Southern Life, July 2013

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SouthernLife

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 501 NEW HAVEN, CONN.

A NEWSPAPER FOR THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Southern Connecticut State University

JULY 2013 • Vol.16 No. 7

inside:

5 A Final Wish Comes True 5 Living The Dream

Book It! Buley Library Groundbreaking Set for July 17

Southern

is on course in less than two years

to be home to a state-of-the-art library

that will offer students the latest in media technology in a modern and attractive facility. The project to renovate the 98,000-square-foot older wing of Buley Library has begun, according to Robert Sheeley, associate vice president for capital budgeting and facilities operations. The $31 million project will enable the university to boast a library that is 245,000 square feet, which includes the original wing, as well as the 135,000-square-foot addition that was completed in 2008. It also will include a new 12,000-square-foot area encompassing an atrium and skywalk connecting the two sections of the building on the first and third floors. “I am confident that we will have a library that Southern will be truly proud to call its own,” Sheeley said. A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. July 17 at Buley Library. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is scheduled to speak at the event, as are campus, local and other state officials. Following the groundbreaking, a ribbon cutting for the new 1,257-space Wintergreen Parking Garage is scheduled to take place at about 11 a.m. “It is going to be a beautiful building that will be the academic hub of the campus,” said Christina Baum, director of library services at Buley. “I really think it will be a more inviting and approachable facility for our students.” The Buley renovation is the second major project to commence on campus this summer. A four-level, 98,332 Library

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Strengthening Minds and Bodies Nursing, Exercise Science Pair Earn Outstanding Teaching Award

Their

fields focus on the physical,

while their roles as educators help train students’ minds.

But Bernadette Madara, professor of nursing, and Brenda Harrison, a part-time faculty member in exercise science, have used that dual background to make a difference in the lives of their students. In so doing, they are helping to improve the lives of everyday people. Madara and Harrison were recently selected as this year’s recipients of the J. Philip Smith Award for Outstanding Teaching. They were recognized at Southern’s undergraduate commencement ceremony May 17 at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport. “Both faculty members exemplify the qualities of great teaching -- namely engaging and challenging their students in the learning process in a way that enables them to reach their full potential,” said President Mary A. Papazian. Madara, selected as the full-time faculty member recipient, began teaching at Southern in 2005. She is a licensed R.N. and A.P.R.N. who is board certified for medical-surgical nursing. She holds an Ed.D. in higher and adult education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Madara teaches gerontology, integrated pathophysiology/ pharmacology and adult health nursing. She is also a clinical supervisor for student nurses at Yale-New Haven Hospital – both at the main campus and at the St. Raphael campus. She has developed a reputation for challenging her students in some complex courses, but has earned their respect for her commitment to them. “’Bunny’ is a popular

advisor because she pushes her students to do their best work and simultaneously provides unwavering support,” said Sandra Bulmer, professor of public health, who wrote a letter of nomination for Madara. In fact, students who wrote (Left photo) Bernadette Madera, professor of nursfaculty recipient of the honor. (Right photo) President letters on her behalf for the ing, reflects upon being awarded the J. Philip Smith Mary A. Papazian pauses for a moment with Brenda Award for Outstanding Teaching during the underHarrison, this year’s part-time faculty winner of the award often referred to her as graduate commencement. She is this year’s full-time award. Harrison teaches exercise science. “the best professor ever,” and typically referred to a course they have had with her as “the best class ever.” eration of nurses. Their intellectual curiosity journey was so appreciated by them that they Madara said words cannot fully express and enthusiasm for nursing makes teaching a took the time to nominate me.” what the award has meant to her. “It was the pleasure. I view our teacher/student relationOutside the classroom, Madera serves as pinnacle of my teaching career,” she said. “I ship as a team effort and am thankful that my thesis adviser for several nursing students in Outstanding continued on page 6. consider it a privilege to teach the next genteaching style and interest in their educational

A Resource for Educators Statewide Tools for Teaching English Language Learners Going Online

Even the most experienced teachers can find it challenging to communicate effectively with students whose native language is not English. As part of an effort to help teachers, as well as their students who are learning English, Southern’s Training for All Teachers (TAT) program has been stockpiling instructional units (grades K-12) created by graduate students pursuing their master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and bilingual education. Those units provide teachers with lesson plans, and various handouts for the students, such as easier-to-read summaries of the lessons and listening guides. They also give teachers an outline of teaching strategies and objectives, and other information that can be valuable in the learning process. And now TAT is taking that library and increasing its accessibility to Connecticut’s teachers by placing those instructional units online, according to Lorrie Verplaetse, TAT program creator/project director. Educators

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