News from August 2009
U.S. News' lists BU among the best
U.S. News and World Report's recently released annual ranking of U.S. colleges and universities lists BU as number 74 Best Universities – Master's for the northern region.
BU is tied with New York Institute of Technology and, for the second year in a row, SUNY – Oswego. BU is 21st among public universities in the north and second among institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. More ...
New university division unveiled
BU's newest division, University Advancement, took shape this summer with the arrival of its new vice president, Erik Evans. Previously part of University and Student Affairs, University Advancement encompasses the offices of alumni affairs, development and communications working in collaboration with the Bloomsburg University Foundation. More ...
President welcomes in new semester
BU students and faculty have settled back on campus for the 2009-10 academic year. The fall sports season kicked off Aug. 27, along with a full slate of fun for the Class of 2013 to continue through Welcome Weekend. To wrap up the excitement, President David Soltz welcomed everyone back with a video greeting.
Freshmen test 50-foot wall, go on a night hike
BU's Quest hosted an open event on Aug. 29 for freshmen to navigate the 50-foot climbing wall on the upper campus near the Nelson Field House. In addition, Quest hosted its first night on Sept. 1 hike from 9 p.m. to midnight. More.
Gearing up for Welcome Weekend
More than 300 of BU's incoming freshmen and transfer students registered to volunteer during Welcome Weekend 2009, held from Aug. 27 to 30, which included opportunities with the Women's Center, BU Catholic Campus Ministries and the Ronald McDonald House in Danville. More ...
BU students survive recent boot camp
BU's Department of Geography and Geosciences hosted a Geoscience Boot Camp for 13 students from Aug. 26 to 27, who took part in orienteerting at Town Park, field trips to the Shamokin Whaleback and Centralia, and water sampling at mine discharge and water reclamation sites. Faculty members Brett McLaurin, Cindy Venn, Mike Shepard, Chris Whisner, Jen Whisner and Patty Beyer gave preview lectures for their courses scheduled this year.
Freshmen officially welcomed
BU's Class of 2013 were officially presented, received and welcomed during Friday's freshman convocation. President David Soltz stressed BU's three core values, which center on intellectual curiosity and academic integrity, diversity, and civic engagement and service to others. More ...
BU student captures images of Guatemala
Ren Frattone, a BU student majoring in anthropology, recently conducted research in visual anthropology in Guatemala through the help of a BU College of Liberal Arts Student Professional Development Travel Award. Frattone researched traditional dress (traje) near the Lake Atitlan area in the department of Chimaltenango. Click here to see some of Frattone's work.
BU names new interim provost
Ira K. Blake, current associate vice chancellor of academic and student affairs for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), has been named BU's new interim provost and vice president of academic affairs. Blake will replace James E. Mackin, BU's provost since 2005, who accepted the position of provost at Abu Dhabi University in the United Arab Emirates. More ...
BU senior excavates ancient Egyptian city
Maryam Cristillo, an anthropology major and recipient of BU's 2009 Wymer and Warner Anthropology Scholarship, spent July in northern Egypt working an expedition at the ancient Mendes site in Tell er' Ruba as a member of the Pennsylvania State University Akhenaten Temple Project. Cristillo joined DeeAnne Wymer, a BU anthropology professor, who has been a project member since 2004. More ...
Quest paddles to the Chesapeake
Tabitha Chlubicki and Robert Smith, of BU Quest, recently completed a 146-mile paddle down the Susquehanna River from Bloomsburg to the Chesapeake Bay, ending in Havre de Grace, Md. The duo camped on river islands over the week-long journey. Learn more about Quest here.
Memorial celebration held for BU professor
A memorial celebration for BU theatre arts professor Michael Collins, who died unexpectedly on July 17, was held in K.S. Gross Auditorium, Carver Hall, on Aug. 24. The celebration was open to the public. Time was provided for those wishing to share their memories of Collins, who directed and performed in more than 50 plays during the past 20 years at BU and at the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble. More ...
Another fun summer for Camp HERO
BU's Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program recently wrapped up its fourth Camp HERO, a summer camp for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Held at Camp Victory in Millville last week, the camp had 65 campers attend and nearly 30 BU students work as counselors. More ...
BU to welcome new Trustees next month
Three new members will join BU's Council of Trustees for the Sept. 2 quarterly meeting after being nominated by Gov. Ed Rendell and confirmed by the state Senate. They are Nancy Vasta, a '97 BU alum, Patrick Wilson, a '91 BU alum, and Terrell Garrett, a BU senior who will serve as the new student Trustee. More ...
BU artists on display
BU art students, Brandon Brown and Matthew Wynn, were among the artists presenting art pieces at Bloomsburg's 2nd Annual ArtFest from Aug. 15 to 16. BU art professors Marilee Salvator, Sue O'Donnell, Vince Hron and Jason Godeke also presented pieces along Center Street. More ...
BU Quest tackles the Cascades
Participants of BU Quest's latest trip, "3 Peaks of the Cascades," recently returned home after hiking on Mt. St. Helens and reaching the summit of Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. Quest plans to climb peaks from northern California to southern British Columbia. See Quest's Web site for more ...
New political science course ready for the fall
BU's nine-year history with the Model United Nations program moves to the next level this fall with a new five-session course for high school educators. Global Classrooms: Globalization and the United Nations will be launched in October, designed to give teachers background on the United Nations and model U.N. simulation. More ...
Math Camp hosts 175 students
BU's Department of Exceptionality Programs hosted 175 local students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in late July for its annual math camp, which was held in conjunction with a graduate course in teaching math to students with special needs. However, children of all ability levels participated.
Three BU programs receive PDE accreditation
BU's College of Education is now one of fewer than 20 colleges and universities across the state to have a PreK-4 certificate program approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which recently granted initial program approval. BU's 4-8 and PreK-8 Special Education programs also received accreditation recently. The PreK-4, 4-8 Mid Level and PreK-8 Special Education Programs will be reviewed for full program approval in two years.
Celebrity Artist Series gets $2,500 gift
PPL Corporation, a corporate sponsor of the Celebrity Artist Series, recently contributed $2,500 for the 2009-10 season. (L-R) are Jim Hollister, BU assistant vice president; Teri MacBride, PPL regional community relations director; and David Soltz, BU president. The new season begins on Sept. 19 with ventriloquist Kevin Johnson. More ...
Scholarship and Recognition
Jacqueline Leslie, who graduated from BU in May, was awarded a full travel grant by the Health Physics Society to present her research at the 54th annual Health Physics Society meeting, which was held from July 12 to 16 in Minneapolis at the Hilton/Minneapolis Convention Center.
Patricia J. Beyer, associate professor of geography and geosciences, presented a research poster, "Comparison of Two Highly Regulated Dryland Rivers: Physical and Human Context," at the First Biennial Symposium for the International Society for River Science, July 12 to 17.
Margie Eckroth-Bucher, associate professor of nursing, had an article, Preserving Cognition Through an Integrated Cognitive Stimulation and Training Program, published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias.
John O. Okpara, associate professor of management, has been invited by Cambridge University's Judge Business School in the United Kingdom to join "Transforming Business: Enterprise Solutions to Poverty" research team as an international research associate.
Walter Brasch, professor of journalism, was recently honored by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists for his work in online journalism. Brasch is senior editor of one major online newspaper and senior correspondent or featured columnist at several others.
Williams Emeka Obiozor, assistant professor of education and exceptionality programs, presented a paper at the University of Nigeria in May on "Globalization of Special Education and Vocational Training: A Case for Effective Exceptional Program Services in Nigerian Public Schools."
Search here for more scholarship and recognition ...
BU students attend special education conference
Sixteen graduate students of BU's Department of Exceptionality Programs were among the sponsored participants at the Jones Center for Excellence in Special Education conference on autism, held on July 10 at the Bloomsburg Area High School.
Attending were Bethany Varano, Brian Rees, Christina Grendzinski, Diana-Lee Stenglein, Elsie Shaffer, Heather Bartholomew, Heather Miller, Holly Sulouff, Jennifer Barreca, Kristen Onder, Kristin Cercone, Kristen Seiwell, Melissa Wehry, Nichoel Schoch and Sandra Remphrey.
"I was honored to have been part of the collaborative team efforts of many talented people who worked diligently toward a common goal of providing all participants an opportunity to explore, learn and share successful collaboration strategies for effective teaming outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities," said Grendzinski, who led the student delegates and volunteered at the conference. The student delegation was coordinated by Williams Emeka Obiozor, assistant professor and course instructor in the Department of Exceptionality Programs.
BU health physics receives $3,000
PPL Corporation recently contributed $3,000 to BU's health physics program. Shown from left are Peter Stine, chair of BU's Department of Physics and Engineering Technology; Joe Scopelliti, PPL manager of community relations; Teri MacBride, PPL regional community relations director; Robert Marande, dean of BU's College of Science and Technology; and David Simpson, BU's health physics program coordinator.
Mackin accepts new position in Middle East
James Mackin, BU's provost since 2005, has accepted the position of provost at Abu Dhabi University in the United Arab Emirates. Mackin will oversee academic affairs and student affairs and serve as the university's chief information officer at the institution's main campus in Abu Dhabi and branch campus in Al Ain.
Abu Dhabi University, which opened in 2003, has about 4,000 students from 35 different nationalities enrolled in 19 undergraduate and nine post-graduate programs. Mackin will oversee academic affairs and student affairs and serve as the university’s chief information officer at the institution's main campus in Abu Dhabi and branch campus in Al Ain.
"This is a chance to build a university from the ground up," Mackin said. "The university is accredited within the country and wants to gain accreditation from a U.S. accrediting body. Plans also are under way for a medical college and business park."
BU President David Soltz said, "This is an outstanding opportunity for Dr. Mackin. Abu Dhabi University's students, faculty and staff will benefit from his breadth of knowledge and experience, both at BU and the institutions where he served previously. We wish him well."
Under Mackin's leadership, BU successfully received 10-year reaccreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and nine first-time accreditations, ranging from theatre arts and music to radiologist assistant and nurse anesthesia master's programs. As of September 2008, more than 80 percent of BU's eligible programs have been accredited.
Woman donates vintage hats, dress to BU
Marietta Episcopo, of Berwick, recently donated 27 vintage hats and a 1960s maxi dress to BU's department of music, theatre and dance. The hats, many purchased in Wilkes-Barre, belonged to her mother who died 15 years ago. More ...