Author: iharrell

Help Battle COVID-19 as Fall Semester Quickly Approaches

It is quite apparent that the global and national bout with COVID-19 is far from over. The Delta variant is yet the latest salvo in this pandemic battle, triggering a dramatic rise in cases and hospitalizations – with Florida among the states leading the pack in new cases. August 23, the official start of fall classes, is just around the corner. While Nova Southeastern University looks forward to welcoming students back to campus in person, doing so at the current levels of reported vaccinations will prohibit NSU from abandoning face coverings as well as other safety measures.

As faculty and staff, join the charge to lead by example to make our campus safer and hasten our return to normal. If we’re able to reach our Vax Max goal of 70% for on-campus students, we will be able to return to more normal, mask-free conditions. Recent numbers reflect that currently we are far short of this goal. But with your help we can change that. Registration is simple, non-intrusive, and private. You can do your part at by reporting your vaccination status virtually at NSU Vax Max. And you can also encourage others.

President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., recently outlined NSU’s new policy mandating that all faculty and staff be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 20, 2021. Faculty and staff who have already reported that they have been vaccinated do not need to take any further action. If you have not yet been vaccinated, you need to receive your final dose no later than Sept 6.

If you intend to request an exemption due to either a documented medical condition or a deeply held religious belief, you can find additional information on the process here. Any employees who do not register their completed vaccination status or receive an exemption by September 20, 2021, will be placed on unpaid leave for up to 45 days. Any employees who have not registered their fully vaccinated status in the Vax Max portal by the end of the 45-day period will be consulted with by their supervisor and HR representative regarding next steps.

We are taking this action as a university to ensure the safety of everyone on our campuses as well as allowing us to have an on-campus experience with fewer safety restrictions. Your cooperation is appreciated and essential to accomplishing this goal.

Also, a reminder that if you are feeling sick, even with a case of the sniffles, you should not come to campus and you should get tested for COVID-19. The Department of Health is reporting that people who are vaccinated are presenting mild cold-like symptoms and testing positive for COVID-19.

If you are vaccinated and exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 you should get tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask until you receive negative test result. You do not need to quarantine if you are vaccinated, but you should wear a mask for 3-5 days even if you are symptom-free. If you test positive for COVID-19 or if you develop symptoms of COVID-19 you need to quarantine for 10 days.

Also, if you are exposed to COVID-19 by a person living with you in your house you need to get tested 3-5 days after exposure (when the individual tested positive) and wear a mask and quarantine for 10 days regardless of vaccination status.

Click here for links to the FAQs, policy, and other helpful information.

It is important to remember that we are in this pandemic together and it is in our best interest and the best interest of the greater NSU community that we provide a safe and thriving environment for everyone. Shark Nation deserves it. Do your part today. Fins Up!

Halmos Faculty’s Book Prepares Future Professors

Writing faculty in the Halmos College of and Arts and Sciences are demystifying the professoriate and bringing to light the invisible, behind-the-scenes work done by new faculty with their new book “Stories of Becoming.”Authors Claire Lutkewitte, Ph.D., Juliette Kitchens, Ph.D., and Molly Scanlon, Ph.D., associate professors of writing for the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, are providing graduate students — and those who train them — with specific strategies for preparing for a career in the professoriate using findings from a multiyear, nationwide study of new faculty in the field of rhetoric and composition.

“We wanted to provide future colleagues with a text offering the kinds of insight we had wanted as we transitioned into the profession — a text informed by the various, and often wildly diverse, experiences of those who had most recently gone through it,” Kitchens said. “What we found inspired us to recommend strategies that we hope future colleagues will find helpful.”

Through the use of stories, the authors also share their collaborative research processes of conducting a nationwide survey, qualitative interviews, and textual analysis of professional documents.

The book, published by Utah State University Press, will be released this fall.

Prepurchase a copy now!

Fischler College Spotlights Alumna DeShanna K. Brown

DeShanna K. Brown graduated from the Abraham S. Fischer College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2016 with her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership. Brown also holds a bachelor’s degree from Kennesaw State University and a master’s degree from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University.

DeShanna K. Brown

She started her higher education career in the Office of Undergraduate Studies Dual Enrollment & Honors Program at Kennesaw State in 2003. She began her career in development at Georgia State University in 2005. She continued to progress in her career, holding positions at private and public institutions, including Spelman College and Louisiana State University, eventually becoming the vice president for institutional advancement, development, marketing and communications at Edward Waters College (EWC).

In 2020, she was recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as a 2020 Woman of Influence! For nearly two decades, the Business Journal has sought to honor women whose leadership has helped their companies grow, shaped the next generation, and provided a model for the community. While at EWC, she worked strategically to create transformative philanthropic opportunities to move the higher education agenda forward for students at one of the first historically black colleges and universities on the First Coast.

Brown says that by receiving her Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University she has leveraged her career in more ways than one. When asked how she overcomes change, she said she deals with changes by really leaning in on grit. GRIT is an acronym that she developed! Number one is gravitas; an individual needs to be very patient and thankful. Next, they must be R, a risk-taker. Thirdly, they must be I, individuals need to be inventive and intuitive, and lastly T, you must take the initiative!

NSU Staffer/Student’s Cyber Piece Published in INFOSEC

Jerri L. Clairday

Jerri L. Clairday (LeAnn), administrative coordinator for the Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences at the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences of the Health Professions Division here on the Palm Beach Campus, has published an article in INFOSEC, a well-respected authority in the cybersecurity education industry. The paper was part of her final project/independent study for her cybervulnerability class last term.

The article, “Predicting the October 2021 Surprise,” analyzed significant cyber events worldwide over the past five years. The article can be found at the following link: https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/predicting-the-october-2021-surprise/

LeAnn currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Disaster & Emergency Management; both from NSU.

Halmos Partners with Montachem to Explore Global Plastics

This coming fall, the Department of Humanities and Politics in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center will launch a new experiential opportunity for students in partnership with Montachem International Inc.  Montachem is a leader in the distribution of thermoplastics and plastic resins to producers around the world. 

The “Global Issues, Student Solutions” initiative will provide an opportunity for undergraduate students at NSU to explore the role of plastics in the modern world, develop an understanding of the challenges posed by plastics pollution, and provide solutions that might be implemented in individual communities around the world.  “Global Issues, Student Solutions” will run as a case competition in a section of Global Issues, the introductory survey course in the B.A. in International Studies program.

Students in this course will have the opportunity to engage in a team research project on plastics as a global issue and the results of this research will be disseminated at the end of the semester.  Montachem International will provide insight and access to resources for the student teams working on this challenge, in addition to making a generous donation to support undergraduate research in the DHP.

“Plastics are essential to everyday life around the world, these materials are used in simple and very complex applications from can liners (trash bags) all the way to interior components in airplanes to medical instruments and even body parts” according to J. C. Avila, Chief Operating Officer of Montachem International.

According to Ransford Edwards, Ph.D., assistant professor in DHP and instructor for Global Issues, the section in which the “Global Issues, Student Solutions” case competition will take place, “tackling global issues often starts with local solutions.”  He notes that “this problem-solving course will tap into the curiosity and ingenuity of our students as we explore aspects of sustainable development. Students will have an opportunity to investigate, get a little hands-on, and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders to address this issue related to our use of plastics.”

Alumna Publishes Article on Human Resources Development

Suzette Henry-Campbell

Suzette Henry-Campbell, Ph.D., doctoral graduate in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center was the co-author of an article published in the journal New Horizons in Adult Development and Human Resources Development. The article, titled “Expatriate Experiences and the Role HRD plays in Cultural Awareness in International Companies,” was co-authored with Selma A. Hadeen.

In addition to her doctoral degree, Henry-Campbell received an M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution and an M.S. in Human Resource Management from NSU. She earned her B.A. in English from the University of the West Indies and is an adjunct lecturer there. She has extensive experience in human resources.

NSU Alumna Honored for Service as Speech-Language Pathologist

Aimee Aranguren, M.S., CCC-SLP

Aimee Aranguren served patients and families for 12 years as a speech-language pathologist for Jefferson Health – Magee Rehabilitation Hospital.

In November of 2020, she was honored as a recipient of the Jefferson Health Humanitarian Hero Award­/2020-2021 Magee’s Healthcare Hero. Staff members were recognized with the Humanitarian Award for their professionalism, compassion and empathy for our patients and selfless contributions to the organization.

Now patient Room 405 is named in honor of the recipients of Jefferson Health Magee’s 2020- 2021 Humanitarian Award recipients, including Aranguren.

Education Alumna’s 10-year-old Daughter is Published Artist

No matter what path 10-year-old Angelica Gary takes in life, she’ll have options.

Her mother, Wanda Fernandopulle a Doctor of Education graduate from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2004, has made sure of it.

Wanda Fernandopulle

Whether it’s supporting her daughter’s passion for art, enrolling her in classes to help her learn the basics of four different languages or laying the foundation for her daughter’s education, Fernandopulle has made preparing her daughter for the future a major priority.

Earlier this year, Fernandopulle accumulated a collection of her daughter’s artwork and created “Exploring Angelica’s Art,” a book published through Trafford Publishing. This book can be found in more than a thousand bookstores across the country. Having their name on a published book is an exciting accomplishment few 10-year-olds can say they’ve experienced, and Fernandopulle hopes it will inspire her daughter to continue to achieve as she gets older.

Fernandopulle currently serves as the Senior Dissertation Chair at Grand Canyon University. Education has long been an important factor in Fernandopulle’s life, from her years as a student through her career in academia. No matter her workload, she has made time to instill that same love for education in her daughter. “That’s my job as a parent, to prepare her.” It’s a labor of love she takes seriously.

“When I’m not looking at dissertations, doing dissertation defenses and helping all my doctoral Learners out at Grand Canyon, this is my other life in terms of her academics and also homing in on her gift,” she said. “There’s always a purpose in everything that you do, and my purpose is to hopefully give her some options.”

In addition to being published, Gary’s art has been showcased in other ways. Her tribute to famous artist William H. Johnson was published last year in TIME for Kids magazine. Gary submitted artwork she drew of Ida B. Wells to former First Lady Melania Trump’s “Building the Movement: America’s Youth Celebrate 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage” project. The project accepted art submissions, themed around the suffrage movement, from children all over the country before selecting one art piece to represent each state. Gary’s piece was selected to represent her home state, South Carolina.

“Melania Trump sent her a beautiful letter from the White House, she was invited to come, and it was all on the news,” Fernandopulle said. “She sent us an invitation to the White House, but that was in the midst of COVID when it was really bad, so I made the decision not to go.”

Her daughter is currently working on a second book. “It’s fun for her. She loves art and those kinds of things,” she said. “With children, you have to make it fun, but at the same time I know that there’s a reason behind the fun.” Fernandopulle hopes that her daughter’s love of art will continue in her education. Maybe she’ll even pursue a doctorate in art history someday.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Workshop Sept. 30

Jonathan Smith

This virtual workshop, hosted by The Qualitative Report and delivered by Jonathan Smith from Birkbeck University of London UK, will provide a practical introduction to the experiential, qualitative approach-interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

The aim is that, by the end of the class, attendees will recognize the important principles of the approach and understand the main practical steps involved in a research project using IPA. The workshop will begin with a short example of a study conducted by Jonathan.

The best way to get to grips with the value of an approach is to see what it can produce. This will be followed by a brief presentation of the theoretical underpinnings of IPA. Most of the workshop will focus on Smith guiding participants through the stages of conducting an IPA study: design, data collection, analysis, writing up.

The workshops will take place via the Zoom platform.

Biology Student Wins Congress Attendance Grant

This July, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate biology major Camryn Pajon won a Congress Attendance Grant for the joint American Society of Microbiology and the Federation for European Microbiological Society (FEMS) meeting in July. Her work, which examines how changes in spatial structure affect the ability of bacteria to coexist, is sponsored by the Army Research Office. Her ultimate goal is to understand how to disrupt interactions between coexisting bacteria so as to facilitate their treatment in the clinic.

Pajon works with HCAS faculty member Robert Smith, Ph.D. FEMS provides grants for European and non-European early career scientists to support their attendance at the World Microbe Forum. The American Society of Microbiology, with more than 30,000 members, including researchers, educators and health professionals, is one of the largest life science societies in the world.

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