The Torch - FSU College of Education Magazine, 2015-2016 by FSU Anne's College

Welcome to the 2015 edition of The TORCH magazine. In this issue, you will find stories featuring our facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting research initiatives and projects both across the globe and in our own backyard, as well as the outstanding accomplishments of our faculty, staff, students and alumni. You will also read about some of our current students and see updates from your fellow classmates. We are excited to announce the launch of our new website: education.fsu.edu. Geared toward prospective students, we think it will be a valuable asset to us as we continue to recruit the best and brightest students to our programs. (Read more on page 4). Your voice matters and we would love to hear your feedback. Be sure to keep us up to date on your life and accomplishments. Next time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in Tallahassee, we hope that you will pay your alma mater a visit. Thank you for all you do to carry the torch for education. All my best,

Marcy P. Driscoll, Ph.D. Dean, College of Education Leslie J. Briggs Professor of Educational Research

CONTENTS ACTIVE

Trending topics in education......................................................................

GLOBAL

Impacting education around the world...................................................

INVESTIGATIVE

Conducting research that makes a difference..........................................

INSPIRED

Profiles in student leadership..................................................................

ENGAGED

Events and philanthropy.........................................................................

BENCHMARKS

Faculty and staff achievements...............................................................

PROGRESS REPORTS

Alumni news and notes...........................................................................

ACTIVE

TRENDING TOPICS IN EDUCATION

Social Media in the Classroom.................2 Out with the Old, in with the New: The COE website gets a fresh look..............4 A Whale of a Day: Panama City Whale Day................................................5 Planting the Seeds for Success: Dr. George Boggs and 50 LARGE........7

#SocialMedia in the

#Classroom

2015

By Kelli Gemmer

ccording to a 2015 study by Pew Research Center, 92% of teens report going online daily. With social media existing as an ingrained part of today’s society, particularly with students, many teachers are finding ways to integrate this new method of communication into their classroom. To prepare future teachers and leaders in the field of education, College of Education faculty members have begun incorporating social media into their courses. Dr. Vanessa Dennen, associate professor of instructional systems and learning technologies, saw social media as a central anchor point for the classroom. Approximately five years ago, she revamped the curriculum in the Introduction to Education Technology course (EME 2040) to not only get students to reflect on how they will use technology as teachers in their classrooms, but also as a way to expose students to emerging technology in the field. From blogs to podcasts to Twitter, the course design features a variety of social media platforms. Through personal blog accounts, students post reflective journal entries and comment on each other’s posts, much like a discussion board. To many students, this platform often feels like their own space and less like the instructor’s space as with traditional discussion boards, such as Blackboard. Students are also asked to create Twitter accounts in which they must follow at least four accounts belonging to educational technologies, tweet on at least two different days per week during the semester, and use the “#eme2040” hashtag at least five times to communicate with the whole class. Because hashtags are a way to identify and connect users on specific topics, this particular hashtag allows students to connect with other sections within the course. While instructors often facilitate Twitter discussion, its value lies more in professional development. “A lot of teachers are using Twitter for professional development like sharing resources, networking and teacher engagement,” said Dennen. “In this way, Twitter leads students on guided discovery paths.” Twitter also helps create ongoing conversations outside the classroom – not just during designated learning hours. “Tweeting helped us to have more conversations and to build a learning community,” said Jiyae Bong, an instructor for the course and doctoral student in instructional systems and learning technologies. “I can tell there is a shift in more professors/teachers using social media in the classroom.” (Continued on Page 3)

Instructors at the graduate level are also using social media in their courses. Dr. Lara PerezFelkner, assistant professor of higher education, started a Twitter experiment in her Outcomes of Undergraduate Education (EDH 5068) course. “Twitter intrigued me as a platform to incorporate into the class given my students’ seeming enthusiasm this past year for social media, the potential value of enhancing their – and my – ability to leverage social media as a platform for professional development, and the potential to share relevant news stories about higher education and higher education assessment,” remarked Perez-Felkner. Similar to the EME 2040 course, Perez-Felkner’s class communicated via a common hashtag, “#edh5068.” Each week before class, Perez-Felkner would tweet on topics both directly and broadly related to class that were intended to tie in each week’s reading and/or project assignment. “Some students would tweet their thoughts on the readings themselves – questions they had, connections they were making – while others would live-tweet questions about the class that my TA would filter back to me so that I could address them.” Junior Peña, a second year master’s student in higher education and student in Perez-Felkner’s EDH 5068 course, enjoyed using Twitter to communicate with his classmates and instructor. “Conversing over Twitter normalizes the traditional perceived hierarchy between faculty and students; in many ways it humanizes the perception of faculty members only being experts in a particular subject matter.” Perez-Felkner’s class generally moved beyond Introducing the #eme2040 and #edh5068 Twitter hashtags helped students get more personally invested in their classes. lectures to incorporate small group discussions, discussion board posts, blogs, and other forms of vocal and written participation in course material. “For me, Twitter can be an element of this kind of multipronged strategy to engage students in class,” said Perez-Felkner. Peña prefers to use social media as an addition to traditional forms of academic involvement: “Twitter adds to traditional learning forms by creating opportunities to discuss the content more freely, and with fewer restrictions.” This multi-faceted strategy is what both Perez-Felkner and Dennen have tapped into as a way to stay at the forefront of technology and innovation. In this digital world, integrating a digital way of connecting may play a large role in student engagement. “It has been an eye-opening experience to discover all the ways Twitter can be used to enhance the class,” said Perez-Felkner. While Twitter has had an array of benefits in her classroom, it has also moved beyond the classroom. “I am excited to report that we have even been tweeting enough that higher education assessment folks outside of our class have chimed in! #Win!” T

Out with the

Old, New in with the

The College of Education website gets a fresh look

By Ken Higgins As part of our ongoing effort to recruit the best and brightest students, we are proud to announce the launch of our new website (and new web address): education.fsu. edu.

search and filtering features, such as filtering by checking boxes or typing the terms you are looking for in a Google-powered search bar, help our visitors get to more relevant information much faster.

The first thing visitors will see is our message on the homepage: “Student Focused. Innovation Driven.” – a message that echoes throughout the site. Designed with current and prospective students as the primary focus, the site includes student profile features, student resources and other important links.

Our modern and clean design compliments the website’s streamlined information. With accessibility as a priority, the “mobile first” design enures that our pages are compatible with across the board platforms. As an “innovation driven” College of Education at the forefront of technology, our new website exhibits our innovative programs, exceptional facilities and unparalleled resources that we offer to our students.

As visitors explore our new site, they will find that it tells our story in a more engaging way through streamlined content, easier navigation and a new look. Information is placed strategically and menus are built consistently on every page, thus making it easier to find and consume the content. New

In addition to student resources and information, we also have pages dedicated to our alumni and friends. These pages include information about events, news, distinguished alumni, career

services and our latest research initiatives. We invite you to take a look around and see what’s new. Delve into our student stories and see what our amazing students are accomplishing. Explore the cuttingedge technology and see how we have earned our reputation as a respected innovator in education. But most importantly, see how the College of Education is still the close-knit family you remember. T

See for yourself! Visit the new site at

education.fsu.edu

A Whale of a Day

FSU Panama City’s Annual Whale Day Event By Nathaniel Watson

T Cristina Ríos has been organizing Whale Day since 2007. Photo by Helen Johnson

he number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States is rapidly growing. According to the Florida Department of Education, Florida is ranked third in ELL population, totaling over 265,000. To help elementary-aged ELLs assimilate into the largely English-speaking school system, Cristina Ríos, teaching faculty in the School of Teacher Education at the FSU Panama City campus, developed a creative event that draws inspiration from whales.

Whales are some of the most fascinating creatures on earth. They can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes and use their sense of hearing to identify surroundings through exhalation. Although these mammoths of the deep may seem completely alien to us, humans actually have quite a bit in common with them – mainly the sense of camaraderie they share within groups. In 2007, this companionship exhibited by whales inspired Ríos to create Whale Day, an event that she organizes annually for her Teaching English Learners class to interact with local schools in the Bay County school system. Designed for elementary-aged ELLs, Whale Day focuses on combining scientific facts and information about whales with fun games and activities centered on the whale theme. “I was amazed at the event and the value of being multilingual in preparing teachers to work with ELLs,” said Bay District School Board member, Steve Moss. According to Ríos, Bay District Schools has ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students from over 35 different linguistic backgrounds, including Spanish, French, Chinese and even Czech. For these students, assimilation into the largely English-speaking school system is often stressful and involves considerable difficulties. Many of these students require special attention to make it through. Ríos knows about these difficulties first hand. “I work very hard with diversity because I have been an ESOL student myself in learning English and French,” said Ríos. “Teaching in Miami, ESOL was instrumental because being multilingual is not a choice, but rather a way of life for academic excellence.” It’s this personal experience that allows her to lend so much passion to the event and make it a success every year.

Whale Day aims to keep students engaged and learning while also having fun. “This year, we had one of our elementary education students play the song ‘Baby Beluga’ as well as other ocean tunes on the keyboard,” said Ríos. “A group of engineers also programmed our PC robot, Samy Nole, to speak in Spanish for the event.” In addition, pre-service teachers spoke with 42 Spanish-speaking students in their native language about Whale Day at Oakland Terrace School for the Arts, a title I school in Panama City. While the students themselves learn a lot over the course of the day, many elementary education student teachers are learning as well. Whale Day emphasizes the implementation of instructional techniques that ensure student engagement and participation. This type of learning environment is crucial to any student, but especially to ELLs. Not only does Whale Day provide hands-on learning for the FSU-PC students, it is also service-oriented for elementary school students and the surrounding community.

Photo by Helen Johnson

Whale Day has grown every year since its launch in 2007, and most recently has expanded beyond the classroom and into the local Bay County community. “This past year, the project flourished through a transformative social impact component called Project Blue,” explained Ríos. “We provided blue blankets with whale stencils and books on whales to Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center for ill children at the hospital.” The time volunteered and gifts presented contribute to minimizing the stress and maximizing the coping skills of the children in the hospital. Ríos’ effort and passion has not gone unnoticed. She was the recipient of University Teaching Awards in 2003 and 2009 and the Professor of the Year Award for the FSU Panama City campus in 2012. She’s a continuing example of how a little bit of caring for the student experience can go a long way, and she’s doing a whale of a job. T

The next Whale Day will be held at West Bay Elementary School in Panama City, Florida on 12/3/15 from 8:30-10:30 AM.

Planting the Seeds for Success: Examining Dr. George Boggsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; partnership with the local 50 LARGE Project by Kelli Gemmer

A 50 LARGE student prepares handpicked produce from the farm to sell at the Frenchtown Heritage Market.

lorida State University College of Education faculty members are constantly creating innovative programs and employing unique teaching methodologies. One faculty member in particular found a way for literacy to serve practical goals through a mutually beneficial partnership. Dr. George Boggs’ latest endeavor has turned a piece of empty land into an entrepreneurial classroom.

“Non-formal education programs on urban farms can provide a holistic context for youth and community development. As an educator, I seek to use the experience of growing food to design and deliver lessons with science and civic objectives. I am drawn to this work because of my background in education, my professional experiences with youth in foster care and my own personal commitment to healthy and sustainable living. I have been able to see the incredible growth that youth experience through engagement in urban farms.”

“This project was inspired by a sense of mutual opportunity as the College of Education and Florida State University promoted an initiative for entrepreneurship,” explained Boggs. “I wanted to create an entrepreneurial educational goal for communities at risk for low school achievement.” Through this entrepreneurial enterprise, Boggs is doing hands-on research to discover the kind of programming that works best to facilitate the interests of 50 LARGE participants.

Boggs, assistant professor of English education at Florida -Ivanna Rebecca Pengelley, State, and his students in the adjunct faculty in the School of Teacher English education program With an academic piece already Education provide ongoing mentoring in place, Boggs helped 50 and academic support LARGE implement a workforce efforts for 50 LARGE, a gang prevention initiative development component for the program. His idea in Leon County Schools. 50 LARGE, which stands was to convert residential land in Tallahassee into an for Leadership Achievement Responsibility Growth incubator for food and agriculture-related businesses. Education, was established in 2009 by a Gang Free In May 2014, Boggs and select participants of 50 LARGE Schools and Communities grant from the Office of began cultivating the land into a fully functioning farm. Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The “The idea with the farm project was to have a very program aims to redirect energies of young men within malleable space where adolescents could make some targeted populations and change lives by inspiring decisions and take things in a direction that really isn’t hope, molding character, teaching responsibility and the way most reform schools, alternative schools or providing “real” economic opportunity. most high schools are arranged,” said Boggs. (Continued on Page 9)

interaction, and having the 50 LARGE students interact with our COE students really helps support these opportunities,” said Gail Christensen, FSU COE alumna and adjunct professor. Meeting on Florida State’s campus is mutually beneficial to both groups in many ways. The preservice teachers have the unique opportunity to work with high school students from a targeted population without leaving campus and the 50 LARGE students gain valuable tutoring sessions while getting a look into college life.

In March 2015, 50 LARGE began selling produce they had planted, tended, picked, packaged and priced at the Frenchtown Heritage Market, a new initiative born out of the spirit of partnership among many organizations in Tallahassee. 50 LARGE members, like Tyge Williams, are taking leadership roles in the project, making money and making decisions on the farm. Ultimately, participants are learning how to create jobs for themselves in economic growth areas designated by federal, state and local governments. Through the project, participants are developing skills in marketing, agriculture and interpersonal communication. They are also able to develop a resume and a set of experiences to help them find steady work and inspire future learning. “If these participants are equipped with this knowledge, it will create a ripple effect and help underdeveloped communities realize their potential,” remarked Boggs. Presently, the academic partnership Boggs developed with 50 LARGE has had an influence on not just

the participants, but also on undergraduate students in FSU’s English education program. Through classroom tutoring, Boggs coordinates this mutually beneficial partnership between the COE School of Teacher Education and 50 LARGE.

“There is so much to be gained for my undergraduate students coming into the academic tutoring aspect of this,” Boggs said. “It is an opportunity for them to search themselves, enlarge their minds and develop relationships that can strengthen them as teachers.” Once a week, English education students meet with 50 LARGE students in the Stone building’s Learning Resource Center to participate in classroom tutoring sessions within their course, Teaching Literature Across Content Areas. “This course has a tutoring requirement that supports opportunities for

“One of the cool parts of the program is that the 50 LARGE students get to see the facilities at FSU, which I think motivates them to want to go to college,” said David Smith, an undergraduate student in the English education program. “Being around it makes it seem more real.” Boggs’ work and research with 50 LARGE is a prime example of how College of Education faculty are making mutually beneficial impacts to the FSU College of Education and the surrounding community. T

With the help of FSU’s English education program, 50 LARGE participants developed social media channels to help market their fresh produce and tell their stories. www.instagram.com/ goodtastetally www.facebook.com/goodtastetally

GLOBAL

IMPACTING EDUCATION AROUND THE WORLD

Bringing Back Belize: Incorporating Cultural Competence in the Classroom................11 Ability Beyond the Horizon.................13 FSUS has “Seoul”..............................16

Bringing Back Belize

Incorporating Cultural Competence in the Classroom By Kelli Gemmer

“I

nternationalization and globalization of education” is a common phrase in the education community, but what exactly does it mean? According to Ella-Mae Daniel, teaching faculty in the School of Teacher Education, “It’s more than just paying homage to those words but really looking at how we’re building our students to be culturally competent when working with others who are fundamentally different.” Last summer, Daniel was one of 12 women chosen to participate in the Summer Institute on the Welfare of Women in Belize (SIWWB), a Fulbright-Hays Project funded by the U. S. Department of Education. The group was joined by Drs. Denise Davis-Maye and Annice Yarber-Allen, co-project directors and faculty members at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). The purpose of SIWWB was to gain an understanding of the cultural

history and current status of women in Belize while developing curricula that will prepare students for an increasingly global and interdependent world. The project was broken up into two phases: the overseas phase and the post-seminar phase. In the first phase, participants spent four weeks in different Belizean cities visiting universities and schools to study women’s issues. In the second, participants integrated their newfound knowledge into curriculum modules for their own courses that they presented at a post-conference at AUM. Going into the program, Daniel’s focus was to examine the issues of

empowerment of women through education; however, after a week in Belize, she soon realized that she had a different focus in mind. She asked herself an important question: “How do I bring this back to my classroom and my courses at Florida State University?” Looking at the curriculum in her Teaching Diverse Populations (EDF 2085) course, a prerequisite for admission to the teacher education programs, Daniel discovered a connection between the course and her experiences in Belize. “Teaching Diverse Populations is really about teaching culturally diverse students,” said Daniel. “Because we have so many different

Cultural Competence: a process of guiding teacher candidates through a personal journey of learning how to interact effectively with others who are fundamentally different

each other and how, at times, our cultural differences were evident,” said Daniel. The women were all of different age groups, ethnicities and backgrounds. There were not only cultural differences among the women, but also professional differences; six of the women were university faculty and the other six were K-12 faculty. “Looking at the different dynamics of women in our own group while we were in Belize studying the issues of women, we could have considered ourselves subjects to study, too!”

“My experiences this summer with the women in Belize really opened my eyes to the importance of understanding cultural identity in teacher education and how we are infusing that in and across our teacher education programs.”

-- Ella-Mae Daniel students from across campus, I look at the course more as ‘how do you work with people who are fundamentally different from you?’” Since this discovery, she has shaped her curriculum to center around the importance of culturally competent educators within teacher education programs. As coordinator and instructor of the Introduction to Education (EDF 1005) and Teaching Diverse Populations (EDF 2085) courses, Daniel has a prime opportunity to influence students with regard to cultural competence early in their educational paths. She also teaches

Fun fact:

The College of Education’s own Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones, assistant professor of higher education, was the evaluator for SIWWB. newly admitted students in the program who are completing their first field practicum, part of which requires them to engage in different types of activities that assist them in meeting their critical tasks for the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement. “I have a rare opportunity to see students that I taught in 1005 and

2085 across a third semester, so I can observe how they’ve built this cultural competence through their reflective practices, reflective activities and their directed field experiences.” Daniel strives to make sure that students are put in diverse settings in their practicum experiences in order to help them understand what these cultural issues are and how to deal with them in an environment that will allow for an equitable classroom. In the same respect, she strives to put herself in programs like SIWWB to give herself different cultural experiences, expanding her own cultural competence.

Throughout this experience, Daniel also learned about the importance of travel in education: “No books can express the power of learning from others and the importance of having a global and/or international perspective of different cultures.” T

“The phenomenal piece about Belize was looking at how this group of 14 women, who didn’t know each other and had never met, interacted with

Ella-Mae Daniel’s experiences in Belize inspired new ideas for her teaching style in her classroom at FSU.

Ability Beyond

Horizon

the

My Experience with Visual Impairment in Jamaica

by Mickey Damelio

This past summer, I traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, to work at the Salvation Army School for the Blind through my private philanthropic project, Ability Beyond the Horizon. In 2010, I founded this non-profit organization to plant seeds of change in developing countries for more effective teaching of people who are blind or visually impaired. 80 percent of the world’s visually impaired live in developing countries and there are presently no programs to train individuals in many of these countries. Through the Ability Beyond the Horizon project, I am able to bring an education to these countries that they wouldn’t normally receive. This past summer, I was joined by Maddie Martinez and Elizabeth Stevens, current graduate students in the visual disabilities program. In the six years since the initial trip, I have had a total of eight graduate students in the program join me. This was my fifth trip to another country where I have brought FSUquality education and graduate students to people in countries who cannot access the knowledge otherwise. Past countries have included India, Vietnam and Bermuda. Why Jamaica? My family and I traveled to Jamaica for a spring break vacation in March. While there, I stopped into the School for the Blind in Kingston just to see if they had any needs Ability Beyond the Horizon might meet. It turns out they have a very nice woman who is doing orientation and mobility training for them, but she didn’t have much training in orientation and mobility. As a faculty member in visual disabilities, I teach this curriculum as part of a master’s program here in the College of

Education. This is where the graduate students and I came in. Martinez, Stevens and I worked with two teachers at the School for the Blind and two staff members for the Jamaica Society for the Blind, as well as children at the school. The Jamaica Society for the Blind works with adults with visual impairment and blindness all over Jamaica; the school serves every child with a visual impairment in Jamaica. Together, we taught these four teachers how to be orientation and mobility instructors.

Orientation & Mobility Instructors:

specialists that train people who are blind or visually impaired, from babies to elders, how to travel with safety, independence and grace Along with educating the teachers, the graduate students also worked with the children at the school, helping to increase their independence and social skills. They taught students to tie their shoes, travel independently around the school, interact in more socially appropriate ways, and develop cooking skills, including lighting a propane stove by hand. The teachers at the school had studied techniques in cane travel extensively, but what they didn’t have a great handle on was the way orientation and mobility is taught. Using the cane is one thing, but you have to also know when it’s best to use certain techniques, how (Continued on Page 15)

Students used a special piece of headgear to simulate blindness and help train the local visual disabilities teachers in utilizing these items.

Local teachers at the academy learning new teaching techniques. to introduce them, the timing of lessons and teaching practices. That’s something textbooks aren’t best at communicating, which shows me that our work there was very important. The teachers told me that they couldn’t believe how much they learned in a short period of time. Through our visit, we were able to make a national impact in Jamaica. The school is making changes to their curriculum and the Jamaica Society for the Blind is making changes in the way they work with people who are blind or visually impaired all over the country. Our one month visit this past May will touch nearly every person with a visual impairment in Jamaica. At the cost of only about $1,500 total, a philanthropic impact of this sort shows that a little money and a desire to help others can go a long way. T To learn more, visit www.abilitybeyondthehorizon.org or contact Mickey at mdamelio@fsu.edu.

“This experience was unlike any I could expect to get in the states. I have never been in an environment where I was so unlike everyone I was closely interacting with, and it was life changing. Cultural differences have always been a sort of abstract concept to me, and this experience certainly provided me with more insight than I could have hoped for on how diverse, yet similar, children from different backgrounds can be. I left the experience with a renewed understanding of the value of the education that I have received from FSU, and with a greater sense of pride towards those who have worked hard to become the best teachers they can.” -Maddie Martinez, graduate student in visual disabilities, FSU

Elizabeth Stevens working alongside the attendees of the school.

“What excited me most was that I was able to apply the knowledge that I have been learning in my classes at Florida State into the work that I did Jamaica. The concepts, strategies and techniques that I have been learning for the last two years were used each day. This experience was something that I will carry with me into my future career!” -Elizabeth Stevens, graduate student in visual disabilities, FSU

“During my time with Mr. Damelio, I gained valuable experiences and learned so much. He provided us with valuable knowledge and helped us realize that we are the ones who can make the change happen since we are the ones in the Jamaica environment. We will continue to communicate with Mr. Damelio to plan, organize and implement the best methodologies to meet the needs of our students.” -Sherine Gordon Thompson, orientation and mobility instructor, the Salvation Army School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Children

Pictured (L-R): Hojun Lee (SNU), Keunsoo Kim (SNU), Suzanne Wilkinson (FSUS), Jaeyeop Lee (SNU), Lynn Wicker (FSUS), Seungho Maeng (SNU), Steve Bowen (FSUS), Yungdong Lee (SNU)

FSUS has

“Seoul”

By Melanie Carty

lorida State University Schools (FSUS), one of the FSU College of Education’s two developmental research schools, is gaining an international reputation for excellence in higher education. The 1700-student K-12 school, which is operated under a charter agreement by FSU, provides a venue for educational research, curriculum innovation, educator development, statewide reform efforts, and now most recently international inquiry. On September 15 and 16 of 2014, five researchers from Seoul National University (SNU) in Seoul, South Korea, visited FSUS to learn more about the general operation of laboratory schools and to see how the research/lab school is administered in collaboration with Florida State University and its College of Education. SNU has four affiliated public schools — an elementary school, one middle school for boys and another for girls, and a high school. The university is working toward restructuring them to function as laboratory schools in collaboration with SNU’s College of Education. Dr. Seungho Maeng, a researcher with the Center for the Advancement of Education and Research of Affiliated Schools at SNU, initiated this collaborative effort between SNU and FSUS. “After researching lab schools in America, Maeng felt that FSUS and FSU had the relationship that SNU was looking to replicate,” said Dr. Lynn Wicker, FSUS director. Wicker played host to Maeng and his group, which included Jaeyeop Lee, vice principal of SNU High School; Yungdong Lee, chief of curriculum development at SNU High School;

Keunsoo Kim, chief of school affairs at SNU Girls’ Middle School; and Hojun Lee, Ph.D. candidate researcher at SNU. The Seoul National contingent began their first day meeting with Director of Research and Teacher Education Suzanne Wilkinson, Associate Director Steve Bowen, and Wicker. Afterward, they attended the weekly meeting of the administrative staff and toured the FSUS campus with visits to arts and music classes, the media center, a computer lab and academic classes. They also had an experiential introduction to the flight simulator and the STEM program that it is used to enhance.

Seoul researchers were introduced to the flight simulator at FSUS, a cutting-edge part of their STEM education program.

On the second day, the group toured the FSU College of Education where they experimented with the latest technology and gadgets in the “Technology Sandbox,” were treated to a TeachLivE demonstration, and met with Dr. Patrick Malone and Jessica Waters in the Office of Academic Services and Intern Support (OASIS) regarding the student field placement experience. The group concluded their visit by accompanying Wicker, Wilkinson, Assessment and Accountability Director Megan Brink, and FSUS K-12 Principal Elvis Epps to a collaborative meeting at the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering. Afterwards, Maeng explained to Wicker that visiting with FSUS staff and faculty was invaluable in helping them pave the way for a successful transition. “The meetings and tour programs that you had organized for us were all very impressive to me,” said Maeng. “I deeply appreciate you for your kind and passionate explanation about FSUS.” T

INVESTIGATIVE CONDUCTING RESEARCH THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

MOOCs: Massive Open Online Courses...18 CPS: The Center for Postsecondary Success.............................................20 Supporting our Vets.........................22

MOOCs By Kelli Gemmer

The New York Times declared 2012 “the year of the MOOC,” also known as Massive Open Online Courses. MOOCs are essentially extremely large online classes in which anyone might enroll. With public higher education facing a variety of challenges such as funding cuts, tuition increases, affordability and time to degree completion, MOOCs have been offered as one part of the solution. Dr. Vanessa Dennen, associate professor of instructional systems and learning technologies (ISLT), concentrates her research in the area of online learning. With MOOCs catching immense

public attention in 2012, Dennen began examining them within her own courses. In Spring 2014, she created a MOOC titled Social Media for Active Learning. “From March 24 – April 20, 2014, we offered a free four-week professional development course designed to help instructors, trainers and instructional designers learn how to better use social media to support learning, whether in an informal networking sense or by embedding social media into more formal learning contexts,” said Dennen. The course was hosted on Blackboard CourseSites and was open to

The four modules of Dennen’s MOOC

anyone, anywhere in the world, at no charge. This MOOC was co-developed by students in a graduate-level course at FSU. The three credit hour graduate seminar course, Open Learning in MOOCs (EME 6635), consisted of 16 ISLT graduate students who helped Dennen develop and implement the MOOC. Throughout the course, students completed traditional assignments, such as a research brief, as well as MOOC-related ones, such as a facilitation portfolio. During the 16-week course, only four weeks were spent officially running the MOOC; the preceding weeks were spent building and preparing for launch. While working in small teams, students selected content, wrote video scripts, developed webinars and prepared slides while Dennen and Jiyae Bong, lead teaching assistant and doctoral student, completed development. During the MOOC’s implementation, students were assigned role responsibilities: greeters, email monitors, social media hosts, webinar assistants, assessment, tech support, quality assurance reviewers and archivists. All of the students were divided into teams for each task, playing two to four roles in the facilitation. (Continued on Page 19)

The format included video lectures, webinars, discussions, quizzes and assignments. It was divided into four complementary but not cumulative modules that allowed participants to jump in at any time during the fourweek period. Participants were presented with a badge following each module and a certificate signifying completion at the end of the course. Approximately 750 people participated in the MOOC during its live phase; 24 certificates were awarded to those who completed the entire MOOC, and 148 badges were given out. The MOOC was primarily a learning experience for FSU students. “It provided an authentic instructional design and facilitation experience for our students,” said Dennen. In addition to participating in a unique experience, FSU students gained valuable insight into open learning, intellectual property issues and hands-on experience with MOOCs. The MOOC also had far reaching impacts outside of the classroom. Dennen was awarded two Florida State University Distance Learning Awards for the EME 6635 online course: the Distance Learning Award for Excellence in Online Teaching and the Distance Learning Award for Innovative and Effective Use of Technology. Beyond FSU’s walls, Dennen and Bong have presented

their data at a number of conferences, including the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) annual meeting and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) 2014 convention. Dennen has also given invited talks on the topic at the AECT Learning and Knowledge Analytics in Open Education (LKAOE) 2015 symposium in China and at universities and research centers in China and South Korea. A number of publications have been produced following the MOOC, as well. Dennen and Amit Chauhan, doctoral student in ISLT, created an analysis of MOOCs that was published in MOOCs Forum. Dennen and Bong have an article in press about MOOC design that will appear in the International Journal for Educational Media and Technology.

presentation and publication. Dennen and Bong are currently working on several projects, including a book chapter on MOOCs as a professional development tool, articles on the motivational value of badges in a MOOC and interaction patterns of MOOC participants. Dennen, Bong and ISLT doctoral student Zhongrui Yao are preparing presentations for the 2015 AECT conference. Dennen is also considering running the MOOC — and the FSU course — a second time, to provide more research and practice opportunities for FSU graduate students and to share the ISLT program’s expertise on social media use in education with the larger education community. The future of MOOCs is unclear, but we can be certain that our faculty and students are at the forefront of innovative technology and resources and are making continuous impacts across the field of education. T

The MOOC project continues to bring opportunities for

Fabrizio Fornara, Vanessa Dennen, Jiyae Bong and Wei Qiang Kelly wearing MOOC team badges at the ISLT 40 conference.

CPS

Center for Postsecondary Success

By Kelli Gemmer

Changing policy contexts and financial environments in higher education call for innovative responses from research communities. Luckily for FSU, the strong connection between research, policy and practice has been a hallmark of FSU’s higher education program. In early 2014, a team of College of Education faculty members already conducting research on student outcomes and public policy proposed to establish a center devoted to student success in postsecondary education settings. In June

2014, FSU officially approved and established the Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS). Dr. Shouping Hu, professor of higher education and center director, led the initial team alongside Associate Professor David Tandberg and Assistant Professor Toby Park, associate directors. The overall goal of CPS is to promote a culture and create a structure where researchers, policy makers and practitioners can come together to find solutions to address issues facing postsecondary success.

“We hope our work can effectively provide valuable and timely input and information to policy makers and professionals when decisions need to be made,” said Hu. CPS is dedicated to identifying and evaluating institutional, state and federal policies and programs that may serve to improve student success. In addition, the center provides support and fosters collaboration among those who are interested in conducting research on student success and institutional effectiveness. (Continued on Page 21)

“I haven’t regretted the decision to choose CPS and I’m very happy that they chose me. I’ve grown as a researcher exponentially this year. Skills I would have to wait years to acquire in class, I gained this year. It’s personally fulfilling to know that maybe some student in the Florida State College System will benefit from the work I played a small part in producing.” -Sophia Rahming, CPS graduate research assistant and doctoral student in higher education

CPS started out with 3 faculty members and has since grown to include a total of...

and has conducted...

518 focus group participants

7 faculty

7 graduate students

2 postdoctoral fellows

While CPS has several current projects, one of the largest is the policy analysis of Florida’s Senate Bill 1720 (SB 1720). In 2013, the Florida legislature made significant changes to developmental education placement and instruction through SB 1720. The new law mandates that the 28 state colleges (formerly community colleges) in the Florida College System provide developmental education that is more tailored to the needs of students, giving them much more flexibility in terms of whether they need developmental education and what options they can choose if they do. Working with Florida State’s Research Foundation, CPS received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study the state’s developmental education reform and how the colleges implement the new reform measures. They also aim to understand the patterns of student choice

10 site visits

presidential interviews

related to developmental education options and the effects of student choices on educational progression and success. The work from this project has the potential to impact approximately 167,000 students across the Florida College System. The researchers at CPS are also involved with other projects, such as the evaluation of the Bright Futures program in Florida, the role of minority serving institutions in student outcomes, state higher education policy innovations, performance funding, and student engagement and college outcomes.

78.7 hours of interviews and focus groups

university’s “Top 25” initiative to further enhance research and creative endeavors. With higher education at the forefront of public policy at the state level and nationally, the research being conducted by CPS signifies FSU’s commitment to promote postsecondary success for students from diverse backgrounds and provides positive influences across the college, university and state.

As for the next steps for CPS, Hu says, “We are interested in building networks,partnerships and collaborations with researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders The establishment of CPS to play a positive role in further enhances the Higher promoting student success.” T Education program’s ability to generate rigorous, relevant and To find out more about CPS, responsive research related the researchers and current to public policy and student projects, visit the Center’s outcomes in higher education. website: In addition, it will help to propel the college and the centerforpostsecondarysuccess.org

Supporting

Vets

our

FSU’s ranking on the Military Times’ “Most Military-Friendly Universities” list

lorida State University and the Student Veterans Center are striving to make FSU the most veteran-friendly public university in the country. One way they’re doing this is through the Unconquered Veterans Campaign, which encompasses FSU initiatives that ease the transition from military service to campus life; foster a community of past, present and future veterans; raise awareness of veterans issues among campus and local communities; and support student veterans through graduation and into rewarding careers and graduate education programs. Just this past year, FSU rose to No. 8 in Military Times’ ranking of most military-friendly universities. With 13 veterans and 29 dependents enrolled, the College of Education is committed to student service, especially to those who have served our country. This year, Florida State’s online graduate programs in education earned national recognition for providing veterans with high-quality, flexible online

education options with a rank of No. 2 in the nation. To qualify for the Best Online Programs for Veterans rankings, an online degree program had to belong to institutions that are certified for the GI Bill; belong to schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program or to public institutions that charge in-state tuition for all out-of-state veterans; and be among the top 75 percent of schools in the overall 2015 Best Online Programs rankings, which were released earlier this year. “As an early pioneer in online education at FSU, we are excited to see our achievements earn this recognition,” said Dean Marcy Driscoll. “We are continuing to develop innovative programs that provide a quality education to students and veterans both on and off campus.” To learn more about veteran initiatives at FSU, visit veterans.fsu.edu. T

INSPIRED PROFILES IN STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Ali Raza: Higher Education Scholar on the Rise............................................24 Gerald Johnson II: Social Science Education Student Making Waves...28 Savanna Ward: Sport Psychology Scholar on the Move...................32

Student Profiles

Ali Raza

Higher Education Scholar on the Rise

Degree Level: Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Program: Higher Education Hometown: El Campo, Texas Fun Fact: Ali was born in Jacobabad, Pakistan 24

Q&A with Ali Raza Q: Why did you choose Florida State? A: I immediately felt the connection; the College of Education felt like home. From the cutting-edge research and quirkiness of the faculty and the welcoming Visiting Days 2014 experience with students already in the program, to the incredible web of support known as the LifeNet, I knew Florida State University was the right place for me. I knew this is where I wanted to begin the next chapter of my life, to challenge myself and to learn with others.

Q: What made you choose the higher education path? A: I chose to study higher education and student affairs because I had a team of mentors and I would not be where I am today without them. I’ve always known that I wanted to make a small difference in the world, but my plans had always been to attend law school following graduation. It wasn’t until I spoke with my mentors that I realized higher education would be the perfect avenue for me to create positive change.

Q: Why did you choose FSU’s higher education program? A: I sought programs that had a strong academic curriculum and a history of producing strong student affairs professionals who were ready to make waves, and I found that with Florida State. I knew FSU’s higher education program would best prepare me to be a scholar-practitioner and have a positive impact on the world.

Q: What do you like about the higher education program at FSU? A: For me, relationships are extremely important and I found great ones in FSU’s higher education

program. Because I share a similar experience with 24 other students, we are all extremely close. There is also a strong relationship between the Division of Student Affairs, the College of Education and the higher education program that provides me with a great opportunity to learn and grow. There also exists an invaluable support network known as the LifeNet made up of students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends.

Q: What have you learned in this program and how has it helped you grow as a leader/professional? A: I learned more about research in my first semester of graduate school than I did during my entire undergraduate tenure. Delving into literature has also been a great experience because it sheds light on research conducted. We are blessed to have faculty that are some of the brightest in the nation, producing cutting-edge research and helping prepare us for the future of higher education.

Q: What are some of your leadership roles at FSU? A: I currently serve as the associate director of the Hardee Center for Leadership & Ethics in Higher Education. In addition, I function as a liaison between the master’s and doctoral students and the faculty of our program. I also serve on the Higher Education Student Association board where we act as the official voice for the students in the higher education program. Additionally, I am a graduate intern for the Student Government Association where I assist in the advising of Senate, sit in on meetings with the Golden Tribe Lecture Series and assist in the advising of the Supervisor of Elections.

Q: What organizations are you a part of? • • • • • •

Higher Education Student Association (FSU) Student Government Association (FSU) NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (Professional) ACPA – American College Personnel Association (Professional) NODA – National Orientation Directors Association (Professional) ACUHO-I – Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (Professional) • Texas Exes Alumni Association • Delta Sigma Phi

Q: Have you attended any conferences and what impact have they had on you? A: I have had the privilege of attending three conferences this semester. The first was the Dalton Institute on College Student Values where people from across the country came to Tallahassee to attend several sessions relating to this year’s theme of educating college students to be fair and equitable in the world they will lead. The second conference, the ACPA Annual Convention in Tampa, Florida, allowed me to connect with fellow student affairs graduate students and professionals. The NASPA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a great opportunity to reconnect with many of my former mentors and supervisors who really helped shape me to be the individual I am today. All of these conferences affirmed my passion for student affairs.

Q: Where do you see yourself after graduation? A: I would like to work primarily with first or second-year students and focus on orientation, leadership development and social justice. Ideally, I would like to work with first-generation students, have an opportunity to provide resources and services, and be a mentor and support system for students. A little further down the road, I would like to pursue a doctorate and continue my formal education.

Q: Final comments? A: I strongly believe Florida State University’s higher education program is one of the premier programs in the nation. The faculty are strong, motivated researchers who value the students in our program immensely. The students – my peers – are intelligent, friendly, down-to-earth, and will be some of the future leaders of our profession without a doubt. I feel extremely grateful and humbled to be a part of such an incredible program and to have the opportunity to join the Seminole and LifeNet legacy. T

“I knew Florida State University was the right place for me. This is where I wanted to begin the next chapter of my life.”

-- Ali Raza 27

Student Profiles

Gerald Johnson II Social Science Education Student Making Waves

Degree Level: Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Program: Social Science Education Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida Fun Fact: Gerald was FSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 Homecoming Chief 28

Q&A with Gerald Johnson II Q: Why did you choose Florida State? A: Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, I never felt there was a concretive effort shown within the community to praise high educational standards. As a result, many of my fellow classmates chose not to pursue a college education, but instead stayed within the city to work with no plans of progression. I found myself nearly falling into this same mold as I applied for the local community college while working up to 50 hours at Winn-Dixie. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until the end of Fall 2010 that I realized the importance of having an education and becoming a leading example for all of those within my community. Once my transfer application was accepted at Florida State University, I immediately enrolled in classes that challenged my prior understandings of life and forced me out of my comfort zone. It was in the College of Education where I found the passion and drive for being involved in the field of education. This drive was fueled by my new knowledge of how positive of an impact having a good education could present to someone. The knowledge, understanding and experiences that come with gaining an education is what builds the foundation of our societyâ&#x20AC;Ś and I wanted to a part of that building process.

Q: What made you choose social science education? A: When I first enrolled at Florida State University, I was majoring in sport management with aspirations of becoming a head high school basketball coach. Since the sport management program is housed in the College of Education, this gave me my first exposure to the College. While proceeding through my prerequisite classes as a freshman/sophomore, I became more interested in the benefits of being an educator and the impact I could have on the lives of many people. I switched my major to social science education because it gave me an opportunity to study the field of sociology while learning how to apply that knowledge within the field of education.

Q: What do you like about the social science education program at FSU? A: My favorite part of my major is the diverse learning experiences that I have gathered from it. I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about humanities, social studies, sociology, economics and more.

Q: What are some of your leadership roles at FSU? • SGA Student Body Vice President (March 2014- present) • Chairman of the Campus Recreation Board (September 2012 – October 2013) • Vice President of Seminole Student Boosters (January 2013 – January 2014) • Campus Content Editor, FSView & Florida Flambeau (2012-2013)

Q: What organizations are you a part of? • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Summer Ambassador for the C.A.R.E. Program (February 2015 – Present) Chairman of the Black Male Initiative (March 2015 – Present) Big Brothers Big Sisters Peer Mentor (October 2014 – Present) Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (December 2013 – Present) Mentor of the Freshman Leadership Institute (September 2013 – Present) Sales & Distribution Coordinator for the FSView & Florida Flambeau (August 2013 – Present) Campus Recreation Associate Director Search Committee (July 2013) Served on the Student Academic Programs funding committee (July 2013) Member of the NAACP (July 2013 – Present) Volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club (June 2013) Volunteer Basketball Coach at Amos P. Godby High School (October 2012) Volunteer for ESPN College Gameday (September 2012) Game Productions Volunteer with the Jacksonville, Jaguars (August 2012) Brother of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity (December 2011 – Present)

Q: What are some of your honors/ achievements? • 2014 FSU Homecoming Chief (November 2014) • 2014 Seminole Torchbearer (October 2014) • Black Alumni Association 2013 Outstanding Student Award (November 2013) • 2013 Mores Leadership Award Recipient (Garnet & Gold Key Leadership Honorary)

Q: Where do you see yourself after graduation? A: Upon graduation, I aspire to enroll in a higher education student affairs program with hopes of one day becoming either a vice president of student affairs or dean of students. Along my journey to reaching one of those positions, I would like to become a leading community advocate for the rights of minorities, while looking to better retention, enrollment and graduation rates of minority students at universities nationwide. T

“At Florida State, you truly become part of a family .”

-- Gerald Johnson II

Student Profiles

Savanna Ward

Sport Psychology Scholar on the Move

Degree Level: Doctoral Program: Sport Psychology Hometown: Priest River, Idaho Fun Fact: Savanna has an identical twin sister 32

Q&A with Savanna Ward Q: Why did you choose Florida State? A: While researching sport psychology programs, FSU was recommended to me because of their respected research accolades, the many applied opportunities and the chance to teach undergraduate sport psychology courses. Within the field, FSU’s sport psychology graduate programs are highly reputable and have produced renowned sport psychology instructors, researchers and practitioners. It’s an honor to follow in their footsteps.

Q: What do you like about the sport psychology program at FSU? A: I am truly passionate about FSU and our program, and you probably won’t find a more biased opinion than mine! We are given so many opportunities in our program, from research groups to certifications to undergraduate teaching. In class, we work collaboratively to enhance one another’s learning; we are challenged to think critically, expected to develop real-life interventions for future use, and work on projects that contribute directly to research publications and conference presentations. I also love the students in this program and the camaraderie and collaboration between us. I learn just as much from my classmates as I do from the instructors. Additionally, our professors care about our well being, have a vested interest in our career paths and successes, and are some of the best in the field!

Q: What are some of your leadership roles at FSU? • Congress of Graduate Students ○ College of Education Representative (Fall 2013 – present) ○ Speaker for Judicial Affairs (Summer 2015 – present) • Applied Sport Psychology ○ Vice President (Fall 2013 – Spring 2014) ○ President (Summer 2014 – Spring 2015) ○ Past-President (Current) • Sport Psychology Organization and Research Team (SPORT) ○ Vice President (Fall 2013 – Spring 2014) • EPLS Orientation Graduate Student Coordinator • EPLS/Sport Psychology Prospective Student Ambassador

Savanna with fellow sport psychology students and Dr. Gershon Tenenbaum at the FEPSAC Conference in Switzerland.

Q: Have you attended any conferences? A: I’ve presented at local, regional and national sport psychology conferences. In July, I presented in Switzerland at the FEPSAC (European Federation of Sport Psychology) Conference.

Q: What are your research initiatives/research focuses? A: I have several research interests including the provision of supervision in sport psychology, exercise dependence in running populations, and fear contagion among gymnastics and cheer teams. Currently, I’m involved in a few research projects including: 1) 3D/2D video simulation training for tennis players, 2) expert sport psychology consultants’ approaches to first session meetings, and 3) sport psychology student-consultant and supervisor competencies. I have worked as a graduate assistant for Bryan Richards in the EPLS office since Fall 2012. I’m also a graduate research assistant for Dr. Graig Chow.

Q: What organizations are you a part of? • • • • • • •

Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) North American Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NAPSPA) American Psychological Association (APA) American Psychological Association for Graduate Students (APAGS) FSU Sport Psychology Organization and Research Team (SPORT) Applied Sport Psychology (ASP-FSU) Congress of Graduate Students (COGS)

Q: Where do you see yourself after graduation? A: My dream career is working at a university as a professor. I would like to continue to research, teach and supervise my students’ applied work in sport psychology. I also have an interest in continuing to work with athletes, coaches and teams as an applied practitioner. I fell in love with Washington, D.C. while attending American University and met my husband who was also a student there. Because of his career choice (public policy and American government) and our love for the city, we would like to move back to Washington, D.C. and have our careers and family there.

Q: Final Comments? A: I’m really honored to be completing two graduate degrees in sport psychology from FSU. Within the next year or two I will be able to teach undergraduate courses such as sport psychology, exercise psychology, applied sport psychology and performance psychology. T

“I know I have made professional and personal relationships that I’ll have forever.” -- Savanna Ward

ENGAGED EVENTS AND PHILANTHROPY

COE Week 2014.........................37 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award Winners................................40 Alumnus Funds Divorce Toolkit: Peter Scanlon........44 Raising the Torch: Norma Chafin and Rob Sheets....46 36

COE WEEK

2014

The College of Education hosted the fourth annual College of Education Week September 29 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; October 4, 2014. This event, held in conjunction with FSU Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Weekend, included a week of symposia, presentations and events celebrating COE students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends.

The Dean’s Symposium is an annual event that brings together educational researchers and scholars, state policy-makers, school administrators, teachers and teacher educators, agency officials, and Florida State faculty and students to discuss educational issues of critical importance to our state and the nation. The eighth annual Dean’s Symposium focused on entrepreneurship in education.

Dean’s Symposium

Ice Cream Social The Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium, an annual event that honors the memory and legacy of Dr. Harold F. Cottingham, featured an evening reception followed by a panel of speakers on topics pertaining to successful innovative practice and research in psychological services. Alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students interested in the helping services attended the event.

Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium 38

This annual conference, organized by the sport management program, featured presentations from highly respected professionals in the sport industry, including former students who are now members of the profession.

16th Annual Sport Management Conference Established more than 25 years ago, the COE Distinguished Alumni Awards provide an opportunity to honor graduates of the College who have distinguished themselves through scholarly, creative, and humanitarian achievement and service to their profession. The annual awards are given in six categories.

Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet COE Week concluded with a tailgate held prior to the FSU vs. Wake Forest game in the Stone building courtyard. COE students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends enjoyed food, fun, and a dance contest for tickets to the game.

Pre-game Tailgate This awards ceremony recognized the student scholarship recipients and the donors who generously funded their awards.

Student & Donor Scholarship Awards Ceremony 39

2014 DISTINGUISHED

ALUMNI AWARD

WINNERS

Established more than 25 years ago, the College of Education Distinguished Alumni Awards provide an avenue of honoring graduates of the College who have distinguished themselves through scholarly, creative and humanitarian achievement and service to their profession. Each year, recipients are nominated by their peers and selected by an esteemed committee of College of Education emeritus faculty. The College named six recipients of the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Awards. The winners were honored at a banquet held during College of Education Week. College administrators, faculty, staff, nominators and the families of the winners attended the celebration.

Business & Industry

Phyllis Kalifeh M.S. in Educational Leadership/Administration (1994) Ph.D. in Education Policy and Evaluation (2013) Kalifeh has served over the past 15 years as the president and CEO of the Children’s Forum, which is a statewide, not-for-profit organization that develops principles, programs, and policies that assist early childhood educators and after school professionals. Prior to her position at the Children’s Forum, Kalifeh served as executive director and CEO of Early Childhood Services, Inc. Kalifeh’s research and work has been published in multiple peerreviewed publications and has been awarded over 15 grants and contracts spanning 16 years. Kalifeh actively serves on many national, state and local councils aimed toward the advancement of early childhood programs. Kalifeh received her doctorate in education policy and evaluation as well as a master’s in educational leadership from Florida State University.

Government and Community Service Brian Ray Ed.S. in Higher Education (1995) Ph.D. in Higher Education (1998)

Ray is currently associate dean & director of the Heavener School of Business and lecturer in leadership and ethics at the Management Department at the University of Florida. Before becoming associate dean and director, he was the director of student services at Warrington College of Business Administration at the University of Florida. Ray received both his Ph.D. and Ed.S. in higher education and administration from Florida State University. Later, Ray’s potential for making substantive contributions to higher education was recognized when he completed the management development program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Ray has also received extensive military training including earning a Master of Strategic Studies at the United States Army War College, attending the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and completion of the United States Army Combined Arms and Services Staff School. Ray is currently the command chaplain of the largest command in the Army Reserves, the 377th Theater Sustainment Command. Ray has received numerous awards and recognition during his military services, including the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award in the United States Army – one of the top leadership recognitions for company grade officers – and a Bronze Star Medal awarded for Exemplary Service in Afghanistan and Iraq.

International

Mohammed Nadir Atash Ph.D. in Measurement and Statistics (1982) Atash is an educator, researcher, and leader with 35 years of business and academic experience. Atash is the founder and a board member of the Nooristan Foundation, an all-volunteer charity supporting health care, vocational training programs, and education for women and children in Afghanistan. Atash also served as the president of Airana Afghan Airlines, advisor to the Ministry of Finance and Transportation in Afghanistan, and was a founder and member of the Board of Directors for the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce. He has also engaged in reform of education, transportation and finance systems in post-Taliban Afghanistan, and is author of a book “Turbulence: The Tumultuous Journey of One Man’s Quest to Bring Change in Afghanistan.” He has implemented projects in challenging environments and successfully worked with urban and rural communities abroad. Atash received a Ph.D. from Florida State University in measurement and statistics as well as an M.A from Claremont Graduate School in science education. He received a B.S. in chemistry from The American University of Beirut.

K-12 Education

Cristian Carranza B.S. in Science Education (1995) Carranza received bachelor’s degrees in biological science and science sducation from Florida State University and his master’s degree in educational leadership from Florida International University. He currently serves as the executive director for the Division of Science of the Office of Academics and Transformation for Miami Dade County Public School District in Florida. Over the last 17 years, Carranza has served multiple communities in the state of Florida. He served as vice principal of Miami Carol City Senior High School, instructional leader and science supervisor for the Florida Department of Education, and science teacher, science coach, and school site and district administrator in multiple districts in south Florida. His career has focused on promoting a comprehensive support system that aims to increase community and parent involvement by providing intervention and enrichment plans for students while also enhancing teacher quality and increasing student achievement and college readiness. Carranza is also an alumnus of the Southern Scholarship Foundation program, which strongly influenced his work with students needing opportunities for educational advancement.

Postsecondary Systems: University Damon Andrew Ph.D. in Sports Administration (2004)

Andrew serves as dean and E.B. “Ted” Robert Endowed Professor of the College of Human Sciences and Education at Louisiana State University. Prior to LSU, he was dean and professor of the College of Health and Human Services at Troy University, and he taught at the University of South Alabama, University of Florida, and Florida State University. He served as the doctoral program director at University of Louisville and was the founder as well as director of the University of Tennessee doctoral program. His research productivity includes a textbook, 27 funded grants and contracts, and over 120 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, proceedings, and book chapters. He is serving as the editor, senior editor and associate editor of multiple journals and serves on six editorial boards. The American Association of University Administrators and the National Association have recognized his administrative accomplishments for kinesiology and physical education in higher education. Andrew received his Ph.D. in sports administration from Florida State University. His education also includes a B.S. in physical education and M.S. in exercise psychology from the University of South Alabama, and an M.S.E.S.S in biomechanics and M.E.S.S. in sport management from the University of Florida.

Distinguished Educator

James Morrison B.S. in Social Studies Education (1960) Ph.D. in Higher Education (1969) Morrison received a B.S. in social studies education, an M.S. in social science and a Ph.D. in higher education, all from Florida State University. In addition, he studied German at the University of Heidelberg and German and sociology at the University of Munich. He currently serves as professor emeritus of education at UNC-Chapel Hill. He served as vice president (Division J) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and received the Distinguished Scholar Award from AERA’s Special Interest Group on Strategic Change. Morrison has served as consulting editor of The Review of Educational Research, The American Educational Research Journal and the ASHE-ERIC Research Report Series. He is the founding editor of three peer-reviewed publications: On the Horizon, The Technology Source and Innovate. He is the author and co-author of nine books and over 200 journal articles focusing on educational planning and on using information technology tools in educational organizations. He has presented over 240 conference presentations and workshops around the world.

Alumnus Funds Co-Parenting After Divorce Project at FSU By Jennie Harrison

ingle-parent families with children under the age of 18 make up about a quarter of families in the U.S., and more than a million additional children experience the divorce of their parents each year. Not surprisingly, current research indicates that children are healthier when their parents have the knowledge and skills essential to resolving conflicts and can prioritize the wellbeing of their children.

position of chief psychologist and clinical director at the Hallgarth Institute. In 1986, Scanlon established South Bay Mental Health Center in Boston, where he has worked with disadvantaged families for nearly 30 years.

together each fall to explore topics in the field of counseling. In 2012, Scanlon turned his lifelong commitment to disadvantaged youth into the focus of his philanthropic organization, the Vandermark Foundation. The Foundation serves to help young people in In 2010, Scanlon earned a variety of difficult situations a Business and Industry around the world. Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Education This year, at Scanlon’s direction, for his success with South Bay the Vandermark Foundation Mental Health Center. But awarded a $250,000 grant to College of Education alumnus, despite a career serving families Florida State to develop an Dr. Peter Scanlon, knows this all in the Boston community, he online toolkit designed to foster too well. Scanolon earned his was determined to give back healthy co-parenting in divorced M.S. in 1971, and by 1973, had even more. He worked with families. The Successful Cohelped create Phoenix House faculty in the psychological and Parenting After Divorce project for adolescents with substance counseling services program is a collaboration of Florida abuse issues. He went on to to create and support the State’s College of Education, earn his Ph.D. in counseling Cottingham Colloquium at College of Communication and psychology in 1979. His first FSU. The annual event, named Information, and College of position after leaving FSU the for Scanlon’s major professor, Social Work. second time was leading the Dr. Harold Cottingham, counseling center at Stonehill brings alumni, researchers, “I was excited to see the FSU College before moving on to the practitioners and students community come together for (Continued on Page 45)

this collaborative project,” said Scanlon. “After decades of working in community mental health services and seeing the need for this training, I am thrilled that we are supporting FSU’s important work.” The goals of the project are to educate families on the effects of divorce and conflict on the family system and about the protection that co-parenting provides; facilitate healthy coparenting relationships through promotion of communication and conflict-reduction skills and strategies; and train mental health professionals, lawyers and other professionals who work with divorcing couples on the dynamics of healthy co-parenting. “The entire FSU community, the state and families nationally will benefit from this extraordinary gift,” said Dr. James Sampson, associate dean for faculty development in the College of Education. The toolkit will be available at no cost to the multitude of families who experience divorce annually, as well as to family members, mental health professionals and lawyers who support these families through the divorce process. T For more information about the project, contact Karen Oehme, director of the Institute for Family Violence Studies, at koehme@fsu.edu.

About this Toolkit

Access Training

This Toolkit helps families and professionals understand the effects of divorce on the family system and facilitate healthy coparenting relationships for the benefit of the children involved. It is a project of the Florida State University’s College of Education, College of Communication and Information, and the Institute for Family Violence Studies within Florida State University’s College of Social Work.

Access Resources

Introductory

These resources provide public access to information and on co-parenting after divorce and social services, mental health, and legal issues.

Video

This Toolkit includes three modules: 

An Introduction to Co-Parenting after Divorce, Its Purposes, Benefits, and Importance



Co-Parenting Strategies and Skills



Legal Issues, Transitions, and Safety

It also includes an extensive resource site. The training is applicable to: 

Parents



Family members



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Raising the Torch: Norma Chafin and Rob Sheets By Kevin Derryberry

t was during FSU’s annual Noles in New York week this past May that Dean Marcy Driscoll and I had the pleasure of joining FSU’s New York based development officer, Ari Skalet, and College of Business alumnus Rob Sheets for breakfast at New York City’s famed Pershing Café. As we stood outside of Grand Central Station, Rob unpinned a golden tomahawk from his lapel and presented it to me. Despite my protests, Rob persisted, “You have to let me do this for you, I’ve got more.” I was touched by the gesture and paused to reflect on what it said about our alumni. It was a little gift, but it meant a great deal to me. For the next four years, FSU’s billion dollar campaign to Raise the Torch will be the focus of my efforts. The College of Education’s goals will require another twenty million in alumni support by 2018. Transformational gifts will come from alumni who choose

to leave their legacy via estate planning, but vital scholarship and program support will come from alumni and friends who will do what they can, who say to us “let us do this for FSU, we have more.”

down a full tennis scholarship at West Virginia University, where he earned his marketing degree in 1987. A lifelong Seminole, Rob next came to Tallahassee for an MBA in 1989. A successful career in the credit card industry followed, with executive roles at U.S. News & World Report ranks Bank of America, Capital One, Florida State University as 214 MasterCard International and of 268 National Universities in First Data. terms of financial resources. But two years in a row, we Despite his success in the ranked first as the most efficient business world, when we asked University for the high value of Rob if he would be interested in our education. Despite the lack supporting his alma mater, Rob of resources, we rank 40th in the knew just what he should do: country with a goal of rising into endow a STEM field scholarship the Top 25. But we will not be in his mother’s name. The Norma able to do so without the support Chafin Endowed Scholarship of alumni and friends like Rob in Education may be Rob’s, his Sheets. step-sister Johnna’s, and his brother Jim’s gift to their mother, Rob comes by both his generosity but it is also a gift to countless and his love of FSU naturally. His generations of FSU students who mother, Norma Chafin, is a 1962 will continue to benefit from College of Education graduate Norma Chafin’s commitment to and taught math in the Brevard education. and Pinellas county school systems for many years before The Chafin and Sheets families retiring to Treasure Island. She are committed to education and has instilled in Rob a love of to Florida State, and Rob has Florida State and a clear sense of hopes that one of his daughters the importance of giving back to may one day carry on the family education. tradition. Best wishes to his family and we thank them for As an undergraduate, Rob hoped all that they continue to give to to attend FSU, but could not turn Florida State University. T

BENCHMARKS FACULTY AND STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

Bidding Farewell to our Retiring Faculty...48 Welcoming our New Faculty and Staff....50 Faculty and Staff Achievements...........51

Bidding Farewell to our Retiring Faculty This past year, the College of Education said farewell to two retiring faculty members, Dr. Peter Easton and Dr. Cecile Reynaud. We thank them both for their service to the College of Education, Florida State University, and the fields of education and sports.

Dr. Peter Easton Dr. Peter Easton, associate professor of educational leadership and policy, joined the FSU faculty in 1989 after five years of service on overseas development projects with the University’s Learning Systems Institute. He taught online master’s courses in adult learning and multicultural education along with face-to-face coursework in comparative and international education. Easton served as past coordinator of the sociocultural & international development education studies program and tenured doctoral advisor in the Ph.D. program in educational leadership and policy. His influence expands beyond the College of Education and across the world.

Accomplishments Global: • Served as an executive assistant of literacy and adult education for the United States Peace Corps, Republic of Niger • Founded and developed first local language newspaper in Niger (Saabon Ra’ayii), which is still being published • Served as adult literacy project director for the National Development Commissary, Republic of Niger • Served as research assistant for the Ministry of Education/Ministry of Rural Production, Republic of Mali; World Bank • Served as professor at the Ecole de Pédagogie, University of Niamey, Republic of Niger Academia: • Specialized in comparative and international education and economic evaluation of education programs • Served as a research associate for the Learning Systems Institute (LSI) at Florida State University • Served as senior research associate and principal investigator for the Center for Educational Research and Policy at Florida State University

Bidding Farewell to our Retiring Faculty

Dr. Cecile Reynaud Dr. Cecile Reynaud, research associate in sport management, started her career in the FSU College of Education as a student, earning her master’s in educational leadership/administration in 1979 and her doctorate in physical education in 1998. She began teaching for the COE in 2002 after coaching FSU volleyball for 26 years. Since then, she has taught over 20 different classes, been an advisor for hundreds of master’s students, and has been an instructor in the global sport management program in London and Paris on four different occasions. Her COE leadership roles included co-director of the Annual Sport Management Conference, coordinator for the Dr. M. Dianne Murphy Distinguished Lecture Series, director of the graduate online coaching certificate program, and a long-time member/chair of the Technology Committee. As extensive as her involvement here has been, her influence expands beyond the College of Education.

Accomplishments Volleyball: • Inducted into the Florida Volleyball Region Hall of Fame • Published four DVD’s for volleyball • Served on the following boards: • Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls • USA Volleyball Board of Directors • American Volleyball Coaches Board of Directors • Alliance of Women Coaches Board of Directors (now president) • Refuge House (president) – Domestic & Sexual Violence Center • FSU Varsity Club • Side-Out Foundation Board (breast cancer research) • Served as the team leader for the USA women’s volleyball sitting team at the 2012 Paralympic Games • Served as the team leader/assistant coach for the USA Women’s volleyball national team for the 2013 World Grand Prix traveling to Brazil, Serbia & Japan

FSU/Academia: • Twice nominated for an FSU Teaching Award • Inducted into the FSU Athletic Hall of Fame • Nominated for an award in Tallahassee as a “servant leader” • Published four books (two as sole author and two as editor )

Welcoming our New Faculty and Staff

Jan Aussicker

Danielle Boone

Tony Daniels

Samantha DeZerga

School of Teacher Education

Christine Lojan

Gregory Taylor

School of Teacher Education

Dean’s Office

Holly Crosby Dean’s Office

Deborah Ham-Kelly

Office of Academic Services & Intern Support (OASIS)

Nathaniel Watson Office of Communications and Recruitment

Dr. Stacy Chambers became the new director of Florida State University Schools (FSUS), one of the FSU College of Education’s two developmental research schools. “My dream of working in an organization that combines educational research, K-12 educational systems and amazing students is in place at FSUS. Together we will work to further our mission: sharing our teaching and educational research and being of service to Florida’s education community.”

Faculty and Staff Achievements At the College of Education, we pride ourselves on our nationally renowned faculty, which includes eight distinguished professors and two Fulbright scholars. They pursue cutting-edge research that enriches and informs classroom teaching and their achievements gain national and international recognition. Our dedicated staff shine through their continual service to the College. The following is a list of recent recognitions and awards achieved by our esteemed faculty and staff:

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP & POLICY STUDIES Motoko Akiba,

Bradley Cox,

Kathy Guthrie,

Shouping Hu,

Jeffrey Milligan,

Laura Osteen,

associate professor of educational leadership and policy, received grant funding from the National Science Foundation for “Identifying an Effective and Scalable Model of Lesson Study.” associate professor of higher education, became co-editor for the New Directions for Student Leadership series.

professor of educational leadership and policy and director of the Learning Systems Institute (LSI), served as principal investigator for a project with Research Triangle International funded by the US Agency for International Development aimed at Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation Development (STRIDE).

Lara Perez-Felkner,

assistant professor of higher education, was selected by the Spiritual Life Project at FSU to receive the Transformation Through Teaching recognition. She was also a departmental finalist for the 2015 Robert M. Gagné Research Award.

assistant professor of higher education, won the COE Grant Competition.

professor of higher education, received a grant from the Florida College System Foundation.

adjunct faculty of higher education and director of the Center for Leadership and Social Change, was named the 2014 recipient of the Ross Oglesby Award.

Toby Park,

assistant professor of educational leadership and policy, received a Committee on Faculty Research Support (COFRS) Award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC).

Courtney Preston,

assistant professor of educational leadership and policy, received a First Year Assistant Professor (FYAP) Award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC).

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP & POLICY STUDIES (continued) David Tandberg,

assistant professor of higher education, was promoted to associate professor with tenure. He also received a Committee on Faculty Research Support (COFRS) award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC).

Stephanie Zuilkowski,

assistant professor of comparative education and international development, was awarded the British Journal of Educational Psychology Early Stage Career Research Prize for her paper on malaria prevention and school dropout in the Gambia.

SPORT MANAGEMENT Michael Giardina,

Jeffrey James,

Joshua Newman,

Ryan Rodenberg,

associate professor of sport management, was appointed editor for the Sociology of Sport Journal, the official journal of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport.

associate professor of sport management, was selected as a recipient of a 2013-2014 Distance Learning Award for Excellence in Online Course Design. He also took 10 graduate students to the Doha Goals Forum, the world’s premier platform for world leaders to create initiatives for global progress through sport.

professor of sport management and department chair, was named Mode L. Stone distinguished professor.

assistant professor of sport management, contributed to a New York Times article on the tennis antitrust lawsuit that saved doubles.

SCHOOL OF TEACHER EDUCATION Christine Andrews-Larson,

assistant professor of mathematics education, received grant funding from the National Science Foundation for “Collaborative Research: Teachers of Inquiry Mathematics: Establishing Supports (TIMES).”

Mickey Damelio,

teaching faculty in visual disabilities, was elected chair of the board of directors of the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP), the international certifying body for most vision impairment professionals in this part of the world.

Kathy Clark,

associate professor of mathematics education, was awarded a two-month “Comenius Professorship” at the University of Siegen in Germany where she conducted a study on the transition problem from school to university mathematics. She also received grant funding from the National Science Foundation for “Collaborative Research: RUI: Transforming Instruction in Undergraduate Mathematics via Primary Historical Sources.”

SCHOOL OF TEACHER EDUCATION (continued) Ella-Mae Daniel,

teaching faculty in elementary education, received a Faculty Fellows Program grant from the Office of Critical Thinking Initiatives and the Office of the Provost. These 2015 grants support FSU’s Quality Enhancement Plan, ThinkFSU.

Mary Frances Hanline,

professor of special education, received funding for a new U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Research Leadership personnel preparation grant, ASD-STEM, and serves as co-principal investigator. She also received the College of Education’s Graduate Teaching Award.

Elizabeth Jakubowski,

associate professor of mathematics education, serves as project faculty on the ASD-STEM project with Drs. Hanline, Reed and Whalon.

Ithel Jones,

professor of early childhood education, received grant funding from the Monique Burr Foundation for “Evaluation of the Child Safety Matters Program.”

Wenxia Wang,

assistant professor of foreign and second language education, received grant funding from the National Security Agency for “STARTALK.” She also received a First Year Assistant Professor (FYAP) Award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC).

Angie Davis,

teaching faculty and program coordinator in elementary education, was awarded the College of Education’s Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Sarah Ivy,

assistant professor of visual disabilities education, received a First Year Assistant Professor (FYAP) Award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC).

John Myers,

associate professor of social science education, received the Guardian of the Flame Faculty Award for the College of Education. He was also a departmental finalist for the 2015 Robert M. Gagné Research Award.

Sandra Lewis,

professor of visual disabilities, received grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education for “Improving the Preparation of Professionals Serving Students with Visual Impairments, Including Those who have Additional Disabilities.”

Deborah Reed,

assistant professor of special education, was selected by the Spiritual Life Project at FSU to receive the Transformation Through Teaching recognition. She also serves as project faculty on the ASD-STEM project with Drs. Hanline, Jakubowski and Whalon. In addition, the American Educational Research Association (AERA)’s Education Research Service Project Initiative (ERSP) program chose a proposal by Reed for funding.

Jeanne Wanzek,

Kelly Whalon,

Ian Whitacre,

Shelbie Witte,

associate professor of special education and researcher at the Florida Center for Reading Research, received a Developing Scholar Award from the FSU Council on Research and Creativity (CRC).

assistant professor of mathematics education, received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and will serve as co-PI on a project with University of Colorado faculty.

assistant professor of special education, received funding for a new U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Research Leadership personnel preparation grant, ASD-STEM, and serves as principal investigator. associate professor of English education, was appointed to the editorship of the National Council of Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of English (NCTE)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Voices from the Middle. She also received a Planning Grant (PG) award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC).

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY & LEARNING SYSTEMS Martin Swanbrow Becker,

Graig Chow,

Aubteen Darabi,

Vanessa Dennen,

assistant professor of psychological and counseling services, received a Committee on Faculty Research Support (COFRS) Award from the FSU Council for Research and Creativity (CRC). He also won the COE Grant Competition. associate professor of instructional systems and learning technologies, served as co-PI for a project with Research Triangle International funded by the US Agency for International Development aimed at Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation Development (STRIDE).

Fengfeng Ke,

associate professor of Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies, wrote a conference paper that was accepted by the International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning. The paper examines the space flight simulator instructional system (SFIS) developed by the Science Department at Florida State University Schools (FSUS).

assistant professor of sport psychology, received a First Year Assistant Professor (FYAP) Award from the FSU College of Education.

associate professor of instructional systems and learning technologies, received two Distance Learning Awards: Excellence in Online Teaching and Innovative and Effective Use of Technology. She was also appointed editor-in-chief of The Internet in Higher Education, a quarterly journal that is ranked in the top 20 in its subject category in the Social Sciences Citation Index.

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY & LEARNING SYSTEMS (continued) Kathleen Krach,

assistant professor of psychological and counseling services, received a First Year Assistant Professor (FYAP) Award from the FSU College of Education.

Debra Osborn,

associate professor of psychological and counseling services, received the 2015 Robert M. Gagné Research Award, the highest research honor at the FSU College of Education.

Valerie Shute,

professor of instructional systems and learning technologies, received a 2015 Graduate Student Mentor Award from the FSU Graduate School.

Janet G. Lenz,

associate-in professor of educational psychology and learning systems and program director for career counseling, co-wrote an article, “The Impact of the Self-Directed Search Form R Internet Version on Counselorfree Career Exploration,” which was published in the Journal of Career Assessment.

James P. Sampson,

associate dean for faculty development and Mode L. Stone distinguished professor, cowrote an article, “The Impact of the Self-Directed Search Form R Internet Version on Counselorfree Career Exploration,” which was published in the Journal of Career Assessment.

STAFF Kerry Behnke,

Bob Birken,

Alysa Crooke

Alvin Holloway,

administrative associate in the Dean’s Office, was honored for 10 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

was honored for 10 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

academic support coordinator in the Office of Academic Services and Intern Support (OASIS), was honored for 15 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

tech support analyst in the Office of Information and Instructional Technologies, was honored for 30 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

Linda Lyons,

Jimmy Pastrano,

Mary Ranieri Peterson,

Rebecca Pfeiffer,

Jennifer Ramsey,

Derek Taylor,

Russell Walker,

Karen White,

academic support assistant in educational leadership and policy studies, was selected as a finalist for the Max Carraway Employee of the Year Award, the top honor awarded to a staff member in the university. administration support assistant in educational leadership and policy studies, was honored for 15 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

grants manager, received the Exemplary Service Award in the category of Scientific and Research Services for the University.

research administrator, was published in the December 2014 issue of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) magazine. His article, “Partnering to Propel Research – One College’s Strategy,” is about the collaborative research programs and services that College of Education faculty at FSU have been provided.

academic program specialist in educational leadership and policy studies, was honored for 15 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

assessment coordinator, received the 2015 COE Outstanding Staff Member Award.

office administrator in the Dean’s Office, was honored for 5 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

executive assistant to Dean Marcy P. Driscoll, was honored for 10 years of sustained service to the College of Education.

Kelli Gemmer,

media specialist in the Office of Communications and Recruitment, was the 2015–2016 recipient of the COE Staff Development Award.

PROGRESS REPORTS ALUMNI NEWS AND NOTES

Alumni News and Notes

s 0 6 9 1 Carol Hair Moore (B.S.

’62 Elementary Education) published the fourth book in her series, I Wish You Ice Cream and Cake. FSU Professor of English Emeritus, Dr. Bruce Bickley, edited the fourth book, “Papa Mole’s Secrets of Happiness.”

Erik L. Collins (M.A. ’66 Higher Education), formerly a faculty member and associate director for graduate studies in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of South Carolina, retired from full-time status and was named professor emeritus.

Mike Martin (B.S. ’66 Physical

Education), head coach of the Florida State Baseball Team, was honored by Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for his generous donation to the Children’s Center Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment Program. The hospital named the Tallahassee Memorial Children’s Center Playroom in his honor.

s 0 7 9 1 Josephine “Jo Ann” Lordahl (Ph.D. ’70 Educational Psychology) has published over 20 books including her most recent work, “Money Meditations for Women.”

Kenneth A. Polcyn (Ph.D. ‘70

Social Studies and Education Technology) published an autobiography, “My Life Remembered,” which includes a discussion about his accomplishments including athletic honors, degrees, coaching, world business travel, published books, numerous magazine articles, book chapters, technical papers for government agencies and more.

James Olliver (M.S. ‘71 Higher

Education, Ph.D. ‘75 Higher Education), provost of St. Petersburg College’s Seminole campus, retired after 26 years with the college.

Alice L. Kershaw Luckhardt (B.S. ’72

Social Science Education) was honored with her husband, Greg, as Martin County Historic Preservationists for October 2013 to May 2015.

Sarah

Clemmons

(Ed.D. ’77 Elementary Education, Ph.D. ‘80 Education), senior vice president of instruction at Chipola College, was named Jackson County Citizen of the Year.

Joel R. Gecht (Ph.D. ‘77

Counseling/Human Systems), president and CEO at IMPACT Solutions, recently published the psychological suspense novel, “Amanda Memories.” The story, set at FSU in the ‘70s, features a young psychology intern at FSU as he navigates through unexpected issues brought on by his first patient at the Counseling Center.

Neal

Golden

(Ph.D. ’77 Mathematics Education) gave lectures on “The Mathematics Curriculum for the 21st Century,” “Instructional Design,” and “Impact of Technology on Education” to the teachers, undergraduate students and graduate students at Cor Jesu College in Digos City, Philippines.

Dee Andrews (M.S. ’77, Ph.D.

’80 Instructional Systems) retired from the Department of Defense after 34 years in the civil service.

Verdenia

Baker

(B.S. ’79 Rehabilitation Services) was selected as the first African American and first woman county administrator in Palm Beach County.

David

Persky (Ph.D. ’79 Higher Education) is in his sixteenth year as professor of criminal justice at Saint Leo University. He has also served as associate dean and dean of continuing education, assistant to the president, and acting general counsel during his time at Saint Leo.

1980s Kathleen Keirnan McGrath

(B.S. ’81 Early Childhood Education), who won the COE Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Schools in 2001, was one of approximately 115 teachers inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. McGrath also received the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship in 1992 for “Hands-On Science Lab,” in 1999 for “Brain Compatible Learning,” and again in 2001 for “Symposium For Early Career Teachers.”

Michael

Knight

(Ph.D. ‘81 Instructional Systems) has had a successful career in the field of Instructional Systems where he worked at companies like Texas Instruments, AnheuserBusch Companies, Inc., and IBEX Global.

Beverly

Helms (Ed.D. ’82 Education) was international president of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society of Key Women Educators from 2012-2014, which promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. Glenda Earwood (Ph.D. ’83 Higher Education

Administration) received an Alumni Achievement Award from Mortar Board, the premier national honor society for college seniors.

Betty

Lou

Joanos

(Ph.D. ‘85 Comprehensive Vocational Education) and her husband James Joanos were awarded the Moore-Stone Award, named after Dr. Coyle E. Moore and Dr. Mode L. Stone who were actively involved in FSU sports programs and intercollegiate athletics during their careers.

Timothy Beard (B.S. ’86, M.S.

’87, Ph.D. ’98 Rehabilitation Counseling), vice president of student development and enrollment management at Pasco-Hernando State College, was selected by the District Board of Trustees to become the college’s fourth president.

Octavius “Ocky” Clark (B.S.

’87 Rehabilitation Services), a track-and-field coach at Winter Springs High School, walked over 250 miles from the high school to Doak Campbell Stadium to raise money for the school’s new track and field.

Rose Pringle (M.S. ’92, Ph.D.

s 0 9 9 1 Karen

‘00 Science Education) received the John Shrum Award by the Southeastern Association for Science Teacher Education and the Mary L. Collins Award for Excellence in Teacher Education by the Florida Association of Teacher Educators.

Minert

(B.S. ’90 Rehabilitation Services, Ph.D. ’02 Special Education) was one of three finalists for Success for Educators’ next teacher ambassador known as the Envisioneer.

Bill Haggard (Ed.D. ’93 Higher

Eric North (B.S. ’90 Physical Education), colonel

of the U.S. Air Force, was appointed maintenance group commander for the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base.

Mokgweetsi

Masisi

(M.S. ’91 Social Science Education) became the new vice president of Botswana. He previously held the position of Botswana’s prime minister of education and skills development.

Michael Sanseviro (M.S. ’91

Higher Education) was promoted to associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at the newly formed 32,000-student, multi-campus, Kennesaw State University.

Virginia

Education) began his term as cochair of the Campus Safety and Violence Prevention Knowledge Community at the 2015 NASPA Conference.

Carol A. Ross (Ed.D. ’93 Higher Education)

began working full-time as the founding president of Kuwait Community College, Kuwait’s first American model community college. She previously served as chief student affairs officer for 11 years at the American University of Kuwait.

Joel Erdmann (Ph.D. ’95 Physical Education), director of athletics at the University of South Alabama, was appointed to serve as chair of the Division I Baseball Committee during the 20152016 academic year.

Duane

Brooks

(M.S. ’96 Physical Education) was appointed head athletic trainer of NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans.

Barkett

(M.S. ‘92 Health Education) published a new picture book, “Song of the Season,” with illustrations by Christine Workowski.

Andrea Contratto (M.S. ‘92 Instructional

Systems Design) retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2011 and is currently serving as the organizational development specialist for the Economic Development Administration.

J.R. Harding (Ed.S. ’96, Ed.D.

’99 Higher Education) was elected to the Disabled Veterans Insurance Careers Operating Board.

Lauren Skipper (B.S. ‘96 Early Childhood

Education), who teaches gifted K-3 classes at Chets Creek Elementary in Jacksonville, started Blessings in a Backpack, a program that aims to ensure impoverished elementary school children are fed on the weekends throughout the school year.

Daniella Maglione Bashner (M.S./Ed.S. ’97

School Psychology) was nominated for Florida School Psychologist of the Year.

Rachel Sutz Pienta (M.S.

’97 English Education, Ph.D. ’05 Educational Leadership & Policy Studies) was recently appointed senior community engagement representative for the Big Bend market with the American Cancer Society in the Tallahassee office.

Jean Bates (B.S. ’97 Recreation Services Administration), an owner of Lucy & Leo’s Cupcakery, opened a second location near Thomasville, Georgia. Bates also competed in the second season of Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

Betty Jeanne Taylor (M.S.

’99 Higher Education), assistant vice president for strategic initiatives at the University of Texas, was selected from a pool of 200 nominees to receive the 2015 President’s Outstanding Staff Award from the University of Texas.

s 0 0 0 2 Mindy

Perkins

(M.S. ’01 Elementary Education) became the president of VR Systems, a leading elections management technology provider. Perkins, who has been with the company for 14 years, was their first employee and previously served as executive vice president.

Joseph A. Oravecz (Ph.D.

’02 Higher Education) was appointed vice chancellor for student affairs at Montana State University in August 2014.

Joe Ostaszewski (M.S. ’03

Sport Management) is raising awareness for childhood obesity by riding his bike to elementary schools across America. His most recent KickStarter project is to help a young boy named Justin get healthy and accomplish his dream to sing on broadway.

Nick Lucena (B.S. ’03 Sport Management) won the AVP Manhattan Beach Open in California with teammate, Phil Dalhausser.

Damon Andrew (Ph.D. ’04

Sports Administration), dean of the LSU College of Human Sciences and Education, was named an active fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology. Andrew was also awarded the 2014 FSU College of Education Distinguished Alumni Award in the category of Postsecondary Systems: University.

Ashley Tull (Ed.D. ’04 Higher

Education) was recognized with the University of Arkansas Division of Student Affairs Staff Alumni Achievement Award at the 2015 Annual NASPA Conference. He also published the “Handbook for Student Affairs in the Community College” (Stylus Publishing) with Linda Kuk of Colorado State and Paulette Dalpes of CUNY. Other FSU alumni that contributed include Tom Hollins, Ivan Harrell, Karinda Barrett and Kim Hardy.

Brandi

Stuart (M.S. ’05

Sports Administration) became a member of the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame for her career as a softball star at Florida State. Stuart was an All-ACC selection throughout her FSU career.

Michelle Austero Vidal (B.S.

’05 English Education) became director of impact, training and evaluation at City Year Miami, a non-profit organization that works with schools and communities to reduce the rate of dropout students.

Sonja Ardoin (M.S. ’06 Higher Education)

accepted a position as clinical assistant professor with the higher education program in the School of Education at Boston University.

Beckie

(B.S. ’06 Elementary Education, M.S. ’11 Educational Leadership and Administration) was named the new head of lower school at Episcopal Day School of Christ Church Parish in Pensacola, Florida.

Cameron Mattingly (B.S. ’06, M.S. ’08 Visual

Disabilities) was appointed assistant principal at Jacksonville Beach Elementary in Jacksonville, Florida.

Cameron Armstrong (M.S.

’07 Higher Education) accepted a new position as assistant dean for undergraduate curriculum & student affairs for the Robbins College of Health and Human Science at Baylor University.

William Kyle Ingle (Ph.D.

’07 Educational Leadership/ Administration) was appointed as an associate professor in the Department of Evaluation, Leadership and Organizational Development at the University of Louisville.

Beth Nahlik (M.S. ’08 Higher

Education) was appointed director of the Center for Academic Excellence at Illinois College.

Ladanya Ramirez-Surmeier (M.S. ’09 Higher

Education) was recognized with the NASPA Latino/a Knowledge Community Outstanding Mid-Level Professional Award.

Dustin Rollins (M.S. ’09 Higher Education) was

the recipient of the 2015 Southeastern Association of Housing Officers Proving Educational Advocacy for Cultural Excellence (P.E.A.C.E.) Award. He was also selected to the Editorial Board for the Journal of College and University Student Housing through the Association of College and University Housing Officers (ACUHO-I).

Caroline

Westrup (B.S. ’09 Sport Management) won her first professional golf tournament at the Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge as part of the Symetra Tour – a tour that is the road to the LPGA Tour. D.C. Reeves (B.S. ’07 Sport Management), who

2010

graduated from Florida State with a double major in communication and sport management, was named sports director for Blab TV.

Joseph Mahshie (B.S. ’08 Recreation Services

Administration) was selected as a Thirty Under 30 recipient by the FSU Alumni Association, which recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of Florida State’s young alumni.

Barbara

“Barby”

Moro

(B.S. and M.S. ‘08 Emotional/ Learning Disabilities), director of student affairs for the Southern Scholarship Foundation, was named one of the Tallahassee Democrat’s 25 Women You Need to Know.

Ashley

Burns’ (B.S. ’10 Recreation and Leisure Services Administration) company, Burns Creekside Farms, was a finalist in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. Kathryn A. Dicato (M.S. ’10 Higher Education) began a new job at UNC Chapel Hill working in student conduct for the Department of Housing and Residential Education.

Gabe Grass (Ed.S. ’10 Program Evaluation) and Saralyn Grass

(Ed.D. ’15 Program Evaluation), husband-and-wife duo, founded the environmentally friendly and sustainability-focused GrassLands Brewing Company in Tallahassee.

Tif Hassler (M.S. ‘10 Higher

Education) was the producer of “Homeless,” a film that tells the story of an 18 year old boy who navigates his way through life in a shelter after the passing of his grandmother. The film screened in Los Angeles at the Dances with Films festival.

Amelia Parnell (Ph.D. ’10

Higher Education) was named the new vice president for research and policy at NASPA – Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education in Washington, D.C.

Peter Tragos (B.S. ’10 Sport Management, J.D. ‘13 Law) recently became a partner in the Law Offices of Tragos, Sartes & Tragos, P.L. At the age of 27, he is the youngest partner in the firm’s 30-year history.

Dylan Hamilton (B.S. ’11,

M.S. ’13 Sport Management) embarked on a unique job search across Europe while catching some of the world’s biggest sporting events along the way.

Virginia Byrne (M.S. ’12 Higher

Education) joined the University of Maryland, College Park College of Education’s program in teaching and learning, policy, and leadership as a full-time Ph.D. student.

Mackenzie Willis Johnson

(M.S. ’13 Reading Education/ Language Arts) was part of an FSU team serving Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education that developed curriculum and trained teacher educators.

Amanda Jansen, Helen Kraus, Brittany McEwen and Sonja Townsend (B.S./M.S. ’14

Exceptional Student Education) traveled to India during the summer to train volunteer teachers on how to work with students with special needs.

Eddie

Higginbotham

(M.S. ’14 Higher Education) became assistant director of New Student and Family Programs at Florida State University. In his role, he oversees the FSU Family Connection program, the university’s parent and family association, which offers year-round engagement opportunities for families of current students. He also assists with New Student Orientation, helping to welcome 9,000+ new students and 11,000+ family members into the FSU community.

Kosuke Okoshi (M.S. ’14 Sport Management) accepted a position with the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) and will join as Japan prepares to host the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Craig

Stanley (Ph.D. ’14 Higher Education) was promoted to associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Social Work at Florida State University.

Keep Us Posted! Let us know how you’re doing and where you are in your career journey. Send us your news at the following link: fsuednews.com/alumni-news -ORMail your news to 2201 Stone Building 1114 W. Call Street P.O. Box 3064450 Tallahassee, FL 32306-4450

Monica Surrency (M.S. ’14 Instructional

Systems and Learning Technologies), senior instructional designer at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Worldwide Campus, was quoted in the article, “Online Degrees and Certificates for Instructional Designers: What You Need to Know,” about her experience at FSU.

Ben Cecil (M.S. ’15 Higher

Education) spoke about the importance of supporting international students on campus in a podcast with the Student Affairs Collective.

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