The chance of a lifetime
Students spend two weeks in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Fifty years on, the Medical Records Administration Class of 1974 continues to make an impact
Eyzel Torres-Vicencio on building a career in biomedical visualization
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
— Mother Teresa
Two years ago, I was honored to become dean of the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences. Since then, I’ve seen how our efforts spread into the world, creating positive change that leads to more positive change.
It starts in the classroom with guidance from faculty members like Tomer Kanan, who was awarded the 2024 Silver Circle Award for Teaching Excellence by graduating AHS seniors.
Sometimes education occurs in faraway locations. One group of students spent two weeks in Paris at the Summer Olympics in an experiential learning program, observing firsthand how sports can bring the world together.
The AHS effect can extend through generations. The Class of ’74 in Medical Records Administration (now Health Information Management) established a $25,000 scholarship fund. Now their goal is even more ambitious — to double the fund — and they’re calling on other alumni to help.
You’ll find the AHS influence in all kinds of places. Research by professors Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar and Fabricio Balcazar, developed in collaboration with Latina mothers in Chicago, is being adapted to improve the lives of young people in the Roma community in Spain. The project is one of several arising from the professors’ 24-year collaboration with the University of Seville.
AHS disability policy expert Robin Jones was named accessibility adviser to the 2024 Democratic National Convention, where her goal was to make events and activities accessible to all participants.
New BVIS graduate Eyzel Torres-Vicencio will use her talents for art and science to create health education resources for people with all kinds of bodies and backgrounds.
The impact of our work — creating a world in which every person can live a healthy and self-determined life — transcends the barriers of time, location and language. We are planting seeds of hope and change that will thrive far into the future.
Carlos J. Crespo Dean and professor College of Applied Health Sciences
UIC Applied Health Sciences Magazine
Summer 2024
EDITOR
Erika Chávez
Director of marketing and communications
DESIGN
Heidi Schlehlein
Webmaster and graphic designer
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sonya Booth, Brian Flood, Laura Mabry, Rob Mitchum, Emily Parenti-Lopez, Carlos Sadovi, Kelsey Schagemann, Emily Stone and UIC News contributors
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
UIC Creative and Digital Services, UIC Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
©2024 University of Illinois Chicago. All rights reserved. Published by the Office of the Dean, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences, 808 S. Wood St., 169 CMET, Chicago, IL 60612-7305.
Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor, the college or university.
Telephone (312) 996-6695
Fax (312) 413-0086
E-mail eachavez@uic.edu
Website ahs.uic.edu
You might notice abbreviations throughout this issue. They correlate to academic units and programs in the College of Applied Health Sciences.
AT Athletic Training
BHI Biomedical and Health Informatics
BHIS Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences
BVIS Biomedical Visualization
DHD Department of Disability and Human Development
DIS EP Disability Studies
Exercise Physiology
HI Health Informatics
HIM Health Information Management
KINES Kinesiology
KN Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition
MLS Medical Laboratory Sciences
NUT Nutrition
OT Department of Occupational Therapy
PT Department of Physical Therapy
RS Rehabilitation Sciences
UIC Applied Health Sciences
MAGAZINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The chance of a lifetime
Students spend two weeks in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics
The power of collective generosity
Fifty years on, the Medical Records Administration Class of 1974 continues to make an impact 18
Humanitarian at heart
Eyzel Torres-Vicencio on building a career in biomedical visualization 21
Kinesiology alumna interns with USA Olympic Track and Field
AHS professors continue 20-year collaboration with University of Seville
11 Notebook
Robin Jones named accessibility adviser for the 2024 Democratic National Convention
Meet the newest members of the AHS alumni community who were honored during the 2024 spring commencement ceremony
On the cover: Students visit the Vendôme Column as part of the Sports and Society in Paris study abroad program.
NOTEBOOK AHS News and Notes
IDHD researcher spotlights stories of disability
T.J. Gordon Jr. ’19 MS, a researcher at the Institute on Disability and Human Development, has developed two projects that collect personal stories of the struggle and the pride of living with disability.
Disabled I AM, a multimedia movement about owning one’s disability identity, began when Gordon and his collaborators at Access Living considered the intersections of disability with race, gender, sexuality and socioeconomic status.
“We were wondering who gets to decide what a disability is?” Gordon said. “How do we create a space where people can talk freely about their disability identity without picking from any binary terms?”
Residents of Access Living and others were invited to pose for portraits in a frame labeled #DisabledIAM. The portraits were
posted on social media with short reflections on what their disability identity meant to them. When the COVID-19 pandemic required social distancing, the project went fully virtual. Participants could take selfies with a #DisabledIAM filter, expanding the movement beyond the physical space of Chicago.
The next phase of Disabled I AM refocused the work back in the city, collecting local portraits and reflections to create a story map. The map situates personal stories of disability within the real spaces of Chicago, not limiting representation to the North Side neighborhoods that tend to receive the most resources and attention. Gordon’s goal is not only to highlight diverse experiences but also to engage community stakeholders and alderpeople who are invited to use the map to find disabled collaborators.
Gordon’s second ongoing project, part of his Illinois Partners in Policymaking fellowship, focuses on former high school athletes with disabilities.
“Folks would love to hear about how high school associations can better include people with disabilities and make their programs adaptive,” Gordon said.
Gordon has concrete goals and suggestions to increase access and inclusion — in neighborhoods, in sports systems, in everyday life — but he knows the path to material improvement is not to stand alone lecturing at the powers that be.
“With both projects, the end goal is sharing different stories as far as we can on disability culture, showing that there’s more to disability than advocacy. It’s a whole set of human experiences with lots of layers.”
Free sport psychology consultations available to high school athletes, coaches
High school athletes and coaches can learn to reach their performance potential through free consulting in sport psychology now offered by KN.
Workshops and individual coaching are provided by faculty and graduate students in the Performance, Sport, and Exercise Psychology concentration who are certified mental performance consultants or consultants-in-training through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
The program offers both preseason and year-round sport psychology support.
Services include team workshops in leadership, focus and cohesion; individual skills coaching in confidence and managing performance anxiety; captain skills such as communication, leadership and coping with stress and education for coaches on enhancing athlete confidence and avoiding burnout.
The program is led by KN faculty members Meredith Wekesser and Aspen Ankney, with program director John CoumbeLilley ’03 MS KN.
Contact Meredith Wekesser at 312-413-5633 or wekesser@uic.edu for more information.
T.J. Gordon Jr.
Photo:
T.J. Gordon Jr.
Kinesiology alumna interns with USA Olympic Track and Field
A committed track and field athlete as a UIC undergrad, Lia Skoufos ’23 BS KINES knew she wanted a career closely related to her passion. After graduating from UIC and starting a new degree program at Marquette University, she landed an internship with the perfect organization: the Olympics-bound USA Track and Field team.
As an intern in sports science and data analytics, Skoufos worked with USATF coaches in the leadup to the summer 2024 games, analyzing data to improve the performance of top athletes with medal potential.
It’s the balancing act between computing “cold, hard numbers” and offering real-world improvements for high-level athletes that Skoufos finds exciting.
“I saw something recently that asked the question, ‘Does science guide coaching, or does coaching guide science?’” she said.
Skoufos worked on the science-driven side of that scale for her internship, but she recognizes that “innovations often start with the coaching staff,” who develop new and creative techniques. Her time with USATF offered a chance to see both sides of the debate in play.
"Kinesiology students should know there are other career options besides being a physical or occupational therapist," Skoufos said.
Applying her kinesiology expertise to her personal passions — and combining that expertise with computer science — sets her up for a unique, fulfilling career, she said.
“Once you start blending kinesiology with another discipline — that’s when you’re going to find something powerful.”
Photo: Lia Skoufos
Online bachelor’s degree program in health information management ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News
The AHS online bachelor’s degree program in health information management is ranked third in the nation for 2024 by U.S. News & World Report.
The ranking also includes two other UIC online bachelor’s programs, in business administration and nursing.
It’s the 12th year the programs have appeared among the top in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. UIC was ranked in second place for 2023.
The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management teaches students to manage and use information and information systems for health care planning, resource allocation and executive decision-making.
“Over the past decade of the online bachelor completion program, we have watched our students develop careers in this growing industry,” said Felecia Williams ’99 BS HIM, program director and HIM clinical assistant professor.
“We are proud that our graduates' knowledge of information governance, technology and patient privacy and security makes them key stakeholders at decision-making venues and on committees.”
For its 2024 rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 1,600 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs using metrics specific to online learning. Various factors, such as student engagement, faculty credentials, services and technologies, determined the rankings.
The complete rankings and methodology for the U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Online Programs rankings are available online.
To learn more about the online BS in HIM degree program, visit go.uic.edu/BSHIM.
AHS graduate programs earn top ranks in U.S. News
The AHS doctoral programs in occupational therapy and physical therapy are among the best in the country, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools.
The Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate shares the third-place rank — the highest among all UIC graduate programs. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program tied for 41st place.
“This recognition acknowledges our position as one of the elite occupational therapy programs in the country,” said OT department head Susan Magasi ’02 MS OT, ’06 PhD DS
The rankings are based on program quality and statistical measures of faculty merits, research quality and postgraduate outcomes for students. More than 200 accredited doctoral and master’s degree programs were surveyed.
OT tied for third place with Washington University in St. Louis. PT tied with the University of Central Florida and the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.
In 2023, students in the E-OTD program had a 100% pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam within 12 months of graduation. In the DPT program, 100% of 2023 graduates passed the national licensing exam within 12 months of graduation and all were employed within six months.
The new rankings “highlight our faculty’s reputation for innovative teaching, cutting-edge research and meaningful collaborations with community and clinical partners,” Magasi said.
To learn more about the E-OTD program, visit go.uic.edu/EOTD. To learn more about the DPT program, visit go.uic.edu/DPT.
Interdisciplinary pilot institute on health equity awarded university funding
The Institute for Equitable Health Data Science Research, co-directed by BHIS professor Andrew Boyd and computer science professor Elisabeta Marai, received funding from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research as part of a 2023 program to advance interdisciplinary discovery across UIC.
The pilot institute combines data science and artificial intelligence expertise with health science research to address urgent health inequities. It will analyze and eliminate potential biases in health data before they are embedded into artificial intelligence algorithms. The goal is to create biomedical science and technology solutions while prioritizing health equity for diverse populations.
“Data science is critical for the future of health care,” said Boyd. “However, if we do not add the appropriate health equity and disparity lenses, the biases of today’s health care system will be baked into those algorithms for decades.”
The pilot institute will launch a series of initiatives, including an annual bootcamp to encourage research collaborations, a yearly industry summit, seed funding for new projects and grant application support. The institute’s opportunities for funding and workshops will be open to all UIC researchers.
Boyd said university support will enable investigations into social determinants of health, analytical reviews of existing research methodologies and algorithms, and counseling for regulatory boards. The institute will create novel technology and new Chicagoland datasets to reduce health-related bias in the city and beyond.
“We’re committed to solving this problem across the university, with all of our colleges, all of our students and for all of our patients,” Boyd said. “This is who we are here at UIC.”
Image: Chicago Health Atlas
A map of life expectancy in Chicago shows health disparities across the city.
AHS labs celebrate National Biomechanics Day with Chicago eighth-graders
Eighth-graders from Altus Academy visited AHS kinesiology labs for National Biomechanics Day to learn about possible careers in this breakthrough science.
National Biomechanics Day events are held by universities around the country to introduce the field to young students and interest them in ongoing research and new discoveries.
At the April 17 event, KN faculty and graduate students, led by Kharma Foucher, taught lessons, demonstrated different lab systems — ultrasound, 3D motion capture, electromyography and more — and helped students interact with the equipment.
“The field of biomechanics has grown immensely since the last time the event was held at UIC in 2018,” said Doyin Ogundiran, MS student in KN. “We have a host of new graduate students and faculty who are very excited to share our field with the community.”
Altus Academy has partnered with AHS since 2018 through the Health and Wellness Academy, an initiative led by PT clinical instructor Lindsey Strieter. The program encourages healthy behaviors and introduces young people to different health science professions.
The National Biomechanics Day event gave visiting students “invaluable hands-on experience,” said Alfredo Villegas, principal of Altus Academy.
“Our students left motivated to learn more about the field of biomechanics,” Villegas said. “We’re so thankful for our partnership and look forward to making this an annual trip.”
Steven Garcia, KN postdoctoral research associate, leads an ultrasound activity.
Vered Arbel, KN instructor, directs students through a Biodex testing sequence.
Photo: Erika Chávez
Photo: Erika Chávez
Dean Crespo brings camaraderie and paella to AHS year-end celebration
AHS dean Carlos Crespo hosted nearly 100 students, faculty and staff in the AHSB yard to celebrate the end of the school year over a giant pan of paella, his signature dish.
Crespo’s year-end paella party is an event he held for the first time 15 years ago as professor and vice provost at Portland State University. His annual gathering of university colleagues and their family members became a tradition and grew in size each year.
On May 3, Crespo brought his onemeter-wide paella pan and his gift for community-building to UIC for the first installment of what he hopes will be a yearly celebration for AHS.
The cookout was planned to recognize the achievements of AHS, gathering students, faculty and staff for a moment of relaxation after a year of hard work. His goal was to deliver a delicious meal as a thank you to the AHS community.
“Most people interact with each other during working hours in a really sterile environment,” said Crespo, “but when you come together with friends and family in a nonjudgmental setting, you get to know people and have fun — and that’s important.”
Dean Crespo ran the paella station, assisted by Renea Lyles ’16 MS NUT, KN clinical instructor and manager of the award-winning UIC Nutrition Teaching Garden, which provided vegetables for the event.
“I was honored to serve as dean Crespo’s sous chef,” Lyles said. “His commitment to building a positive AHS community, which directly contributes to the success of both students and faculty, was truly uplifting.”
Dean Carlos Crespo adds the finishing touches to the paella.
Photo: Mario Diaz
Professor Tomer Kanan honored by AHS class of 2024
Tomer Kanan, KN clinical assistant professor and director of the anatomy and physiology undergraduate labs, often spends his office hours discussing big-picture questions about academic life. He listens to students’ stories and helps them determine a path at UIC and in life beyond it.
For his personal attention to students, Kanan was honored with the 2024 Silver Circle Award at commencement on May 4. This recognition, presented annually since 1996 to one faculty member from each of UIC’s colleges, is awarded not by fellow faculty or administrators, but by the graduating seniors.
Kanan teaches courses across the KN program — from a 600student anatomy and physiology class, one of the largest at UIC, to advanced cadaver labs and experiential learning courses for teaching assistants.
In 2022, he was named AHS Educator of the Year. He received a 2024 Excalibur Award for Teaching Excellence from the AHS Student Council.
Students across the department say they trust Kanan as a professor and a mentor, and he acknowledges that “these relationships go both ways.” Deciding whether he will offer additional review sessions or extended office hours requires two-way trust.
“You get excited when they get excited,” Kanan said. “And when you need them, they are there.”
This year, for example, Kanan said students were eager to work at campus open houses — not for payment, points or extra credit, but to share their positive experiences with prospective students.
Kanan hosted an Eid al-Fitr feast this spring for students from different cultural and religious backgrounds. The group celebrated near the end of the academic term, sharing traditions with their classmates.
Kanan said he is proud to witness students’ development, especially those taking advanced courses. He said students might begin the term worried about their grasp of challenging material, but eventually they develop enough confidence to share their knowledge as teaching assistants.
“Seeing that change — starting to see leadership in them and giving them an opportunity to help others — the transformation is amazing,” he said.
Minor in health information management begins fall 2024
A new minor in health information management will be offered starting in fall 2024. Open to undergraduate students majoring in any discipline, the online program will teach the fundamentals of acquiring, analyzing and protecting medical information.
The minor will broaden career options for students in computer science and business. For those already in health care fields, the program will encourage leadership and teach proficiency in health care information technology, systems, data analysis and medical records.
“The health information management minor allows students to explore health care without full commitment to the major,”
said Felecia Williams ’99 BS HIM, program director and HIM clinical assistant professor.
Students will complete the minor entirely online. After seven required credit hours, students will take nine hours in courses specific to their areas of interest.
“Students may pursue employment with hospitals, insurance companies or health care technology companies,” said Williams. “These students may be passionate about their current discipline, but now they have a path to explore health information management.”
AHS professors continue 20-year collaboration with University of Seville
Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar (sixth from left), Fabricio Balcazar (to her immediate right), and Manuel Garcia Ramirez (second from right), professor and director of Coalition for the Study of Health, Power and Diversity, with University of Seville graduate students.
In summer of 2000, AHS professors Yolanda SuarezBalcazar and Fabricio Balcazar were invited to the University of Seville to teach a course on community-based participatory research. In the 24 years since, the two have created a strong, reciprocal partnership with the university to empower diverse populations from different geographical and cultural contexts.
Suarez-Balcazar, OT and DHD professor, and Balcazar, DHD professor, returned from their latest two-month appointment as visiting scholars in Seville in March.
The couple collaborates with the university’s Coalition for the Study of Health, Power and Diversity in summer workshops, research projects, co-direction of doctoral theses and joint publications with Spanish scholars. Their latest shared publication, "Promoting Justice through Community-Based Research: International Case Studies," is a widely cited model for supporting different communities in creating change from the ground up.
During their latest visit, Suarez-Balcazar and Balcazar adapted methodologies they’ve developed throughout their careers to several new programs, especially those focused on the Roma community.
Suarez-Balcazar conducted a community-engaged asset mapping with Roma teen girls to identify community resources to
help them pursue their goals. She and her colleagues developed the asset mapping methodology in 2018 in Chicago, working with Latina mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“It’s an interesting challenge that we face as applied researchers,” said Suarez-Balcazar. “How do we modify or adapt a framework for a different cultural group?”
Balcazar presented the curriculum of his Entrepreneurship for Youth with Disabilities project, which will be translated into Spanish and adapted to the Roma community.
“Given our different disciplinary affiliations — occupational therapy, disability studies, community psychology — we’ve been able to optimize our research on social problems using an interdisciplinary lens,” said Suarez-Balcazar.
No matter the specific methodology or area of study, the core aims of the collaboration remain the same.
“The focus is always on promoting advocacy and empowerment among groups experiencing oppression,” she said.
Photo:
Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar
AHS professor wins Physician Innovator Award
Andrew Boyd, BHIS professor, received the 2024 American Informatics Association's Clinical Informatics Physician Innovator Award. The honor has been presented to outstanding physicians annually since 2021 at the association’s Clinical Informatics Conference.
Informatics is the science of using biomedical data to improve human health, aid in the delivery of health care services and increase knowledge for scientific inquiry.
AHS
“We live in an age where massive amounts of medical information is available,” said Kal Pasupathy, BHIS department head and professor. “Dr. Boyd is a well-recognized physician-scientist who has in-depth clinical knowledge, years of experience and know-how to simplify various forms of data into a computable form.”
Boyd’s recent work has focused on equity in health data and informatics. He co-directs UIC’s Institute for Equitable Health Data Science Research, created in February 2024 to analyze and eliminate potential biases in health data before they are embedded into artificial intelligence algorithms. This effort will create biomedical science and technology solutions while prioritizing health equity for diverse populations in Chicago and beyond.
research labs and centers share discoveries and build connections during
UIC Research Week
The inaugural AHS Research Labs and Centers Fair highlighted the work of more than 25 AHS research groups for colleagues, students and prospective research assistants.
The April 18 event in AHSB was meant to showcase ongoing research in a fun and relaxed setting with interactive demonstrations, posters, swag giveaways and friendly conversation.
The event’s primary organizer, Kharma Foucher, associate dean for research and associate professor of KN and PT, said the aim was to create a space for personal connection and collaboration. The gathering was open to the entire campus but particularly geared toward the AHS community.
“My goal was to bring us together as a college,” Foucher said. “We thought about how to engage everyone from faculty researchers all the way to undergraduate researchers.”
AHS Research Day, a more formal presentation of research, is held every fall.
“I felt a craving for something casual, not to replace Research Day as the big celebration of accomplishments, but to create a place for people to just bump into each other. I’d like to create more space throughout the year and make it more a part of our culture, to interact without it being a big event,” Foucher said.
The fair was held during UIC Research Week 2024, a new series of programs to celebrate UIC scholars, share their discoveries and explore the impact of their work. It was the first time AHS showcased its research labs and centers together in one place.
“We are naturally collaborative and interdisciplinary in our approaches, but we don’t always know what is happening down the hall or two floors down,” said Foucher. “Hosting an event associated with UIC Research Week was a fantastic opportunity to address this issue.”
View photos from the fair.
Andrew Boyd
A demonstration at the AHS Research Labs and Centers Fair.
Photo: Erika Chávez
Robin Jones named accessibility adviser for the 2024 Democratic National Convention
Robin Jones, director of the Great Lakes ADA Center, needed all of her 40-plus years of experience in disability policy as she worked to make the 2024 Democratic National Convention the most accessible political convention in history.
“I’m pleased to have Robin Jones joining the team for this year’s Democratic National Convention,” said Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth in a press release announcing the appointment in March. “We hope to set the gold standard of what accessibility can be for large-scale events as well — and, under Robin’s leadership, I’m confident we can achieve this goal.”
The August convention, scheduled for Aug. 19-24 at McCormick Place and the United Center, brought an estimated 50,000 people to Chicago: about 5,500 delegates and alternates, an estimated 20,000 members of the media, plus friends, donors, volunteers and visitors.
“It’s a growth opportunity for me to apply what I’ve been doing for many years to a different kind of experience,” Jones said before the convention. “I hope to set a standard for what a large-scale event like this can look like when it’s accessible for everyone.”
Jones worked closely with the convention teams assigned to logistics, production, communications and security, as well as the Mayor’s Office for Persons with Disabilities. Discussions also engaged outside contractors like Access Living and the Chicago Hearing Society about providing training and services.
Transportation was one of the biggest issues, Jones said. Unlike at previous conventions, all shuttle buses between the delegates’ hotels and convention sites were accessible.
Then there were arrangements for the physical environment in the convention center, including accessible seating and audio.
The convention floor is where the action is, and at the United Center the only way down is by a single elevator, Jones explained in discussing the plans last March. “So we are building a ramp to the floor, which was a huge issue, because space is at a premium.”
Jones hopes the convention’s emphasis on accessibility will benefit Chicago residents and visitors long after it is over.
“If we can put accessibility front and center to make infrastructure changes so that the 50,000-plus visitors coming for the convention have a positive experience, we will also have a legacy for the people with disabilities who live here.”
Practicing overdose crisis response in virtual reality
The Virtual Reality Embedded Naloxone Training program was created to help people rehearse lifesaving maneuvers for opioid overdose situations.
The program “pairs augmented and virtual reality with handson practice for administering naloxone,” said Scott Barrows ’76 BS BVIS, former director of the BVIS program and a member of the project team. Barrows is the director of OSF Innovation’s Jump Design Lab and a clinical faculty member in BVIS and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria.
“We’re creating training that mimics hectic moments so people can feel prepared.”
Users wear a headset that blends digital content with their actual environment. The training program begins with education
on the dangerous misuses of opioids, then launches life-like scenarios that require naloxone. Users are transported to a dim nightclub holding a Narcan dispenser, giving the drug through virtual nostrils amid the loud music and the crowd.
Barrows, who began his career in medical illustration, was director of BVIS from 1999 to 2011. He co-developed the first software for the projected aging of missing children, used by law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He also collaborated with Steve Jobs and worked on the science fiction movie “Solaris.”
The new virtual training program is funded by the Illinois Innovation Network as part of the Sustaining Illinois program, which encourages collaborative research among the state's public universities on the economic, health-related and social wellbeing of Illinois communities.
Barrows will bring the training into communities for feedback and field testing in partnership with Peoria-based startup hub Distillery Labs.
“We’re able to focus on vulnerable rural and urban communities to ensure our training tech makes the most impact possible,” he said.
Myths about intermittent fasting debunked
In a commentary published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, AHS researchers cite clinical studies to disprove common claims that intermittent fasting is dangerous.
“I’ve been studying intermittent fasting for 20 years, and I’m constantly asked if the diets are safe,” said lead author Krista Varady, KN professor. “There is a lot of misinformation out there.”
The researchers conclude that both types of intermittent fasting — alternate-day eating and time-restricted eating — are safe, making the following conclusions:
Intermittent fasting does not lead to a poor diet. Studies show the intake of sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber, sodium and caffeine do not change during fasting compared with before a fast. The percentage of energy consumed in carbohydrates, protein and fat doesn’t change, either.
Intermittent fasting does not cause eating disorders. None of the studies show that fasting caused participants to develop an eating disorder, although they screened out participants who had a history of eating disorders. Researchers recommend that those with a history of eating disorders should avoid intermit-
tent fasting. They also urge pediatricians to cautiously monitor obese adolescents who fast, as this group has a high risk of developing eating disorders.
Intermittent fasting does not cause excessive loss of lean muscle mass. The studies show that people lose the same amount of lean muscle mass whether fasting or practicing a different diet. In either case, resistance training and increased protein intake can counteract the loss.
Intermittent fasting does not affect sex hormones. Despite concerns about fertility and libido, neither estrogen, testosterone nor other related hormones are affected by fasting, the researchers said.
Co-authors of the article are KN professors Vanessa Oddo and Sofia Cienfuegos and Shuhao Lin, formerly at UIC and now at the Mayo Clinic.
Kinesiology grad students, ROTC cadets collaborate to develop training
Kinesiology graduate students and UIC ROTC cadets worked together for 18 months to develop physical and mental skills and prepare for the cadets’ summer training.
The KN students enrolled in the Performance, Sports, and Exercise Psychology concentration were led by Annmarie Chizewski, KN instructor and assistant director of experiential learning.
They conducted regular psychological skills workshops and physical training sessions to improve the cadets’ mental fitness. The collaboration concluded April 2 with a campus-wide scavenger hunt and exercise circuit for the cadets, designed and facilitated by the students and ROTC cadre.
Annmarie Chizewski, second from right, with UIC ROTC cadets and cadre in April 2024 shortly after completing a 12-mile ruck.
The cadets improved their ability to cope under pressure and stress, learning different strategies and how to apply them effectively, said Major J. Yul Heredia, assistant professor of military science.
The kinesiology students gained hands-on experience working with tactical athletes — military personnel, firefighters, police officers and other first responders — creating programs with the high-performance standards of this population in mind.
“In traditional athletics, the stakes are: you win or you lose,” said Chizewski. “But working with tactical athletes is more than just winning and losing. The men and women who choose to serve face physical and cognitive demands on a regular basis.”
Recruiters from the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program observed the workshops and discussed potential careers with the KN students. Matthew Dorey ’17 BS, ’24 MS KN landed a full-time job with the Army as a master resilience trainer, performance expert.
“The time I spent working with ROTC played a pivotal role in developing my interest in working with military populations,” said Dorey. “The ROTC cadre was incredible in making space for our program's involvement.”
“We hope to continue and build upon the sessions next year,” Heredia said, including “physical training that allows cadets to operate in immersive scenarios that require collaboration.”
Expanded programming will benefit KN students too.
“Our students are getting to experience how rewarding working with tactical populations can be,” said Chizewski.
Photo: Annmarie Chizewski
Make a Lasting Impact.
When you support the College of Applied Health Sciences (AHS) at the University of Illinois Chicago, you are helping change lives by ensuring access to a world-class education for generations of students.
Four smart ways you can help create opportunities and make a difference:
1. Donate appreciated securities held for more than one year to the University of Illinois Foundation (UIF) for the benefit of AHS
• You pay no capital gains tax on the appreciated value
• If you itemize, your gift qualifies for a charitable deduction
2. Make a grant from your donor-advised fund
3. Make a tax-wise gift from your IRA
• If you are 70.5 and older, you can make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) up to $105,000* from your individual retirement account (IRA) directly to UIF to support UIC. Your gift is excluded from your taxable income and is counted against your required minimum distribution (RMD) if one is due. To learn more about using a QCD to fund a gift that pays you income for life contact us. (Some limitations apply.)
*Maximum amount allowable by law for 2024; annually indexed for inflation.
4. Include UIF Tax ID 37-6006007 for the benefit of AHS in your will or living trust or by beneficiary designation.
• You keep control of the gift property for life in the event your needs or goals change
This material is provided for general information and educational purposes, please consult with your tax and financial advisors.
To learn more or to receive a personalized life-income gift illustration, contact Geoff Hammond, Associate Director of Gift Planning, at UIF. Call 217-332-5714 or email gh15@uif.uillinois.edu.
The chance of a lifetime
Students spend two weeks in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
For students enrolled in a KN experiential learning program this summer, it was the chance of a lifetime: two weeks in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“This trip embodies what education should be — engaging, immersive and transformative,” said Annmarie Chizewski , KN assistant director of experiential learning, who accompanied the students in the Sports and Society in Paris program.
“Being at an Olympic venue, witnessing the convergence of global cultures and the pinnacle of athletic achievement, is an unparalleled educational opportunity.”
The students, who are majoring in nutrition, kinesiology and other health and sports-related fields, watched Olympic events, attended seminars and carried out research and other assignments, earning KN course credit.
Topics included the intersection of sport, culture and society in different countries; issues like race, econom -
ics, ethnicity and politics in relation to the Olympics; and how a major sporting event impacts a city.
“The group is tackling some of the larger questions that are as exciting as the games,” said Kyle Rausch, executive director of the Study Abroad Office at UIC, who also accompanied the group to Paris.
The students observed the work of sports medicine professionals, event organizers, media and policymakers from all over the world.
“This comprehensive view will help them better understand the various career paths available in kinesiology and how their studies apply in real-world contexts,” Chizewski said.
“I’m pursuing a career as a sports dietitian, and this is an invaluable opportunity to make lasting connections in the fitness world,” said Alyssa Squeo, a junior majoring in nutrition.
The students were also encouraged to experience the culture of their host city.
Photos provided by Annmarie Chizewski, Kyle Rausch, UIC Study Abroad and participating students.
“The chance to explore this beautiful city while witnessing the Olympics is a pinch-me moment,” Squeo said.
Gabby Richards, a junior in kinesiology and a member of the UIC swimming and diving team, saw the Olympics from an athlete’s point of view.
“The city is buzzing with energy and excitement, and I’ve had the chance to meet people from all over the world,” Richards said. “It’s a cool opportunity to combine my studies with the vibrant atmosphere of the games.”
The program, hosted by the UIC Study Abroad Office and sponsored by AHS, is a dream come true for Chizewski. Her earlier plans to develop a study abroad program had been derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This course is designed to be more than just an academic experience — it's an investment in shaping a more socially just, diverse and equitable world,” Chizewski said.
“I want them to leave this trip with a deeper understanding of how sport can be a powerful catalyst for positive change.”
Watch how UIC students Zaven Dadekian and Gabriel Martinez spent a day in the Sports and Society in Paris UIC Study Abroad program sponsored by AHS. Visit go.uic.edu/ ADayInParis or scan the QR code.
The power of collective generosity
Fifty years on, the Medical Records Administration Class of 1974 continues to make an impact.
Four years ago, members of the MRA Class of 1974 showed their gratitude to UIC by establishing a $25,000 endowed scholarship fund.
Now, in honor of their 50th anniversary, they want to double their commitment by inviting other health information sciences alumni to join them in increasing the scholarship fund to $50,000.
“Let’s do this for the next generation and in recognition of the good lives we’ve had as a result of our UIC degrees,” said Lou Ann Schraffenberger ’74 BS MRA, one of the scholarship fund organizers and donors.
The first scholarship was awarded last fall to a student who is earning a bachelor’s in health information management while he works full time as a respiratory therapist.
“Students need our help,” Schraffenberger said. “They are working and going to school, taking out student loans and trying to graduate. A scholarship of $2,000 can make a real difference.”
The class of 1974 on one of the last days of class in May 1974. Standing (left to right): Babette Rosenfeld Kreiter, Margaret Flettre Skurka, Susan Evans, Stephanie Johnson Donnell, Elizabeth Zielke Allan and Elizabeth Dangel Kumpost. Middle (left to right): Denise Rohrer Hartigan, Marla Alper Brichta, Susan Vyborny Blyskal, Judith Lampinen Miller, Karen Reiter Patena and Delight Kawakami Tanakatsubo. Sitting (left to right): Jane Clayton Malone, Lou Ann Schraffenberger, Sylvia Publ and Carol Petrie Liberty. Not pictured: Cheryl Kula Rymark. Photo: Judith Lampinen Miller
The Class of ’74 has always been a close bunch. Many of the 17 former classmates gather every year to catch up. They’ve attended each other’s weddings, became godmothers to one another’s children and supported each other through career changes, loss and cross-country moves. To this day, they can diagram exactly where each person sat in the classroom.
“We’ve stuck together through the years,” Schraffenberger said. “So when someone brought up the idea of a scholarship from our class, we were intrigued.”
Could the former classmates raise $25,000 to establish an endowed scholarship fund in support of current HIM students?
The answer was a resounding “yes,” thanks to the generosity of seven alumni: Schraffenberger, Elizabeth Zielke Allan, Susan Evans, Jane Clayton Malone, Judith Lampinen Miller, Karen Reiter Patena and Delight Kawakami Tanakatsubo.
“It would be tremendous if we could reach $50,000 for our 50th anniversary,” Schraffenberger said.
A ‘golden time’
When the group graduated with degrees in medical records administration, the precursor to the HIM degree, they entered a booming job market.
“It was a golden time in our profession,” Evans said.
Rita Finnegan, department head for their yearlong degree program, did not “tolerate fools,” Evans remembered. “She ran our class with an iron hand. It was a demanding environment with high expectations, but it was an outstanding program.”
“We joke that we graduated from the St. Rita Academy for Wayward Girls,” Schraffenberger said.
Even as medical records administration evolved and some alumni brought their skills to adjacent fields, there was a sense among the Class of 1974 that UIC had been the launching pad for their success. That gratitude helped drive their decision to create the endowed scholarship, and they hope other graduates will join them.
“Where would you be without this program? That’s what you should ask
yourself,” said Evans.
Allan, her classmate, concurred. “When I look back, the most amazing thing is the careers we all had.”
Thinking about the future
Health information sciences looks different now, but UIC programs — which include bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, a minor and certificate programs — remain among the best. The online BS in HIM degree program was ranked third in the country for 2024 by U.S. News & World Report, the 12th consecutive year the program has been highly ranked.
When Allan decided to support the endowed scholarship, she wasn’t only honoring the past; she was also thinking about the future.
“When we started, everything was paper,” Allan said. “A lot has changed and will keep changing. But you still need the basics. You need to know how to collect information, how to keep it private, how to provide it to
the people who need it — when they need it, how they need it.”
Schraffenberger views the scholarship as a rallying cry across generations.
“Your older peers think enough of you that we want to recognize your talents and hard work,” she said. “We want you to do well. We want you to be fulfilled in this profession that we love.”
Anyone can contribute to the fund, and as an endowed scholarship, the principal is invested, meaning the fund will last in perpetuity.
“This isn’t something where you give one year and then it’s gone,” Allan said. “Our support for students will go on forever.”
Gifts of any size make a difference, and there are many ways to contribute. Some donors made pledge payments over several years. Others are considering the tax savings of donating the required minimum distribution from retirement plans and IRAs.
"If we pool our resources, I really think we could achieve it," Schraffenberger said. "We hope you'll join us."
A Scholarship Can Change a Life
Ata Atta, the first recipient of the HIM Class of 1974 Endowed Scholarship, works full-time as a respiratory therapist at University of Chicago Medicine while attending UIC.
When he learned he had won the scholarship, the first he’s ever received, “all my anxiety and stress went down a bit,” Atta said. “I felt confident and motivated to study hard.”
As Atta looks ahead to graduation and a new career, he wants potential donors to know their generosity can change a student’s life.
“Any kind of help can make a student’s semester or year better,” he said. “You can really make someone happy.”
To make a gift, visit give.uic.edu and search for "HIM 1974" or contact Kristen Kepnick at kkepnick@uic.edu or 312-996-8219.
Members of the class of 1974 in June 2012. Top (left to right): Cheryl Kula Rymark, Delight Kawakami Tanakatsubo, Elizabeth Zielke Allan, Carol Petrie Liberty and Lou Ann Schraffenberger. Middle center (left to right): Denise Rohrer Hartigan and Susan Evans. Bottom (left to right): Karen Reiter Patena, Jane Clayton Malone, Judith Lampinen Miller and Margaret Flettre Skurka. Photo: Judith Lampinen Miller
Members of the class of 1974 in July 2023. Top (left to right) Susan Evans, Jane Clayton Malone, Elizabeth Zielke Allan and Delight Kawakami Tanakatsubo. Bottom (left to right) Stephanie Johnson Donnell, Lou Ann Schraffenberger and Karen Reiter Patena. Photo: Judith Lampinen Miller
The AHS Annual Fund
Donating to the AHS Annual Fund means you’re giving with full confidence — allowing the college to use the funds when and where they are most needed. Unrestricted gifts provide the college’s leadership with the ability to address urgent financial concerns in a timely matter.
Donations to the annual fund support
• student scholarships and awards
• student-, faculty- and staff-led initiatives
• improvements to academic and clinical facilities
• groundbreaking research and scholarship
When you donate to the AHS Annual Fund, you are demonstrating your belief in the college’s mission and its people.
Donate online at ahs.uic.edu/support or contact Torine Pasek at torine@uic.edu or 312-996-1339.
HUMANITARIAN AT HEART
Eyzel Torres-Vicencio on building a career in biomedical illustration.
Although Eyzel Torres-Vicencio ’22 BS RS, ’24 MS BVIS just graduated, she sees the line that connects her recent achievements in biomedical illustration all the way back to childhood.
“I started to develop a passion for what I didn’t yet know was medical illustration in elementary school,” she said. “My parents were adamant about my bodily autonomy and wanted me to understand everything I could.”
She remembers visiting the library with her father for books on topics like puberty and female hormones. When friends started getting their periods in middle school, Torres-Vicencio was often the one who explained the process, especially to those who hadn’t received any information from parents or teachers. She once got sent to detention for speaking candidly about menstrual products in class.
Photo: Martin Hernandez/UIC
“From a young age, I was sure of who I was and my body’s normal functions, and that really paved the path for me to help others understand that, too.”
At UIC, Torres-Vicencio combined her interests to create a portfolio of health and science resources for people with a diverse range of bodies and backgrounds.
THE PERFECT FIT
Biomedical visualization — art, animation and other visual media used to explain medical or biological information — is a niche field, Torres-Vicencio admits. Only five universities in the U.S., including UIC, offer a master’s degree in it. UIC’s program is also the second oldest.
She knew BVIS was the perfect fit after attending a UIC open house as an incoming freshman, where she asked a student volunteer if they knew anything about medical illustration. The volunteer happened to be a BVIS student who discussed their classes with her, giving her confidence to pursue the program wholeheartedly.
To secure a seat in her eventual master’s program, Torres-Vicencio earned a spot in the Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions initiative. The program gives select first-year students guaranteed admission into a professional or graduate program, as long as they finish their bachelor’s degree at UIC and maintain status in the Honors College.
Torres-Vicencio held multiple jobs while completing her undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a longstanding post as a tutor at the Writing Center. The workload was intense, but with the encouragement of professors and peers, she kept at it. She credits BVIS program director Leah Lebowicz ’12 MS BVIS for offering her both academic advice and morale boosts.
“Sometimes I’d just go into her office to cry, feeling like I didn’t belong in the program. She was so helpful in making me feel confident again.”
“She really is a humanitarian at heart,” said Lebowicz of Torres-Vicencio. “Everything she does is, ‘How can I help people?’ She has insight into tailoring content for specific audiences so they feel empowered.”
Torres-Vicencio hopes to someday become a professor and make a similarly positive impact on students.
“I want to be the type of person who can be a mentor, especially to students who are marginalized, and tell them, ‘Yes, you belong here, and you can reach your goals.’”
She is already connecting with younger students to answer questions about the
BVIS program. She looks forward to staying connected with AHS and BVIS for years to come.
INCLUSIVITY AND QUALITY
Torres-Vicencio defines medical illustration as the practice of “taking complicated scien tific information and making it digestible for people who haven’t really studied it.”
She applies the guiding principles of accessi bility and approachability to her work, which focuses on mental and reproductive health: two areas that are widely stigmatized and misunderstood.
“Many people don’t see themselves in medical illustrations or art,” she said. “For example, if I’m learning about an ovarian cyst, and everything that I look at includes an image of someone who doesn’t look like me, I’m not going to be receptive to that information as I much as I could be, because I don’t see myself in it.”
Torres-Vicencio creates health information resources with inclusivity and quality research in mind. For her BVIS research proj ect, she wrote and illustrated a comic book for college students titled "Plant Power: A Guide to Managing Anxiety Using Medicinal Tea."
The work depicts relatable scenes from the life of an overwhelmed student whose anxieties about classwork and tuition compound with the increased pressures experienced by those with marginalized identities. The comic explores the ways that herbal tea, used in accordance with scientific research and a doctor’s guidance if necessary, can be helpful in soothing anxiety symptoms. A comprehensive reference list is cited.
"I think of environmental health and human health as one in the same."
Eyzel Torres-Vicencio holding a copy of her “Plant Power” comic.
Photo: Martin Hernandez
Throughout her time at UIC, TorresVicencio's classmates shared ideas and inspiration, as well as diverse perspectives drawn from their different nationalities, religions, ethnicities and genders, Torres-Vicencio said. Nowhere was this more evident than at the UIC Heritage Garden.
The UIC Heritage Garden is a handson project in which student interns work with faculty, staff and community members to connect horticulture with environmental sustainability, cultural diversity and social justice. Interns and leaders work together to develop public educational events, craft creative projects and collect stories and recipes related to the garden.
Torres-Vicencio designed and illustrated plaques that remain permanently in the garden to explain the importance of pollinators to the environment. But the experience of working with the garden’s leadership — especially Ireri Unzueta Carrasco, Heritage Garden educator and monarch butterfly habitat coordinator — is what sticks with her the most.
“It’s the thing I’ve done that’s had the most impact — ever in my life, possibly. Working at the Heritage Garden really catapulted my career and my social justice work.”
Torres-Vicencio's experience in the Heritage Garden also cemented her interest in environmental advocacy. As she sees it, the condition of the earth’s natural elements is inextricably linked to human health.
“I think of environmental health and human health as one in the same. Take the example of air pollution and asthma — places like Waukegan experience such higher rates of respiratory issues due to the industrial corridor there.”
In late July, she collaborated with the ComSciCon conference in Boston, a forum for early-career leaders in science communication to learn from experts and produce original work. For the collaboration, she created an eight-page mini-zine that explains the effects of habitat loss on pollinators, the environment and human health.
MOVING FORWARD
After juggling two jobs and finishing two degrees, Torres-Vicencio is slowing down to rest. She is prioritizing time in the home she shares with her parents and siblings.
Her next goal is to contribute to the purchase of a family house and begin her professional career at an organization whose mission she believes in. She plans to continue her research by creat-
ing a series of comics on conditions related to anxiety, like depression or bipolar disorder.
Searching for work in medical illustration is its own skill. Often times, companies will need a scientific illustrator but don’t know to use the term in position listings. On the advice of her BVIS mentors, Torres-Vicencio will be proactive by reaching out directly to organizations that align with her values and priorities — counseling centers, behavioral health centers and medical clinics — to determine where she can contribute.
No matter where she applies her talents, Torres-Vicencio is confident she’s found her calling.
“I just realized I create things. That’s what I do.”
illustrations
Page 3 from “Plant Power,” a comic by Eyzel Torres-Vicencio.
Photo: Eyzel
Torres-Vicencio
Botanical
by Eyzel Torres-Vicencio.
PEOPLE AHS Alumni Highlights
Editor’s note: in this issue of UIC Applied Health Sciences Magazine, we feature some of the newest members of the AHS alumni community who were honored during the 2024 spring commencement ceremony.
AHS Dean’s Award
The award is presented to graduating students who demonstrate significant service to the college and advocate for the needs of their fellow students while maintaining an exceptional academic record.
Jermaine Rosete
BS, Rehabilitation Sciences
Joshua Zabat BS, Kinesiology
AHS Urban Health Program Awards
The UHP trains Black/African American, Latine and American Indian students to address persistent health disparities in minority populations and improve the quality and availability of health care in underserved urban areas. Recipients are selected from each UIC health sciences college.
Yaratzen Avila BS, Rehabilitation Sciences UH Leadership Award
Tyrek Ware BS, Rehabilitation Sciences UH Achievement Award
AHS Achievement Award
The award is presented annually to one outstanding graduating student from each AHS degree program selected by faculty based on overall academic performance and demonstrated leadership and service.
Bund Chaudhary BS, Health Information Management
Olivia Condon MS, Occupational Therapy
Kevin Coria BS, Kinesiology
Riley Cutler MS, Biomedical Visualization
William Fasick Doctor of Physical Therapy
Lauren Frame BS, Rehabilitation Sciences
Jodie Lyons MS, Nutrition
Ciara Martinez BS, Disability and Human Development
Olivia McAdams MS, Disability and Human Development
Angélica Martínez Pérez PhD, Disability Studies
Alyssa McIntosh BS, Kinesiology
Sharon Nguyen BS, Nutrition
College of Applied Health Sciences
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Chicago, Illinois 60612-7305
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From the editor
UIC Applied Health Sciences Magazine is transitioning to a digital-centric format beginning in 2025. This change means no more waiting for print issues and more interactive content at your fingertips. This will be the magazine's last widely distributed print issue.
Moving forward, we will continue to produce and mail a minimal number of each issue in print format. If you want to receive AHS magazine in print format via mail, submit a request at go.uic.edu/AHSmagprint or scan the QR code.
I look forward to continuing to bring you engaging content that keeps you connected to the college and each other.
Questions or comments? Email me at eachavez@uic.edu.
With #UICPride,
Erika Chávez Editor
