| Summary: | The Reporter is a publication produced by Western Carolina University featuring news, events, and campus community updates for faculty and staff. The publication began in August of 1970 and continues digitally today. Click on the link in the “Related Materials” field to access recent issues. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS $5,000 grants awarded for faculty research and creative activities Four faculty members received $5,000 grants to support research and creative activities. Recipients were announced at the Faculty Scholarship Celebration reception earlier this semester. They are: ???????? Brian Byrd, assistant professor of environmental health, won a grant to develop a faster method of identifying mosquito species than a current process that routinely takes seven to 10 days. His project is titled “Development of a Multi-Plex PCR Method for the Identi????????cation of Container- Inhabiting Mosquitoes.” “Mosquito surveillance requires the rapid and accurate identi????????cation of medically important mosquitoes in a ‘real-time’ fashion,” said Byrd in his grant proposal. “Species identification of these mosquitoes is especially critical in areas where there is endemic disease or epidemic potential.” ???????? David Evanoff Jr., assistant professor of analytical chemistry, will work on a method that could enhance the e????????ciency of organic solar cells, which are currently less e????????cient than silicon-based devices. The project titled “Plasmonic Fluorescence Enhancement of poly(3-hexylthiophene) for Organic Solar Cell Applications.” “This enhancement, expected to be four to tenfold, could have a dramatic impact on organic solar cell efficiency,” said Evanoff in the grant application. ????????Vicki Szabo, associate professor of history, won a grant for “Project ORCA: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Whale Bone Identi????????cation and Premodern Demographics.” Szabo will travel to Wales to conduct research with Jacqui Mulville at Cardiff University “The faculty research grant, paired with my scholarly development leave, will allow me the necessary funds to work alongside Dr. Mulville on a project that promises to change research in premodern cetacean demographics and archaeological analysis,” said Szabo in the grant application. ???????? Erin Tapley, associate professor of art education, won a grant to explore new mark-making methods in a project titled “Marbling as a Printmaking and Drawing Process.” “The more consistent I can make these processes, the more control I have as an artist in terms of turning my designs into drawings or prints, wherein imagery might be recognized,” said Tapley in the grant application. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 20, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Kyle Carter (left), WCU provost, shakes hands on Sunday, April 19, with Hong Liang, president of Guangxi Normal University in Guilin, China, during a signing at WCU of an agreement between the two universities. The new memorandum of understanding creates opportunities for student, faculty and research exchanges. In addition, the university in China, which is located near the Li River and mountain ranges, could be a venue for faculty summer travel courses. “Guangxi Normal University is very similar to WCU in that both institutions began as teacher training colleges,” said Lois Petrovich-Mwaniki. “They have most of the programs we have, including engineering and the ????????ne arts. They do not have a nursing program, but they can o????????er instruction and opportunities to learn more about acupuncture and other types of traditional healing methods.” Photo by WCU student Jarrett Frazier TOP STORIES Agreement creates new faculty, student opportunities in China CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 6, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | From left, students Tammy Fuller of Raleigh, Karen McPherson of Old Fort, and Barry Merrill of Durham conduct mock interviews as part of a recently redesigned graduate program for aspiring school administrators. TOP STORIES Aspiring school leaders reflect, adopt ‘Big Hairy Audacious Goals’ in first graduate program to incorporate QEP An assistant principal enrolled in Western Carolina University’s graduate program in school administration applied what he learned about leadership to breakfast duty on a recent school day, leaving his laptop computer in the office. His goal was to be more present and give his full attention to students and staff. Just as he started to regret not bringing work on the quiet morning, he asked a teacher’s assistant across the table about her weekend. At first she said it was OK, but then, as they talked, she shared the difficulties she was facing seeking court-ordered mental help for a family member. A second-grader came over, gave her a hug and climbed in her lap. The assistant principal wrote in a reflection paper for WCU’s graduate program about the experience, and how important “presence” is, not only as a school leader but also as a husband and father. “They had a moment of incredible humanity that added something really important to that school, which happened because of something he read in a book and implemented,” said Frederick Buskey, a WCU faculty member who led the redesign of the master’s degree and certificate program in school administration. An update was already on the minds of WCU program faculty, including B u s k e y , Kathleen Jorissen and Lucian Szlizewski, when a North Carolina bill, signed into law in August 2007, required institutions of higher education to redesign their school administrator preparation programs. Two months later, they began crafting what has become a program mantra: Live your leadership journey courageously. “We view our work as reaching kids in schools through people in our program,” said Buskey. “School leaders fall down in what they choose not to do. They don’t take care of small injustices done to kids. People are afraid to challenge the system and speak out, and it starts to eat away at them. We needed to teach people how to speak – to make sure our future school leaders had the power of their voice.” The MSA and certificate programs were restructured in ways that embody WCU’s Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP, titled “Synthesis: A Pathway to Intentional Learning.” It is the first WCU graduate program to formally commit to incorporating the QEP, said Carol Burton, assistant vice chancellor for undergraduate studies. Burton is guiding universitywide implementation of the QEP, a framework for helping students reflect on how their classroom experience connects to what they learn outside the classroom and how everything in their university experience connects to their career and life goals. Their realizations help them become more intentional and engaged in their learning. “The quality of our program is directly related to the degree with which our students engage in addressing the needs of their own students,” said Buskey. The program’s recently developed online format enables students to discuss aspects of leadership while observing and testing them in their own lives. Foundational courses cover research, curriculum, educational psychology, testing and other topics. WCU faculty then assess students for candidacy, and those who do not advance in the MSA program have the option of transferring credit into the master’s degree program in teaching. The final four courses in the graduate program cover subjects including ethical school leadership, leading school culture and leadership for student learning, and incorporate an internship and continuous pursuance of a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal,” or BHAG (pronounced be-hog). The BHAG must make a “real change in a real school,” make a difference in the lives of children, recognize the student’s leadership skills and growth areas, rely on ethics as the fundamental basis for action, and take one-and-a-half to three years to achieve. Part of one student’s BHAG, for instance, was to revamp a high school’s curriculum to help students see history less as memorization of facts and more as an enthusiastic discussion and analysis of events and ideas from different perspectives. The program has grown from about 25 students in 2005 to 190 students at present. The online format not only made the program more convenient for working professionals in Western North Carolina, but also made it attractive to students from across the state, Atlanta and China. One North Carolina native participated in the program while serving in Iraq. Jaye Taylor, coordinating teacher for special education services with Wake County Public Schools, enrolled in WCU’s graduate program in school administration because she wanted to earn administrative licensure. “Never in my wildest dreams did I expect such a life-changing CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT experience,” Taylor said. Her work responsibilities range from observing classes for the purpose of making sure students are placed appropriately to assisting in providing staff development. Challenges include helping instructors creatively figure out how to do more with less and speaking up about issues that could “make waves.” “One thing that has been stressed in this program that I think about a lot is that all decisions need to be made by what is the right thing to do for kids,” said Taylor. “I have learned that I can’t win every fight, and that I can’t fight every battle, but I must learn to recognize when to fight, and I must have the skills and the courage to do it.” Mark Payne, a sixth-grade teacher from Burlington, said he enrolled after years of working with school administrators – some who inspired, some who did not. “Even in this early juncture in the program, I have begun to think as an administrator in looking at the problems and joys of teachers and the students they teach,” said Payne. “I am critically analyzing situations that just a few months ago would have been ignored or maybe not even noticed. Thanks to WCU, I can readily admit that I also am starting to formulate some solutions and ideas that can help some now, and I know in my heart will definitely help later, when the responsibility of leadership is finally mine to move forward.” By Teresa Killian © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Jan O’Brien takes the time to learn the names of WCU students she meets. Jan O’Brien maintains a wall of photos of the students she meets. TOP STORIES At the dining hall with Jan O’Brien A resident of Sylva since 1989, Jan O’Brien will celebrate 20 years with Western Carolina University’s team of dining staff this August. Working with hungry students at Dodson Dining Hall from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each weekday, O’Brien has befriended many students, as well as faculty and staff. With a personable smile on her face every day, O’Brien can recall many students on a first-name basis, and in return, many students – current and alumni – remember O’Brien. The Reporter: When I was a WCU undergrad, I remember you always taking the time to say my name when I purchased a meal. What inspired you to start doing that for students? O’Brien: I’ve always done it. I’d hate to think of someone coming through my line without me learning their name. If they don’t have a card with a name on it, I ask what their name is. The Reporter: You learn each student’s name? You must have a great memory. O’Brien: I remember most of them. My memory is just something I’ve always had. I used to remember name, rank and regiment, but now that I’m 76, I just remember names. I was a bartender in Miami Beach for 35 years, and when you’re a bartender, it’s important to have a good memory. When a group of 15 to 20 people came in, they’d all order. And when they wanted another round, I had to remember what they ordered the first time. The Reporter: Do you have any memorization tips for other people? O’Brien: Just keep trying. The Reporter: How many students do you help each day at Dodson? O’Brien: About 300 now. Even when students use the other entrance, they still come and see me, talk to me, look at the pictures. Did you see the wall of students’ pictures downstairs? I took them. Every couple of weeks, I take new ones. I love it, and they do too. They always stop to look at the pictures, saying ‘Hey, look, that’s me!'” The Reporter: Do you remember names, faces or numbers better? O’Brien: I’ve always remembered faces. Names are second. The Reporter: What’s the most common name you see at work? CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT O’Brien: Robert, I guess. Justin and Jason. The Reporter: Do you have a memorable experience from work that you can share? O’Brien: Oh, sure. When I worked at the UC, the choir got together – a group of young men – from the music department. We were so busy that day. During my break, I couldn’t even find a place to sit and eat. When I started working the register again, my manager told me someone wanted to talk to me. I sat down, and they started singing “Sweetheart of Sigma Chi.” Everyone knew they were going to do it but me. It was the best kept secret in town. I cried for a month. I’ll never forget it. The Reporter: What’s your favorite meal to cook at home? O’Brien: Whatever goes in the microwave. I’m not a cook. The Reporter: What do you do in your leisure time? O’Brien: I like to travel. And I’m trying to learn Spanish right now. The Reporter: Where have you traveled? O’Brien: I’ve been to 22 countries and 49 states. The Reporter: What state are you missing? O’Brien: Hawaii. I’ll go as soon as my back feels better. The Reporter: Tell me some about your travels. How do you pick your destinations? O’Brien: I just think about a place. I like the landscape, the architecture of buildings, learning about other countries. I worked at a place in Miami for 17 years, and it was torn down for a hotel, so I moved to Sylva because I visited some friends here. I think it’s a beautiful place. And you know, no one wanted to travel when I first moved here, and if I’d waited for others, I would’ve sat on my couch. But I found a book about travel, and a month later, I ended up in Amsterdam. The Reporter: Where else have you been? O’Brien: I went to Russia and the Ukraine right after they came out of communism. China was my favorite, though. It was such a mystery, so different. I loved it. And in Germany, I loved Munich. I loved the guest houses with bars, dancing, music and oompah-pahs. There was a little town in Germany, I don’t remember the name. Anyway, it had all this stuff in the town square – stoves, refrigerators, all household items you could think of. It looked like a rummage sale for two days. But nothing was for sale. Everything was an exchange. If someone needed a stove, they picked it up. Someone else would drop off another item. The Reporter: Do you have a funny memory about traveling? O’Brien: In 2003, I was in Athens, Greece, at the airport. I was meeting my tour group, and we went around, telling our names and where we lived. When it was my turn, I told them I lived in a small town that most North Carolinians don’t even know. And you know what? Another member of the group said she knew someone from North Carolina who lived in a place like that, a place called Sylva. Can you believe it? I was in an airport in Athens, Greece, and someone had heard of Sylva. The group called me Sylva O’Brien after that. The Reporter: You went on a trip associated with WCU a few years ago, didn’t you? O’Brien: About three years ago, I went to England, Italy and France with 24 students and six adults. Dr. (Mimi) Fenton invited me to go. I knew all the students, all the other people going. It was great. Everyone took good care of me. And Dr. Fenton, she’s so funny. She’s something else. The Reporter: Describe yourself in three words. O’Brien: Happy-go-lucky. Interview by Bessie Dietrich Goggins and printed in condensed and edited form Tags: Jan O'Brien, Q&A © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 6, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Denise Gideon and actor Joe Manganiello from “One Tree Hill” Denise Gideon and actress Kate Voegele from “One Tree Hill” TOP STORIES Behind the scenes with Denise Gideon As director of athletics media relations, Denise Gideon has incorporated online interactive tools, from Twitter to blogging to podcasts, to help promote Catamount athletics. Athletes have shared journal-like blog entries. Scores and game updates are published in the quick-update Twitter format. Catamount Tracks podcasts of interviews with coaches and players can be downloaded or heard on the university’s radio station, WWCU-FM. To master the online tools before deploying them at WCU, Gideon launched a podcast about “One Tree Hill,” a teen-driven television drama set in the ????????ctional small town of Tree Hill, N.C. Her now-syndicated podcast has more than 7,000 listeners. Gideon is a native of Knoxville, Tenn., and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and sport management with a minor in business, and a master’s degree in sport administration. In addition, Gideon is president of the Southeast Scapers, a fan group of the science- ????????ction show “Farscape,” and helped publicize and coordinate premier screenings of the movie “Stolen Life.” She joined the WCU staff in March 2007. Editor’s Note: Interview printed in condensed and edited form. The Reporter: Catamount athletics recently added a Twitter feature (http://twitter.com/catamounts) – a tool for posting short updates about athletics. How did that start? Gideon: I knew about Twitter, but I was just so busy I couldn’t get involved with it over the fall. I started working with Twitter after following the Southern Gothic Productions blog site, which uses Twitter, and started using Twitter for my site, “The One Tree Podcast and More Blog.” I host a syndicated podcast, “The One Tree Hill Connection“ and started using that as a tool to get information out about the podcast on a di????????erent platform. We started using Twitter two weeks before the women’s basketball team went to the NCAA tournament. A lot of the things that I do to bring more awareness to athletics stems from what I do personally. The Reporter: How did you become a fan of “One Tree Hill?” Gideon: It was during the writers’ strike. A show I used to watch got canceled, and I quit TV for a little while. I put “One Tree Hill” in my Net????????ix queue and, as I watched, started to get involved with the show’s online communities, including a “One Tree Hill” blog. I posted my opinions about the show, and Amy Bennett (a blogger) said there wasn’t a podcast and encouraged me to start one. I took a seminar with Neil Torda in the middle of April, and we talked a lot about it. It all snowballed from there. The Reporter: When did you start podcasting? Gideon: I did it right after the (season ????????ve) ????????nale on May 20, 2008. It was 15 minutes, scripted, and when I read it, my hands were sweating. I had a towel beside me. I was very nervous. I got a little bit of feedback and decided to go back through and do reviews of all of the previous seasons. Six weeks later, I got an e-mail from Je????????ery Willard, who co-owns FarPoint Media. I signed a deal and am now syndicated by them. … I stepped it up and CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Denise Gideon and acress Hilarie Burton from “One Tree Hill” started pursuing interviews with artists (featured on the show) for a segment called “Artist Alley.” “One Tree Hill” is known for music by indie artists played at key moments of the show. I’ve featured almost 30 artists. The Reporter: Who are a few? Gideon: Two of my biggest interviews to date will be published in the next couple of weeks. April 6 is Andrew McMahon from Jack’s Mannequin, one of the artists that personi????????es “One Tree Hill.” Probably my biggest interview to date is interviewing The Fray, which is one of the biggest bands in the world. I’ll try to edit it and get it out on the 13th or 14th. The Reporter: How has your “One Tree Hill” experience intersected with what you do at WCU? Gideon: Our women’s basketball team was kind of searching for an identity before winning all of those games. So the second time I interviewed Joe Manganiello (an actor who plays the character Owen on “One Tree Hill”), he recorded an inspirational message for them, and we played it for them right before we got o???????? the bus to play Furman at Furman (which WCU won 83-74). We have played it a couple of times since. I brought (Joe) a Western Carolina shirt. (See Joe Manganiello in the WCU T-shirt pictured above right.) Also, I’ve helped develop the Catamount Tracks podcasts Student Athlete Roundtable, and basketball players Heather Swayne and Jessica Jackson host interviews with teams and administrators that were aired on Power 90.5 on Saturday mornings and other venues. An article by Graham Hays for ESPN.com highlighted one of them with Swayne and Jackson. The Reporter: What other tools have you successfully worked in at WCU? Gideon: The student athlete blogs are a window into the team that help you feel like you are part of this team. … When we picked up the local newspaper (during a women’s basketball tournament in Montana), the reporter who did the preview story not only had used information from my game notes but also from (women’s basketball player) Kristin Feemster’s blog and how the team ate Thanksgiving dinner at a truck stop. What she wrote allowed family and friends and Catamount supporters into this team and served as a media relations tool. Interview by Teresa Killian Tags: Denise Gideon, Q&A © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 20, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Club sponsors Parents’ Night Out on Friday, May 1 The WCU Physical Education Majors’ club is sponsoring a Parents’ Night Out for 40 children of WCU faculty and sta???????? from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, May 1, in Reid Gym. Club members will lead activities including basketball, gymnastics, bowling and other games. Donations will be accepted, and funds raised will help club members attend a state professional meeting in the fall. Contact club sponsor David Claxton, professor of health, physical education and recreation, at claxton@wcu.edu or (828) 227-3556 to make a reservation with the number of children and the ages of the children who will participate. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 6, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Reservations for EPA Retirees Luncheon taken through April 14 A luncheon will be held at noon Tuesday, April 21, in the Hospitality Room of Ramsey Regional Activity Center to thank the 2008-09 EPA retirees for their service. Honorees include Padraig Acheson, assistant professor of communication and director of studio operations; Jane A. Burns, assistant professor of nursing; Nancy Dillard, director of ????????nancial aid; Sally Feltner, assistant professor of health sciences; Terry Gibson, associate professor of social work; Joseph Klerlein, professor of mathematics; Carol Martin-Vegue, director of student support services; Ruth McCreary, director of the School-University Teacher Education Partnership; Rick Nicholson, director of auxiliary services; Lena Richie, associate director of WCU’s O????????ce for Rural Education; Newton Smith, associate chief information o????????cer; Bil Stahl, associate provost for information services in the information technology division; Leila Tvedt, associate vice chancellor for public relations; and Kathleen Wright, professor of communication. In addition, Je???????? Ne????????, associate professor of geography, will be entering phased retirement. Reservations will be accepted through Tuesday, April 14. Lunch costs $8 per person and must be paid by cash or check to Amber McKendrick in Suite 460 of the H.F. Robinson Administration building by Friday, April 17. Contact McKendrick at amckendrick@email.wcu.edu or (828) 227-2293. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Faculty, staff and their families offered free baseball admission Western Carolina University Faculty/Staff Appreciation weekend will be Friday, April 17, to Sunday, April 19. Employees and their immediate families will be admitted free of charge to baseball games at 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday by showing their CatCards. The games are held at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. For more information, check out the Web site for Catamount Athletics. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Grant awarded for Access and Success program The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation awarded $9,800 to Kim Elliott, director of the Office of Rural Education, for reimbursement of costs for an event hosted by the Access and Success program at Western Carolina University. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Grant continued to reverse engineer parts for marine air station North Carolina State University awarded $38,560 to Phil Sanger, associate professor of engineering and technology and director of the Center for Rapid Product Realization, to work on a collaborative project through the Aerospace Alliance to reverse engineer parts for the Cherry Point Air Station. The air station maintains U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, including the H-46 helicopter. Click here to read more about the project. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Vicki Szabo ACHIEVEMENTS History professor awarded Fulbright Vicki Szabo, associate professor of history, was recently awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to continue creating a database to identify whale species from artifacts and examine historical whale hunting patterns. Szabo will pursue her research interests at Cardiff University in Cardiff, Wales, this fall among faculty and students interested in ancient history, archaeology and conservation, and Welsh history. She has worked on medieval whaling and archaeology of medieval whaling since 1995, and her current research began in 2000. “I’m studying modern whale skeletons, creating an analytical database using photographs, measurements and DNA, and hopefully producing a tool to identify which whales were hunted in the Middle Ages,” said Szabo. Currently, no easy method of matching whale bone artifacts to whale species exists, said Szabo. “My research colleague – Jacqui Mulville, senior lecturer in bioarchaeology at Cardiff University – and I will work with biologists, geneticists and whale specialists and collect data to create a database that will allow us to identify whale species from whale bone artifacts,” she said. “Once we can do that, we can study artifacts from sites and figure out which types of whales they were using, whether there were patterns in the whales being hunted, and maybe even begin to reconstruct premodern whale populations, something zoologists cannot yet effectively do.” Although Szabo has traveled to Britain, Wales will be a new experience, she said. “I teach early British history at WCU, so being in Wales will add a new dimension to that. I’ll get to visit sites that I teach about, learn new sources and come to understand Welsh culture, at least a little,” said Szabo. “I’m most excited that I’ll learn new research methods for both environmental history and medieval archaeology, which will be a great aid in the classes, and for graduate instruction. Hopefully, I’ll also come back with new contacts, so I can help students research and study abroad more effectively.” Brill publishing house also recently released Szabo’s book “Monstrous Fishes and the Mead-Dark Sea: Whaling in the Medieval North Atlantic,” which explores the perception, use and significance of whales during the Middle Ages. A resident of Sylva, Szabo has been a member of the WCU faculty since 2001. Her research interests include medieval Britain and the Norse North Atlantic, the history of whaling and medieval social history. By Bessie Dietrich Goggins Tags: Fulbright CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Fred Hamilton TOP STORIES WCU Jazz Festival features musician and composer Fred Hamilton and vocalist Kat Williams Concerts and clinics focusing on voice, guitar and improvisation will begin Thursday, April 16, and continue through Saturday, April 18, as part of the seventh annual WCU Jazz Festival. Guest artists include Fred Hamilton, a guitarist, bassist, composer, author and professor of jazz studies at the University of North Texas, and Kat Williams, a contemporary vocalist who sings jazz, rhythm and blues, straight blues, lounge sounds, Motown classics and more. Both are sure to impress festivalgoers, said Pavel Wlosok, festival founder and organizer and WCU assistant professor of jazz. “Fred is an amazing performer and composer as well as educator,” said Wlosok, who was a student of Hamilton’s and later performed with him. “He does equally well playing jazz guitar as well as jazz acoustic bass.” Hamilton has played venues worldwide and spent last semester performing and traveling in India. Williams has a voice that stands out from today’s singers, said Wlosok, who performed with her at a concert last year in Georgia. “Her voice is quite original with an extra dimension,” said Wlosok. “She brings a lot of emotion to her singing and draws people into her world that way. When you read about her, you’ll know that she has had a very di????????cult life. To be where she is today is quite an achievement, and her path can certainly inspire new upcoming artists. We are happy to feature her with our students’ big band – something she has never done before.” The festival is a great opportunity to learn more about the art of jazz, said Wlosok. “Jazz is a universal language, understood and appreciated all around this planet – often more abroad then in the United States,” said Wlosok. “I love the fact that it gives me freedom of choice when performing while I’m forced to think in three time-dimensions: the past – remembering what I already played and re????????ecting upon those ideas, the present – creating mostly new material at any given moment while not always knowing what will come out of it, and the future – thinking about where the music is going and having the backward compatibility to control its destiny.” All Jazz Festival events are free and open to the public: ???????? The Catamount Chamber Singers and Electric Soul will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 16 in the Fine and Performing Arts Center. ???????? A jazz vocal master class at 2:30 p.m. in the recital hall of the Coulter Building will begin the day Friday, April 17. The WCU Jazz Ensemble and jazz combos will perform with featured artists Williams and Hamilton in the Fine and Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. that day. ???????? Saturday, April 18, will kick o???????? a day of events in the Fine and Performing Arts Center. A guitar ensemble master class led by Hamilton will begin at 12:30 p.m., followed by a jazz improvisation class at 1:30 p.m. The festival will conclude with a performance by the jazz faculty, sharing the stage with Williams and Hamilton, at 7:30 p.m. For more information about the festival events, contact Pavel Wlosok, assistant professor of jazz, at (828) 227-3261 or via e-mail at pwlosok@wcu.edu. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Kat Williams © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Librarian completes master trainer program Heidi Buchanan, reference librarian in Hunter Library, completed the State Library of North Carolina’s master trainer program. A ????????ve-month-long process, the training included seven days of intensive instruction held in Chapel Hill and follow-up sessions online. The program is a statewide initiative to help public and academic librarians to increase their skills in planning and presenting e????????ective training programs for fellow library sta???????? members, especially in the rapidly changing ????????eld of information technology. Trainers learn successful methods for teaching adult learners and how to design sessions where participants experience and apply new skills. Buchanan joined the Hunter Library sta???????? in 2001. She is one of three academic librarians in Western North Carolina who have completed the master trainer program. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Volunteers clean trash out of the Tuckaseigee River. TOP STORIES Tuckaseigee River Cleanup celebrates 25 years on Saturday at what has become the nation’s largest single-day annual river cleanup Click here to read an interview with river cleanup organizer Jennifer Wright. For a quarter of a century, Western Carolina University students and sta????????, community volunteers and whitewater enthusiasts from throughout the Southeast have come together for a day in spring to support one of Jackson County’s greatest assets while having fun on the water. Base Camp Cullowhee once again is looking for volunteers to help remove a year’s accumulation of trash from a section of the Tuckaseigee River on Saturday, April 18. “The Tuckaseigee River Cleanup is the largest single-day river cleanup project in the nation,” said Mark Singleton of American Whitewater, a national nonprofit organization that represents whitewater enthusiasts, river conservationists and paddling clubs across America. Now in its 25th year, the cleanup will cover a portion of the river in Jackson County beginning at East Laporte and ending at Barker’s Creek. “We used to just do the stretch from Dillsboro to Baker’s Creek,” said Tim Jacobs, one of the founders of the cleanup and former director of the A.K. Hinds University Center. “Then there was so much support from the community and we had so many people show up that we had to expand.” As tourism continued to grow in the area, so did the Tuckaseigee cleanup, as everyone realized the value of cleaning the river, said Jacobs. The amount of pollution in the river today is significantly less than it was 25 years ago, he said. “In the beginning, the amount of trash was pretty overwhelming,” said WCU alumnus Mark Melrose of the Sylva law ????????rm Melrose, Seago and Lay P.A., who was part of the very first cleanup. “But over the years, the river has cleaned up tremendously, and it has been very rewarding.” Volunteers will have the option of working from a raft or from the riverbank. No rafting experience is required for those working in the river; however, rafters are required to weigh 40 pounds or more. Transportation to and from the river will be provided, and participants should wear old clothing and bring gloves to protect their hands. After the cleanup, a free cookout will be held for volunteers on the lawn of the University Center. Drawings will be held for a variety of prizes donated by area merchants. The first 400 volunteers to register will receive a free T-shirt commemorating the event. Registration forms are available online at http://basecamp.wcu.edu. On-site registration will be at 11 a.m. the day of the cleanup on the lawn of the University Center. For more information, call (828) 227-3625. From the Riverbank with Jennifer Wright Jennifer Wright, outdoor recreation coordinator for Base Camp Cullowhee, was introduced to outdoor activity and education at a young age when her family opened The Vertical Edge, an indoor climbing gym in Durham. Wright’s experiences in that environment led to a career in recreation that has involved working at multiple camps, including two years at the renowned Philmont Scout Ranch. Upon graduating from WCU with a degree in parks and recreation management, Wright was hired as the coordinator of guest relations and o????????ce manager at Endless River Adventures in Bryson City. Wright is busy these days organizing the 25th annual Tuckaseigee River Cleanup and making plans to marry her fiancé, Taylor, the following weekend. The Reporter: What are some of the more unusual pieces of garbage that have been pulled out of the Tuck? CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Jennifer Wright Wright: We’ve had toilets and entire bike frames. Last year, we had a whole cabinet-style record player system. Every year, I seem to be amazed at what people throw or lose in the river and how hard people are willing to work to get those items out of the river. The Reporter: The Tuckaseigee River Cleanup has become a huge event. What goes into organizing an event of that scale? Wright: We start planning the Tuck River Cleanup in January. This event is completely funded through donations made by the local businesses and campus organizations, and it’s important to us that we give donors enough time to consider if and what they can give. Every year, there is a board of student interns who spend countless hours sending letters, contacting donors, working on advertisements and so on. I can honestly say that the reason this event is such a great success every year is because we have a very strong support system. That system includes the campus community, from A.K. Hinds University Center sta???????? who run registration to the students who participate year after year. It also includes the Western North Carolina community with raft support from the Nantahala Outdoor Center to trash receptacles and disposal fees donated by GDS (Inc.). There also are countless people and companies who make the cleanup possible and don’t hesitate to offer their services. The Reporter: Was there a pivotal moment, or trip, that made you decide you wanted to pursue a career in outdoor recreation? Wright: I always knew that I wanted to work outdoors and with people, but it wasn’t until I started working with BCC as a student guide that I figured out that I wanted to work in a college setting. I had several great mentors at WCU in both the academic setting and in student a????????airs who really pushed and challenged me to grow as a person and outdoor leader. That made me want to stick around and do the same for other students. The Reporter: Most people have heard about the Nantahala River or Sliding Rock. What is one of the best-kept secrets in our area for outdoor activity? Wright: I don’t know that I would call it a secret area, but I think that one of the best places to head is Panthertown Valley. It o????????ers hiking, ????????shing, waterfalls, rock climbing and biking all in the same area. It has good overlooks where you can see the whole valley, and it’s small enough that you can see a lot in a day yet big enough to spend several days hiking there. The Reporter: What is the most rewarding part of your job? Wright: Working with students. I think that a lot of us here at WCU would say that. I am lucky that the students who come to BCC to work typically stick around until they graduate. I get the opportunity to really get to know our student employees and spend time helping them develop their skills, which in turn helps me to continue to develop my own skills. Story, Interivew and Video by John Kenyon Tags: Tuck River Cleanup © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 20, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | TOP STORIES Paw Prints: Photos from the 25th annual Tuckaseigee River Cleanup Sunny skies and nealry 600 volunteers showed up Saturday, April 18, for the 25th annual Tuckaseigee River Cleanup. WCU photographer Mark Haskett and student photographer Jarrett Frazier captured the day in photos, including (top photo) Wes Stone, assistant professor of engineering and technology, holding up an antique adding machine pulled from the river that he and Epsilon Tau Pi honorary Eagle Scout fraternity members pulled from the river. Volunteers picked up litter along the river from Cullowhee to Dillsboro. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Click here to see more WCU Photos. Tags: Tuck River Cleanup © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 20, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | NOTEWORTHY NEWS Peace Prize nominee Mandy Carter to speak April 29 The Graduate Student Association and Safe Zone Program will present “A Conversation with Mandy Carter on Social, Racial, Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Justice Organizing” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center. Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, serves on the Obama Presidential Appointments Project and was a national co-chair of Obama Pride, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender grassroots infrastructure for his presidential campaign. For more information, contact William Andrews, Safe Zone Program assistant, at safezone@wcu.edu or (828) 227-2276. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Professor and admission processor research personality, leadership and service learning Paul Jacques, assistant professor of management, and Veselina Vracheva, admissions processor, made presentations at two civic engagement conferences recently. They presented “An Assessment of Dual Leadership of Instructor and Client on Participant Perceptions of Service Learning to Both Satisfaction and Course Relevancy” at the North Carolina Campus Compact’s 11th annual Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement Conference held at Elon University. “The Role of Student Personality and Leadership on Outcomes of College-Level Service Learning Projects” was the topic of their presentation at the Gulf South Summit on Service Learning and Civic Engagement through Higher Education at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. Both presentations were based on research conducted by Jacques and Vracheva with the support of John Garger, a consultant with Metronome Computer Services. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 6, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Professor authors article about managing portfolio risk Ronald R. Mau, assistant professor in construction management, authored a paper selected for publication in The International Journal of Economics and Finance. The article, “Back to the Basics: A Process Approach for Managing Portfolio Risk,” is scheduled for publication in August. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 6, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Professor co-authors book about the threat of sea level rise to communities Rob Young, geosciences professor and director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, co-authored with Orrin Pilkey, the program’s previous director, a book titled “The Rising Sea.” In the book, which will be published in September by Island Press, Young and Pilkey explore the consequences of rising seas as a result of climate change for fish, wildlife and people. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Professor co-authors scholarly articles about community college programs, responsibilities Kevin Pennington, associate professor of educational leadership and foundations, former WCU faculty member Mitchell Williams and WCU alumna Monica Boyd co-authored an article to be published by The Community College Enterprise. The article is titled “Factors A????????ecting Successful Community College Alumni Programs.” Pennington and Williams also co-authored “Community Colleges Must Take Central Role in Eradicating Generational Poverty,” which was published in the February edition of Community College Week. In addition, Pennington co-authored with WCU alumnus Joseph Fox an article titled “The E????????ect on Economic Development of an Entrepreneurship Program at a North Carolina Community College,” which will be published in The Journal of Applied Research in the Community College. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Professor presents research about student success, assessment at national events Meagan Karvonen, assistant professor of educational leadership and foundations, co-presented two papers at the American Educational Research Association’s annual meeting in San Diego. The papers were “Predictors of Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Signi????????cant Cognitive Disabilities” and “Curriculum Alignment and Student Performance on an Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards.” Karvonen also was a discussant for an invited symposium, “Improving Technical Rigor in Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards,” at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | ACHIEVEMENTS Professors publish article about redesigning the principal preparation program Frederick Buskey, an assistant professor in the educational leadership and foundations department, and Jacque Jacobs, head of the department, co-authored “Catalysts for Redesigning Principal Preparation: A Courageous Journey.” The article was published in the International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 13, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | TOP STORIES Science, technology, engineering and math faculty share research in new seminar series When Jack Summers and Lori Seischab recently presented “Metal Ion Reactivity Measurement and Its Application to Biological Oxidative Stress” at WCU, they didn’t just talk about science. They talked about the project’s quest – how WCU chemistry and biology faculty and students are working to develop new ways to fight bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains and bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The presentation by Summers, associate professor of inorganic biochemistry, and Seischab, assistant professor of biology, was the first in WCU’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Seminar Series, also called the STEM Seminar Series. The presentations are designed for a general audience and are free and open to the public. “Our intention in starting the series was to provide a forum for people from different disciplines to get together and discuss scientific concepts,” said Summers. “Compared to the kind of technical talk that I normally give, this lecture had more background and information about the ‘why’ of what we do and not as much of the ‘how we do it.'” What encouraged him most about the first seminar were the attendees he met from other departments and the questions he fielded not only at the presentation, but also days later by e-mail. “While tuberculosis is not currently a problem in Cullowhee, we would all like to see it eradicated,” said Summers. “This is a pretty ambitious goal, but even if we are unable to achieve that specific goal, this research will expand our knowledge of how biological systems work and how blocking a specific biochemical path affects an organism.” Summers also discussed the benefits to the students assisting him as well as faculty working on related research, including Seishcab; Bill Kowchka, associate professor of organic chemistry; and Brian Dinkelmeyer, associate professor of organic chemistry and chemistry graduate studies coordinator. “Working on an original research project trains students to do laboratory work and also makes them think about how to design an experiment to answer a scientific question or to test a hypothesis,” he said. “Working on a project of this scale also teaches students about working cooperatively in groups, something that you do not get in a lecture class and frequently not in an established lab course.” The next STEM Seminar will feature research by Weiguo Yang, assistant professor of engineering and technology. Yang will present “Metamaterials and Slow Light” and review a collaborative research effort and metamaterial structures fabricated in WCU’s Center for Rapid Prototype Realization. His presentation will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, April 17, in the auditorium of the Natural Science Building. David Kinner, assistant professor of geology, will present the third STEM Seminar at 4 p.m. Friday, May 29, in Belk 104. By Teresa Killian CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 27, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | Sean O’Connell, associate professor of microbiology, conducts research with student Jamie Tidmore Burns. TOP STORIES Sean O’Connell named one of UNC system’s top teachers Sean O’Connell, associate professor of microbiology, has been named one of the best teachers in the University of North Carolina system for the creative ways he transforms students into not only scientists but also citizens aware of the world’s delicate environmental balance. O’Connell, the H.F. “Cotton” and Katherine P. Robinson Professor of Biology, is among 16 recipients of the UNC Board of Governors Awards for Excellence in Teaching. Brent Barringer, a member of the Board of Governors, will present O’Connell with the award at WCU’s commencement ceremony May 9. A faculty member at WCU since 2001, O’Connell strives to help students overcome their fear of science by sharing the excitement of real-world research and heightening their awareness of the crucial environmental role played by organisms invisible to the naked eye, Chancellor John W. Bardo said in announcing the award. Undergraduates in O’Connell’s principles of general microbiology course begin with harvesting an unknown microorganism from the soil or water during a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “Most students actually discover a new species,” said Bardo. “Western Carolina is the only school studying the biodiversity of bacteria in the park, and each new species discovered is recorded in the ongoing All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of the Smokies.” The experience prepares his students for research ranging from working with NASA to winning a fellowship from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. In addition, O’Connell goes above and beyond to help students get excited about science, Bardo said. The syllabus of a summer course he taught on the natural history of Yellowstone National Park charted the trip the class would take along the trail of Lewis and Clark and advised in bold type: “Backcountry experience is required. … Large dangerous mammals and hazardous terrain will be encountered!” “One of Sean O’Connell’s students has said of him, ‘Sean truly loves teaching. Anyone who has taken a class with him will testify to that,'” said Bardo. O’Connell earned his associate’s degree from Sullivan County Community College, bachelor’s degree from Johnson State College and a doctorate from Idaho State University. He and the 15 other award recipients, representing an array of academic disciplines, were nominated by special committees on their home campuses and selected by the Board of Governors Committee on Personnel and Tenure. Established by the Board of Governors in April 1994 to underscore the importance of teaching and to reward good teaching across the university, the awards are given annually to a tenured faculty member from each UNC campus. Winners must have taught at their present institutions at least seven years. No one may receive the award more than once. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT © 2009 Western Carolina University. SEARCH Search Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home April 6, 2009 ???????? Email This Post ???????? Print This Post ???????? Share | WCU faculty and staff are using an array of online tools to strengthen campus communities. TOP STORIES Social norms – WCU builds community online Nearly 650 people have clicked “Become a Fan” on Western Carolina University’s page on the social networking Web site Facebook , and incoming freshmen have started posting comments there. They have written about what they plan to major in and where they will live, and asked each other to “hit me up” with a message to make friends before they get to campus. It’s exactly the kind of online community-building that Laura Hu????????, WCU event marketing and community coordinator, hoped would grow out of a recent “WCU Cribs” promotion she coordinated on the page. The promotion featured an interactive “most tricked-out” residence hall room contest judged by Facebook visitors. Hu???????? sent e-mails to accepted students who have paid their deposits and invited them to the page to vote. Extras included links to decorating tips for residence hall rooms and student-created videos, including Channel 62’s lighthearted campus-life take o???????? on the home-decorating reality show “Trading Spaces.” In the show “Whee Swap,” students swapped and decorated each others’ rooms. “We picked a topic that prospective students want to learn more about – living on campus,” said Hu????????, who worked collaboratively on the initiative with the admission office, residential living department, residential student association and student media. The promotion concluded last week with the announcement of the winners of WCU Cribs (WCU wrote: “Congratulations Stephanie & Megan – You have the most tricked-out room!”), and Hu???????? is excited about the results. The number of times the page was viewed daily spiked from about 50 to 500, and clicks to see photos increased from a dozen to more than 60. “Facebook and other social networking tools are about maintaining relationships, and we wanted, with this promotion, to reach out to incoming students to strengthen their relationship with Western Carolina and help them develop relationships with each other,” said Hu????????. “Our hope is the more connected they feel, the stronger their commitment will be to enrolling in the fall.” Dirk Herr-Hoyman, director of Web services at WCU, said faculty and sta???????? are increasingly testing social networking tools from YouTube to Twitter to connect across and beyond campus and publicize university events or organizations. “We are now heading into a phase of looking at using these tools more consciously from an institutional level,” said Herr-Hoyman. A group of representatives from across WCU began meeting a few months ago to discuss their experience, ideas and strategies for harnessing the “viral” nature of the tools – the spread of text, photo or video shared from one person to the next across the Internet. “Many of these tools are reaching a level of development that makes now a good time for the tools to be of great value to us,” said Herr-Hoyman. “Two years ago might have been too early. This is a good point in the evolution of those tools.” Unlike discussion boards and e-mail lists of years past, today’s social networking tools have attracted a new wave of users drawn to them because they are easy-to-use and designed to offer short, skimmable updates. “These tools o????????er a natural, almost conversational feel that can be very powerful,” said Herr-Hoyman. He cited the WCU Cribs promotion as a good example of successfully speaking to the target audience – incoming students – in a way they liked. CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER TOP STORIES NOTEWORTHY NEWS ACHIEVEMENTS EVENTS PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES CALENDAR 5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern Minds 5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond the Glass Matrix 5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara Tyroler 6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' 6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show 'Livin' the Dream' LINKS Calendar Higher Education NewsWatch WCU Hub AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT Laura Huff, WCU event marketing and community coordinator, works on the WCU Cribs promotion on Facebook. Hu???????? said part of the challenge for using social networking tools is that di????????erent tools o????????er di????????erent styles
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