Category: SharkBytes

A two-time graduate from NSU is now a published children’s book author.

Anysh Girdhari is a graduate from both the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice with her M.H.S. in Child Protection and from the Huizenga College of Business with her M.S. in Business Administration. In her day job, she works as a counselor, but she recently shifted gears a bit and wrote a book titled “Adventures at Grandma Bahamas.”

The story is based on the life of Girdhari’s own son, Chatoen, and describes how he would spend summers with his grandmother (Girdhari’s mother) in the Bahamas and learn different life skills.

Girdhari said she was inspired to write the book while working in psychiatric hospitals and how when doing evaluations, she noticed deficits in nutrition and exercise. She hopes to use the story to teach people about the benefits of living well.

“We hear that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but we need to go more intrinsic and really apply it and add good habits,” she said. “People see therapists for habits, habit building, habit stacking, and not only just building but also eliminating as well.”

Girdhari also wanted to create more representation for children of color.

“We don’t really see much representation of black and brown,” she said. “And there’s so much out here to attract young women or young girls, and there’s not much for our boys.”

There are currently two other books in the works that will follow Chatoen in Italy and a third that will take place in Florida. Girdhari also said she is considering animating the book, and even shifting her focus to media and producing programs that spread awareness about mental health.

“That’s my thing,” she said. “I just love helping people to understand and communicate in a clearer way.”

Girdhari is aiming to complete the other two books by spring 2024.

Posted 10/08/11

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Michael Dieppa has been named the chief of police for a Georgia police department.

Dieppa has spent 28 years working with the Miami-Dade Police Department. But now, he is trading in Florida oranges for Georgia peaches and will now lead the Chamblee Police Department. Chamblee is located northeast of Atlanta.

Dieppa described a feeling of great accomplishment after learning he had been selected for the role.

“It was a really good feeling, that I was able to accomplish one of the biggest goals that I’ve set for myself in my life,” he said.

Dieppa followed in his father’s steps and joined Miami-Dade Police when he was young. In his time with the department, Dieppa moved up several roles, and he earned his bachelor’s in organizational leadership from St. Thomas and his masters in leadership from NSU. He later went on to earn a doctorate in organizational leadership from St. Thomas University.

Dieppa said each of his degrees helped prepare him to take on higher roles in his career. He also said his time at NSU really activated his drive to continue in the realm of higher education.

“During that time at Nova, a professor talked about, it stuck with me — it still sticks with me — that at the time … only about 1% of the population ever gets a doctorate degree or goes beyond a masters.”

“The education component, played a significant role in my development by doing a deeper dive into leadership theory and leadership traits” he added.

Dieppa is set to officially step into the role on Oct. 23.

Fins up to you Chief Dieppa!

Posted 10/08/23

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Sholondo Campbell, Ed.D. has been named the Dean of Students at Lynn University.

Campbell earned his Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from NSU. However, in addition to being an NSU alum, he also served nine years at NSU managing student affairs for the university’s regional campuses across Florida and in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Campbell is no stranger to leadership in higher education.

“A lot of it is relationship building across the university and ensuring collaboration on anything that kind of impacts students’ success and overall experience,” he said.

As the Dean of Students, Campbell works with a small group of people to ensure the students at Lynn are succeeding and doing well.

“I have the opportunity to supervise two assistant deans and an Executive Director of Health and Wellness. So, I essentially work with the VP and assist in the development and implementation of various key projects that support the division’s mission and vision to support student success and retention.”

Some of the areas that fall under Campbell’s office include campus student involvement, case management, Student Conduct, the Student Health Center, counseling services, the fitness and recreation center, and more.

Campbell didn’t initially expect to end up in higher education at the start of his career. But when he considered a fulfilling profession that would allow him to make a living, his mind came to student affairs.

“I really kept coming back to the experiences I had on a college campus, I was a student athlete, I was involved in Student Activities,” he said.

The interactions Campbell had with administrators during those times kind of spurred him to enter the field himself, and he has been helping students ever since.

Campbell said he hopes to really drive student success while he is in his current role.

“If I’m meeting all of my objectives and it’s still fueling student success, and having students stay here and feel a strong sense of belonging and strong sense of satisfaction on their way to graduating, then that’s a win for me.”

Congratulations on the role, Sholondo Campbell! Fins up to you!

Posted 09/10/23

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate Terrence Conner has recently been named the superintendent of Sarasota County Public Schools.

Conner, who graduated from NSU with his M.S., in 2016 has been in the role since July 17 and while the position has been a whirlwind, it has been great at the same time.

“When I got the job, there was a kind of a sigh of relief, but then it was like, ‘Okay, now you got the job. Now the real work begins.’”

As superintendent, Conner’s job entails managing the daily operations of the school districts. He said he has spent a lot of time listening to staff, parents, and community members.

“I’ve been onboarding myself and taking a lot of time to listen and learn and to evaluate current processes and look at the data, analyze that and determine how we’re going to move forward,” Conner said.

Conner said his goal while in the position is to make Sarasota County Schools the No. 1 school district in the state and to receive national recognition.

“That [involves] first and foremost, meeting the needs of all students in the school district, who are coming from different backgrounds, to ensure that when they step foot in our schools, that we’re capable, able and willing to meet every student’s individual needs so that they can be successful,” he said.

Conner said his degree from NSU has proved to be useful in his career.

“It was really great to learn from people who had done the work and been in the trenches and know, because there’s a difference between theory and reality. Having instructors who were able to make those bridges connect was really helpful,” he said.

Fins up to you Terrence and best wishes for this school year!

Posted 08/27/23

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Siena Benson is using her degree to help people who were once incarcerated build a better life.

Benson recently graduated with her M.S. in Criminal Justice. Now, she is working as Community Navigator for the New York City-based nonprofit organization Housing Works. Benson works with the Justice Initiatives Department providing re-entry services for people who have been through the criminal justice system and helps connect them to mental health services, employment resources, housing and more.

“My position is really special because I’m the only one that actually gets to go inside Rikers Island and meet with people where they’re at,” Benson said. “I get to listen to what people need, and I get them set up to have services upon release.”

Benson said she feels lucky to work in such an impactful position.

“I get to work in one of the most historical prisons in the country,” she said. “Actually being there is, honestly — it’s outstanding. And outstanding in the sense that it’s an outlier, you know, not a lot of people get to go in, and not a lot of people get this experience.”

Working directly in the system, Benson gets to see the other side of incarceration and how those inside hope to improve their lives after getting out.

“I feel that the prison population is a population that is overlooked. People are serving their time, but they’re still people,” Benson said. “They’re struggling, they’re paying their dues … I think everybody can agree that once they’re released, nobody wants to go back to prison, and nobody wants to get in trouble again.”

Benson said she doesn’t know what’s in store for her in the future, but she hopes to continue working to give back.

“I see myself being successful and being a leader for people who need it the most — being that person who can guide people in the right direction and help people out.”

Posted 07/30/23

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Kevin Hearn, Ed.D. was recently named the vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts.

The position is a new one and combines the enrollment and student affairs functions into single role that helps build a positive student experience from the beginning of the application process all the way through graduation.

Hearn is the perfect candidate for the role, having previously served as both a vice president for enrollment management and a vice president of student affairs.

“Throughout my career, I have worked to create systems and practices to improve the lives of students, focusing on making their experience as seamless as possible. And now we get the opportunity to really do it at a high level at Westfield State. I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” Hearn said.

In the role, Hearn said he hopes to build a flagship student program that other institutions can model their programs after.

“I’m looking at this as a tremendous opportunity to be innovative in our approach to serving students and their families.  Students and families need more assistance, and higher education must focus on how to serve their interests best while preparing them for the academic rigor and psycho-social development that takes place during this time.  Higher education leaders are making great strides in this area of student support and I believe Westfield State can be a leader in these efforts.”

Hearn earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from NSU. He said that the design of Nova’s program and being exposed to so many different classmates from different fields and backgrounds really helped prepare him for his leadership role.

In his cohort alone, he had fellow educators, teachers, and administrators, but also  veterans, an administrator for LaGuardia Airport, th CFO for a large accounting firm in NYC and more.

“That diversity among the students lent itself to stimulating and exciting conversations, it lent itself to different perspectives, led to a sense that higher education needed to evolve, to be creative.  Simply, as students change, the industry is compelled to change as well.”

As for his next steps, Hearn said he is focused on the challenges and opportunities at Westfield State,, and that maybe one day, he may pursue a presidential position at a college or university..

Congratulations Dr. Hearn!

Posted 07/30/23