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Innovation Academy Models Cutting-Edge Learning for Primary Education
Also in this issue: Alumna Cristi Parsons honored as state’s best elementary school principal
Abhi Ghuge Weaves Experience and Heritage Into Works of Art
INSPIRING EXCELLENCE
S P FR AI NL GL
THE UNIVERSIT Y OF TEX AS AT T YLER MAGAZINE
CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS GOAL, PROPELS UT TYLER INTO FUTURE
Thomas Guderjan leads students in exploring Maya past
Contributors The University of Texas at Tyler Magazine Volume Ten, Issue Two Dr. Rodney H. Mabry, UT Tyler President Beverley Golden, Marketing & Communications Director UT Tyler Magazine Editor Emily Battle Art Director Carolyn Halbert Photography: Gema Blanton Frank Curry FJ Gaylor Randy Mallory Clarence Shackelford Jake Waddingham iStockphotos.com Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association UT Tyler Caldwell Project Contributing Writers: Emily Battle, Magazine Editor Hannah Buchanan, Public Affairs Specialist Jennifer Hannigan, Special Assistant to the President for Communications Peyton Low, Sports Information Shelly Roark, Roark Creative Staci Semrad, Portico Communications Jeff Williford, Sports Information
The University of Texas at Tyler Magazine is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications at UT Tyler. UT Tyler is an equal opportunity employer and educational institution. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The University of Texas at Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications 3900 University Blvd. Tyler, TX 75799 ph. 903.566.7170 www.uttyler.edu
T Y LE R
FALL 2013 In Every Issue
Special Section:
03
President’s Letter
22
04
Around Campus
08
Focus On: Faculty
12
Focus On: Alumni
16
Focus On: Students
26
Focus On: Benefactors
‘INSPIRING EXCELLENCE’ Comprehensive Campaign Exceeds Goal, Propels UT Tyler Into Future
32 Patriot Athletics: A Record-Breaking Year 34
Class Notes
on cover: Students gather for a discussion with Dr. Paul Streufert in the UT Tyler Honors Program. Support for the program was among the primary objectives of the university’s “Inspiring Excellence’’ fundraising campaign.
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President’s Letter This has been a remarkable year for UT Tyler. Through innovative new initiatives, strong faculty and students and unprecedented community support, the university is moving into a new era of growth. In this issue, we will share with you the results of our Inspiring Excellence fundraising campaign. The campaign exceeded our expectations and generated more than $30 million, thanks to the generosity of our community supporters and alumni. Those donations will fund many worthy endeavors aimed at providing better opportunities for our students. This issue also includes the story of one of our many exemplary faculty members, Dr. Hector Ochoa. Online Schools of Texas has recognized Dr. Ochoa as one of the state’s top Hispanic professors. He has been the recipient of UT Tyler’s Outstanding Electrical Engineering Professor of the Year for four years and has received many other accolades. I also invite you to read about how our students and faculty have dedicated themselves to improving literacy. Our students have worked to provide tutoring to those in need as part of the university’s emphasis on service. We will also be showing you the work of Dr. Kouider Mokhtari, who has developed a literacy project in cooperation with Tyler’s Caldwell Elementary School Arts Academy. Speaking of outstanding educators, we are glad to share the story of alumna Cristi Parsons, who was named the 2013 National Distinguished Principal by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association. She is the principal of Hallsville’s North Elementary School. As always, so much of our work would not be possible without our benefactors. We would like to thank P.D. Tuttle, who generously has given $250,000 to establish the Cathleen Tuttle Endowed Nursing Scholarship in memory of his wife. Mrs. Tuttle left a lasting legacy to those who worked with her in the nursing field. Thank you for sharing these stories with us. We hope you will keep in touch and plan to visit our campus soon.
Rodney H. Mabry President Dr. Ben R. Fisch Professor of Economics and Finance
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AROUND CAMPUS Fisch College of Pharmacy Officially Takes Shape UT Tyler has established a much anticipated pharmacy school in East Texas. The Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy, which will be housed in the W. T. Brookshire Pharmacy Building to be constructed on campus, was given final approval from the UT System Board of Regents. Dr. Lane J. Brunner was named founding dean of the college and is leading the accreditation process with the goal of accepting the first class of students in fall 2015. He joins UT Tyler from the California Northstate University College of Pharmacy where he served as professor and Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences chair. The college will be an innovative, selfsustaining program in which UT Tyler will partner with UT Health Northeast on research. “This is truly an historic occasion, and a great addition for UT Tyler and the entire East Texas community,” said UT Tyler Provost Alisa White. “In addition to fulfilling a workforce need, the Fisch College of Pharmacy will grant East Texas students access to this field of study, whereas before they did not have any local or regional options
and were forced to go out of state.” The university received a gift from the Fisch Foundation to name the college for longtime UT Tyler friends Ben and Maytee Fisch. Brookshire Grocery Co., founded by W. T. Brookshire, gave the university a gift to name the building that will house the new college. For more information, email: pharmacy@uttyler.edu. n
Dr. Lane Brunner
UT Tyler chemistry graduates are ranked in the top 6 percent nationally for their critical knowledge and understanding of the field, scoring the highest in university history on the 2013 Education Testing Service Major Field Test for Chemistry. The test is given to graduating chemistry seniors and used to assess and compare the program’s effectiveness to programs at similar institutions nationwide. “The scores of these graduates are a strong testimony to the excellence of UT Tyler’s chemistry program,’’ President Rodney Mabry said. “We are glad to have
students here who demonstrate such high academic ability and such dedication to mastering difficult course material. This ranking speaks clearly about the commitment of our faculty to teach science material in ways that give students the best chance to understand and succeed.” The UT Tyler Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers outstanding programs to prepare students for advanced studies and successful careers in industry, medicine, government, education and other fields. Each degree option is approved by the American
Chemical Society, allowing graduates to become ACS-certified. The university also boasts a 90 percent acceptance rate for graduates applying to schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine or other specialized professional programs. For more information about the UT Tyler Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry or to apply, contact Dr. Neil Gray, 903.566.7206 or ngray@uttyler.edu, or visit www.uttyler.edu/chemistry. n
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AROUND CAMPUS
Patriot Chemistry Grads Score High on National Test
Largest Grant in UT Tyler History Expands After-School Programs The UT Tyler Ingenuity Center received an $11 million grant to expand after-school programs designed to improve student performance in middle schools. The five-year grant, awarded by the Texas Education Agency, surpasses the 2011 TEA grant as the largest in university history. UT Tyler has administered programs funded by the first grant at Fruitvale Independent School District and Tyler ISD’s Boulter Engineering Prep, Dogan and Stewart middle schools. With this subsequent grant, the programs will expand to include Hogg, Hubbard and Moore middle schools in Tyler ISD, Chapel Hill Middle School, Winona ISD, Azleway Charter School and Azleway Charter School-Willow Bend. The unique projects, called University Academies, are designed to offer direct afterschool academic assistance and significant enrichment opportunities to disadvantaged middle school students – ultimately developing their levels of both college and career readiness. “With this grant we are able to provide students with the opportunity to be involved in activities that many kids would never be able to be a part of otherwise,’’ said Ingenuity Center executive director Eli Crow. “Most importantly, we are able to set up programming that ensures students have a positive, hands-on experience with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities. This has been shown to increase student achievement in the math and science classroom.” n
Dr. Ross Sherman
Sherman Leads College of Education and Psychology Dr. Ross Sherman has been named dean of the UT Tyler College of Education and Psychology, after serving as interim since September 2012. As dean, Sherman oversees the university’s education and psychology programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. “Dr. Sherman has done an outstanding job leading the College of Education and Psychology as interim dean, and his skill set and passion for the university make him an excellent choice,” said Dr. Alisa White, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Sherman has served as professor and chair of the UT Tyler Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies since 1987. Before joining UT Tyler, he served the Alief
Independent School District in Houston for seven years, first as an elementary teacher and later as principal. He holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership and cultural studies from the University of Houston and elementary, midmanagement and superintendent certifications from the Texas Education Agency. Sherman’s awards and honors include 2013 Educator of the Year Award from the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration, 2011 Outstanding Distance Learning Faculty Award from the Northeast Texas Consortium of Colleges and Universities and the 2008-09 UT Tyler White Fellowship for Teaching Excellence. n
UT Tyler celebrated a significant milestone in its history with an enrollment of 7,534 for fall 2013. The total headcount for this time last year was 6,875. “This is a celebratory moment for UT Tyler,’’ President Rodney Mabry said. “We knew we were going to reach 7,000 this fall, but blowing right past that goal while also raising the quality of our students was very exciting.” The president added, “This 9 percent increase once again places us among the top one or two fastest growing universities in
Texas. I am so proud of our faculty and staff who continue to make UT Tyler a special place for students to feel comfortable and be successful, while giving students one of the strongest educations available in our state.” The increase in undergraduate enrollment is attributed to the expansion of programs on campus, special attention to quality teaching by faculty, higher retention rates and continuing success recruiting regionally in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas. There also was a jump in graduate and
international student enrollments. The UT Tyler Graduate School is offering 111 online courses this fall, and enrollment for these courses has increased as students continue to take advantage of the flexibility they provide. “The biggest factor in UT Tyler’s overall enrollment increase is the retention work of everyone on campus,’’ Mabry noted. “Initial data reflect students returning at a greater rate than seen in previous years. Students recognize something very special is happening at UT Tyler.” n
Patterson Honored as AD of the Year Dr. Howard Patterson, UT Tyler vice president for student affairs and director of athletics, is a recipient of the prestigious Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year Award from The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. The award honors intercollegiate directors of athletics for their commitment and administrative excellence within a campus and/or college community environment. Twenty-eight athletics directors – four from each division – are honored annually.
Patterson has been instrumental in the rise and success of Patriots athletics, helping UT Tyler become a premier NCAA DIII program that has won 31 American Southwest Conference championships and two NCAA National championships (eligible in 2007) since 2005. UT Tyler has also made 32 NCAA tournament appearances since 2007, including 17 individual appearances since 2008. “I appreciate NACDA and Under Armour for this honor, however, it is simply
a recognition of the outstanding coaching staff and support staff here at The University of Texas at Tyler,’’ Patterson said. “This award also speaks to the quality of studentathletes that have been a part of UT Tyler athletics since its inception in 2001.” n
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AROUND CAMPUS
University Enrollment Tops 7,500
FROM ACROSS THE BORDER, HE CAME TO TEACH AND INSPIRE Hector Ochoa Pushes Students to Dream Big, Aim High DR.
HECTOR
OCHOA
remembers the day he left home in Guadalajara, Mexico, to travel to El Paso, Texas, and begin graduate studies in physics. His parents had left the day before on vacation, so they had already said their goodbyes. “I was the only one home. I closed the door, left home and got on the bus, and it was a 24-hour bus trip to El Paso to start my new life,” recalled Ochoa, now an assistant professor of electrical engineering at The University of Texas at Tyler, who was recently recognized as one of the top Hispanic professors in the state. “I was scared about starting a new part of my life and being able to survive by myself. Before that, I was always with my family,” he said. “But at the same
time, I was following my dream.” He remembers that day, not only because it was a big leap for Ochoa, then 22, but because it was a personal experience exemplifying the message he drives home to his students – dream big, have courage to venture forth and aim for the top. Ochoa’s students know that message well. “The thing about him that’s going to stick with me is the way that he took me under his wing – his being so friendly, teaching me things about my career and pushing me to where I am now,” said Irving Olmedo, who is beginning a doctorate program in computer engineering this fall at the University of Michigan after graduating in May from UT Tyler with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering.
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INSPIRING SUCCESS. Dr. Hector Ochoa’s fervent dedication to student success has made him a favorite professor and won him acclaim, including Outstanding Electrical Engineering Professor of the Year four times and recognition as one of the top Hispanic professors in the state. Students say they enjoy his innovative teaching, and many credit him for giving life-changing guidance and encouragement.
Faculty THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER MAGAZINE
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Ochoa’s inspirational guidance, passion for education and teaching methods have made him a favorite professor among students and won him acclaim at UT Tyler and beyond: • He won UT Tyler’s Outstanding Electrical Engineering Professor of the Year in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. • Last Year, he received UT Tyler’s prestigious Jack and Dorothy Faye White Fellowship for Teaching Excellence, from a university-wide pool of faculty nominees. • He was UT Tyler’s 2012-13 nomination for the statewide Piper Professor award of the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation. • The North Texas Consortium of Colleges and Universities named Ochoa among its 2012 Outstanding Distance Learning Faculty. • Last year, he won the Best Faculty Paper Award at the American Society of Engineering Education Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference for his paper relating to online teaching of linear circuits and his development of a video teaching tool. His work was chosen by peers from among papers submitted by academics in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. • This year, he won third place at the ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference for his paper on take-home laboratories, which allow students to work on virtual electrical engineering experiments at home. • And in March, Online Schools Texas recognized him as one of 14 top Hispanic professors in the state for his award-winning track record.
Matt Davis of Online Schools Texas and manager of StateStats.org said the educators chosen as top Hispanic professors are united by their Hispanic heritage and fervent dedication to educating students. “There were a large number of professors who could have been selected, but we think these 14 are exemplary,” Davis said. Ochoa genuinely cares about his students and role as a teacher, said Dr. Mukul Shirvaikar, professor and chair of the UT Tyler Department of Electrical Engineering. “This is reflected by his instructor evaluations, which have consistently exceeded nine out of a maximum of 10 – and four out of a maximum of five on the new scale – each semester he has taught at the university,” Shirvaikar said. “Dr. Hector Ochoa has shown truly remarkable application, zeal and enthusiasm for his role as a teacher on our campus.” HIS INSPIRATION TO INSPIRE Asked how he became interested in teaching, Ochoa recalled his high school days in Mexico, when his uncle asked him to tutor his younger cousins. They were flunking middle-school math, and their teacher had given up on them. Ochoa took it up as his personal challenge to help them, resulting in his cousins’ grades rising from F’s to B’s. He then realized that his cousins, who were not top students, had simply lacked the right tools and opportunities to understand the material. “It’s easy to teach good students. … The real challenge is teaching students who are not as good as the other ones,” Ochoa said. He liked the challenge. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Guadalajara, he earned his master of science in physics and his Ph.D. in
electrical and computer engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. Ochoa decided to become a professor while getting his Ph.D. under the guidance of his doctorate adviser, Dr. Benjamin Flores. “He is one of the best professors that I have ever seen in my life,” Ochoa said. “He knows how to teach, he knows how to entertain students. He’s one of the best, and that’s when I said, ‘I want to be like him someday.’” Ochoa came to UT Tyler in September 2007 as a visiting assistant professor, and was promoted to assistant professor the next year. Ochoa has been busy ever since passing on the gifts of inspiration and time. He teaches online courses, communication systems and MATLAB® for engineering students, while also serving as adviser for the university’s student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the university’s IEEE Robotics Team. His research focus is improving radar systems for target detection and identification, mainly for military applications. “Dr. Ochoa is not only doing an outstanding job as a teacher, but he is indeed going above and beyond by implementing novel ideas for the improvement of engineering education at the undergraduate and graduate level,” Shirvaikar said. Ochoa’s creation of an online course with an innovative video teaching tool was the basis for his winning ASEE’s Best Faculty Paper Award for outstanding professional development in “Bridging Theory and Practice in Engineering and Technology Education.” His inspiration for the project grew out of a need to meet a growing demand for a course required by both mechanical and electrical engineering degree programs. Ochoa is currently investigating online
and hybrid course offerings in basic areas of electrical engineering. “This could have a revolutionary impact on engineering education in East Texas,” Shirvaikar said, noting that it would enable many nontraditional students to attend school without giving up their means of livelihood. Ochoa uses innovative and flexible teaching methods to adapt to students’ unique circumstances and learning styles, because he believes that is the key to reaching a broader range of students. “I try to understand how they are thinking and how they are learning,” he said. “So if they have a problem, I’ll try to figure out another way to teach or clarify the problem.” THE FINAL WORD What matters most to Ochoa is how well his students learn and how happy they are with his teaching method and communication style. It follows that of his awards and honors, he is proudest of being selected by students four different years as the Outstanding Electrical Engineering Professor. “All of those awards are really nice recognitions,” he said. “But for me at a personal level, being recognized by the students as a good professor is the most important thing.” The undergraduate and master’s level electrical engineering students vote anonymously each year for the award. Students say they appreciate Ochoa’s approachability, smiling persona and gift for teaching. “It was easy just to walk into his office and talk to him. He had an open-door policy. … He was more than happy to help me with my questions,” said Pavan Vutukur, who graduated from UT Tyler in 2011 with a master’s degree in electrical engineering. Vutukur credits Ochoa’s guidance and influence for playing a major role in developing his interest in research. Vutukur is now a faculty research assistant at Oregon State University involved in the study of ocean currents and their interplay with atmospheric conditions. Olmedo, too, credits Ochoa for giving life-changing guidance and encouragement. “He was one of the people who started opening my eyes to pursuing a Ph.D.,” said Olmedo, who aspires to become a professor after he finishes graduate school at the University of Michigan and gains some
“DR. OCHOA IS … GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND BY IMPLEMENTING NOVEL IDEAS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION …’’
– DR. MUKUL SHIRVAIKAR, Department Chair
industry experience. While in school, Olmedo, who was a first-generation college student, had decided against applying for a summer program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology because he thought his chances of acceptance were slim. He remembers Dr. Ochoa telling him to be courageous and apply: “One of the things he said was, ‘Why not? What do you have to lose?’ … He was right.”
Olmedo applied and wound up getting into the summer program at MIT, which also helped open doors for him at the University of Michigan. As Ochoa tells his students, “Always reach for the top. Worst case scenario – if you don’t get to the top, you will wind up in the middle.” Or they’ll surprise themselves, hit their target and reach the top, like Ochoa. n
Dr. Ochoa teaches online courses, communication systems and MATLAB® for engineering students, while also serving as adviser for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers student chapter and the IEEE Robotics Team at UT Tyler. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER MAGAZINE
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Students at North Elementary School look forward to helping Cristi Parsons make daily announcements over the school speaker system. The principal was honored for setting high standards for classroom instruction, student achievement and climate.
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Alumni
LOVE OF LEARNING CENTRAL TO PRINCIPAL’S SUCCESS UT Tyler Alumna Named State’s Best Elementary School Principal CRISTI PARSONS believes in the principals “who set the pace, character and
power of education to transform lives, including her own. “Education is the way to get our world to where it needs to be,” said Parsons, an alumna of The University of Texas at Tyler and principal of North Elementary School in Hallsville Independent School District in Northeast Texas. That philosophy has inspired her work as a student, teacher, counselor and now principal. In May, Parsons was named Texas Distinguished Principal of the Year by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association and was awarded $5,000. She simultaneously was named the Texas National Distinguished Principal by TEPSA’s national affiliate, the National Association of Elementary School Principals. The award “is the highest praise a principal can receive from his or her peers in the profession,” and honors exemplary
quality of the education children receive during their early school years,” the TEPSA website says. As the reigning Texas Distinguished Principal, Parsons met President Barack Obama and fellow Distinguished Principals of the Year from other states at the National Distinguished Principals program and awards ceremony this fall in Washington, D.C. “The Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association consists of 5,800 educational leaders with an interest in elementary and middle schools in Texas,’’ said Dr. Ross Sherman, dean of the UT Tyler College of Education and Psychology and professor of educational leadership and policy studies. “To be selected as the 2013 Texas recipient of the National Distinguished Principal award is an amazing honor.” Parsons learned in January that she had been nominated for the award when
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TEPSA notified her by email requesting that she formally apply for the award. Expecting stiff competition, Parsons was not initially going to apply, which required answering four essay questions, but finally did at the last minute on the insistence of the district’s deputy superintendent. Parsons was then selected among 11 finalists who were evaluated during campus visits in April by a three-member team of evaluators from TEPSA, including the 2012 Texas National Distinguished Principal. They toured her campus, interviewed Parsons, talked with a few teachers and visited classrooms. The following month, TEPSA representatives – along with the school board president and members of Parsons’ family – made a surprise appearance at a school safety program at Parson’s school to present the award to her before the school’s students, faculty and staff. “Our district is very honored and very proud of this accomplishment for her and for our district as a whole,” said Hallsville ISD Deputy Superintendent Paula Rogers, who was among the first to know of the award. Rogers called Parsons “a natural leader.” “She has a passion for children and a passion for excellence that is evident as soon as you meet her,” Rogers said. Cristi is gifted in creating a positive and nurturing environment for staff and students, while at the same time having incredibly high expectations, Rogers said, noting, “You don’t often find both of those simultaneously.”
“I just believe that it’s our moral and ethical responsibility as educators to be here for all kids,” Parsons said. “When our doors open every single day, I want our campus to be a place where all kids feel a sense of belonging, they feel safe and secure, and they know that we’re going to do everything we can.” TEPSA made a more formal presentation of the award to Parsons at its June convention in Austin, where she made a brief speech before fellow school administrators from around the state. “It is the responsibility of all of us to work together in Texas to make sure that our students are successful,” she recalled telling them. “We can’t work in isolation; we have to work in collaboration. And through the Internet and technology, we shouldn’t have any excuse not to collaborate.” A LIFELONG LEARNER Parsons’ walk through education began as a kindergartener at Hallsville Primary School. “I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved school growing up. I was one of those kids who didn’t want to miss school,” said Parsons, who attended Hallsville schools until graduating from high school. After getting her bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary studies from Stephen F. Austin University, she taught sixth grade for three years. Being a teacher at that time had its challenges, because teachers didn’t have the resources they do today, she said.
“Back when I taught, teachers taught in isolation. It was pretty much, ‘Here’s your textbook, here’s your keys, go teach,’” she said. “… I was frustrated because I didn’t know how to teach, and I didn’t feel successful.” Ready for a change, she opted to return to school to learn to be a school counselor, and she earned a master’s degree in education, counseling and student services from the University of North Texas. When she graduated, demand for her new skills was high. “I got a job as a school counselor very quickly and loved it,” Parsons said. “And it was really just what fit me well.” As a counselor, she often sat in on other teachers’ classes for the purpose of observing students who were having trouble, and she enjoyed collaborating with the teachers to help those students socially and academically. In the many hours she spent observing in classrooms, she learned many teaching techniques and best practices. Being a counselor was also like being a school administrator, she said, because it enabled her to see the big picture of what was going on at the school, and she was often asked to fill in for assistant principals in their absence. “Ten years of school counseling is what has really benefitted me as far as being in a principal role,” Parsons said. Her school counseling experience was indeed pivotal for her career and helped develop her interpersonal skills, Sherman said. “As a former school counselor, Cristi understands that building relationships is the
“… EVERY SINGLE DAY, I WANT OUR CAMPUS TO BE A PLACE WHERE ALL KIDS FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING … SAFE AND SECURE, AND THEY KNOW THAT WE’RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.”
key to success. She truly cares about people first,” Sherman said. “As the adage states, ‘People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.’ Cristi has a knack for getting to know people and establishing a rapport and empathy with them that guides her interaction with them.” Though Parsons enjoyed working as a school counselor, people kept commenting that she fit the role of a leader, so she went back to school to get her second master’s degree, this time in educational leadership at UT Tyler. “I had heard exceptional things about UT Tyler and the quality of its educational
practitioners committed to continuous professional development. Cristi has embraced that philosophy and has become the epitome of what an educator should be,” Sherman said. Since earning her master’s degree from UT Tyler in 2007, Parsons has served as a school principal for six years – first at Hallsville Intermediate School for third and fourth grades, then at North Elementary School when it opened in 2011 for kindergarten through third grade. Under her leadership, both campuses received the top “Exemplary” rating from the state. Parsons is now enrolled at UT Tyler again,
led to opportunities to share her educational philosophy and success with others. This summer, another sizeable Texas school district that learned about her work asked her to provide consultation to its leadership team of top administrators and elementary school principals. Parsons has since been advising them on improving literacy and strengthening their system for intervening when students are not progressing or not being challenged enough. “That’s where I find that school districts and campuses have a difficult time, because they don’t have a system in place for monitoring all students,” Parsons said. “You
Award is presented to Parsons by Mentoring Minds CEO Robert Bush and 1998 award recipient Sandra Love.
program,” she said. Parsons believes that her time at UT Tyler proved invaluable on a personal and academic level, and provided a stable foundation of theory and knowledge to put into practice. “I love the family atmosphere of UT Tyler. I made lasting friendships there, and every professor that came in contact with me impacted my career,” she said. Sherman, her academic advisor at UT Tyler, said the master’s degree program has the goal of helping students acquire the technical, conceptual and human relations skills necessary for success as an educational leader. “But even more importantly, we want our graduates to become lifelong reflective
this time in the university’s Superintendent Certification Program. “Every time I turn around, I’m saying to my husband, ‘I’m going back to school,’” Parsons said. “I just love school. So that’s always just been who I am.” Parsons’ love of learning is a distinguishing trait, Rogers said. “The most important quality that I see in Cristi and other highly effective campus principals,” Rogers said, “is they truly know and understand that education is the key to changing lives.” SHARING HER SUCCESS Parsons’ talent for school leadership not only won her the title of Texas Distinguished Principal of the Year, but also
have to make sure it’s purposeful, prescriptive and timely.” As the reigning distinguished principal, she has also been asked to speak about her campus and leadership through presentations at statewide meetings and conferences of academic leaders. This spring she will serve on the TEPSA selection committee to find the next Texas elementary school principal of the year. Long after she passes the crown, she plans to continue mentoring principals around the state and nation on building leadership and intervention systems on campuses. Her goal, she said, is “to make education a priority for everyone.” n
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Students
SHARING THE GIFT OF READING Students, Faculty Work to Improve Literacy in the Community
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JESSICA JOHNSON saw the challenge before her when she met the lively child she was to spend a semester tutoring. Like many first-grade boys, he overflowed with energy, loved to talk and could hardly settle down and pay attention. However, a transformation occurred when she opened a book and began reading aloud to him. His movements slowed, his chatter ceased and his eyes widened with curiosity. With the power of knowledge in her hands, Johnson was on her way to helping this boy learn to read better – a skill that will last a lifetime. A senior education student at The University of Texas at Tyler, Johnson was experiencing the real-life rewards of teaching, thanks to a new school-university partnership called the Caldwell Project. Literacy faculty in UT Tyler’s School of Education developed the project to raise the literacy skills of struggling first-graders to the level of their peers. The project is one avenue through which UT Tyler students are advancing literacy in the community. While participants in the project focus their efforts on children, other UT Tyler students are helping adults and teens read better by working with them at a Tyler nonprofit agency whose mission is to improve adult literacy in the region. These efforts for literacy are two of many examples of UT Tyler students from various fields of study serving the community and learning along the way.
UT Tyler is pleased to see its students share the gift of learning with the community, said Dr. William Geiger, vice provost of academic affairs and dean of The Graduate School at UT Tyler, who holds the Mary John and Ralph Spence Endowed Professorship. “In East Texas, illiteracy is very high, so anything that we as a community can do to help people be more literate, and that would include the area of mathematics, the better their quality of life is likely to be,” Geiger said. CORRECTING PROBLEMS EARLY About 20 first-graders file into school about an hour early each morning to receive extra help with reading and are greeted by the smiling faces of their tutors – students from UT Tyler’s School of Education. The tutors’ energy is contagious, and the children are soon psyched for an hour of learning. They first read aloud together, then do interactive reading, followed by interactive writing. So begins the school day for a handful of children at Caldwell Elementary School Arts Academy, who are selected to participate in the Caldwell Project and receive free tutoring because they enter first grade with low language and literacy skills. The project started last fall with the aim of studying the effects of individual tutoring on at-risk first-graders. The study found that children who received tutoring read more
proficiently by the end of the school year than other at-risk first-graders at the same school who did not receive tutoring; and the children who received tutoring advanced almost to the level of their peers. The Caldwell Project is the brainchild of Dr. Kouider Mokhtari, the AndersonVukelja-Wright Endowed Chair in the School of Education at UT Tyler. The Anderson-Vukelja-Wright Endowment provides support for the project, which is one of several community-based literacy projects spearheaded by Mokhtari. “What we’re doing is providing really effective reading intervention one-onone so the kids can improve their literacy achievement outcomes, which will allow them to do better in school,” Mokhtari said. The project isn’t the first to demonstrate the positive effect of tutoring on children having trouble reading, he said, but most programs are shorter term with only half the tutoring hours that the Caldwell Project provides. It’s also unique in that the tutoring is done before school when children feel more refreshed, rather than after school when they tend to be tired, he said. UT Tyler students serve as tutors through the field-based component of a course called Corrective Reading Practicum, taught by Dr. Joanna Neel, assistant professor of reading in the School of Education. The course is one of several that prepares students to become
“IN EAST TEXAS, ILLITERACY IS VERY HIGH, SO ANYTHING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN DO TO HELP PEOPLE BE MORE LITERATE … THE BETTER THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE IS LIKELY TO BE.” —DR. WILLIAM GEIGER, Vice Provost of Academic Affairs
teachers and gives them an opportunity to put theory into practice in a real school setting. “We learn lessons in the classroom, but actually getting out there and doing things hands-on was great. It made me learn so much more,” said Johnson, who served as a tutor last spring. “… I like that about UT Tyler. They put us out there, and I get a lot of experience from it.” Neel is on-site each morning at the elementary school to supervise tutoring. “I greet my tutors the same way I want them to greet the first-graders,” Neel said. “We’re hyped. I say, ‘Hello! Good morning! Today we’re working on comprehension! Everybody, that’s your focus!’ I get them pumped up.” Each child has two tutors, with whom they meet on alternating days during the week. Between tutoring sessions, the child’s two tutors collaborate by phone or online about what is working
or not with that child, so that there is consistency and collaboration in their approaches. Graduate education students of Neel and Mokhtari also help collect and analyze the data. “For my tutors, this is the class where they shift from being an education student to being a professional educator,” Neel said. Given the project’s success, it provides an ideal model for other schools to implement and adapt for their own needs, project leaders said. If more funds existed, such expansion would be possible, Mokhtari said. Of course, such a partnership requires commitment from the elementary school, which the project has had from the beginning from Caldwell Elementary principal Forrest Kaiser, Mokhtari said. “Part of our success is having a good partner, and this principal is just ideal. He’s genuinely interested in helping these kids,” Mokhtari said. Likewise, Kaiser credited Mokhtari’s
UT Tyler student Kimberly Brimberry leads a reading activity at Caldwell.
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NEW EMPHASIS ON SERVICE LEARNING University Launches Community Service Initiative The University of Texas at Tyler began an initiative this fall to build on its long history of community service while expanding community service as a learning component in courses. “Service is one of the goals in the university’s Strategic Plan,” said Dr. William Geiger, vice provost of academic affairs and dean of The Graduate School at UT Tyler. “Service learning or experiential learning has been noted as being one of the most effective instructional strategies in terms of promoting growth and knowledge by students. It makes sense that we would want to promote community service learning as an instructional methodology.” While giving students the opportunity to apply knowledge they learn in class to actual community needs, service learning instills in students a greater sense of personal and social responsibility, said Chase Ragland, coordinator for leadership and service in the university’s Department of Student Life and Leadership, which is overseeing the initiative.
team for their commitment and service to children in his school. “Dr. Neel and Dr. Mokhtari are amazing. They have done an exceptional job of preparing the tutors. That’s a massive part. They are well prepared in terms of data and instruction. They are coming with a plan and methods of gathering data,” Kaiser said. “…. That really shapes the program’s success.” Between 65 and 70 percent of students at his school are considered economically disadvantaged, and many of the children need the tutoring to keep from falling behind their peers and undergoing significant remediation later, Kaiser said. He has found that most students who struggle in math, science and reading in third through fifth grades struggle because they have difficulties in reading. “So helping struggling first-graders to read better will pay huge dividends for years to come,” Kaiser said. The Caldwell Project has shown success in boosting participants’ reading levels, as well as in ways that cannot be quantified, such as UT Tyler student Jessica Mertz spends an evening tutoring at a Tyler nonprofit agency that serves to improve adult literacy in the region.
TRADITION OF SERVICE Service learning is nothing new to UT Tyler. For example, last year, students in Principles of Marketing created marketing plans for 10 profit and nonprofit clients; and students enrolled in Community Health Nursing assisted in facilitating triage for a local nonprofit that provides a free monthly clinic for uninsured people in East Texas. Another example is the UT Tyler Ingenuity Center’s University Academies program, designed to improve student performance in middle schools. UT Tyler students help provide after-school activities at East Texas middle schools in the program, which was recently awarded an $11 million grant from the Texas Education Agency. GUIDING THE NEW INITIATIVE Input from faculty members regarding the new initiative was requested last spring, Ragland said, “and the response has been tremendous. If they weren’t already doing service learning, then they’re interested in incorporating it into their courses.”
their self-confidence. “These are kids who sometimes at the end of first grade would have been frustrated and would have felt like they were incapable, but they do not feel that way now. They feel like they are actually capable of succeeding,” he said. The individual attention from their tutors makes the difference, he said. “When that child walks in the building,
there is someone smiling and waiting for them who is glad to see them here, and that is huge,” Kaiser said. “It’s just a great way to start the day.” TUTORING ADULTS AND TEENS Few would have guessed that the quiet teenage boy with a social disability would be the one with the vibrant mind capable of writing the most stunning story of all, until he stood
A committee that includes several faculty members was formed to guide the initiative and came up with several goals, including: connecting the university with the community’s needs; giving faculty the resources and training to incorporate service learning into their courses; developing community partners through which students could do service-learning projects; getting student input; and giving students real-life experiences and problems to solve to improve their learning experience. Also in the works is the development of an extracurricular transcript, which will eventually enable students to demonstrate involvement in activities outside of the classroom, including community service. Though it is in the early stages of development and will not be launched for at least another year, it will be similar to the extracurricular transcript currently provided upon request from the Office of Student Affairs. The one being created for future use, however, will be recorded in the university’s central computer system alongside the student’s academic transcript, Geiger said, noting it could thereby benefit students when looking for employment upon graduation. n
UT Tyler student Trakenderia Dunson provides one-on-one tutoring at Caldwell.
and began reading his aloud, drawing in his classmates with imaginative details. He had been attending classes at the Literacy Council of Tyler to improve his language skills, and after some success was now revealing the intelligence he had always had. That moment was memorable for Leigh Faulkner, his substitute teacher leading the class that day and one of several UT Tyler students involved in the agency. “His writing just blew everybody out of the water,” said Faulkner, who is working on her master’s degree in clinical psychology with the aim of becoming a school psychologist. “He had a moment to shine … and you could just see the pride.” Such success stories underscore the importance of the partnership that has developed between UT Tyler and the nonprofit agency, which offers basic education classes to adults and adolescents who cannot read or who have minimal reading or math skills. For almost two years, UT Tyler students
have been able to earn part-time income for work they do there through the America Reads and America Counts program, which is supported by federal work-study funds for college students who meet certain income requirements. Each semester, about 10 of the university’s work-study students assist at the agency. They tutor clients, provide support to teachers, try their hands at teaching and help out wherever needed. “The partnership is phenomenal and a win-win situation,” said DeAnn Sutton, the agency’s coordinator of volunteers. The agency benefits by having college students whom it can train to provide teaching assistance without the expense of having to pay their wages, which are funded by the work-study grant, Sutton said. UT Tyler work-study students benefit by earning income and gaining meaningful work experience during college. Of course, the agency’s clients themselves benefit from the extra help and tutoring they receive from UT Tyler students.
Veronica Bueno, who moved to Tyler from Mexico two years ago, came to the agency for help with English language and math skills. She worked closely with her tutor, UT Tyler student Huma Maqsood. “Huma was extremely patient and very dedicated,” Bueno said. “If I didn’t understand it the first time, she tried to explain it in a different way so I could get it.” Traci Willingham had such a positive experience working at the agency that she returned to work there after getting her bachelor of science degree in psychology from UT Tyler in July. Like other UT Tyler students engaged in service to the community, Willingham embraces the opportunity to help others: “The most important thing to me is I get to make a difference one student at a time, every single day.” n
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‘INSPIRING EXCELLENCE’ Comprehensive Campaign Exceeds Goal, Propels UT Tyler Into Future The University of Texas at Tyler’s five-year fundraising campaign was a rousing success by every definition. “Inspiring Excellence: The Campaign for The University of Texas at Tyler’’ raised $30.6 million – the largest effort in university history. Dr. Rodney H. Mabry, UT Tyler president, said the campaign raised funds to increase endowed student scholarships, establish more faculty chairs and professorships, and support the Honors Program. “It was really about excellence at the university, having the funds to attract professors and students that will establish this as the place to be for high ability students in East Texas,” he said. Inspiring Excellence Committee chair Dr. Lawrence Anderson said, “The impact on the community and university will be felt for years and years and years by making the university affordable to students and bringing economic development to East Texas.” Anderson chaired the campaign along with his wife, Dr. Sasha Vukelja, and co-chair Fritter McNally. Inspiring Excellence was launched in 2007 as a comprehensive campaign with a goal of $30 million, said Jerre K. Iversen, vice president for university advancement. The success was the result of the hard work of campaign leaders and the generosity of the community, he noted. Mabry agreed. “I’m proud of the philanthropic tradition of East Texans,’’ he said. “There is no city or area quite like this one for its willingness to support a good cause.” TURNING A HOUSE INTO A HOME From the beginning, the mission of the campaign was clear – to raise funds that would draw the highest quality students and faculty to UT Tyler on an ongoing basis.
Anderson explained why that goal was so critical: “The people that have gone before us did a great job of building buildings, facilities and infrastructure, so we had a great ‘house’ here. What this campaign did was provide endowed scholarships, bring in faculty and bring in a better student experience, which made it more of a ‘home.’” he said. “The campaign was about filling out the university and making it affordable for students from East Texas and everywhere.” Three primary objectives of the campaign were the Honors College initiative, endowed scholarships and endowed chairs and professorships. Scholarships help bring in high-ability undergraduate and graduate students. Those who receive scholarships are known to engage more fully in the complete university experience. Endowed faculty chairs and professorships attract top scholars by providing research funds, salary supplements and travel funds. “Professors who hold endowed professorships and chairs are in a special group,’’ said Dr. Alisa White, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “It’s an honor to hold an endowed professorship or chair, and the university has been able to recruit some great scholars with significant experience to fill these positions.” Though capital gifts were not the main focus, the campaign also raised over $5 million for facilities, including a new building on the Palestine Campus, a water garden in front of the Robert R. Muntz Library and a new simulation laboratory for nursing students. The resources brought in over the past five years will take UT Tyler to the next level for students and the entire community.
A RISKY MOVE THAT PAID OFF Dwindling resources from the state legislature and community-funded scholarships and professorships forced UT Tyler to take the bold step of launching a fundraising campaign to remain competitive in attracting top students, Iversen said. Anderson agreed to take on the task of campaign chair for Inspiring Excellence because, “I believe in the university. It is an underappreciated jewel in East Texas.” Vukelja said she got involved because, “I see a tremendous need to support this institution. We want to make sure that we plant our seeds here.” Anderson and Vukelja wanted to help get the word out about UT Tyler. But it was not always an easy task. A few months after the campaign launched in 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at a record high, over 14,000 points. A year and a half later, the DJIA had dropped by 54 percent as part of an alarming economic downturn. “That this campaign was successful in spite of that huge challenge, is a tribute to the donors in Tyler and the region who believed so strongly in UT Tyler that they still gave so generously,” Iversen said.
Anderson added, “The university has a great story to tell. The campaign allowed us to get a forum to tell that story. Once told, people saw the value and were supportive.” Every gift, large and small, contributed to the campaign’s success and will help transform and impact lives through excellence in education … today and for future generations. The university received 8,427 gifts from 3,607 donors during the campaign. Sixteen gift commitments were $500,000 or more. UT Tyler gifts included: • $13.7 million for student scholarships.
individuals contributed by creating planned gifts to benefit UT Tyler. “A significant number of bequests have been created during this period,” said Iversen, “as well as a variety of other very creative gifts which have added to the success of the campaign and will strengthen the future of the university.” Many of the planned gifts provide significant benefits to the donors who made them, while ultimately benefiting UT Tyler and students. n
• $3.8 million for faculty chairs and professorships. • $5.1 million for capital gifts. • $795,000 from President’s Associates. • $612,000 for athletics. • Even though the campaign was largely focused on campuswide priorities, $8.9 million came in support of the university’s five colleges. In addition to outright gifts to the Inspiring Excellence campaign, many
“WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN DID WAS PROVIDE ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS, BRING IN FACULTY AND BRING IN A BETTER STUDENT EXPERIENCE, WHICH MADE IT MORE OF A ‘HOME.’” — DR. LAWRENCE ANDERSON, Campaign Chair
Honors students Amy Friesenhahn (left) and Samantha Godwin with Dr. Paul Streufert, executive director of special academic programs and the Hamm Chair in Arts and Humanities.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS AMY FRIESENHAHN is one of
those people touched by the generosity of contributors to the Inspiring Excellence campaign. Friesenhahn, a UT Tyler junior majoring in political science with a minor in pre-law, received a Regents Scholarship and the Bill and Glenda Barrett Scholarship. The Austin native is a part of the university Honors Program and captain of the tennis team. “Receiving the scholarship absolutely impacted my decision to come to UT Tyler,” she said. “I applied to 10 schools. When I looked at all the factors such as campus, academic opportunities, tennis and school expenses, UT Tyler was the best choice. And after coming here for school, I know it was the right one. This scholarship enabled me to enjoy my college years without too much extra burden.” She added, “UT Tyler is a place of academic excellence. The Honors Program is wonderful here and gives the students in it incredible opportunities. The professors here are extremely personable, encourage students
to attend office hours and are very involved in helping students succeed. I have always felt like my professors personally cared about me and my academic success and it has made my experience here remarkable.” Friesenhahn plans to pursue a graduate degree from UT Tyler as well. “My future career goal is to become a professor of political science or law. I love the academic environment and would relish the opportunity to impact students’ lives as my professors here at UT Tyler have done for me.” Dr. Paul Streufert, executive director of special academic programs including the UT Tyler Honors Program, said students like Friesenhahn are why the Inspiring Excellence campaign was so critical. “The Honors Program and the Inspiring Excellence campaign share a core philosophy, namely that people who strive for excellence elevate the community as a whole. In the Honors Program we work to keep excellence at the forefront of students’ time here at UT Tyler,” said Streufert, an associate professor of
English who also holds the Hamm Chair in Arts and Humanities. The Inspiring Excellence campaign has empowered the university by providing gifted students scholarships to attend UT Tyler, Streufert added. The Honors Program now has 80 students in the program, with a large portion of the scholarships they receive coming from campaign donors. “Endowed scholarships are vital to our program. They allow the Honors Program and UT Tyler to compete with bigger schools for top students. Many of our students would not have come here without the endowed scholarships. They would have attended another university, a junior college or, in some cases, not have participated in higher education at all.’’ That was true in Honors student Samantha Godwin’s case. “At first, attending UT Tyler was a financial decision,’’ the psychology major from Hemphill said. “I was paying for college myself so money was key.” Godwin earned a spot in the Honors Program and the accompanying scholarship
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was provided by endowed funds raised during the Inspiring Excellence campaign. She received a scholarship from the Harold and Eleanor Stringer Family Endowment last year. Her scholarship this year is from the Murphy Payne Charitable Trust. “Being in the Honors Program was the best decision that I’ve made,” she said. “It’s been a very rewarding program that teaches you a lot about how to think independently. It has given me more confidence and the knowledge about how to handle myself in different environments.” The Honors Program has also helped her decide on a career path. Godwin plans to pursue a graduate degree and a career in occupational therapy upon graduating from UT Tyler. “In the Honors Program at UT Tyler, they care about you, they know you, they want to help you,’’ she said. “At a big school, you are just a number. I’m glad that I came here.” Students who join the Honors Program are far less likely to leave UT Tyler than students who do not participate. Honors students raise the level of discourse in their other core and major classes and are leading the way in undergraduate research. The Honors Program also provides the campus with Honors Colloquium events, which are free and usually open to all students and members of the Tyler community. One generous endowment for scholarships by the late Jack White has been a particular help to the Honors Program. During their lifetimes, Jack and his wife, Dorothy Faye, established 23 endowed scholarships. Jack’s vision went much further to include a bequest for $4.3 million, which will provide almost $250,000 annually to help students attend UT Tyler. Always thinking ahead, Jack required that the fund be held for five years to allow for even more growth before awards would begin.
Jack was a master at inspiring excellence. His is but one example of how generous UT Tyler supporters have created bequests and other types of planned gifts to sustain the work of UT Tyler during the Inspiring Excellence campaign. Streufert said the Jack White scholarship endowment gives the Honors Program “security in terms of our yearly scholarship budget. We can recruit each new class of Honors students – and even add space for sophomore or junior level applicants – with confidence, knowing that we have this generous gift to use for funding scholarships for all of our students,’’ he noted. “The Jack White gift will allow us to
grow in the very near future, raising the profile of the program and the university both regionally and nationally.” In addition to providing scholarships, the campaign has improved educational opportunities for students through professorships and chairs that foster research, said Dr. Alisa White, UT Tyler provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “For students, research provides the allimportant practical application element of learning,’’ she said. “It is truly amazing to see that light bulb go on when students are able to actively participate in their chosen field of study and experience cutting-edge areas of the subject matter they study.’’ n
THE INSPIRING EXCELLENCE CAMPAIGN HAS EMPOWERED THE UNIVERSITY BY PROVIDING GIFTED STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND UT TYLER. — DR. PAUL STREUFERT, Executive Director of Special Academic Programs
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THE COMMUNITY
University of Texas at Tyler.” Through the endowed chair, Mokhtari has been engaged in research, teaching and outreach activities to advance literacy teaching and learning at the university and community levels. A few examples include: • Leading the development of a new online master’s degree in reading within the UT Tyler School of Education to prepare classroom reading teachers, reading specialists and literacy coaches. • Collaborating with local area schools on developing reading intervention programs to improve the reading achievement of struggling elementary and middle school students. • Working with various community groups to form the Tyler Area Partners for Literacy, which seeks to advocate for, promote and support literacy among children and adults in Tyler and surrounding communities.
DR. KOUIDER MOKHTARI (center) and UT Tyler student Salomon Diaz interact with a Caldwell Elementary student in a tutoring session. Mokhtari’s work includes developing reading intervention programs for local schools. He holds the Anderson-Vukelja-Wright Chair in the School of Education.
UT Tyler’s Inspiring Excellence campaign has gone a long way to raise community awareness of the university. “The campaign shines a light on our cause,’’ Deanna Sims, assistant vice president for university advancement, said. “It has given us a lot of community and alumni visibility. People enjoy giving to and being a part of something that’s successful and growing.” By giving to the university, supporters have invested in the community. For example, a passion for literacy and education led Drs. Lawrence Anderson
and Sasha Vukelja to create the AndersonVukelja-Wright Chair in the School of Education, part of the College of Education and Psychology. Dr. Kouider Mokhtari, who shared their heart for literacy, joined the university in 2011 as a result. “I’m very passionate about helping children, adolescents and adults become literate,’’ said Mokhtari, “especially those who find learning to read and write difficult. The endowment played an important role in helping me decide to seek and eventually join the faculty in the School of Education at The
Anderson said he couldn’t be happier with the results of Mokhtari’s work. “Dr. Mokhtari has already started to make great headway at some of the elementary schools. Kids that are having trouble with reading are being helped and UT Tyler students are involved with that real-time experience,’’ he said. “When you bring in people who have a real passion for what they do, it is not just about academic research. It is in a real world environment where it has an impact.” Resources that support research and community involvement like this enable the university “to be the incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that we strive to be,’’ said Dr. Alisa White, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Our faculty members are doing incredible work from biology to nanotechnology to new and improved teaching methods,’’ White said. “All of the research programs made possible by the Inspiring Excellence campaign help to produce a university of which we can be proud, both for its teaching as well as its research,’’ she said. This is good for the professor, good for the university and, most importantly, good for the community.’’ n
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A NURSING STORY‌ UT Tyler Scholarship Honors Memory of Kathleen Edna Tuttle It takes a special person to be a nurse. First, you need a roster of technical skills that only comes from countless hours of education and training. But nursing also requires what many other professions do not – emotional skills. Nursing is not just about physical healing; it is about connecting with someone in need. A patient may experience a variety of emotions during a hospital stay such as elation, gladness, triumph, disappointment, sorrow and sometimes even heartbreak. These are especially true as exhibited in the life of a child who rarely understands the difficulties associated with being hospitalized. The specialized skills needed for this emotional connection cannot be taught . . . they come from the heart. Kathleen Tuttle was a nurse with both training and heart.
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Kathleen gained her education as a nurse through a program sponsored by the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Her registered nurse designation came with a commission as a first lieutenant in the RCN. However, the war was winding down upon her graduation and she secured a position on the staff of The Jeffery Hale Hospital in Quebec City, Ontario, a small general hospital founded by a retired sea captain. A CALLING It was soon after her posting at the hospital that she found her vocation and passion – working with children. Kathleen poured her heart into serving the hurting children who came to the hospital. During her tenure she advanced to become the chief pediatric nurse, a position she held until her marriage to P.D. Tuttle. Together, they had a son, William James Douglas Tuttle. “She loved children,” her husband recalled. “The kids were probably her favorite patients.” Due to Mr. Tuttle’s company requirements, they soon moved to Massena, N.Y., and subsequently Mr. Tuttle was transferred to Marshall, Texas. PINK LADIES Upon the Tuttles’ arrival in Marshall, Kathleen joined a small group of women in the community who formed a volunteer
support group for the local hospital. The “Pink Ladies” soon became a prominent fixture at the Marshall Memorial hospital, which is now Marshall Regional Medical Center and part of the Good Shepherd System. In the early days, the Pink Ladies operated with only a push cart filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, crackers, snacks, magazines donated by the community and other items they delivered to patients. The group also made sure there were coloring books for pediatric patients. Later, they opened a gift shop and began giving family members updates on loved ones in surgery. They also helped in the emergency room and served as “chaplainettes” when needed. Tuttle said Kathleen loved volunteering and faithfully worked for an additional 29 years as a Pink Lady before officially retiring from active service. A FITTING LEGACY Until her death 10 years ago, Kathleen never lost her heart for those who are sick and hurting. That is why, as a tribute to his wife, Tuttle recently established the Kathleen Edna Tuttle Endowed Nursing Scholarship for The University of Texas at Tyler College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Funds distributed from the endowment will be used to provide scholarships for full-time nursing
students. This fund will aid talented and needy students who have a desire to become highly skilled nurses to meet the growing demand in medicine here in East Texas and around the world. Tuttle explained, “I wanted to create a scholarship in her memory and what better way to honor her than to make it a nursing scholarship.’’ “We are so grateful that Mr. Tuttle chose UT Tyler as a place to honor his wife through an endowed scholarship,” said Dr. Rodney H. Mabry, UT Tyler president. The scholarship will help educate and train more nursing students, said Dr. Pam Martin, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “We can offer students more access,’’ she said. “When we receive a generous gift such as this, we can recruit students who may think a nursing education is out of reach financially. As we are able to graduate more registered nurses, the population of East Texas will benefit from the excellent care provided.” Tuttle’s generosity will impact many lives, Martin said. “He recognized the importance of education and that nurses are needed everywhere. We are so honored that he selected UT Tyler to help our students.” All those students who follow Kathleen’s footsteps will need skill . . . and heart. n
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“WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT MR. TUTTLE CHOSE UT TYLER AS A PLACE TO HONOR HIS WIFE THROUGH AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP.” —PRESIDENT RODNEY MABRY 30 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER MAGAZINE
CAMPUS TOUR. P.D. Tuttle visits with Dr. Pam Martin, interim college dean, and David Jones, UT Tyler development officer, while touring the Braithwaite Building, which houses the College of Nursing.
Patriot Athletics: A Record-Breaking Year Several UT Tyler teams and athletes set new records during the course of the 2012-13 athletics season. From men’s golf winning the school’s first-ever National Championship, to the two new additions to the UT Tyler family, 2012-13 was a special year.
SPRING 2013 Spring was a season of firsts for the Patriots, starting with the youngest athletic program on campus, the outdoor track and field teams. Men’s Track and Field The UT Tyler men’s team won their first ASC Championship, with several athletes setting new career marks. Senior Ed Palencia finished sixth in the nation in the men’s javelin, while junior Buck Thompson finished top-10 nationally in two events, the shot put and discus, garnering AllAmerican honors for the second-straight year. Coach Bob Hepler took home Coach of the Year honors while distance-runner Nick Huff was named ASC Outstanding Track Athlete of the Year. Thompson also took home the High Point Athlete of the Year at the ASC Championships. Women’s Track and Field The women’s team had its best-ever finish, winning second-place at the ASC Championships while setting numerous new school records along the way in events such as the 400 meter dash, the 4X100 relay, high jump and pole vault. Men’s Golf After an up-and-down season that saw the UT Tyler men’s golf team finish as runners-up at the ASC tournament, the men, led by freshman Buddy Hallman, did something no other UT Tyler team had done—win a NCAA National Championship. After barely qualifying for the 2013 NCAA tournament, the Patriots played the four-round tournament of their
lives, winning by seven strokes to send head coach King Campbell out in style. Hallman finished as national runner-up in the individual medalist competition, while Joey Rippel and Trent Boudoin each finished in the top 20.
Men’s Tennis The Patriots set a new mark for wins in a season with 22, reaching the conference finals and claiming a spot in their sixth-straight NCAA tournament.
Women’s Golf Not to be outdone, the Patriots women’s golf team fought with ASC rival Mary Hardin-Baylor for four days, finishing as national runners-up at the national tournament. Freshman Laura Lindsey won an individual national title, winning the title by four strokes. Marina Rhodes was also an All-Tournament performer, finishing in a tie for seventh-place overall.
The men were named the SAAC Sportsmanship Team of the Year, which is voted on by the other schools around the ASC, while newcomer Ryan Ybarra was named the ASC East Division Most Valuable Player.
Baseball Head coach Chris Bertrand won the 2013 ASC Baseball Championship in his first season at the helm for the Patriots, leading the team to the NCAA Semi-Finals in Austin. The Patriots featured several All-ASC performers, including Kevan House, who was named ASC East Division Player of the Year. House also joined Issac Tijerina and Chance Cotton on the D3baseball.com All-West Region team.
Head coach Chris Bizot was named Coach of the Year for the sixth time time in his nine-year UT Tyler career. Women’s Tennis UT Tyler finished the year with a 15-10 mark and a 5-1 record in the ASC, also finishing as runners-up in the conference. Six Patriots were named All-ASC including Haley Albro and Emily Evans who were each named First Team All-ASC singles and doubles.
WINTER 2012-13
Men’s Basketball The men’s team had its best season ever, going 18-8 and finishing in second place in the ASC east division. Head Softball coach Kenny Bizot was named East Division Coach of The 2013 UT Tyler softball team reached another NCAA the Year joining four players on the All-Conference team, DIII World Series, finishing in fourth place nationally while including senior Darren Houliston who was named First winning 47 games along the way, a new school record. Team All-ASC. The 18 wins were three better than the The Patriots lost just one game in conference-play all previous season high of 15 set in 2009-10. season, while remaining in the top eight nationally all The men also closed out 2013 by welcoming new year long. head coach Jamon Copeland from Ave Maria in Three players, Joey Cronin, Kelsie Batten and Heather Florida. Copeland will take over for Bizot who took a Abshire were named All-Americans, while Raven head coaching job at Copiah-Lincoln Community College Rodriguez and Brittney Batten joined the previous three in Mississippi. on the NFCA All Region team. Women’s Basketball Mike Reed won his 300th game as UT Tyler head coach UT Tyler had a record-breaking season in head coach earlier in the season, finishing the season with 329 wins Kevin Baker’s first season, winning 18 games (new in just nine seasons (37 wins per season) in his time school record) and reaching the conference semi-finals with the Patriots. for the first time in program history.
Patriot Athletics
Baker was named ASC East Co-Coach of the Year while four Patriots were named ASC All-Conference, including Brittany King who led the Patriots in scoring and rebounding in her first season with UT Tyler.
FALL 2012 Men’s Soccer UT Tyler reached the American Southwest Conference tournament for the third-straight season, finishing third in the east division. Six players were named to the ASC All-Division teams while senior Chris Powell was named a Distinguished Scholar Athlete. Women’s Soccer The women’s team enjoyed one of its finest seasons in history, reaching the ASC tournament finals for the third time in program history and the postseason for the sixth year in a row. The Patriots set a new mark for ASC play, going 11-1 in the regular season while having seven players named to the All-ASC team.
GIVING BACK Not only was UT Tyler successful on the fields and courts, the Patriots spent numerous hours giving back to the community through the East Texas Food Bank, City of Tyler Kids Day at the Park and Operation Shoebox, which sends care packages to troops stationed throughout the world. UT Tyler women’s soccer and volleyball each added new teammates, Emma Routh and Becca Reagan through Team Impact. Emma suffers from Fanconi Anemia while Becca suffers from Lymphoblastic Leukemia, both of which are life-threatening illnesses. Team Impact and the teams will focus on making the quality of life better for both of these treasured teammates, giving them a chance to be a part of a team.
MAKING GREAT STRIDES. UT Tyler athletes set many new records last season. Track and field — the youngest program on campus — was no exception. The men’s team won its first ASC Championship, the women’s team had its best-ever finish and Bob Hepler was named Coach of the Year.
For more on UT Tyler athletics, please follow us on Twitter: @uttylerpatriots
Head Coach Stefani Webb also was tabbed by the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association as the National Merit Award Winner/Coach of the Year. Men’s Cross Country The UT Tyler men’s cross country team kept its winning tradition going, winning its seventh ASC title in program history. Junior Nick Huff won the individual cross-country title, while head coach Bob Hepler was named ASC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his career. Women’s Cross Country The women’s team finished fourth at the ASC Championship meet and placed four runners on the AllAcademic team. Volleyball UT Tyler volleyball also finished fourth in the east division while placing four players on the All-ASC team. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER MAGAZINE
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Joel Adams was named executive vice president for Southside Bank Investment Services. He has worked for Southside Bank for 16 years and is a 2000 graduate of UT Tyler with a bachelor of business administration degree in finance. Adams was profiled twice in Bank Investment Consultant magazine and was nominated as one of the Top 50 Bank Advisers in the country.
Janet Berry retired from Brownsboro Elementary School as a physical education teacher, after 31 years inspiring students in and out of the classroom. She began her teaching career at Brownsboro Elementary after graduating from UT Tyler.
Oso ISD in Corpus Cristi. She has worked in education for 25 years, beginning her career in Palestine Independent School District. She served as assistant superintendent of Industrial ISD and elementary school principal with Neches ISD.
Her contributions to the school district include starting the Brownsboro High School softball program. In 2011, Berry was honored as Chandler/Brownsboro Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year.
Cooke graduated from UT Tyler in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in education and holds a master’s degree from Stephen F. State University.
Bobby Asad owns Sonoma Grill in Tyler and Fish City Grill franchises in Tyler and Longview, with an average of 30 employees for each. This year, he purchased a three-acre lot in Tyler and broke ground to develop it into a 24,000-square-foot retail shopping center. Asad graduated from UT Tyler in 1991 with a bachelor of business administration degree in management.
Sandra Bridges was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the State Board for Educator Certification for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2019. The board develops certification and continuing education requirements and standards of conduct for public school teachers.
Robin Ashworth serves as president of the Longview/Tyler chapter of the National Association of Professional Women. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from UT Tyler and works as business manager for the Tyler Morning Telegraph. Ashworth also has worked for Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics and Henry & Peters.
Bridges is a teacher in Rockwall Independent School District, a member of the Texas Speech and Communications Association and past member of the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UT Tyler and is pursuing a master’s degree at Drury University.
Davis is a retired school administrator in the Buffalo Independent School District and a member of the Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association and Texas Association of Mediators. She holds a superintendent certification from UT Tyler.
Jeff Austin III was reappointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Transportation Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2019. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Transportation. Austin is
Jonathon Burns was promoted to senior manager of Yamaha Marine Group’s marine business planning and supply chain operations division. Burns leads marine operations teams, overall production
Trent Dawson was hired as director of the new Seattle, Wash., office of Standish Management, which provides consulting services to managers of private equity, venture capital, real estate and fund of funds.
Amanda Davis was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Council for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2019. The council assists the commissioner of the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services in developing rules and policies for the agency.
Class Notes vice chairman of Austin Bank Texas N.A. in Jacksonville and past president of First State Bank in Frankston. He is a member of the American Bankers Association Government Relations Committee and Bank CEO Network; presiding officer of the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority; and past board member/past chairman of the Texas Bankers Association. Austin holds a bachelor’s degree and master of business administration degree from UT Tyler.
planning, new business planning and market intelligence. He helps consolidate critical functions for faster decision-making and ensures strategic pricing across all operations teams. Burns holds a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing from UT Tyler. Cara Cooke was named superintendent of Kilgore Independent School District, after serving as assistant superintendent at West
Dawson previously served as vice president of finance for Voyager Capital. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from UT Tyler and is a certified public accountant. Megan Dodd was promoted to marketing associate for the graphics, screen-printing and embroidery division at East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind, after serving as the organization’s marketing assistant for rehabilitative services. She graduated from UT Tyler in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
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‘ONCE A PATRIOT, ALWAYS A PATRIOT’ was the theme of this year’s annual Homecoming Week at UT Tyler. Homecoming was celebrated Oct. 14-19 with a variety of activities including live entertainment, games, organizational fairs, the Patriot Idol contest, UT Tyler men’s and women’s soccer games and the crowning of Mr. and Miss UT Tyler.
Betty Edwards, Dawn Franks and Christy Roach were among eight women honored by the Women in Tyler organization for outstanding work in the community. The honorees were presented during at an annual Women’s History Month event. Edwards leads North Tyler Day Nursery, an educational day care for children of working parents and parents attending Texas College. A former home economics teacher, she earned a degree in early childhood education at UT Tyler. Franks co-founded the East Texas Crisis Center, Children’s Advocacy Center and United Way Nonprofit Development Center. She now works with Fourth Partner, helping philanthropists find and contribute to organizations that touch their hearts. Franks graduated from UT Tyler in 1989 with a master of public administration degree. Roach is making a difference in the lives of students at Douglas Elementary School, where she serves as principal. Her previous positions at Douglas include assistant principal and third-grade teacher. Roach earned a master of education degree from UT Tyler.
Angel Gregory received the Richland College of Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty. Gregory is an adjunct professor in world language and development reading at Richland College, where she is recognized by her colleagues and students as one who enthusiastically provides tools to help students succeed. She works full-time as a reading specialist at Berry Middle School in Mesquite Independent School District. Gregory earned a bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in reading from UT Tyler in 1984 and 1992, respectively. Wesley Hill and Michael Wysocki were named to the 2013 Texas Rising Stars list, which identifies the top young lawyers in Texas each year. Hill is an attorney with Longview-based Ward & Smith and represents clients in a variety of intellectual property and commercial litigation cases, including those involved in contract disputes, oil and gas and federal criminal matters. He is a 1998 graduate of UT Tyler and a 2001 graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law. Wysocki practices family law with Dallasbased McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson
& Downing. He earned his undergraduate degree from UT Tyler, graduating summa cum laude. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law. Tish Hudson is operations manager at Good Shepherd Medical Center. She graduated from UT Tyler in 2010 with a bachelor of science in nursing degree. Larry Kellam is using his corporate expertise to help local businesses gain customers through his new business, Welcomemat Services, located in McKinney and Frisco. Kellam is a small business consultant and former acquisitions manager with 32 years of experience. He graduated from UT Tyler in 1981 with a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing. Verlaine MacClements is a financial adviser with Wells Fargo Advisors, serving on a team to help clients achieve their financial goals. She began her career as a financial consultant with Prudential Securities in 2002. MacClements earned her master of business administration degree in 2001 from UT Tyler, where she was selected for membership in the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. MacClements was one of six Tyler women
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to be selected to the Leadership Texas Class of 2013. Roy Martinez was named an executive vice president for Southside Bank. With more than 17 years of banking experience, he will serve as a commercial lender for the bank’s South Broadway Avenue branch. Martinez holds bachelor and master of business administration degrees from UT Tyler. He is a graduate of Leadership Tyler Class 19 and serves on several boards and committees. Alfred “Al’’ Matson was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Council on Purchasing from People with Disabilities for a term to expire Jan. 31, 2019. The council helps individuals with disabilities achieve maximum personal independence by engaging in productive employment activities. Matson is director of vocational services at Andrews Center Behavioral Healthcare System. He is a member of the Wayne D. Boshears Center for Exceptional Programs Advisory Council and past member of the Texas Industries for the Blind and Handicapped Advisory Committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UT Tyler. Shan McAteer, Mari Moses and Stacey Perkins were honored as Teachers of the Year in Hallsville Independent School District for the 2012-13 school year. McAteer teaches at Hallsville Little Cats Pre-K School and volunteers at Longview Missions Outreach Center. He holds a bachelor of science degree from UT Tyler.
at STSW Educational Conference and serves in Perkins Partnership Ministry and Highway 80 Rescue Mission. Perkins holds bachelor and master of arts degrees in English from UT Tyler.
development, was among UT Tyler College of Business and Technology faculty receiving a national research award from the Academy of Human Resource Development for a scholarly paper they co-authored.
Carl M. Newman Jr. has joined the Raymond James Financial Services Inc. office at TBT Financial Services, a division of Texas Bank and Trust, as a financial adviser. Newman was most recently a financial adviser for Morgan Stanley. He holds a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology from UT Tyler and a master of business administration degree from LeTourneau University.
Recipients of the award included Sun and Drs. Greg G. Wang, Jerry W. Gilley and D. Harold Doth, co-authors of, “Career Authenticity Based Voluntary Career Transition: A Grounded Theory Study.’’
Kathy Parker was named junior high school principal in Spring Hill Independent School District. Parker previously served as assistant principal at James S. Hogg Middle School in Tyler. She graduated from UT Tyler in 2006 with a master of education degree. Vanessa Robinson was named principal of Pine Tree Junior High School, after serving three years as an assistant principal at Pine Tree High School. Robinson has 16 years of experience in education, including two years as Pine Tree JHS assistant principal, eight years as a middle school math and science teacher and three years as an education counselor with the Federal TRIO Program. She holds a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies and master of education in leadership from UT Tyler.
Moses teaches at Hallsville Junior High School and is a member of Mobberly Baptist Church. She graduated from UT Tyler in 1996 with a bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies degree.
Dr. Janie Sims was promoted to assistant superintendent of Athens Independent School District, after serving as curriculum director since 2011. She is the former principal of Athens Intermediate and South Athens Elementary schools. Sims holds a master of education degree and superintendent certificate from UT Tyler.
Perkins teaches at East Elementary School, has been a mentor teacher and co-presenter
Dr. Judy Sun, the first graduate of UT Tyler’s doctoral program in human resource
Sun is an assistant professor of HRD at UT Tyler. She completed her doctorate in 2011. Deanna Turner was named assistant principal of Pine Tree Elementary School, bringing 18 years of education experience to the position. Turner began her career at Pine Tree Elementary in 1994 as a first-grade teacher, and also taught first grade at Spring Hill Primary School for five years. She has served in various leadership roles in both districts. Turner has received multiple honors, including Teacher of the Year for Pine Tree Elementary and Rotary Teacher of the Month. She earned a master’s degree from UT Tyler in 2000 and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas in Denton in 1994. Jerry Woolverton received the Community Spirit Award at the Texas Bank and Trust’s annual awards event. Woolverton has been a community volunteer for more than 30 years and has held leadership roles with the Tyler Economic Development Council, Texas Chest Foundation, East Texas Symphony Orchestra Foundation, the local chapter of the American Heart Association and the UT Tyler Regional Alumni Council.
Hot air balloon rides, the chili cookoff and athletic games are among the many attractions during UT Tyler’s annual Homecoming Week.
STAY CONNECTED. Tell us what you’ve been up to! New jobs, relocation, accomplishments, marriages – whatever your news, share it with your friends and classmates at The University of Texas at Tyler. Visit www.uttyler.edu/alumni.
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