2014 Academic Symposium Booklet

1 1 T H

A N N U A L

R O C H E S T E R

C O L L E G E

ACADEMIC SYMPOSIUM A Celebration of th e Liberal & Professional Arts | April

15, 2014

Welcome to the 2014 Rochester College Academic Symposium

A Celebration of th e Liberal & Professional Arts Welcome to Rochester College’s 11th annual Academic Symposium, where we join together to celebrate our vibrant academic community. We are especially honored to present the academic achievements and capstone projects of 73 Rochester College students.

This year’s program boasts a diversity of form and subject matter as reflected in students’ scholarly papers, executive simulations, theatrical performances, and musical recitals. Our Symposium events kicked off last Friday with a Symposium performance of Troilus and Cressida and will conclude at Wednesday evening’s Emmy Awards. All of our students’ performances and presentations are exciting indicators of our institutional mission which seeks to “cultivate academic excellence, principled character, servant leadership, and global awareness within an inclusive Christian heritage.”

In addition to our student presentations, we are delighted to welcome Mr. Wes Selke, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Better Ventures Investment, a venture fund for entrepreneurs building a better world. We are honored to have him participate in this special event on our campus.

We welcome your participation in this wonderful event, and we congratulate all of our student scholars for their achievements.

Sincerely,

John Barton, Ph.D. Provost

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Featured Speaker:

Mr. Wes Selke, CFA, M BA Co-founder and Managing Director of Better Ventures Investment & Investment Manager for Good Capital Wes Selke is co-founder and managing director of Better Ventures Investment, a venture fund for entrepreneurs building a better world. Better Ventures provides funding, mentorship, collaborative workspace and investor connections to companies creating scalable solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Wes is also the investment manager for Good Capital’s Social Enterprise Expansion Fund, where he sourced and is actively engaged with the fund’s top two investments, Alter Eco and Better World Books.

Wes began his career in Ernst & Young’s Mergers & Acquisitions group and worked in Equity Research at William Blair & Company. He earned a master’s of business administration from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor of business administration from the University of Michigan.

Wes is an active member of Christ Church East Bay, where he serves as director of the financial advisory board.

He lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and two children and enjoys cycling in the East Bay hills and Sunday trips to the local farmers market.

Program of Events Friday, April 11 & Saturday April 12 | RC THEATRE 7:30 P.M. PERFORMANCE OF TROILUS AND CRESSIDA Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida is set during a deadlocked war between Troy and Greece. Star-crossed lovers Troilus and Cressida struggle to come to terms with their relationship in the war-torn city of Troy. Brandon Langeland has set this classic play to modern music and adapted it into an edgy, face-paced exhibition of foundweapon combat to explore the themes of honor, duty, heroism, and courage.

Monday, April 14 | RC THEATRE 7 P.M. ACADEMIC AWARDS CEREMONY & HONORS RECITAL The Academic Awards Ceremony allows academic departments to honor their outstanding students and the college to present the Distinguished Faculty Award. The Honors Recital features the music department’s best students in voice, piano, and other instruments. The music performed ranges from classic to contemporary and is presented by individuals who represent the highest levels of performance ability. The program will end with a dessert reception for everyone in attendance, hosted by Student Government.

Tuesday, April 15 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS | 9 A.M.—5 P.M. For a complete schedule of the student presentations, see the following pages.

MR. WES SELKE | RC THEATRE 10:30—11:15 A.M. ROCHESTER COLLEGE BAND CONCERT | RC THEATRE 7:30 P.M. The RC Concert Band performance will include works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Alfred Reed, and Henry Mancini. The finale will be selections from a symphony titled “Lord of the Rings” that was written fifteen years before the movie trilogy portraying the famous work by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Wednesday, April 16 | RC THEATRE 8 P.M. EMMY AWARDS A fun-filled evening presented by Student Government, the annual RC Emmy Awards celebrate campus life and campus personalities. This ceremony is comprised of several student-voted mock awards, as well as the presentation of Mr. and Ms. Rochester College, the Second Miler award, and the Peggy Matthews and Wes Taphin athletic awards.

Friday, April 18 | ST. PAUL’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 7:30 P.M. A CAPPELLA CHORUS AND ROCHESTER COMMUNITY CHORUS CONCERT Rochester College’s A Cappella Chorus joins with the Rochester Community Chorus and the choirs of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (620 Romeo St. Rochester) to present John Rutter’s Requiem. It will be sung as part of St. Paul’s annual Good Friday service. Admission is free.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church is located at 620 Romeo Street, Rochester.

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Tuesday, April 15 Concurrent Session A: 9-10:15 a.m.

Business 1— Auditorium East Coca-Cola: Ron Carter, Johnny Barreto, Fernando Delacruz, Anthony Incarnati, Adam Yarber English 1 -- Richardson Center 117 Carlos Zabaleta: Just Play Your Game Chelsea Hackel: Wondering at the Sight of Their God: A Story of Promise and Faith Mass Communication 1 — Ham 115 Kaylee Anderson: Blurred Lines: The Ethics of Photo Manipulation Philip Powell: War Reporting and the Ethics of Truth and Accountability Math Education 1 — Ham 113 David Fleming: Technology in the Classroom Linda Reed: Integrating Technology into the Secondary Mathematics Classroom Nursing 1 — Auditorium West Angie Brownlee, Whitney Newsom, John Paige, Asia Smith: Caring Across Cultures Religion 1 — Ham 112 Andrew Arrol: The Idolatry of Evangelical Belief Frank Beaudoin: Perfection in Christ

Plenary Session: 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Mr. Wes Selke RC Theatre

Concurrent Session B: 12:45-2 p.m.

Business 2 — Auditorium East Apple: Anthony Burton, Zef Deda, Nikki Heim, Olivia Delgado-Price, Sydney Hargrave English 2/Humanities 1 — Richardson Center 117 Katie Martelle: Unforeseen Conditions Allyson Huey: Upside Down Maps Mass Communication 2 — Ham 113 Chase Brazle: Effects of Political Humor: Helping or Hurting Political Awareness?

Brad Fecteau: A Modern Take on “Modern Family” Music 1 — RC Theatre Brianna Wilkinson: The Creative Process: Musical Composition Using the Personal Computer Brenden Davison: Song and Sight: The Influences of YouTube on Music and the Ensemble Nursing 2 — Auditorium West Barbara Mokrzycka, Alexa Newsom, Darylann Trout: Leading by Example Psychology 1 — Ham 115 Makenna Baxter: The Blind Leading the Less Blind: The Experience of Change Blindness Rachel Mitton: The Truth About Relationships: Is College Success Gender Dependent?

Religion 2 — Ham 112 Michael Brissette: Ecclesiastes: More Than Simply A Chasing After the Wind?

Jonathon Gult: What is Hell?

Science 1/ Interdisciplinary Studies 1 — Richardson Center 202 Keala Kaaikala: Nutrition for Optimizing Athletic Performance Grant Stawarz: American Failure or British Achievement?: The American Invasion of Canada in the War of 1812

Concurrent Session C: 2:15-3:30

Business 3 — Auditorium East Carnival Cruise Lines: Bobbi Bercel, Brandon Horvath, Sergio Lopez-Rios, Brad Norman, Breanna Peloni English 3 — Richardson Center 117 Laura Gehrke: The Path of Corruption Sarah Roper: “Hoofbeats Will Lead Them Home” Interdisciplinary Studies 1/Theatre 1 — Ham 115 Rebecca Touchstone-Honeycutt: Frederick Douglass: His Struggle to Freedom Brianna Wilkerson: Christ in the Concrete City: An Exploration of Modern Society’s Relationship with Christ through a Theatrical Production Mass Communication 3 — Ham 113 Melody Hastings: Blackened Ethical Decisions: The Downfall of Sea World Daniel Thomas: Journalism: Conflict of Duty and Ethics Nursing 3 — Auditorium West Stephanie Rumao, Morgan Stefanski, Traci Taylor, Abimael Veras-Jimenez, Jessica Williams: Public Health Nursing: Suicide Prevention and Awareness in Adolescents Religion 3 — Ham 112 Darryl Lambert: One in Christ, United with God Emily Simonetti: The Righteous Prostitute

Concurrent Session D: 3:45-5 p.m.

Business 4 — Auditorium East Verizon: Ron Centers, Kourea Hayes, Brenden Rizzo, Jazzmone Russell, Josh Simonis English Education 1 — Richardson Center 202 Miriah Jones: “Crippled Faithe,” The Beginning of a Budding Novel Mass Communication 4 — Ham 115 Sara Beason: The Decision of “The Decision”: How Would Immanuel Kant Feel about ESPN’s Choice?

Daniel Lujan: Social Media and Government Surveillance Lauren Sugden: The Case of the Duck Dynasty Interview Nursing 4 — Auditorium West Audrie Bedenis, Michelle Capriola, Amanda Horn Fuller, Lynnsey Norat, Tiffany Shelton: Physical Environment and its Effect on Patient Outcomes Social Work 1 — Ham 112 Rachel Campolong, Jordan Enciso, Taylor Gizinski, Diane Kelly, Kirsten Rudd: Social Work Field Practicums

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Student Abstracts Kaylee Anderson Major: Mass Communication/Public Relations Hometown: Imlay City, MI Blurred Lines: The Ethics of Photo Manipulation This presentation examines the ethics of photo manipulation of models in media and the effects it has on girls and young women in today’s society. It focuses on the company aerie and its Spring 2014 launch, “aerie Real,” an advertising campaign containing all un-retouched photographs of the young women, none of whom are supermodels, thus challenging the standards set by models usually portrayed in media. The presentation also briefly examines The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and how this company, along with aerie, is helping change the way girls and young women compare themselves to retouched models. The research also explores the ethics of digitally modifying photos to make models conform to cultural standards of beauty, as discussed in a study in Ethical Inquiry, an online publication of Brandeis University, and also examines the justifications some photographers and magazine editors use to publish such photos.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper Andrew Arrol Major: Youth and Family Ministry Hometown: Holly, MI The Idolatry of Evangelical Belief For many Evangelical Christians today, faith is a matter of being psychologically certain that a specific set of beliefs is true. The more correct one believes he or she is, the better. Belief has replaced faith in Jesus Christ, becoming a false source of life. Belief has become an idol. This idolatry has significantly caused much division and injustice in the Church. Why be willing to consider one’s own presuppositions if one’s source of life would be compromised by doing so? This phenomenon as well as its repercussions in the evangelical church must be evaluated if the Church is to be faithful in its witness and mission.

Mentor: Dr. Craig Bowman Makenna Baxter Major: Psychology Hometown: Rochester, MI The Blind Leading the Less Blind: The Experience of Change Blindness This study examined the phenomenon of change blindness and whether or not varying groups of people experience it differently. The focus of this study was to determine if those who avidly play action video games and those who are involved in the arts experience change blindness to a lesser degree compared to the general population. It was hypothesized that individuals who play at least five hours of action video games per week would be able to find the change between two images more quickly than the general population. It was also hypothesized that individuals who consider themselves artists of any form would be able to find the differences more quickly than the general population. The researcher also predicted that those who play action video games for a minimum of five hours per week would find the difference in images more quickly than the artists. Preliminary data reports that all three hypotheses are accurate.

Mentor: Dr. Robyn Siegel-Hinson

Sara Beason Major: Mass Communications/Public Relations Hometown: Auburn Hills, MI The Decision of “The Decision”: How Would Immanuel Kant Feel about ESPN’s Choice?

This presentation investigates one media ethics case in the sports broadcasting industry, the decision ESPN made to broadcast a 75-minute segment about LeBron James’s move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat in 2010. The research was collected from various media, sports ethics books, and academic journals and examines whether ESPN demonstrated media bias in its special broadcast. In particular, the research analyzes ESPN’s use of broadcast time from the philosophical viewpoint of Immanuel Kant and his views regarding the need for truth and loyalties. Kant’s duties to virtue, oneself, and others are applied to the airing of the ESPN broadcast, based on the belief that humanity should be viewed as an end and never as a means to an end.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper Frank Beaudoin Major: Biblical Studies Hometown: Madison Heights, MI Perfection in Christ Is perfect obedience possible for Christians? When Jesus says in Mathew 5:48, “So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” what did He mean? Matthew’s use of the word teleios, which in nearly every English translation is rendered “perfect,” implies an affirmative answer to the first question above.

Since teleios is a rare word in Mathew’s gospel (only used 3 times; see also 19:21) and its common meaning in New Testament Greek is “completeness,” not “sinlessness” or “perfection,” one might question its pervasive translation as “perfect.” Beyond this issue is the question of the original Hebrew/Aramaic word, probably tami’im, that Jesus actually said and whatever it meant in Early Judaism. After clarifying these original word meanings, this presentation engages the concept of perfection in Christian doctrine and Church history as well as certain Old Testament passages to determine how best to understand what Jesus meant in the Sermon on the Mount and by his admonition to the rich young man, “If you desire to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.”

Mentor: Dr. Craig Bowman Chase Brazle Major: Mass Communication Hometown: Clawson, MI Effects of Political Humor: Helping or Hurting Political Awareness?

With political TV satire, programs such as The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and other forms of political humor becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s media consumption, conducting research on the effects of this humorous content is necessary in order to analyze the impact it has on viewers and its relationship to mainstream news. This study cross-examines the political information provided by network news against some of the less conventional, comedic sources. Furthermore, this study analyzes the popularity of political humor with younger audiences to gain a better understanding of its influence on this demographic’s political awareness.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Michael Brissette Major: Christian Ministry Hometown: Flint, MI Ecclesiastes: More Than Simply A Chasing After the Wind?

“Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” This, also, is what many in the modern church would say about Ecclesiastes, writing off the book as a “chasing after wind” or “worthless to the modern Christian.” However, this presentation aims to cease the meaningless belittlement of such fine wisdom, offering a listening ear to the masterful exposition of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes, who has much to share and an interesting perspective on the human experience that transcends time and culture. This presentation will expose the context, innumerable misconceptions, language, and message of Ecclesiastes to bring an ancient book to a modern audience in a particularly ambitious way, with an ultimate motive of fostering understanding, appreciation, and love for a book so dear to many.

Then, perhaps the book will be understood as something more than “vanity” or “chasing after the wind.”

Mentor: Dr. Craig Bowman Brenden Davison Major: Music Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI Song and Sight: The Influences of YouTube on Music and the Ensemble Since its official launch in November 2005, YouTube has been a major source of entertainment and education. But beyond our own laughs and amazement, YouTube has revolutionized how music is shared and enjoyed. From VEVO channels to amateur uploads, music has never been more accessible in the history of the world. Join Brenden Davison as he sheds light on the creative process of the creation of music and video through his own experiences and research with Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir and other artists.

Mentor: Dr. Joe Bentley Brad Fecteau Major: Mass Communication/Public Relations Hometown: Capac, MI A Modern Take on “Modern Family” This presentation investigates the ethical issues surrounding the portrayal of a middle class family in the ABC show “Modern Family.” The Dunphy family’s income and cost of living will be estimated based on census data collected from the California county in which the television show is set. The family’s spending habits (e.g. cars, clothing, furnishings, etc.) will then be evaluated on the basis of the family’s income.

This research will focus solely on income and spending habits, rather than potential issues surrounding the portrayal of race, gender, or any other demographic identifiers. The Dunphy family’s spending habits will then be compared to the spending habits of real families living under similar circumstances.

This research will evaluate whether or not the show’s portrayal of middle class families is inaccurate and, therefore, potentially destructive to susceptible viewers. To conclude, it will be determined that if a show as influential as “Modern Family” skews the representation of everyday middle class life, even in a nonchalant manner, it can have negative effects on many families.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper David Fleming Major: Elementary Education/Mathematics Hometown: Eastpointe, MI Technology in the Classroom This presentation examines technology and its uses in the classroom for mathematics education, exploring the uses of not only major hardware but also the “apps” and smaller, everyday uses of technology that can improve teaching methods. The presentation also explores the effectiveness of the use of technology in increasing student learning since its effectiveness is an ongoing debate in the world of education. In addition, some specific, well-known apps are evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in the classroom.

Mentor: Dr. David Brackney

Laura Gehrke Major: English Hometown: Clinton Township, MI The Path of Corruption The Path of Corruption is a fantasy story aimed at young adults. It follows the life of Ithera, a young, naïve girl who has visions of the future. After losing the love of her father, Ithera has to keep her visions a secret or be killed. When she meets Caxin, Ithera thinks her life will get better, but a mysterious woman comes, giving promises of an entirely new life. The whole town learns a lesson about putting their arts before service to the King, a lesson that comes at a high price: the loss of all they have and live for. The three main themes of the story are power, corruption, and revenge, and there is also an underlying theme that putting any kind of ideal before God leads to destruction.

Mentor: Professor Daniel Lockhart Jonathon Gult Major: Christian Ministry Hometown: Waterford, MI What is Hell?

Hell is an interesting, but challenging and particularly confusing topic in Christian Systematic Theology.

This presentation focuses on three main doctrines of Hell. First is the traditional view that considers hell as a place of eternal torment; the faithful go to heaven and all others go to hell. Second, the annihilationist view is that hell is an all-consuming fire; those sent to hell are consumed in the fire and cease to exist. Third, the universalist view is that hell is a temporary place of purification, purgatory, and in the end all will be saved. The presentation explores all three of these doctrines and their roots in Jewish and Christian tradition, church history, and biblical passages. It is possible that what a traditional Christian may think of hell might not be consistent with the biblical descriptions.

Mentor: Dr. Craig Bowman Chelsea Hackel Major: English Hometown: Fenton, MI Wondering at the Sight of Their God: A Story of Promise and Faith The selection presented here is from a larger piece, a biblical fiction novel entitled Wondering at the Sight of Their God that follows the lives of characters in Egypt during the enslavement of the Israelites.

The novel tells the story of Exodus 1 and 2, recounting through the eyes of its characters the murder of the Hebrew male babies, the birth of Moses, and Moses’s childhood. The story traces the lives of three characters: Jesse, a 15-year-old Israelite; Shiprah, one of the Israelite midwives; and Dalila, an Egyptian attendant to the daughter of Pharaoh. Written for junior-high readers, the text wrestles with themes of promise and faith as Jesse struggles to maintain a belief in El Shaddai, the God who made promises to his ancestors but who appears to be silent; as Shiprah is forced to choose between obedience to Pharaoh, her earthly master, or El Shaddai, her God; and as Dalila encounters El Shaddai for the first time through one of his people. The purpose of this novel is to portray God’s faithfulness. The story of Exodus 1 and 2 shows very little of this faithfulness, yet there can be no doubt that God’s faithfulness continues even when humanity is unable to see it clearly. Thus, this story hopes to convey the continuous presence and sovereignty of God in the lives of the Israelites.

Mentor: Professor Daniel Lockhart

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Melody Hastings Major: Mass Communication/Public Relations Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI Blackened Ethical Decisions: The Downfall of Sea World The ethical decisions of a major international company were thrown into the forefront of the media when an issue was brought to light by Blackfish, a documentary shown at Sundance Film Festival. This documentary was the first form of media to investigate in-depth the ethical practices of Sea World and its affiliates. The once blemish-free corporation now faces a new world of legislative motions, protests, and lawsuits, as well as a social media firestorm. Blackfish calls for the public to discontinue patronage of all Sea World locations and push for the release of the Orcas into the wild, where no Orca has ever been documented of injuring a human. Sea World has retaliated with its own on-line surveys to prove that their patrons believe that Sea World supports good ethical practices. Their results, however, are false because the majority of the responses came from a computer registered to Sea World, making the company’s public relations and reputation even more tarnished. The Socratic Paradox states that people act immorally but do not do so deliberately; in the case of Sea World, in contrast, the corporation sought what was most serviceable to the bottom-line dollar: its own self-interest.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper Allyson Huey Major: Humanities Hometown: Pontiac, MI Upside Down Maps Upside Down Maps is a collection of creative nonfiction essays that argues for the deep importance and meaning of travel. This work considers three major features of travel that make it not only a powerful but also a necessary part of growth: encounter, relationship, and redemption. This work has been influenced by a variety of writings, both similar works of nonfiction as well as fiction that explores the interactions and tensions of cultures. However, personal travel experiences have had the most direct impact on this work. Through stories that range from tales of skydiving and language barriers to the ruins of Pergamum and gypsies, these essays are an attempt to give the reader a taste of the exceptional, beautiful, and broken but redeemed world that is waiting to be discovered.

Mentor: Professor Daniel Lockhart Miriah Jones Major: Secondary English Education Hometown: Auburn Hills, MI “Crippled Faithe,” The Beginning of a Budding Novel The capstone for Miriah’s English degree is the reading and discussion of her novel in progress. The novel focuses on the main character, Noelle Faithe, who is the “perfect” small town girl with a dark secret. It is a work of a fiction with themes focusing on trust, betrayal, and the brutality of fighting for one’s life. The intended audience is young adults to adults, but due to some of the themes, the novel, despite its Christian worldview, might not be suitable for preteens.

Mentor: Professor Pam Light

Keala Kaaikala Major: Pre-Medicine/Biology Hometown: Stanton, MI Nutrition for Optimizing Athletic Performance Nutrition is an essential aspect of an athlete’s life. Obtaining the correct recommended amounts can have amplifying effects on performance during athletic competitions. In general, carbohydrates, the body’s primary fuel source, should be the most consumed nutrient for energy. Fats and proteins, the body’s alternate sources of energy, are only necessary in moderation. Fluids should be consumed before, during, and after a training session for adequate hydration. For prolonged sessions, a sports drink with electrolytes is necessary to replace the sodium that is lost. Athletes who are searching for other ways to enhance performance may look to ergogonic aids for help. These supplements can be effective if used correctly. However, there are dangerous and harmful supplements that should simply be avoided. Every athlete is different, so their nutritional needs vary based on the demands of their sport and on their body type. Age plays a factor in determining nutritional needs as well, especially during critical stages of development. Athletes on restricted diets must pay particular attention to obtaining the nutrients they are at risk for missing.

Mentor: Dr. Michael Muhitch Darryl Lambert Major: Biblical Studies Hometown: Leonard, MI One in Christ, United with God “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). Each Christian is one part of a larger whole, bigger than we could ever imagine. This larger whole is the one Body of Christ, the one visible, invisible, and wholly indivisible Church. From the fall of humankind to the Tower of Babel, from Exodus to Pentecost, the body of God’s faithful has always been here in one form or another. The church, pre-Christian and Christian, has never been, nor will it ever be a human institution; as kingdoms and governments have risen and fallen throughout world history, the Church has endured humanity’s attempts and failures to manipulate and desecrate the Body of Christ. Even in our best intentions and full dedication to the Church, human limitations and the love of legalism and regulation cannot dictate who is in or out, member, nonmember, in communion with, or excommunicated from the Body of Christ. We must never forget that it was humankind’s failure that separated us from God, and it was through Christ that we were once again united with God. Mentor: Dr. Craig Bowman Daniel Lujan Major: Mass Communication Hometown: Troy, MI Social Media and Government Surveillance This presentation examines the privacy of social media users in the United States in regards to government surveillance. As the result of secret court orders, every six months tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, and Facebook are required to turn over user data to the United States Justice Department as part of a transparency deal. Tens of thousands of accounts associated with these companies are being surrendered to the National Security Agency’s Prism effort. This presentation tackles the question of our individual right to privacy in the 21st century and proposes more government transparency about the ways information is collected and suggests limits on social media data gathering.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Katie Martelle Major: English Hometown: Sterling Heights, MI Unforeseen Conditions Unforeseen Conditions is a collection of short stories that conveys the emotions and coping techniques that occur when dealing with chronic illnesses or unexpected diagnoses. Although the characters in the stories all intersect with one another at certain points and times, they are unaware of the others’ situations and only know they are looking for comfort and unity in the midst of their suffering. This was an intentional narrative choice to show that it is necessary to step back and think of the bigger picture instead of merely focusing on the pain of the present. The pieces all end with little to no resolution or hope, but the epilogue reveals that even though difficult circumstances arise in life (frequently without any warning), there is still the potential for hope and happiness.

Mentor: Professor Daniel Lockhart Rachel Mitton Major: Psychology Hometown: Oak Park, MI The Truth about Relationships: Is College Success Gender Dependent?

A basic assumption of attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969/1982,1988) is that the quality of one’s early emotional bonds with primary caregivers serves as a template for guiding one’s attachment orientation to later (adult) intimate relationships (Lopez, Melendez,& Rice,2000). Persons with secure adult attachment orientations typically describe their early relationships with parents as warm, positive, and supportive whereas persons with insecure adult attachment orientations recall these early emotional bonds to be less warm and more conflicted, controlling, and invasive (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991; Carnelley, Pietromonaco, & Taffe, 1994; Collins & Shaver, 1987; Kobak & Sceery, 1988; Levy, Blatt, & Shaver, 1998). The relationship between secure parental attachment and academic performance was examined using a sample of 60 undergraduate students. These students completed the Inventory for Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). It was hypothesized that African American females who report a secure parental attachment will demonstrate higher academic performance than their collegiate peers who report an insecure attachment. It was also hypothesized that GPA will be positively correlated with parents’ educational level and marital status. A bivariate correlation and independent samples T-test was run to determine if parental attachment leads to a significant difference in overall performance.

The results of this study will contribute to a new body of knowledge concerning minority groups and academic performance.

Mentor: Dr. Robyn Siegel-Hinson Philip Powell Major: Mass Communication/Journalism Hometown: Flint, MI War Reporting and the Ethics of Truth and Accountability For journalists, reporting on war involves issues of accountability since they are often reliant on sources cultivated carefully inside a government. Also, while journalists are often in protected towns or villages, such locations do not completely negate the danger posed by threats. How do these issues influence what is told to the public? This presentation explores the impact that reporting on war has on journalistic ideals of truth and accuracy as detailed by the code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The SPJ code of ethics states that journalists should seek truth, report it, and minimize harm. To whom are journalists ultimately loyal and why? This ethical examination will be informed by academic studies and personal memoirs from journalists with experience in reporting on wars. The presentation will also include a specific spotlight on the issues involved with embedded journalism and how it influences the accuracy of news reporting.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper

Linda Reed Major: Secondary Education/Mathematics Hometown: Utica, MI Integrating Technology into the Secondary Mathematics Classroom Technology in a mathematics classroom can increase student engagement and performance. Effective technology creates a positive classroom environment that promotes learning and engages students.

Learning becomes fun. With the current technological age, incorporating technology into the classroom will better prepare students for future careers in the real world. It is important to use this technology effectively and in a way that is appropriate for a particular grade level. There are different ways to incorporate technology, such as the use of laptops or iPads or various computer software programs.

Even though some educators may be reluctant to incorporate technology in their classrooms, doing so is imperative for student achievement.

Mentor: Dr. David Brackney Sarah Roper Major: English Hometown: Warren, MI “Hoofbeats Will Lead Them Home” Set in the fantasy kingdom of Ieldor, “Hoofbeats Will Lead Them Home” traces the story of a family that is struggling with the abandonment of a father and the failing magic that protects their land. The prince is coming to their province, Omber, and he needs a horse. Farily Jennairth and her siblings make a desperate bid to win the honor of providing a horse for the prince and earn the money to pay their debts. Their only hope is an untamed horse fine enough for a prince, but taming that horse will not be easy. As they fight with each other and the horse, the Jennairths search for a way to restore the border magic and save their home. Healing for the Jennairths comes through the small moments as Farily tames the horse, and in the end everything depends on the siblings’ love for and trust in each other.

The story weaves themes of family, loyalty, and the incredible relationship between a horse and a person into a rich fantasy narrative.

Mentor: Professor Daniel Lockhart Emily Simonetti Major: Youth and Family Ministry Hometown: Washington, MI The Righteous Prostitute Contemporary cultural perceptions of biblical characters, both male and female, who are traditionally presented, described, or considered to be prostitutes (or simply sexually promiscuous) are often further stigmatized by our misunderstandings and premature moral judgments of these texts. Additional misconceptions, then, creep into Christian condemnation of many in our own era who have been subjected to sexual slavery against their will, while we may remain oblivious to predominant causes, such as poverty and childhood abandonment. Seldom are these biblical persons, particularly women, seen inside the ancient patriarchal system that trapped them within a male-controlled economy and culture that frequently disrespected the dignity and self-worth of women. This presentation focuses on three disadvantaged women of the Old Testament—Tamar, Naomi, and Ruth—and their remarkable ingenuity and resiliency within the broader theme of sexual politics of the Hebrew Bible. After clarifying the predicaments and roles of these women, I concentrate on implications for Christian ministry to those embroiled in human trafficking and the plight of sex workers in Thailand and the United States, a marginalized population usually denounced and denigrated before their outcry is sounded and heard.

Mentor: Dr. Craig Bowman

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Grant Stawarz Major: Interdisciplinary Studies/History and Psychology Hometown: Warren, MI American Failure or British Achievement?: The American Invasion of Canada in the War of 1812 Why did the planned American invasion of Canada at the beginning of the War of 1812 fail?

Contemporaries and historians have offered a variety of explanations for this question. By incorporating differing views from key American and British/Canadian sources, this presentation approaches the question by examining American strategy, preparation, and execution, as well as British defense strategies and actions. Within this examination, special attention is given to the role of General Isaac Brock to determine the degree to which his title as “Savior of Canada” is merited. Does the thwarted invasion represent more of an American failure or a British achievement?

Mentor: Dr. David Greer Lauren Sugden Major: Mass Communication/Broadcasting Hometown: Oxford, MI The Case of the Duck Dynasty Interview This presentation examines the interview between Phil Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander, and interviewer Drew Magary of GQ magazine, focusing on the content of the article, the kinds of questions Magary asked, and Robertson’s responses. The resulting media interest will be examined, and questions will be raised about the validity of GQ’s decision to fire Magary after the interview was published as well as the actions A&E took against Phil Robertson. This research will highlight the subsequent results for the Robertson family and for A&E, which has continued broadcasting Duck Dynasty, and the ethics of this whole situation will be discussed.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper Daniel Thomas Major: Mass Communication/Public Relations Hometown: Detroit, MI Journalism: Conflict of Duty and Ethics This presentation investigates the problem between the basic morals and ethics of photojournalism and the duties that photojournalists are required to perform by capturing the news truthfully through photos. The purpose of this research is to highlight the unethical situations and problems that can occur and how the media can exploit these situations. This presentation also examines whether the media fuels the views of the public or whether the public fuels the media to report tragic events. Two photo examples from case studies are used to illustrate the ethical dilemmas between the media and the public. In the final portion of this research, it is proven that there is an underlying problem in the world of photojournalism, and recommendations for photojournalists are given on how to prepare for these situations.

Mentor: Professor Carol Cooper Rebecca Touchstone-Honeycutt Major: Interdisciplinary Studies Hometown: Allen Park, MI Frederick Douglass: His Struggle to Freedom This one-person play is an adaptation of Fredrick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. The play honors Fredrick Douglass, courageous slave and self- made abolitionist, orator, and writer, who overcame his life challenges with a fierce determination so that others can learn from his journey. The format of the script is a personal narrative told by Douglas himself, using dramatic impersonations of the various people with whom he comes into contact during his struggle for freedom.

The play follows Fredrick’s experiences from a young slave boy to a field hand and ultimately to his fight for independence and escape to freedom. Through narration, song, and poetic imagery, the script’s flexibility enables performance in any setting. The script follows the autobiography as closely as possible to keep the integrity of Douglass’s own words. Caleb Touchstone will be performing an excerpt of the play during the presentation.

Mentor: Dr. Catherine Parker

Brianna Wilkinson Majors: Music and Theatre Hometown: Washington Township, MI The Creative Process: Musical Composition Using the Personal Computer Taking you behind the scenes of modern music recording, Brianna Wilkinson presents what is required to write, arrange, and record music through the use of current computer music software. Specifically, Wilkinson explores the Apple program, GarageBand, and its uses for music production, creating original lyrics and melodies, song layout, and recording. This musical journey includes the context of modern audio recording and showcases original songs that she has recently written and recorded.

Mentor: Dr. Joe Bentley Christ in the Concrete City: An Exploration of Modern Society’s Relationship with Christ through a Theatrical Production Rochester College’s production of Christ in the Concrete City explored how people in present society crucify Christ everyday through their fast-paced lifestyles. Using Bertolt Brecht’s “Theatre of Alienation,” the performance contained detachment between the actors, which was designed to represent how society disconnects from Christ by alienating ourselves from his suffering. In order to signify this, the idea of detachment was conveyed through the style of Brechtian acting, paint design, and costume design.

These artistic aspects of the performance created a representation of our present society reconnecting to the suffering of Christ.

Mentor: Professor Robert Arbaugh Carlos Zabaleta Major: Interdisciplinary Studies: Psychology and Professional Writing Hometown: Hoboken, NJ Just Play Your Game This presentation is a work of creative nonfiction focusing on the main character Junior, who grew up loving his parents and knowing the meaning of family values. Learning what family values are at a young age, however, has it pros and cons because losing someone can never be fixed. His dad, Juan, had a passion for the game of baseball and had a chance to play in the Major Leagues, but he didn’t go because he wanted to take care of Junior. So Juan taught Junior everything he knew about the game. As Junior got older, he found out why his father wasn’t able to play professional baseball, which made him feel pressured to make it pro. Being the good father that Juan is, he lets Junior know that he just wants his son to be a responsible young man and a good husband (when the time comes) and that baseball will just be a bonus. Eventually, Junior has his chance to make his father proud and becomes a pro, but his father isn’t there for Junior to see his son play professionally. Junior feels that he shouldn’t play anymore because of his loss, but he gets signs from his father up in heaven of what he should really do.

Mentor: Professor Daniel Lockhart

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Nursing Major Presentations Caring Across Cultures Angie Brownlee, Whitney Newsom, John Paige, Asia Smith The purpose of this research study was to evaluate if William Beaumont Hospital nurses would increase their knowledge regarding how to properly care for Middle Eastern clients in a manner that shows respect and an understanding of their cultural beliefs and practices after an education pamphlet was distributed. We administered a ten-question pre-survey to 15 nurses on medical/surgical, emergency department, and intensive care unit floors at William Beaumont HospitalRoyal Oak and Troy in order to determine whether the nurses have received proper education with regard to cultural beliefs and practices of the Middle Eastern population. A transcultural educational pamphlet was then provided to the nurses. Two weeks following the initial survey and distribution of the educational pamphlet, a post-test was administered to evaluate the success of the teaching material. The N=11 surveys and the average score from the pre-test was 64% with no significant difference in test results based on the unit. The post-survey results still require calculation; however, the goal after interpreting the results is to develop an effective plan for effective transcultural education. The results and conclusion will be presented in the symposium.

Mentor: Dr. Remy Bruder

Caring Across Cultures Angie Brownlee Hometown: Chicago, IL Whitney Newsom Hometown: Roscommon, MI Asia Smith Hometown: College Station, TX John Paige Hometown: Sterling Heights, MI

Leading by Example Barbara Mokrzycka, Alexa Newsom, Darylann Trout Nurses are viewed as healthy role models and as educators within society. Research shows that many practicing nurses do not understand the patient health implications of being unhealthy role models. This study was conducted to assess how the patient’s perception of the nurse affects the patient’s willingness to learn. A 15-question, Likert style survey was distributed to N=100 participants. The findings indicate that 54% of the participants believe a nurse should physically appear as a role model and would be more likely to adhere to advice from a physically healthy nurse. Nevertheless, 37% of the participants would still take nutritional advice from a nurse that appears overweight and unhealthy. Our study also determined that 63% of the participants believe that nurses should follow their own teachings, but will still value the information as long as the nurse is educated on the topic. The results could motivate nurses to engage in healthy behaviors and gain confidence to teach about a healthy lifestyle, which, in turn, could have a positive impact on patient health and outcomes.

Mentor: Dr. Marisa Ferrari

Leading by Example Alexa Newsom Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI Barbara Mokrzycka Hometown: Warren, MI Darylann Trout Hometown: Clarkson, MI

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Public Health Nursing: Suicide Prevention and Awareness in Adolescents Stephanie Rumao, Morgan Stefanski, Traci Taylor, Abimael Veras-Jimenez, Jessica Williams Suicide awareness and prevention are topics which need to be addressed among adolescents today. As public health nurses, this research group assimilated this topic to the nursing theorist Imogene King and the mid-range theory of community empowerment. The mid-range theory stresses the importance of improving community health and development, which can be facilitated by lay workers in the school setting. King’s theory emphasizes promoting interconnectedness among social, interpersonal, and community relationships. By utilizing evidence-based research, the research group discovered widely used suicide awareness and prevention programs. The goal of this study is to explore the phenomena of present knowledge in suicide and to identify whether Rochester Community Schools have interventions in place. After data collection, educational pamphlets were given to school principals as a means of primary prevention; the pamphlets included suicide statistics, information about awareness and prevention programs, and community outreach contacts. Hypothesis: Middle schools and high schools do not identify students at-risk for suicide, nor do they implement suicide awareness and prevention interventions. Method: Phenomenological qualitative study using a case study methodology collecting data with a survey sent via email, after consents were received. The survey was 14 questions (7 open-ended, 3 descriptive, and 4 dichotomous).

The participants were the school nurse and 8 principals of the Rochester Community Schools. Mixed method results of this study will be expressed during the symposium, but themes are expected to support the hypothesis. Further education among staff, in the form of pamphlets, will reinforce knowledge of interventions and signs of at-risk students, based on the evidenced-based research.

Mentor: Professor Jaime Sinutko

Public Health Nursing: Suicide Prevention and Awareness in Adolescents Abi Veras-Jimenez Hometown: Moca, Dominican Republic Stephanie Rumao Hometown: Farmington Hills, MI Traci Taylor Hometown: Sterling Heights, MI Morgan Stefanski Hometown: Oxford, MI Jessica Williams Hometown: Oak Park, MI

Physical Environment and its Effect on Patient Outcomes Audrie Bedenis, Michelle Capriola, Amanda Horn Fuller, Lynnsey Norat, Tiffany Shelton The purpose of the project was to examine how the physical environment of a hospital room can affect patient outcomes.

Review of the current literature on this topic suggests that different aspects of a patient’s physical environment can have a positive effect on patient’s outcomes. Surveys measuring the nurse’s perspectives on the patient’s length of stay, average heart rates, frequency of requests for pain medication, his/her affect, and any presence of nosocomial infections were administered to nurses working on Medical-Surgical units in a standard sterile environment and to nurses working in a newer homeopathic environment. Results from our surveys showed little to no connection between the two settings.

However, our research did provide us with valuable information and feedback on how to adjust our research methods and settings to repeat this research with more valid data.

Mentor: Professor Nadine Wodwaski

Physical Environment and its Effect on Patient Outcomes Lynnsey Norat Hometown: Macomb, MI Audrie Bedenis Hometown: Davisburg, MI Michelle Capriola Hometown: Washington Township, MI Amanda Horn Fuller Hometown: Indianapolis, IN Tiffany Shelton Hometown: Warren, MI

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Business Strategy and Policy The student groups will be presenting their strategic analyses of real corporations: Apple, Carnival Cruise Lines, Coca-Cola, and Verizon. Each group assumes the role of consultants hired by the Board of Directors of the corporations to present a strategic plan to them. The groups use information learned from business courses taken while at Rochester College, and each student in the group presents a portion of the analysis. Following each presentation, group members will answer questions from a panel of business professionals.

Mentor: Dr. Joseph Reddick

Apple Anthony Burton Major: Sports Management Hometown: Brown City, MI Sydney Hargrave Major: Business Management Hometown: Waterford, MI Olivia Delgado-Price Major: Sports Management Hometown: Clawson, MI Nikki Heim Major: Accounting Hometown: Almont, MI Zef Deda Major: Management Hometown: Macomb, MI

Carnival Cruise Lines Brandon Horvath Major: Business Management Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, MI Brad Norman Major: Business Management Hometown: Bay City, MI Breanna Peloni Major: Accounting Hometown: Battle Creek, MI Bobbi Bercel Major: Management Hometown: Lenox, MI Sergio Lopez-Rios Major: Sports Management Hometown: Bogota, Colombia

Coca-Cola Ron Carter Major: Accounting Hometown: Royal Oak, MI Adam Yarber Major: Sports Management Hometown: Livonia, MI Johnny Barreto Major: Sports Management Hometown: Colonia, NJ Anthony Incarnati Major: Sports Management Hometown: Clinton Township, MI Fernando Delacruz Major: Sports Management Hometown: Sarasota, FL

Verizon Ron Centers Major: Sports Management Hometown: White Lake, MI Jazzmone Russell Major: Sports Management Hometown: Hurricane, WV Kourea Hayes Major: Sports Management Hometown: Ypsilanti, MI Josh Simonis Major: Sports Management Hometown: Rochester, MI Brenden Rizzo Major: Accounting Hometown: Fraser, MI

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Mass Commu nication Internsh ips To be prepared for the media industry, students must obtain hands-on, practical experience. All Mass Communication majors earn experience while in college through internships, in workshop-style classes, and by working for The Shield, RC’s student media. Mass Communication majors are also required to complete a 150-hour internship with a professional organization before graduation. RC Mass Communication majors have interned in a variety of local media outlets, including Channel 4 WDIV-TV; The Oakland Press; Fresh 100.3; FM98 WJLB; 97.l The Ticket; Troy Cablevision; Habitat for Humanity; Campus Crusade for Christ; and many more. With the coursework, internship, and Shield work, students graduate with a personal portfolio that showcases their skills and experience.

Supervised by Professor Lora Hutson

Melissa Clayton Major: Mass Communication/Broadcast Media Hometown: Shelby Township, MI 93.9 The River Promotions Intern, Spring 2014 Description: As a promotions intern, Melissa assisted with set-up and teardown of displays at events, interacted with listeners, and helped with giveaways.

Melody Hastings Major: Mass Communication/Public Relations Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI Genisys Credit Union Public Relations & Community Involvement Intern, Spring 2014 Description: During her internship, Melody learned a great deal about public relations as a whole, including the art of running sponsored events, deciding which charitable donation requests to accept, and learning how Genisys can partner with other businesses to achieve common goals.

Kaimana Kaaikala Major: Mass Communication/Broadcast Media Hometown: Stanton, MI WJBK Fox 2 News Department Intern, Fall 2013 Description: As an intern at Fox 2, Kaimana experienced in-house and field tasks, including assignment desk assistance, shadowing reporters, and writing stories for on-air broadcast. During her internship she was selected to work with the reporter in the Health Division of the News Department.

Christina Martoni Major: Mass Communication/Graphic Design Hometown: Warren, MI Bethel Christian Church Graphic Design Intern, Fall 2013 Description: Christina designed fliers, newsletters, and other material for the church’s youth program.

Chase Numbers Major: Mass Communication Hometown: Pontiac, MI Palace Sports and Entertainment Video Intern, Fall 2013 Description: Chase edited segments, such as “Dunk of the Week” and “Block of the Week,” for detroitpistons.com. He also helped produce the Pistons highlight show and log clips and video for season ticket holders and for local television stations.

Matthew Spies Major: Mass Communication/Graphic Design Hometown: Algonac, MI Place: Pepsico and Chesterfeild Woods Church of the Nazarene Design Intern, Summer 2013 Description: Matthew split his internship between two organizations so that he could better understand working for a nonprofit as well as a corporation. For Pepsico, he communicated with clients, management, sales representatives, and merchandisers. For Chesterfield Woods, he produced both print and digital design work.

Daniel Thomas Mass Communication/Public Relations Hometown: Detroit, MI Rochester College Hockey Video Coordinator and Media Assistant, Fall 2013 Description: During his internship with Rochester College Hockey, Daniel assisted with streaming the hockey games through FastHockey. He also worked in ticket sales and merchandise.

Porschia Williams Major: Mass Communication/Broadcast Media Hometown: Clinton Township, MI Rochester College Communication Services Media Intern for Rochester College, Spring 2014 Description: As the Communication Services Intern, Porschia updated the RC website daily and produced “Direction� devotionals. Porschia was also responsible for the social networks (Pinterest) of Rochester College and created multiple web pages for upcoming events and acted as photographer for on-campus events.

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Student Teach ing Student teaching is often considered the most exciting and demanding aspect of the teacher education program. It is the final field experience; therefore, it is the doorway into the teaching profession. Under the supervision of Caye Randolph (M.A.T., Coordinator of Student Teaching) and Mel Blohm (Ed.D., Dean of the School of Education) teacher candidates complete a fifteen-week teaching experience during their last semester at Rochester College.

Fall 2013 Student Teachers Supervised by Caye Randolph, M.A.T., Coordinator of Student Teaching Elizabeth Alfoldy Major: Elementary Education/Language Arts Hometown: Clinton Township, MI Elizabeth student taught kindergarten at Erie Elementary School in the Chippewa Valley School District.

Elliot Kern Major: Elementary Education/Language Arts Hometown: Auburn Hills, MI Elliot student taught 5th grade at Long Meadow Elementary, Rochester Community Schools.

Abby Schlaegel Major: Elementary Education/Social Studies Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI Abby student taught kindergarten at Hampton Elementary, Rochester Community Schools.

Claire Poppleton Major: Elementary Education/Mathematics Hometown: Shelby Township, MI Claire student taught 5th grade at Hugger Elementary, Rochester Community Schools.

Spring 2014 Student Teachers Supervised by Dr. Mel Blohm, Dean of the School of Education Miriah Jones Major: Secondary Education/English and Biology Hometown: Auburn Hills, MI Miriah student taught English at Oxford High School, specifically 9th grade Language Arts and 11th grade British literature.

Nancy Lusczakoski Major: Elementary Education/Language Arts Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI Nancy student taught 2nd grade at Brooklands Elementary, Rochester Community Schools.

Linda Reed Major: Secondary Education/Mathematics and Biology Hometown: Shelby Township, MI Linda student taught Algebra and Geometry at Utica High School.

Christina Sornig Major: Elementary Education/Language Arts Hometown: Clarkston, MI Christina student taught 5th grade at Hampton Elementary, Rochester Community Schools.

Business Internsh ips Business Internship (BUS 4813) applies theory to “real world” experiences related to the student’s major through a minimum of 150 hours of work experience with an approved employer. Course requirements include completing a work journal, writing internship reports, and reading professional journals.

Supervised by Professor Danny Cagnet, M.B.A., Interim Director of the School of Business and Professional Studies Johnny Barreto Major: Sports Management Hometown: Colonia, NJ Internship: Warren Woods Tower High School / Spring 2014 Interning as the Assistant Athletic Director, Johnny Barreto assisted with overseeing all athletic events for Warren Woods High School and Middle School. Johnny helped manage upcoming events at the schools, developed a weekly sports report for game days, and assisted the Athletic Director with game day operations.

Anthony (AJ) Burton Major: Sports Management Hometown: Brown City, MI Internship: Wayne State Women’s Basketball / Spring 2014 AJ was responsible for working with the women’s basketball coaching staff at Wayne State University during the spring semester, which allowed him to participate during the actual season as well as the off-season. He helped at practices and with individual workouts, and he also worked with the student assistants on game days.

Olivia Delgado-Price Major: Sports Management Hometown: Clawson, MI Internships: YMCA and Rochester College SID / Spring 2014 As an intern, Olivia helped coordinate youth basketball games, and she led clinics for children to learn skills in basketball. She also assisted the sports coordinator at the Y in other projects. At Rochester College, Olivia helped the Sports Information Director coordinate events for baseball, as well as any other tasks that needed to be done.

Daniel Mullen Major: Business Administration/Sports Management Hometown: Romeo, MI Internship: Romeo/Washington/Bruce Parks and Recreation / Fall 2013 During his internship experience, Daniel was able to utilize many of the skills he acquired during his studies at Rochester College. He spent most of his time doing market analysis and research to help develop a new facility, going on tours to speak to and question directors of other recreational facilities in the Metro Detroit area. He was fortunate to have a major part in the decision-making process in developing the facility. Additionally, he worked with the budgets of the organization and had the freedom to creatively develop different marketing strategies to bring people into the new facility.

Joshua Simonis Major: Sports Management Hometown: Rochester, MI Internship: Strength and Conditioning Coach at Oakland University / Spring 2014 Joshua assisted the Head, Assistant, and Graduate Assistant Coaches in all facets of the Oakland University Strength and Conditioning program, including, but not limited to, warm-ups; strength, speed, and agility training; conditioning; athlete assessments; and facility and equipment upkeep.

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Ministry Internsh ips The classroom is a great place to learn insights for ministry; however, ministerial students also need “hands on” experiences, and our Ministry Internships are designed to provide that opportunity. Under the supervision of an on-site mentor, each student must work with a church or a para-church organization and must supplement that experience with written assignments and readings.

Supervised by Dr. Keith Huey, Chair of the Department of Religion and Bible Tom Bonino Major: Youth and Family Ministry Hometown: Oxford, MI Internship: End of the Road Ministries in Detroit, MI Tom spent the spring semester of 2014 living and serving at Hope House Detroit, just off of Jefferson Avenue. He assisted with all HHD operations and maintenance, which included reading with elementary-age children to improve their reading ability and hosting a group of local neighborhood boys aged 14-17 for breakfast on Saturdays. Tom focused on the High School-Middle School age groups in the neighborhood, but he also helped local Hope Community Church restart its Middle School youth group and put together the curriculum for the next year. He plans to continue living and serving in this area of Michigan while searching for his first position in Youth Ministry.

Crystal Thomas Major: Christian Ministry Home: Flint, MI Internship: Dimond United Methodist Church in Flint Township, MI Under the supervision of the district superintendent, Crystal has served as the pastor of this small congregation since November 2013. In addition to bringing the sermon every Sunday morning, her weekly responsibilities include worship planning, preparing the bulletin, and leading weekly prayer meetings. Her monthly responsibilities are visiting the sick and shut-in and providing communion for them. Crystal says that “the best thing about being a student and a pastor is that I am able to apply my classroom experience to many situations I face daily. It’s a wonderful way to see my education at work in my ministry to others.”

Jacob Vance Major: Youth and Family Ministry Hometown: Pinckney, MI Internship: Imlay City United Methodist Church The Imlay City United Methodist Church is a church in Imlay City, Michigan. During the Spring Semester of 2014, Jacob served there as the Youth Director; writing lessons for the Sunday night youth group (Middle School and High School), organizing and attending a winter retreat, and learning many things about general ministry from the senior pastor. Jacob is still living in Imlay City and serving as the youth director part-time and learning new things daily.

Social Work and Psych ology Practicums Social Work Field Practicum (SWK 4893) is the capstone course required for all students with a concentration in social work. The interns are placed in social service agencies and supervised for 300 hours by a professional with a master’s level degree in behavioral sciences. The capstone, a three-credit course, must be completed within one semester. Interns also complete a portfolio that includes a daily journal, reviews of 1,000 to 1,500 pages of articles and books, and a ten-page research paper.

Academic Supervisor: Sarah Reddick, MSW, ACSW, LMSW, Professor of Social Work and Sociology Rachel Campolong South Oakland Shelter (Spring 2014) Major: Behavioral Science/ Social Work Hometown: Clinton Township, MI Rachel completed her field practicum at South Oakland Shelter (SOS), an organization that works with homeless men, women, and children in Oakland County. SOS provides emergency shelter with 30-35 shelter beds and also provides housing assistance programs and case managers, who assist clients in finding permanent housing. South Oakland Shelter also provides follow-up care for any clients who have exited the shelter or housing program into permanent or semi-permanent housing. SOS also provides access to washers and dryers, a clothing closet, food pantry, on-site showers, and computers.

South Oakland Shelter’s aim is to assist people in breaking the cycle of homelessness. Rachel worked with the housing team to help clients enter into one of the housing programs and then find permanent housing.

Jordan Enciso CARE of Southeastern Michigan Major: Behavioral Science/Social Work Hometown: Tiverton, RI Jordan’s field practicum was done at CARE of Southeastern Michigan where she worked with high-risk youth and drug addicted persons in basic counseling and admittance to treatment and other programs.

Taylor Gizinski The Children’s Center (Summer 2013) Major: Behavioral Science/Social Work Hometown: Fraser, MI The goal of The Children’s Center is to help children in Wayne County because children are our future. Taylor shadowed home visits with clients, severely mentally disturbed children, doing therapy with the clients or their families twice a week. She also found needed resources for clients. For one client, she discovered a good online school, and for another she found affordable housing. Taylor also called clients to remind them of upcoming appointments, and she reviewed medical reviews and case files to ensure that everything was in order for The Children’s Center audit.

Diane Kelly Sanctuary at Bellbrook (Spring 2014) Major: Behavioral Science/Social Work Hometown: Warren, MI At Sanctuary at Bellbrook, Diane is interning under the Director of Social Services. She works on the skilled nursing/rehabilitation floor of the building, in particular with long-term residents in the facility, as well as those elders who need physical and occupational therapy to restore their physical health. Her responsibilities include filing papers, gathering information about new elders admitted to the facility, assisting with admissions and discharges, conducting interviews with various elders, assisting with activities, and shadowing her supervisor from day to day.

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Kirsten Marie Rudd The Children’s Center of Wayne County Major: Behavioral Science: Social Work/Psychology Hometown: Grosse Pointe, MI The Children’s Center of Wayne County’s goal is to develop strong minds and successful families.

Several services such as infant mental health, trauma care, behavioral and psychiatric services, foster care, and autism spectrum disorder services are available to achieve this. Kirsten spent her time working in the Autism Services Department providing counseling for children with autism. Kirsten also provided services for the families or caregivers of the children, either in counseling sessions with clinicians or in-home visits with support coordinators. Kirsten assisted the clinicians with sessions and at times client crisis interventions. Kirsten also assisted the support coordinators with researching services in the Wayne County area that would benefit the clients. The Children’s Center provides a safe and productive environment for families to get healthy in every area of their lives and to stay healthy once they are.

Josh Williams Sanctuary at Bellbrook Major: Behavioral Science/Social Work Hometown: Erie, MI Josh helped create a warm, friendly, and prosperous community that attended to the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs of the residents and staff of Sanctuary at Bellbrook. He participated in community events, sought to maintain a high quality of life for all residents, and offered his unique gifts to improve the lives of those he encountered, particularly doing his best to ensure that each resident felt loved and at home.

Th e Distinguish ed Faculty Award This award honors faculty who have consistently demonstrated outstanding achievements in the areas of scholarly research and/or creative endeavors, teaching and mentoring of students, service, and a variety of other activities which have brought distinction to themselves and to Rochester College. The faculty at the college submit nominations for colleagues who reflect excellence in these areas, and then the Academic Cabinet votes to select the recipient. The award is given annually and is accompanied by a professional development stipend.

2010 Dr. Robyn Siegel-Hinson The 2010 recipient, Dr. Robyn Siegel-Hinson of the Psychology Department, received the award for her outstanding work professionally and on our campus, particularly in regard to the mentoring she has done to prepare Rochester College psychology majors to make formal presentations at State and Regional Conferences in Psychology.

2011 Dr. Michael Muhitch Dr. Michael Muhitch, a member of the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and a professor of Chemistry, was honored for his tireless work to teach and train students, to develop and implement innovative lab experiments and techniques, to create opportunities for students to participate in authentic research initiatives, and for his ground-breaking research done in collaboration with the University of Missouri which uses a “systems biology” approach to explore the mysteries of seed development in soybeans.

2012 Professor James Dawson Professor Dawson, a member of the Department of Teacher Education, was honored in 2012 for his consistent excellence in and out of the classroom, for his leadership in developing and implementing a variety of intensive immersion experiences for RC students, for the recognition he has earned in his field through various professional awards, his work for organizations such as the Windsor Board of Education and the Ontario Ministry of Education, and his work as an author or editor of numerous educational materials including Science textbooks, Teacher’s manuals, and testing materials.

2013 Dr. Greg Stevenson Dr. Greg Stevenson, a member of the Department of Religion and Bible for fifteen years, is a professor of New Testament. He receives high accolades from his colleagues and consistently excellent evaluations from his students, both undergraduate and graduate. Active in research, Dr. Stevenson has recently presented works to the Society of Biblical Literature on Altar Asylum in the Greco-Roman world. Recent publications include articles entitled “Of Beasts and Men: The Book of Revelation and the Apocalyptic Superhero” and “Apocalyptic War in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Supernatural, and Battlestar Galactica.” His most recent book is A Slaughtered Lamb: Revelation and the Apocalyptic Response to Evil and Suffering (ACU Press, 2013). Dr. Stevenson also regularly preaches and teaches Bible classes in area churches and speaks at lectureships and conferences around the country.

rochester college

|

academic symposium 2014

Past Symposium Speakers 2013 Dr. Andy Root Author and Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN

2012 Dr. Virinder Moudgil Provost, Oakland University

2011 Dr. Thomas Maridada Superintendent of Pontiac School District

2010 Dr. Josephine Johnson Michigan Psychological Association’s 2009 Distinguished Psychologist of the Year

2009 Dr. Anthony Leggett Winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physics

2008 Emory King National news correspondent and former WDIV-TV news anchor

2007 Dr. Rubel Shelly Professor, minister and author

2006 Dr. Ted McAllister Associate professor of public policy, Pepperdine University

2005 Dr. Lora Schwab President and CEO of i3 Statprobe

2004 Dr. Joyce Todd Chief of the Appeals Division of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office

Ch allenging Acad em ics. Ch ristia n Commu nity.