Tag: Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice

Education Alum Named Dean of Students at Lynn University

Sholondo Campbell

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

School of Criminal Justice Presents ‘Investigation with Dr. T’ Series

Join Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice Associate Professor Grace Telesco as she hosts “Investigation with Dr. T,” a series where she discusses exciting topics in the field of criminal justice and beyond with guests who will bring thought provoking programs to life. The program helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

This month, Telesco will host four events on Sept. 11, 14, 21 and 28.

Monday, Sept. 11, Telesco will host Remembering 9/11: Examining Best Practices, Lessons Learned, and Lasting Consequences alongside Ret. Detective 2nd grade Michael Theogene and Vincent Van Hasselt, a police psychologist.

On Thursday, Sept. 14, she will host The Unfound Cases, with special guest Ed Dentzel from the Unfound Podcast. The pair will examine the missing persons case of Tyler North who went missing after being at his sister’s. Facts reveal that he was still getting together with his ex-wife and her new best friend who lured Tyler to a park and allegedly killed him. They have been charged. Remains have been found. This fascinating murder case may be going to trial this Fall.

On Thursday, Sept. 21, Telesco will host Murder, Maggots, and More with special guest Dr. Adrienne Brundarge, Forensic Entomologist from Texas A&M. The two will explore how the study of insects plays a role in forensic investigation and discovery.

On Thursday, Sept. 28, Telesco will host Relationship Satisfaction Among Police Officers with special guest Dr. Carole Presson, Chief of Highland Police Department. This program will examine the complexities of policing and how it impacts officer’s intimate relationships.

All of the programs will start at 7 p.m. and can be watched on the Live section of The Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice’s YouTube Channel.

For a full list of events and shows Telesco will be hosting this semester, visit the Events page for the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.

Posted 09/10/23

Education Professor to Present Research at Conference

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice Assistant Professor Elizabeth M. Aguila, Ph.D., is slated to present at an upcoming conference this fall.

Elizabeth M. Aguila, Ph.D.

The title of Aguila’s proposal is “Developing Emergent Teacher Identity: A Study of a High School CTE Teaching Academy,” and she will present at the upcoming Florida Association of Teachers Educators (FATE) Conference.

The theme of the conference is “Be the Bridge” and it will run from Oct. 20 to Oct. 21.

In the description she submitted, Aguila said the proposal focuses on developing emergent teacher identity within a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teaching academy at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The presentation will draw upon scholarly research, including research from Aguila herself.

“The role of this CTE teaching academy as a unique educational setting that fosters (teacher identity) formation through specialized criteria, mentorship, and authentic teaching experiences will be explored,” she said.

Emergent teacher identity is a continuous and constantly evolving process where educators build a sense of professional self. It is built up of a teacher’s beliefs, values, interactions, and experiences.

“As the teacher shortage increases in the United States, understanding how teacher identity develops and evolves may help leaders and teacher preparation programs create communities of practice that foster a developing professional identity and create resilient and reflective practitioners,” Aguila said.

Aguila said that by the end of the presentation, participants with have a better understanding of what builds the emergent teacher identity within, not only a Career and and Technical Education learning environment, but in their own educational settings.

Congratulations!

Posted 08/29/23

Education Alum Named Superintendent of Sarasota County Public Schools

Terrence Conner

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

Education Alum Publishes Article on Symbolic Violence

Nahum Jean-Louis, Ed.D.

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate Nahum Jean-Louis, Ed.D., is celebrating the publishing of his article “Symbolic Violence in The Classroom: How A Eurocentric Curriculum Excludes & Marginalizes Minority Students” in the journal Belonging.

The article was co-written by Mary Clisbee, Ed.D., and focuses on symbolic violence and how it excludes and marginalizes minority students.

Jean-Louis explained that symbolic violence is any violence that isn’t tangible, for example, verbal assault, racism, using disparaging terms and more.

The article came about after Jean-Louis and Clisbee gave a talk at a conference about diversity. After the presentation, the pair was contacted and asked to write an article detailing their research.

In their article, Jean-Louis and Clisbee discussed how Eurocentrism gives priority to European philosophy and history at the detriment of minority students.

“Minority students have their own cultures, experiences and history, and those are put on the back burner in favor of European culture,” Jean-Louis said. “Minority students are forced to learn from a culture or from a knowledge in which they don’t relate to. And as a result of that, because they can’t relate to it and because their experiences are sidelined or marginalized, they suffer in terms of performance.”

They then went on to explain ways to combat symbolic violence and Eurocentrism.

“One way that I suggested, in my research, to mitigate the effects of symbolic violence and the effects of Eurocentrism is to create a diverse curriculum and to have equity in the curriculum,” Jean-Louis said.

The pair hope that a variety of people can learn and benefit from the research.

“Our message was directed to school administrators, policymakers, and the community at large,” Jean-Louis said.

Jean-Louis graduated from NSU with his doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching. He is currently working on several other projects, including a collaborative book on decolonization in education and a book that focuses on the problems minority students face in the United States school system.

Read the complete article.

Posted 08/13/23

Fischler Academy’s Shark Speak Triples in Size

Word of Mouth has helped Shark Speak, the Fischler Academy’s English Language program, to triple in the past six months. The goals of the program are to provide Fischler Academy students with a true teaching experience before they graduate and to offer a free service to families in the community that want to learn English to enhance their lives.

The project started with high school students that needed to learn basic “survival” English to help them get by day to day in school. The program now serves elementary school children all the way to professionals seeking to renew professional credentials. Most recently Shark Speak expanded to include classes specifically for nurses that are ready to enter the health care system.

Shark Speak was developed by Fischler Academy alumna Eloise Nieto and is currently being coordinated by sophomore Andrea Bruno. The free program currently has one beginner that meets once a week and two intermediate classes that meet twice a week.

All classes are free to the public and meet on the NSU main campus in Davie. Interested students may contact Andrea Bruno at ab4433@mynsu.nova.edu and general questions can be directed to Daryl Hulce at hulce@nova.edu

The Fischler Academy, housed within the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, offers a flexible learning experience with individualized pathways. Upon graduation, Fischler Academy students can expect to receive a guaranteed job offer in one of our partnered school districts within Florida.

Posted 08/13/23

Applications Open for Provost’s Research & Scholarship Awards

Starting August 7, 2023, nominations will be accepted for the annual Provost’s Research and Scholarship Awards. Last year this program was expanded to increase recognition opportunities for NSU faculty, and to improve accessibility to faculty from all academic disciplines and career stages.

The Provost’s Research and Scholarship Awards (PRSA) program now awards up to four awards. The PRSA program has two disciplinary categories and two awards within each category by career stage (one for early career and one for established faculty). Therefore, the below four awards, given sufficient candidates in each category, will be awarded annually:

  1. Assistant Professor in the Arts, Business, Humanities, Law, and Social Sciences
  2. Associate/Full Professor in the Arts, Business, Humanities, Law, and Social Sciences
  3. Assistant Professor in STEM and Health/Medicine
  4. Associate/Full Professor in STEM and Health/Medicine

The purpose of this program is to recognize demonstrated achievement in research, scholarship, and creative pursuits by NSU faculty members. These annual awards recognize distinguished accomplishments in the pursuit of research, creative, and scholarly activities across disciplines and career stages, as noted above.

More information and the link to the application is available here: http://www.nova.edu/academic-affairs/provost-award/index.html.

The deadline to submit a nomination or to self-nominate is September 6, 2023, 5:00 p.m., EDT. The winners of the Provost’s Research and Scholarship Awards will be announced in November 2023.

Posted 08/04/23

Criminal Justice Alum Helps Previously Incarcerated People

Siena Benson

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

Honors Course Encourages Water Sustainability Advocacy

Water is one of the world’s most essential resources, and its shortage is on the rise—a global crisis that receives little attention. The Farquhar Honors College Water & Sustainability course is on a mission to change that. Last semester, students in this multidisciplinary course became advocates for safe and sustainable water for all.

Throughout the semester, students learned from guest faculty speakers and community leaders from various disciplines who offered unique perspectives on water-related issues identified by the UN Sustainable Development Goal #6, which aims to provide clean water and sanitation for all.

“Water is a vital and exhaustible resource; it is also an inexhaustible theme for discovery,” said Eben Gering, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences. “Taking an interdisciplinary approach to water studies lets us (the instructors) learn in parallel with our students while spotlighting urgent sustainability issues at both local and global scales.”

Gering is co-facilitator of the course alongside Martha “Marti” Snyder, Ph.D., professor in the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice and director of faculty professional development in the Learning and Educational Center.

Along with engaging in class discussions, students took an active role in water sustainability efforts by participating in a beach clean-up; visiting water sites across South Florida, including the Everglades, to learn about different ecosystems and the importance of citizen action; and interviewing innovative business leaders dedicated to conserving and using water sustainably.

“This course has allowed me to become more conscious of my actions and how they could potentially contribute to large-scale environmental concerns,” said Smrithi Mukund, a behavioral neuroscience major. “I have gained a lot of valuable information and insight concerning the lasting impact of sustainability efforts, and I will definitely take more initiative in my day-to-day life to participate in these efforts.”

Posted 07/30/23

Fischler Alum Named to VP Role at Westfield State University

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.

Kevin Hearn, Ed.D.

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

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