian Irish Festival, hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
• The Turtle Island Dream Keepers Native American Organization, which sponsors a pow wow at Monroe County Community College.