ACADEMIC NEWS

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

CRIMINAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE

• Stacy Dewald, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal and social justice, and Laura Honegger, Ph.D., LCSW, assistant professor of social work, presented “Demystifying the Research Process: Collaborating with Universities" with Dr. Scott DuBois and Mitch Crandall from the Will County State's Attorney's Office at the fall Illinois Association of Problem-Solving Courts Conference.

ENGLISH & FOREIGN LANGUAGES

• The department hosted the 31st annual St. Francis Writers’ Conference in November, featuring Tom Montgomery Fate, professor emeritus of English at College of DuPage and author of six books of creative nonfiction (pictured at right). Sixteen students hailing from USF and Trinity Christian College presented creative and critical work and USF's Ryan Ramsden won Best Creative Presentation for his paper “Homecoming.”

MATHEMATICS

• Math major Canyon Novick presented his USF Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) research, “Computational Analysis of a Proposed Mechanism for H_2 Catalysis via Ni-Fe Hydrogenase," at the International Symposium on Biomathematics & Ecology Education & Research in November.

• Instructor Dr. Christina Jamroz joined the Southwest Chicago Math Teachers’ Circle leadership team.

MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS

• In November, the Digital Audio Recording Arts (DARA) program held an in-service event for 19 local teachers seeking greater familiarity with music technology and Ableton products.

• The Joliet Symphony Orchestra (pictured at right), under the direction of Lev Ivanov, presented two concerts in the fall with more coming this spring. JSO membership is approaching pre-pandemic levels.

Natural Sciences

• Dr. Jackie Wittke-Thompson and students Emma Geatches and Jen Vazquez Saraul (pictured at right) attended the fall Genomic Education Partnership (GEP) Midwest North and Midwest South Node Meeting at the University of Detroit-Mercy. Geatches and Vazquez Saraul presented their SURE project research on gene annotation of venom genes in a parasitoid wasp species.

PSYCHOLOGY & SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING

• In December, 18 students completed the CRSS Success Program—a grant-funded initiative operated through designated post-secondary educational institutions in Illinois, designed to support students with lived experience of mental health or substance use recovery to obtain either the CRSS or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) certification to enter the behavioral health workforce.

RECREATION & SPORT MANAGEMENT

• The Team Facilitation & Leadership class recently spent four sessions at Joliet West High School, facilitating team building activities with 70+ high school freshmen (pictured at right).

• The Research Methods class worked with the Hines Veterans Administration Medical Center to survey veterans on their needs for community-based recreation as it relates to their military transition to civilian life. Students presented their findings to the recreation therapy department at Hines VA.

• Senior Shannon Smith was selected as a top three finalist for the Undergraduate Student Research Competition through the Applied Sport Management Association. She presented research (obtained through USF's SURE program) at the annual conference in Alabama at the end of February.

Social Work

• USF's Social Work Club, Criminal Justice & Pre-Law Society, and Interdisciplinary Research on Justice Initiative sponsored a screening of “Jacinta” with a panel discussion including USF's Marcia Van Natta and Jaclyn J. Hilderbrand Sopcic, Assistant State’s Attorney; Raquel Montoya, Drug Court Clinical Case Manager; and Robin Findlay, Peer Support Specialist with the Will County Problem Solving Courts.

THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY

• In February, the Department of Theology & Philosophy hosted Auxiliary Bishop Robert Lombardo of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Sr. Stephanie Baliga, FE, to campus to talk about Franciscan vocations and service. Lombardo is founder of the Our Lady of the Angels Mission on the West Side of Chicago.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

• Eleven COBHA students and faculty members enjoyed the first of four book club meetings led by donor Bob Wheeler, who recently gifted USF with a donation to make the college more Franciscan. The group read “Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life” by Michael Novak.

• Professor Rich Vaughan traveled to USF’s partner university in Brno, Czech Republic to teach MBA students there. In addition, Professor Bonnie Covelli (pictured at right) traveled to USF’s partner university in Hanoi, Vietnam to teach both the first USF-taught MBA and BBA courses. While Covelli was there, she participated in the university’s opening ceremony and worked with several local lecturers. She reported that the BBA students in particular feel very much like University of St. Francis students— they are connected to the university, they enjoy wearing USF “swag,” and they are excited to be attending an American university.

• Current COBHA students and Servant Leaders participated in an internship panel to talk with students about how they can integrate their faith into their work lives. Alumnus Noah Kararo ’20, ’22 joined to give the perspective from a recent graduate.

• Sean Blair, CEO of Mutare was COBHA’s Fall Symposium speaker. In addition to talking about the cyber security products and services his company provided, Sean shared Scars & Lessons on Leadership and Life from a CEO. He shared some of his biggest successes and failures, things he was most proud of and advice on what employers are looking for in their new hires.

College Of Education

• The College of Education began offering two additional dual credit education courses during the spring semester—providing high school students the opportunity to earn up to eight hours of college credit while gaining foundational knowledge and skills essential to the teaching profession. Alumnus Robert Elkins ’22 was recently featured in Joliet Township High School District 204 news highlighting the course opportunity for students. Elkins teaches at JTHS and was enrolled in one of the courses— EDUC 107 Exploring the Teaching Profession—when it was first offered in 2017.

• MERIT program teacher candidates (pictured at right) attended the Project LEAD (Leaders in Education Advocating for Diversity) Fall Forum. Project LEAD works to identify best practices to recruit and support a more diverse pool of teacher candidates. USF candidates and future educators from other institutions were appreciative of the practical opportunity to explore education policy in Illinois.

• The Illinois State Board of Education granted COE approval to offer online delivery of the Principal Preparation concentration within the Educational Leadership (M.S.) program, starting in January. This makes the program accessible to educators in regions where travel to campus is not practical.

Leach College Of Nursing

• Undergraduate nursing students in the Leach College of Nursing reflected on the sacredness and importance of their hands at the Blessing of the Hands and White Coat Ceremony in October (pictured at right). The annual tradition was held at St. Joseph Chapel for junior nursing students who are about to begin their clinicals. The empowering ceremony focuses on nursing students who will use their hands to heal others and how the university’s core values of respect, compassion, service, and integrity will be with the students as their hands interact with their patients and colleagues.

• In October, Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) training was held for 18 Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students at USF. The workshop offers students an opportunity to understand the theory, research, and application of a prominent counseling approach, as well as a basic overview of REBT, emphasizing how irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotions.

• Sigma Theta Tau International, University of St. Francis Upsilon Delta Chapter of Sigma, celebrated the 16th induction ceremony for 20 graduate and undergraduate nursing students. Leading the event, Chapter President Kate Weigel—along with the board leaders—led a meaningful ceremony. Sigma Theta Tau works to strengthen the commitment to the ideals and purposes of the nursing profession, as well as recognizing the superior achievement and leadership qualities of the inductees.