If you drove that far in one shot it could be done in about 48 hours, but you’d need an oil change. Making the same trip on a bike is a different story.
Race Across America (RAAM) brings a whole new meaning to the term “road trip.” Rated as one of the world’s toughest sporting events, RAAM is a grueling test of physical and psychological endurance that has cyclists race non-stop coast to coast.
Paul Carpenter, chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE) department will be taking on this challenge as a solo rider. With his crew by his side, Carpenter will try to complete the 3,000 miles in 12 days or quicker to achieve the coveted official finisher status.
The race starts Wednesday, June 13, and the cyclists must finish by Monday, June 25.
From Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis, Md., the crews will battle hills, heat, cold, wind, rain, hunger, cramped space and exhaustion. Stopping is allowed in RAAM, but being off the bike for more than two to four hours per day will seriously hurt a cyclist’s chances of being competitive in the race and completing within the given time frame.
Not only will Carpenter and his crew be competing, but they will also be conducting research.
Combining experiences off campus with the academic world makes a great opportunity for NIU students. Ryan Friel, a kinesiology major, will be part of the crew and will help to collect data for research being coordinated by Amanda Salacinski, a KNPE faculty member.
Friel explained that his job will be to make sure Carpenter stays hydrated and consumes between 250 to 300 calories per hour based on how hard he works. Data also will be collected on heart rate, power and blood glucose. The data will help provide researchers with a better understanding of how the body responds to exercise in an extremely demanding event.
While Friel is excited for the experience in its entirety, he shared that he has not traveled out west much and is excited to see a lot in a short amount of time. “This is an event that is well known to cyclists, but not to the general public, so I am excited to jump in and experience and learn as much as I can,” Friel said.
Traveling with Carpenter in vehicles carrying supplies will be the complete crew, including: Joe Mann (crew chief), Connie Mann, Melissa Hyams (Carpenter’s wife), Sam Carpenter (Carpenter’s son), Roger Kalisiak (NIU alumnus), Friel, Jacob Garvin, Kristin Jordan, Bill Ford and Jay Yost. The crew is essential for success in RAAM by providing support, motivation, knowledge, navigation, mechanical expertise, medical assistance and their driving skills among other things.
Date posted: May 29, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on Kinesiology’s Paul Carpenter ready to tackle 3,000-mile Race Across America challenge
A unique feature of this online cohort is that it occasionally meets in-person, giving the students an opportunity to interact with faculty and each other to strengthen relationships as well as provide hands-on field experiences.
These schools were selected for the field experience for a number of reasons, LEPF chair Charles Howell said, including their up-to-date technology, extensive space for the arts and athletics, space for the community, access control and various arrangements that prevent overcrowding.
Officials and architects designed and constructed these renovated or newly constructed facilities with an emphasis on student development and safety, as well as community needs.
The tours were led by DeKalb High School Principal Doug Moeller and Sycamore School District Superintendent Wayne Riesen, assisted by officials holding positions like those the students will seek to attain upon graduation: chief school business official, chief financial officer, director of finance, and business manager. The experts knew a lot about how the buildings were designed and built and how they function on a day-to-day basis.
“It was interesting how DeKalb High School was constructed in a way that reduced the number of incidents for student discipline from the former high school,” said Dave Jenkins, who graduated this month in the first cohort. “Square footage per student, locker locations, security cameras and other design decisions helped to build a safer environment.”
Students also appreciated hearing the different perspectives offered throughout the field experience, he said.
“The principals all shared the challenge of opening a new facility or renovating a building,” he said. “They stressed the importance of student safety and flexibility in programming. The superintendent was able to share some political challenges that come with new construction. The CFO stressed the importance of including the community in the process of passing a referendum.”
“The students and NIU professors that participated learned a great deal and better understand how fortunate the students of both DeKalb and Sycamore schools are to have such great facilities and visionary leadership,” LEPF professor Brad Hawk said.
Sycamore Superintendent Wayne Riesen leads a tour of North Grove Elementary School.
Jenkins not only appreciates elements of the program like the field experience, but he values the connections he established with others through the online cohort.
“At first, many of us were concerned about the level of networking that would occur through a hybrid online cohort, compared to face-to-face cohorts. But, we came together quickly and found that we interacted more frequently through the discussion boards than those in a face-to-face only model,” Jenkins said. “I am confident that the relationships we formed will continue beyond graduation and that we will continue to rely on each other as our careers advance.”
Date posted: May 29, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on Students in online school business cohort enjoy rare field trip to three DeKalb County schools
When Grant Simmon isn’t directing events such Lollapalooza, the Hangout Music Festival or President Obama’s inauguration, the 2000 alum is setting the stage for an event that’s a little closer to home and his heart: the NIU Foundation Red and Black.
When scholarship recipient Moonja Jeong, ’12, stepped into the spotlight at the 2012 Red and Black, her goal was to deliver a performance that would show her audience her profound gratitude.
Little did the rising star know: She had Grant Simmon working behind the scenes, making sure the moment was as big as her beautiful voice.
Simmon enjoys making NIU students, faculty and standout philanthropists shine, so much so that he’s volunteered since 2009 as technical producer for the Red and Black, the NIU Foundation’s annual event showcasing the university.
Simmon is a member of the event’s planning committee, which is co-chaired by Jeff (’70) and Kimberly Yordon and Ellen Chessick. Coordinating the event is a big job, requiring dozens of hours of planning, set design, staging, lighting and rehearsals.
The acting graduate says he thrives on the challenge.
Simmon got a chance to thrive last year when it became clear that Jeong’s vocal performance would require a grand piano. “There was no way we could have our star standing in front of a keyboard,” he says.
However, renting a piano would be far more expensive than a keyboard, and there were other logistical concerns. “Even if we could build a stage that would support a grand piano,” he says, “we’d need a forklift to get it up there.”
Moonja Jeong sings at the 2012 Red and Black.
Yet, by all appearances, Jeong performed next to a full-sized grand piano Feb. 18 – a piano with a little secret inside. Simmon had a façade built to disguise the lighter, more cost-effective keyboard. “I don’t think anyone knew the difference,” he laughs.
Everyone involved agrees having Simmon around not only makes the Red and Black program possible, it makes it less stressful.
“We all feel at ease knowing Grant is running the show – from crew call until the credits roll,” says Mallory M. Simpson, president of the NIU Foundation.
Even as a seasoned pro, Simmon admits to getting a little rattled every once in a while. “There’s nothing fun about the hour before opening night,” he says. “I’m nervous. You’d think I was going out there on stage to sing myself!”
The greatest thrill of the process is the outpouring of emotion that comes from the audience, Simmon says. “It’s magical when they’re wrapped up in a moment we’ve worked so hard to create,” he says. “It’s especially rewarding when that emotion is for my alma mater.”
Although Simmon donates his time, the event still comes with a price tag.
Equipment rentals and staging costs add up, which is why securing sponsorships is a major focus of the committee’s efforts. When it comes to finding supporters, no one holds a candle to committee co-chair Jeff Yordon. Last year, he raised more than half the show’s sponsorships. “There’s no way we could put on a program of this caliber without underwriters,” Simpson says. “The Yordons have given NIU so much, and Jeff isn’t shy about asking others to join him in support of NIU. We are very grateful.”
With every decision he makes, Simmon guards each dollar the committee raises. “I welcome the challenge of accomplishing great feats on a tight budget,” he says.
For now, the acting alumnus is keeping busy with gigs such as the Spring Awakening Festival, Bonnaroo and the Electric Forest Festival. He is also enjoying time with his wife, Nicole, and two daughters, Grace and Nyla.
“Whatever I could give financially to NIU would surely pale in comparison with what I bring to the table with my passion,” he says. “My mom and dad (Jaymie, ’70 and Harry Simmon, ’69) always taught me that you need to provide people an opportunity to give. NIU gave me my opportunity to give, and I hope my work creates opportunities for others to do the same.”
Date posted: May 24, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on It’s showtime! Alum Grant Simmon volunteers to make NIU Foundation Red and Black shine
A native Chicagoan, Ester received her undergraduate degree in sociology from NIU in 1987. Sociology was a compromise for Ester (she wanted to major in theater; her mother wanted her to pursue accountancy), but it turned out to be one of the best decisions she ever made.
“I always had an affinity for the elderly and aging, and so focusing on the sociology of health and aging was perfect for me. I just knew that working with elderly and aging populations was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Turns out she was wrong.
Accepting a position as area coordinator in housing at Whittier College drew her further into working with students and housing. When the position of resident director at UC-Santa Barbara opened up, Ester applied and got the job. She stayed 16 years, serving as the assistant dean of students for Student Conduct. While holding this position, she returned to school, earning her Ph.D. in education.
“I had a fabulous mentor at UC-Santa Barbara,” Ester says. “He encouraged me to get my degree and keep my mind open to a variety of positions. He really helped me think more broadly about what I could do in the field of education.”
Ester’s next roles took her further up the ladder in administration.
As assistant vice president for judicial affairs at Cal State-Fresno, she managed a $10 million budget before landing a position as associate vice president for student services with Bakersfield College, where all of the student services functions, including financial aid, administration and disability services, were under her direction. While at Bakersfield, Ester founded the Veterans Resource Center, which provides information about benefits, makes referrals to services and organizations in the community and helps ease the transition to college for veterans.
When she was ready to move forward in her career path, a mentor again played a key role in her decision. Ester says she was looking for her “next challenge,” but a college presidency seemed like a big step.
“My mentor said I should apply, but I was reluctant. ‘What can it hurt?’ she said. So, when the position was posted a second time, I applied.”
Ester’s hire in November 2011 was part of an historic reinvention of the City Colleges’ seven-college system.
Located on Chicago’s south side, Kennedy-King is one of the system’s smaller campuses and is located in an economically challenging area.
While focusing on improving graduation rates and increasing the number of students who transfer to baccalaureate programs, Ester will also work on building relationships with the surrounding neighborhoods and accentuating the positives at Kennedy-King.
“For many, the college is a beacon of hope, to help them move out and move up,” Ester says. “Kennedy-King has a rich legacy. It’s named after Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, two people who epitomize exactly what we’re trying to do: encourage academic excellence and civic responsibility.”
Distinctive features of the college include:
The Washburne Culinary Institute and French Pastry School, which will be featured in a Food Channel documentary for creating a 10-foot-by-7-foot chocolate replica of Chicago’s “Cloud Gate” sculpture commonly known as “the bean” in Millennium Park.
The Dawson Technical Institute, which provides job training for construction trades and management careers.
The WYCC public television station and WKKC radio station, owned by the CCC system and operated by Kennedy-King College
“All presidents have particular strengths,” she says. “Mine is student affairs, which is certainly not the traditional track to the presidency.”
Each position on her journey to the college presidency provided her with valuable skills and experiences that she is drawing on today, Ester says.
“Cal State had a tremendous number of students who were children of migrant farm workers and first generation college students. It was exciting to see how much more of an impact the opportunity for higher education has on the first generation college student and their families. Kennedy-King is similar in that the academic experience is changing so many lives.”
Ester remembers her days at NIU fondly.
“NIU was my first choice and the only school that I applied to. Some of my friends went to U of I, others to ISU. I was so excited when I found out I was accepted [at NIU].”
She was Miss Black NIU, became fluent in American Sign Language – “I took every sign language course on campus,” she says – and was on the College Forensics Team, which was “a big part” of her life. “Forensics helped me make the transition to college. Judy Santacatarina was a very good mentor to me, and the whole experience was good fun.”
Ester has clear advice for students who might want to follow in her footsteps.
“Figure out what your pathway will be: faculty or administration or research. Find your passion among these things, but be sure to get teaching experience. When you’re looking at careers, look at all the areas; don’t be too narrowly focused. Branch out, get a breadth of knowledge and experience.”
Mentors are also critical to success, she says, because they help you see in yourself what they can see in you. “I know that I would not be where I am today without my mentors.”
Most importantly, she says, “You must find what you love. Just because something will pay well or just because you are good in a particular field doesn’t mean that you should choose it as a career. You certainly could do it, but your quality of life will suffer. Where possible, make sure there is a balance in your life. There is no way I would have been happy doing anything other than what I am doing today. The challenges of life are much easier to navigate when you are doing something you love.”
Date posted: May 15, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on Alumna Joyce Ester credits education, mentors for rise to presidency of Kennedy-King College
Gerould W. Kern, senior vice president and editor of the Chicago Tribune, was named Illinois Journalist of the Year at the NIU Journalism Banquet, held April 27.
Now in its 65th year, this annual event recognizes the contributions of current students, alumni and others to the fields of public relations, communication and journalism.
Kern, who joined the Chicago Tribune in 1990, was recognized for focusing the Tribune and its websites on investigative and “watchdog” reporting, which exposed political corruption and consumer health and safety issues.
Under his guidance, content sharing across the 13 Tribune newsrooms has tripled and digital staffing has increased, resulting in growth of the Trib Nation blog site, Trib U and Chicago Live!
Kern continues to pursue new initiatives, such as the Printers Row books supplement, that keep the Tribune at the forefront of innovation.
Past recipients of the Illinois Journalist of the Year award include Ann Cusack, Paul Hogan, Walter Jacobson, Clayton Kirkpatrick, Bill Kurtis and Mike Royko.
Eileen Norris
Norris began her career in journalism as a police reporter for the Northern Star.
She has held positions with Crain’s Chicago Business, the Suburban Tribune and the American Medical Association, where she was senior editor of the AMA Encyclopedia of Medicine and served as contributing writer and/or editor of six general interest health books.
Norris has assisted with health-related columns for Oprah.com, Prevention magazine, the Harvard Health Letter, Newsweek and the Chicago Tribune. She was managing editor for the best seller, “You: The Smart Patient,” by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen.
Norris currently works as a consultant and provides editorial services and content for books, magazines, newsletters and other projects.
Ruby Grubb, wife of the late Donald R. Grubb who established and led the Journalism Department and founded the NIU-based Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, was acknowledged for her long- standing commitment to the program and its students.
Northern Star adviser and communication instructor Jim Killam also was honored for his contributions to the nationally recognized, award-winning student newspaper. Killam, who has been adviser to the Northern Star since 1995, is leaving the university to pursue a mission-based ministry along with his wife, Lauren.
The following student award winners and scholarship recipients were also named at the banquet:
Inducted into the Quintus C. Wilson Chapter of the Kappa Tau Alpha (KTA) National Honor Society in Journalism and Mass Communication: Jessica Cabe and Melissa Mastrogiovanni
Sara Barr Cohen Public Relations Award: Jennifer Beshansky
George M. Crowson Public Relations Award: Colleen Krohn
Contact Communications Award: Ellen Kamps
Outstanding Member Recognition – Public Relations Student Society of America: Katie Wallace
Northern Television Center Broadcast News Reporter of the Year: Jorge Rodas
Northern Television Center Weathercaster of the Year: Nicole Gill
Northern Television Center Sportscaster of the Year: Eli Gehn
Northern Television Center Graduate Student of the Year: Byron Czopek
Northern Star Most Dedicated Staffer: Marcy Morris
Roy G. Campbell “Best Damn Reporter” Award: Kelly Bauer
Ryan Byrne Award: Jimmy Johnson
David Onak Memorial Scholarship: Lindsey Diehl
Campbell-Thompson Northern Star Scholarship: Kelly Bauer
Tom Fullmer Editing Award: Kim Skibinski
Ann Nelson Nahas Scholarship: Brian Singer
NIU Media Award: Mitch Kazuk
Kenneth Smith Scholarship: Jennifer Beshansky
Donald R. Grubb Scholarship: Eli Gehn
Granville and Eleanor Price Scholarship: Chelsey Boutan
Scripps Newspaper League Scholarship: Kristin Cwynar
John Clogston Memorial Scholarship: Kathryn Minnitti
Northern Illinois Newspaper Association Donald F. Brod Scholarship: Kathleen Finlon
Northern Illinois Newspaper Association Donald R. Grubb Scholarship: Daniel Pritchett
Illinois Journalist of the Year Student Scholarship: Jessica Cabe
Combined Award – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award, Journalism Area Coordinator’s Award, and Communication Department Chair’s Award: Jennifer Irocky
Date posted: May 9, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on Chicago Tribune editor Gerould W. Kern named Illinois Journalist of the Year, students honored
Having a patent pending in two countries is no small feat, and NIU alum Mark Sweeney is part of a venture that has accomplished just that with the Gumbee Cord.
The Gumbee Cord is a tool that can be used by individuals to get a proper stretch. It is a 5-foot-long cord that does not stretch, has a custom adjustable cuff and can be anchored to a wall or door for portability.
Patents for the product are pending in the United States and Europe and is currently being used in colleges, professional baseball teams in Chicago, Cincinnati and Philadelphia, fitness gyms and various other locations.
Every good invention has to come from somewhere.
“It all started back when I was working with the Schaumburg Flyers. I was their athletic trainer,” Sweeney said.
“One of my pitchers, who is my business partner now, Brett Harker, was having some issues with his shoulder. To fix it we really had to stretch out his shoulder to make a gap. What I did was pull on his arm in a specific way to make a gap between where the shoulder socket is and the actual arm bone,” Sweeney added.
NIU alum Mark Sweeney’s Gumbee Cord attaches to a wall or door.
“One day he came up to me to do the stretch with him again, but I was the only athletic trainer for this whole team of 12 pitchers, nine position players and two designated hitters. Since it was one of Harker’s off days, I was working with all the other pitchers. He didn’t want to wait and wanted to do stretch on his own, but I told him he couldn’t. He said, ‘Well, you’re the professional; you figure out a way.’ ”
So he did.
“After about two hours of brainstorming, I came up with a real rough prototype, tested it out, and he ended up loving it. With just that prototype I went from stretching 12 pitchers a day to zero. Everybody told me that I really had to pursue this product,” he said.
“Over the winter and next summer, we had several prototypes made and started looking for a manufacturer for our product. Then we received feedback by testing it in many different areas, including college sports, NFL, MLB and MMA fighters, and that is how we came up with the final product that we have today.”
When talking about the product, Sweeney said he is “confident that the person who is using (the Gumbee Cord) is getting a safe and proper stretch that was once only available from a professional who was trained in stretching another body.”
Similar products exist in the market, but nothing exactly like the Gumbee Cord.
The difference between the Gumbee Cord and similar products is that the Gumbee Cord itself does not stretch; it stretches the user. Also, the cord is not round but cube-shaped. Lastly, the cord has a cuff that can attach to the wrist or ankle and a carbineer that can be hooked to wall mounts or the provided door strap.
Along with the Gumbee Cord, the company also produces posters that demonstrate how to do the stretches with the cord and wall anchors.
Amidst inventing a training tool, Sweeney has also been doing other work in the field.
Since graduation, he has worked as an athletic trainer for a high school, for the Flyers currently for the Wichita Thunder hockey team in Kansas. In the future, Sweeney is looking forward to working as the head athletic trainer for the Wichita Wingnuts, a baseball team also located in Kansas, where Sweeney and his wife, fellow NIU alum Cheryl, currently live.
by Sarah Fraser
Date posted: May 7, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on A real stretch: NIU alum Mark Sweeney’s patent for ‘Gumbee Cord’ pending in two countries
Finding the motivation to get to class can be difficult at times.
Many individuals have experienced the desire to participate and learn in the comfort of their own living spaces.
Some Northern Illinois University students are currently “living the dream,” because NIU now offers a number of classes that meet online either completely or at least for a majority of the time.
The premise of the course is narrow and interesting: How do films portray disabilities, and how does that affect our society?
Movies that involve individuals with disabilities that were shown in the class this semester include “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” “Wait Until Dark,” “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Rory O’Shea was Here,” “Law & Order” (TV series), “Radio,” “Temple Grandin,” “Scent of a Woman,” “The Ringer, “Adam,” “Beeswax” and “The Station Agent.”
Tania Mikula, a student in the class, learned “just how starkly different people with disabilities are in real life than in movies.”
“Movies portray them either super-depressed to where their life is too depressing as a person with disabilities that they have to end it, or they are super-amazing,” she added. “And that is just not true in real life. It is more of a spectrum that has varying levels of severity.”
“It’s been nice to see how the materials in the course have dispelled some myths about disabilities. I’m also taking the opportunity to use the movies to introduce different trends and issues involving disabilities, such as accessibility, independent living, and inclusion,” Chan said. “Finally, I think the course has been very informative for students who have no prior experiences with disabilities.”
He has “liked the online environment quite a bit.”
“The students are participating consistently on the discussion board,” Chan said. “The thing that probably makes them the happiest is that the movies are rentable online, which allows them to work on the course when it’s convenient for them.”
Student Misty Earnest said she has enjoyed the class and its online component: “It’s very easy to navigate, the discussion board is a nice way to share opinions about the films, and let’s face it, not having to drive to campus has been great.”
by Sarah Fraser
Date posted: May 3, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on New online class probes portrayal of disabilities in film, societal impacts of cinematic treatments
URAs will support approximately 15 to 20 students during the fall or spring semesters or the summer term.
Students selected for Undergraduate Research Assistantships are able to work under the guidance of a faculty member in a position that is directly related to their career path and/or academic discipline.
All student applicants will follow the instructions outlined on the URA proposals. Selection faculty will select their student for the URA, and hiring paperwork will be processed through OSEEL.
Adam Lopez, a Mexican-American student at NIU and a Golden Apple Scholar, is an advocate for attaining awareness about one’s history.
That includes one’s familial and cultural roots: People who gain a greater understanding of themselves can better “come together and create positive change,” he says.
Lopez also sees a place for himself and others like him – people of color – in creating that change by becoming teachers.
“Students need good role models that have the same face as they do, and understand their culture and their fears,” he says.
“I was happy to speak at this event, and I was even happier to have my parents attend,” he says. “My speech was about my family and the importance of learning where we come from.”
Outside of being a teacher of color, Lopez believes that increasing one’s awareness about social justice issues in education is crucial to overcoming the challenges that arise when educating a diverse student body.
The Latino population is the fastest growing in the United States. In California, Latino students recently became the majority of the student body.
Yet the question is raised whether the needs of these students are being met across the country, particularly in states where there are large numbers of Latino American students. Illinois is one of these states.
Lopez says he is exasperated by the data. Only an estimated 5 percent of educators are teachers of color.
He also points to the recent banning of a world renowned program, Mexican American Studies (MAS), in Tucson, Ariz. A state law, HB 2281, in part prohibits schools from teaching classes that are designed for students of a particular ethnic group.
Tucson’s actions are a step backward for the strides Latinos, African Americans and other groups of color have worked so hard for in an effort to achieve higher education, he says.
“They had a 93 percent graduation rate!” Lopez says. “Now the city completely banned MAS, so Latino students cannot learn about their history, their literature, people who look like them, writing about things that they are familiar with … I feel like we are going backwards. We still don’t know who we are, where we came from or what our culture did.”
His own transition into college life from secondary education opened those doors.
“Once I got to college, everything came like a wave,” he says. “I had always been interested in history, but I had not known my own history, as a Mexican, until I came to NIU. After I started learning about my own history, I wanted to share this knowledge with younger generations.”
Some of those “missing puzzle pieces” came through his participation in education courses that were infused with components of social justice issues, which aided his understanding of his secondary education experiences.
“The LEPF [Leadership, Educational and Psychology Foundations] program’s inclusion of social justice issues in its courses is impactful and engages students in real life issues relevant to education,” he says.
“In our class, students are required to work in small groups, present in front of the class, create solutions to serious problems affecting the human race, and write critical reflection papers,” says Molly Swick, instructor and doctoral candidate in LEPF. “They are encouraged to critically analyze the world around them. We discuss sensitive social justice issues, including racism, sexism and classism.”
“Adam is easily in the top 5 percent of any student I have had in regards to motivation, leadership and desire to make a difference in education and the world,” Swick says.
“Adam is a really dynamic and engaged student,” adds LEPF assistant professor Joseph Flynn. “(He) works really hard in support of social justice issues.”
When Lopez begins teaching – his graduation is planned for May 2013 – he intends to start a program rooted in ethnic and cultural studies in a school where the majority of the student population is either Latino, African-American or both. Curriculum like the banned MAS program in Tucson is a way to engage students with relevant pedagogy, he says.
He also will continue making use of his awareness and knowledge to aid students of color in seeking higher education.
Working for the Latino Resource Center, he takes students on guided tours of NIU’s campus. He says he enjoys these tours because he gets the opportunity to be a teacher each time.
“The tours are more personal and comfortable for the students,” Lopez says, in comparison to the standard NIU campus tour. “I get an opportunity to talk about what’s going on, and we discuss the resources that are available to them for achieving higher education.”
by Janey Kubly
Date posted: April 20, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on Mexican-American student Adam Lopez voices advocacy for adding social justice to education
“With approximately one in four preschool age children being overweight or obese,” says Paul Wright, an NIU professor in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education, “the promotion of physical activity and outdoor play has gained national attention.”
For the last four years, Wright has been part of a $12 million federal grant program funded by the Office of Head Start. The program, Head Start Body Start (HSBS), promotes physical activity and outdoor play at Head Start programs across the country.
With the $5,000 play space improvement grants HSBS has provided to more than 1,500 Head Start centers nationwide, new equipment has been purchased, natural elements installed, and outdated or unsafe equipment such as rusty slides, broken swings and crumbling sandboxes have been replaced.
Other improvements have included the installation of benches and shaded areas to escape the burning sun, gardens, bells and rain collectors, scooters, wagons and tricycle paths.
In turn, children wanted to use the new equipment and improved play spaces. While doing so, they were able to explore movement and socialize with their peers.
“While they make friends on the playground, the kids are learning valuable skills they don’t even realize like cooperation, teamwork and problem-solving,” Wright said. “These skills exercise their minds and get them ready for school.”
In addition to the outdoor play, HSBS provides resources and consulting to Head Start teachers so they can integrate developmentally appropriate physical activity into the classroom and daily routines.
Wright is a Fulbright Scholar and an internationally recognized expert on physical activity for children. His role in the HSBS program is to assess the implementation and outcomes of the program, especially with regard to the HSBS goal of increasing physical activity.
Additional topics such as the impact on behavior and learning readiness are also being examined this year.
“We’re exploring the connection between physical activity levels and school readiness outcomes such as self-control and the ability to stay on task,” Wright said. “The program has been well received by parents, Head Start administrators, and teachers. So far, data indicates that the program results in increased amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity in the classroom and outdoors.”
Hopefully, this will lay the foundation for a more physically activity lifestyle, which is known to be a key strategy to obesity prevention.
The grant program started in 2008 and will continue until the end of this year. When it is completed, more than 28,000 children will have benefitted from the outdoor improvements. The HSBS program is also under the direction of the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
Wright joined the NIU College of Educationand KNPE team in the fall of 2011. He enjoys working in the university environment and explains, “One of the reasons this job is a great fit for me is my passion for doing research on programs that directly impact people’s lives.”
by Sarah Frazer
Date posted: April 19, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on NIU professor explores ‘Head Start Body Start,’ promotes pre-K physical activity, outdoor play
“It means enhanced visibility, increased opportunity for our graduates, and recognition of our faculty’s leading role in research on motivation, student engagement, STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] teaching and learning and second-language acquisition.”
Jennifer Schmidt, an associate professor in the department, said she is thrilled that the college can offer this program for its students. Schmidt also recognizes what it means for the college and the university.
“This program is important to our students; they feel this degree will allow them to be more competitive in the academic marketplace and that it more accurately reflects the nature of the NIU Education Doctorate Program (Ed.D) that has existed for years,” she said.
“It is the first Ph.D. program in the College of Education, which represents a milestone in college tradition, and it is one of only a handful of advanced degree programs that has been added to the university in recent years.”
The Ph.D. program will prepare students to serve in the field of academia, working as professors or educational researchers.
Jennifer Schmidt
“The program has a strong emphasis on human development, learning, and motivation in multiple contexts but offers flexibility for students to identify a specialized area of interest,” Schmidt said. “The program provides students with highly accessible faculty, engaging coursework and opportunities to assist faculty on externally funded research projects.”
The transition from the Ed.D. program to the Ph.D. program already has taken place.
Faculty and staff began the process years ago by reviewing the Ed.D. program for educational psychology and aligning its requirements with those of Ph.D. programs in comparable institutions. The changes have been in effect for three years while the department awaited approval for the doctoral program title.
All entering students, as well as current students graduating in fall 2012 or later, will be eligible to receive the degree if they meet its requirements.
“This program is the result of countless hours of faculty planning, data analysis, and report-writing,” Howell said. “Beginning with Dr. Jean Pierce in 2006, faculty members in Educational Psychology have worked assiduously to update the doctoral curriculum, raise standards for student performance, expand external funding and increase financial support available for full-time students.”
“The faculty is hopeful that the switch will be a draw for highly talented students and that we will be able to increase the number of students we can support for full time study,” Schmidt added.
by Janey Kubly
Date posted: April 16, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on College of Ed receives state approval to begin offering Ph.D. degree in educational psychology
The program debuted in 2010 with a cohort of 16 students from around the nation. Twenty-six students are able to be involved this year, including Stacy Jena and Bryan Moles from NIU.
“It provides an opportunity like none other,” Jena said, “and I am very thankful that Dr. Kapperman encouraged us (NIU vision students) to check it out.”
Connecting passionate education students with the resources and knowledge they will need to succeed in helping students who are blind is the goal of the program.
The program includes interactive workshops, mentoring opportunities, teaching opportunities, professional development, advocacy and an abundance of resources they can use.
Workshops will allow the education students to learn new technologies, meet with individuals who are blind who want to share their life experiences, and advocate for issues with NFB in Washington, D.C.
Mentors such as a current teacher of blind students, an adult who is blind or a parent of a child who is blind will ensure the students in the program get a first-hand perspective.
Students will be involved in the program over the course of the year, attending workshops over various weekends all across the country while still taking classes at their respective colleges and universities.
Jena is able “to travel to Baltimore, Md., Washington, D.C., Dallas, Texas, and Ruston, La. I am most excited to go to Dallas and Ruston because they are new cities to me, and I will have opportunities to make connections that I could not get without this program.”
Stacy Jena
Jena and Moles are working toward their master’s degrees in the Special Education Visual Disabilities program with an emphasis on both Orientation and Mobility and Teacher of Visually Impaired.
Choosing NIU was easy for them because they had heard of the great reputation of the Visual Disabilities program.
The program’s “incredibly impressive financial support was a huge boon as well,” Moles added. “I wanted to learn how Dr. Kapperman and the Vision Department had all these grants and how I could learn to do it myself.”
After admittance into the program, they still agree that it is exceptional and provides support and a sense of community.
“My professors and teachers work hard to foster a sense of community and professional collectivism between not only our cohorts but with them as well,” Moles said. “There is no doubt in any of our minds that the entire department is very much invested in our education and professional development.”
Jena’s NIU career has been influenced by Sharon Wyland, her undergraduate adviser: “[She] always encouraged me to keep going and never to lose sight of what I wanted to do.”
Both students want to teach and positively affect students’ lives.
Along with working in the Chicago Public Schools, Moles would like to spend summer “working in Kyrgyzstan, where I volunteered with the Peace Corps for two years. We have some pretty big dreams we are going to try and make happen.”
Kyrgyzstan is where Moles first discovered his desire to pursue a degree in visual impairment education.
“It was, honestly, a life-changing experience that eludes any attempt to define it in words. Four days a week I worked with my counterparts from the local villages to run lessons from 5th grade through 11th. The classrooms didn’t have much, but we figured out what we could,” he said.
“In the afternoons two or three days a week I would head into Osh, the nearest city, to the neighborhood where the residential school for the blind was housed in a converted kindergarten building. This was my first experience working with students with visual impairments,” he added. “The teachers at the school had not had any formal education on what to do, either; we had to figure out what worked and what didn’t through trial and error. Most days it was a great experience, but I have to admit that some days it was hard figuring everything out, on top of the language barriers.”
Moles has high hopes that his NIU degree, in combination with the Teacher of Tomorrow program, will enable him to help students both in Kyrgyzstan and the United States.
“I hope to create more enrichment opportunities for students with visual impairments. These experiences prove invaluable in the education process and cultivate a thirst for knowledge,” he said.
“No one organization or pedagogical philosophy has everything ‘right’ so it is important to educate yourself from a variety of theories and from that pick what you want to use.”
Jena looks forward to the “experiences that I cannot get in the classroom. I will have hands-on opportunities to interact with students, parents, and professionals who are visually impaired.”
She already has experienced one workshop, where she used a chainsaw while blindfolded. “IT was much easier and less frightening than I thought it would be,” she said.
by Sarah Fraser
Date posted: April 12, 2012 | Author: Jennice O'Brien | Comments Off on National Federation of the Blind program offers resources to pair of NIU ‘teachers of tomorrow’
Three thousand miles.
