CAS SPOTLIGHT
SPRING 2023: VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1
THE DEAN’S CORNER
Welcome to the fifth edition of the CAS Spotlight. The College is flourishing and has much to share with you. In the first edition of the Spotlight, published in spring 2021, I talked about the College’s plan to develop strategic themes. Fast-forward, and four exciting themes are being integrated across all Divisions in CAS: Undergraduate scholarship, inclusive learning, community-based learning, and interdisciplinary learning.
We showcase each theme in the following pages and share stories about students’ research projects, field experiences, and conference travel, along with the involvement of our faculty and staff in mentored research, professional development training, and special CAS events. But first, we spotlight our people - students, alumni, faculty, and staff - because they are the ones who make this College the exceptional place it is.
Jennifer Dugan, Ph.D. Dean of CAS
We think you’ll find this edition exciting - not only for the progress made in recent years and - more importantly - because of the returns our students get on their investments in a UPIKE education. A final word: Despite the pace of innovation in CAS, some things do not change. I wrote in the spring 2021 edition, and I will say it again here: “CAS is committed to the vision of liberal arts and sciences education. We take strength from the College’s rich history, while we look to the future with great excitement.”
Ella Smith-Justice, Ph.D.As the current semester moves toward a close, I cannot help but reflect on the vibrant academic year that we have enjoyed at UPIKE. It has been so heartening to watch our CAS community come together once more for classes, activities, meetings, and other learning opportunities. There has been a palpable sense of energy in our midst, and I believe that it is because we can be together once more on our campus and engage in learning together. I recently learned the term philomath, which means “a person who loves learning” - without doubt, CAS is comprised of philomaths. It is evident in the ways in which our faculty and instructional staff pursue knowledge in their “home” disciplines and across disciplines and seek out the best practices for supporting and educating UPIKE students. We see the concept of philomathy in our students when they seek out new ways to engage in the world - whether they’re learning new skills to participate in the spring theatrical production, they’re learning how to sing or play an instrument, they’re learning scientific methods and techniques for lab experiments, or they’re conducting research inquiries or producing creative works. Our faculty, staff, and students in the College of Arts & Sciences truly embrace learning and understanding more about our world. As always, I continue to be grateful for and proud of the vibrant community of scholarship that we are building together.
Assistant Dean of CAS Professor of SpanishOUR PEOPLE: STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
Student Athlete Showcase
We celebrate a stand-out student athlete on the men’s basketball team: Teddy Parham Jr., is a two-time MSC player of the week. Currently, he leads the conference in points per game at 18.7. Teddy is from Los Angeles, transferred to UPIKE last fall, and is hard at work as a senior Communication major. His advisor, Dr. J.R. Briscoe, says that Teddy, “exemplifies what it means to be a student athlete. His success in the classroom and on the court make him a natural leader.” CAS congratulates you, Teddy, on all your accomplishments.
Alumni Showcase: Adrian Smith, Senior Holler Technician, Film and Media Arts, ’16
“I work for the Holler, a placed-based social learning network and I specialize in crafting stories/videos that push the envelope on education in Eastern Kentucky. When my team gets a moment, we also host workshops that allow students to get their hands on cutting-edge technologies like full-body motion capture and industry-standard software. One of my fondest memories would be when UPIKE Uparodies rolled around, because everyone would just share the wildest ideas, and it was always fun to bounce an idea back and forth. Then seeing everyone’s finished work on the big screen was fun, but the real fun will always be what happens behind the scenes and the laughs you share off-camera... I guess for me, the best times at UPIKE were definitely when I had a camera in one hand and a script in the other.”
PREPARING FOR CAREERS
2023 PATTON COLLEGE OF EDUCATION STUDENT TEACHERS
The College’s new Health and Human Performance major is off to a great start. By the end of this academic year, over 75 students will have taken HHP courses, including Introduction to Athletic Training. About the lab, instructor and Assistant Athletic Training Jeff Curley (pictured on right) states that, “This lab will be beneficial to all HHP students. It provides space in which students can not only learn new skills, but those skills can be reinforced in a hands-on setting.” HHP is designed to prepare students for a wide range of careers and for graduate school, including in the fields of “athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, health and physical education, as well as careers in fitness, personal and strength training, and in corporate wellness,” states Lindsay Elliott, who will teach full time in the HHP program during the 2023-2024 academic year. CAS appreciates our important partnership with Athletic Director Kelly Wells and the dedication of the HHP instructors who have helped put the new program on a strong footing.
Third
Front row: Casey Blackburn, Brian Blackburn, Sarah McCoy Coleman, Autumn Jones, Mary Englert Second row: Leigh Johnson, Lexie Blevins, Kynsley Redmon, Emily Webb, Savannah McInnerney row: Lorrie Moore, Katerra Adkins, Abby Meade, Hannah Bowles, Alexis Hall Hardin Back row: Kadie Dicken, Alyssa Holbrook, Isaac Hurley, Dylan Morris, Karsyn SentersOUR PEOPLE: FACULTY AND STAFF
Dr. Fadi Al Akhrass, Medical Director of Infectious Disease and Infection Prevention at Pikeville Medical Center
CAS is partnering with a PMC specialist physician this semester. Dr. Fadi Al Akrass is bringing his knowledge and experience to teach a Biomedical Science Seminar that focuses on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Dr. Fadi states that, “this is a course that is critical in bridging basic medical science and general clinical medicine. In class, the students participate in interactive and collaborative lecture series which helps them master content knowledge. There is really nothing better than seeing our students eager to learn.” CAS believes that interprofessional partnerships boost our students’ success and expand their professional networks.
Hannah Justice, Performing Arts Assistant
Hannah Justice is a home-grown Pikeville native with a B.A. in Strategic Communications with a focus in Public Relations and minor in Theatre from Morehead State University. She has been part of the UPIKE family for over a year now, serving as the Performing Arts Assistant to the Music, Theatre, and Visual Art programs. In her position, she has many responsibilities to fulfill, such as promoting arts related groups and events, creating merchandise for new and current UPIKE students, and managing outreach within the program. Hannah’s favorite parts of being in the Bear family are the connections to the roots of her own Appalachian culture and the positive, consistent support that is given to everyone in the UPIKE community!
Sunny Ferrero, Biology adjunct instructor
I’ve been teaching almost every type of biology course for over 10 years now, including General Biology, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Vertebrate Zoology and Developmental Biology! I most enjoy focusing my teaching on concepts that my students can use in their everyday lives. That tends to get them so involved and excited about the “textbook” concepts, and I particularly enjoy the Canvas discussions in my online courses! In my free time, I very much enjoy tasting new foods, and indulging in old healthy favorites (like huge raw salads!). When I have the time I also enjoy taking very long walks and generally being outside. I have been enjoying every minute of my time with UPIKE so far!
CAS SPRING 2023 COLLOQUIUM SERIES
February 17
Dr. Tim Roberts, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on law enforcement protocols in middle Appalachian states.” Dr. Roberts recently completed his PhD, entitled “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Law Enforcement Protocols in Middle Appalachian States” from Liberty University. Congratulations, Tim!
March 31
March 17
Dr. Phil Jen, Professor of Biology, “Innervation patterns and possible diagnostic procedure in adenocarcinoma”
Dr. Nancy Cade, Davenport Distinguished Professor of History and Political Science, is retiring after 37 years of service. Over the course of her career at UPIKE, as both a professor and advisor, she has mentored countless students and helped them develop into prominent citizens in the community, region, and nation. Her impact on students cannot be overstated, as they have fondly referred to themselves as Cade-ites. Dr. Cade opened opportunities for her students through The Washington Center, with over 130 students gaining direct experience through internships, seminars, and presidential inaugural events. Her presence at the University, in CAS, the Division of Social Sciences, and the history/political science program will be missed dearly. Dr. Cade’s colleagues and students will miss her leadership, her mentorship, and her dedication. Her retirement is well deserved.
UPIKE MISSION
The University of Pikeville is the leading higher education institution of Central Appalachia. Founded in 1889, UPIKE remains steadfast in our commitment to preparing students for the future while creating intellectual, cultural and economic opportunities for Appalachia.
CAS VISION
Honoring the liberal arts tradition, the College of Arts and Sciences promotes learning and growth by embracing innovative, inclusive, and interdisciplinary excellence to prepare students for meaningful lives and rewarding careers.
CAS STRATEGIC THEMES
Undergraduate Scholarship Inclusive Learning Communitybased Learning Interdisciplinary Learning
The CAS Bear is coming to town!
Thanks to Johnny Fleming (L) and Slade Denman (R), the bare bear was taken from the UPIKE loading dock to Chris Epling, adjunct instructor of Art, to be painted.
What will a liberal arts and sciencesthemed bear look like once finished? Stay tuned for the fall 2023 Spotlight edition.
Hint: Can you guess what the bee on the bear’s nose will symbolize?
Undergraduate Scholarship
Ashley Harrison, senior Mathematics major (shown on right) Faculty advisors, Dr. Bang Huang (Mathematics) and Dr. Ian Pimienta (Chemistry)
I had the most wonderful opportunity to attend the Joint Mathematics Meeting in Boston, MA, from Jan. 4th through the 7th of this year. The opportunity resulted from participating in the REU Site in Mathematical Analysis and Applications at the University of Michigan-Dearborn during the summer of 2022 and having a truly outstanding faculty mentor and group members from that program. Our research involved proving the existence of a relationship, recently discovered by physicists using numerical simulations, between eigenvalues of special matrices that arise in probabilistic models. My group presented our work at the Pi-Mu-Epsilon undergraduate poster and contributed paper sessions. Besides our presentations, it was truly an amazing experience being in the presence of such well-accomplished mathematicians and educators. I was starstruck for most of the conference, seeing mathematicians I have followed for years and look up to, like Grant Sanderson, Peter Shor, Peyam Tabrizian, just to name a few. It was an experience I will never forget and the highlight of my undergraduate journey.
CAS UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The CUSP initiative is now in its third year. During the 2022-2023, CUSP scholars include the following dedicated researchers and exciting projects:
Noah Helphenstine, Biomedical major Dr. Jessica Slade, faculty mentor
Our research project is focused on investigating the presence of Neuropeptide S through the use of an ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). NPS is a signaling molecule that can vary in concentration due to various factors associated with cancer (type, location of cancer, etc.). Another key aspect of our study is establishing a rough baseline in clinically healthy individuals to compare the patient samples against. This is meant to be a pilot study, but down the line this could serve as an important step for developing tools for the screening and diagnosis of cancer.
Nathan Justice, pre-nursing major Dr. Rob Musick, faculty mentor
In my project, I am using neurographic art, in partnership with lectio divina. The two concepts combine mindfulness with a contemplative approach to reading the bible. The goal of the project is to help relieve stress and enhance the spiritual wellness of people who are in active recovery, especially those in treatment facilities. I hope that my project contributes to the success of addiction treatment by adding to the sense of hope and optimism of those in recovery.
Jordan Cantor, Biology major Dr. Bang Huang, faculty mentor
In this project, we will randomly generate a version of a subject quiz or exam using LaTeX. We will create a subject test bank and utilize the randomization functionality or packages from LaTeX to randomly select problems from the text bank. Furthermore, we will also randomize the numbers or potentially the equations from the problem chosen so that the quiz or exam will be distinct from one student to the other. We are planning to build two models from this project. The basic model will generate more than 10,000 unique versions of quizzes or exams, and the advanced model will create more than 65 million different versions. The project will save time for the professors to develop various quizzes or exams every semester.
Inclusive Learning
Diversity in Hiring
One pillar of inclusive excellence is developing a diverse faculty. Running inclusive searches requires training and attention to the details of, for example, the job advertisement. Late last fall, CAS administrators and search committee chairs, along with our partners in Human Resources, participated in a two-part workshop on inclusive hiring. Our shared goal was “to design a more efficient and effective recruitment process that focused on the development of more inclusive job descriptions and a streamlined hiring process,” stated Mike Pacheco, Assoc VP for Operations and Human Resources. Led by Dr. Andrea Abrams,Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Centre College, participants learned about the principles of inclusive searches, inclusive language in job ads, and evaluation rubrics for on-campus interviews. Dr. Abrams shared that, “It has been fulfilling to collaborate with the College of Arts and Sciences on practices and goals for cultivating inclusion and belonging.” CAS is grateful for the workshop and for the partnership with Human Resources. We believe our efforts will bear fruit this year and in the years to come.
NEW MINORS AND CERTIFICATES*
Justice Equity
Diversity
Inclusion and Women’s Studies
The College of Arts & Sciences is excited to launch two new minors and two new certificates in fall 2023 with a goal towards encouraging students to learn more about diversity and inclusivity. The programs seek to address CAS’s strategic goals that encourage interdisciplinarity and inclusivity.
A newly created interdisciplinary program in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) will encourage students to consider the cultural constructions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, age, disability, social class, and their intersectionality. Programs that foster greater understanding of diversity and inclusion serve to prepare students for a workplace and world that understands, appreciates, and values difference. Students may choose to earn a minor in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (18 hours of coursework), or a certificate (12 hours). The program is housed in the Social Science Division, but courses are included from across CAS.
The new Women’s Studies program will be housed in the Humanities Division and also includes a minor (18 hours) and certificate (12 hours). Women’s Studies provides students an interdisciplinary exploration of feminist theory, women’s history, and the intersection of gender and society. The minor and certificate in Women’s Studies will prepare students for professional careers that include government, social services, healthcare, management, and education.
“These programs will be a great way to diversify students’ resumes,” Mackenzie Smith, junior, said.
*Pending approval upon review by SACSCOC, UPIKE’s regional accreditor.
Patton College of Education:
PCOE faculty Dr. Michael King and Mr. David Slone, along with UPIKE’s Chaplain Dr. Rob Musick, collaborate on planning field experience for our teacher candidates. Field experiences take place in two schools – one in the Lexington area and one in Grundy, Virginia. Another experience helps students learn about different faith communities by visiting a Mosque and a Hindu Temple in Lexington. The experiences give our teacher candidates the opportunity to explore and address ways to best facilitate learning and build acceptance and rapport among diverse students in a variety of contexts. Serving a university in Central Appalachia, we strive to provide our teacher candidates with opportunities to understand and accommodate the needs of all students.
Communitybased Learning
Learning History
In all of Dr. Brittany Goetting’s history classes, students can earn extra credit by engaging in community service projects. Dr. Rob Musick, Chaplain, provides ideas for volunteer opportunities in our region. After completing their service, students write a reflection of their experience and the impact it had on the organization they served and on them personally. In addition, Drs. Goetting and Musick take their students into the community; recently, they visited the Church of Latter-Day Saints in Pikeville and will travel to the Cane Ridge Revival site and a Shaker Village in April.
Germany
Dr. Brittany Goetting (History) and Dr. Brigitte Anderson (English and German) are currently co-teaching HUM 370 Destination Study, a course focusing on the country’s people, culture, and history. The course highlight is scheduled for May 8-20, when the 10 students will travel to Köln, vintner villages along the Rhein River, Nürnberg where they will stay in an 11th-century castle, Füssen with King Ludwig II’s dreamy Neuschwanstein castle, München, and finally the capital Berlin. The trip is designed as a “Trains, Planes, Riverboats, Busses, and Bicycles” adventure giving students a chance to meet locals and practice German. Their overseas experience is made possible through generous supporting funds from the UPIKE Experiential Learning Committee and the Humanities Division. Auf Wiedersehen!
In the Fall of 2022, Professor Hazlewood’s Corrections class visited the Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Petros, TN. The Penitentiary’s history began with its opening in 1896 and remained operational until 2009. Throughout its 113 years, Brushy Mountain housed Tennessee’s most violent criminals, and was nicknamed the “Alcatraz of the Smokies.” The tour guide, George, a resident of Brushy Mountain, shared his story and gave the class a very informative private tour of the grounds. The class thoroughly enjoyed the tour, George, and the experience of visiting Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.
Contributions of local businesses by Bryon Meade, Assistant Professor of Biology
My research assistants and I have been working on ways to turn waste products such as used brew grain and used coffee grains into mushroom substrate. We have used coffee grounds from Lincoln Road Coffee and brew grains from Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery. Those waste streams are collected by us, then sterilized and turned into nutritious substrate. We use that recycled substrate to grow a dozen different strains of delicious mushrooms!
Pre-trip celebration dinner, 3/16 Criminal Justice trip
Mushrooms grown in Professor Meade’s lab
Interdisciplinary Learning
New Professional Studies degree
Through a new degree program,* UPIKE students may now earn an Associate of Science, a Bachelor of Arts, or a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Studies. The degree plans support the University’s new quality enhancement plan - Professional Exploration and Knowledge - and are modeled on the Career-Readiness Competencies articulated by the National Association of Colleges & Employers. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program and the unique career goals and pathways of each learner, Professional Studies earning a Bachelor’s degree will engage in a cumulative capstone experience through badging, providing them with the opportunity to integrate, synthesize, and reflect upon acquired knowledge and skills related to each of the Career-Readiness Competencies.
New health profession pathway program
CAS students now have an opportunity to finish their undergraduate and graduate degrees in seven years.* Through a new “3+4” initiative between the CAS biomedical science program and the KY College of Optometry, students can earn their bachelor’s degree in three years, with a fourth overlapping year at KYCO and a final three years before completing their doctor of optometry degree. “The 3+4 program is an opportunity for qualified students to complete the optometry school prerequisites and receive guidance in a tailored program which will offer a solid foundation for success at KYCO,” states Dr. Josephine Ibironke, Assistant Dean and Professor of Optometry. CAS hopes to develop additional pipeline programs to help our students jumpstart their careers and save on tuition dollars.
*Pending approval upon review by SACSCOC, UPIKE’s regional accreditor.
Cross-currents in the Humanities
English, FMA, and Religious Studies majors are participating in the inaugural offering of HUM 450, Interdisciplinary Capstone. Students explore interdisciplinary research skills and both traditional and digital publishing opportunities, thanks to the expertise of colleagues Sumer Bingham, Jonathan Hale, Amanda Slone, Katie Williams, and Edna Fugate. Instructor James Browning encouraged students to develop research projects related to their career goals. Topics developed for papers and video projects include:
• The adverse effects of social media on body positivity in among teens;
• How views of addiction harm recovery strategies are affected by religious affiliation in Eastern Kentucky;
• The lack of healthcare resources for autistic children in Eastern Kentucky;
• The negative impact of poor on-field performance on the emotional and mental health of student athletes.
• A fictional psychological thriller about a politician who loses touch with reality (a reflection on human perception and consciousness).
Theatre collaborations
Thanks to Dr. Jenna Steigerwalt and an interprofessional collaboration between several Humanities programs, UPIKE Theatre is growing! Stephanie Richards, most recently the State Specialist for Fine Arts Outreach with the University of Kentucky’s College of Fine Arts, has joined us to teach the Basics of Acting and Basics of Technical Theatre classes. Stephanie is bringing a wealth of experience to guide students in brainstorming, designing, and building the sets and costumes for the 2023 UPIKE Spring Production, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Students are doing a close reading of the script, learning about theaters as physical spaces and theatrical performances, and even learning to sew and use power tools. (The production is on March 31 and April 1.)
Prof. Stephanie Richards and students at Pikeville Lowe’sScan for more information
Students engaging new power tool skills
