Faculty & Staff News
Nova Southeastern University Athletic Department HOF Induction Ceremonies. 11/5/2019.
As the Sharks begin the 2020-21 academic year, Nova Southeastern Director of Athletics Michael Mominey has expanded his commitment to providing leadership not only on campus, but at the local, conference and national levels, through three significant organizational governance positions this year.
A perpetual community supporter of many programs throughout Broward County and in South Florida, Mominey was unanimously elected as a Corporate Board Member for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. In this role, Mominey will not only contribute to board decisions alongside other influencers in Broward County, but will also play a significant role aiding philanthropic efforts and providing leadership, guidance and support to ensure a brighter future for the children of Broward County. The Boys and Girls Club of Broward County has a proud legacy and strong list of impactful leaders with a mission to provide life-enhancing programs and character development experiences for young people, who according to their mission statement, “enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.”
Mominey will continue his national board work on the Board of Directors for NACDA’s Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) in representation of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) during a pivotal time within the world of intercollegiate athletics. He will work alongside 23 other elected athletic directors from all conferences nationwide to make the appropriate decisions for the division in the coming year.
In addition, Mominey began his term on July 1 as the Chairperson of the SSC Athletic Directors, taking the leadership role among the league’s 11 athletic directors, while serving in an advisory role to the Conference Commissioner throughout the year. Working closely in concert with the Commissioner and the Presidents of each SSC institution, the Sharks AD will lead the league’s directors through many crucial decisions during the course of the next two years.
“I am honored and humbled to serve in these roles within these prestigious organizations,” Mominey said. “Hopefully my experience will allow me to successfully contribute in a positive way and impact young people beyond the scope of NSU. I have always considered myself as a servant leader who has had the great fortune to be around other great leaders during my tenure at NSU – and now it’s my turn. Personally, and professionally, having a seat at the table with these organizations will affirm my commitment and passion for our community and our university.”
Opening up his 20th academic year in the leader seat for the Sharks, Mominey was elevated to Director of Athletics in 2002 while serving as the program’s head baseball coach. Under his leadership, the Sharks have garnered eight team NCAA Division II National Championships, 23 individual NCAA Division II National Championships, 16 South Regional Championships and 37 SSC titles. In addition to the athletic prowess and alignment with the departmental mission of a student-centered approach, the Sharks always deliver in the classroom under Mominey’s guidance. The Sharks recorded a 3.33 departmental GPA this past academic year, marking the eighth straight year with the program exceeding 3.15 and the 18th consecutive year with a 3.00 or better.
He has overseen NSU’s move from the NAIA to NCAA Division II status and gaining membership into the SSC, as well as pushing the program’s mascot from Knights to the modern-day Sharks in 2004-05.
Mominey has also served on the Orange Bowl Committee since 2004 and is an Honorary Board member for the Special Olympics of Broward County. He’s made significant contributions to the community organizations of South Florida through direct involvement with multiple groups, including Miracle League, Junior Achievement of Broward County and the Dan Marino Foundation – among many. At the national level, Mominey has mentored young administrations through the NCAA Pathway Program and has served as the South Region Chair for the NCAA Division II National Baseball Committee.
Michael Simonson, Ph.D.
Michael Simonson, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Higher Education Leadership and Instructional Technology at NSU’s Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice was featured on the podcast, Let’s Talk eLearning. The podcast is hosted by Dr. LeRoy Hill, Dean of the School of Distance Learning at the University of Southern Caribbean and tips on eLearning and online teaching excellence.
On the episode, Simonson shares his insights about Equivalency Theory and its relation to distance education. He first proposed Equivalency Theory in 1999 and for twenty years it has been a significant organizational factor for the design of distance education courses and programs.
Simonson has authored four major textbooks dealing with distance education, instructional technology, instructional computing and instructional media. He has over 200 scholarly publications and is an editor of two academic journals. His current area of research interest is the diffusion of distance education in organizations.
The podcast – let’s Talk eLearning with Dr. Michael Simonson – E2 – is available at SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/leroy_hill/lets-talk-elearning-e2-michael
Being a student at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) has afforded 17 undergraduate students a unique opportunity – they have conceptualized, launched, and operate their on-campus businesses as part of a unique entrepreneurial program supported by a yearly scholarship and a micro loan of up to $5,000.
By playing multiple roles – from finance, operations, sales, marketing, and logistics the students, who come from varied backgrounds and have different majors, acquire the necessary skills to open their own on-campus, student-run enterprises. The Razor’s Edge Shark Cage Scholars Program started its fifth edition this fall in the Shark Cage at Mako Hall, a modern residential building that is now home to many of NSU’s undergraduate students.
“The program has grown significantly since its launch in 2016,” said Brad Williams, Ed.D., NSU’s vice president of student affairs and dean for the College of Undergraduate Studies. “It is a great accomplishment to have a unified business space for the students to operate their enterprises.”
During the program, students develop several key skills while managing limited resources and overcoming daily operational challenges. Through learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom, they are prepared to start their own business, purchase an existing business, invest in a franchise opportunity, organize the launch of new products or services, or work for an existing organization and lead the development of a new division.
“Having our students run their own business creates great experiential learning opportunities,” said Tom Tworoger, DBA, a professor in NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Chair of the Entrepreneurship Department.
Whether looking for something to eat or drink or to take advantage of the many other services that the students provide, the NSU community is likely to find at the Shark Cage facility. Each business aims to engage all members of the NSU community including students, faculty, and staff.
“Students went through specifically designed courses to aid them in getting their businesses started, made funding pitches for their microloans, ordered their equipment and inventory, and launched over 20 student-run businesses in the last two years,” said Cheryl Babcock, director of the Shark Cage Program and Entrepreneurship faculty member in NSU’s Huizenga Business College. “It has been awe-inspiring to witness the ingenuity, strong work ethic, and enthusiasm as they pursued their entrepreneurial journeys, and am looking forward to the dedicated students who will open/reopen their businesses this fall.”
Mason Petrosky
Mason Petrosky, a dual admission law and paralegal studies major minoring in entrepreneurship from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., operated a popular campus milkshake business in 2019-2020. Petrosky is a first-year law student in NSU’s Shepherd Broad College of Law.
“Running my business was a pivotal moment for me in my development as a leader, and I grew in ways that a textbook couldn’t help me do,” he said. “The Shark Cage Program immersed me into the real-life entrepreneurial experience where other programs could not.”
Annabel Brewster, a student majoring in Art and Design and minoring in entrepreneurship, is getting prepared for her grand opening of Sharky Art on September 8th. She has been a business owner for five years, but this fall she created her on-campus business, Sharky Art, to engage students, faculty, and organizations through creative painting events and artwork.
“Through dedication, resilience, and hard work I believe that Sharky Art will be successful, and bring a great new opportunity on campus for those who would like to explore their creative mind!”
Students can enjoy a grilled burger, grilled cheese sandwich, taco, mac and cheese, milkshake, acai bowl, candy, lemonade, or sweet/salty snacks. They can also choose from t-shirts, hoodies, swim bikinis, gently used clothing, dorm room decor, beach items, shoe cleaning and care, inspirational planners, or purchase pieces of original art or join a painting party.
This fall 10 scholars celebrate their Grand Openings at the Shark Cage and begin operating their businesses along with seven returning enterprises from last year. Four more enterprises are set to launch in January 2021. “This is a tremendous commitment and enormous accomplishment for the students”, said Cheryl Babcock.
For more information, please contact:
Cheryl R. Babcock, CFE
Lecturer & Director, Razor’s Edge Shark Cage Scholars Program
E: babcockc@nova.edu
With COVID-19 impacting every aspect of our lives, NSU Florida has worked extensively to enact precautions and take steps that directly address the pandemic as students, faculty and staff return for Fall 2020. The university has:
To help share the news with the NSU Florida community, media were invited onto campus to see first-hand what the university has implemented to address COVID-19 concerns. You can find the media stories below:
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a worldwide crisis, the country of Yemen has been dealing with another humanitarian catastrophe—the largest cholera outbreak in modern history. The Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, classes of 2023 and 2024, led by second-year student Aneil Tawakalzada, class of 2023 president, and the second-year class boards at both campuses have come together to raise funds for the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation.
Through social media awareness, academic society competitions, and the use of bingo templates for fundraising, the campaign surpassed its initial goal of $17,000 by raising more than $21,000. Funds will go toward providing water filters (to prevent cholera) and food baskets (to prevent malnutrition) for the people of Yemen. Due to the success of the initiative, student leaders partnered with AMBOSS & Sketchy, a medical knowledge platform, who agreed to providing free board prep academic resources to four medical students in Yemen.
As the campaign draws to a close on September 6, it is well on its way to its next fundraising goal of $25,000.
Recently, NSU was recognized as a 2019 Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Campus USA is a national program, launched in 2008, that honors colleges and universities, and their leaders, for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation. (Earlier this year, Tree Campus USA was renamed to Tree Campus Higher Education.)
To obtain this distinction, NSU met the five core standards for an effective campus forest management, including establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and the sponsorship of student service learning projects.
NSU’s recognition by this foundation is a testament to the university’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
To learn more about Tree Campus Higher Education visit: arborday.org/programs/tree-campus-higher-education
NSU University School’s Sharks are back to school! We are thrilled to have welcomed our students back for the 2020-21 school year, both on campus and online. Although the school environment may look a little different this year, USchool remains committed to providing a personalized education and bringing out the best in U! We are excited to be reunited with our Shark family after our time apart and we are looking forward to a challenging and rewarding school year for all.
If you have any questions about NSU University School, please call 954-262-4506 or email uschooladmissions@nova.edu. As a reminder, NSU employees receive a 35 percent tuition discount at NSU University School and may also qualify for financial aid.
Presented by the NSU Alvin Sherman Library and sponsored by SunTrust Foundation, these workshops are designed to inspire and educate you to become financially successful.
Reserve your spot at lib.nova.edu/yougotthis. Zoom link will follow in an email before each program.
Social Media for Business
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Social media is not rocket science but does take commitment and a game plan. Learn from media experts on how to implement a social strategy to grow you audience, humanize your brand and increase customer engagement. Holly Svekis, Director of Premium Accounts, for the Sun Sentinel will take you through a journey of basic social media platforms, how to begin incorporating best practices, avoid pit falls and build a blueprint for a successful social game plan.
SEO, the Hidden Secret to Your Online Success
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020 | 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Learn to leverage people looking for your business. Search Engine Optimization is a digital marketing channel that allows you to attract website visitors who are searching for your goods and services on search engines like Google and Bing. Discover the theory and basics of this strategy that can contribute to your success as a business owner. Learn from the experts at Lamark Media.
Brent Goldman, Ed.D., graduate of NSU’s Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, is the co-founder and CEO of Xceed Preparatory Academy, which currently has four locations in South Florida (Kendall, Weston, Coral Springs, and Daytona Beach). In July 2020, Xceed opened its 5th school, a virtual school called Xceed Anywhere.
Goldman has been a leader in private school education in South Florida since 1996. He was the co-founder and Head of School at The Sagemont School in Weston for 21 years. Under his leadership, Sagemont grew to over 820. Additionally, he co-founded The University of Miami Online High School and Smart Horizons Career Online Education (www.shcoe.org). The University of Miami Online High School was the first Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accredited private online high school. It was sold to Kaplan in 2007. Smart Horizons Career Online Education is geared towards the 30mm+ adult high school dropouts in the United States and is the official high school of McDonalds.
Goldman earned his M.S. in 1994 and his Ed.D. in 1997 from the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.
To learn more about Xceed Preparatory please visit, ttps://www.xceedprep.org/
and for more information on Xceed Anywhere you may visit: https://www.xceedanywhere.com/
Dr. Harry K. Moon, Nova Southeastern University’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will be among a distinguished panel discussing the challenges that COVID-19 has created for education. “Education in a Pandemic: From Crisis Teaching to Distance Learning,” a virtual event hosted by national business law firm Greenspoon Marder, will bring together leaders of top companies to share their perspectives across industry lines. The panel discussion will be on Wednesday, September 30, from 1 to 1:45 p.m.
Joining Dr. Moon in this panel discussion will be Denise J. Ganz, a partner with Greenspoon Marder; Antonio L. Roca, director at Academica Virtual Education; John Edelson, Founder and President of Time4Learning; and Richard Moreno, President of BH Services, Building Hope.
The panel discussion is part of the Greenspoon Marder Innovation Summit, which runs from Tuesday, September 29 to Thursday, October 1. Register now at https://www.gmlaw.com/innovationsummit/