SHU Student Earns Award at Biology Research Conference

Tiffany Logan was awarded second place at the 2017 Northeast District 4 Beta Beta Beta Biological Honors Society Research Conference representing the states of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Her presentation on the larval migration patterns of the imported cabbageworm was a culmination of a two-year-long group research study conducted by herself, Ashley Russo and Dr. Jun Tsuji.

Campbell Presents at Accounting Conference

Professor of Accounting Linda Campbell presented “Ethics – More than a Game” at the MICPA Spring Accounting Educators’ Conference June 2, 2017, in Lansing.

SHU Partners on New Catholic Athletes for Christ Top 25 Catholic High School Football Poll

SHU partnered with the Catholic Athletes for Christ and Global Football to present the inaugural Catholic Athletes for Christ Top 25 Catholic high school football poll. The CAC Top 25 was published weekly each Wednesday starting Aug. 23, 2017, through the conclusion of the high school season. The CAC Top 25 ranking criteria include the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. All Catholic U.S. high schools that feature only four-year players playing 11-man football are eligible for consideration.

O’Connell Presents at Summer Conference

Assistant Professor of Humanities Dr. Michael O’Connell presented a paper titled ” ‘Melting the Iceberg’: David Foster Wallace’s Rewriting of Ernest Hemingway” at the fourth annual International David Foster Wallace Conference in Normal, Ill., in June 2017.

2017 SHU Nursing Graduates Have Impressive 94 Percent Pass Rate on NCLEX-RN Exam

Siena Heights Nursing 2017 graduates achieved a 94 percent first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam. This is an outstanding milestone for the graduates and the program, and is the highest pass rate in the history of the program. The program has averaged first-time pass rate of 91 percent over the past 3 years, which far exceeds the standards set by the Michigan Board of Nursing and the AACN-CCNE accrediting body.

Frost Presents at Two Summer Conferences

Associate Professor of History Dr. Julieanna Frost presented her paper, “The Woman to Finish the Work: Female Leadership in American Southcottian Communities” at the Oxford Round Table Symposium, Oxford, United Kingdom. She also attended and presented at the Institute on Infusing Chinese Studies into the Undergraduate Curriculum, Asian Studies Development Program, East-West Center, from July 31-Aug. 11, 2017.

Overall Publishes Article in NACA Magazine

Director of Student Engagement Dexter Overall was published in Campus Activities Programming, the official magazine of the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). He co-authored the article, “A Student Affairs Professional’s guide to Developing Intercultural Competencies.” He is an active member of the NACA, and joined an advisory board for the organization in 2017.

McDonald Presents at Chamber Event

In summer 2017, Dr. Patricia McDonald, OP, presented “Managing Yourself with Emotional Intelligence” to the Troy Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals in Troy, Mich.

DiPietro Directs ‘A Funny Thing Happened…’ at the Croswell Opera House

Professor of Theatre and Speech Mark DiPietro directed the acclaimed “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” at the Croswell Opera House in Adrian. SHU students Xavier Sarabia (Hero) and Emily Hribar (Philia) played prominent roles, as well as SHU alums Jamie Buechele and Sara Nowak.

Fick Participates in Two Summer Conferences

Professor and Director of the Graduate College Leadership Healthcare program Dr. John Fick presented his poster, “How Do U.S. Hospital CEOs Perceive Leadership Competencies of Health Administration Graduates?” at the June 2017 AUPHA Annual Meeting in Long Beach, Calif. He also served as a paper reviewer and attended the Academy of Management (AOM) in Atlanta, Ga.

Dunne Publishes, Edits Lonergan Studies Newsletter

SHU Professor of Philosophy Dr. Tad Dunne edited and published the June 2017 issue of the “Lonergan Studies Newsletter.” This is an international quarterly review of published works, reviews and dissertations, plus recent and upcoming events related to the thought of the Canadian philosopher and theologian, Bernard Lonergan. These issues average about 20 pages each. This is his 19th year as editor.

New MBA Program Director Announced

Dr. Eboni Mathis was named the new Director of the MBA Program in September 2017. Dr. Mathis received her Doctorate of Management from the University of Maryland, Master of Science degree in Administration from Central Michigan University, a Master of Arts degree in Community Counseling from Siena Heights University as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Management Information Technology from Cleary University. She brings with her experience in teaching, developing and administering ground and online programs along with industry experience in the areas of IT and corporate relations. The MBA program began its first classes in January 2018.

SHU Employees Honored for Years of Service

Siena Heights University honored several faculty and staff members for their years of service at the August 2017 All-University Workshop. The following are the employees who were honored:

• 10 Years—Ian Bell, Betsy Brooks, Shelley Collins, Bob Conlon, Amy Decker, Michael Fox, Julieanna Frost,
  Deanna Kuebeck, Heather Moody, Mary Roberts, Annette Sanderson, Stacy Schaffner.
• 20 Years—Peter Barr, Bridget McKeon.
• 40 Years—Tim Husband, Mary Kruse.
• Professor Emeritus—Jim Sam.

Weinstein Has Story Chosen for Anthology, Other Honors

Associate Professor of English Alexander Weinstein had his story “Openness” chosen for the anthology “The Best American Fantasy and Science Fiction 2017,” forthcoming in winter 2017. His collection”Children of the New World” has been awarded the Emerging Writer’s Award by Drake University, and The Devil’s Kitchen Readers Fiction Award by Southern Illinois University. Weinstein was also interviewed about his book “Children of the New World” by NPR’s To The Best of Our Knowledge. It also contains excerpts from me reading from his stories. Also, the book has been chosen for the One Campus, One Book Prize at University of Central Missouri. This means that the book will be taught and read by all students and faculty campus-wide.

His short story “Understanding Great Art and the People Who Make It” was selected for the 2018 Best American Experimental Writing anthology. It will be released this summer.

His short story “Invasive Species & Their Habitats” appears in a recent issue of Hunger Mountain literary journal.

Finally, he recently had his interview in Pleiades Magazine published. He speaks about utopian vs. dystopian fiction, hope within dark times and the genre of Solar Punk.

Walker Lights Up Theaters in Michigan

SHU theater faculty member Dan Walker worked on lighting designs for multiple shows at Theatre Nova in summer 2017, where he serves as production manager. He lit “The Legend Of Georgia McBride” in May and “The Revolutionists” in August, and the show is still running. He also designed the set and performed lighting for Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” in July for the Ellipsis Theatre Co., as well as for “Camelot” and “9 to 5: The Musical” at the Encore Musical Theatre. He also lit Mitch Albom’s “Ernie: The Play,” “Hockey The Musical” and the “Michigan Tour of Hockey” at the Detroit City Theatre, and was part of the Wilde Award-winning production of “Clutter” at Theatre Nova. SHU student Ariel Sheets designed the scenery for that production. Finally, Walker recently won a Pulsar Award from the Lansing State Journal for Best Lighting in Central Michigan for “A Painted Window” at the Williamston Theatre in January.

Morley Helps With Disaster Relief in Texas

Director of the Counseling Center Sandy Morley was a Red Cross disaster relief mental health volunteer. In response to the Siena mission and the overwhelming support needed for natural disasters in our country, she was deployed in Texas after Hurricane Harvey as impacted communities returned to their homes for the first time.

SHU Student Publishes Children’s Book

Sophomore social work major Madison Griffith completed a semester project of writing a children’s book. The book, “Little Z,” tells the true story of a little girl and her family who came to the area as refugees from Afghanistan. It highlights the pain and obstacles she had to overcome to get where she is today.

SHU Named Veteran-Friendly School by MVAA

Siena Heights University was named a silver level Veteran-Friendly School by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency for the 2017-18 academic year. The Veteran-Friendly program recognizes academic institutions of higher learning committed to supporting the needs of student veterans and dependents.

McNair Scholars Grant Renewed for Five Years

SHU was awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Education to support the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Program. SHU’s McNair Scholars Program has been continually funded since 1992 and is the only private liberal arts college in Michigan to have this grant. SHU’s near-perfect score for the proposal set SHU above the 300-plus institutions that applied. Siena Heights was one of only approximately 160 programs to be awarded during this grant cycle. The institution will receive $252,560 to support 28 students per year for the 5-year grant period. The McNair Program serves low-income, first-generation college students and students who are members of groups that are underrepresented in graduate education. Grants are awarded based on a competitive process which includes a scored program proposal and points awarded for the program’s successful attainment of program objectives over the past five years.

SHU Student Receives Future Leaders Scholarship

Siena Heights student Arthur Gwoszdz ’18 received the Hispanic/Latino Future Leaders Scholarship on Oct. 6, 2017, at the State of Michigan’s Hispanic/Latino Commission celebration dinner in Detroit. Gwoszdz was SHU’s Student Government president who was also involved in many other activities on campus, including the International Club.

Kling Presents Papers

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Jennifer Kling presented her paper, “The Oppression of War Refugees: Delineating a New Axis of Oppression,” at the “Who’s Got the Power? Philosophical Critique of Social and Political Structures” conference conducted at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kling also presented her paper, “The Moral Responsibilities of Refugees,” at the 30th annual Concerned Philosophers for Peace’s Conference last weekend in Raleigh, N.C. The Concerned Philosophers for Peace is the largest, most active organization of professional philosophers in North America involved in the analysis of the causes of war and prospects for peace.

Jaramillo Has Work Published; Receives Citation

SHU adjunct Professor Eileen Jaramillo published, “Distinguishing Between Private Vows and Public Vows” in CLSA Advisory Opinions. She also received a citation of merit from the Canon Law Society of America at its recent convention for her work on consecrated life.

Campbell, Loughran Present at Lilly Conference

Professor of Accounting Linda Campbell and Associate Professor of Leadership James Loughran each presented papers Oct. 19-21, 2017, at the Lilly Conference, in Traverse City, Mich. Campbell’s paper, “Ethics – More than a Game,” discussed ways to engage students in ethical theory and decision-making. Loughran’s paper, “Transformational Leadership – Transforming the Classroom,” discussed utilizing transformational leadership theory to enhance engagement in the classroom.

Puszczewicz Receives Norma Dell Courage to Care Award

SHU staff member Tom Puszczewicz was chosen as the recipient of the 2017 Norma Dell Courage to Care Award for his work and dedication in working with those in housing crisis in Lenawee County. The award recognizes the efforts of an individual, couple or agency who has made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating homelessness in Lenawee County. He served on Housing Help of Lenawee’s board for six years. In 2005, as part of SHU’s Campus Ministry team, he assisted in organizing the Advent Giving Tree that produces collections of toys, clothing and household items for homeless families staying in Housing Help’s emergency shelters and transitional housing units. Since 2007, “Push” has played an active role in coordinating SHU’s involvement in the Share the Warmth program.

Barst Publishes Essay; Presents at Conference

Associate Professor of English Julie Barst published an essay in the anthology “Victorian Ecocriticism: The Politics of Place and Early Environmental Justice,” released by Lexington Books. Her essay, “Antipodal Ecology: Colonial Landscaping in Victorian Fiction,” analyzes the impact of British colonization upon the Aboriginal peoples and the natural environment of Australia. She also gave a presentation at the Michigan College English Association Conference titled “Authority and Agency: Teaching Ethnic and Gender Studies in Divisive Times.”

Moody Has Article Published in Journal

Associate Professor of Environmental Science Heather Moody had her article “Lead Emissions and Population Vulnerability in the Detroit Metropolitan Area, 2006-2013: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis” published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Moody also presented at the American Association of Geographers International Annual Conference.

Ethics Bowl Team Competes at Regionals

The SHU Ethics Bowl Team competed in the Upper Midwest Regional Ethics Bowl competition Nov. 18, 2017, at Oakland University. SHU went 2-2 in the competition, which had 23 other teams from colleges and universities around the midwest. Competing team members included Gabby Beveridge (captain), Krysten Schultz and Kendrick Green. The team, in their second year of competition, discussed and debated difficult real-world ethical issues throughout the day.

Tsuji and Growden Publish Case Study

Dr. Jun Tsuji (Biology) and Melissa Growden (Career Services) published a case study entitled, “Implementing a Sustainability Internship Program at Siena Heights University” with the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The case study describes the background, goals, timeline and implementation of a new internship program as well as lessons learned. The case study also highlights the progress made by the student interns in collecting campus sustainability data, composting pre-consumer dining hall waste and creating a Campus Sustainability Walking Tour website.

SHU’s Online Program Top Ranked in Michigan Again, Tied for 23rd Nationally

For the second consecutive year, SHU’s Online Learning Program was ranked the best in Michigan among all institutions by the U.S. News and World Report. SHU also was ranked nationally for the fifth consecutive year, and tied for 23rd among all public and private institutions. In fact, Siena Heights was the only Michigan college or university to be ranked in the top 50 nationally. SHU has offered online bachelor degree completion programs in selected majors since 2004. U.S. News and World Report’s methodology included student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer reputation and student services and technology to determine the rankings. The publication released its 2018 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings Jan. 9.

Fox, Gray Honored at MLK Community Celebration

SHU student Anthony Fox Jr. and Student Support Services Program Coordinator Patricia Gray were both honored at the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration in Benincasa Hall. Fox received the Student Service Award. The graphic design major is a member of Men of Distinction and also a mentor for SSS. Gray received the Community Service Award for her work on the Migrant Resource Council, the Lenawee County NAACP and diversity programs and activities at Adrian Schools.

SHU’s Clare Co-Authors New Textbook

Assistant Professor of Communications Callie Clare recently co-authored the textbook “An Introduction to Popular Culture in the US: People, Politics, and Power” with Jenn Brandt. The textbook is designed to introduce and explore “the history and contemporary analysis of popular culture in the United States. In situating popular culture as lived experience through the activities, objects, and distractions of everyday life, the authors work to broaden the understanding of culture beyond a focus solely on media texts, taking an interdisciplinary approach to analyze American culture, its rituals, beliefs, and the objects that shape its existence. … This approach to the field of study explores all matters of culture in a way that is accessible and relevant to individuals in and outside of the classroom.”

New TRIO Program Directors Announced

Ben Rosebrock was named the new director of Student Support Services, while Heather Moore was named as the new director of the McNair Scholars Program. Rosebrock has served as SHU’s director of First Year Experience since 2014 and has served the university as chair of the Staff Advisory Council and co-chair of the Common Dialogue Day Committee. Moore comes to SHU from Kansas State University, where she had served in a number of capacities since 2009, most recently as an academic counselor and liaison to colleges in the Academic Assistance Center. Moore is a certified academic/life coach, graduating from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences and an M.A. in Sociology.

Mia Ives-Rublee Featured Speaker at Lecture Series on Ethics

Adaptive athlete turned civil rights activist Mia Ives-Rublee was the featured speaker for the 17th annual Chiodini/Fontana Lecture Series on Ethics in March 2018. Her speech was entitled “From Athlete to Activist: One Activist’s Story.” As an adaptive athlete, she competed internationally in track, road racing, fencing and CrossFit. She then obtained her Master’s in Social Work degree and began working with Disabled people to help them find work and independence in their communities. Rublee has lectured across the country on issues related to social justice and enabling everyone to participate fully in all aspects of society. More recently, she began working for the Women’s March, founding and coordinating the Women’s March Disability Caucus. She helped coordinate accessibility services for over 41,000 Disabled people and ensured that Women’s March on Washington, D.C., was fully inclusive. For her work, she was named by Glamour Magazine as one of 2017’s Women of the Year.

SHU and Carnegie Institute Sign Articulation Agreement

Siena Heights signed articulation agreement with Carnegie Institute on March 8, 2018. SHU and Carnegie have had a long-standing partnership, and this reinforces SHU’s commitment to Carnegie students and assisting them with their degree completion in the allied health profession. Carnegie, located in Troy, is a training center for allied health professions—mainly in cardiovascular studies.

SHU Seniors Scheidel and Bechtol Honored as Teachers of Promise

Senior elementary education major Erin Scheidel and senior secondary education major Ronnie Bechtol were recognized March 12, 2018, as Teachers of Promise by The Network of Michigan Educators during its annual banquet. Inspiring excellence in education is part of the Network’s mission. The Teachers of Promise Project invites local teacher colleges to elect two of their outstanding pre-service teachers for recognition as Teachers of Promise.

New Student Government Leaders Announced

Student Government announced the results of the e-board member election for the 2018-19 academic year:

• President: Bailey Schwartz,
• Vice President: MyKayla Pinder,
• Treasurer: Sharmaine Wills,
• Historian: Kirstyn Geyer.

Meger Participates in Red Cross Leadership Program

SHU sophomore Mitch Meger participated in the Red Cross Collegiate Leadership Program June 4-15, 2018, in Washington, D.C. This program is a collaboration between the American Red Cross, NCCAA, and the NAIA to inspire a new and diverse generation of Red Cross volunteer leadership through exemplifying the five core values of the NAIA “Champions of Character” program. Participants were offered a rare and unique opportunity to acquire first-hand coaching, mentoring and professional leadership training presented by senior leaders at the Red Cross. Meger is the first SHU student in more than a decade to be accepted into the nationwide program.

Nagy Presents at Region 5 NACADA Conference

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Julius Nagy presented “The Art of New Faculty Advising with Myers-Briggs Typology” April 12, 2018, at the NACADA Region V Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Johnson Receives HLC’s Outstanding Service Award, Elected to Board of Directors

Senior Vice President for Business and Finance Dr. Lee Johnson recently received the Higher Learning Commission’s 2018 Outstanding Service Award. This honor is the highest award given to a Peer Reviewer by the Commission. The award is based on nominations by the HLC staff, and the award recognizes a Peer Reviewer who has contributed significantly and displayed extraordinary service in specific areas and broadly across the organization. Dr. Johnson was also recently elected to the HLC’s Board of Trustees. His term begins Sept. 1, 2018, and ends Aug. 31, 2022. HLC is one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States and accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which covers 19 states and 1,343 institutions.

Awards Presented at Honors Convocation

The University conducted Honors Convocation in May. Here are some the awards presented during the ceremony:

• Rice Outstanding Teaching: Tim Husband,
• Hunt Advising: Mary Roberts,
• Bologna Innovative Teaching: Stephen Ball,
• Staff Excellence: Deanna Kuebeck, Sharese Mathis,
• Outstanding Undergraduate Student: Purity Mitu, Andrea “Sissy” Phillips,
• St. Catherine of Alexandria: Sharmaine Wills,
• Thomas Emmet: Taylor Mulder, Brent Rodden,
• Team Academic: Women’s Golf,
• Professors Emeriti/Emertiae: Kathy Burke, Kerry Graves, Tim Husband.