Category: SharkBytes

Health Care Science Grad Responds to Emergencies

John Saindon, D.H.Sc., Ph.D., NSU PCHCS Department of Health Science alumnus

John Saindon, D.H.Sc., Ph.D., graduated from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Health Care Science with dual degrees of Doctor of Health Science D.H.Sc. (2010), and Ph.D. of Health Science (2017).

Since graduating, Saindon has supported numerous emergency public health responses across the globe to include Ebola virus, Hepatitis, COVID-19, Operation Allies Welcome (vulnerable Afghan refugees), and most recently a Polio response in East Africa.

During March 2022, Saindon provided public health technical assistance to the Government of Tanzania as they prepared for and conducted a mass vaccination campaign of children under age 5 in designated high-risk regions. Over a four-day period, Tanzania vaccinated more than 1 million children in high-risk regions.

Posted 05/22/22

Law Alumnus Discusses COVID’s Affect On Hybrid Work Models

Ira Coleman, J.D.

Ira Coleman, J.D. (’86), a Shepard Broad College of Law graduate, is the chairman of McDermott Will & Emery. Since Ira took on this role in 2017, the firm has embraced a new strategic direction focused on being indispensable to clients, enhancing performance and nurturing a happy, fun culture.

He focuses his practice on all aspects of representing major private and publicly held corporations. In particular, he advises clients in navigating M&A and controversy matters that have “bet the company” implications. His other areas of focus include health, private equity and compliance.

The pandemic forced lawyers to leave the office and work from home. Now, as many of those offices open back up, leaders of big law firms are grappling with what tasks need to be done in person and what can be done remotely.

Leaders from some of the country’s biggest law firms share their return-to-office plans and whether hybrid work is here to stay. To watch video, click here.

To learn more about our alumnus, Ira J. Coleman, click here.

Posted 03/13/22

Halmos Students Present at Annual Microbiology Meeting

On February 25-27, the Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology held its 2022 annual meeting, giving Halmos students the opportunity to present their research.  The labs of Halmos faculty members Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D.; Robert Smith, Ph.D.; and Jose V. Lopez, Ph.D. attended, presented, and won awards.

From the Garcia Lab:

  • Undergraduate biology students Ashley Janke, Sri Rishitha Nannapaneni & Alyssa Gershon won 2nd place award for Outstanding Undergraduate Poster Presentation for their work, “Isolation of bacteriophages in soil that infect Gordonia rubripertincta”.
  • Chloe Barreto-Massad, American Heritage Boca/Delray High School (a high school student mentored by Garcia) won 3rd place award for outstanding Undergraduate Oral Presentation for “An Investigation of the Effects of Aerobic and Anaerobic Environments on Antibiotics Produced by Soil Bacteria”

From the Smith Lab:

  • Camryn Pajon, an undergraduate biology major won 1st place award for outstanding undergraduate oral presentation for her research, “Carbon source driven metabolic buffering determines the co-existence of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa”.
  • Laura Garcia-Dieguez, Masters in Biological Sciences student gave an oral presentation,

“Changes in Frequency and Amplitude of Spatial Disturbances Modulate the Expression of Quorum Sensing-Mediated Virulence Effectors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa”

She also entered the Microbiology Art Contest with the theme “Florida Microbes” and won Honorable mention.

  • Masters in Biological Sciences students Gabriela Diaz-Tang & Estefania Marin Meneses gave an oral presentation on “The Influence of Growth Efficiency on the Inoculum Effect”

From the Lopez Lab:

  • Colleen McMaken, Masters in Biological Sciences gave an oral presentation regarding

“Microbial impacts on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle hatching success”

The Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (FLASM) promotes microbiology education and research in Florida through meetings, discussions, and publications. Our members represent the many diverse areas of microbiology including virology, metagenomics, clinical, environmental, basic research, education, industrial, bioenergy, veterinary, and more.

Congratulations to all students presenting at this year’s meeting!

Posted 03/13/22

College Spotlights Education Graduate William Brothers

William Brothers, Ed.S.

William Brothers has been selected as the new Dean for the School of Education and Professional Studies at Greenville Technical College. He is responsible for oversight of an academic school that encompasses programs in cosmetology, criminal justice, early care & education, human services, and paralegal, along with the college’s Culinary Institute of the Carolinas.

Brothers earned an Ed.S. in Brain-Based Teaching from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2012. He holds a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University, an M.B.A. from Western Carolina University, and Bachelor’s Degree from Southern Wesleyan University.

Brothers is an experienced higher education professional with more than a decade of teaching and administrative experience. Brothers said that he pursued a career in education because it is a career that helps to change lives. “You inspire your students to do their best when you do your best,” he said. “You encourage your colleagues to work hard when you work hard.”

Brothers said that the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice gave him the knowledge and skills to educate his students and effectively lead his faculty and staff. The program gave him the confidence to move into a career in education. Brothers was enrolled as a student at a distance, and he said the faculty and staff with the program were very supportive and accommodating.

Brothers currently lives in South Carolina with his wife and five children. The Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice wishes Brothers the best of luck as he steps into his new role as Dean for the School of Education and Professional Studies at Greenville Technical College!

Posted 02/14/22

Dental Medicine Graduate Devotes Life to Giving Back

Roxene Gascoigne, DDS

Roxene Gascoigne, DDS, completed her residency in Endodontics at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU-Dental) and currently practices in New York. Not only does Gascoigne devote her life to health care and educating people on oral health’s vital role in overall wellness, but she also hones a passion for philanthropy.

Gascoigne grew up in Jamaica and was immersed in an environment of educators and philanthropists. Her grandparents were prominent principals in Jamaica. Her grandfather founded a credit union to provide educators with an opportunity to establish their livelihoods by assisting them in purchasing homes and building their careers. Gascoigne’s father, Rae Gascoigne, has been an exemplar in raising resources for their native Jamaica. Rae founded scholarships for educators in honor of his father, the distinguished Desmond Charles (“DC”) Gascoigne Award for Excellence, administered by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association Credit Union. Gascoigne’s compassion and strong work ethic can be attributed to her strong bond with her father, who continues to serve as her mentor. Since graduating from  NSU-Dental, Gascoigne is committed to following in her father’s philanthropic footsteps, providing a Changing Life Scholarship to NSU dental students seeking to pursue a career in dental medicine. She has named her scholarship in honor of her father, from whom she learned philanthropy. Gascoigne also volunteers her time at one of the largest hospital groups in New York, Northwell Health, working with recent dental graduates and serving as an attending at their GPR Program. Despite her hectic schedule, giving back to the community is a priority for Gascoigne. She finds it rewarding to work with the next generation of graduates and inspires them to reach their goals.

During her time at NSU-Dental, Gascoigne immersed herself in the curriculum and established herself as a hard worker amongst her peers. Her fondest memory is grand rounds, a monthly conference during which students from different specialties presented clinical cases. Partaking in grand rounds allowed her to collaborate with classmates and articulate on pressing matters within different specialties. When asked what advice she would give students, Gascoigne said, “Medicine is a very demanding field. Put passion into your work and love what you’re doing, then everything else will follow.”

To learn more about creating a Changing Lives Scholarship, contact Shari Meehan, Director of Development, smeehan@nova.edu.

Posted 02/13/22

Education Alumnus Appointed Middle School Principal

Presley Charles, Ed.D.

The Howell L. Watkins Middle School in Florida recently appointed Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alumni Presley Charles, Ed.D., as their new principal. Before becoming a principal, Charles was a member of the Professional Growth Department as the Manager of Leadership Development in the School District of Palm Beach County. He also served as an assistant principal and has been in education for 16 years in four school districts in Florida and Georgia.

Charles, was born in Freeport, Bahamas, but raised in Pompano Beach, Florida, with his parents, who immigrated to Florida from Haiti. He received his associate degree from Tallahassee Community College, then proceeded to earn an undergraduate degree in sociology from Florida A&M University. Charles continued to pursue his education by earning a Masters of Educational Leadership at Florida A&M University. In 2012, he earned a doctorate degree in Human Service Administration from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.

Charles is the founder of Man I am Male Mentoring and Leadership Program, which helps young males develop a sense of self-respect and become productive young men of their community in which he mentored hundreds of young men. He received the Glenn-Howell Distinguished Minority Educator of the Year Award for 2009-10 and 2010-11, and he was also featured in Essence Magazine top 50 “Do Right Man” in 2006 for his work in the community.

Charles is proud of the doctorate degree he received from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. His advice for future students pursuing a career as an educational leader is to follow a purpose and not a position, lead people to influence, and add value to them.

Charles lives in Florida with his wife Jacqueline and two children, Xavier and Pharaoh. Fins up to you, Presley and all of your incredible accomplishments. The Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice can’t wait to hear about all your success as you step into your new role as principal.

Posted 02/13/22

College Spotlights Doctor of Education Graduate

Marquita S. Blades Ed.D.

Marquita S. Blades, Ed.D, is an award-winning educator, international speaker, author, and education consultant with 16 years of experience as a high school science teacher and manager of national STEM programs for high-achieving high school students. Blades saves schools and school districts time and money by teaching them how to increase student engagement and collaboration through rigorous and meaningful learning experiences, using the resources they currently have on hand.

In 2018, Blades created the POWARRful Teaching Strategies® framework to help students build their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, based on recurring themes in her teaching practices. She found that she was constantly teaching the same six-core POWARR skills: Predict, Observe, Write, Analyze, Research, Report. Since releasing POWARRful Teaching Strategies®, she has shared the framework with thousands of educators across the US, giving them the tools and confidence, they need to put it into practice and build more student-centered classrooms immediately. Blades is also the founder of The Mediocre Teacher Project, which helps teachers avoid and battle through burnout by incorporating their unique gifts and talents into their daily practice.

Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards, including the Elizabeth Allen Alford Overcomer’s Award (2017), Teachers of Atlanta Honoree (2017), Eta Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Rising Star in Education (2017), National Celebrity Educators™-Georgia Celebrity Educator of the Year (2018), and Women of Strength Honoree (2018). Most recently, she was nominated for the 2019 Community Engagement R.I.C.E. Award and was selected to be included in the 2019 Edition of Who’s Who in Black Atlanta.

Blades earned a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Broad Field Science from Georgia State University, a Master of Science in Technical and Professional Communication from Southern Polytechnic State University, and a Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Blades said that earning her doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University has been one of the best decisions in her professional career. Since earning her doctoral degree, her career as an educator has taken off. She’s doing what she intended to do: become an instructional leader! She has conducted hundreds of national presentations, held workshops and seminars all providing professional development to thousands of educators, sharing best practices she learned through classroom experience and doctoral research. In addition, she has become a published author, editor and publisher and gained the respect of colleagues who were once professors that she held in high esteem. Her degree has opened doors she could not have imagined walking through and earned her seats at tables where she could not imagine sitting. She is very grateful for her NSU education.

Recently, Blades established the “The Dr. Marquita S. Blades POWARRful Changing Lives Scholarship” at Nova Southeastern University to help provide scholarships to NSU students pursuing a graduate degree at the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. The Changing Lives scholarship, first-hand, touches student’s lives. We are beyond grateful for Blades’ generosity. Because of her newly established scholarship, the college will support students fulfill their dreams by continuing their education.

When she is not teaching or public speaking, Blades works as a Realtor alongside her husband Virgil Blades. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and exploring life in Panama, where she and her husband reside part-time.

For any questions regarding POWARRful Teaching Strategies® please contact Marquita at drblades@drmarquitablades.com and follow her on social media at @powarrfulteaching.

Posted 01/30/22

Law College Alumna Teaches Others to Become Empowered

Kara Vaval, Esq.

Kara Vaval, Esq., graduate of NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law (SBCOL) is known as The Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer ®. She is an author, keynote speaker, business development coach, and the President of Vaval Law, a personal injury law firm.  She is also the CEO of the InPowerment Institute, LLC, an educational and empowerment platform geared toward delivering courses, training, and coaching services to students.

Vaval subscribes to the belief that “when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.”

According to Vaval, the path to where she is today began when she was very young. She was always a “talker” but not just talking for the sake of making noise. Rather, she was witty and very logical, always making good, solid points, even when they were unpopular. She grew up hearing that she had what it took to be a good lawyer and feels that she internalized those projections. After Vaval’s father was brutally murdered in Haiti in 1996 (she was only 14 and he was only 42), with justice still not having been served 25 years later, being a voice for the voiceless and righting injustice forcefully pulled at her. Adding to the mix was her insatiable desire to make her father proud by making something significant of herself with the principles, foundation, and discipline he had imparted onto her during the years she had the honor of journeying with him around.

Vaval took a very different and exciting path to success that has allowed her to combine both her passions for law and helping others. Her days consist of a workload split between the practice of law and her Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer® students. She also has a very robust schedule including networking functions, Lunch and Learn events to provide lawyers with an opportunity to learn how to change their lifestyle, hosting virtual events, conducting discovery calls and guest speaking engagements.

In 2016, Vaval was the recipient of the Beacon of Hope and Achievement Award presented to her by The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Miami. Also, in 2016 she published her book “28,000 Days…Make Yours Count! An Inspiring Perspective for Living Your Best Life!” In 2019, Vaval won a $2.1 million jury verdict for her minor client while working from the comfort of her pool!

Vaval chose Nova Southeastern University’s SBCOL because it was the most reputable law school in the South Florida area when she moved down from New York in 2005. She graduated in 2008 and is licensed to practice law in Florida. Her advice to our current SBCOL students is to remember that law school will get your foot in the door of the world of law. But it’s hustle, grit, resourcefulness and outside the box thinking that will make you a fortune with a JD in hand. Also, remember that there will be no “right” way to do this thing. Just find YOUR way.

Posted 01/16/22

Education Alumna Named Georgia 2022 Superintendent of Year

Noris Price, Ed.D.

Noris Price, Ed.D., graduate of NSU’s Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice was named Georgia’s 2022 Superintendent of the Year at the Georgia School Superintendents Association conference in Atlanta on December 2.

Since 2014, Price has led the Baldwin County School District. Under her leadership, the Baldwin County School District has implemented instructional initiatives and strategies that have resulted in improved student performance and the high school graduation rate increasing from 66% to 88%. Additionally, Price has been successful in obtaining more than $5 million in grant funds for Baldwin County Schools and leading the school district through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS/CASI) district accreditation process.

Price has received numerous awards throughout her tenure in the education field. In 2019, she was given the national “All in for Students” Award by Communities in Schools. She has also received the Georgia School Superintendents Association President’s Awards, the Whitney M. Young Award, Johnnie V. Cox Leadership Award from the University of Georgia, and was named a Georgia PTA Outstanding Principal, among other distinctions.

Price earned a Doctor of Education in educational leadership with NSU in 2006 and was honored with the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017. She also served as the College’s 2021 Commencement Speaker.

Price will go on to represent Georgia and compete for National Superintendent of the Year, in February 2022 at the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Conference.

Posted 12/16/21

College Spotlights NSU Alumna and Educational Leader

Theresa West, Ed.D.

Theresa West, Ed.D., is an educational leader, author, researcher, and speaker. West is a first-generation college graduate and is a force of passion, hard work, resilience, and goodwill. Her mother and grandmother were her biggest inspirations in pursuing her higher education degrees and pursuing a career in education. Without them, she wouldn’t be living her dreams. They taught her the importance of creating her own opportunities. Most importantly, they encouraged her to believe that she can do the impossible.

In 2019, she earned her Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology and Distance Education degree from the Abraham S. Fischer College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) in 2019, and she also earned her Educational Specialist in Technology Management and Administration from FCE&SCJ in 2014.

West currently serves as the Business Technology Southern Region Chairperson within the Technical College System of Georgia. In addition to serving the Technical College System of Georgia, she serves on the curriculum standards administrative committee which she oversees the updating, revising, and promotion of the National Standards for Business Education as necessary and facilitate the development of additional K-14 curriculum materials as directed by the National Business Education Association Executive Board.

Under her leadership, five students received first, and second-place awards at the Phi Beta Lambda of Georgia’s 60th Annual Leadership Conference, and three students were placed in the top ten at the 2008 Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference. To date, more than 200 students received associate degrees, almost 500 diplomas, nearly 150 technical certificates of credit, roughly 85 career placements, and about 50 Microsoft Office Specialist certifications. Also, Business Technology and Business Healthcare Technology are among the largest programs at Albany Technical College. Similarly, in 2017, Online Colleges recognized and honored business programs at Albany Technical College for excellence and achievement in online learning.

West said that attending NSU and receiving both her degrees from FCE&SCJ have prepared her for a growing career. It has opened many doors and helped leverage her career as a leader in education. FCE&SCJ allowed her to collaborate closely with faculty and staff to facilitate education programs and initiatives, celebrate diversity, promote multiculturalism, and develop a global mindset.

As an educational advocate for business and distance education, West regularly presents and contributes to scholarly publications at various conferences. She has received many recognitions for her publications, including the best conference paper from the Florida Distance Learning Association. West is currently working on a new book for those in higher education. West now lives in Albany, Ga., and enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and watching Tampa Bay Buccaneers play! Fins up to you, Theresa and for all your hard work.

Posted 12/15/21

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