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College News
November 19, 2008
Two Duquesne University Mock Trial Teams Win Titles
Two mock trial teams from Duquesne University have taken top titles in recent competitions.
A mock trial team from Duquesne University won the national Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Tournament on Nov. 10, and another team brought home a title from the American Bar Association (ABA) National Labor and Employment Law Regional Championship Nov. 14-16 in Chicago.
The team competing in Buffalo earned its title by defeating the University of Akron team in the last round of four days of fierce competition. Among the 30 other competitors were Syracuse, Fordham, John Marshall, Temple, Emory, Catholic University and American University.
Adrienne Sadosky, a law student who works in the Office of University Advancement at Duquesne, was named Best Advocate in the final round and won Best Cross Examination in the preliminary round. Other team members were Kelly Kaufold, James McGraw and Alicia Nocera.
Coaches, along with Professor Michael Streib, director of the Trial Advocacy Program, were Professor Amelia Michele Joiner; Michael Gianantonio of Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman; Peter Giglione of Wilkes & McHugh and assistant coaches Professor Bruce Antkowiak, J. Richard Narvin and Michael Waltman.
In the ABA competition, 14 teams competed. Duquesne defeated the University of Illinois in the final round to advance to the national championship, which will be held in Chicago on Jan. 24-25. Teams from seven other regions will compete.
“The ABA competition is one of the most challenging in the country,” said coach Antkowiak. “The judges are all experienced, top-flight labor and employment attorneys from major firms and government offices around the nation. The level of competition was as high as I have ever seen it. For our team, composed entirely of students who had never competed for the law school before, to prevail in this was a truly remarkable achievement.”
Team members were Megan Arrington, Emily Fullerton, Tara Fertelmes and Michael Watson. Besides Antkowiak, coaches included Marla Presley, Ann Schiavone and attorney Peter McClenahan.
Earlier this month, a Duquesne team took the top title in the annual National Tournament of Champions sponsored on Nov. 1 by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and LexisNexis. By virtue of this win, the Duquesne University School of Law will host the National Tournament of Champions competition in 2010. The trophy will reside at Duquesne for the next year, until the competition is next held in New York City.
Source: Duquesne University, Pennsylvania
Dominic Coryell, a senior finance/accounting major at Northeastern University's College of Business Administration, was recognized by the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) as the winner of the 2008 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.
Coryell, CEO and equity partner of Garment Valet, formerly Husky Express, was awarded first prize for the high-tech laundry and dry cleaning services offered by Garment Valet. Coryell was also given the Innovation Award for the company’s implementation of a fully-automated process that provides high-quality, next-day delivery and pick up of garments, creating efficiencies not commonly associated with the industry.
Coryell was chosen out of a group of 26 undergraduate entrepreneurs from across the globe, including students from the United Kingdom, Australia and Sweden. The 26 finalists presented their businesses to a panel of accomplished business leaders assembled by EO in Chicago on November 5 - 6, 2008. The annual competition, presented by Mercedes-Benz Financial, attracted 1,000 collegians from more than 300 universities in 11 countries this year.
As the winner, Coryell will receive more than $100,000 in cash and donated services by leading entrepreneurs including Web services, public relations, general business consulting and printing, a year's mentoring by an EO member and a year's tuition to the EO Accelerator Program.
“Winning this award has catapulted our company’s and leadership’s credibility to a new level where new networking opportunities exist that did not prior to the recognition.” said Coryell, who will graduate in May 2009.
Coryell started working at Husky Express his freshman year as a delivery truck driver and became an equity partner and CEO of Husky Express after only a year. His strategic vision and insight has helped shape the success of the company, whose 2008 revenues approach $850,000.
Recently, Husky Express changed its name to Garment Valet. Husky Express is the parent company and will continue to power Garment Valet and will advance the locker, software and security software into new industries.
“We decided to change the name so that our existing and potential customers can identify with the services we offer by looking at our name,” said Coryell.
Garment Valet will continue to expand its services available to customers, including laundry delivery, locker systems throughout the city for laundry drop-off and pick-up and online order tracking.
In addition, Husky Express is committing to sustainability for all of its divisions and operating arms. Beginning this month, Garment Valet will use cleantech greener cleaning processes, which reduces the amount of waste commonly associated with dry cleaning.
“Eventually, dry cleaning will disappear completely and Husky Express will process everything using water,” added Coryell.
Source: Northeastern University, Massachusetts
Replacing PIN numbers with thumb print scans, incorporating social networking media into the corporate workplace, and adopting green technologies were among the ideas presented by enterprising Syracuse University students during the JPMorgan Chase Case Competition held Friday at Hinds Hall.
"All four teams were incredibly great," says University Professor of Practice Jeffrey Saltz. "It's amazing what the students were able to accomplish in this one day. Everyone did a great job."
Four teams of four undergraduates from SU's School of Information Studies (iSchool), College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science (LCS) and Whitman School of Management competed in the daylong event. The teams selected from four topics: "Innovation in Financial Services," "Going Green," "Knowledge Transfer and Management" and "Privacy/Ethics in Information Usage."
"It was a chance for the students to work under pressure, to work in a real-world situation with real-world information and potentially real-world results," says Shay Colson G'10, competition organizer and a graduate student in information management at the iSchool. "We hope it was a great experience for everyone involved."
The student teams selected their topics Friday morning and spent the day researching, brainstorming, and creating and practicing their PowerPoint presentations. During 15-minute presentations, each team talked through a plan of action for the financial services giant about the problem and its solutions.
The iSchool and A&S teams focused on knowledge transfer and management. Each suggested employing social media, modeling after such popular social sites as YouTube, Facebook and Wikipedia to build knowledge banks and to improve communications and processes within the company.
LCS students presented on going green, and Whitman students focused on innovation in financial services, suggesting the company reduce credit card and ATM fraud by replacing PIN numbers with thumbprint scans.
A panel of four judges from JPMorgan Chase questioned the teams about their presentations, often asking for more detail about the research the students conducted or for estimates of the costs and savings to the company.
Source: Syracuse University, New York
The UT Dallas Residential Housing Association (RHA) took home seven awards – including best hall and top volunteer – from a recent competition with other university groups.
It was RHA’s second year to attend the event, the Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (SWACURH) 2008 Conference, held this year at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.
The UT Dallas group is made up of students in University Village Phases 5-7 and students in the Sophomore On-Campus Experience (SOX) program.
Laura Shagman, a sophomore electrical engineering major, received the Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her community service work. She is a peer adviser in University Village and a member of the pilot class for the University’s UTeach program.
University Village Building 63, received the Hall of the Year award in recognition of their involvement in campus activities and organization of different programs, including mock practice tests for difficult classes.
The UT Dallas RHA also took home the Roll Call and Best Display Awards. The Roll Call Award is given to the University that performs the best Roll Call skit. The Best Display Award is given to the University that creates the best 3 foot by 3 foot display that shows off that University’s housing association and encompasses the conference theme.
In addition to the four awards, the RHA also submitted seven programs, three of which were ranked in the top 10 of the conference.
Source: The University of Texas at Dallas
November 14, 2008
University of New Haven Students and Faculty Sweep Criminal Justice Competition in D.C.
The University of New Haven (UNH) student chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) participated in the Lambda Alpha Epsilon (LAE) Regional 4 Conference in Ferrum, Va. on Friday, Nov. 7. The UNH chapter, consisting of nine students and two faculty members, brought home over 20 trophies and 10 medals for their accomplishments in competitions including physical agility, written examinations and a mock-crime scene.
In addition to winning awards in police management, firearms, LAE knowledge, and criminal law, the UNH students made a clean sweep in the mock-crime scene competition, taking first, second, and third place. They also took home the Sweepstakes Award, which is given to the chapter that "sweeps" the region in academic competition, and the prestigious Jim Hooker Spirit Award for representing good sportsmanship, high competition standards and high spirit at all times. All students qualified for the national conference which will be held in Jacksonville, Fla. in April, 2009.
ACJA is a national professional and pre-professional organization with goals that include improved technology, training, and service for the benefit of the criminal justice system. The club offers students a variety of activities including community service and the opportunity to meet and work with practitioners in the field. Students meet others with similar interests and are eligible to participate in regional and national programs and activities.
Source: University of New Haven, Connecticut
After 10 years of planning, fundraising, and construction, the new Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College finally opens on Saturday, November 22.
The opening of Buffalo’s first new art museum building in more than 100 years deserves a once-in-a-century celebration. The celebration is of course about opening the new museum building–but also about the unveiling of 12 extraordinary exhibitions which celebrate the beauty, history, and diversity of Western New York art. Join the Burchfield Penney and Buffalo State community for a 31-hour grand opening and experience a work of art–Your New Burchfield Penney Art Center.
Source: Buffalo State College, New York
The American Heart Association has named Roberto Bolli a winner of the 2008 Distinguished Scientist Award at its 2008 Scientific Sessions, held this week in New Orleans.
Bolli is professor of Medicine, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, director of the Institute of Molecular Cardiology and vice chair for research in the Department of Medicine at the University of Louisville. He holds the Jewish Hospital Distinguished Chair in Cardiology and is a Distinguished University Scholar.
The Distinguished Scientist Award recognizes individuals who have made major, independent contributions to cardiovascular and stroke research. Past honorees include several scientists who have also been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Awardees undergo a rigorous, competitive selection process focused on the impact of their research in the field, the originality of their work and their leadership in changing the field as independent investigators.
?We congratulate Dr. Bolli as he becomes a member of a very elite fraternity in the field of cardiovascular research — this is a well-deserved award,? said UofL Dean Edward Halperin.
?There is really no way to overstate how richly Dr. Bolli has contributed to the world?s scientific knowledge of the heart,? said Kathy Renbarger, metro vice president for the American Heart Association in Kentucky.
?The Distinguished Scientist award goes to a select few investigators — those at the very top of their class — and we are pleased to recognize him as a worthy recipient,? said Renbarger.
For the past three decades, Bolli?s research has focused on preventing the damage that occurs during heart attacks. He has discovered the mechanism of a powerful protective phenomenon called preconditioning, in which heart muscle exposed to brief periods of stress becomes resistant to the tissue death that might be caused by a heart attack. He was instrumental in proving that oxidative stress can “stun” the heart — a breakthrough that brought the role of antioxidants to the attention of the medical community worldwide. He is currently investigating the use of stem cells from a patient?s own heart to repair areas damaged by a heart attack.
Under Bolli?s direction, UofL?s Institute of Molecular Cardiology was recently awarded $11.6 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a center of excellence in diabetes and obesity research. This grant brings the Institute of Molecular Cardiology?s NIH research funding total to more than $62 million over the past decade.
Source: University of Louisville, Kentucky
William A. Manteris of Wexford was selected as the sixth of 10 individuals who will receive 2008 Duquesne University Mind Heart & Spirit Awards.
Mind, Heart & Spirit Awards recognize Duquesne alumni who exemplify the pillars of the University’s mission—academic excellence; moral and spiritual values; ecumenism and diversity; service; and world concerns. Manteris was honored for his contributions and accomplishments related to world concerns.
After serving for decades as a Beaver County dentist, Manteris retired and dedicated his time and attention to human rights activism. While earning his degrees from Duquesne, Manteris made trips to Central and Latin America to study economic and human development and to provide dental care to those in need. He has also participated in various medical mission organizations to provide dental care outreach overseas.
Last year, Manteris joined the staff of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh as their Free Health Care Center’s volunteer dental director. He was recognized in May with Catholic Charities’ Caritas Award for Leadership in recognition of his outstanding contributions as volunteer dental director of the health care center.
Manteris earned a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in 2001 and Master of Arts in Social and Public Policy in 2007 from Duquesne.
Duquesne’s Mind, Heart & Spirit honorees receive tickets to a Steelers game and congratulations on the Jumbtron scoreboard as well as in Steelers Radio Network gameday broadcasts. Manteris will be recognized during the Sunday afternoon game against Indianapolis on Nov. 9 at Heinz Field.
Duquesne University and the Steelers organization have partnered for several years to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of area students and the University’s graduates. The team’s founder, the late Arthur J. Rooney, Sr.; his son, Chairman Dan Rooney; and grandson and President Art Rooney II are all notable Duquesne alumni.
Source: Duquesne University, Pennsylvania
The band Nation Beat will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, in Alumni Hall.
Nation Beat blends the sounds of Northeast Brazil and Southern United States. Loping, sensual percussion rhythms, searing bowed-string melodies, sweetly-soaring slide guitar and heart-tugging vocals are the band's stock in trade.
Nation Beat's live show, which can burst into crowd-wide Carnival style drumming and singing, attracts bluegrass and country music fans, Brazilian music lovers and outdoor festival goers.
At the heart of Nation Beat's CD, "Legends of the Preacher," released by Modiba Productions in 2008, lies original 21st century fusion among thunderous Brazilian maracatu drumming, New Orleans second line rhythms, Appalachian-inspired bluegrass music, funk, rock and country-blues.
NPR's music writer Banning Eyre wrote in his review, "Nation Beat's sound raises provocative questions about how music evolves and changes and moves around the world. But it's best to ignore all that and just enjoy the sweet melodies and driving grooves." Eyre also wrote, "In Nation Beat's music, European, African and Latin sensibilities come together in the spirit of a Friday-night party after a week of hard work."
Nation Beat also will hold a workshop at 2 p.m. in Alumni Hall to educate people about its music and the instruments it uses.
The workshop and concert are free and open to the public.
Source: Quinnipiac University, Connecticut
October 30, 2008
Arizona State University Receives Federal Grant for Equity Assistance Center
The Mary Lou Fulton College of Education has received a federal grant to develop a regional Equity Assistance Center to promote equitable education opportunities for all children and assistance in the areas of civil rights, equity and access, and school reform.
Arizona State University Professors Elizabeth Kozleski and Alfredo Artiles are co-principal investigators of a three-year project supported by $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Office. The grant was awarded through the Department’s initiatives to support Elementary and Secondary Education under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The funding is designated to support civil rights training and advisory services for schools and communities to tackle equity and access issues in public education.
There are 10 equity assistance centers in the nation that are funded to ensure that all children, regardless of race, gender or national origin, have equal access to quality education and the opportunity to develop high academic standards in reading, math and other core subject areas. Region IX in the Southwest includes Arizona, California and Nevada.
“The equity assistance centers began in the aftermath of Brown v. Board of Education. They have a grand tradition of working on issues of race, class and culture. We are thrilled to be able to do this work,” said Kozleski, an expert in systems change. “The Equity Alliance at ASU will join our other projects, including the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, the National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems and Leadscape, the national center that supports principal leadership.”
Key equity issues addressed by equity assistance centers include disparities in student achievement and outcomes based on race, sex, or national origin; limited expectations for minority and female students; increasing violence and racial and sexual harassment in schools; renewed physical segregation among and within school buildings; ability grouping or tracking that isolates students based on race, sex, or national origin; persistence of stereotyping and bias; cultural bias in instructional methods and assessment tools; inadequate bilingual/ELL programs and services and recruitment/retention of highly qualified teachers.
Kozleski and Artiles have spent their careers working to improve inclusive practices in urban school districts as well as to improve culturally responsive practices and reduce the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education. Their goal has been to make education equitable for all students by understanding how to provide proactive, rather than reactive, educational opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse students, including those with disabilities.
The Equity Alliance at ASU’s effort to reduce disparities in academic achievement will include providing on-demand professional development; the use of scientifically-based, culturally responsive curricula and instructional practices; and networks of school systems engaged in high-quality work focused on equity work. The goal is to build a local coalition between higher education, preK-12 systems, communities, and families to focus on systemic solutions to civil rights issues and serve as a clearinghouse of expert knowledge for practitioners in the field.
The center will provide technical assistance and training at the request of school boards and other responsible governmental agencies on the preparation, adoption and implementation of plans for the desegregation of public schools in Arizona, California and Nevada, including desegregation based on race, sex and national origin and the development of effective methods of coping with special educational problems occasioned by desegregation.
NIUSI/NCCRESt/LeadScape Project Coordinator Elaine Mulligan said, “I think it will really increase our visibility, and we’ll be seen as a leading resource for providing help to schools with issues regarding access to quality education. This fits right in with ASU’s philosophy of being a New American University and being at the forefront as a positive force in our mission for fairness in education and progress.”
Source: Arizona State University
Missouri State University has signed a contract to purchase the former Willow Brook Foods facility. The purchase will largely complete the initial footprint for the university’s IDEA Commons initiative.
Missouri State has agreed to purchase the Willow Brook Foods property at 405 N. Jefferson Ave. for $1,975,000. The 121,224-square-foot facility is located on 3.5 acres and includes approximately 161 parking spaces. Missouri State and Willow Brook hope to close on the sale within 6-9 months, but no later than June 30, 2009.
The university anticipates renovating the building as funds become available. One of the anticipated tenants will be the technology and construction management department. Other academic departments, including those from the arts, also are likely prospects.
“This is a very good purchase for the university in terms of the type of space, the location and the price,” said Missouri State President Michael T. Nietzel.
“This purchase fits with our overall philosophy of renovating existing facilities, it provides wide open spaces for several of our growing programs, and it helps complete the initial footprint for the IDEA Commons.
“Since the building was insured for $5 million and since the land is worth at least another $1 million, we feel like we got a good price for the facility.”
Nietzel said the funding for the purchase would come from the university’s one-time reserves, which currently stand at about $50 million.
About a month ago, the university purchased five properties from the City of Springfield to accelerate its development of the IDEA Commons in the city’s downtown area. IDEA Commons is Missouri State’s vision and commitment to create a new type of urban research park that is blended with residential, retail and entertainment facilities, and supported by various university programs. This unique project will bring together Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Arts (IDEA), by expanding on the success of the Jordan Valley Innovation Center and the expanding presence of the art and design department in Brick City.
IDEA Commons is a geographic area in downtown Springfield that will include locations for spin-off commercialization of technologies and university programs that will create an environment to generate creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for the benefit of the Springfield region. IDEA Commons is an example of how the university continues to be engaged in promoting the community’s livability and economic success.
Source: Missouri State University
George Mason University Chemistry Professor Abul Hussam was named an Outstanding American by Choice by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Hussam was recognized by Jonathan Scharfen, USCIS Acting Director, at a naturalization ceremony held on Mason's Fairfax Campus on October 21.
"Through his accomplishments, Dr. Hussam has made an outstanding contribution to humanity. His work here at Mason has made a difference for thousands of people in his native country and beyond, and I congratulate him on this further recognition of his achievements," says Mason President Alan Merten.
Hussam received the 2007 Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability Gold Award of $1 million from the National Academy of Engineering. The award recognized his innovative solution for removing arsenic from drinking water in developing countries. Hussam, a native of Bangladesh, developed the Sono Filter, an inexpensive household water treatment system, after discovering that the water in his own village was tainted with arsenic. The filter uses no electricity and is safe for the environment. He and his brothers have been manufacturing and distributing the filters in Bangladesh for about five years, and more than 30,000 of the filters are currently in use in households, schools and businesses throughout the country.
Hussam was also cited by TIME magazine as a Global Hero of the Environment for 2007.
Source: George Mason University, Virginia
Wentworth Institute of Technology (Wentworth) offers a Bachelor of Science in Management through the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Management. The BS Management has been developed to prepare students for a range of business management career options, and students acquire the various managerial and analytical skills necessary to successfully administer human, natural, and technological resources within an organization. The curriculum covers finance, marketing, operations, organizational behavior, economics, and business law. Classroom studies are complemented by practical hands-on lab work and two required co-op work ... [more]
