Author: iharrell

Plan Ahead, Get a Jump on the 2024 Election

vote label

The 2020 election had the highest voter turnout of the 21st century. Will this year’s candidates achieve the same level of support when voters go to the polls on Nov. 5?  According to Charles Zelden, a professor of history and politics in NSU’s Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, people will do more than just pick a new president. They’ll shape the future of a nation.

“Harris and Trump offer more than mere policy differences, he said Zelden, who specializes in voting rights, election law, civil rights, and judicial politics. “They each represent distinct and contrasting conceptions of our nation, of its structure, functions, and place in the world. Our choices in this election will determine the future that we get not just for the next four years, but potentially for a generation.”

What can you do to participate in this year’s election? Zelden offers these suggestions.

  • Participate. The choices made in this election are important. Let your voice be included in the national dialogue over our future.
  • Pick your issues. Think about what’s important to you, perhaps it’s the economy or health care.
  • Talk to others. This is a collective choice we’re making.
  • Have faith in the democratic process of elections. Accept the outcome with as much grace as you can.

As the election approaches, it’s also important to plan ahead. Check your voter registration status. Consider options for early voting. Doublecheck your polling location because recent weather may have changed where you vote. Understand what forms of voter ID and other documents you may need.  Above all, take advantage of the right to vote.

EMSAA Launches CommunityNet Intranet Site

EMSAA

NSU’s Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and Athletics (EMSAA) division has launched its intranet site, EMSAA CommunityNet. This digital resource center, designed for our faculty and staff community, introduces the division’s six pillars, providing insight into each of their departmental operations and the resources they offer. The key purpose of this site is to serve as a go-to hub for faculty and staff to learn more about the division, have “at your fingertips” access to its resources and contacts as well as keep the community abreast of scheduled events and programs that provide for student engagement and university-wide collaboration opportunities.

We are excited to introduce EMSAA CommunityNet and are committed to making sure this site provides NSU’s faculty and staff with informative and relevant EMSAA-related content, while ongoingly managing site improvements and content renewing efforts. To help us know what the community’s interests and needs are, we want to hear from you.  If there is content you consider to be a beneficial community resource, please email the details to: emsaacommunitynet@nova.edu.

To learn more about EMSAA CommunityNet, visit https://www.nova.edu/emsaacommunitynet and log in using your NSU login credentials.

Former Grad Student’s Study Published in Biology Journal

mangrove tree crab

Mangrove tree crab

Tamara Frank, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, and her former graduate student, Ruchao Qian who is working on his Ph.D. at Florida International University, published Ruchao’s master’s thesis work in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

The work is titled, “Comparative study of spectral sensitivity, irradiance sensitivity, spatial resolution and temporal resolution in the visual systems of Ocypode quadrata and Aratus pisonii” (JEB 227: doi:10.1242/jeb.246813). Journal editors were so impressed with Ruchao’s picture of A. pisonii  (our local mangrove tree crab) that they are planning to use it in their 2025 calendar.

Professor Picked as Fellow for Hispanic Universities Association

Kevin Dvorak

Kevin Dvorak

DvorakNSU Professor Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D., has been selected by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities as one of its 45 fellows who will make up the sixth cohort of its Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo. Dvorak is the director of NSU’s Writing & Communication Center.

The program is designed to increase diverse representation in executive and senior-level positions in higher education. Fellows participate in an array of leadership development activities preparing them for leadership roles in the full spectrum of institutions of higher learning, with an emphasis on Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Emerging HSIs.

The one-year fellowship program includes webinars and three seminars, with the first seminar in October in conjunction with HACU’s 38th Annual Conference in Aurora, Colo. The second seminar will be held in Washington, D.C., in April 2025, at HACU’s National Capitol Forum. The third seminar will take place at a still to be determined international location.

The Leadership Academy faculty consists of current and former presidents, chancellors and senior administrators and brings over 100 years of combined experience in serving various sectors of higher education, including private/public universities, community colleges and faith-based institutions.

Student Dental Association Honors Assistant Professor

Amini

Dr. Aryia Amini

Dr. Aryia Amini, assistant professor at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, received the 2024 American Student Dental Association’s (ASDA) Advocate Award.

The ASDA is a national student-run organization that protects and advances the rights, interests, and welfare of dental students.

The Advocate Award recognizes faculty or school administrators who have shown a commitment to dental students and provide leadership and direction in addition to commitment to organized dentistry.

This is the second consecutive year that Dr. Amini has received the award.

Staff Member’s Article Focuses on Facilities Management

Reynolds

Mallica Reynolds

NSU employee Mallica D. Reynolds published an article in the APPA Facilities Management MagazineSeptember/October 2024 edition. The focus was on “Trust but Verify: Elevating Integrity in Facilities Management.” Reynolds is the assistant director of regional facilities with the Office of Facilities Management. He is a two-time NSU alum.

Office of Facilities Management champions the need to live out the NSU Core Values in everyday endeavors. Integrity is no exception to this mode of operation. It lays the foundation for internal and external relationships growing strong and operating effectively. Trusting the team to complete their assigned task is one half of the process needed to maintain balance in a productive organization.

Daniel Alfonso, NSU’s vice president of facilities management, promotes a participatory environment between all facilities management teams. Each team collaborates to bring the finished product to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Reynold’s article indicates that facilities management involves managing both people and equipment. People need to be mentored, trained, held accountable, and rewarded for good work. Equipment and mechanical systems must be maintained, upgraded, and replaced. In each area, failure to hold accountable and maintain high levels of integrity can lead to devastating end results such as loss of life.

NSU is an active member of the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) and the Southeastern Regional Association of Physical Plant Administrators (SRAPPA) and is a driving force setting new national facility management trends. APPA is an international facilities management organization representing more than 17,000 educational facilities professionals from more than 1,200 learning institutions. APPA is the diamond standard for higher educational facilities management.

READ REYNOLD’S ARTICLE.

NSU Cares Reaches Out to Those Dealing with Disasters

NSU Cares

Last week’s Hurricane Helene brought heavy rain and strong winds to all of Florida and caused temporary closures for NSU’s Fort Myers, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Jacksonville campuses. Fortunately, our communities were spared the brunt of this storm, but we know there are some who made need assistance, as well as others in Florida and across the south.

In light of these recent devastations, NSU has rallied together to support areas impacted by Hurricane Helene through NSU Cares, a program providing crucial aid to students, employees, and alumni affected by disasters. Through the generosity of our donors, we can provide relief during unforeseen catastrophes.

The American Red Cross is also mobilizing a national relief effort in response to the hurricane. To request assistance or donate, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). You can read more about its Hurricane Helene relief effort here.

Reflecting and Celebrating: NSU’s Season of Presidents

Dr. Moon and President Hanbury

Dr. Moon and President Hanbury

Over the next several months, we’re looking back, looking forward, and honoring the influence and leadership of NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury and NSU President-Elect, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer Harry K. Moon. And we’re working with various friends in the community to help tell the story.

South Florida Business & Wealth Editor Kevin Gale recently sat down with President Hanbury to discuss his legacy as a top leader in South Florida (read the PDF Hanbury Business and Wealth).

And if you haven’t yet, please mark your calendars for these important dates:

  • 3:30-4:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 9, Miniaci Performing Arts Center, Fort Lauderdale, President Hanbury’s final university address
  • 2 p.m., Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, Rick Case Arena, Taft University Center, Fort Lauderdale, Dr. Harry K. Moon’s Investiture Ceremony as NSU’s seventh president

More details and invitations requesting RSVPs to these two presidential events will be forthcoming. These events will be streamed to NSU’s regional campuses.

 

Monthly Hispanic Celebration Comes to Life Through Alumna’s Personal Story

Amanda Conde

Alumna Amanda Conde at graduation

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is a time of pride for Nova Southeastern University – the largest private university in the U.S. that meets the U.S. Department of Education criteria as a Hispanic-serving institution. It’s also a time of reflection for NSU alumna Amanda Conde, a first-generation American.

“This month is a celebration of who I am and where I come from,” said Conde, a graduate of the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. “It holds special meaning, symbolizing my culture and the resilience it has instilled in me.”

To mark the month, NSU’s Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council is promoting several Hispanic-themed events featuring music, dance, food, and guest lectures being offered across the university community. Among them:

  • Sept. 1-Oct. 20: “Figuration in Latino American Art” exhibit at Sherman Library
  • Sept. 30:  The Future of Spanglish – A roundtable presentation and discussion
  • Oct. 10: Marinera Forever – Peruvian Dance and Cultural Fest at Sherman Library
Amanda with her mother and father

Amanda with her mother and father

Calling herself a “tri-citizen” born in Cuba, moving to Spain during her early childhood, then coming to the United States, Amanda sees this month as a time to reflect on the importance of her family and their support.

“Being an immigrant family, we never had a lot, but my parents made sure to give me everything they had and more,” Amanda said. “They worked extremely hard to guarantee we had a home, food, clothes, and a good education.”

That same work ethic was instilled in Amanda, who put herself through NSU with the help of scholarships and a full-time job. She earned her finance degree in 2023, her MBA in 2024, and was recently offered a job at Morgan Stanley.

“My parents told me to always give 100% in anything I did because no one else would do it for me,” she said. “I was able to get this done because of them.”

Get Ready for Flu Season at On-Campus Pharmacy

Pharmacy

NSU makes it easy to get vaccinated with our on-campus NSU Health Pharmacy in the Sanford L. Ziff Health Care Center (University Drive and SW 30th Street). Appointments are recommended (call 954-262-4550), but walk-ins are welcomed. The pharmacy staff can address any concerns or questions about the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, fill prescriptions, provide medication counseling, and schedule other vaccines. At the full-service pharmacy, you can also purchase over-the-counter medications and supplies.

“The seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over six months of age,” said Goar Alvarez, Pharm.D., C.Ph., FASCP, assistant dean of Pharmacy Services at the Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy.

chart

The flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine and boosters have been formulated to protect you against this year’s anticipated viruses and variants. To save time, you can get flu and COVID vaccines during the same pharmacy visit.

Many health insurance plans cover the annual flu shot as preventive care. The same is true for COVID shots. Most NSU employees receive a 10% discount for on-campus pharmacy services when they present their Shark Card ID. NSU Health works with many health insurance plans. Check with your insurance carrier for coverage specifics.

“We offer a traditional community pharmacy with a ‘white glove touch,’” Alvarez said. “We’re focused on taking care of our faculty and staff.”

The Office of Human Resources is collaborating with the NSU Pharmacy and ICUBA to provide free seasonal flu shots to all faculty and staff enrolled in an ICUBA medical plan.

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