All in the Family

Best, Griffith Triplets Continue the Siena Heights Legacy

By Julie Bonk—Student Writer

<span class="captions" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.5em;">The Best (left) and Griffith (right) Triplets are leaving their mark at SHU.</span> — The Best (left) and Griffith (right) Triplets are leaving their mark at SHU.

The Siena Heights tradition runs deep in the Best and Griffith families.

Triplets Ashley, Cameron and Lauren Best followed in their father’s footsteps, Steven Best, who graduated from Siena Heights in 1982. After graduating from Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic High School in 2015, they all individually chose to attend SHU.

And the Bests aren’t the only triplets on Siena Heights’ Adrian campus. Marley, Madison and Brady Griffith are sophomores at SHU. They also have a younger brother who could be a potential future Saint. Their father, Dr. Kyle Griffith, is a three-time Siena Heights graduate who received the Outstanding Graduate Award from SHU in 2017. He is currently the assistant superintendent of the Lenawee Intermediate School District. Their mother, Amy, received her master’s degree from SHU in 1996.

An Active Educator

English Faculty Member Karin Barbee Recipient of Rice Award for Outstanding Teaching

By Julie Bonk—Student Writer

Despite winning the 2017 Eileen Rice Award for Out-
standing Teaching, Siena Heights University Associate Professor of English Karin Barbee remains humble about her accomplishments.

Barbee said she was “shocked” when she learned she had received the award.

“It was surprising,” Barbee said. “I spent a lot of time on the speech for the Fall Convocation because I knew I had to take advantage of this because I’m never going
to get it again.”

Barbee mainly teaches composition and creative writing and occasionally literature. She spent seven years teaching at Bowling Green State University before coming to Siena Heights.

When it comes to her teaching philosophy, Barbee said she likes to focus on the students and their personal improvement.

From the Heights—Summer 2017 Campus News

SHU’s Online Program Ranked First in Michigan, Tied for 24th Nationally

SHU’s Online Learning Program was ranked as the first in Michigan among all institutions by the U.S. News and World Report. SHU also was ranked nationally for the fourth consecutive year, finishing tied for 24th among all public and private institutions. SHU has offered online bachelor’s 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 2017 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs rankings Jan. 10.

Frost Publishes New Book

SHU Associate Professor of History Julieanna Frost, Ph.D., had her new book published, “Chemo Fashion Fridays: One Woman’s Breast Cancer Journey.” This work is a photo essay of her chemotherapy journey, and includes funny stories and poems to inspire hope for others fighting breast cancer. It is available on Amazon.

‘Finding Your Roots’ Event Part of Black History Month

The Ethnic and Gender Studies Institute and Black History Month at Siena Heights presented “Finding Your Roots: Tracing Family History” Feb. 20 at Cotton Brewing Co. in Adrian. Debra Middleton discussed how to use traditional research methods as well as cutting-edge technologies to uncover and preserve your family history, and will share inspirational stories from her own journey in African-American genealogy. She is a member of the Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society and is a staff member at the University of Toledo.