Joseph Bruchac III, Ph.D. 1975

Lee & Low Books recently published Wolf Mark, Bruchac’s latest children’s book. Bruchac is one of the most respected and widely published authors of Native American writing for children and young adults. He has received many awards including a Rockefeller Humanities Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship of Poetry, the Native Writers Circle of the Americas Lifetime Achievement Award, the Storyteller of the Year Award, and the Hope S. Dean for Achievement in Children’s Literature. Since his first book of stories published in 1975, he now has more than 100 titles in print. Learn more about his work at The Joseph Bruchac website.

David Cortright, Ph.D. 1975, an American scholar and peace activist, was the subject of an article published in the Observer on November 10 titled, “Veteran faculty member recalls Vietnam era.” Cortright currently serves as the director of policy studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and chair of the board of the Fourth Freedom Forum. Cortright has a long history of public advocacy for disarmament and the prevention of war. As a soldier during the Vietnam War, Cortright joined with fellow soldiers to speak out against the war as part of the GI peace movement. In 1978 Cortright was named the executive director of The Committee for a SANE Nuclear Policy, which under his direction became the largest disarmament organization in the U.S. Cortright initiated the merger of SANE and the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign and served for a time as co-director of the merged organization. In 2002 Cortright helped found the Win Without War coalition in opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He has written widely on nonviolent social change, nuclear disarmament, and the use of multilateral sanctions and incentives as tools of international diplomacy. He is the author or editor of 17 books, including most recently Ending Obama’s War: Responsible Military Withdrawal from Afghanistan (Paradigm, 2011). Click here to follow Cortright’s blog.

Erik Peper, Ph.D. 1975

North Atlantic Books recently published Peper’s book Fighting Cancer, A Nontoxic Approach to Treatment, co-written with Robert Gorter, M.D.  The book provides important information and options that can empower individuals to make wise therapeutic decisions when faced with the diagnosis of cancer, as well as advice on how to prevent cancer.  The book presents an integrative nontoxic approach to cancer treatment and prevention that focuses on the body’s intrinsic capacity for healing.

Michael J Griffin, Ph.D.  1977, currently serves as a clinician at the Veterans Administration Center in Redwood City, California. Griffin, a decorated combat Army Officer served in Vietnam, was wounded in action and disabled. He now leads three support groups at the VA for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in addition to counseling individuals.

Ralph T. Grant Jr., Ph.D. 1985
Grant was recently named vice president of Somerset Christian College, a higher education institution that aims to inspire and equip students for scholarship, service, and leadership.  The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) to grant the bachelor of arts degree in business administration & leadership, psychology/counseling and biblical studies.

Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro, Ph.D. 1985. An article titled “The Varieties of Religious Therapy: Twelve Step Spirituality,” by Ryan Howes, Ph.D., ABPP about Shapiro’s work was recently published on the Psychology Today website. Shapiro is widely recognized as one of the most creative figures in contemporary American Judaism. A graduate of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and an award-winning poet, liturgist, and essayist, his prayers are included in worship services across the denominational spectrum of American congregations.  Shapiro is a translator and commentator on ancient religious texts, an imaginative teacher of the connections in Rabbi and one of the most creative figures in contemporary American Judaism everyday life. He is the founding rabbi of Temple Beth Or in Miami and senior rabbi of Metivta, a center for contemplative Judaism in Los Angeles.  He currently directs the Wisdom House, an interfaith educational center in Nashville, Tennessee and serves as an adjunct professor of religious studies at Middle Tennessee State  University. In addition, he pursues his first love, writing, through books and a new column, “Roadside Assistance for Your Spiritual Journey,“  published in Spirituality & Health magazine.  To read the article click here. To visit  Shapiro’s website click here.

George A. Pruitt, Ph.D. 1974

Former chair of the UI&U Board of Trustees and current president of Thomas A. Edison State College in New Jersey, was awarded the Morris T. Keeton award at the 2011 CAEL International Conference. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) links learning and work and works at all levels within the higher education, public, and private sectors to make it easier for people to get the education and training they need. The Morris T. Keeton award is named after the designer and founder of CAEL and is awarded to innovators in the field of adult education in higher education. Click here to learn more about CAEL. Click here to watch the Morris T. Keeton award presentation to Dr. Pruitt.

Scott D. Miller, Ph.D. 1991

Bethany College president Scott D. Miller was recently awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters by his alma mater West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia.  At the convocation, Miller delivered the keynote address “Faith of Our Founders: A Personal Homecoming.” Miller, who has served as a college president for 21 years, was honored by Wesleyan President Pamela Balch, Ph.D. for his transformational leadership in private higher education, his commitment to the liberal arts and his national reputation as an author and consultant.   He was recognized for bringing his innovative spirit to Bethany College where he was appointed president and M.M. Cochran Professor of Leadership Studies in 2007. To read more about Miller click here.

Florence Hansen and her daughter, Flo Schandl. (photo courtesy of Dan Pelle)

Florence M. Hansen, Ph.D. 1992, received her own day in Spokane Washington. June 30 was named “Florence Hansen Day” in Spokane in honor of her passion and commitment to helping others. Hansen, a social services advocate, spearheaded a program in 1962 to find foster homes for unaccompanied children who fled Cuba in the wake of Fidel Castro’s rise to power. In addition, she started the first social services in a Spokane hospital and while there pioneered the use of home dialysis for kidney patients. Hansen spent most of her retirement working in Zambia, training heath care workers.  To read the article click here.

Richard (Dick) Haid, Ph.D. 1994

Haid is a certified professional coach and an adult mentor and personal and business coach. He has been invited to be a part of a team writing the chapter “The Power of Purpose, Legacy, and Spirituality in the Second Half of Life” for an e-book about the second half of life to be published by the Life Planning Network.

Susannah Joel Glusker, Ph.D. 1995. In November, Glusker’s book  Avant-Garde Art and Artists in Mexico: Anita Brenner’s Journals of the Roaring Twenties was published by University of Texas Press, as part of the William and Bettye Nowlin Series in Art, History, and Culture of the Western Hemisphere. Glusker, Brenner’s mother, was a journalist, historian, anthropologist, and art critic. One of Mexico’s most discerning interpreters, Brenner is known for her books, Idols Behind Altars and The Wind That Swept Mexico. Glusker also wrote Anita Brenner: A Mind of Her Own. She currently teaches the courses “Mexican Women of Note” and “Mexican Art of the Early Twentieth Century” at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and translates and writes for various publications.

K. Ann McCartney, Ph.D. 1997

Secretary of Union Institute & University’s International Alumni Association Board, was named editor of the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) national journal, The National Parliamentarian at the NAP annual convention in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she also presented two workshops. Learn more at  the UI&U Alumni Pages.

Jacqueline Haessly’s (Ph.D. 2003) book Peacemaking: Family Activities for Justice and Peace, Volume One: Facing Challenges and Embracing Possibilities was recently republished by Peace Talk Publications. First published in 1980, the book has been extensively revised and updated with 21st century information about families and peacemaking. It also features a companion book, Peacemaking: Family Activities for Justice and Peace, Volume Two: Examining Values, Developing Skills, and Acting for Peace in the Family, the Community, and the World. This latest edition features more than 100 activities for families and others of all ages to encourage deeper reflection and action.

Marcy Axness, Ph.D. 2003
Axness’s “instruction manual,” Parenting for Peace: Raising the Next Generation of Peacemakers, is scheduled to be published in January 2012. Her areas of expertise include adoption (emotional, developmental and spiritual issues), prenatal parenting, and parenting for peace, and her latest book is designed to be a “scientific roadmap for how to hardwire kids for such essential peacemaker capacities as empathy, trust, self-regulation and imagination,” she said. Axness is an authority in the fields of early human development, adoption, prenatal psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology.  One of the world’s few experts in the primal issues in adoption, Axness is a member of Mothering magazine’s online expert panel, and is a popular international speaker. A professor of prenatal development, Axness has a private practice coaching parents-in-progress, and provides training for childcare, adoption, education, and mental health professionals. Buy on Amazon. Read review from Huffington Post. Visit the Marcy Axness website to learn more.

Don Mee Choi, Ph.D. 2003
Choi received the 2011 Whiting Writers’ Award on October 25 at a ceremony in New York City. The prestigious $50,000 award recognizes 10 young writers for their extraordinary talent and promise and is one of the most coveted prizes for up- and- coming writers.   Choi was born in South Korea and came to the U.S. as a student in 1981. In addition to her Ph.D. from Union, she also holds degrees from the California Institute of the Arts. Her poems have appeared in The Asian Pacific American Journal, Hawaii Pacific Review, disorient journalize, and Gargoyle. Choi translates contemporary Korean women poets, and is an instructor in adult basic education at Renton Technical College. She lives in Seattle. “The Morning News is Exciting” (2010) is her first book.

Don Brady, Ph.D. 2004
A clinical and school psychologist in private practice, Brady and his wife, Flo Brady, BSW, recently co-authored two articles on sport-related concussions (SRC). The articles were published by the National Association of School Psychologists in June. View Brady’s article on sports-related concussions and myths and facts regarding sports-related concussions.

Sharon Mellor, Ph.D. CAE, 2008, has been named chief executive officer for the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF).  Mellor has extensive experience in fundraising for medical and educational foundations and most recently served as associate vice president for resource development at the College of DuPage (COD) and executive director of the COD Foundation. She has also served as CEO for the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, as associate executive director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation, and in executive positions in development and communications for the American Osteopathic Association.  To read about Sharon Mellor click here.

Marguerite E. Tarver Mariama, Ph.D. 1999

Mariama was the featured entertainer, along with the Leandro Lopez Varady Quintet, at a jazz concert for an annual fundraiser for youth programs at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Midway Park, Chicago.  Mariama performed as part of a sextet that  included Varady on piano.

Patricia W. Savage, Ph.D. 2008, president/CEO of Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries (ALSM), was a guest at the White House on October 28 as part of a day-long event with other leaders from Lutheran health and human service organizations across the country. Lutheran Services in America (LSA), which helped organize the event, estimated that more than 160 Lutheran leaders from 30 states and over 50 different Lutheran organizations came to Washington to receive briefings from Obama administration officials, attend issue-specific sessions with policy makers, and raise questions, concerns, and recommendations about social service provision.

In Memoriam

Gaithel Oshie Ware  III, B.A. 1989, died  October 17, 2011. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Union, Ware received a master’s degree from California Polytechnic State University and was promoted to captain at the Sacramento Police Department.

Brother Donald Mansir, Ph.D. 1999, died October 8 in Walnut Creek, California.  Brother Mansir, a Saint Mary’s College professor and a Middle East Expert, was internationally recognized for his work in renovating the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in the 1990s. The Christian brother was a  longtime professor at Saint Mary’s College and Bethlehem University in the Palestinian territories and is  remembered as a learned and diplomatic man with an intense interest in teaching young people and improving conditions for and bringing compassion to people of all faiths throughout the Middle East.

President Roger Sublett

Each day during my 20-mile commute to work, I think about what I will do each day to make Union a better university. At our October National Faculty meeting this year, I urged us all to do the same. What can each of us do to better serve our students, alumni, staff, and faculty, and the communities surrounding us?

2011 has been a positive year at Union. We have balanced budgets; we have developed new academic programs; we have employed creative people throughout the organization; we have welcomed new trustees who are engaging us in new ways; we have celebrated retirements of people who devoted much of their professional careers to Union; we have welcomed new life in our organization through the birth of our employees’ children; we have buried beloved colleagues and worked to memorialize them through scholarships honoring their good works and love for others; and we have celebrated more than 700 graduates across the country who are now part of our legacy of outstanding alumni. 

Yes, we still have challenges, and we always will as long as Union is a breathing, living organization. But, as we look ahead, we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2014. What a GREAT opportunity for all of us to celebrate the genius and vision of the original founders who trusted that future generations would serve as good stewards of their legacy and hard work. And what a great opportunity the 50th anniversary provides to work together in the intervening years to build a better Union Institute & University.

As the year comes to a close, I like to look back and reflect on several beliefs and facets of leadership that I hope helped to make Union a better university this year.

I believe that open communications, accessibility, and transparency will help build a better university. That is why you will often find my office door open, inviting people to drop by for a conversation, get a question answered, a document signed, or just visit for a few minutes. Some people consider this approach to be “leadership by interruption,” but I believe it is “leadership through accessibility.” Leaders who isolate themselves often are surprised by issues and events within their organizations. While I don’t pretend to know everything that happens at Union each day, I make a concerted effort to be as fully informed as possible. Being accessible means that you appreciate the people you work with and that you respect the seriousness with which they take their responsibilities. Being transparent leads to a trusting environment where people feel comfortable in providing the best possible recommendations to build a better university. Is this approach comfortable for everyone? Absolutely not. But each leader must find ways to communicate that best reflects his or her personality and leadership style.

I have always found honesty to be the best policy to build a better university. This approach has served us well at Union. Over the past several years, we have confronted challenges head-on with little regard paid to how we might “spin” a response. Our aim is to solve problems by telling the truth and being open and direct. Obviously, we always work to protect the integrity of the university; however, we do not attempt to hide our deficiencies. We work to correct them in order to build a better university. We are truthful to our students, our employees, and our public. We do not run away from unpleasant issues; we try to deal with them in a forthright manner. And, I do not delegate tough challenges to other staff members in order to deflect criticism or challenges from the Office of the President. Of course, there are times that issues need to be answered by the office or department most familiar with the situation and can offer the best solution, however, these individuals know that I am there to provide advice and support. And, we have found that team work – communicating among ourselves to unearth the facts – has provided the best pathway to success. Union folks frequently hear me say, “Leaders have two responsibilities—to tell the truth and to point toward hope.” This paradigm has provided a foundation from which to work and has been helpful as we have worked through issues on a daily basis, and, I think, it has helped us to build a better university.

Creating a caring environment for students and employees alike has been a major goal since I came to Union in 2001. At times we have been very successful; at other times, I am sure people feel we have fallen short in our efforts. However, I trust that our motives, intentions, and our good will have never been questioned. I learned long ago that employees who are valued are empowered. An institution can accomplish great things through a shared vision and the dedication exhibited by empowered employees. Throughout my career while working with leaders, I have found those who care about people and connect with their employees to be much more effective in their leadership when compared to those who are not approachable or distinctly reserved from employees. Demonstrating caring concern is sometimes viewed as a weakness in leaders. I certainly have not found that to be true. People talk about being lonely at the top. That is a choice that leaders make, and I must state that I have not found leadership at the top to be lonely at all. I have found it to be invigorating both in how I am able to collaborate with others to achieve success, and most importantly, in how that relationship helps in the sharing of creative ideas to provide solutions to build a better university.  It was once popular to talk about the “imperial presidency;” however, I am hearing less and less about this leadership approach and much more about collaborative leadership. Leadership must occur at every level within an institution; it must permeate every office and every position. If the president of an organization shows caring concern for others, the organization as a whole begins to reflect caring concern for its clients. In Union’s case, the more we care, the more we all work together to build a better university for the sake of our students.

Having a clear vision for an organization is critical as it provides direction for all actions and goals. In 2007, the entire Union community participated in developing our vision. It reads: Union Institute & University aspires to educate generations of highly motivated adults who seek academic programs that engage, enlighten and empower them in their pursuit of a lifetime of learning and service.  Three important words, “engage, enlighten and empower” are action words that depend on leadership from every individual – student, staff, alumni, or faculty – who has the privilege of being a part of the life of Union. At Union, we believe that each individual has a responsibility to be engaged and enlightened through their education, and consequently to empower others. This powerful vision has provided guidance for us and reminds us why we come to work each day. I am privileged to be able to witness this dedication first-hand throughout the university, whether in our employees from Vermont to Los Angeles, Miami, Sacramento, or Cincinnati, or in the members of our International Alumni Association as they spread the word about their great Union experiences, or in our trustees whose expertise and resources provide steady leadership and vision, and certainly in our students who are working hard, raising families, caring for aging parents, all while trying to better themselves so they can make a difference in their lives and their communities. I have often heard people say that the president of a university is the “face” of the organization; but I believe that every employee represents the “face” of Union, and that we all work every day to fulfill the vision and mission of Union. This will determine our future success. No matter where we live and work, each of us must be committed to help each other to build a better university with exemplary academic programs, unmatched services, and outstanding graduates.

These four facets of leadership: openness and transparency, honesty, caring concern, vision and commitment, have been foundational underpinnings and building blocks at Union since 2001. We add additional facets to the list each day as we work to build a better university, and we are embarking on a five-year strategic plan, authored and guided by members of our community in every department, location, and position. We will keep these leadership facets, and others, in mind as we implement the plan. Please continue to support our efforts for continual improvements. Let us know what ideas you might have on how we can work together to build a better university.

I thank you for all you do for Union each day, and Cynthia and I wish for you and your families and friends a safe, peaceful, and joyous holiday season and a most wonderful New Year.

Warmest regards,

Roger H. Sublett

President

Denise Herzing of the Wild Dolphin Project (photo courtesy of explore.org)

Since 1985, Union Ph.D. alumna Denise Herzing has been swimming with the dolphins. As the world’s leading authority on the Atlantic spotted dolphin, Herzing lives off the coast of the Bahamas in the Stenella, her 62’ power catamaran, working in the crystal-blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. She has logged countless hours documenting three generations of a community of dolphins who occupy these waters, coming to know each of them as individuals with their own unique habits and personalities.

Based in Jupiter, Florida, Herzing is the founder and director of the Wild Dolphin Project,  a non-profit research organization that conducts non-invasive field research to gather information on the natural history of the Atlantic spotted dolphin, as well as on their behaviors, social structure, dolphin communication, and habitat.

“I’m kind of an old-school naturalist. I really believe in immersing yourself in the environment of the animal,” Herzing said in a New York Times article published in September about her work. Much like fellow scientists Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Cynthia Moss, she totally engages herself in the dolphin’s world without disturbing their habitat, documenting their daily lives through the use of photography, video, and sound equipment.

In her new book, Dolphin Diaries: My 25 Years with Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas, Herzing provides a detailed account of what it’s like to work alongside one of the world’s most beloved and intelligent sea mammals. She writes candidly about her early years as an undergraduate student learning how to survive as a member of a boat crew sailing the seas in search of whales. She passionately remembers  her first encounter with a dolphin; of sensing another ”being” behind their eyes, knowing then that she had found her life’s work.

“My first summer in the Bahamas had a very powerful impact on me – a feeling of being a student in the dolphin’s classroom, a classroom of experience and experimentation. It occurred to me I couldn’t build a ‘blind’ underwater to observe these dolphins,” Herzing writes. “My hope was to blend in harmlessly and observe their lives with each other, not as an intruder but as a friend somewhat familiar with their culture.”

In her book, Herzing explains that dolphins communicate with one another through specific sounds released out of a fatty structure in the front of their head known as the “melon.” Through decades of research, she has begun to predict the behavior associated with these sounds and is now exploring ways to make two-way communication possible between humans and dolphins.

First discovered by treasure hunters in the 1970s, the Atlantic spotted dolphin is native to the Atlantic Ocean waters between The Bahamas and the Florida coast. (photo courtesy of the Wild Dolphin Project)

Many scientists, including Adam Pack at the University of Hawaii, believe Herzing’s newest efforts could lead to monumental breakthroughs. “You’ve got crystal-clear warm water, no land in sight, and an interest by this community of dolphins of engaging with humans,” said Pack, of her research, in the New York Times.  

Growing up in Minnesota, the closest thing Herzing came to a deep sea experience was watching Jacques Cousteau on television. But from an early age she knew she wanted a career as a scientist studying human-animal communication. After studying with renowned Marine mammalogist Bruce Mate, Ph.D., at Oregon State University, she teamed up with a group from Ocean Society Expeditions (OSE) who let her serve as a naturalist for a one-month ecotourism trip to the Bahamas. It was on this trip that she had her first encounter a dolphin. 

“It was 7 a.m., the water slick and calm… out of the topaz blue haze appeared two dolphins, one large, one small, swimming side by side, scanning me as they moved their heads and sent clicks of sound toward me as they approached. I froze, not in fear but in awe,” writes Herzing in her book. “In all my years of work with marine mammals, the shock of this first contact with another intelligent animal was new. I felt as if I was experiencing a new culture for the first time – a nonhuman culture.” 

After graduating from Oregon State, Herzing went on to earn her master’s from San Francisco State University (SFSU), where she focused her research on dolphin behavior, spending her summers back in the waters off the coast of the Bahamas. By then she had begun to name each dolphin based on their personalities. Romeo, for example, was a name given to a friendly male. In time, Herzing would also name their offspring. Today, she knows generations of dolphins that swim in the waters (first observed by treasure hunters in the 1970s) including grandmothers and grandfathers — by name.    

Herzing moved to Jupiter, Florida, also the headquarters for the Wild Dolphin Project, after graduate school. Still wanting to perform academic research but not wanting to leave the southeastern seaboard, she found the perfect opportunity in Union’s Ph.D. program.

“Union’s programs are perfect for adults and professionals who already know what they want to do, but are interested in earning a degree.  The program encouraged support and teamwork, a much needed value in this day and age.  In fact, I try to instill this in my own graduate students,” said Herzing, who earned her Ph.D. from Union in 1993. Her dissertation was titled Dolphins in the Wild: An Eight Year Study on Dolphin Communication and Interspecies Interaction.

Denise Herzing diving under the waters of the Bahamas (photo courtesy of explore.org)

Her Ph.D. research was instrumental in taking the beginning steps towards the writing of her recently released book, a topic that has captured the attention of national media. In addition to the extensive coverage in the New York Times, she was featured on Good Morning America, where she led reporter Matt Gutman on an underwater adventure to catch a glimpse of the secret dolphin community. She is now developing an underwater keyboard and software that will aid her in her efforts to communicate with dolphins. “It’s important to know about our natural world,” said Herzing to Gutman. “It’s a complex world. We tend to be focused on our human lives and I think we’ve sort of lost that perspective. We need to know about the natural world to preserve it, protect it, and respect it more.”

Herzing’s book Dolphin Diaries: My 25 Years with Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas is available at www.wilddolphinproject.org.

Lucinda Bliss

With modern technology improving at an unparalleled pace, the boundaries of information sharing expand on a seemingly daily basis. Online media outlets leak news before it “officially” happens, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have staggering numbers of registered users (800 million and 175 million, respectively), and nearly every imaginable action or task can be completed online. Earning a college degree is no exception.

Distance learning began in earnest during the 1960s when UI&U (then the Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities”) along with New York’s Empire State College, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Nebraska developed correspondence courses. Online universities became a part of the national higher education landscape in the mid 1990s when many traditional schools began increasing the size of their virtual classrooms. It is now estimated that 3.55 million students will attend all of their classes online by 2014.

As the online classroom increases its reach, degree programs – even those seeming now applicable to the online format – are working to adapt. Unheard of 10 years ago, students can now study studio art at a distance. Lucinda Bliss, faculty in UI&U’s bachelor’s program, was recently awarded Union’s Exemplary Online Course award for her class, “Experimental Drawing.” Utilizing traditional teaching methods such as individual and group critiques, studio research, and weekly writing assignments that have been updated for online delivery, Bliss has created a fluid and highly interactive virtual classroom.

“If trust can be established in a studio group in the online setting, then there is the possibility for deeper, more courageous sharing and dialogue than in the face-to-face options.”

Bliss utilizes web conferencing and file sharing software to conduct real time critiques and group discussions. “For critique, I use Voicethread, so that students have a range of possible ways to participate (text, audio, or video). I’ve discovered that one of the keys to successful online arts education is using the right technology for the right task. Success for a diverse range of students depends on creating varied methods of participation. If trust can be established in a studio group in the online setting, then there is the possibility for deeper, more courageous sharing and dialogue than in the face-to-face options.”

The advancements made within UI&U’s bachelor’s program are part of a growing national trend, particularly within the arts in higher education. While online courses are not universally accepted as an equal to the brick and mortar option, the ability for universities to adapt to the ever-evolving world has never been more closely scrutinized.

Bliss (far right), shown here leading an on-ground class, believes that a university's commitment to online classrooms provides major benefits to those seeking a visual arts education.

UI&U Provost Rich Hansen has watched as the online classroom has developed into an opportunity for visual arts students to enhance their creative voice. “There are multiple drawing applications available for iPads, iPhones and other handheld devices that encourage users at an early age to experiment with and apply their visual arts skills,” says Hansen. “The definite advantage of an online visual arts curriculum is that the student and faculty member has instant access to thousands of articles, text books and library resources that can be built directly into a course.”

As a growing number of non-traditional students look to diversify their skill set, universities continue to explore distance-learning options. The issue was recently outlined in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s in-depth study of online visual arts programs, where both sides of the issue were explored. Detractors believe that student work such as paintings and sculptures cannot be properly viewed and therefore assessed in a digital format. Supporters feel that technological advances, such as the software used at UI&U by Bliss and others, provides instructors with an opportunity to thoroughly evaluate student work.

“The shift to an online delivery option is one small part of this larger ‘mission’ shift of higher education. Online visual arts programs are here to stay and will definitely increase access to visual arts education.”

Having worked in higher education for more than 30 years, Hansen sees the current state of the online learning platform as just the beginning of a larger transition. “Over the past twenty five years, the most divisive challenge to higher education is the institutional shift of focus from traditional age students to adult students,” according to Hansen. “This shift,” he continues, “has challenged and continues to challenge colleges and universities in every aspect of their operation, from admissions to curriculum development and delivery to fund-raising. The shift to an online delivery option is one small part of this larger ‘mission’ shift of higher education. Online visual arts programs are here to stay and will definitely increase access to visual arts education.”

Bliss believes teaching visual arts online is definitely a challenge, but, she says, “I’ve been surprised to learn how much students can learn, both technically and conceptually, in the visual arts. Not everything can be accomplished as well online as it can face to face, for example, there is much to be gained from viewing an artwork in person; however, technical skills can be taught online and aspiring artists can successfully develop artistic voices and build portfolios of their work.” Bliss continues, “In most online courses, there is the benefit of asynchronous participation. Students have more time to process information in a time frame that works for them, and, in a well-designed site, important material is presented multiple times using different methods. In a traditional classroom, one can more easily see works as they progress, and as faculty, it can be easier to guide the process as it’s happening.”  But, Bliss is convinced that “given diligence and commitment to the online conversation, something close to that can be achieved in a virtual environment.”

“We are honored that Matthew Quinn and Gladys Gossett Hankins have chosen to join our board,” said Dr. Roger H. Sublett, president of Union Institute & University. “Their leadership will prove invaluable as we move the university into the future and continue to find the best ways to provide innovative and practical degree completion options for the adult learner who wants to make a difference in their lives and in their communities.”

Matthew Quinn

Matthew Quinn

Matthew J. Quinn is the founding executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, established in August 2000. He became emeritus executive director in September 2009. The foundation’s mission is to advance the education of high-achieving students who have financial need. Since its inception, the foundation has provided more than $70 million in scholarship support to several thousand students and awarded $30 million in major grants to organizations that enhance the foundation’s work.

Prior to working for the foundation, Quinn served for 11 years as president of Carroll College in Helena, Montana. He was vice president for academic affairs at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia; dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York; director for New Jersey State Universities Offices; and director of public relations and publications for College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Quinn earned a B.A. in classics from Fordham University, a Ph.L. in philosophy, with honors, from Woodstock College, an M.A. in English from Fordham University, a Ph.D. in management of higher education, with highest distinction, from Boston College, and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Quinn is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.

He has served on numerous boards, including the American Association of University Administrators, as an advisor for the Kellogg National Leadership Program as part of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and on The Council on Women in Higher Education, an American Council on Education (ACE) commission.

Quinn currently serves as chair of the board of trustees of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, and is a trustee of the Council of Independent Colleges and an advisor to the Loudoun Education Foundation.

Gladys Gossett Hankins

Gladys Gossett Haskins

Newly elected Union Institute & University board member Gladys Gossett Hankins lives her life by two guiding principles: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well,” and “Anyone who has an audience has a responsibility to teach.”

A UI&U doctoral alumna, she is an internationally-recognized diversity and organizational effectiveness consultant and currently serves as the president of Telora Victor, Inc. a consulting and publishing company she founded in 2000.

Prior to forming her own business, Hankins had a long career with the Procter & Gamble Company from 1975 until 2001, serving in various management capacities at P&G offices in Kansas City, Kansas, Baltimore, Maryland, and Cincinnati. She began her career at P&G as an employee services manager before becoming a human resource manager, a senior organizational effectiveness manager, and then served as a senior manager of supplier diversity.

In addition to her work with P&G, Hankins, since 1980, has engaged in training and consulting work in organizational effectiveness and managing diversity for several public and private organizations including New England Bell Telephone Company; New Jersey Bell Telephone Company; the University of Chicago; the University of Cincinnati; and the Greater Cincinnati Urban League, as well as for various companies located in Canada, Japan, Europe and Latin America.

From 1981 until 1985, Hankins served as an adjunct professor of personnel management at Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri, where she also conducted an American Management Associates Seminar titled “How Successful Women Manage”     

Hankins is the recipient of several awards and recognitions including the Wall Street Journal Award, and was honored as a “Black Achiever” by YMCA of Cincinnati. In addition, she was awarded the key to the City of Kansas City, Missouri, for her civic contributions. Throughout her career, Hankins has served on several boards and committees. Currently, she serves – along with UI&U President Roger Sublett – on the board of trustees for Hospice of Cincinnati, where she chairs the diversity committee. She has also served as a board member for the NAACP of Kansas City, the Urban League of Kansas City, the Urban League of Cincinnati, the Urban League of Baltimore, and the Franciscan Health Systems in Cincinnati.

The author of the books Diversity Blues and How to Shake ‘em, which was released in November 2000, Hankins earned her Ph.D. from Union in 2000. She also holds an M.B.A. and a B.S./B.A. degree from Rockhurst College.

Ginny Wiltse and CRMF delivering supplies to Dr. Andrianaina Rakotonirainy, one of the staff physicians at Ankirihiry Health Center

As a child growing up in Cincinnati, Dr. Virginia “Ginny” Ruehlmann Wiltse was encouraged by her parents to leave her community better than how she found it. As an adult, she took their advice and made it the foundation for her life’s work – from her efforts as a development officer for a Cincinnati high school to her service as a Union Institute & University trustee and incoming chair. For this Ph.D. alumna, “community” isn’t just her own hometown. Her concept of community knows no bounds and stretches as far away as Toamasina, the port city of Madagascar, located some 9,000 miles away from Cincinnati.

For the past decade, Ginny has served as the volunteer director of Caring Response Madagascar Foundation (CRMF), a public charity she founded along with her son, David Wiltse, and Brother Edwin Joseph, who has led missionary work in Madagascar since 1999. CRMF’s primary mission is to respond to the needs of the impoverished island of Madagascar, particularly in the area of Toamasina, the second largest city in the east African country and one of the poorest communities in the region, where the poverty rate stands at 80 percent and where finding food on a regular basis is a challenge for many.

What began as a small, grassroots initiative based out of Ginny’s home in a Cincinnati suburb in 2000 has today turned into one of the most active and comprehensive relief efforts in Toamasina. In addition to creating 15 literary centers, CRMF has started a successful micro-lending program, sanitation and hygiene efforts, nutrition programs, as well as emergency relief and medical assistance.

Midwives at the Ankirihiry Health Center learning Doppler

“Our projects often start at the literacy centers,” says Ginny. “It’s a great reminder that, as Brother Edwin Joseph says, ‘no literacy – no development.’” For example, last year, CRMF partnered with the Watson’s Children’s Foundation to participate in its SEED program. Seeds enough for a thousand families were distributed at the CRMF literary centers, but before the students could take them home, they were taught proper growing techniques as well as the importance of incorporating fruits and vegetables into the family diet, how to identify and treat plants being harmed by insects, and even how to sell their produce to make a profit.

This past November, Ginny and the CRMF team embarked on perhaps their most ambitious effort yet, joining forces with Jack Gardner, PA-C, a developing-country medicine specialist, to create a project that not only provided medical training but also provided a local healthcare facility with the equipment and supplies needed to implement the new procedures. Medical professionals from both the United States and Madagascar – including Cincinnati-based obstetrician Dr. Carol Egner – implemented a medical program to provide specialized training to Malagasy physicians and midwives to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and handle pre-term and low-birth weight babies. In Madagascar, eight women die each day due to childbirth-related deaths. The rate of maternal mortality in Madagascar is 440 per 100,000 live births compared to 24 in the United States.   

Newborn and mom at the Ankirihiry Health Center

This was Dr. Carol Egner’s first visit to Madagascar, and at times, she found the experience of seeing such poverty to be overwhelming. “Imagine visiting your doctor’s office only to find that there is no running water – what water they have is stored in a garbage can, there is faulty electrical wiring, almost no way of keeping tools clean and sterile, and tools are heated on a hot plate. For most of us, the idea of seeking treatment at a medical facility lacking such bare essentials would be out-of-the-question, but for those living in Toamasina, there is simply no other choice,” she explains. “Ginny would tell me, ‘You have to be elastic,’ when she saw me overwhelmed. And this was the advice I recalled often.” 

“You realize when you visit Madagascar that here in America most of us live to make ourselves more comfortable. There, it has nothing to do with comfort. They are seeking the basic needs,” continues Dr. Egner, who developed and directed the two-week training program for Malagasy doctors and mid-wives. During the training, she conducted practice sessions with birthing simulators, introduced new techniques, and mentored the midwives as they delivered babies. 

The program focused on the Ankirihiry Clinic, chosen by the Malagasy physicians who requested CRMF’s assistance because it is the busiest health center in urban Toamasina. On a daily basis the clinic serves approximately 62,000 people from 45 densely populated neighborhoods. In addition to the training program, the clinic was upgraded to include modern birthing equipment including an ultrasound machine, Doppler, delivery tables, baby warmers, and the supplies and medications needed to respond to postpartum emergencies. In fact, on the first day the group arrived, the four babies were born in one crowded delivery room within 45 minutes. By the time the CRMF team left Madagascar, the clinic had two delivery rooms, each with two beds, and the modern equipment needed to insure safer deliveries.         

Midwife at the Ankirihiry Health Center practicing neonatal resuscitation

The group also visited rural parts of Toamasina, where the conditions are even more primitive, and childbirth even more dangerous for both the mother and the newborn. “About half of all births in Madagascar – and the majority of them in the rural area –  take place at home where there is little in the way of sanitation, no running water, and where cultural taboos against preparing in advance for a baby’s birth still exist.  “We have a long way to go to meet the needs of these women,” says Ginny.

Since the inception of CRMF, Ginny has taken the 24-hour journey to Madagascar six times. Each time she returns to Cincinnati with a profound sense of gratitude for the life she has at home. Ginny recalls one walk through the urban slums of Toamasina with her friend Jack Gardner, who turned to her and said, “Americans don’t realize that just by being born in the United States they’ve won the cosmic lottery.” 

Today Ginny funnels her gratitude for the opportunities she’s had into helping others have the same great experiences. She’s already working on her next visit to Madagascar in 2012 and is looking forward to helping Union advance the lives of its female students by taking an active role in the Women in Union campaign.  

 “I’ve found I always seem to land in places where my work is to help others—particularly women–improve their lives,” says Ginny. “When you’re passionate about the work you do, you find that the passion threads everything together and things work out.” In fact, after Ginny earned her doctoral degree from Union in 2000, her parents presented her with a check that would serve as the seed money for Caring Response Madagascar. “I like to think that Union helped make the foundation a reality. Who knew that that check would go on to change so many lives?” says Ginny.

Healthcare workers at the Ankirihiry Health Center learn new birthing, techniques

From Misaotra, the Caring Response Madagascar newsletter:

The High Price of Political Upheaval Madagascar

As a result of the governmental upheaval in Madagascar, the country has lost most of its international support, assistance that accounted for about half of the national budget and that provided the main source of funding for social services. After two years, the political crisis remains unresolved and the poor of Madagascar are paying a terrible price. – Misaotra, Spring 2011

• An estimated 76% of the population of Madagascar was living on $1 a day or less in 2010, an increase of almost 9% since 2005.
• Rural poverty rose to 82.2% in 2010.
• There is no access to clean water at home for 90% of Malagasy children.
• During the 2009-2010 school year the government allocated no funds to public education.
• A growing number of families struggle daily with food insufficiency.
• Government funding for healthcare fell to $2 per person in 2010, the lowest level ever reported.
• A quarter of the county’s health centers have closed leaving children more vulnerable.

UNICEF and World Bank statistics

Overview

Current outstanding faculty will be acknowledged for exemplary work in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarship.  The teaching award may be given annually; the other two awards may be given in alternate years. 

• Nominations for the awards are welcome from fellow faculty, administrators, students, alumni, or as self-nominations.
• The criteria for all three awards will be for past work in general and will not be limited to any particular time period.
• The winner of the teaching award will be publicly announced in early April and the winner of the award for scholarship or service will be announced in early July, and be recognized by the president at the annual national faculty meeting in Cincinnati.
• The winner of each award will receive a cash honorarium of $1000. 
• A permanent wall plaque will be displayed at the UI&U headquarters in Cincinnati to identify and celebrate the award winners.

FACULTY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

• Eligibility: All current UI&U faculty: full-time, part-time, or affiliate.
• Criteria: The candidate has demonstrated a consistent pattern of excellence in teaching based on information from the dean, students, faculty, on-line courses, or other sources.
• Timeline: First quarter of the calendar year.  Nominations will be accepted during the month
  of January (deadline is January 30). The recipient will be announced at the beginning of April.

FACULTY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE

• Eligibility: All current UI&U faculty with benefits.
• Criteria: The candidate has demonstrated a pattern of extraordinary dedication to the university above and beyond the contractual assignments, especially those service contributions made without compensation.  The candidate has demonstrated a consistent pattern of service of significant importance to the university, to the public, and the community, including significant service in scholarly/professional organizations and has enhanced the reputation, prestige, and the mission of Union Institute & University regionally, nationally, and internationally. 
• Timeline: Second quarter of even-numbered years. Nominations will be accepted during the month of April (deadline is April 30). The recipient will be announced at the beginning of July.

FACULTY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCHOLARSHIP

• Eligibility: All current UI&U faculty with benefits.
• Criteria:  The candidate has demonstrated a consistent pattern of excellence in scholarship through past and current publications, fellowships, scholarly presentations and papers, or other activities. 
• Timeline: Second quarter of odd-numbered calendar years.  Nominations will be accepted during the month of April (deadline is April 30).  The recipient will be announced at the beginning of July.

Procedures for Nominations and Decisions

• Nomination portfolios shall include a) a letter of nomination explaining why the nominee is qualified to be recognized in this manner; b) the nominee’s most current curriculum vitae; c) documentary evidence in support of the nomination; d) information regarding any other financial award or grant that has been received in support of the faculty member’s work that forms the basis of this nomination; and, e) the identity of the person or persons making the nomination.   Except for self-nominations, the portfolio should not include any confidential information.  For self-nominations, confidential information such as dean’s reviews or peer reviews may be submitted in support of the nomination but any confidentiality in that information will be deemed to have been waived.
• The Faculty Personnel and HR Committee will review the nominations and make a recommendation to the Faculty Council.  The Committee may recommend an awardee, a list of finalists for the Faculty Council to consider, or may recommend that no award be given.  
• Any HR committee member nominated shall recuse him/herself from any consideration of that award.  Likewise, at the Faculty Council level, any Faculty Council member who is recommended for an award shall not participate in any consideration of that award.
• The nomination portfolios shall be submitted to FacultyHR.Committee@myunion.edu by January 31 for the teaching award and April 30 for the service or scholarship award.  Only electronic submissions of portfolios will be accepted.

Jane Hokanson Hawks, Ph.D., RN-BC, editor of Urologic Nursing, presents Cindy Sublett Ph.D., RN, CNL with a Urologic Nursing Literary Award in San Antonio, Texas

 “I think, as a professor, that the more research you perform and the more projects you work on, the better educator you become,” said Cindy. “It’s often a lot of work and it sometimes isn’t required, but it makes us [professors] better at what we do.”

Since 2006, Cindy has been sharing her research expertise as the author of the column “Translating Evidence into Clinical Practice,” published in Urologic Nursing, the official journal of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates and Urology Nurses of Canada. In the column, published in nearly every issue, Cindy discusses research methodologies and findings, and explains how nurses can apply the findings to improve the care of patients in various practice settings.

On October 30, Jane Hokanson Hawks, Ph.D., RN-BC, editor of Urologic Nursing, presented Cindy with the Urologic Nursing Literary Award in San Antonio, Texas. What makes the award unique is that usually only two awards are given – but in 2011 a third award was created especially to honor Cindy and her work.

“It’s been most gratifying to see her develop a national profile based on her research and writing as well as teaching. I have not met a more dedicated educator combining research, writing, and teaching skills expanding knowledge in her field of nursing education,” said President Roger Sublett of his wife of 35 years. “She has been and remains a role model for her students as well as our three daughters.” 

Hawks, of Urologic Nursing, Cindy’s former classmate and longtime colleague, said that the column is one of the readers’ favorites. “I’ve always known Cindy was excellent writer. When I asked her to write the column years ago I hoped that she’d agree. Now, I hope she continues for many more years.”

It takes talent, said Hawks, to be able to take such a complex topic such as urologic research and write in a way that readers understand. “She always takes a unique approach to whatever research material she’s critiquing, enabling the urologic nurse to see it from a different perspective.”

Cindy is looking forward to continuing to serve as a columnist for the journal, in addition to her continuing work at Xavier; helping her students become better writers. Having a greater ability to critique the research literature is essential and something that all nurses must achieve in order to improve patient care, she says. “The cornerstones of our practice are caring, quality, safety, and continuity of care for our patients. Relying on best evidence is essential to make that happen, and we find the evidence through continual examination of research. The column has been my contribution to that examination and to the soundness of the evidence base for nursing.”

Councilman Thomas

Cecil Thomas didn’t take the easy path when he retired from the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) after a career of almost three decades. Instead, he has gone on to not only direct one of Cincinnati’s most well-respected organizations, but is now working to help transform the city as a member of Cincinnati City Council. In his years of service to the city, he’s investigated high-profile murder cases that resulted in the arrests of some of Cincinnati’s most dangerous criminals, helped an embattled commission soar to new heights, and positioned Cincinnati as a city on the cutting-edge by advocating for new development along the city’s riverfront and for neighborhood revitalization. Today, Thomas is adding another accomplishment to his impressive resume: The completion of his bachelor’s degree.

Currently studying criminal justice management (CJM), Thomas is incorporating the lessons he’s learned on the police force and as a city leader in his studies at Union. In turn, he’s also using his education to forge new paths as a city council member.

Thomas brings a unique perspective to his studies and to his classmates at Union, says faculty member Tom Bauer, director of Cincinnati’s CJM program. “He has a front row seat in the day-to-day decision-making processes dealing with the complex issues of city administration in a challenging economy. His view of crime in the urban environment adds a fresh perspective to the criminal justice issues of today. Cecil is in a position to offer a unique voice to his class discussions and to challenge others to explore nontraditional solutions to traditional leadership problems.”

Making Cincinnati safe and vibrant  

Named one of the top 100 African Americans of Influence by the Cincinnati Enquirer, Thomas was elected on November 8 to his third term on Cincinnati council, finishing fourth in a race of more than 20 candidates. Term limits mean this will be Thomas’s last term on city council, and he’s determined to make sure his last two years have a lasting impact on the city. One of his first tasks will be to work with his fellow council members to help create a balanced budget.

Former Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Berding, front, Mayor Mark Mallory, Councilman Wendell Young, Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, and Councilman Cecil Thomas at Cincinnati City Hall. (photo: The Enquirer/Carrie Cochran)

“Every city must have a balanced budget to be successful – and this is particularly important during a recession,” said Thomas, who also serves as the council’s pro-tem, presiding over council in the absence of the mayor and vice-mayor. “Everyone has to be willing to share in the pain, to be able to cut spending so that we can all thrive. And, we have to find new sources of revenue.”

Getting the city back on track financially will mean that Thomas will have to provide leadership and help his colleagues on council make some tough decisions, including reducing the current number of Cincinnati police officers. It is a controversial issue that many cities face today. As Thomas sees it, Cincinnati’s population has declined in the past two decades and yet the city today has the largest police force since 1972.

The challenge, said Thomas, will be to reduce the force without having to lay off officers or downsize the department. Managing crime with less police on the streets is also a consideration, said Thomas, who was pivotal in the creation of the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV), a multi-agency and community collaborative effort initiated in 2007 designed to quickly and dramatically reduce gun-violence and associated homicides. “Crime remains a serious issue in Cincinnati, but we must understand that crime is just part of the equation and a symptom of a bigger issue; a quality of life issue that is often born out of poverty.”

Thomas also plans on working with city council to implement more initiatives to bring more young professionals and empty nesters back to Cincinnati’s urban core. He points to the city’s revitalization of Vine Street corridor in what was once part of the depressed but historic urban neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine:  new condominiums, shops, and restaurants in the Gateway corridor are examples of the new, successful projects underway that he hopes will continue and will spur more revitalization. “Cincinnati needs to attract more Fortune 500 companies, but to do this we must have a vibrant downtown with great nightlife with shops and businesses that people can walk to. We’re seeing more people move back to the downtown area and Over-the-Rhine so that they can walk to their work; places  like Convergys and Kroger. This is a great, positive sign that the city is changing.”

From janitor to executive director

Thomas was born in Birmingham, Alabama and moved to Cincinnati’s West End with his family when he was eight years old. After graduating from high school, he wanted to attend college, but lacking the financial resources necessary, he took a job as a janitor for the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company. Soon after, he joined the Cincinnati Police Cadet program and, upon graduating, became a Cincinnati police officer.

For 27 years, Thomas served the CPD in various roles and departments including narcotics, robbery task force, and the homicide task force. Thomas worked in each of Cincinnati’s 52 diverse neighborhoods and gained a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the city. His experience as a police officer also inspired him to want to do more for his community. “I started noticing that we were locking up sons, and before them their fathers, and before them, sometimes even their grandfathers. I wanted to do something about this.”  

Councilman Cecil Thomas

Thomas retired from the CPD in 2000 to serve as the executive director of the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC). In this role, he built the commission into one of the most recognized human relations organizations in the country. Most notably, he was instrumental in helping to diffuse volatile situations between cultures and races when the city erupted in violence and rioting in 2001 after the shooting of an unarmed African-American male by a white Cincinnati police officer. The experience gripped the city, but it also galvanized Thomas, who made the decision to step down from his role at the CHRC and run for city council.

A student focused on social justice

A natural leader, Thomas has been able to weave leadership into everything he does – not only in his career but in his personal life as well. “There are all kinds of leadership. I was able to become a leader in law enforcement and expand on this to become a councilmember. But you can also incorporate leadership in your life experiences – into everything you do.”

Thomas was drawn to Union’s CJM program because of its flexible delivery model that allows him to study and complete his coursework on his own time. But ultimately, it was the criminal justice program’s integration of social justice and servant leadership in every course that led him to enroll.

“If you want to be a good leader you must be able to follow; to have a servant leader mentality. The study of leadership encompasses the entire program, and for me that’s important.”