Academic Times Newsletter 2021

Environmental Health & Safety Equipment Donation

In December 2020, Mr. Jason Hudson and Mr. Bryan Keaton from the OSHA Consultation Division of the Oklahoma Department of Labor donated several boxes of sensors to NSU’s Environmental Health and Safety Management program in the College of Business and Technology.  This equipment will help give students hands-on experience with some of the common safety equipment used in industry.  Many thanks to the Department of Labor and these two safety professionals who made this donation possible.

Left-to-right, Mr. Jason Hudson, Dr. Mai Anh Vu Tran, Mr. Bryan Keaton, Dr. Janet Buzzard, and Dr. Roy Wood.

CBT Environmental, Health, and Safety Management (EHSM) program has recently been designated as Qualified Academic Program (QAP) This designation makes the program more competitive with our peers at least in the state of Oklahoma and the region. The designation provides our students with a lot of opportunities while studying and upon graduation.

Dr. Rene Moquin, Ph.D.  Assistant Professor of Information Systems co-authored a research paper accepted for presentation at the next forum of Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS). https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/71388

Topic: I Can’t Breathe: How Digital Video Becomes an Emancipatory Technology

News 6 interview with CBT Drs. Shapiro and Petty

On December 27th, 2020, Drs. Ron Petty and Jon Shapiro were interviewed by the News on Six about the COVID-19 vaccines and the future of the market and external environmental concerns.  The interview focused on the market and trends effecting society.  A link to this interview is below:

https://www.newson6.com/story/5fe925b394b3bd0bb564d3d4/covid19-vaccines-could-bring-market-improvements-to-economy-experts-say

Best Health Administration Colleges in Oklahoma

CBT Healthcare Administration degree is ranked number one in the state of Oklahoma by an online third party news agency.
https://www.universities.com/index.php/find/oklahoma/best/healthcare/health-administration

AACTE Board of Directors Approves New Committee Appointments including:

Committee on Government Relations and Advocacy
Dr. Lisa Bisogno
Associate Dean
Northeastern State University

Committee on Innovation & Technology
Barbara Fuller
Director, Robotics Academy
Northeastern State University

READ THE PRESS RELEASE HERE!

Dr. Yen-Ting Chen's publication - The title of the article is Improving Botulinum Toxin Efficiency in Treating Post-Stroke Spasticity Using 3D Innervation Zone Imaging. 

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

In 2021, Tom Rink will assume the role of President of the Academic Community of the Special Libraries Association.  Additionally, he was elected Secretary (2-year term: 2021-2022), and will continue in his role as Webmaster of the Oklahoma Community of the Special Libraries Association.  For the first six months of 2021, Tom will continue in his role as the President-elect of Beta Phi Mu, International, and will succeed to the role of President on July 1st.

The NSU China Bridge Project - Update

Academic Spotlight: Courtney Hamby

Native Strong, January 22

The Center for Tribal Studies, in collaboration with Admissions and Recruitment, hosted the 2nd Annual Native Strong high school recruitment event.  Though taking the event to a virtual platform was challenging, it was successful. The virtual program included three live student panels scheduled at 9 a.m., 12 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. to reach as many students as possible.  Participants were also given access to three recorded videos on the topics of NSU Admissions, Scholarships, and Financial Aid.  Handouts and FAQ documents were also provided on these three topics. Staff from these areas and the Center for Tribal Studies and Native American Support Center offered a session for parents and school personnel that was also broadcast on Facebook live.  There were 80 individuals registered, and a little more than one-fourth of those attended one of the live sessions.  However, the videos and resources will continue to be available to those who registered. Special thanks to the students and staff who helped make this event a success. 

Indigenous Leadership Summit, February 23-26

The Indigenous Leadership Summit (also moved to a virtual format) has been extended over the course of four days and includes one keynote speaker each day (webinar format with Facebook live options), with opportunities for more in-depth, private discussions in the afternoon.  Keynote include: Dr. Andrew Jolivette (Atakapa-Ishak Nation of Louisiana); Dr. Tracy Bear (Nehiyaw iskwew); Dr. Johnny Poolaw (Delaware, Chiricahua Apache, Comanche and Kiowa); Jasha Lyons Echo-Haw (Seminole, Pawnee, Creek, Omaha and Iowa), and our very own Dr. Farina King (Dine), covering topics such as the intersectionality of identity, gender roles in Indigenous cultures and the impact of colonization, and the two spirit and LGBTQ Indigenous experience. Find more information (include Zoom links) at: cts.nsuok.edu/events.

Indigenous Student Affairs Network’s (ISAN) Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award 

This award is presented by the Indigenous Student Affairs Network, an affinity group within the American College Personnel Association.  This award is presented to an individual or program for making a notable contribution to the larger Indigenous Student Affairs community (beyond their own campus).  The Center for Tribal Studies is being recognized for efforts related to sharing best practices within the American Indian professional community and providing free opportunities for professional development and cultural events.  A formal presentation will take place during the ACPA conference on March 5, 2021. 

Writing Grants Is Not Impossible With RASP

CBT Tours Premier Logistics Warehouse

(Thursday, March 11, 2021)
Broken Arrow, OK

Students, faculty, and administrators from NSU’s College of Business and Technology visited the Premier Logistics warehouse facility on Thursday, March 11 in Broken Arrow. Mr. Jeff Mancini, President and CEO, guided the tour which was made possible by a grant from the state to develop supply Chain Management (SCM) and Environmental Health and Safety Management (EHSM) workforces. Mr. Mancini serves on the SCM advisory board.

NSU CBT Partnership with QuikTrip

Ten NSUOCO affiliated residents presented virtual posters at the Heart of America Eye Care Congress on February 13^th, 2021. Residents and poster titles are as follows:

Dr. Carol Chou: Designing a Scleral Lens using a Cornea Scleral Profile Scan on the Oculus Pentacam

Dr. Jennifer Dryden: Blurry and Double Vision: A Case Report

Dr. Amy Bade: Ocular Complications of Crohn’s Disease

Dr. Colleen Tejchma: Sub-conjunctival Bullet Fragment Removal

Dr. Conner Kapperman: Recognizing and Treating Capsular Bag Distension Syndrome

Dr. Bibin Cherian: The Covert Cataract (Oil-Drop Cataract)

Dr. Kristen Lantz: Presumed Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension with Underlying Optic Nerve Head Drusen

Dr. Neil Hecker: A Case of Recurrent Orbital Inflammation

Dr. Tyler Nelson: Treatment of Epithelial HSV Keratitis: Oral or Topical?

Dr. Curtis Burnley: Diagnosis and Management of Third-Nerve Palsy

Justin R. Lindsey, O.D. was named a 2021 NSU Centurion and was honored at the Founder’s Day celebration & Centurion Luncheon held on March 5, 2021.  Dr. Lindsey is a 1995 NSUOCO graduate. He has served many years as adjunct faculty and guest lecturer. Warm congratulations to Dr. Lindsey on this well-deserved honor!

Journey back to China during COVID-19

Academic Spotlight: NSU Registrar's Office

Dr. Samantha Benn Duke was one of four invited presenters for Utah State University MESAS (Mentoring and Encouraging Student Academic Success) program's Inaugural Indigenous Knowledge Symposium. Held on March 19, the goal of this event was to bring campus staff, faculty, and students together to learn more about the importance of Indigenous knowledge across various academic disciplines. The theme for this year is Sovereignty, Identity, and Indigenous Knowledge in Higher Education. 

Dr. Benn Duke’s presentation was entitled When Libraries Are Burned: Intersection of Indigenous Knowledge, language, and Loss in a Pandemic. 

32 NSU Counseling students completed the Counselor Education Comprehensive Exam Saturday April 3rd. We received nationally normed data today with which to compare our individual and collective student outcomes.

The NSU Counseling student average on the CECE was 82 (SD = 10.7). The national average was 73 (SD = 14.1). Our students also exceeded the national average on all 8 out of 8 content areas (see table below with Spring outcomes).

In an academic year where so much has been challenging, I wanted to really celebrate the hard work and achievement of our Counseling students and the adaptability of our faculty.

Yay Counseling Students!

- Dr. Johnny Mark Kirk

Congratulations! The proposal Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of Learning in Virtual Classes that Dr. Christy Reed and Anita Ede submitted has been accepted as a paper presentation at the Summer 2021 National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators’ Virtual Conference.

Dr. Min Chi Yan virtually presented in a poster session at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting on Apr. 11th, 2021. The presentation title is called "Improving school outcomes of students with disabilities and at risk in high poverty contexts: A comprehensive evaluation of interventions in school settings.

Dr. Rebekah Doyle, Assistant Professor of Off-Campus Degree Program CRJ, moderated a Health System Response, Prevention, Treatment, and Vaccines panel in the continuing Pandemic Webinar Series presented by the Institute of Global Security & Comparative Justice Studies.

Christopher Murphy,Associate Professor of English, partnered with Dr. Suzanne Farmer, Associate Professor of History, and the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies to present a virtual discussion with author Rilla Askew via Facebook Live.

Katie Thomas, Instructor of Communication Studies & Director of Forensics was a guest on the Film Nuts Podcast (recorded last month and will be airing beginning April 21) where she discusses her use of the Bachelor/Bachelorette as an example when teaching. 

During the Oklahoma-Arkansas Mathematical Association of America (virtual) section meeting meeting hosted by Cameron University, Dr. John Diamantopoulos moderated the 1st and 2nd rounds of Math Jeopardy, and we had the following results:

Math Jeopardy (team competition)

1. Carlos Nino Cocoma/Elliot Reif and Blake Williams had a positive score in their first round, but only the highest total advanced to round 2.
2. Lauren Goekler/Kyla Willever and Luan Nguyen had the highest round 1 total of any team and advanced to round 2.  They were leading for most the entirety of round 2 until the final jeopardy question, but then finished in second place.

Integration Bee:

1. Luan Nguyen finished in 1st place. 
2. Carlos Nino Cocoma finished in 2nd place.

Dr. Sydney Dorrough Program Director for the Occupational Therapy Program, received the Oklahoma Occupational Therapy Association (OKOTA) Educator of the Year award in the fall of 2020. She was recognized by her peers as having a clear vision for the occupational therapy education “moving beyond the walls of the institution.” A supporter of experiential and service learning, she encourages faculty to teach creatively, effectively, and efficiently. She holds herself, faculty, and students to a high standard of “authentic” occupational therapy. She is well-regarded by students for her relatability as a person and professional, as well as her ability to simply teach complicated subject matter. Dr. Dorrough is a leader in the truest sense.

Dr. Richard Hasenauer’s paper with Dr. Bethany Kubik Tau-atomicity and Quotients of Size Four will appear in the Tamkang Journal of Mathematics spring 2021.

Ashley Long, Mahad Chaudhry, Annes Elfar, and Muhammad Haris presented posters on their research conducted with Dr. Janaki Iyer at the annual 2021 Oklahoma Research Day.

Former NSU Honors Student Laura Myers and NSU professor of Biology Dr. Mark Paulissen have recently had an article entitled: “Aggressive behaviors and their effect on resource use by female little brown skinks, Scincella lateralis” accepted for publication in the JOURNAL OF NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY. Part of the results presented in this paper were taken from the honors project Laura Myers completed while she was a student at NSU. This is the second publication in a peer-reviewed journal taken in part from her Honors Thesis.

Dr. Martha Parrott presented Unleashing Students’ Potential to Learn:  An Inquiry into the Power of Our Beliefs as part of the Noyce Symposium at Lewis University just outside Chicago on April 10.   Her morning session was directed toward undergraduate students and the afternoon session was comprised of higher education faculty and P-12 classroom teachers.  The conference took on a virtual format given COVID precautions. 

On September 25 – 26, 2020, Dr. Martha Parrott presented Preparing Future Mathematics Teachers in the Era of COVID-19:  Opportunities, not Barriers as part of a Korea based virtual conference Mathematics Education in the Era of COVID-19:  The Cases of Korea, Korea Singapore, and USA

Dr. April Trenary (L) and Dr. Heather Fenton (R), faculty in the NSU Nursing Program and registered nurses, recently volunteered to help provide COVID vaccinations to NSU students and faculty at the NSU Event Center on Wednesday March 24. 

Dr. Neal Xiong had 6 papers either accepted or published in April 2021. This brings his total to over 100 papers published during his tenure at NSU. Below are his newest contributions:

[6] Zhaoli Zhang, Z. Li, H. Liu, and Naixue Xiong, "Multi-scale Dynamic Convolutional Network for Knowledge Graph Embedding," IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, vol. DOI: 10.1109/TKDE.2020.3005952, pp. 1-10, 2021, published. (Impact factor: 7.2, Rank 1)

[5]. Zhihua Xia, Qi Gu, Wenhao Zhou, Lizhi Xiong, Jian Weng, Naixue Xiong*, "Secure Computation on Additive Shares”, TCSI-2020-11-0756, IEEE Transactions on Computers, Accepted. (Impact factor: 3.31, Rank 1

[4]. Mingfeng Huang, Anfeng Liu, Neal N. Xiong*, Jie Wu, An UAV-assisted Ubiquitous Trust Communication System in 5G and Beyond Networks, #1570682229, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, accepted. (Impact factor: 11.55, Rank 1

[3]. Chunxue Wu, Bin Li, Naixue Xiong*, "An Effective Machine Learning Scheme to Analyze and Predict the Concentration of Persistent Pollutants in the Great Lakes,” IEEE Access, DoI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3069990, 12/20/2020, published. (Impact factor: 4.9, Rank 2)

[2]. Wu, Mou; Xiong, Neal*; Tan, Liansheng; Wei, Jianguo; Wu, Jie, ATU: An Aggregate-then-Update Diffusion Intelligent Estimation Scheme for Adaptive Networked Systems, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics: Systems, Accepted (Impact factor: 9.3, Rank 1)

[1]. Ting Li, Wei Liu, Zhiwen Zeng, N. N. Xiong*, DRLR: A Deep Reinforcement Learning based Recruitment Scheme for Massive Data Collections in 6G-based IoT networks, IEEE Internet of Things, DOI: 10.1109/JIOT.2021.3067904, 2021, published. (Impact factor: 9.9, Rank 1)

Dr. Richard Castillo, OD, DO, NSUOCO Ophthalmologist is the recipient of the Arkansas Optometric Association’s Special Service Award for 2021.  He is being honored for his dedication and commitment to helping advance the scope of the profession in the state of Arkansas and for his continued support of Arkansas Optometric Physicians in their journey to becoming credentialed and practicing at the highest level.

Dr. Castillo was an invited speaker, addressing the audience at the yearly Optometric Leaders Forum of the Canadian Optometric Association.  He spoke on topics dealing with scope of practice expansion in the Canadian Provinces.

Dr. Castillo also presented a webinar in March to the Arkansas Optometric Association where he reviewed billing procedures for office-based surgery and reviewed surgical instrumentation for newly credentialed optometric surgeons in the state.

Recently, the Student Learning and Assessment Committee hosted a seminar on expanding meaningful co-curricular assessment practices. The primary purpose of this seminar is to facilitate meaningful conversations about the importance of co-curricular assessment while providing useful information on ‘how-to’ navigate this process. This seminar stressed the importance of co-curricular assessment as an effort to know, measure, and tell the value of our work. Throughout the seminar, the components of this process were broken down into digestible pieces for faculty and staff and a PowerPoint presentation provided valuable step-by-step visual aids that can be accessed for future reference (please see the Assessment Website).

The Higher Learning Commission defines co-curricular programming as “learning activities, programs and experiences that reinforce the institution’s mission and values and complement the formal curriculum.”

NSU distinguishes co-curricular from extra-curricular programming. Co-curricular programming aligns to the NSU Mission and is offered on a continuous basis. Co-curricular programs supplement and enhance student learning outside of a classroom setting through structured outcomes based activities, curriculum, or engagement. 

Online Criminal Justice Fast Track Program Rated the Most Popular Online Program at NSU by US News for 2021

Study Oklahoma and the Study Oklahoma Virtual Fair 

In honor of the upcoming employee recognition week, RASP would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all the faculty, staff, and departments that make grants possible for NSU. We sincerely appreciate the time taken by multiple departments on campus to answer questions, gather data, and support the efforts by faculty and staff that are pursuing grant funding to make NSU a brighter place for students. YOU ARE MUCH APPRECIATED!
 
Kind thanks,
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Jessica Secratt – Director
Allison Hamilton – Proposal Development Specialist

Academic Spotlight: Supply Chain Management

Dr. Farina King, Assistant Professor of History, moderated a virtual conversation with author Jacqueline Keeler about her new book Standoff: Standing Rock, the Bundy Movement, and the American Story of Sacred Lands (2021). Keeler is a writer and activist of the Diné and Yankton Dakota Nations who co-founded Eradicating Offensive Native Mascotry, which seeks to end the use of Native American racial groups as mascots.

 

Christopher Miller, Associate Professor of Drama, wrote, directed, and edited a Zoom film titled Terms and Conditions. The production was presented on the NSU Drama YouTube channel for a limited viewing period and starred four NSU Drama students who rehearsed and recorded all work virtually.

 

Dr. Bryan Raya, Assistant Professor of Low Brass and Director of Bands, conducted the NSU Wind Ensemble and Communiversity Band LIVE Spring Extravaganza on April 27th. The event also featured the conducting work of three students.

NSU Wind Ensemble and Communiversity Band LIVE Spring Extravaganza

Dr. Irina Strout, Associate Professor of English, hosted a RiverHawk Roundtable talk this April titled "whose culture is it, anyway?" and discussed cultural borrowing and appropriation. Dr. Strout also organized the 2021 Visions conference this April (9-10). This is an annual conference for undergrad and grad students, primarily CoLA majors, to attend and present their research. Dr. Joe Farmer, Associate Professor of English, was the 2021 keynote speaker and discussed rural women writers from Oklahoma.

Dr. Cheryl Van Den Handel, Associate Professor of Political Science, presented 'Immersive Learning at Northeastern State University" at the International Teaching and Learning Conference: Lilly Online on May 5, 12, and 19, 2021. Dr. Van Den Handel also presented on the panel "High-Intensity Learning Environments" at the Midwest Political Science Association on April 14th, 2021. 

The Cell and Molecular Biology students Annes Elfar, Mahad Chaudhry, and Muhammad Haris presented their findings from research conducted in Dr. Janaki Iyer's laboratory at NSU's Undergraduate Research Day. Muhammad Haris placed second for  the Sponsor's Award for Best Poster.

Dr. Sean Kim and his collaborators published a paper in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences titled “Interactions Between Small Molecule Ligands and Target Enzymes”.

Dr. Sean Kim and his undergraduate and graduate students, Austin Dinkel, Rachel Hoffmeister, and Andrew Huckleby, with his collaborators published a paper in Journal of Clinical Trials “Sensitive Detection of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor T790M Using BNA-clamp Real-time PCR.”

Dr. Mark Paulissen, Professor of Biology, Department of Natural Sciences, has had an Invited Contribution published in the special issue on Reptile Cognition in the international journal BEHAVIOUR. The title of the article is: "Contribution to the special issue on reptile cognition: Pattern biases, but not positional cues, influence learning in the little brown skink, Scincella lateralis" (https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539X-bja10090). The article presents results of research into what factors influence learning in a local lizard species: the little brown skink.

Dr. Martha Parrott, Professor of Mathematics,  is an  invited reviewer for the Journal of STEM Education:  Innovations and Research. 

At the 2021 New England Science Symposium hosted by Harvard Medical School, Dr. Cammi Valdez served as an invited poster judge.

During the Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Graduate School Bootcamp, Dr. Cammi Valdez led a workshop on "Resume, Personal Statement, and Letter of Recommendation Tips" and was invited to moderate a panel on "Graduate School Preparation."

As part of the Council for Opportunity in Education Webinar Series, Dr. Cammi Valdez served as a panelist for the McNair Scholars session on "No Better Time: Planning for Summer 2021."

Dr. Cammi Valdez was invited to give a presentation to undergraduates at the University of Oregon on "Launching into Summer REUs," which was hosted by the McNair Scholars Program. 

Dr. Richard Castillo, OD, DO, NSU-OCO Assistant Dean for Surgical Education and Tahlequah Ophthalmologist/Physician, conducted a 12-hour optometric surgical lecture and lab course for students at the Illinois College of Optometry.  This is the 14^th year that Dr. Castillo has led this program, which several years ago was made part of the core curriculum at ICO.  For his service and continued efforts, Dr. Castillo was honored by being named “Distinguished Friend of the College,” in 2020. 

In April, Dr. Castillo was featured on the Optometric Podcast Sandbox Stories.  This national podcast features segments with industry leaders and personalities discussing current trends in modern optometric practice. Earlier this year, Dr. Castillo was featured on “Try Not to Blink,” another nationally distributed industry podcast.

Finally, in early May, Dr. Castillo was invited by the Arkansas Optometric Association to a dinner/awards ceremony at the home of Arkansas Governor, Asa Hutchinson for the Arkansas Optometric Association’s annual installation of new officers and awards presentations.   Last month, Dr. Castillo was named recipient of the Arkansas Optometric Association’s Special Service Award for his work and commitment to helping pass Arkansas Act 579 which modernized the statutory definition of the practice of Optometry in the state and expanded the scope of practice of Arkansan Optometric Physicians, many of whom are NSU-OCO graduates.

Dr. Alissa Proctor, professor, was recently awarded her Fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD).  To earn the status of board certified in COVD, Dr. Proctor submitted 3 case reports, 6 essays, successfully passed the written and oral examination as directed by the COVD’s International Examination and Certification Board. Dr. Proctor also attended the 50^th Anniversary COVD Annual Meeting virtually and presented NSU-OCO’s student research during the virtual poster session, titled "Retained Primitive Reflexes and Optometric Referrals at Vision Screenings" in which she was the research advisor to Dr. Kayla Cook and Dr. Kristina Flaig.

NSU recently updated the institutional assessment plan to include strategies addressing co-curricular student learning activities. Co-curricular learning activities are learning activities, programs, and experiences that reinforce the NSU mission and values and complement the formal curriculum. The NSU Assessment team is working with co-curricular program leaders to develop effective assessment strategies, allowing NSU to better tell the story of our students learning experiences.
 
Dr. Kendra Haggard, the Associate Director of Student Transitions is taking the lead in working with the NSU Assessment team to model co-curricular assessment strategies in two (2) programs. Dr. Haggard oversees the Summer Bridge program. In this immersive program, students complete a four-week non-credit program to bridge in three of the developmental course areas. The program offers a combination of tutoring, group mentoring, and personal development workshops. Dr. Haggard also oversees the student/peer leader training program for the Summer Bridge, Rookie Bridge Camp, Welcome-Week, and SOAR programs. These students engage in leadership development in preparation and assist in facilitating the new student transition programs. These programs' assessment strategies will be used as the model for continuing professional development in co-curricular assessment, offered by the NSU Assessment staff in June.

48th Annual Symposium on the American Indian a success!

CTS selected for US Japan Council's Kakehashi Inouye Program

Dr. Jericho Hobson - Administered the Lalapalooza OPP grant with 100 K-8^th grade students at Tulsa Legacy Charter School in collaboration with their teachers and NSU Teacher Candidates.

Mrs. Barbara Fuller- Summer 2021: Led a PD for Zion Public School Teachers and the integration of technology into their school with 25 teachers and administrators. Led a PD for Choctaw Nation T2R Capstone with 21 first year teachers. Administered the RACE to SPACE grant with 20 middle and high school students in a collaboration with NASA. Administered the RACE Around the World Grant with Jericho Hobson in BA with 20 middle and high school students. Led the Summer IDEA Youth Academies with Jericho Hobson with over 500 children ages 4 to 15 on the Tahlequah and BA campus. Installed a shed and flowers in the IDEA gardens.

Dr. Jason Proctor and Ms. Tonya Garrett Led A PD training this summer for secondary math teacher from Sulphur and Davis schools regarding effective math teaching practices and standards based grading.

Dr. Sherry Been-Facilitated a grant this summer from The Olga Lengyel Institute for k-12th grade teachers titled: Social Justice Lessons in the Heartland:  Exploring the Holocaust and Human Rights in Oklahoma's History. We will also be launching a diversity, differentiation, and trauma course this fall. 

Dr. Reed and Dr. Ede presented their research, Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of Learning in Virtual Classes, at the NAECTE summer conference on June 14.

Dr. Phillips research concerning Mothers and Incarceration has an article accepted for publication with the Journal of Prison Education and Reentry.

Dr. Phillips and Dr. Reed attended two of the three zoom trainings coordinated by Dr. Choate this summer. 

Dr. Benjamin Kracht, Professor of Anthropology, was interviewed alongside Raymond Tongkeamha, his adopted Kiowa family, for the Territorial Voices Historical Reenactments of forgotten stories from Oklahoma and Indian Territories project, sponsored by the Lawton Community Theatre and the Great Plains Technology Center. The filmed interviews regarding late nineteenth and early twentieth century Kiowa religion will be shown in central and southwestern Oklahoma schools beginning in August 2021.

Dr. Jeffery Wall, Professor of Music, continued his work with Vox Solaris Chamber Choir as Conductor & Artistic Director. They performed "Choir on Tap," a pop-up concert series bringing choral music into local breweries. On July 17th, they performed at Renaissance Brewing in Tulsa. He also visited a few cities for site tours as 2022 Interest Session Chair & 2024 Conference Chair for Southwestern division of the American Choral Directors Association.

Dr. Robyn Pursley, Professor of Drama and Scott Pursley, Associate Professor of Drama, produced the 37th season of River City Players, a summer performance series that has been presented on campus since 1983. The company of 30 included NSU students, faculty, staff, and individuals from around the country. Traditionally presented at the NSU Playhouse, this season was performed at the Center for Performing Arts in order to provide a distanced seating plan to maintain safety for patrons. The season of performances hosted the first large live audience for performing arts on campus since the spring of 2020.

Dr. Candessa Tehee, Associate Professor of Cherokee Studies, provided instruction on the Indian Removal Era for the Native Knowledge 360° Summer Teachers Institute through the National Museum of the American Indian. The program itself was called “The Power, Authority, and Governance of Native Nations: Understanding United States Federal Indian Policies.” In July, Tehee also served as the keynote speaker for Tulsa Public Schools Language and Culture Summit. I spoke on Indigenous Languages in Oklahoma and the Bicentennial of the Cherokee Syllabary.

Dr. Farina King, Associate Professor of History, was elected as the new president of the Southwest Oral History Association. King also co-authored a book with Mike Taylor and James Swensen, titled Returning Home: Diné Creative Works from the Intermountain Indian School, that is set to be published with the University of Arizona Press this November 2021. In addition, her chapter “A ‘Loyal Countrywoman’: Rachel Caroline Eaton, Alumna of the Cherokee National Female Seminary” was published in This Land Is Her Land: Gendered Activism in Oklahoma, 1870s-2010s (University of Oklahoma Press, July 2021), and her article, “Ina Mae Ance and a Crownpoint Indian Boarding School Family,” was published in Journal of the West volume 59, no. 3 (Summer 2020): 3-10. She also published her first poem, “Homeland,” in Blossom as the Cliffrose: Mormon Legacies and the Beckoning Wild, edited by Karin Anderson and Danielle Beazer Dubrasky (Salt Lake City: Torrey House Press, 2021). Her most recent article is now available through the journal of Family & Community History (subscribe today): “Voices of Indigenous Dallas-Fort Worth from Relocation to the Dakota Access Pipeline Controversy,” Family & Community History Vol. 24, Issue 2 (Summer 2021): 147-174.

Dr. King (Bilagáanaa Diné) and Sarah Newcomb (Tsimshian) launched the podcast Native Circles to feature Native American and Indigenous histories from Indigenous voices and lived experiences. The podcast shares an episode once per month. The first episode, in July 2021, introduces the podcast and focuses on the recent discussions and uncovering of unmarked Indigenous schoolchildren’s graves at Native American and First Nations boarding/residential schools. King was interviewed about Indian Boarding Schools on NBCLX on July 1, 2021, and my podcast episode, "Diné Doctor Histories: COVID-19 & Generations of Navajo Healers," became available through Intervals, a podcast of the OAH MarCom Committee, on June 9, 2021.

Dr. Tiffanie Hardbarger, Associate Professor of Sociology, was asked to be the Program Director for the Native American Scholars Initiative (NASI) at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. This is the same organization where Hardbarger served as a Postdoctoral NASI Fellow in 2018-2019. The organization was recently awarded an Andrew W. Mellon program to maintain and extend its support for indigenous scholars. Read more!

Dr. Anne Watson, Professor of Music, had a review of her trio’s CD, Destiny, published in The Clarinet, a quarterly magazine published by the International Clarinet Association. Watson is also currently the bass clarinet contributor for Finger Fitness Études, bks. 1 (fall 2020) & 2 (fall, 2021). She was also selected to be one of the graders/raters for the Advanced Placement (AP) Exam in Music Theory and was chosen as this fall’s Academic Affairs Fellow at NSU.

Chris Murphy, Assistant Professor of English, published his first book Burning All the Time, a collection of flash fiction centering around northeast Oklahoma, is forthcoming in the next few weeks from Mongrel Empire Press.

Dr. Denis Vovchenko, Associate Professor of History, published an article in July in a leading international journal titled “Caring for the Sick Man? Russian and Greek Reactions to the Ottoman Reforms (1856-1908),” Middle Eastern Studies, published online 19 July 2021.

Lorelei Burnside and Katie Worden each presented at the international Botany 2021 conference. Lorelei Burnside presented a poster on "It takes a tree to build a campus community" with Dr. Waring as well as Dr. Hallman of Geography and Mr. Jefferson of the grounds department. Katie Worden presented her work on "Proximity to Illinois River impacts Photosynthetic Leaf Traits in Oaks" with Dr. Waring

During the week of June 21-24, Drs. Pamela Christol and Martha Parrott facilitated the tenth “Get Green for Blue: Outdoor STEM Investigations Connecting Water to You” summer academy, funded by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. 

Through a virtual format on  July 24th, Dr. Richard Hasenauer presented his paper Ideal class (semi)groups and atomicity in Prufer domains at The Conference on Rings and Polynomials at Technische Universität Graz in Graz, Austria.  

Hunter Hodson presented some of his honors thesis work on "Comparison of Seasonal Effects on Macroinvertebrate Communities Found in Alanthus altissima and Quercus stellata Leaf Litter" at the Oklahoma Clean Lakes and Watershed Association annual meeting with Dr. Waring.

Dr. Martha Parrott delivered professional learning through three summer institutes for math teachers across multiple grade levels in July 2021. These Exponential Growth Mathematics Institutes begin each summer and continue throughout the year with multiple Saturday follow-up sessions.  While typically hosted on the NSU-BA campus, these institutes were transitioned to a virtual format for summer 2021 as a result of the pandemic, but the hope is to return to in-person professional learning again when feasible.  These mathematics institutes are made possible by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, FlightNight, AAON, and the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance.  

Dr. Mark Paulissen, Professor of Biology in the Department of Natural Science, presented a paper entitled: “Lack of aggression between neonates of the Little Brown Skink lizard; (Scincella lateralis)” at the virtual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists held in Phoenix, Arizona in July. The paper was co-authored by NSU Honors Student Katie Fletcher.

Dr. Mark Paulissen, Professor of Biology in the Department of Natural Science, was corresponding author on an article published in the latest issue of the TEXAS JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. The article was entitled: “Diet of eight species of lizards from Granite Gap, Hidalgo county, New Mexico, USA” and was co-authored by colleagues from Truman State University in Missouri: D. Han, A. Johnson, L. Ney, W. Oberman, M. Pugh, L. Timper, and C. E. Montgomery. Read the article here!

A new and improved submission process allows for data to directly be input into the assessment form in Anthology (formerly Chalk and Wire). This allows NSU to easily track assessment data, easily retrieve it during our HLC visit when requested, and archive the assessment reports together in one location. We are using a collaborative workspace inside the Anthology system, organized by department, and then degree program within the department. Department chairs and program coordinators (leaders) will be assigned to their respective department workspace, based on the Fall 2021 Academic Affairs Administrative Personnel sheet, and the Program Directors By College sheet. If additional personnel need access, they can be added very easily. Please welcome our new Assessment GA's: Karrine Ortiz and Melinda Polly. If you have any questions as you move through this process, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Cari Keller, your college Student Learning Assessment Coordinator, or one of the Assessment GAs. 

Sarah Burkhead Whittle, Librarian & Resource Coordinator for the College of Education (Tahlequah), presented " 'Y' I Love Children's Literature: Sharing Stories From a Lifelong Reader," during the 2021 Community of Oklahoma Instruction Librarians (COIL) virtual conference on July 16. The theme of the conference was "Teaching Information Literacy with Projects, Passions, and Pastimes," which allowed Sarah to share her background as a reader and how she continues to enjoy reading children's literature as an adult for fun and to keep abreast of current children's/young adult authors. Also included in her presentation were examples of ways she has partnered with faculty from the College of Education to teach students how to find, examine, and utilize books from the Youth (Y) Collection at the John Vaughan Library.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is so excited to kick this year off with multiple funding opportunities to help faculty help their students! Do you have a BIG idea that takes BIG money? Call us or send us an email and we will see what we can find to help! If you are a new faculty member to NSU, you can visit our site by typing in “research and sponsored programs” or “RASP” in the NSU search. There is a fun video, and lots of helpful information like grant policies, budget guides, statistic resources, and how to submit proposals at NSU.

Our office is seeing an increased amount of federal funding opportunities being released lately. We are here to help you pursue your grant ideas and make your project a reality!

DON’T FORGET! It is never too early to start writing your Faculty Research Proposals. If you are unfamiliar with Faculty Research, you can find more information here. New faculty are highly encouraged, and our office can help you along the way!

Thank you for all you do for the communities and students you serve. We know this school year is going to be a great one!

Best,
Jessica Secratt and Allison Hamilton

Events Schedule 2021-2022
Office of International Programs 

The Office of International Programs is proud and excited to announce its plans for the 2021-2022 academic year.  We are bringing back a number of events that had been postponed due to COVID.  We are also introducing a number of events in cooperation with the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

Lori Riley, Director of Assessment, published an article titled "Lost in Transition: Supporting Transfer Students in a Post-Pandemic World" in the September 2021 issue of Academic Advising Today through NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Prior to assuming the Director of Assessment role this fall, Ms. Riley served as an NSU College of Education Academic Advisor on the Broken Arrow campus for six years.            

Reading

Dr. Tobi Thompson and Dr. Ingrid Massey worked on Professional Development in local schools during the summer.

Dr. Meagan Moreland will continue to represent NSU every 3rd Thursday at noon on the News on 6 Education Segments.

Dr. Meagan Moreland, Dr. Stephan Sargent, and Dr. Sherry Been will be attending ALER to present three presentations.

Dr. Meagan Moreland is serving on the Regents Committee for the 14th Annual Reading Conference which will be held Sept. 24th.  Jennifer Serravallo will be the keynote speaker.

Dr. Phillips will present at Welcome Week the Common Read book selected for this year with a short presentation about incarceration in Oklahoma.

Psychology & Counseling

Dr. Mary Waters-Bilbo’s presentation at the American School Counselor Association’s annual conference in Boston’s feedback from participants, I was invited to present through zoom at a school counseling conference in Guam. That was my first presentation at an international conference. I updated my 2019 presentation on Social Emotional Learning: Theory to Practice.

Dr. Mary Waters-Bilbo and Dr. Keller-Dupree’s collaboratively approached the leadership of Tulsa Public Schools to award endowed scholarship money to two teachers to help support them in becoming school counselors. There was a rigorous selection process and our two new sc members of our incoming cohort work with some of the most vulnerable children in our state. One, works at McClain High School and the other at Project Accept, an alternative school for elementary children. We hope this is a seed for further collaboration that helps us to live out our social justice mission.

Dr. Ashley Hurst and her student and research assistant (Kaylin Fisher) presented our research at the annual SPSP (Society for Personality and Social Psychology) conference.

Alissa Baker completed and submitted a grant with a collaborator from another university as well as first-language Cherokee speaking elders to fund Cherokee immersion learning for babies ages 0-3 and their mothers.  I have been building a partnership with the American Indian Resource Center as well.

Dr. Bea Keller-Dupree had a book chapter published in The Neuroeducation Toolbox: Practical Translations of Neuroscience in Counseling & Psychotherapy.  

Keller-Dupree, E. A., & Westcott, J. (2021). Compassionate discernment: An experiential practice for emotional awareness. In R. Miller & E. T. Beeson (Eds.), The Neuroeducation Toolbox: Practical Translations of Neuroscience in Counseling and Psychotherapy. (pp. 236-242). San Diego, CA: Cognella. 

In Fall 2020, Dr. Keller-Dupree had a manuscript published in The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision.

Keller-Dupree, E. A., Scott, C. N., Shannon, J. L., Durham, R. L., & Woltjer, A. (2020). In the gap: Peer support group experiences for post-graduate, pre-licensed counseling candidates. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 13(3), 1-26.

Dr. Keller-Dupree was named 3rd place winner for Tulsa Kids Magazine Top Mental Health Therapist.

Dr. Alexandra Meyers-Ellett’s  private practice relocated to Midtown Tulsa to collaborate with other eating disorder specialists. It is now 1 of only 3 practices in the Tulsa area where clients can receive both nutritional services from registered dietitians and specialized eating disorder counseling services.

Dr. Meyers-Ellett is also presenting this October at the annual Association for Play Therapy Conference and at the Oklahoma Eating Disorders Association's Fall Symposium. 

Jameie Combs was awarded the Lipscomb Legacy Scholarship to pay for her registration to attend the Deaf Missions International Conference in Omaha, Nebraska September 10-13.

Cherokee Nation Language Program manager and award-winning Cherokee artist Roy Boney Jr., who has been selected as Northeastern State University's 2022 Sequoyah Fellow was honored at a reception on September 8th on campus.

Lance Hunter, Professor of Art, received First Place in the 47th Annual Exhibition of the Alaska Watercolor Society. " To Infinity and Beyond" is a painting of the artist's son as a child.

Dr. James Lindroth, Professor of Music, was selected as a guest artist to present a clinic session at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference (PASIC) this year.

Dr. Candessa Tehee, Associate Professor of Cherokee Studies, published an article in the catalog for the opening of the First American’s Museum on September 18-19, 2021 in Oklahoma City as the culmination of her service on the FAM Knowledge Givers advisory group over the past three years. As a Knowledge Giver, Tehee reviewed interpretive signs, labels, and attended meetings where the group provided consultation and guidance on a broad range of topics and items in preparation for the museum’s opening. 

Dr. Denis Vovchenko, Professor of History, has a recent publication available in Spanish: "La última cruzada. El paneslavismo durante la gran crisis de Oriente", Desperta Ferro Historia Moderna, 54 (October-November 2021): 38-42. Last March, a popular Spanish military history magazine (similar to Current History in its format but illustrated) asked Dr. Vovchenko to contribute a short article about Panslavism for their special issue on the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. Dr. Vovchenko titled his piece in the spirit of Indiana Jones - "The Last Crusade: Pan-Slavism during the Great Eastern Crisis."

Vovchenko also published his first article in Greek, “Between Self-Image and Realpolitik: Pan-Orthodoxy and Pan-Slavism in Russian-Balkan Relations (1830-1914)," which was published in Ev. Venizelos, K. Kostis, and Ev. Hatzivasileiou eds., Ergastirion e Ellas: Thesmoi kai katastaseis pou dokimastikan stin Ellada apo tin Palingenesia eos tis imeres mas. Praktika tou synedriou tou Kyklou Ideon (2-4 Noemvriou 2020) (‘The Greek Laboratory’ - Institutions and situations tested in Greece from the Revolution to the present day. The Proceedings of the Kyklos Ideon Conference) (Thessaloniki: Epikentro, 2021), 67-78.

The College of Liberal Arts, Department of Geography and Political Science, and Center for Tribal Studies, hosted Robert Miller for a virtual presentation for the annual Constitution Day celebration. Professor Miller's presentation on the influence of America's Indigenous people on the United States constitution and a history of Indigenous constitutionalism.

Dr. Tracy Freudenthaler, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Professions, has an article accepted by The Ulster Medical Journal (Ireland) for September 2021 publication. “Early Irish Brain Surgery and Antiseptic Agents (1889)” features a unique historic transcription of cranial surgery, and presents surgical sanitation practices related to doctors’ conceptualization of germ theory during the late 1800’s in Ireland. 

Dr. Tracy Freudenthaler will be appointed Secretary of the Oklahoma Public Health Association (OPHA) Executive Board.  This will be announced on September 21, 2021 at the Oklahoma Partners in Public Health Conference. 

Brandon Martin, Instructor of Library Services on the Broken Arrow campus is collaborating with Erik Harris, with the Center for Teaching & Learning, on a Fall 2021 Copyright series consisting of 6 sessions, some with outside guests. The first session in the series was a student-oriented panel with Brandon Martin, Erik Harris, Josh Rader, Dr. Kari Henry Hulett, and Monique Brinker that discussed research, writing, and the repercussions of plagiarism and copyright infringement for student assignments.

Brandon Martin also served as a panelist in collaboration with OCLC as part of the Northwest ILL virtual conference on Friday, September 3, 2021 in a session titled, "Embracing automation to improve ILL turnaround time and save staff time".

International Student Orientation

For the Fall 2021 semester, International Student Orientation was held on August 19th and 20th, 2021. This year’s orientation was held as an in-person orientation for the first time since the beginnings of the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020. We had a total of thirteen new international students starting or continuing their educational journey at Northeastern State University. Twelve of these new students are degree-seeking students, while we have one student who is a part of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) studying at NSU for one academic year. 

During orientation, we have been able to connect with our students and provide all the necessary resources, tools, and information for academic and legal success, as well as providing resources to maintain an overall healthy and positive well-being. Our International Programs staff is always motivated to maximize success and happiness for all of our international students at NSU. 

The Office of International Programs is incredibly happy to welcome our new international students to the RiverHawk Family and to the NSU International Student community we have on campus. We are honored to be able to watch their journeys while they are here at Northeastern State University. 

Ricardo Oropeza, International Student Advisor

Academic Spotlight: College of Extended Learning

Dr. Vanessa Anton, Dean of the College of Education, was presented the Oklahoma Association of Colleges for Teacher Education's annual Distinguished Service Award for her service in educator preparation.  She received the award at OACTE's deans/directors meeting in Oklahoma City on August 27, 2021. 

Dr. Kelli Carney has been appointed to the AACTE Programmatic Advisory Committee on Meetings and Professional Development and will serve from March 2022 through February 2025. The Committee is charged with recommending and supporting professional development activities that strengthen member programs and build their capacity to prepare educators who can teach every child effectively.

Dr. Lisa Bisogno was one of five recipients of the 2021 Barry University Distinguished Alumni Award for her collaborative service.  She will be honored at Barry University in November.

https://www.barry.edu/alumni/events/daa.html

Dr. Hobson hosted several Bixby Instructional Coaches to the NSUBA STEAM Lab during Wednesday's EDUC 4823: Technology and the 21st Century Learner class trip to the lab.  The Instructional Coaches observed the NSU Teacher Candidates learn about and experience the new technology.  These career educators were also enticed to experience some of the other technology and STEM curricula available in the lab as they began to brainstorm and develop plans for incorporating more technology into their PK-12th grade classrooms.

Kim Phillips, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood, was featured in the September issue of NSU's student newspaper, The Northeastern. Dr. Phillips highlighted the importance of a college degree. Phillips believes “a big piece of college is the social aspect, but do not lose focus of your end goal, which is earning your degree. Make class your top priority. If you want to pass, then go to class.”

Cassie Freise, Instructor of Media Studies, was named The Society of Professional Journalists, Oklahoma Chapter 2021 Teacher of the Year. The OKSPJ virtual ceremony is set Friday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. and will be posted to the chapter Facebook group, YouTube and possibly other platforms.

Dr. Ben Hay and Dr. Bryan Raya, Assistant Professors of Music, presented a Faculty Brass recital with guest Marsha Wilson on October 4th at the Center for Performing Arts.

Dr. Christine Hallman, Professor of Geography, led her Geography of Warrior Women class to develop and present a Warrior Women Military Panel discussion on October 12th at the Webb Auditorium.

Dr. Ben Kracht, Professor of Anthropology, has published a new book, which will be released November 1. Learn more about the book!

Dr. Robyn Pursley, Professor of Drama, served as a judge and critic for the OSSAA 6A Regional One Act Contest hosted by Bixby High School. Pursley will also judge the OSSAA 4A State competition held in Mustang, Oklahoma at the end of October.

Scott Pursley, Associate Professor of Drama, Christopher Miller, Professor of Drama, and Dr. Robyn Pursley, Professor of Drama, hosted a 52 Hour Smartphone Movie Challenge on the weekend of October 15th. The event brought student and community participants together to devise original short films within a 52 hour period. The results of the challenge will be presented via the NSU Drama YouTube channel on Halloween.

Dr. Lara Searcy, English Education Specialist, in collaboration with three NSU graduate students-- Brogan Spears, Kyle Foster, and Lilac Woodson-- recently published the article "A Review of Social Justice Literature" in the Oklahoma English Journal.  The article is an extension of assignments and literature studied in the course, ENGL5663- Social Justice Literacies.

Dr. Denis Vovchenko, Professor of History, had an article published by a popular Spanish military history magazine. "La última cruzada. El paneslavismo durante la gran crisis de Oriente", Desperta Ferro Historia Moderna, 54 (October-November 2021): 38-42

Dr. Jeffery Wall, Professor of Music, Presented a session for the fall conference of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association titled "Programming Down the Rabbit Hole" on October 14th at Oklahoma City University.  This presentation focused on repertoire selection for choirs towards inclusion of lesser-known new music from living composers.

Dr. Sydney Dorrough, Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Program Director and Dr. Margaret Bates, Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Program Field Coordinator, presented “Learn Together to Work Together: Collaborating Across Programs for Experiential Learning” through The Center for Teaching and Learning’s workshop to the NSU community.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a hot topic in higher education; however, the logistics of collaborating with other programs can be daunting. Participants heard practical examples of interprofessional education with practices that can be applied this semester while building a culture of IPE that will enrich the existing curriculum.

Dr. Tracy Freudenthaler, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Professions, continues her HPV research. She had two research posters at the virtual fall 2021 Oklahoma Partners in Public Health Conference sponsored by the Oklahoma Public Health Association (OPHA) and the Oklahoma Turning Point Council. The first virtual recorded presentation was “University students continue to hold misconceptions about human papillomavirus (HPV), even if they are vaccinated.” The second poster was “Impact of health care provider recommendation on HPV vaccine uptake”; submitted with a third-year medical student, with oversight by Dr. Freudenthaler and a colleague from a partnering university. 

Dr. Martha Parrott presented Reimagining the Preparation of Future Mathematics Teachers: COVID Brings Opportunity, not Barriers at the fall 2021 conference of the National Council of Supervisor of Mathematics.  The presentation highlighted how bold mathematics leadership begins with teacher candidates who aspire to become teacher-leaders.  Dr. Parrott brought attention to NSU by unveiling to math leaders across the county how we reimagined the preparation of future teachers through unique, authentic experiences in the NSU Mathematics Clinic that bring a sense of relevance to the changing nature of what schooling looks like today as a result of COVID-19.  The presentation put a positive spin on COVID 19 by demonstrating how the pandemic has been viewed as an opportunity to expand teacher candidates’ skill sets and not a barrier to their preparation. 

Photo (from left to right: Austin Fisher, Madison Whitekiller, Melissa Vera, and Dr. Cammi Valdez). 

Dr. Carolyn Majcher, Associate Professor and Director of Residency Programs at NSUOCO, participated in a panel discussion and case presentation competition at Vision Expo West and Vision Expo East conferences in 2021. Panelists competed against each other by presenting interesting cases highlighting imaging technology. The audience decided who won each match via attendee interactive polling technology. Dr. Majcher won the competition at Vision Expo East in May and made it to the semi-finals at Vision Expo West in September.

If you would like to read more about Dr. Majcher’s case presentation, please use this link: https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/take-oct-to-the-next-level

Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry Faculty and Alumni Contributions to The Ophthalmic Laser Handbook

On October 6, 2021, The Ophthalmic Laser Handbook was published by Wolters Kluwer, serving as an all-in-one clinical reference guide for ophthalmic laser procedures that covers everything from indications and procedural techniques to contraindications and potential adverse events. Several NSUOCO faculty and alumni contributed to the book, including:

NSUOCO Faculty:

• Dr. Rich Castillo
• Dr. Nate Lighthizer
• Dr. Jeff Miller
• Dr. Neal Whittle

NSUOCO Alumni:

• Dr. Jason Ellen
• Dr. Sophia Leung
• Dr. Selina McGee
• Dr. Myranda Partin
• Dr. Andy Whitely

October is here already, and you know what that means?!? HLC was on campus October 18th-20th! We enjoyed meeting with the commission and securing a bright future for assessment measures & outcomes for our continued accreditation with HLC.  Let us dive right into how Criterion 4 is crucial to the HLC review here at Northeastern State University, and continues to be important long after their visit. We work hard to ensure our goal is for the completion of General Education our Student Learning Outcomes and that all students will display and demonstrate the following: Analytic Inquiry; Information Literacy; Engage Diverse Perspectives; Quantitative Fluency; Communication Fluency; Cultural Foundations and Life Skills & Personal Development. Our goal is to better display peer reviewed examples that show the best assessment reviews for Student Learning Outcomes and model our SPAM criteria. The institution has effective processes for assessment of student learning and for achievement of learning goals in academic and cocurricular offerings. The institution’s processes and methodologies to assess student learning reflect good practice, including the substantial participation of faculty, instructional and other relevant staff members.

Our institution uses the information gained from assessment to improve student learning. NSU has clearly established processes for assessment of student learning, achievement of learning goals, and assessment of learning outcomes. For example, the Academic Prioritization Process provides a platform for deans to review sustainability and viability of new program offerings. The annual Program Review Process provides an opportunity to examine student learning outcomes, course offerings, and program offerings for currency, rigor, and sustainability. When it comes to Assessment and Sharing Data, The Office of Institutional Effectiveness better assists with interpretation of institutional data. It is noteworthy that all assessment processes involve use of multiple reviewers, multiple measures and iterative cycles that provide a broad assessment of student knowledge and skill development over time, rather than an individual area. Our faculty are benefiting immensely when it comes to assessment of student learning outcomes and recommendations for program or curriculum changes. Faculty and department chairs review SLO’s to map outcomes for success. The Assessment Graduate Assistants offer a wide range of example peer review formatting including but not limited to  Assessment Results & Planning, Data Analysis and “closing the loop” via the use of results and implementation of the Assessment Plan(s). Want to talk through an assessment strategy? Email us at assessment@nsuok.edu, or book an appointment through our youcanbook.me links at at offices.nsuok.edu/ academicassessment

Finally, be sure to join us on November 9 and November 18 at 1:00 for our Fall assessment workshop series. More info to come!

Study Abroad Fair

We were excited to hold the Study Abroad Fair this year in the John Vaughan Library on October 12! The fair provided information about study and travel abroad opportunities for students and the NSU community. NSU Faculty members were able to meet with students regarding potential upcoming Faculty led-trips for 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Bursar Services, Financial Aid, Career Services and information about ISEP, CIS Abroad, Semester at Sea, API, International Studies Association, DiscoverEd 360 (Virtual Study Abroad), CIS Abroad, and the Study Abroad Association were shared this year. On October 5, we also set up a Study Abroad Informational Table on the BA Campus in the Science, Education, Liberal Arts and Business & Technology buildings. For more information about study abroad, please contact the Office of International Programs at 918-444-2050 or oip@nsuok.edu.

World Fair

Recruitment Efforts

The Office of International Programs continues to work hard through the Pandemic to bring in new students from all over the world. We also have several international students transferring from our local community colleges and universities to finish their degrees here at NSU. Our office continues to be involved with recruitment at the community college level by attending Transfer Fairs and by participating in NSU Days at several Oklahoma Community Colleges. We are excited every semester about our new students and look forward to many more to come.

Our visits this semester have included Tulsa Community College, Oklahoma City Community College, Carl Albert State College, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, and Eastern Oklahoma State College. NSU continues to work closely with all these schools to make transferring a simple process for the international students. 

 The Office of International Programs will also participate in the Recruitment Roadshows that are scheduled in Lawton and Woodward later this semester.

Happy Fall RiverHawks! Can you believe we are halfway through the semester already?

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is pleased to announce the new RASP Advisory Board at NSU. The committee is comprised of representatives from each of the colleges and will advise the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (RASP) to improve communication between faculty and RASP. The overall goal is to encourage grant writing and elevate research, scholarship, and creative activity among NSU faculty and staff.  The board held its first meeting on September 30 and will meet twice a semester or as called by the chair.

Congratulations to Dr. Fritz Laux for being elected as the new RASP Advisory Board Chair. 

*Reminder that the OK IdeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBrE) Grants will be here before we know it. The OK INBrE helps carry out biomedical research by supporting promising new faculty, recruiting students into biomedical research careers, and sustain vital core facilities. All INBrE’s are due at the end of February or March 1st. 

Do you have an excellent new research or project idea but a shortage of cash? Reach out to our office and let us help you find funding to bring your ideas to life. 

Academic Spotlight: NSU Online/Center for Teaching and Learning

Jerol Skinner, Executive Director for NSU Online/Center for Teaching and Learning shares about NSU Online/Center for Teaching & Learning.

Visit the NSU Online/Center for Teaching & Learning websites today by clicking on the links below.

NSU ONLINE

CENTER FOR TEACHING & LEARNING

Dr. Kari Henry Hulett, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, presented at the Oklahoma Society for Technology in Education (OKSTE) conference in October. Her presentation focused on building community in online learning environments to support student learning. 

Dr. Kimberly Phillips, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, was recently featured in a student teaching guide published through Study.com online. Dr. Phillips discussed how she got into the field of education, advise and tips for students preparing to become teachers, and self-care tips for teaching during challenging times. Read the full write-up at https://study.com/resources/student-teaching-guide#kimberly-phillips.

NSU was represented well at the National Collegiate Honors Conference in Orlando, Florida in October 2021. Senior Emily Tackel, an honors math education major, presented her research entitled "Parents' Perspectives on the Educational Attainment of Their Middle School Students During COVID-19". Her research advisors are Dr. Maria Gray and Dr. Martha Parrot. Ms. Lauren York, under the direction of Dr. Karen Carey, was also accepted to present "Examining Gifted Education Programs through the Lens of Legislation, Programming and Standards". Lauren is a senior in the NSU Honors Program and an English education major. Congratulations to all!

Professor of Art, Lance Hunter received First Place in the 81st Annual International Exhibition of the Northwest Watercolor Society. His painting, “Without Reason,” was chosen for this honor from 573 paintings by artists from 11 countries. Normally held in Seattle or the surrounding region, this year's exhibition was held online. Hunter's painting was featured in an article about the exhibition, "What Makes a Winning Painting," in the November 1st edition of American Watercolor Weekly. His painting is also featured prominently on the NWWS website and the printed exhibition catalog.

Dr. Benjamin Hay, Assistant Professor of Music, presented at the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors conference yesterday in Denton, TX. He presented with Dr. Andrew Cheetham (Texas State University). The title of their presentation was “The Pedagogy Behind Duets: Improving Practice and Performance Together.” Drs. Hay and Cheetham will be giving this presentation at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in San Antonio, TX in May 2022.

The department of History has received the Equity Award from the American Historical Association 2021 for an institution that has achieved excellence in recruiting and retaining underrepresented racial and ethnic groups into the historic profession.

Dr. James Lindroth, Professor of Music, recently had his article published in the Kansas Music Review.

Dr. Farina King, Associate Professor of History, has been named the inaugural Dr. Isabel Baker Memorial Lecturer in Women's Studies. Established by Northeastern State University’s Center for Women’s Studies in memory of Dr. Isabel Baker, this lectureship is intended to highlight NSU faculty doing research on women or NSU women faculty doing research. Dr. Baker was the keynote speaker for the opening of the NSU Center for Women’s Studies new offices in the Woods House on August 28, 2018, during which she provided many examples of how she pushed back against policies and practices in education that were unfair to women, such as a prohibition against pregnant teachers.

A forum panel about the roles of women in Cherokee language revitalization moderated by Kristen Thomas was Co-sponsored by the Center for Women's Studies and included Associate Professor of Cherokee Studies, Candessa Tehee.

The Center for Women's Studies, the Center for Tribal Studies, and the Department of Language and Literature hosted a discussion of Dr. Terri Baker's current book project, American Indian Women's Stories of Power & Resilience. Dr. Terri Baker is a Professor Emerita of Northeastern State University and former department chair of Languages and Literature.

Dr. Tracy Freudenthaler, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Professions, continues her HPV research. She will have an article published with collaboration from Dr. Schumacher and Ms. Elbon in the Oklahoma State Medical Proceedings, "Understanding how health care provider recommendations and messaging strategies influence HPV vaccine uptake: a study of undergraduate student perspectives". In this research, students recalled how their health care providers communicated HPV and HPV vaccines to them, with common themes presented in the findings. 

Dr. Alissa Proctor presented a poster on BEST Stereopsis: Is it the Best? at the American Academy of Optometry Meeting in Boston, MA.  She presented alongside fourth-year optometry students and co-researchers Baylee Moles and Courtney Simon.

Happy Fall All,

This month the assessment team has been busy working to provide our Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) report as you may know, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education is the agency of the government of Oklahoma that serves as the governing body of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, which is the largest provider of higher education in the state of Oklahoma. We are so pleased to see the hard work from our faculty here at Northeastern State University to aid in our completion of  documenting program outcomes in direct relation to administering assessment, analyses & findings to better grow our methods to continue being a leader for the state of Oklahoma when it comes to achieving higher education.

Our assessment team has also been providing cutting edge direction for Professional Development webinars that took place on November 16th & 18th. These webinars are centered with focus on Writing Student Learning Outcomes, Student Learning Goals, Taxonomies and how they relate to Assessment Instructions & Alignment and so much more! We would be happy to provide the slides or assistance to anyone who may be interested, our goal is to make assessment and teaching methods easy for staff. 

Please keep  in mind that our University Professional Development Day for Academic Assessment is January 17th from 1-3 p.m. via Zoom. Be on the lookout for an email to follow with additional detail! Our goal is to help establish best practices and feedback for faculty to use Anthology (Chalk & Wire) for assessment and what types of assessment are best to gather the skills you wish your students to provide alongside the strategies.  

Please do not hesitate to contact our office at 918-449-6124 or 918-449-6137, our email is assessment@nsuok.edu. 

We are here to help you soar!

The Insiders: Information Literacy for Okies Everywhere

Crafted by four Oklahoma librarians, including Sarah Burkhead Whittle, to be applicable across the spectrum of adult education, "The Insiders: Information Literacy for Okies Everywhere" centers on foundational information literacy concepts, ranging from disinformation, to searching strategies, to academic integrity. This Open textbook is built to promote life-long learning by opening access to all, infusing interactivity, and engaging with realistic problem-centered scenarios. Please access at: https://open.ocolearnok.org/okinfolit/

Northeastern State University’s Office of International Programs hosted International Education Week on November 15-19. 

Events were held throughout the week to provide students with more information about studying abroad, promoting International Education and spotlighting International Students at NSU. 

Study Abroad 101 took place on November 15. This event was for students interested in learning more about studying abroad as well as tips and tools for how to be successful while abroad. 

Cultural Exchange Night took place on November 16. NSU International Students shared about their home countries and their culture at this event. There was also an opportunity for attendees to learn some basic phrases of a new language. 

The International Faculty Conversation was held on November 17. International NSU Faculty members discussed different ways to promote International Education. Additionally, faculty members shared about their experiences growing up abroad and the importance of students studying abroad during their college careers. 

A Tennis Night with international students from the NSU Women’s Tennis team was held at the NSU Fitness Center on November 18. Students were encouraged to come play and learn a bit more about the NSU Tennis Team and meet the international students on the team. 

Throughout the whole week, International Coffees and Teas took place in different locations around the campus each day of the week for the NSU community. Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to come try an international beverage, an international snack, and play international trivia to win a prize. 

Students who attended these events throughout the week were entered to win $500 toward a future NSU study abroad trip. Overall, all events were highly successful with several domestic students wanting to go abroad in the future.

Academic Spotlight: Advising, Testing, & Transfer Student Services