Marquette Matters May 2013

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MARQUETTE Best of the best: Teaching Excellence winners shine

By Lynn Sheka

Teaching Excellence Awards Photos by Dan Johnson

Dr. Stephen Franzoi, Department of Psychology

are the highest teaching honor bestowed upon

Dr. Douglas Lobner, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Marquette faculty members. Recipients are nominated by their colleagues and students for demonstrating excellence as teacher-scholars.

Dr. Stephen Franzoi, Dr. Douglas Lobner and Dr. Robert Lowe received the John P. Raynor, S.J., Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, and Dr. Richard Jones received the Robert and Mary Gettel Award for Teaching Excellence at the Père Marquette Dinner on May 2.

Dr. Richard Jones, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences

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DR. STEPHEN FRANZOI

ROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY P KLINGLER COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Dr. Stephen Franzoi, professor of psychology, estimates he has taught more than 12,000 students during his 29 years at Marquette. He teaches large introductory courses and smaller upper-level courses in psychology, and in doing so, manages to engage and motivate thousands of students through his passion for the material and sincere concern for their well-being.

One student commented, “Dr. Franzoi took time out of his already busy life to accommodate my needs and meet with me one-on-one.

His comment to me was simple and caring: ‘I am here to do whatever I can to help you learn.’”

Dr. Robert Lowe, Department of Educational Policy and Leadership

Franzoi is also active in the Department of Psychology’s graduate program, teaching and advising students, as well as serving as a mentor and role model for incoming faculty members. His influence extends well beyond Marquette through his popular introductory textbooks in psychology and social psychology, which have been used by more than 250,000 students in the United States and abroad.

A true believer in the importance of the teacher-scholar model, Franzoi says being recognized by his fellow teachers with a teaching award is truly special. “I consider it a great honor and a privilege to be one member of a university of professors who value the pursuit of knowledge in its many forms, and who similarly value the sharing of that knowledge with their students.”

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CAM PU S H A P P E N I N GS Office of Residence Life wins national award

Compendium submission deadline is May 31

The Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities has named the Office of Residence Life’s Dorothy Day Social Justice Living-Learning Community as one of the winners for the 2013 Mission Integration Project.

The intent of this annual ASACCU project is to highlight model programs in various student life areas that articulate Catholic identity as an integral part of a student life program. Dr. Jim McMahon, associate vice president and dean of residence life, will receive the award at the ASACCU annual conference in July.

The Dorothy Day social justice initiative introduces and integrates mission-driven academic and social learning in a residence hall setting with faculty involvement, with the goal of an enriched learning experience for all participants.

Faculty and staff with professional accomplishments such as publications, presentations and awards should make sure they are documented by Friday, May 31, by submitting them to the Faculty Activities Database (for full-time and clinical faculty members) or online to marquette.edu/compendium-submit (for part-time, adjunct, participating or visiting faculty members, and full-time staff members). Full-time and participating faculty members submitting through the FAD need to check the appropriate box on the “Report Permissions” page in the FAD to submit items to Compendium. Accomplishments that have occurred since Dec. 1, 2012, and that were not included in the winter issue of Compendium will be used to compile the summer issue, which will be ­distributed in late August.

MARQUETTE MATTERS

Excellence in University Service Awards honor outstanding staff members

By Lynn Sheka

The university’s Excellence in University Service Awards recognize staff members who have contributed to the essential work of Marquette at the highest level of excellence. Recipients were nominated based on service that is above and beyond the positions. They will be honored at the Excellence in University Service Awards Luncheon on June 4.

Doug Frohmader Creative director Office of Marketing and Communication “Excellence. Faith. Leadership. Service. Doug Frohmader. For the past 28 years, Doug has been a valued — and invaluable — member of the Marquette community,” wrote one nominator.

As creative director in the Office of Marketing and Communication, Doug Frohmader works closely with University Advancement and others to tell Marquette’s story to alumni, donors and friends of the university.

Multiple nominators wrote about his professionalism, patience, work ethic and commitment to cura personalis. As one nominator put it, “Doug truly is a model of excellence.”

Frohmader is also an award-winning designer, having been honored for his work multiple times by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the country’s leading education organization for professionals who work in alumni relations, communication, ­development and marketing.

“I value all of the wonderful people at Marquette whom I’ve been blessed to know,” says Frohmader. “Marquette is a great place to be!”

Mary McConnell Dental coordinator Pediatrics Clinic, School of Dentistry Mary McConnell serves as the dental coordinator for the Pediatrics Clinic, where she is responsible for patient scheduling and coordinating patient, student and faculty schedules.

She has worked for the university for 33 years and said she is humbled to receive an award

Photo by Dan Johnson

duties normally assigned to their

Sue Pendzich, Doug Frohmader, Mary McConnell and John Mohammad are this year’s Excellence in University Service Award winners.

for the work she does every day. “My job is to help and serve those in the school as well as the community,” she says, a job that she handles in a pleasant and professional manner, despite working with patients who are often facing ­difficult circumstances.

“Mary is fiercely loyal to Marquette and our students,” wrote one nominator. “She is always seeking the best for our young patients — even when put in the middle of difficult interpersonal relationships between our pediatric patients and their caregivers.”

Although multiple nominators wrote that McConnell is so efficient that most people do not even realize the amount of work she handles on a daily basis, her many nominators agree: “Mary really is the heart of the Pediatric Dentistry Department.”

John Mohammad Technical support specialist Information Technology Services A technical support specialist in ITS, John Mohammad works closely with the College of Education and the College of Nursing, providing support for desktop software, phone deployment, printer and peripheral hardware, and smart classrooms.

“What I value most about working for Marquette is the strong sense of community and support among my colleagues,” Mohammad says.

The feeling is mutual. Faculty, staff and deans from Education and Nursing all commented on Mohammad’s ability to fix any problem that arises. One nominator wrote, “John is a pleasure to work with. I don’t think I have

ever seen him without a smile on his face and a cheerful disposition.”

Another nominator added, “In my nearly 40 years of experience, John qualifies as the most talented, responsive, effective, pleasant and dedicated technology professional I’ve ever encountered.”

Sue Pendzich Administrative assistant Office of Student Development As an administrative assistant in the Office of Student Development, Sue Pendzich coordinates the day-to-day operations of the office of the Dean of Students, including budget oversight and administrative support for alcohol programming, community service programs, the university student conduct system, and new student and family programs such as Preview, Orientation and Family Weekend.

A 15-year Marquette employee, Pendzich says she enjoys the work she does each day and never expected any special recognition for it. “I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Marquette family,” Pendzich says. “I’ve met and worked with so many students over the years, and it is wonderful to see them achieving goals while they are here and then continuing to do admirable things once they graduate.”

Her interactions with students clearly have a lasting effect. As one nominator wrote, “The number of former students who come back to the Office of Student Development specifically to speak with Sue is a testament to the care and commitment she exudes each and every day.”

Teaching excellence awards

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C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1

DR. RICHARD JONES

ROFESSOR OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SCIENCES P KLINGLER COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Described as a “workhorse” and a “dream” by his many nominators, Dr. Richard Jones, professor of social and cultural sciences, has taught 15 different undergraduate courses in addition to several graduate courses during his 25-year career at Marquette.

His research and teaching areas focus on crime and punishment, the experience of incarceration, and sport in society, and his students praise his straightforward and relatable approach in the classroom. One student wrote: “Professor Jones embodied everything I now believe college should be.”

While Jones has clearly influenced many students during his career, his impact with first-generation and minority students is especially significant.

He has contributed significantly to the Educational Opportunity Program as a classroom teacher, served as a mentor to McNair Scholars and worked with students in the Freshman Frontier Program. He has also worked closely with many student-athletes, which recently earned him an appointment as Faculty Athletic Representative.

“I wouldn’t enjoy my profession as much without the balance between teaching and research,” says Jones. “My teaching is improved tremendously by the research that I am engaged in, and I feel that students become more engaged in the material when the professor is excited by the work that they are doing.”

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DR. DOUGLAS LOBNER

ROFESSOR OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES P COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES In his 15 years of teaching at Marquette, Dr. Douglas Lobner, professor of biomedical sciences, has never missed a class due to illness. It is this dedication to his students and his profession that has allowed him to find effective ways to teach very complex information on human physiology and neuroscience in meaningful, understandable ways.

Lobner teaches students in multiple programs, including in biological sciences, dentistry and the physician assistant program. He says the most rewarding part of working at Marquette is interacting with students, adding, “The most impressive thing about our students is that they

want to be doctors, dentists or physician assistants not to make money, but to help people.”

Lobner also maintains an active research agenda and has been principal investigator and co-principal investigator on more than $5 million in grants. He says it is this unique opportunity to engage in high-level research and have substantial interaction with students — a hallmark of the teacher-scholar model — that makes working at Marquette special.

His colleagues praise his lecture style and detailed preparation, saying, “What Doug is actually doing is initiating and sustaining a transformative process whereby students grow from novice learners to more sophisticated learners who begin to seek answers to their own questions.”

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DR. ROBERT LOWE

PROFESSOR OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND LEADERSHIP COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Dr. Robert Lowe, professor of educational policy and leadership, has demonstrated a commitment to pedagogical excellence with a special emphasis on social justice during his 22 years at Marquette.

He studies race, class and schooling from a historical perspective, and his colleagues describe him as, “without question, one of the country’s foremost historians of American education.”

Lowe believes good teaching begins with respect for students’ individual experiences and intellects. “I hope my teaching has helped to equip students with the habits of mind and sensibilities of heart that will aid them in contributing to their own version of a more just society,” he says. “One thing I really appreciate about Marquette is that it attracts students who are responsive to new ideas, willing to consider challenges, and, most impressively, so often grateful for critical feedback on their work.”

His students value that feedback and his commitment to creating a safe environment, using a variety of instructional methods and maintaining high standards of himself and others.

One student wrote, “I never really planned on pursuing a Ph.D. and I would have quit a thousand times if it were not for Bob Lowe’s persistence in helping me believe that what I had to say was worth saying and that I was up to the task.”

TAKE

On the Side

Darlene Martins – Master gardener

Photo courtesy of Darlene Martins

By Lynn Sheka

Darlene Martins has been a master gardener for four years, and that’s a fact, not an opinion. Martins, an office associate in the College of Engineering, earned the Master Gardener certification through the UW–Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

Members provide support for public garden projects, youth and adult gardening programs and environmental improvement activities in their communities.

“I started gardening with my parents before I was in kindergarten,” says Martins. “When I became a homeowner, it was natural to put a garden in.”

But not just any garden — Martins has seven raised beds where she grows flowers and a variety of vegetables, in addition to two rock gardens, a perennial garden and a shade garden.

“Between my volunteer activity being a UW–Extension Master Gardener and my own gardens, my neighbor jokes that I don’t really live in my house because every time he goes

by I’m out in the gardens,” she says.

Martins brought her love of gardening to Marquette by teaching a Composting 101 class for the GROW With Marquette program last fall.

“I’m always learning something new because nature is a great teacher,” says Martins. “I enjoy being able to spread the love of gardening to others. The fresh vegetables aren’t bad, either!”

“On the Side” offers a glimpse of faculty and staff interests outside of Marquette. Email your story suggestions to ­marquettematters@marquette.edu.

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tree species

The five most commonly found on campus are: 1. Crabapple 2. Freeman maple 3. Norway maple 4. Honey locust 5. Princeton elm

To view the Wisconsin Native Tree Collection brochure go to: marquette.edu/sustainability/ documents/WisconsinNativeTreesbrochure.pdf.

“Take Five” is a brief list about an interesting aspect of Marquette life. Email your list suggestions to marquettematters@marquette.edu.

Marquette Matters is published monthly during the academic year, except for a combined issue in December/January, for Marquette University’s faculty and staff. Submit information to: Marquette Matters – Zilber Hall, 235; Phone: 8-7448; Fax: 8-7197 Email: marquettematters@marquette.edu Editor: Lynn Sheka Graphic design: Nick Schroeder Copyright © 2013 Marquette University

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Photo by Dan Johnson

MARQUETTE MATTERS

Physical therapy students assess a baby’s gross motor skills during this year’s Baby Lab. This spring marked the 37th time the Baby Lab has been offered to students in the College of Health Sciences.

Tiny teachers lead the physical therapy “Baby Lab”

By Jesse Lee

Like many students, Hera Wert showed up for class dressed head-to-toe in Marquette blue and gold. But Hera isn’t a student; she’s a teacher — and she’s less than a year old.

Hera was one of more than 20 guests, all less than 18 months old, who helped fifth-year physical therapy students learn to work with children in the 37th-annual “Baby Lab” held in April.

Looked forward to by students each year, the Baby Lab is a gross motor skills lab founded and led by Dr. Emilie Aubert, adjunct associate professor of ­physical therapy in the College of Health Sciences.

“The students really learn a lot from this hands-on experience,” Aubert says. “Some have observed young family members, but for many, it’s their first time interacting with babies in any real way.”

Physical therapy student Kaitlyn Smyth has two nieces, but for her, the Baby Lab was a completely new experience.

“When I play with my nieces, I’m not necessarily looking at their development,” Smyth says. “It’s great to have a more clinical setting where I can really observe the babies — how they move and how they respond.”

Students worked together in groups to analyze babies using toys and objects to prompt spontaneous play and movement, and also to perform tests on their motor skills and reflexes.

“I’m particularly interested in the difference in reflexes between babies and adults,” says physical therapy student Aundrea Radunzel.

“Primitive reflexes go away as a person develops, but with the babies, I can see those in action.”

In addition to learning more about their typical development, some of the parents —

mostly staff, faculty and alumni — brought their babies in to help i­dentify any potential development issues.

“We brought Hera in because a colleague recommended it,” says Dr. Michael Wert, an assistant professor in the History Department. “My colleague had an early indication of a developmental problem and was able to get it taken care of thanks to their participation in this class.”

According to Aubert, while it’s not the specific purpose of the baby lab, those sorts of diagnoses do happen.

“We sometimes see early signs of motor control problems or developmental delays, and we can refer those babies to their pediatrician right away,” Aubert says. “It’s not typical to find issues, but if we can help the parents and babies who volunteer by picking up on potential problems, it’s extremely gratifying.”

M A R Q U ET T E HAP P E NING S Join Father Pilarz for National Employee Health and Fitness Day walk President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Provost John Pauly and Executive Vice President Mary DiStanislao will participate in a walk in honor of National Employee Health and Fitness Day on Wednesday, May 15. Father Pilarz will give remarks at 12:10 p.m. at the Rec Center, with a one-mile walk around the Marquette Mile beginning at 12:15 p.m. Each participant will collect playing cards throughout the walk, and the top poker hands at the end of the walk will win prizes. The Poker Walk is sponsored by the Employee Wellness Program, Sodexo and the Department of Recreational Sports. Register online at marquette.edu/wellness.

All employees will also receive free admission to the Rec Center and Rec Plex May 15–17.

Summer Engineering Academies available for K–12 students The College of Engineering is offering 19 Engineering Academies for K–12 students this summer. The classes are designed to challenge youth to explore the engineering design process and to become problem solvers, leaders and critical thinkers who will contribute to a global society. The full summer class schedule and registration information are posted online at marquette.edu/ engineering/academies.shtml.

Spring Commencement will be Sunday, May 19 Marquette University will host Commencement activities for graduating seniors in May. Baccalaureate Mass will be held Saturday, May 18, at 4:30 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave. Commencement will be celebrated Sunday, May 19, at 9:30 a.m. at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, 1001 N. 4th St. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby will be the Commencement speaker and will receive an honorary doctor of letters degree. Tickets are not needed for either event.

Haggerty Museum of Art hosts three new summer exhibitions beginning June 5 The Haggerty Museum will welcome three new summer exhibitions, which will run June 5–July 28. The new exhibitions are: Abberance and Artifice, the Norton Collection, which playfully fuses unrelated ideas to question visual and cultural boundaries; New Objectivity in German Art, Highlights from the Marvin and Janet Fishman Collection, comprised of early 20th-century German paintings and drawings; and Jim Dow’s American Studies, a series of photographs that document the idiosyncratic qualities of everyday sites, taken on numerous road trips across America.