Category: Academics

Scholarship Winners Meet Mother of Award’s Namesake

From left, Brittany Hendrix, Lisa Hess-Depalo, Amanda D’Augustino, M.S., CCC/SLP, NSU alumni and scholarship committee member, and Rachel Edrich, holding Ashley’s memorial quilt.

On December 10, 2021, Brittany Hendrix, M.S. CCC-SLP, NSU alumni, 2020 scholarship winner, and Rachel Edrich, B.S., SLP graduate student, 2021 scholarship winner, had the opportunity to meet with Lisa Hess-Depalo, M.Ed., the mother of the late Ashley Kaye Hess, whose memorial scholarship they won.

Hess-Depalo shared beautiful memories and stories of her daughter’s life with the winners, scholarship committee and a small group of faculty and students. This scholarship is provided in memory of Ashley Kaye Hess, who was a treasured part of the NSU SLP student body in 2015-2016.  Many people knew and loved Ashley Kaye Hess, a cheerleader, dancer, and NSU speech-language pathology master’s candidate, before she was killed in a tragic car accident on May 14, 2016, at the age of 28.

The winners of the scholarship also shared their future goals in speech-language pathology and how they will continue to remember and honor Ashley. The scholarship information is available at https://healthsciences.nova.edu/studentaffairs/scholarships/scholarships.html, and if you are considering donating to this scholarship, information can be found under Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences­–Make the Most of the Dash/Ashley Kaye Hess Changing Lives Scholarship at https://www.nova.edu/give/index.html.

Contributed by Tambi Braun, SLP.D., CCC/SLP, is an associate professor and NSSLHA mentor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology.

Posted 01/30/22

Presidential Scholars Impacting the NSU Community

The Presidential Scholars program at Nova Southeastern University features a prestigious group of diverse students who represent academic excellence and are engaged inside and outside of the classroom. Over the past two years, Saul Sztam, Assistant Dean for the College of Undergraduate Studies, has developed a new vision for our Presidential Scholars and as a result the program has been further defined as well as evolved to create additional avenues to impact the NSU community. In May 2021, Emilio Lorenzo, Director of Student Success, joined the team and has helped expand and implement this vision.

At the start of the Fall 2021 semester, Presidential Scholars were tasked with participating in new avenues to impact students and the campus culture. These initiatives included their involvement in the Student Success Mentorship program and the launch of the Presidential Scholar committees. Through the mentorship program, Presidential Scholars and Razor’s Edge students were matched with incoming freshman students (Student Success Scholars) to provide avenues for mentees to transition into college life, overcome obstacles, and reach desired goals.

In addition, to their role in mentoring other students, Presidential Scholars serve on one of five committees, each with its own focus area that aims to impact the NSU community.

Committee #1: Presidential Scholars Landing Page & Premier Program Recognition

This committee created the Presidential Scholars Program landing page in order to recognize outstanding students and to highlight the achievements of Premier Program Scholars.

Committee #2: Newsletters & Social Media Outlets

This committee maintains a quarterly newsletter and manages the Presidential Scholar social media accounts to highlight the accomplishments and events of Premier Program Scholars.

Committee #3: Public Outreach & Advisory Board

Members of this committee compose a student advisory board that seeks to reach key university partners to promote the role of the Presidential Scholars Program.

Committee #4: Transformational Leadership & Campus Impact

This committee focuses on identifying areas of improvement on campus and works towards creating and implementing strategies to make positive changes within the student body. This committee is currently collaborating with Student Government, Nature Club, and the Green Sharks Club to host a Carnival event to promote sustainability and creating a more environmentally friendly local community.

Committee #5: Prospective Students & Families Support

This committee represents the Presidential Scholars in their efforts to connect with prospective students and parents through both on and off campus events, such as Shark Preview Weekends, Hometown Sharks, targeted outreach campaigns, and additional programs.

The efforts made by our Scholars through these new initiatives showcases their passion to impact the NSU community and the pride they take in representing the values of the university. To learn more about the impact made by our Scholars, follow our Instagram page at @presidential_scholars_nsu.

Posted 01/30/22

University School Students Win 2022 Pinnacle Awards

NSU University School is proud to congratulate three of our exemplary students – Zoe Rodriguez, Jeffrey Zhang, and Madison Davis – on being named Pinnacle Award winners by the Broward County Non-Public School Association!

This award is given to students who set an example for others to follow in their actions at school, home, or in the community. They excel in one or more of these areas: academics, community service, citizenship, fine arts, athletics, student activities, perseverance, effort, dedication, commitment to positive goals, improvement in performance, and attitude.

Posted 01/30/22

Honors Student Successfully Completes Thesis Track

Eva Ducanis and Dean Andrew Rosman, Ph.D.

In September, Farquhar Honors College student Eva Ducanis defended her Honors thesis highlighting the rising importance of blockchain technology and its implications across the professional learning path. Her thesis, titled “An Accounting Perspective: Predicting the Impact of Blockchain Technology Across Industries,” analyzes the current state and future direction of blockchain technology to surmise the trajectory of its impact on the academic, occupational, and further education sectors.

Completed in pursuit of her Research Citation in Honors, Ducanis’ thesis serves as a stepping stone for her future career as a Certified Public Accountant.

“This thesis has provided me with the opportunity to connect with industry experts related to my thesis topic— from NSU’s chief financial officers to top executives on Wall Street,” said Ducanis, a senior accounting major. “I’ve also been able to develop a professional relationship with Mr. Andrew Rosman, Dean of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He has been a tremendous resource and I cannot thank him enough for his guidance both academically and professionally throughout the research process.”

Next fall, Ducanis plans to step into her accepted role as an audit associate for RSM, a national public accounting firm.

Posted 01/16/22

Deerfield Beach Students Attend Business College Workshop

On December 9, 41 students from the Academy of Finance program at Deerfield Beach High School visited Nova Southeastern University. Donning their business attire, bright green scarfs, and ties, the students received executive treatment from the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship staff.

Students participated in a leadership workshop from business college administration focusing on innovation, an hour lesson on investing from Associate Professor Albert Williams, Ph.D., and a guided tour of the university’s campus by Huizenga Business Innovation Academy students. The students even met with their high school teacher, Frank Pizzo’s oldest son Frankie, a senior at NSU, majoring in neuroscience. He shared some of his personal experiences, how much support the university provides, and how to self-advocate while in college.

Academy of Finance students received certificates for excelling in recent cooperative learning projects, including Stockbroker of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and Group Leader of the Year. Students also received certificates for helping with a food drive and club leadership activities. At the end of the educational activities and informative campus tour, the students were treated to lunch at the University Center food court by the Huizenga Academy.

Pizzo says he is incredibly proud of his students and looks forward to the next opportunity to share leadership opportunities outside of school. NSU’s business college welcomes student associations, high schools, and others for special site visits throughout the year. If you would like to refer anyone for these on-campus learning opportunities, please email hbia@nova.edu.

Posted 12/15/21

Guest Lecture Series Highlights Rhetoric of Health, Wellness

Rachel Panton, Ph.D.

This fall, COMP 1500: College Writing hosted a guest lecture series highlighting the rhetoric of health and wellness. The series, facilitated by Assistant Professor of Writing, Rachel Panton, Ph.D., and the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts  in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences featured a variety of speakers and topics, such as the importance of science writing and communication, the rhetoric of public health during the pandemic, the rhetoric of women’s childbirth advocacy, and the rhetoric of mental health and social media.

“This lecture series was inspired by a desire to broaden student awareness to the centrality of rhetoric and writing in the sciences and humanities and to think across boundaries,” Panton said. “I wanted students to have a greater understanding of the interdisciplinarity and intersectionality of the rhetoric of health and wellness. Most importantly, I wanted them to feel as though they are contributors to these conversations, as well as agents of change.”

Featured speakers included:

Paola Espitia: NSU Marine Biology alumna, media producer, ocean communicator and speaker with the multimedia production studio Ola’Pi Creative

Patrice Leopold, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor for NSU’s Department of Counseling in the College of Psychology

Christi Navarro, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor of Public Health, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Ravae Sinclair, former president DONA International: Doula Training and Doula Certification

Learn more about the Minor in Writing offered through the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts here.

Posted 12/12/21

10 USchool Seniors Chosen as Silver Knight Award Finalists

Top from left: Arina Zhirkova, Sinan Kassim, Amanda Frank, Tyler Zager, Madison Davidovic, Madison Drain. Bottom from left: Yardena Rubin, Rita Shuster, Samantha Weiner, Ryan Hoffman.

NSU University School is proud to congratulate 10 of our seniors who have been selected as nominees for the Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards – one of the nation’s most highly regarded student awards programs that recognizes outstanding students for their community service and academic achievements.

All nominees from Miami-Dade and Broward County schools will be interviewed by a panel of independent judges who will select one Silver Knight and three Honorable Mentions in various categories. The Silver Knight program culminates with a formal awards ceremony in the spring where all the nominees are recognized and the Silver Knights and Honorable Mentions are announced.

Congratulations to all NSU University School nominees for demonstrating excellence in their respective categories!

  • Madison Davidovic – Business
  • Madison Draizin – Math
  • Amanda Frank – General Scholarship
  • Ryan Hoffman – Music & Dance
  • Sinan Kassim – Speech
  • Yardena Rubin – Digital & Interactive Media
  • Rita Shuster – Journalism
  • Samantha Weiner – Social Science
  • Tyler Zager – Vocational Technical
  • Arina Zhirkova – Science

Posted 12/12/21

Honors Student’s Startup Helps Physical Therapy Patients

Varun Kota

Farquhar Honors College student Varun Kota has developed a startup to help improve the recovery prospects of physical therapy patients. The startup, called SMART MS3, aims to make the physical therapy process more efficient by providing direct and timely feedback between patients and their physical therapists.

SMART MS3 was conceived by Kota, a junior biology major, and his cofounder after conducting interviews and research that illuminated the widespread dissatisfaction among physical therapy patients with their long and uncertain recovery processes. The startup aims to minimize these recovery times by using an electromyography (EMG) sensor that measures muscle activity as patients complete their at-home exercises and a software app that sends this data directly to their physical therapists who can review their progress and tailor their exercise regimen accordingly.

Kota, involved with the coding of the app, is currently working with his co-founder, a graphic designer, and a team of engineers to optimize the device and app before it’s released.

“I have learned a ton through this process and [my] mistakes,” Kota said. “I now have an intimate understanding of the medical app framework, how apps are developed, time management, leadership skills, and public speaking. Initially, I really didn’t know how much I would learn from making a startup, but it has been an enlightening journey so far. I hope that I will continue to learn and improve myself as SMART MS3 continues to grow!”

Posted 12/12/21

Undergraduate ‘Virus Hunters’ Present Research at Conference

From left: Nashrah Pierre-Louis, Maria Paula Farez Ochoa, Melissa Bell and Dr. Julie Torruellas Garcia

This fall, incoming freshman students had the opportunity to participate in real, hands-on research as part of the new Introduction to Biology Research I course, taught by Dr. Julie Torruellas Garcia, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences.

A team of 12 undergraduate students have been working on a research project to hunt for new viruses that kill bacteria, known as bacteriophage or phage, to potentially be used as new therapies to treat antibiotic resistant bacterial infections.

The project started with collecting a soil sample in hopes of finding at least one that contained phage. Out of the 32 soil samples collected, phage were discovered in three! Their findings were presented at the Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology Fall 2021 Virtual Meeting.

Freshman biology major, Nashrah Pierre-Louis, freshman psychology major Melissa Bell, and junior biology major Maria Paula Farez Ochoa gave an oral presentation titled “Phage Hunters: The Discovery of Bacteriophage that infect Gordonia rubripertincta.” Next semester, the students will be continuing their research in the Introduction to Biology Research II course where they will analyze the DNA of the viruses discovered and possibly co-author a scientific paper in a peer-reviewed journal.

Posted 12/12/21

Halmos Faculty Speaks at Experiential Education Conference

Instructional Technology and Design Specialist Judith Slapak-Barski, Ed.D., center, speaks at the 50th Annual Conference for the National Society for Experiential Education.

In September 2021, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences Instructional Technology and Design Specialist Judith Slapak-Barski, Ed.D. was given the opportunity to speak at the 50th Annual Conference for the National Society for Experiential Education.  As an adjunct instructor and course developer who specializes in faculty development, Judith works to improve instructional methods and technologies that enhance student-centric learning and provide students with real world, hands on educational opportunities.  She also collaborates with the Experiential Education and Learning (ExEL) initiative, which helps to grow programs and support experiences for courses that provide students with the chance to gain diverse, meaningful experiences.

Titled “Zoom Behaviors and Expectations: The Non-Obvious,” Judith’s presentation discussed the move to online engagement with students around the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.  It was at first assumed students would know how to act appropriately during ZOOM meetings, but it quickly became obvious that set ground rules were needed. This led to the development and implementation of the “Zoom Etiquette and Expectations” course for students which included a content presentation, interactive simulations, and an assessment.  Successful completion awarded the student a badge to submit to their professors.

National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) is a nonprofit membership association of educators, businesses, and community leaders. Founded in 1971, NSEE also serves as a national resource center for the development and improvement of experiential education programs nationwide.

Posted 11/28/21

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