Tag: Diversity

College of Dental Medicine Launches Scholarship Program

The Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (the CDM) is the largest dental school in Florida and will soon become the second-largest dental school in the nation.

While dentistry is usually thought of as a professional practice, it is also a science that depends on researchers to develop new and better technologies. Dental researchers have discovered links between such systemic diseases as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, arthritis, and periodontitis. Moreover, we have seen the growth of dental disease specific to underrepresented ethnic groups, such as diabetes-associated periodontitis among Hispanics and Native Americans.

Under the leadership of renowned researcher Toshihisa Kawai, DDS, Ph.D., working in concert with Richard Singer, DDS, Ph.D., the CDM is launching a new scholarship program that will provide master’s degrees and mentorship for predoctoral dental students from underrepresented ethnic and socioeconomic groups to meet the need for dental researchers who will discover new treatments and therapies for patients everywhere.

Since 1993, Dr. Kawai has served as a volunteer mentor and teacher for students from diversity backgrounds, preparing them for successful careers in biomedical science. His laboratory is dedicated to discovering new drug targets and developing novel therapeutics for periodontitis and other bone lytic diseases, including osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and bone cancer metastasis.

The CDM seeks to raise $10,000 for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) scholarships.”

NSU’s Graduate and Online Programs Shine in Latest National Rankings

The 2023 U.S. News & World Report higher education rankings are out, and Nova Southeastern University continues to be ranked among the nation’s best in several important categories.

The “Best Graduate Schools” category includes NSU’s highly ranked physician assistant program (M.M.S. in Physician Assistant) offered in Fort Lauderdale through the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences.

NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law topped the U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Schools” list for its highly regarded “Health Care Law,” “Legal Writing,” and “Trial Advocacy” programs, and both the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine and Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine were recognized as national leaders in “Diversity” among the “Best Medical Schools.”

The “Best Online Programs” category features NSU’s information technology program (M.S. in Information Technology) offered through the College of Computing and Engineering, and nursing (M.S.N.) program offered through the Ron & Kathy Assaf College of Nursing, which earned high national rankings.

“As NSU continues to forge ahead in its path to preeminence, such national recognitions are a product of a culture dedicated to providing top-notch educational opportunities and innovative academic and research programs on its many campuses,” said NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. By collecting school data annually, U.S. News & World Report presents the most current figures on enrollment, job placement, faculty and other critical quality indicators that help prospective students make informed decisions.

NSU routinely has been ranked among the best by U.S. News & World Report. University-wide, in 2022-2023, NSU was recognized as a top “National University,” a “Best Value School,” and among the best colleges for “Social Mobility.”

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

Winners Honored at Holocaust Reflection Contest Ceremony

On Sunday, April 16, 2023, the ninth annual Holocaust Reflection Contest Award Ceremony was held at NSU’s Alvin Sherman Library.

The contest is conducted by the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center, which is housed in the library on the second floor.

The winners, as well as their teachers and schools, received cash awards as well as a full weekend experience that included tours of the center, one-on-one sessions with Holocaust survivors, and a celebratory dinner. The contest reaches out to more than 3,000 Florida schools – both public and private. There were almost 2,000 submissions this year.

Here are the winners of this year’s contest:

Digital Storytelling

  • High School First Place: “This is History, We are the Future;” student, Gavin Conte; teacher, Darren Levine; school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
  • High School Second Place: “Solomon Perel – A Jew in the Nazi;” student, Vaibhav Kant; teacher, Eduardo Martinez; school, Somerset Academy
  • Middle School First Place: “The Story of the Innocent;” student, Sai Lakshmi Likhitha Narava; teacher, Mary Ellen Richichi; school, Independence Middle School
  • Middle School Second Place: “Light in the Dark;” student, Michelle Flasterstein; teacher, Dahlia Nayman; school, Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Art

  • High School First Place: “Unthinkable Nightmares of the Past;” student, Ruby Feng; teacher, Xinlin Fan; school, Seminole High School
  • High School Second Place: “Sleep Now My Hungry Child;” student, Kaly Rodriguez; teacher, Brian Lynn; school, Charles W. Flanagan High School
  • Middle School First Place: “Courage;” student, Bryan Kornegay; teacher, Steven Hammerman; school, The Green School
  • Middle School Second Place: “Burning Cattle Car;” student, Briley Hanlon; teacher, Karly Ferguson; school, Community Leadership Academy

Essay/Poem

  • High School First Place: “Pinchas Dov;” student, Esther Janowski; teacher, Janet Conard; school, Rohr Bais Chaya Academy
  • High School Second Place: “On the Side of the Road;” student, Bradley Ginsburg; teacher, Scott Barrow; school, NSU University School
  • Middle School First Place: “Two Girls at Main St.;” student, Tali Kliksberg; teacher, Shira Greenberg; school, David Posnack Jewish Day School
  • Middle School Second Place: “Journey Through the Eyes of a 7 Year Old;” student, Hobbes Liebschutz; teacher, Risa Bender; school, Don Estridge High Tech Middle School

Posted 04/23/23

College of Dental Medicine Holds Faculty Retreat

The first NSU College of Dental Medicine faculty retreat was held on April 19, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the NSU Carl DeSantis Building. The theme of the retreat was “The NSU-CDM Journey to Preeminence: Vision 2025.”

Dr. Ronald J. Chenail

Dr. Ronald J. Chenail, NSU Provost, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor of Family Therapy and Editor-in-Chief of The Qualitative Report was the keynote speaker.

During the retreat each department met in breakout sessions with their faculty members to continue planning their Vision 2025 trajectories. The last activity of the faculty retreat was a plenary session where each department presented and shared their Vision 2025 path: “to be recognized as a preeminent, professional-dominant, doctoral-research university that provides competitive career advantages to its students and produces alumni who serve and lead with integrity.”

The event created a truly inclusive environment and culture of feeling valued and connected.

Posted 04/23/23

Students Selected for Institute for Future Scientists in O.T.

Lanoris Parker

Each year, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), selects 20 participants from a nationwide pool of promising entry-level occupational therapy students for the Institute for Future Scientists in Occupational Therapy.

During the first AOTA/AOTF institute, OT class of 2017 student Bryce Carsone Smith, represented the NSU Tampa Bay O.T.D. program. This year, two NSU of the selected twenty participants include entry-level O.T.D. students, Lanoris Parker­–Fort Lauderdale, and Deborah Kofsky–Tampa Bay.

First year O.T.D. student Lanoris Parker was a personal trainer prior to entering the O.T.D. program, and upon graduation with a Masters in Kinesiology, received a commission with the US Army Medical Specialty Corps as an Army Reserve Second Lieutenant. His interest is in learning about the interconnectedness of physical activity, brain science, and occupational therapy. Due to lack of resources and inadequate teaching and aware of health disparities, he is motivated to participate in occupational science and help elevate research to improve mental health and fight against the rise of mental disorders.

Deborah Kofsky

Deborah Kofsky, fourth year O.T.D. student, is completing her final clinical rotation and doctoral capstone experience for her OTD degree. Her academic performance is marked with grades on the top 5% of her cohort, and qualified her for scholarships, including repeat awards of the NSU Chancellor’s scholarship.  She completed the rigorous 6-sequence OTD research curriculum, capped with a podium and poster presentation and a manuscript for submission to a juried publication. In addition, she served a one-year internship with the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Rehabilitation and Disability Special Interest Section supporting initiatives for community-based activities.

The future scientists will participate during in-person sessions at the AOTA INSPIRE Annual Conference & Expo in Kansas City, Missouri, when they will be matched with leading occupational therapy scientists to address topics such as possibilities within OT science, considerations when evaluating potential doctoral programs, and career opportunities as a scientist. The facilitators and mentors of the will be composed of faculty and doctoral/post-doctoral students from established research programs around the nation.

Hopefully, both Deborah and Lanoris will achieve the purpose of the AOTA/AOTF Institute for Future Scientists, which include being part of a group of potential scientists, connecting with other potential entry-level scientists with mentors in the occupational therapy scientific community, and developing a peer scientific network.

Posted 04/23/23

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

NSU Participates in International Women’s Day Event

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) celebrated International Women’s Day with a panel discussion led by Mathan M. Kannayan and Katherine E. Dookhan. This panel featured three accomplished female leaders in the NSU community.

The event brought together Dr. Andrea Nevins, Dr. Paula Anderson-Worts, and Dr. Michelle Clark to discuss their experiences as women in leadership roles. The panelists shared stories of their personal and professional journeys, as well as insights on how to empower and support women in all areas of life.

Attendees were inspired by the speakers and left with a renewed sense of purpose to continue advancing gender equity in their communities. The event was a resounding success and a reminder of the importance of celebrating and supporting women’s achievements.

The AAUW Executive board would like to thank all participants for making this event possible and for all the students, faculty, and staff that continue to support our mission to promote equity for women and girls.

Posted 03/27/23

Honors Student Spreads Autism Awareness at Conference

Farquhar Honors College student Varun Kota presented his research spreading awareness of autism in black and brown communities at the 2023 Florida Undergraduate Research Conference (FURC). Completed as part of his honors thesis, the research focuses on the reasons for the underdiagnoses of autism in African American communities in South Florida and methods for increasing proper diagnoses.

Kota, a senior biology major, became interested in this research after learning about delayed diagnoses of autism and its impact on children and their families in the honors course Autism Today: The Individual and the Family. His research highlights how the lack of accessible resources and understanding plays a significant role in delayed diagnoses of autism and how education and advocacy are possible solutions.

“Heading a project such as the honors thesis was an opportunity to expand and hone my leadership and management skills,” said Kota. “My overall knowledge of ASD, the diagnostic process, services surrounding Autism, and its overall impact on African American families has grown tremendously. I have used this education to improve my professional writing, [research], and public speaking skills. Disseminating and presenting information regarding the project [also] enabled me to understand the publication process.”

Upon graduation, Kota plans on pursuing work in psychology and computational artificial intelligence to create a system to help people suffering from mental health issues receive the help they need.

Posted 03/27/23

Final Registration for NSU Diversity Summit, March 15-16

Don’t forget to register for the upcoming NSU 2023 Diversity Summit “The Power to Connect, Collaborate, & Thrive.” This event is free and open to all NSU community members. Find out more about the Diversity Summit here. Recordings will be made available in NSUWorks for those unable to attend. There will be more than 50 speakers including these prominent two keynote address not to miss.

Robert Kesten

Presentation: “Are These the Interesting Times of Chinese Proverbs?” with Robert Kesten, Executive Director of Stonewall National Museum, Archives, and Library

Robert Kesten is the Stonewall National Museum Archives (SNMA) executive director in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The SNMA houses one of the most extensive gay archives and libraries in the United States, with a rich history of more than years. Through his position at SNMA, he brings full circle his active engagement in the LGBTQ+ community and his commitment to using history as a tool to make sense of and fashion a response to today and tomorrow.

Presentation: “Committing to DE&I: Moving from Pledges to Outcomes”, with Jason Thompson, Vice President for DEI at Western Governors University

Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson is a thought leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), having spent the past 25 years building DEI programs in sports, health care, technology, and education. Jason is Vice President for DEI at Western Governors University. Jason is also the co-founder and senior adviser to CAPE Inclusion, an innovative Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion platform. Thompson developed the initial diversity and inclusion program for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and created the DEI scorecards to measure diversity within the US Olympic movement. The DE&I Scorecard developed by Thompson received the top honor in the 2016 International Innovations in Diversity Awards program from the Profiles in Diversity Journal. Jason was also recognized as a 2017 and 2018 Diversity Leader by the Profiles in Diversity Journal. His book, “Diversity and Inclusion Matters,” is a handbook for DE&I professionals, CEOs, and HR executives that provides a clear blueprint and tools for a successful DEI program.

Posted March 2, 2023

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