Category: SharkBytes

Dental Missions Visit Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico

NSU College of Dental Medicine started off the summer semester with a tremendous outreach to several communities and potential new collaborations.

In late April 2023, Mark Schweizer, Assistant Dean for Community Programs and Public Health visited the Dominican Republic to see the wonderful work being done by One Smile led by our own IDG, Christopher Garcia who has provided more than 17 missions through his organization.

They were also joined by IDG students, Nelson Carrillo, Rafael Castro, Pranayan Chakma, Jay Shah, Christopher Basily, Alexandra Izaguirre, Dayli Vidal, and Kenia Marmol, traveling to the remote area outside of Santa Domingo to treat children from underserved communities and provided food and medical screenings.

Schweizer also met with the Dean of Unibe Dental school to explore potential for educational and clinical programs.

The love continued when the Kiran Patel College of Health Care Sciences joined the College of Dental Medicine in Utuado, Puerto Rico in May 2023. Students from NSU Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Dental Medicine provided care to hundreds of patients at the Cassao Community Clinic.

Schweizer and Dr. Norberto Coerezza led students Jim Skaff, Mary Wick, Christopher Garcia (IDG), Shekhar Gill-Uppal, Austin Jackson, and William Thornton. The community was so gracious of the care we provided, and we plan on returning in October. The exchange and connection between the students and patients were just amazing.

Posted 05/21/23

Education Alum Starts Educational Consulting Business

Kisha Bellande-Francis, Ed.D.

A doctoral graduate of the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice has opened her own educational consulting business.

Kisha Bellande-Francis earned her Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership from NSU in 2018 and has worked in a number of educational roles. She initially began her career as a Speech Language Pathologist before working as a teacher, administrator, and instructional consultant.

“As an administrator, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m making an impact in the whole school. It’s so wonderful. But when I became a consultant, and I was able to travel to different districts in different states, I felt like ‘Oh my Goodness, now I am making a national impact!”

Bellande-Francis now leads her own consulting business, she helps schools and organizations evaluate instructional practices and recommends areas for improvement. She has been consulting since 2015, but started her own business in 2022 and expressed that the feeling of being on her own has been liberating.

“It’s just been a pleasure because I really get to bring my vision to my practice. I have closer relationships with district and school leaders, and nothing beats that.

Bellande-Francis said her degree from Nova helped prepare her for this role by extending her capabilities through using research as a meaningful way to help her clients.

“It’s opened my eyes to look at challenges in a way of questioning, investigating, and collecting data to leverage the results towards growth and impact.”

When it comes to the future, Bellande-Francis is open to a variety of possibilities, however, there is an ultimate goal that she does dream about: opening her own school, and she has even collaborated with FCE&SCJ Dean Kimberly Durham about it.

“I started the process and was on my way to establishing my own school in 2020 but when COVID hit everything halted. The dream is still in my heart and something that I hope to achieve one day. I have reimagined what schools can look like. I want to implement my vision of a competency-based school that removes “grade level” barriers and allows each individual student the opportunity to excel at their own pace and reach their absolute fullest potential, especially in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) aspects.  I want to apply my experience and talents in my own school and allow all of the best teaching practices to blossom in one place.”

Posted 05/08/23

Education Alum Appointed to 2 Roles at a Chicago University

A doctoral graduate from the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice has been appointed to two different leadership roles at a Chicago university.

Steven Gerner, Ed.D., was recently named the Assistant Dean for the College of Education and the Director of the Center for Christian Education at Concordia University Chicago.

Steven Gerner, Ed.D.

“With 28 years of urban education experience, [Gerner] continues to propel forward innovative and engaging educational strategy with the goal of success for all students,” the university said in a press release.

Gerner himself said getting the position was exciting and he appreciated being recognized as a good fit for the role.

“They valued the education experiences I had, and it was a good challenge to look forward and be somewhere where they supported this idea of continually getting better really focusing on becoming a premier university to all students,” Gerner said.

In his role as the Director for the Center for Christian Education, Gerner will work to serve as a catalyst and find opportunities for faith-fueled education in the community.

But in addition to these two roles, Gerner is also the CEO for the Center for Urban Education Ministries. Despite three intensive roles, Gerner said he is ready to take them on.

“It’s three distinct roles, but as much as we can, we can meld them together to really line up the arrows in the same direction,” he said. “I feel it’s part of what Nova prepared me for, to keep moving forward with all the different various workloads.”

Gerner earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from NSU in 2010. He said his ultimate goal is make sure all students are successful academically.

“Whether it’s leveling the playing field, whether it’s giving opportunities, the end goal to be seen across our country is making sure all students can be successful.”

Congratulations and Fins Up to you!

Posted 05/07/23

Psychology Alum Spins the Wheel, Wins Cash, Prizes

Matthew Jalazo, Psy.D.

“I’d like to buy a vowel.”

Contestants on Wheel of Fortune excitedly utter these words to host Pat Sajak and then hope Vanna White uncovers the letters they have chosen. NSU College of Psychology alumnus Matthew Jalazo, Psy.D., recently became one of those contestants. He spun the wheel and solved the puzzle—several puzzles, in fact.

Jalazo’s turn on the popular game show earned him $26,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to Costa Rica.

His 15-minutes of fame—technically 22 minutes without commercial interruption—was the culmination of a journey that began when he was eight years old and first saw the colors of the wheel on his grandmother’s kitchen countertop television. He was in his 20s when his cousin got to meet Bob Barker on The Price is Right. She got to hear her name called with the phrase, “Come on down. You’re the next contestant on The Price is Right,” but unfortunately lost the game. Jalazo joked to her that it was now his singular life mission to get on The Price is Right to fix that disgrace to the family.

He did eventually audition for a spot on The Price is Right, and then tried using his celebrity impression of wrestler Hulk Hogan at a casting call for Deal or No Deal. Unfortunately, he didn’t make the cut for either show.

In November of 2022, Jalazo happened to see an advertisement inviting super fans of wrestling to try out for Wheel of Fortune, so he made a video and sent in the application. He was invited to a zoom audition, solved sample puzzles, and even dressed up as Hulk Hogan to entertain the casting committee and show his passion for wrestling. He remembered them laughing hysterically at his impersonation. Two hours later, he got the call to be a contestant, albeit not for WWE Week.

“They liked my energy and my enthusiasm, but not my wrestler impressions,” Jalazo said.

Jalazo traveled to California to be on Wheel of Fortune and put his psychology background to use when prepping for his appearance. Banking on his knowledge that it’s impossible to feel two emotions at once, he made sure he went into the taping feeling completely relaxed so it would be difficult to feel nervous. His goal was to be relatable—striking the balance between being entertaining and being ruthless in playing to win.

“I wanted to be a likeable, fun contestant, but I also wanted to play in a way that showed people I was taking the game seriously, because I understood I was very fortunate to get selected,” Jalazo said.

An army veteran and father of a 16-year-old son, Jalazo is a forensic psychologist and serves on the faculty of Albizu University. He has also participated in open mic nights for stand-up comedy.

“I tend to enjoy creative, spontaneous things where I get to show my personality,” he said. “It’s a nice balance with the serious work that I do.”

And while Wheel of Fortune is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Jalazo’s dream of competing on game shows isn’t done. His next goal is to appear on Let’s Make a Deal. He still wants to dress up as a professional wrestler and show off his Hulk Hogan impersonation to a televised audience.

“If you have a dream – whether trying to be a national game show, or something else that you think is not within reach – go, get it,” Jalazo said. “Appearing on Wheel of Fortune was an amazing experience—one I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. But had I not been looking at my computer for five minutes on that Wednesday morning, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“The message is to be open to life experiences each and every day. No dream is too big.”

Posted 05/10/23

Education Doctoral Alum Named VP of Student Affairs in Texas

Jason Abreu, Ed.D.

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate Jason Abreu, Ed.D., has been named the Vice President of Student Affairs at Tarrant County College – Trinity River Campus in Fort Worth, Texas.

Abreu graduated from NSU with his Masters in Leadership and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership. His duties involve managing the experience for students beyond the classroom, including advising, financial aid, mental health, student life and activities, and more.

Abreu has been serving in the role since January, and he said he is enjoying the experience.

“I am thrilled to join an institution that values and places the student journey at the forefront. TCC personifies a first-class experience for students and the excitement is palpable” Abreu said.

All-in-all, Abreu said he hopes to truly make the student experience better for incoming, current, and graduating students.

“How can we increase our retention and graduation rates? How can we elevate the student experience to ensure goals are accomplished and workforce needs are met?” Abreu mentioned. “Lastly, we must focus on expanding resources. Right now, students are dealing with housing insecurities, food insecurities, inflation, mental health and other aspects that are impacting their educational journey. It is our responsibility to leverage the appropriate resources.”

This fits very much with Abreu’s own philosophy and personal story focused on educational accessibility and opportunity.

“Through higher education, I was able to see the world from a different lens and through this space, I am able to give back. Open access and equitable opportunities for a high quality educational experience is my motto,” Abreu said.

Congratulations on your new role Jason Abreu!

Posted 04/23/23

Writing Center Faculty Coordinator Appointed Journal Editor

Eric Mason, Ph.D.

Eric Mason, Ph.D., NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC) Faculty Coordinator, was appointed co-editor of Southern Discourse in the Center: A Journal of Multiliteracy and Innovation, February 2023. Mason is an associate professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts (DCMA) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences. Mason’s co-editor is Devon Rolston, Ph.D. (associate professor & Writing Center Director, Winthrop University).

Southern Discourse in the Center: A Journal of Multiliteracy and Innovation (SDC) sponsored by the Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA), is a journal for writing center practitioners, students, and faculty looking interested in innovative approaches to writing center practices.

Of his new position, Mason stated “Based on my past experience working as an editor of other academic journals, there are several things I hope to change about how SDC is run, including involving graduate students as editorial assistants so they get to experience the academic publication process firsthand. Overall, I’m excited to take over as co-editor of SDC, and eager to help the journal become an even better resource for those working in writing centers around the world.”

Click here to read current and past issues of Southern Discourse in the Center.

To learn more about the WCC, visit nova.edu/wcc

Posted 04/09/23

Doctoral Grad Accepted to Presidential Management Fellowship

Justina Jackson, Ed.D.

A doctoral graduate student from the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice has recently been accepted into a prestigious federal fellowship program.

Justina Jackson, Ed.D., was recently selected as a finalist for the Presidential Management Fellows Program. The highly competitive program lasts two years and attracts thousands of applicants with advanced degrees from different disciplines. Of 10,000 applicants, only 850 were selected.

During the fellowship, students will work to be appointed to a U.S. Government Agency for training, and at the end of the program, they may also be given the opportunity to become a permanent civilian employee.

“I was just completely shocked. And I was just like, ‘This is your moment. This is your season. This is God opening the door for you. I’m walking in that door and totally appreciative for the opportunities to even get this far,’” Jackson said, describing her feelings upon learning she had been selected.

Jackson graduated with her Ed.D. from NSU in 21’ and her Masters in Social Work from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 13.’ She is currently pursuing a second Master’s degree in Leadership.

Jackson was told about the program by one of her mentors, and after applying, she interviewed, and then in February, she learned she had been selected as a finalist.

Having her doctorate in Education, Jackson initially aimed to be appointed to a position with the Department of Education, but a former PM fellow with an education background reached out to her and proposed working for the CDC. He described how his skills proved to be uniquely useful in that field, so Jackson considered doing the same.

“I applied for all the opportunities with CDC,” she said. “The jobs range from being a health scientist to a technical grant writer to public health analyst and policy analyst.”

All-in-all, Jackson said she hopes she can make meaningful change with this opportunity.

“I really want to be transformative, not just transactional,” she said. “If I could wave a wand, I would like to be some sort of policy analyst that can actually change the lives of students in a better direction, families in a better direction, whether that’s public health, social services — whatever it is, just actually making a genuine impact and not just surface level.”

Congratulations Justina Jackson! Fins up to you!

Posted 04/09/23

Art + Design Alum Featured at Visual Arts Festival

Art + Design alumna, Annie Nugget, painted a mural live during the first-ever Avenue of the Arts Festival (AOTA) in Fort Lauderdale.

“It was the first opportunity I had to collaborate with another artist (its_tryphonas) and be involved in a community mural fest. Connecting with other artists and walks of life through the event was insightful and reassuring in my own journey beyond my brush against the wall in my part of the event,” Nugget said.

Born and raised in the U.S., Nugget shared her experience as a first-generation Vietnamese American through multidisciplinary art. Her work is best described as the inspiration of contrasting concepts combining subjects and materials to convey a new vision of reinterpreted thoughts.

Learn more about NSU’s B.A. in Art + Design here.

Posted 03/12/23

Professor Patricia Gaffney Receives Outstanding Educator Award

Patricia Gaffney, Au.D.

Each year, the American Academy of Audiology asks colleagues, friends, and mentees to look around their professional circles and recognize members who are deserving of recognition for outstanding service to audiology and the hearing sciences. This year, Patricia Gaffney, Au.D., was chosen as the 2023 recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award and the Department of Audiology could not be prouder!

Gaffney has distinguished herself as a superior professor in the Department of Audiology, where her demanding didactic courses, clinical supervision, and research mentorship have earned her high respect from her students and her faculty colleagues.

Gaffney has been teaching doctoral audiology students since her appointment to Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in 2007. She teaches multiple courses in vestibular science and amplification where she skillfully weaves theory to practice from classroom to clinic. In the clinical realm, Gaffney precepts students and provides care to patients in the NSU Audiology Clinic.  Most of her clinical focus is seeing adult and pediatric patients with vestibular complaints. This is where you can truly see Gaffney’s impact as students start translating what they have learned in the classroom to clinical practice.

Gaffney’s teaching philosophy is simple:

“Make our students into the best audiologists. When you produce good audiologists, that speaks for itself in the profession. The impact of well-trained audiologists is a continuous process because it means that patients will be treated in the way they need, and when the graduate become a preceptor, it will enhance the knowledge of the next generation of audiologists. Every day when I teach, that is in the forefront of my mind. This guides how I plan my semester, write lectures, precept students in the clinic, and counsel them.”

Gaffney represents the very best in education and we are all better for having been her colleague over the years.

Posted 03/05/23

Fischler Alum Receives President’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Karlton Johnson, Ed.D.

A Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum recently received a recognition of presidential proportions.

Karlton Johnson, Ed.D., received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden in recognition of 5,000 hours of service in Florida, Texas, Virginia, and Arkansas.

The purpose of the award is to recognize the people across America who have volunteered thousands of hours over their lifetime. It was first established by President George W. Bush in 2003, but variations of the program have existed over the years.

“By sharing your time and passion, you are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face, the solutions that we need now more than ever,” the president said in a letter. “We are living in a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures light to see our way forward and love for one another. Through your service, you’re providing all three.”

“When I actually saw the award, saw the certificate, saw the badge and saw my metal, I was like, ‘Wow, this is real. A letter from the president himself,’” Johnson said. “This definitely put me on a platform where the notoriety of public education in districts across the country is really on the map.”

Johnson currently serves as the Director of Career and Technical Education for Broward County Public schools. Having spent more than 25 years in the education field, he said this was something his younger self never would have imagined.

“Our work is not just within the organization in which we work for the infrastructure, our work is mainly involvement and community outreach,” he said. “I’m so happy that the President and the Vice President were able to acknowledge those individuals across the world and I just happened to be one.”

The recognition left Johnson with the sense that his work is making an impact.

“It lets me know that the work that I do has a purpose towards changing lives and supporting lives across the country, and just not being an educator but just doing community outreach to help students across our country have a brighter future,” he said.

Johnson earned his M.S. in Educational Leadership in 2000 and his Doctor of Education in 2015 from NSU.

Congratulations Karlton Johnson! Fins up to you!

Posted 03/05/23

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