Category: Health Care

Law Grad is Florida’s First African American Federal Defender

Attorney Alec Fitzgerald Hall, graduate of NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law (SBCOL) is Florida’s first African American Federal defender. Hall received his appointment letter in June 2021 from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Chief Judge William Pryor, formally installing him as the new Federal Defender for the Middle District of Florida.  This makes history for both the Middle District of Florida and for the State of Florida as there has never been an African-American to lead the Defender’s Office in these regions.  The Honorable Charles R. Wilson, Eleventh Circuit Judge, swore Hall in as the new Federal Defender on June 21st.  The Middle District of Florida’s jurisdiction extends from Jacksonville south covering all areas including Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, and Ft. Myers.  The Middle District is the second largest district in the country.  The motto for the Federal Defender’s Office is “Representing Those Who Cannot Represent Themselves.”

Alec Hall

Hall is a native of Tampa and was reared by his maternal grandmother, the late Maggie Cleggette, along with his two brothers and sister in the Riverview Terrace Housing Projects in Tampa, Florida. Hall is a graduate of Hillsborough Senior High School, and Project Upward Bound, and he later attended and graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American history (post-bellum America).   Hall formerly worked for the Florida Department of Corrections as a probation officer and later worked for the Florida Parole Commission as a parole examiner prior to attending law school. Hall received his Juris Doctor degree in 1997 from NSU.  He subsequently received his Master’s of Divinity degree (in ministry) from Luther Rice University and Seminary in Lathonia, Georgia.

Hall has practiced law for over 23 years beginning his career as a state assistant public defender for Seminole and Brevard Counties.  He has been an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida for over 20 years.  Hall specializes in vertical criminal representation, which includes trial, appellate, and habeas corpus practice.  Hall has tried numerous cases and is known as a tough litigator.  He is a member of the Florida and District of Columbia Bars.  He is also a member of the United States Supreme Court, the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eleventh Circuit, and D.C. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida.  Hall has appeared before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals for oral argument on several occasions and had his client’s conviction reverse/vacated in United States v. McCarrick, 294 F.3d 1286 (11th Cir. 2002) (published opinion) and obtained a certificate of appealability from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, reversing the district court, in Barrett v. Secretary Florida Department of Corrections, Case No. 13-15153-EE (first-degree murder – life case).

Hall is an over 31 year and life member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.  He was recognized with the Hometown Hero Award by the Convention and Visitors’ Bureau of Tampa, Florida for his efforts in helping to secure the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s 82 Grand Conclave now rescheduled for Summer 2024.

Hall is very grateful for the wonderful support of his wife, Yvette Renee Evans Hall, their daughter, Maiyah, and a host of others family, friends, and supporters which are too numerous to name.

Hall chose Nova Southeastern University’s SBCOL because he was a native Floridian and wanted to remain in Florida. NSU gave him the opportunity to pursue his dream of practicing law. He graduated in 1997. His advice to our current SBCOL students is to put the work in.

According to Hall, your work-ethic will say a lot about you and will develop your reputation in the legal field.  Do not be lazy and re-review before going to court or filing pleadings, i.e., “make sure you got it.”

He advises to know your area of the law well, and most importantly, do exactly what he always told himself, “chase your dreams of being a lawyer!” It will happen for you.

Fins up!

Posted 02/13/22

Halmos Faculty Members Collaborate on New Book

Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D., professor and NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC) executive director; Janine Morris, Ph.D., assistant professor of writing and WCC faculty coordinator; and Cynthia Moreau, Pharm.D., BCACP, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, published “Enhancing Communication Competencies: A Model for Pharmacy and Writing and Communication Center Partnerships” in the edited collection Teaching Writing in the Health Professions (edited by Michael Madson, Routledge 2021). Dvorak and Morris are both faculty in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, and Moreau is faculty in the College of Pharmacy.

“Enhancing Communication Competencies” addresses the need for writing, verbal and nonverbal communication skills within pharmacy graduate programs and outlines the collaboration that took place between Moreau’s Pharmacy Applications graduate course and the WCC during 2019 and 2020.

“​​Collaborating with Dr. Morris and Dr. Dvorak on this chapter was a great experience. As a pharmacist working in academia, most of my collaborations tend to occur with other health professionals, but I loved the opportunity to work with faculty from an entirely different non-HPD department at NSU,” Moreau said. “I believe we were ‘pioneers’ in our collaboration between a college of pharmacy and a writing center, and I think the description of our collaboration and learning activities included in our chapter will be useful to faculty from multiple disciplines across the country.”

Read and learn more about Teaching Writing in the Health Professions.

Learn more about the NSU Writing and Communication Center.

Posted 02/13/22

Halmos Professor Publishes Book on Linear Algebra

“Problems in Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory” is a new book from Halmos Professor Fuzhen Zhang, Ph.D., published by the World Scientific Publishing Company.  Revised and expanded from an earlier version, this new edition contains fifty-five examples and many new problems, based on Zhang’s lecture notes of Advanced Linear Algebra classes here at NSU as well as short lectures at Shanghai University and Beijing Normal University.  Composed of basic, important, and elegant results in linear algebra and matrix theory, the text is intended for upper division undergraduate and beginning graduate students.

Zhang is a professor in NSU Department of Mathematics with interests in matrix analysis, linear and multilinear algebra, operator theory, and combinatorics.  He has been on editorial boards of several mathematical journals and has published more than 80 research papers and 3 books.  Additionally, he has served as Chair, co-Chair, or a member of the Scientific Organizing Committee of the serial International Conferences on Matrix analysis and Applications (ICMAA).  he received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California-Santa Barbara in 1993.

Posted 02/13/22

Professor Receives Outstanding Article Award Nomination

Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D.

Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D., Executive Director of the NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC), and co-authors were nominated for a 2021 Outstanding Article Award from the International Writing Center Association (IWCA). Dvorak et al.’s “How Course-Embedded Consultants and Faculty Perceive the Benefits of Course-Embedded Writing Consultant Programs” was published in the March-April 2020 issue of WLN: A Journal of Writing Center Scholarship. Dvorak’s article was co-authored with Julia Bleakney (Elon University), Russell Carpenter (Eastern Kentucky University), Paula Rosinski (Elon University), and Scott Whiddon (Transylvania University).

Each year the IWCA recognizes outstanding scholarship in writing center research, practice, theory, and history that makes a significant contribution to the field of writing center studies. According to Dvorak, “the data we collected, especially since it came from four separate universities, shows how much value there is to course-embedded programming. That value is experienced and highlighted by students, faculty, and peer consultants, which is significant for the institutions where they learn, teach, and work.” Nominees are acknowledged at the annual IWCA conference.

Get more information about the NSU Writing and Communication Center.

Posted 02/13/22

Professors Publish Caregiver Book on Brain Injury and Disease

Barbara O’Connor Wells, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor in the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program at NSU, and Connie K. Porcaro, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor in the Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Florida Atlantic University, co-edited and co-authored the book “A Caregiver’s Guide to Communication Problems from Brain Injury or Disease,” which will be published on February 22 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

NSU SLP faculty members, Frederick DiCarlo, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor and director of academic and faculty support, Lea Kaploun, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, associate professor, and associate professor Elizabeth Roberts, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, all contributed chapters within their areas of expertise, along with adjunct faculty member, Marissa Barrera, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, and professional colleague, Teresa Signorelli Pisano, Ph.D., CCC-SLP.

A team of experts in speech-language pathology wrote this guidebook as an all-in-one guide for helping caregivers of individuals with brain injury or degenerative disease to address speech, language, voice, memory, and swallowing impairment and to distinguish these problem areas from healthy aging.

Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of caregiving and features relatable patient examples. Providing answers to common questions, definitions of complex medical terms, and lists of helpful resources–touches on expected, age-related changes in communication, memory, swallowing, and hearing abilities, to name a few, offers practical strategies for caregivers to cope with speech, language, and voice problems and to maximize their loved one’s ability to communicate, reveals how caregivers can assist their loved ones with swallowing challenges to maintain good nutrition and hydration, provides crucial information on how caregivers can handle grief and take care of themselves during the caregiving process, explains how to incorporate the arts, as well as a loved one’s hobbies and interests, into their communication or memory recovery.

This comprehensive caregiver guidebook will allow readers to take a more informed and active role in their loved one’s care.

Purchase the SLP caregiver book through Amazon.

HCAS Student’s Photo Chosen by National Wildlife Federation

Picture of a white ibis standing on the branch of a pine tree. Photo taken by Lexi Smith and sold by the National Wildlife Federation.

Aside from working diligently as a student in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences’ Environmental Science Program, Lexi Smith enjoys spending her time photographing the great outdoors.  Recently, one of her pictures was chosen to be part of a National Wildlife Federation collection supporting the planting of trees for wildlife.

The selected image depicts a white ibis standing on the branch of a pine tree and is part of the Trees for Wildlife™ boxed set.  For every set sold, the National Wildlife Federation has promised to partner with nonprofit organizations, schools, and local governments to plant native trees that rebuild areas which sustain wildlife.

The National Wildlife Federation is the largest conservation organization in America and works across the country to support wildlife and uphold conservation values.  Since 1936, the association has been working to increase fish and wildlife populations while helping them thrive in an ever-changing world.

Lexi Smith is part of the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences BS of Environmental Science Class of 2022.  More of her photos can be found on Instagram @lexismith_photography

Posted 02/13/22

Theatre Alumna Lands Internship at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

 

B.A. in Theatre alumna Kaeleigh Sturgeon

B.A. in Theatre alumna Kaeleigh Sturgeon is taking her talents to the most magical place on Earth with her role working in attractions for Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. As an intern for the Disney College Program, Sturgeon works as an attractions hostess and cast member for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Hollywood Studios’ newest attraction.

“The skills I built as a theatre major, including public speaking, memorization, creative problem solving and initiative, have greatly prepared me for my safety-critical and guest-facing role at Disney,” said Sturgeon, a recent graduate of the B.A. in Theatre program in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences. “Additionally, working as an ensemble in the many shows I had the privilege to be a part of in my time at NSU has helped me better work as a team with my fellow cast members.”

Sturgeon, who also minored in marketing, graphic design and strategic communication, started her internship with Walt Disney World this fall.

Learn more about the B.A. in Theatre program and its concentrations here.

Posted 01/30/22

NSU Florida Wins Education Digital Marketing Awards

Nova Southeastern University’s business advertising campaigns, new undergraduate admissions website and digital advertising campaigns, and its COVID-19 VaxMax/Return of Sharks campaign all recently received national honors from Education Digital Marketing Awards.

NSU’s Division of Public Relations, Marketing, and Creative Services collaborated with colleges and colleagues to garner two Silver awards for the university’s undergraduate admissions website and digital marketing program and two Silver awards for its business video and digital marketing campaigns. NSU also received a Bronze award for its business “Difference Maker” video, and a Merit award for its university-wide COVID-19 response efforts.

More than 1,000 entries were received from colleges, universities, and secondary schools across the country and judged by a national panel of education marketers, advertising creative directors, and marketing and advertising professionals.

We’re proud to continue telling, and celebrating, the NSU Florida story!

Posted 01/25/22

Halmos Faculty Chosen as Inaugural Guest Lecturer

Mary Hope Schwoebel, P.D., faculty in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), was the inaugural guest lecturer in an international online Peace and Conflict Certificate course. It was hosted by Saira Bano Orakzal, Ph.D., Freie University, Berlin.

Schwoebel’s teaching and research interests include peacebuilding and state building, peacebuilding and development, gender and conflict, culture and conflict, and facilitation.

Posted 01/19/22

American College of Physicians Honors Dr. Farzanna Haffizulla

Farzanna Haffizulla, M.D.

The Florida Chapter of the American College of Physicians honored a shining star within their membership for her valiant effort in promoting cultural diversity and inclusion in her body of work and community service.

Honored for her work in the Caribbean Diaspora, Dr. Farzanna Haffizulla’s CDHNOP, aka Caribbean Diaspora Healthy Nutrition Outreach Project, at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), resonates her passion to encourage an underrepresented Caribbean Community of more than 1.6 million to adopt a healthier lifestyle without compromising cultural norms.

The Trinidadian born physician and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, is committed to her mission to get the community to make minor changes in lifestyle choices that can help reduce the high rates of preventable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and obesity. These changes allow them to still embrace the cultural norms they bring from their homeland without compromising taste and culture, all the while passing down those family traditions that will span generations to come.

Dr. Haffizulla was nominated by Dr. Elaine Wallace, Dean of the Dr. Kiran College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University and was subsequently bestowed the honor of being the first recipient of this prestigious inaugural award.  In her current capacity, she serves as the co-chair of the Lauderhill Health and Prosperity Partnership where she works closely with the city manager and elected officials utilizing her powerful work and research in the community to lay the foundation for this initiative.

This nomination and award recognize her groundbreaking and unique work in highlighting and supporting the diaspora and surrounding community members who have been historically underrepresented and underserved whilst giving back and ensuring cultural inclusivity. Congratulations, Dr. Haffizulla! Become a part of the CDHNOP movement by visiting www.NSUCaribbeanHealth.com

Read the full story.

Posted 01/16/22

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