August 2012
Washington Monthly Ranks SIUE Among The Top 50 In The Country Third Year in a Row
For the third-consecutive year, national magazine Washington Monthly has ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville among the Top 50 out of the 682 master's universities in the nation. SIUE came in 25th among public institutions on that list. Unlike conventional college rankings, Washington Monthly evaluates an institution's "contribution to the public good" in three broad categories: Social Mobility - recruiting and graduating low-income students; Research - producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s; and Service - encouraging students to give something back to their country.
" Washington Monthly's consistent recognition of the opportunities that our talented faculty and staff provide students, along with our students' strong commitment to community service, is a source of pride for everyone," said SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe. "We follow through on our mission to not only create a high-quality, energized academic environment, but also encourage students to be highly engaged, productive citizens."
Washington Monthly ranked SIUE 49th overall, nationally, among its Top 50 Master's Universities category, which includes public and private institutions. SIUE maintained its No. 6 ranking in expenditures for research, having invested nearly $32 million in research and public service projects in fiscal year 2010. This investment allows a significant number of SIUE students at the graduate and undergraduate levels the opportunity to participate in research projects in their fields of study.
Under the service sub-category, SIUE was ranked eighth in the percent of federal work study funds dedicated to students employed in community service programs.
In March, SIUE also was named by the Corporation for National and Community Service to the annual President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll - with distinction - a list of colleges and universities demonstrating a commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. SIUE students have many opportunities to work on service projects throughout the year through the University's Kimmel Leadership Development Center.
SIUE Pedals Its Way To Sustainability
Riding a bike is a good source of eco-friendly exercise and transportation. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Bike Share program capitalizes on these benefits, offering students, faculty and staff members the chance to explore campus and area trails in a fun, efficient way. The campus bike share program offers an alternative to using motorized vehicles, said SIUE Campus Sustainability Officer Kevin Adkins. And more importantly, the biking program ultimately develops an increased reliance on non-carbon modes of transportation.
"Bicycling engages students with the outdoors and the community at-large," Adkins said. "Furthermore, cycling is a wonderful way to combine fitness, recreation and transportation."
The program affords those who do not own bicycles the opportunity to explore the campus and community. To learn more about the Bike Share program, visit the Sustainability website at www.siue.edu/sustainability. To participate in the program, an application must be filled out online. After an application is approved, bikes can be checked out at the Student Fitness center but must be returned the same day.
SIUE is connected to over 100 miles of bike trails that provide ample opportunity for recreation and exploring. The Delyte Morris Trail, a scenic 2.8 mile route that meanders through campus, was part of the University's original plan when it was formed in the early 1960's. The trail is strung together from railroad right-of-ways and the old Inter-Urban trolley route.
University police patrol the trail, and the University provides maintenance to keep the trail free of debris and useable for recreational purposes. Collaborative efforts among Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Madison County Transit (MCT) and SIUE provide for continuous improvements to the bike trails.
"We think the network of bike and hiking trails is an outstanding feature of SIUE," said Vice Chancellor for Administration Kenn Neher. "We're actively seeking grants and cooperative agreements to improve them."
The Morris Trail connects to the MCT Trail System and to Edwardsville. "There are so many bike trails in the Edwardsville community, and the scenery is just beautiful," said Amy Gardiner, an SIUE senior from Belleville who is a member of the Student Organization for Sustainability (SOS.) "SIUE's free bike share program for students is a great way to get some exercise and be sustainable at the same time."
The Bike Share program was launched on Earth Day, April 22, 2010, along with the University's Sustainability website. The industrial, American- made bikes were purchased from Worksman Cycles. Students assembled the bikes on campus during the 2010 Spring Break. The bikes are safe and durable.
The mission of the bike share program is to encourage a culture shift in SIUE students, faculty and staff toward increased reliance on non-carbon modes of transportation.
The SIUE Bike Share program received national attention when it was highlighted in the Sept. 9, 2010 issue of USA Today. The article, "Bike-sharing programs spin across U.S. campuses," discussed how bike share programs were becoming part of sustainability initiatives at universities across the country. SIUE is one of more than 90 campus bike share programs across the nation that are members of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
Image Caption: German students, of the SIUE Study Abroad program, take a ride in Edwardsville, courtesy of the University's Bike Share program.
School of Engineering Faculty Appearances on Charter Communications
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering faculty has twice been featured on Charter Communications "Conversation with Lee Presser" within the past few months. During the week of Aug. 27, Dennis Bouvier, PhD., who is an associate professor and acting chair of the Department of Computer Science, appeared with Presser and discussed Cyberwar.
View the interview on YouTube.
Andy Lozowski, PhD., associate professor of electrical and computer engineering discussed solar energy and battery technology with Presser in April.
View the interview on YouTube.
"Conversation with Lee Presser" is a half-hour television interview program that has been aired in St. Louis and southwestern Illinois for eleven years.
SIUE'S Evrensel To Be Featured On Lee Presser Show
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business Associate Professor of Economics and Finance Ayse Y. Evrensel, Ph.D., will appear during an interview with Lee Presser at 7 p.m. Sunday, September 9 on Charter Cable Channel 18 in the Metro-East.
Presser's television show, "Conversation with Lee Presser," also is available on his YouTube Channel.
Evrensel will discuss the "Gold Standard and the Bretton Woods Conference," which was the post-World War II economic framework summit that took place at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. A total of 730 delegates from 44 Allied nations attended the conference over a three-week period. The conference established a system of rules, institutions and procedures to regulate the international monetary system.
"The relevance of the Bretton Woods conference in 1944 lies in the fact that it aimed to restore some kind of a metallic standard after World War II," said Evrensel.
Evrensel has published articles about the Bretton Woods and post-Bretton Woods exchange rate regimes, the effectiveness of International Monetary Fund (IMF) stabilization programs in developing countries and the effects on financial markets.
"It was a pleasure to be on Mr. Presser's program, which focuses on a wide variety of important issues that are rarely discussed elsewhere in detail," Evrensel said.
"Conversation with Lee Presser" is a weekly half -hour television program in the St. Louis market on Charter Cable TV. For the past 11 years, Presser has been interviewing different people in the St. Louis region on important regional and global topics. In 1975, Presser earned a master's in international business from the SIUE School of Business.
School of Nursing Announces Alumni Heritage Scholarship 5k Run/Leisure Walk
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing will host its 6th Alumni Heritage Scholarship 5K Run and Leisure Walk on Saturday, September 22, at 9 a.m. Participants can choose a one-mile walk or 5K run along the beautiful SIUE campus pathways. Race day registration and check-in are from 7 a.m.-8:30 a.m. at the northwest corner of Alumni Hall. The race will be timed by Metro Milers and all proceeds from this event will benefit the School of Nursing Alumni Heritage Scholarship.
The Nursing Alumni Heritage Scholarship is awarded annually to four nursing students who maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average and demonstrate a need for financial assistance. This scholarship helps nursing students by providing financial support to deserving students.
Entry fees are $20 for pre-registered adults and $15 for pre-registered SIUE students and participants 18-and-under. The entry fee is $25 for those who register day of the event. Runners and walkers will receive a continental breakfast and an event t-shirt. Awards will be given to the top two male and female finishers in each age group for the 5k Run.
Pre-registration deadline is Sept. 7. To be guaranteed an event t-shirt, pre-registration is encouraged. To receive more information and to register for the event, visit www.siue.edu/nursing/scholarship-walk.shtml or contact Kris Heather at 618-650-2551.
ERTC Featured in September Edition of Treatment Plant Operator
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC) Director Paul Shetley and Program Director Rick Lallish are interviewed in the September edition of Treatment Plant Operator. Shetley and Lallish talked about their training program and the pilot plant in the TPO interview.
Prospective and experienced operators at ERTC get to experience genuine plant upsets as part of their training. That's because the water quality control operator training program includes use of a training-scale activated sludge treatment plant. It gives operators the ultimate in hands-on practice in a controlled environment where a plant upset poses no risk to receiving waters.
Read the entire interview in TPO's " Real World Practice."
Reed Cole Appointed to Local Komen For The Cure Board of Directors
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Senior Associate General Counsel Phyleccia Reed Cole is one of three new members of the St. Louis affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Komen St. Louis affiliate's mission is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.
Reed Cole has worked as an attorney for the SIU system since 2007. Read more at STLToday.com.
SIUE Chancellor and Edwardsville Mayor Highlight Merchants Fair
Edwardsville Mayor Gary Niebur and SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe handed out Dairy Queen Blizzards to a crowd of students, faculty and staff during Welcome Week.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe and Edwardsville Mayor Gary Niebur served ice cream to students at noon today during the annual Merchant's Fair in the Morris University Center as Welcome Week activities continued on the SIUE campus. Earlier in the morning, Furst-Bowe joined the students in pledging her commitment to the We Are One, We Are the "e" campaign.
"This is a wonderful way to kick off the new academic year and a great opportunity for us to encourage our students to 'keep calm and study on,'" said Furst-Bowe flanked by Niebur in the Morris University Center Goshen Lounge. The "Keep calm and study on" was the theme for this year's Welcome Week and the message displayed on 1,000 T-shirts that were handed out at the event.
During the noon hour, the chancellor and the mayor served more than 800 six-ounce Dairy Queen Blizzards in Oreo and cookie dough flavors to students, faculty and staff members who lined up in anticipation.
SIUE Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Narbeth Emmanuel and Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe hold a signed copy of the University's We Are One, We Are the "e" pledge.
"I'm honored the chancellor was kind enough to invite me to be here with you today so that I, too, can welcome you all to this fine University," said Niebur. As a token of his appreciation, he gave Furst-Bowe a key to the city of Edwardsville.
Those who took part in the event checked out vendor booths featuring community businesses who advertised their products and services in fun, entertaining ways through giveaways and prize drawings.
The students agreed the event was a way to help them feel connected to the campus and the surrounding community. "I'm from Chicago, and I'm meeting a lot of people," said freshman Jeremy Huckleby, who is interested in majoring in pharmacy. "I love this. It brings a lot of people together, and the Chancellor is the one who gave me my ice cream. This is a nice event."
SIUE employees hand out T-shirts on Wednesday in the Morris University Center on campus during the annual Welcome Week festivities.
Freshman Austin Miller, who plans to major in physics, reiterated: "I think this event brings everyone into the MUC, and people are able to get the information they need to get involved. I've made some connections here today, and it's been helpful."Current students also enjoyed the festivities: "Ice cream is always a favorite of mine, and this is a good way to welcome students," said Mir Ali, a graduate student majoring in electrical engineering. "This is a good idea to expose new students to what's available on campus and in Edwardsville."
From left, SIUE Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Edwardsville Mayor Gary Niebur and SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe share a laugh during Welcome Week festivities in the Morris University Center's Goshen Lounge.
The event is more than a social opportunity according to SIUE Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Narbeth Emmanuel. The We Are One, We Are the "e"campaign is a campus initiative to celebrate differences of the SIUE community and showcase the campus as a safe and welcoming place for students, faculty, staff and visitors, he said. The campaign's goal is to cultivate a community of citizens dedicated to enrichment through encouraging race and international relations, as well as socioeconomic, sexual orientation, disability, and age diversity on campus.
"As global citizens and members of the SIUE community, we have a responsibility to respect and support fellow students, no matter what their backgrounds," Emmanuel said. "We must work together to eliminate any form of injustice, oppression or violence."
Freshmen Experience Values of SIUE
Pulling weeds from around tombstones at Greenwood Cemetery in St. Louis and picking up debris along the downtown streets of East St. Louis was a good way for incoming freshmen to take part in some of the values that make up Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
More than 500 freshmen participated in the service project portion of The SIUE Experience last weekend, according to Kara Shustrin, program specialist in the Student Affairs Office of the Vice Chancellor.
"Those who were involved in the service project were overwhelmingly positive about The Experience," said Shustrin. "They were tired, but said it felt good to go out and help the community."
This was the first year that the University showcased The SIUE Experience, geared to increase freshmen success and retention. The four-day Experience was also designed to help students connect with each other and the University, and to introduce them to the University's values, which are citizenship, excellence, integrity, openness and wisdom.
Last week, the University greeted more than 2,000 freshmen onto campus. To begin, students moved in on Thursday. They heard a welcome address from SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe Friday morning and attended a men's soccer game that night. They participated in several service projects in the area on Saturday and attended a women's soccer game and toured the campus on Sunday.
SIUE's welcome activities also included opportunities for mentoring. About 65 upperclassmen volunteered to be Cougar Guides and interacted with the freshmen. The upperclassmen also serve as resource contacts for freshmen throughout the year.
A University planning committee, which was comprised of representatives from the offices of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, worked for more than a year in planning The SIUE Experience. Shustrin was co-chair with Zenia Agustin, director of General Education in Office of the Provost. Coordinating the service project portion of The SIUE Experience were Sarah Laux, assistant director of Civic Engagement at the Kimmel Leadership Center; Andrew Theising, associate professor in political science and director of the Institute for Urban Research (IUR); and Patience Ferry, history graduate student in IUR.
Other clean-up and beautification projects in East St. Louis were located throughout the city in partnership with the East St. Louis City Mayor's Office, at the home of the late world-renowned dancer and social activist Katherine Dunham, and at the Eagle's Nest Shelter for veterans."Anytime students are involved in any kind of service project, it helps them to develop personally," said Laux. "This is where some real learning can begin. I think the service projects and the entire SIUE Experience were well received by the students."
Caption Image: Students link together to form a bonding exercise at Playfair during The SIUE Experience
SIUE Sigma Tau Gamma Chapter Wins National Awards
The Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is only two years old and already has established itself nationally.
The chapter recently won the Emmett Ellis Chapter Scholarship Award and placed runner-up for the Edward H. McCune Distinguished Chapter Award at the 45th Grand Chapter in Washington, D.C.
Named for Dr. Emmett Ellis, the award is given to the chapter which has achieved intellectual excellence. Ellis is a math professor and a founder of the fraternity. SIUE's Sigma Tau Gammas have a 3.08 accumulative grade point average (GPA), which is the highest nationwide, said Josh Menacher, president of the Epsilon Sigma Chapter.
"We work hard because we know that our education, and not just our grades, is vital," said Menacher, a junior who is studying bio-medical science and political science with plans to go into health and corporate law.
The SIUE fraternity also came in as runner-up for the Edward H. McCune Distinguished Chapter Award. Chapters are judged for how many points they score on a 110-point scale. Sigma Tau Gamma received all 100 points.
Fraternities were judged on several categories, including recruitment, grade point average and community service. The award is named in honor of McCune, the fourth national president of Sigma Tau Gamma and a founder of the fraternity.
In addition, the men of Epsilon Sigma Chapter nominated SIUE Senior Kristee Elliott to be the Sigma Tau Gamma National White Rose Sweetheart. Elliott, an elementary education major with a 3.95 GPA, won the title and was crowned at the fraternity's Principle of Leadership Annual Awards Banquet in Washington, D.C. Elliott will serve as the Epsilon Sigma Chapter's official hostess throughout the year.
Elliott is the president of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority chapter at SIUE and is a member of both the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Kappa Delta Pi Honors Society.
The Epsilon Sigma Chapter was chartered in March 30, 2010, and has 36 members. It is the newest chapter in Sigma Tau Gamma. "I am extremely proud to be associated with this group," said Bill Searcy, associate professor in Curriculum and Instruction and Epsilon Sigma Chapter advisor. "They are fun loving guys, but academics is their first priority. They represent both the University and their national fraternity of Sigma Tau Gamma quite well."
Sigma Tau Gamma is a national college Fraternity founded in 1920 by veterans of the First World War. The fraternity's mission involves promoting the highest ideas of manhood, brotherhood and citizenship within its members. Members also dedicate themselves to a Path of Principles, Value, Learning, Leadership, Excellence, Benefit and Integrity. For more information about the fraternity, visit Sigma Tau Gamma.
13th Annual Block Party Unites SIUE Students and Edwardsville
The sounds of rock music, the aroma of hot dogs and funnel cakes, and the playful laughter of children and students will be on tap starting at 6 p.m. Friday, August 24, when Southern Illinois University Edwardsville welcomes students back with its 13th Annual Block Party.
Each year, the University and the city of Edwardsville host the event, which runs until midnight, at the intersection of Second and St. Louis streets in Edwardsville's downtown. SIUE students, faculty and staff, and the community are invited to attend the party with no admission charge.
"This event is a great way to introduce new and returning students to the Edwardsville community," said Michelle Welter, associate director of the Kimmel Leadership Center. "We want our students to learn all of the amazing restaurants and businesses that Edwardsville has to offer. This event is a great way to showcase Edwardsville's best and to help our students become familiar with downtown Edwardsville."
This year's band is a local favorite: The Smash Band, which features front man Smash from St. Louis radio station KSHE 95. Smash Band plays music from the 60's through today. A deejay will entertain from 6-8 p.m. before the Smash Band rocks the stage from 8 p.m. to closing.
Partygoers will enjoy several inflatables, including a giant slide and a bounce house. A favorite from years ago, a rock wall, also will be among the entertaining equipment featured. Carnival games, spin art and air brush tattoos will round out the amusement.
Food vendors will line the downtown streets, along with many non-food vendors offering products, services and information.
The Block Party has grown since it began in 2000, with about 3,500 people attending last year. This year, Welter is expecting about the same numbers, if not more.
The event is sponsored by the city of Edwardsville, SIUE, Best Buy, the Edwardsville Intelligencer, the SIUE Campus Activities Board and Student Government, the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, SIUE Marketing and Communications, and SIUE University Relations.
SIUE Chancellor Furst-Bowe Welcomes Class of 2016
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe welcomed the incoming freshman class this morning at the Vadalabene Center on the SIUE campus. More than 2,000 freshmen filled the VC's lower bowl as they were presented to the University's leadership team.
Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Anne Boyle introduced the vice chancellors, deans and constituency heads seated on the dais before presenting Furst-Bowe for her first formal address to the students. Chosen as SIUE's eighth chancellor in March, Furst-Bowe began her tenure on the Edwardsville campus in July.
"Today's convocation is the first formal academic celebration, conducted at the collegiate level, in your honor," Furst-Bowe said. "As the new chancellor of SIUE, I'm looking forward to beginning this academic year with you. And there's good reason to be excited! We have all chosen a premier Metropolitan University that continues to be recognized for excellence.
"You are about to enter a very unique time in your lives," Furst-Bowe advised. "Yes, you will face the challenges involved in writing papers, studying for exams, preparing lab reports, exhibitions, performances and the list goes on. But you will have the most time and freedom ever to reflect on who you are, your values, the goals of your life and your relationships. The ways in which you spend these years will greatly affect your future."
Furst-Bowe closed with a quote from Katherine Dunham, one of SIUE's distinguished emerita professors, who once said, "I always believed that if you set out to be successful, then you already were."
Other speakers, in order of appearance, included:
- Student Body President Erik Zimmerman, who provided advice and guidance on building a foundation for success at SIUE.
- Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Nobby Emmanuel, who led a spirited "Go Cougars" cheer and encouraged students to adopt SIUE's culture of openness.
- Director of Alumni Affairs Steve Jankowski, who emphasized SIUE's networking opportunities through its strong alumni base.
During his address, Emmanuel presented The Rising Sophomore Award to three individuals. The award recognizes overall excellence in a student's academic and co-curricular achievements at SIUE. The qualifications include completing his/her first year at SIUE with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average and carrying at least 12 credit hours per semester. The recipients of the award not only demonstrate academic excellence, but also engagement in University, community and volunteer activities.
The Rising Sophomore Award recipients were: Olivia Parker from Maryland Heights, Mo.; Jennifer Crull, from Champaign, Ill.; and Han Nguyen, who moved to the U.S. approximately two years ago from Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
Boyle presented the annual Guiding Excellence Awards to four outstanding guidance counselors who have demonstrated excellence in their profession and have earned the recognition from the students they serve: Jason Corey from Collinsville High School; Tim Gillard from Christian Brothers College High School; Julie Kampschroeder from Pattonville High School; and Sarah Triplet from Camp Point Central High School. Recipients Aurora Diaz from Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy and Tami Williams from Alton High School were unable to attend.
Following a stirring rendition of the alma mater by music graduate student Emily Ottwein,students were given directions for participating in the weekend's community service portion of the SIUE Experience. The new freshmen then left the VC in an upbeat mood as pop star Katy Perry's "Firework" played in the background.
Thousands Of Freshmen Pour Onto Campus To Experience SIUE
Approximately 2,000 fresh, new, eager faces could be seen across the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville today.
That is because the University welcomed SIUE's Class of 2016 onto its beautiful grounds.
The freshmen were selected from more than 10,000 applicants, and the students came from varying locations and backgrounds. About 33 percent of the class calls the local region home, while more than 20 percent are from Chicago. Another 30 percent come from the rest of Illinois, which stretches from Rockford to Springfield to Cairo.
The diversity of the Class of 2016 breaks down to about 30 percent from cultural or ethnic backgrounds other than Caucasian, and nearly one-quarter of the class are the first in their family to attend college. More than one-third of the freshmen expressed an interest in majors related to health care and pre-professional health. Almost 15 percent will pursue interests in SIUE's School of Engineering, while another 14 percent are focused on programs in The School of Business.
In addition, 12 percent plan on exploring opportunities in the School of Education, and more than 25 percent of the class will pursue programs of study housed in the College of Arts and Sciences.
More than one-quarter of the class has earned an SIUE merit scholarship, based on their academic performance in high school and their potential to contribute to the academic community. Among them are 20 Meridian Scholars and more than 500 Cougar Pride, Johnetta Haley, and GEO or Premier awardees.
Premier Journal Seeks Out SIUE Pharmacy Professor For Editorial Board
Therese I. Poirier, PharmD, is known for her extensive and innovative teaching and writing abilities in the field of pharmacy. So while it is an honor, it is no surprise that the country's premier pharmacy education journal asked the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy associate dean for education and academics to serve on its editorial board.
Poirier was recently named as one of the nine new people to serve on the 23-member editorial board of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, which consists of pharmacy faculty members throughout the country, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Malaysia. She will serve a three-year term.
The Journal is the official scholarly publication of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). The publication serves to advance pharmaceutical education in the U.S. and abroad. The acceptance rate of submitted manuscripts to the Journal is 52 percent. The Journal publishes 10 issues a year and has more than 26,000 hits a month to its website.
Her experience and quality of work in pharmacy education for more than 32 years may be the reason Journal editor Joseph DiPiro selected her from the various nominations. Poirier was nominated by SIUE School of Pharmacy Dean Gireesh Gupchup.
"I am honored to be selected to serve and humbled that the academic profession has recognized my scholarly contributions in the area of curricular innovations," said Poirier, who holds the following degrees and classifications: PharmD, MPH, BCPS, FASHP and FCCP.
Poirier began writing for the Journal in 1982 and her article, "An Integrated Approach to Teaching Biochemistry for Pharmacy Students," was ground breaking at its time. In 2004, she was the lead author for the article, "Guidelines for Manuscripts Describing Instruction Design or Assessment: The Ideas Format." The purpose of the paper was to enhance the quality of manuscripts submitted to the Journal. Poirier and her co-authors updated the article in 2009. According to the Journal editor, Poirier's paper is significantly improving instructional design articles that are published.
As an editorial board member, some of Poirier's duties will include serving as a reviewer of manuscripts, advising on themes and suggesting authors for supplemental issues, providing suggestions on increasing readership and writing at least one editorial on a topic of her choosing.
School of Pharmacy
Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum balances education, research, service and patient care. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is addressing the growing need for well-trained pharmacists in a career field that is experiencing rapid and dramatic growth.
American Chemical Society Honors SIUE Science Professor
The fundamental research of Leah C. O'Brien, professor in Physical Chemistry at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been critical to the scientific community. O'Brien's ongoing research has provided her peers with diagnostic information that can assist in scientific exploration.
O'Brien's long history of research is among the accomplishments that captured the attention of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and led to her selection as a member of its highly prestigious 2012 Class of Fellows. Colleagues nominate ACS Fellows based on the candidate's extraordinary achievements and contributions to the sciences and for providing excellent volunteer service to ACS.
A special ceremony will be held for the 2012 ACS Fellows from 1:30-4:00 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20 during the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia.
"I absolutely enjoy my work here at SIUE, and I love being a professor," said O'Brien, "I like all aspects of being a professor, which is teaching, research, and for me, working with the ACS."
O'Brien has conducted research at SIUE since first coming to the University in 1990. She likes to use SIUE students to help with research projects, because it gives them unique and vital experience. Her research deals with information on how certain molecules bond.
"Leah's research activities are truly at the very highest level in her field of study in high resolution spectroscopy of gas phase, metal-containing radicals," wrote Dr. Robert Dixon, former chair, SIUE Department of Chemistry, in his nomination letter to the ACS.
O'Brien recently received SIUE's 2012 Hoppe Research Professor Award. The Hoppe Research Professor Awards recognized faculty members whose research or creative activities have the promise of making significant contributions to their field of study.
Some other accomplishments over the course of O'Brien's almost 30-year science career includes receiving more than $1 million in external grant awards, having more than 50 articles published in prominent science journals and making more than 100 presentations at regional, national and international conferences. In addition, O'Brien has won SIUE's Distinguished Research Award, Vaughnie Lindsay Research Award and the Paul Simon Research-Scholar Award.
The ACS also selected O'Brien based on her volunteer work for the organization. She is chair of the ACS Midwest Region Board of Directors and, since 2003, the coordinator for the Midwest Award Symposium. Previously, O'Brien was the general chair of the 2011 Joint Midwest-Great Lakes Regional Meeting.
"I am proud of the national recognition this position has brought to me and to SIUE," said O'Brien. "It's also important for me to be a role model and inspire others to learn and achieve."
To find out more information visit 2012 ACS Fellows.
SIUE/SLU MS Research Study Looking For Participants
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Lecturer and Fellow Dr. Pamela Newland is searching for participants to take part in a study about relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
Newland, RN, PhD, who is with the primary care/health systems nursing department at SIUE is working closely with Dr. Florian P. Thomas from Saint Louis University/St. Louis Veterans Affairs MS Center of Excellence to conduct a research study examining the symptoms of those living with MS in the greater St. Louis area. The purpose of this study is to show if certain symptoms of MS tend to occur together. The results may offer information for future ways to reduce or control symptoms. This collaboration is supported by the Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Those eligible to take part in the study include:
• Individuals between the ages of 18-70
• Those having relapsing-remitting MS
• Individuals who do not also have diabetes
Requirements of the study include completing questionnaires that will take about an hour and a half. The study will be held at Saint Louis University or John Cochran Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Participation in the study does not impact your medical care. Volunteer participants will be compensated.
For more information, contact Pamela Newland, (618) 650-2972 or pnewlan@siue.edu.
SIUE Pharmacy Student Wants To Help Connect Pharmacy Students
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville pharmacy student Ryan Birk was recently named to a national student committee of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
As chair of the Community and e Communications Advisory Group, Birk and his committee will work to encourage more students to participate in ASHP. A total of 12 students from colleges and universities across the country were selected to serve on the advisory group.
"This committee exists to connect student pharmacists across the nation," Birk said. "One way of achieving that goal is by connecting them with instructors, mentors and pharmacists in different areas of hospital pharmacy."
To realize this objective, Birk said the committee will seek to increase student participation and engagement with ASHP Connect. ASHP Connect is a communication, information and resource tool for pharmacy students, instructors and practitioners.
Birk has had previous leadership experience with several pharmacy groups. Some positions he has held include chair of the Student Representative Council; president of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA ASP); member of the Pharmacy Advisory Board at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, student director of the Illinois Pharmacist Association and member-at-large of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) National StuNet Advisory Committee.
"Pharmacy is a dynamic profession, Birk said. "No one realizes a pharmacist's true impact on patient care. The Doctor of Pharmacy degree allows individuals a large range of career paths and gives the flexibility to focus on what interests them. I chose SIUE because of the faculty members. They are energetic and willing to help their students succeed."
Birk, PharmD candidate of Waterloo, expects to graduate in 2013.
School of Pharmacy
Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum balances education, research, service and patient care. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is addressing the growing need for well-trained pharmacists in a career field that is experiencing rapid and dramatic growth.
SIUE Runner-up at Bass Championship Qualifier
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville club team of Jacob Hicks of Morris, Ill., and Joseph Tischer of Edwardsville finished second at the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Conference event on the Mississippi River Saturday in La Crosse, Wis. The duo landed three bass that weighed, 10 pounds, 7 ounces and earned $1,500 for their SIUE club. They will advance to the Central Conference Championship September 6-8 at Lake Carlyle, Ill.
"We were extremely happy with our performance," Hicks said. "Our plan was to do something different than the rest of the field, so we went deep and offshore while most of the other teams were in shallow grass. This paid off big when we caught a 4-1/2 pound small mouth bass. Our teamwork contributed the most to our success. We work so well together in the boat."
Indiana University barely edged the SIUE team with three bass weighing 10 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned the IU team $5,000. The other three teams advancing to the Central Conference Championship included: Marian University (three bass, 9-9, $1,000) in third; Eastern Illinois University (three bass, 9-3, $1,000) in fourth; and Kansas State University (three bass, 9-3, $1,000) rounding out the top five.
Earlier in the spring, two other SIUE club teams qualified. Zach Hartnagel of Edwardsville and Brian Gass of O' Fallon, Ill., won the tournament on Lake Shelbyville. Meanwhile Brad LeMasters and Justin Skinner qualified at the Table Rock Lake event by finishing fourth. As a result, SIUE will have three teams participating in the September championship at Lake Carlyle.
"Zach, Brian, Brad and Justin are all good fishermen and will be some good competition," Hicks said. "But nothing would be cooler than to see all six of us make it to nationals. We're all friends off the water, but we might be playing our cards a little closer to our chests for this tournament. Not only do we have good competition from our school, but there are 17 other teams that want it just as bad as we do. It should result in three good days of fishing."
"Our preparation will consist of basically time on the water, plain and simple" Hicks said. "Our school has a great advantage because Carlyle is so close, and we will be able to spend some time on the water."
Four regular-season qualifying events are held in each conference - Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southern and Western. The top five teams from each qualifying tournament will advance to one of five televised three-day National Guard FLW College Fishing Conference Championships, where the first-place team wins a Ranger 177TR bass boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard. The top five teams from each conference championship advance to the national championship, where the first-place team wins $25,000 for their school and $50,000 cash plus a Ranger 177TR bass boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard for their fishing club.
College Fishing is free to enter and FLW provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
ASPE Honors SIUE Pharmacy Professor For Work In Pain Education
From where Chris Herndon sits, he doesn't completely see why he was selected to receive his most recent honor. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy associate professor just acknowledges his passion for and commitment to advancing the learning, understanding and development of pain education.
But the American Society of Pain Educators (ASPE) knows excellence when they see it, which is why they named Herndon, as its Academic Pain Educator of the Year.
"I'm extremely flattered, although I can think of so many other deserving individuals," said Herndon, PharmD.
Herndon's accomplishments in the field of pain education do set him apart. The pharmacy associate professor holds the distinction of being an ASPE Certified Pain Educator. Herndon is one of just a few, if not the only, certified pain educator in the Metro East.
"A pain educator is a healthcare professional who provides education about pain assessment, evaluation and management within a clinical practice or via formal presentations and direct contact with other healthcare professionals and/or patients," according to the ASPE's website. "Pain educators practice in a wide range of healthcare settings and focus on transferring knowledge to and teaching others about pain." Certification is awarded following eligibility criteria review and examination.
Herndon's work in pain management has also earned praise from the ASPE Board President, Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, BCPS, FASPE, CPE. "We are very pleased to be presenting the ASPE Academic Pain Educator of the Year Award to Chris Herndon," McPherson said. "He has demonstrated motivation, vision and commitment toward the ASPE and to the dissemination of exemplary pain education." Herndon will receive his award at the ASPE's PAINWeek on September 5 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Herndon's area of expertise is pain and palliative care. He created and teaches a popular class in pain and palliative care for the SIUE School of Pharmacy. Herndon's teaching and lecturing extends well past SIUE's campus, as he is a sought after speaker across the country and outside the U.S.
Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pain Consortium selected SIUE among 12 institutions designated as Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPEs). Herndon led the grant application to develop a multi-campus, inter-professional pain course for the region.
"I'd like people to think of SIUE when they think of pain education for health professionals in the metro-St. Louis region," Herndon said.
School of Pharmacy
Dedicated to developing a community of caring pharmacists, the SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum balances education, research, service and patient care. As the only downstate Illinois pharmacy doctorate program, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is addressing the growing need for well-trained pharmacists in a career field that is experiencing rapid and dramatic growth.
NCAA Grants SIUE Full D-I Certification
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Athletics leaped over its final hurdle, as SIUE learned today it is now fully certified at the Division I level by the NCAA. The NCAA Executive Committee voted to approve SIUE's full certification and sent SIUE notification of its new status.
"Seeking and achieving NCAA Division I status moves SIUE closer to its vision of being recognized nationally for the quality of its programs and the development of professional and community leaders," said SIUE Director of Athletics Dr. Brad Hewitt. "Just as SIUE's high-quality academic programs are recognized at a national level, NCAA Division I status enables our student-athletes to compete at the highest level."
The process to get to this point started nearly seven years ago when SIUE Chancellor Emeritus Vaughn Vandegrift asked an Athletics Task Force to study how the department should move forward. In June 2007, SIUE submitted its intention to move to the NCAA Division I level with Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees approval. SIUE now is fully eligible for all conference postseason and NCAA postseason events with this certification.
SIUE became a member of the Ohio Valley Conference in 2008 and now is eligible for all of its championships during the 2012-13 season. The OVC has evolved into a 12-team league with the most recent addition of Belmont University.
The men's soccer program continues to compete as an associate member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Men's soccer has been the "fast track" men's program for SIUE and will be entering its third season for postseason eligibility. The SIUE wrestling program joined the Southern Conference (SoCon) last season and is now fully eligible for its postseason tournament as well as the NCAA Tournament. Softball, the fast-tracked women's program, will begin its third season of OVC and NCAA Division I in 2013.
SIUE undertook an NCAA-mandated Self-Study and has issued annual reports during the divisional transition to the NCAA for its review. Last fall, a peer review team came to campus and met with a number of University officials. That group gave a position recommendation to the Executive Committee this past spring.
"I am very proud for SIUE and the Athletics Department for reaching this historic moment. Full NCAA Division I certification supports SIUE's vision as a premier Metropolitan University," said Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe.
SIUE has enjoyed great success since moving to the Division I level.
• In academics, SIUE student-athletes have continued to surpass the benchmark of a cumulative 3.0 departmental grade point average for 12 consecutive semesters.
• SIUE student-athletes posted their best annual grade point average (3.181) in department history during the 2011-12 academic year.
• The NCAA released Academic Progress Rate (APR) data for the 2010-2011 academic year, and SIUE listed six programs (Men's Cross Country, Men's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Outdoor Track and Field, Softball, Women's Soccer, and Women's Tennis) that rank among the top 10 percent of all NCAA Division I squads in each sport.
• The SIUE baseball program became the first team in this era to have an All-American as a result of relief pitcher Dustin Quattrocchi's third team selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
• The SIUE women's basketball program also gave the Cougars their first-ever NCAA Division I national postseason event by qualifying for the Women's Basketball Invitational.
Hewitt said the certification process has made the SIUE Athletics department, as well as the entire University, stronger. SIUE has already begun to see the benefits of being a full member of Division I. In addition to all teams being able to compete for conference and NCAA-sponsored championships, SIUE Athletics has now also become eligible for the NCAA's revenue sharing program generated from the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament as well as other grants not afforded to provisional members.
"This has been an important journey for SIUE's Athletics department and, on behalf of the department, I thank and commend the many individuals who have given numerous hours and days to the task of making this day possible," said Hewitt. "We clearly are excited about the future of Cougar Athletics and what lies ahead for our coaches, staff, fans, friends, and especially our student-athletes."
SIUE fields 18 teams that are now eligible for postseason competition. The men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and wrestling. The women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and volleyball.
ICT Spotlights SIUE School of Engineering's Huaguo Zhou
The Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT) recently spotlighted Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Huaguo Zhou, Ph.D., an assistant professor of civil engineering in the SIUE School of Engineering in its August edition. Zhou and colleague Ryan Fries, Ph.D., also an assistant professor of civil engineering, are presently working on an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project.
To read more, go to the article at ict.illinois.edu.
SIUE Welcomes New IERC Executive Director
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville today welcomed Dr. Janet K. Holt the new executive director of the Illinois Education Research Council, which is housed on campus. Holt also joins the faculty as a professor of Educational Leadership. She brings 18 years of experience in quantitative methods and analysis of large-scale data.
"Dr. Holt brings a wealth of experience in research education to the IERC," said Jerry Weinberg, associate provost and dean of the SIUE Graduate School. "She has conducted research as both principal investigator and co-PI on funded grants. She has more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, along with numerous invited presentations. She served in leadership positions in regional and national societies, including as the current president of the Educational Statisticians SIG of the American Educational Research Association. I look forward to working with Dr. Holt as she leads IERC in its continued development as a premier research center for Illinois education and education policy."
Holt's area of expertise in educational research lies in growth modeling of educational data, persistence of women and minorities into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, adult literacy reading practices, reading comprehension in college students, growth of early reading fluency, multivariate methods and other areas. She also has collaborated on several language development studies in young children.
Holt has served as the sole or co-principal investigator on grants from the American Educational Research Association, the National Institutes of Health and the Law School Admissions Council. In addition, she has served on editorial boards of several educational journals, including Educational Researcher, American Secondary Education and the Journal of Advanced Academics. She joins the IERC from Northern Illinois University where she held a position as a professor and program coordinator of Educational Research and Evaluation, and methodology strand chair of the Center of Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy.
Holt earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology with University Highest Honors from SIU Carbondale in 1981 and graduated with her Master of Science in Education (Educational Psychology) in 1990. She earned a Ph.D. in Education (Educational Psychology - Statistics and Measurement) from SIUC in 1994.
WSJ Ranks SIUE Alum Robert Knight Among Top CFOs
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alum Robert Knight, MBA '91, has been ranked the #15 CFO among S & P 500 chief financial officers by the Wall Street Journal. Knight is emblematic of SIUE's many capable MBA alums and current students. He is one more testament to the outstanding work done by SIUE faculty in preparing students to reach high levels of career achievement.
An excerpt from the July 31 article follows:
Not Just Bean Counters By Matthew Quinn and Alix Stuart
Wall Street Journal
July 31, 2012
The title chief financial officer may still evoke green eyeshades and rote bean counting. But today's business environment ensures that such a one-dimensional figure hardly exists any more.
In assembling its first ever Best CFOs list, The Wall Street Journal sought to identify executives who both run top-performing finance operations and take a lead role in setting strategy at their companies.
The Wall Street Journal compiled the ranking using quantitative and qualitative measures, including the role the CFO plays in each company and how peers and competitors regard the CFO's work.
Median compensation for CFOs in the S&P 500 climbed 2.1% last year to $3.3 million. Median compensation for the Top 25 CFOs was $4 million.
No. 15 Robert Knight, Union Pacific
CFO since 2004, promoted up after 2 years as vice president, finance. Age 54. On the boards of Grupo Ferroviario Mexicana and TTX Company.
• Previously held several key operational roles including VP/GM of energy and VP/GM of automotive, two major segments of cargo for UP.
• Became CFO in 2004, when, for the first time in decades, demand outstripped supply for rail services, but the company was unable to meet the demand due to operational difficulties. Since then, UP has resolved its problems. Profit margins have increased from about 5% in 2004 to 17% in 2011.
• 2011 was a record year in many ways: $19.6 billion in revenues, net income of $3.3 billion, EPS of $6.72. Also saw record free cash flow, and dividends per share increased 58%.
• Bought back $1.4 billion in shares in 2011.
• A capital intensive company, UP spent $3.2 billion on capex in 2011, and expects to spend $3.6 billion in 2012. ROIC was a record 12.4% in 2011.
• Analysts say Knight has played a strong role in cost management, especially non-operating costs. Also provides high-quality disclosure, and is good at setting expectations
The top 14 leading up to Knight are:
No. 1 Mark Loughridge, IBM
No. 2 Carol Tomé, Home Depot
No. 3 Karen Hoguet, Macy's
No. 4 Stacy Smith, Intel
No. 5 Paul Clancy, Biogen Idec
No. 6 W. Kim Foster, FMC
No. 7 James Sawyer, Praxair
No. 8 Daniel Comas, Danaher
No. 9 Dan Florness, Fastenal
No. 10 Richard Galanti, Costco
No. 11 Neil Williams, Intuit
No. 12 Jack Hartung, Chipotle
No. 13 Jeffrey Edwards, Allergan
No. 14 Patricia Yarrington, Chevron