Category: Athletics

NSU Unveils Interprofessional Simulation Complex

NSU President George L. Hanbury II speaks to the media during the groundbreaking of NSU Health’s Interprofessional Simulation Complex.

On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, Nova Southeastern University unveiled NSU Health’s Interprofessional Simulation Complex on the site of the Miami Dolphins former football training facility. The special groundbreaking ceremony was attended by more than 100 NSU stakeholders, key officials, students, and supporters.

Dr. Harry K. Moon, NSU’s Executive Vice President and COO, speaks to reporters.

Speakers at the event were NSU President George L. Hanbury II; Dr. Harry K. Moon, NSU’s Executive Vice President and COO; Terry J. Mularkey, NSU’s Vice President of Advancement and Chief of Staff; and Charles Palmer, NSU’s Board Chair and President and CEO of North American Company LLC in Fort Lauderdale.

At NSU Health SimCom, the combination of teamwork and technology will augment the educational experience, enrich clinical training, and accelerate medical innovations. The $56 million, 107,000-square-foot interprofessional complex will be used by NSU students, community groups, health care corporations, and practicing physicians for advanced training exercises, research, equipment demonstrations, and surgical scenarios.

From the mid-1990s until the summer of 2021, the Miami Dolphins NFL franchise honed their skills for the gridiron on Nova Southeastern University’s Davie campus in what was then a state-of-art football training facility. It seems only fitting that with the Dolphins’ relocation to a new facility adjoining their stadium that their former digs would continue its legacy in training: This time in the form of educating dynamic health care leaders.

NSU Health’s Interprofessional Simulation Complex will provide cutting-edge technology and advanced training for students across all health care disciplines. Open 24/7, this facility will help train people in multiple fields, including health care, law, technology and business.

“There’s not another one like it in the state of Florida,” said NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, adding that the center should open in spring 2024.

The NSU Health SimCom will offer more than 105 simulation spaces, including:

  • 3-D modeling/animation
  • Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality
  • Holograms
  • 16 human and fresh tissue stations
  • Operating rooms
  • Team-scenario venues
  • Inpatient skills labs
  • Outpatient exam rooms

For more information, check out the website.

Posted 11/29/22

Honor Society Focuses on Student Veterans, Active Military

SALUTE is the first national academic honor society established for student veterans and active military. This honor society – for veterans, active-duty service members, reservists, and National Guardsmen – is designed to encourage military students to strive to improve their GPAs and advance to higher tier levels in the honor society during their academic careers.

Minimum requirements are for undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.0 and graduate students with a GPA of 3.5. There will be a one-time membership that is due for a lifetime membership.

For more information, reach out by email at VRC@nova.edu or by phone at 954-262-3524.

Posted 11/06/22

College Brings Smiles to ‘Special Olympics Special Smile’

From left, Lieny Padron, PG AEGD resident; Anna Spiller D2 predoctoral student; Dr. Michelle Madera, AEGD faculty; Karen Zapata, PG AEGD resident; Cassandra Gubala, D2 predoctoral student; and Emily Washburn D2 predoctoral student.

Predoctoral students from Special Needs Club, AEGD residents and faculty from Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine provided free dental screening and oral hygiene instruction for special needs individuals at the Special Olympics Special Smile event on Saturday October 15, 2022, at Bamford Sports Complex in Davie.

The Healthy Athletes program launched in 1997, according to the Special Olympics website. It consists of seven areas where Special Olympic athletes can receive free health screenings: podiatry, physical therapy, better health and well-being, audiology, sports physical exams, vision, and dentistry.

Special Smiles is the dental health discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® that provides athletes and individuals with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to take charge of their oral health. Special Smiles provides comprehensive oral health care information, offers non-invasive dental screenings and instructions on correct brushing and flossing techniques to Special Olympics athletes. This also includes issuing preventative supplies, like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and fluoride varnish.

Posted 10/23/22

NSUCO Names New Director of Community Outreach

Mariana Ferraz, O.D., FAAO

NSUCO is pleased to announce that Mariana Ferraz, O.D., FAAO is the new Director of Community Outreach. In this role she will develop, implement, and participate in outreach programs for college designed to enhance our presence in the community as well as provide eye care services to various populations.Dr. Mariana Ferraz earned her undergraduate degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2015. While earning her bachelor’s degree, Dr. Ferraz became involved in Retinitis Pigmentosa research at NSU’s College of Optometry with Dr. Ava Bittner. Following graduation, she attended the Illinois College of Optometry. While pursuing her optometric career, Dr. Ferraz and Dr. Bittner continued to work together and presented various posters and paper presentations on their current Retinitis Pigmentosa Research. Her work with Dr. Bittner was finally published in 2019. Dr. Ferraz completed her Primary Care and Ocular Disease residency at Nova Southeastern University in 2020. She currently holds the rank of assistant professor.

Posted 09/25/22

NSUCO Names New Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging

Crystal Victor. O.D.

NSUCO is pleased to announce that, Crystal Victor. O.D., is the new Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. In this role, she will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the college’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives to strengthen our approach to a culture that creates a working and learning environment where people feel comfortable working, teaching, and learning together collaboratively and effectively.

Dr. Crystal Victor received her Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Microbiology at the University of Central Florida in 2015. She graduated with her Doctor of Optometry degree with honors at Nova Southeastern University in 2020 and completed her residency in Primary Care with emphasis in Cornea and Contact Lens in 2021. She currently holds the faculty rank of Instructor. On her free time, Dr. Victor enjoys cycling and spending time with friends and family.

Posted 09/25/22

Military Times Puts NSU on its ‘Best for Vets’ College List

Nova Southeastern University has been named to the Military Times’ Best for Vets: Colleges list for 2022.

“We’ve made a concerted effort to make veterans feel welcomed and at home here at Nova Southeastern University,” said Dr. George Hanbury, NSU’s President and CEO. “Helping them transition back to civilian life and providing them with the necessary resources so they can further their education is a point of pride for us. We cannot do enough for our nation’s heroes, and our efforts will only continue to get stronger in the years to come.”

According to Military Times, theirs is the largest and most comprehensive ranking of schools for military service members and veterans. The group focuses on services and programs specific to military students — whether active-duty, veteran or families and dependents of service members. Student success metrics (completion, retention, persistence, GPA) are the most important factors in determining the relative ranking of schools on this year’s list, followed closely by the range of military-specific resources and the level of financial assistance offered. Admissions and registration policies, human resources, and other factors are considered when ranking colleges and universities.

When looking at the methodology, officials said that it was important to note that schools are scored not by the sheer number of “points” earned, but by the percentage of points earned out of the potential number of points achievable by that type of school. (For example, matters of in-state tuition are moot for private schools; therefore, points related to in-state tuition were only counted for public institutions.)

Dr. Hanbury pointed to several resources that NSU has in place designed specifically for student veterans, which include:

Veterans Resource Center. This center is a centralized location for services specifically designed for our veterans and military affiliated students. Its mission is multifaceted and includes the facilitation of academic success, transitional assistance, supporting university and community engagement, providing professional development opportunities, and ultimately graduation and career attainment.

Veterans Access Clinic. NSU is bringing the full weight of its well-established clinical services to serve those who served our country. Veterans – those who are NSU students as well as veterans in the South Florida community – and their immediate family (spouse, children) will be able to visit or call this new clinic where NSU staff will help coordinate all the appointments they may need. This includes, but is not limited to NSU’s medical, dental, optometry or psychology clinics. If NSU doesn’t have the expertise in-house, staff helps the patient identify a provider through a network of community partners and facilitates the referral so the necessary services can be provided.

Posted 09/13/22

U.S. Sports Academy Promotes Fischler Graduate to Dean

From left: Provost Tomi Wahlstrom, Vandy Pacetti-Donelson, President T.J. Rosandich, and Brandon Spradley meet for Deans’ Appointment Signing.

The United States Sports Academy (USSA) has announced that Vandy Pacetti-Donelson, Ed.D., will serve as the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. She previously served the academy as its Director of Library and Instructional Design as well as an Assistant Professor of Humanities and Research.

She has been involved in the successful development and implementation of consistent quality standards, template design, and user experience of all course content through the User Story Successive Approximation Model of iterative development. She is a member of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) and the American Library Association (ALA). Her expertise is in metacognition, project management, and scholarly communication practices research. Pacetti-Donelson has been involved in developing and facilitating non-profit bylaw revisions and championing policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Pacetti-Donelson earned her Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi. She graduated from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2018 with her doctoral degree in Instructional Leadership with an emphasis in Instructional Technology and Distance Education.

Previously, Pacetti-Donelson served 20 years as a librarian and educator in K-12 education in central Florida before serving as online librarian at Ultimate Medical Academy in Tampa, Florida. She is a nationally recognized presenter and advocate for libraries.

Pacetti-Donelson said that receiving her degree from Fischler prepared her to succeed by helping her to develop advanced problem-solving skills to help create positive change and cope with the challenges in education today. She appreciated that her professors were invested in her success from the moment she began her program to the day she started her first job after graduation. She said their example demonstrated the type of educator and administrator she hoped to be one day.

The Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice wishes you the best of luck as you step into your new role. Fins up to you!

Posted 9/11/22

Access Plus Program Resumes Face-to-Face Support

With the start of the 2022-2023 academic year, NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice Access Plus, a support program for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is returning to in-person services.

After moving to providing quality services online during the pandemic, Access Plus will resume providing face-to-face support to students with autism spectrum disorder. Program staff are dedicated to serving as liaisons for students between faculty, staff, and university administrators, and they are also working in conjunction with the Office of Student Disability Services and Testing and Tutoring Center to meet the needs of the students. 

There are currently three students enrolled in Access Plus. The trio of students will meet with peer mentors several days a week in the Mailman Segal Center building where they will learn about a variety of topics like organization, planning, and study skills.

Additional services that will be provided include a psychoeducational group where the students will learn skills on topics like making friends and stress management.

The list goes on when it comes to the services available to the students in the program. A Fischler Academy (Shark Teach) student will also be on hand to help the Access Plus students get more involved on campus. They will help identify on-campus events, activities and organizations of interest and will help the students take part along with helping them build strategies for meeting new people.

The support doesn’t stop when it comes to academics and social activities. With the use of Mursion software, Access Plus will provide students with live practical experience for job interviews. This same software also gave two recent Access Plus graduates training for interviews which they are now using as they search for employment.

Access Plus will also deliver training to faculty and staff on the best practices for supporting students with ASD in the classroom and college setting.

With the start of the new academic year, Access Plus is ready to provide the best services available.

For more information on Access Plus, please click here, or contact faculty administrator, Dr. Maribel Del-Rio Roberts at mdelrio@nova.edu.

Posted 08/31/22

Donate Now to the 2022-2023 Literacy Alive! Book Drive

Join members of Kappa Delta Pi, Omega Theta Chapter 584, an International Honor Society in Education, in its efforts to help increase the level of literacy in underserved communities. Give your slightly used books a new home. Donate today!

Leave your donation in the drop-off box in the lunchroom on the 4th floor of the DeSantis Building or contact, faculty adviser Sandra Trotman, Ph.D., at 954-262-7915 or trotman@nova.edu. to have them picked up from your office on NSU’s main campus. If you are at NSU’s Kendall campus, please contact, Maria Grethel Mendez, Ed.D., at 305-275-2616 or mendmari@nova.edu.

Posted 08/14/22

Welmaker Named President of Campus Safety Association (CSHEMA)

Beth Welmaker

Beth Welmaker, NSU’s Executive Director of Environmental Health & Safety, is the new president of the Campus Safety Health & Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA). Welmaker has been in the environmental health and safety field for more than 25 years and has been at NSU for about six years.”

“I am honored to be representing NSU as president of CSHEMA, a global leadership organization for the EHS profession in higher education,” she said.

“Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is an important part of the fabric on university campuses –keeping students and staff safe from hazards ranging from chemicals, biological materials, radioactive materials, fire hazards and more.  We work to protect the individual first and foremost, while also ensuring the university is complying with the myriad of regulations and laws.”

Posted 08/14/22

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