Faculty/Staff Accomplishments
Cindy West, Madison Center academic advisor, was elected chair of the Southern Wisconsin
Association for Continuing Higher Education (SWACHE) for 2012. SWACHE is a consortium of 14 regionally accredited universities and colleges in southern Wisconsin whose goal is to increase awareness of higher education opportunities for working adults.
The SWACHE consortium works with local businesses, community groups and individuals by coordinating education fairs with local businesses for their employees, providing a speakers bureau offering information on career planning, financial aid and educational issues and offering educational resources directly to human resource personnel or through SWACHE.
Upper Iowa University-Madison Center has been a member of SWACHE since its opening in 2002. SWACHE is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Dr. Adriel A. Hilton, executive assistant to the President and chief diversity officer, has edited a book titled, "Black Graduate Education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities," along with colleagues from Morgan State University, Baltimore, Md., and State University of New York (SUNY)-Binghamton, Vestal, N.Y.
The book provides context about the experiences of black graduate and professional students attending historically black colleges and universities, and the significant role they play in the number of blacks who receive doctorates and professional degrees (i.e. M.D., D.D.S., J.D., etc.). Hilton says, the role of historically black colleges and universities will become even more significant as more seek to offer graduate and professional programs, particularly at the doctoral level. The book focuses on the historical nature of graduate and professional education at these colleges and universities and the programs' contributions to society.
The book can purchased online.
Daryl Grove, assistant dean of students and director of student leadership and adventure, as well as two UIU joint-effort community service projects were recently honored at the 29th Annual Governor's Volunteer Awards during a special recognition ceremony at Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls.
Grove was honored as the catalyst for the two community service projects. During the 2004-2005 school year, Grove implemented "Peacocks for Progress," an organization that connects students with opportunities to serve the community of Fayette and Upper Iowa University.
Read the full story here.
Gina Kuker, associate professor of education (center) and Waterloo Center adjunct professor Terry Shay (left) recently attended the International Society for Technology in Education conference in San Diego, Calif., where they met with Peter Reynolds of FableVision.
Wendy Sandmire, UIU-Milwaukee Center financial aid advisor/student account specialist, and Vicki Bott, Milwaukee Center adjunct faculty, participated in this year's World Book Night, which provides free books to interested individuals for distribution. World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books that encourages the sharing of books between tens of thousands of people with others in their communities. Sandmire and Bott gave out 40 copies each of Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, to Upper Iowa University- Milwaukee Center students. Everyone was excited to receive something they could read for pleasure, according to Milwaukee Center director Marshall Whitlock, who added, "I applaud Wendy and Vicki for their efforts to do something nice for our students, and spread the joy of reading."
Further information on World Book Night can be found at www.worldbooknight.org.
Sarah Bjork, director of the ESL Institute at UIU-Fayette campus, travels to China and Japan this month to attend an education fair, team-teach at a high school and present information about Upper Iowa University to high school students. She will also present at Fulbright Institute of International Education on the topic of conditional undergraduate admission.
Dr. Susan Breakenridge Fink, adjunct instructor at Upper Iowa University-Des Moines Center, recently had an article published in the inaugural issue of Syllabus Journal, a peer-reviewed journal that publishes college course syllabi. Her article entitled, "The Many Purposes of Course Syllabi: Which are Essential and Useful," features her dissertation work, "An Exploratory Study on the Purpose, Structure, Format and Use of Syllabi at a Midwest four-year undergraduate private University." The article addresses the different purposes of syllabi and how faculty at one institution rated the different purposes based on being essential and useful.
Cynthia Bentley was recently hired as Baton Rouge Center director. She comes to Upper Iowa University with a background in advising, recruiting and enrollment management with Florida State University and the University of Phoenix. She holds a bacholor's degree in management. Bentley can be reached at bentleyc@uiu.edu.
Kara Hanson was recently promoted to the position of assistant director of International Programs. She has been with Upper Iowa University for six years and has successfully held positions in the offices of Student Development and International Programs. As assistant director, Hanson will manage international student services, serve as an immigration officer and coordinate both faculty exchanges and study abroad opportunities. She can be reached at hansonk@uiu.edu or (563) 425-5251.
Amy Tucker was recently hired as the director of student activities. She received her bachelor's degree in community sociology at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, and her master's degree in student affairs at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Tucker will advise the Peacock Entertainment Crew (PEC) and Student Government Association (SGA), oversee Greek Life on the Fayette campus, provide campus activities and assist with orientation and leadership programs. Her office is located in the programming area of the Office of Student Development suite in the upper level of the Student Center. She can be contacted at (563) 425-5311 or tuckera@uiu.edu.
Jennifer Renfro was recently hired as the education services coordinator in the Center for Distance Education. She will be working to ensure Upper Iowa meets its quality expectations of the operational areas of UIU online classrooms and Independent Study Program. Renfro comes to Upper Iowa from Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs, Colo., where she was a customer services specialist. She has over 12 years of experience in education at the community college level, including being involved with faculty and student support and new program development. She can be contacted at (563) 425-5975 orrenfroj@uiu.edu.
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