Dr. Veronica Martinez Acosta, associate professor of biology, published “Neural Anatomical and Synaptic Changes Observed Following CNS Injury that Underlie Functional Plasticity Displayed in a Regenerating Annelid Model System,” (Program No. 210.07/C16) in the “Society for Neuroscience Abstracts,” 46. Acosta was invited to offer a seminar at the Whitney Laboratory, a Marine Biological Research Institute of the University of Florida in December 2016. The title of the talk was, “Making Heads or Tails of Neural Regeneration and Plasticity Using an Invertebrate Model System.” She was elected to an executive board position, Treasurer – elect, for the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) and was nominated as president-elect of FUN.
Dr. William Carleton, professor and chair of kinesiology, co-authored “Utilizing Inclusion Instructional Methods to Promote Student Motivation and Success in the Movement Environment,” in the “Journal of Research and Contemporary Issues in Human Kinetics and Health Education,” 3(1), 1-7. Henrich, T., Soukup, G., Bowyer, G., Lynch, T. (2016).
Dr. Ann David, assistant professor in the Dreeben School of Education, and Elyse Helbig-Guevara and Kaci Boylan, preservice teachers who graduated December 2016, presented a roundtable titled, “What does this have to do with me?: Preservice Teachers and Culturally Responsive Curriculum,” as part of the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention in Atlanta, Ga., in November. David discussed the design of the course, Culturally Responsive Teaching, that Guevara and Kaci took before they began student teaching. Guevara and Kaci shared how they applied their learning from the course during their clinical teaching experience in local elementary schools.
Earl Harmsen, associate professor of management, and Michael Mercer, senior instructor of communication arts, were presented with the 2016 Cardinal Impact Award, an honor given by the UIW Office of Admissions, presented to a member of the UIW community who goes above and beyond to welcome prospective families to the university. This is the inaugural year for the award. Harmsen and Mercer were presented the award on Dec. 6 at a Counselor Holiday Showcase, hosted by the Office of Admissions. The event welcomed guidance counselors, advisors and educators to campus to hear about updates at UIW.
Dr. Charles Garcia, assistant professor of optometry, received a Master of Arts in Administration from UIW at the Fall 2016 commencement ceremony.
Dr. Trey Guinn, director of graduate programs and assistant professor for commu-nication arts, addressed the UT Law County and District Clerks Association in Austin. His interactive presentation emphasized how communication skills, presentation tips, and inter- personal competencies enhance effectiveness around the office and in the home. Additionally, two academic papers were presented at the Southern States Communication Association, and he delivered an executive education session to Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Dallas, TX.
In December, Cesar Hernandez, Rosenberg School of Optometry access services library assistant, organized the RSO Angel Tree. RSO collected items to be distributed to the needy in the community through SAMMinistries. During the holidays, homeless families seek assistance from SAMMinistries often arriving with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. To make their new location feel like a home, RSO teamed up with SAMMinistries to ensure each family received a “Welcome Basket.”
Dr. Bethany Kalich, assistant professor of pharmacy, presented, “Reduction of Medication Regimen Complexity in Geriatric Patients: The Effect on Quality of Life and Functional Capacity,” at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Annual Meeting held in Hollywood, Fla., on Oct. 23. Co-authors: Brysch, E.G., Cauthon, K.A.B., Sarbacker, G.B., Kalich, B.A.
Chaired by Scott LeBlanc, assistant director of athletic training facilities, the Employee Wellness Committee applied on behalf of the university and was awarded the 2016 Healthy Workplace Recognition, Gold level, by the Mayor’s Fitness Council, City of San Antonio. This marked the fourth consecutive year UIW has been awarded either the Silver or Gold level recognition.
Dr. David Maize, who has served as associate dean of academic affairs for the Feik School of Pharmacy (FSOP) since 2005, became the new FSOP dean effective Jan. 1. Maize is a tenured professor in FSOP as a pharmacologist. In 1996, he was a founding faculty member at Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. While there, he received numerous teaching awards and helped start the school’s and university’s assessment committees. Maize holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He has published numerous papers in pulmonary pharmacology, and most recently in the educational research fields of assessment and progression. Maize participated in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy “Academic Leadership Fellowship Program” in 2008-09, and attended the Academy for Academic Leadership “Chairs and Academic Administrators Management Program” in 2014. He served as a practicing pharmacist with CVS for almost 15 years and holds active pharmacy licenses in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Texas. Maize is a member of numerous pharmacy organizations including Texas Pharmacy Congress, Texas Pharmacists Association, Bexar County Pharmacists Association, and American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, among others.
Dr. Michael Moon, associate professor of nursing and health professions, was awarded the 2016 Nurse Educator Award from the Texas Emergency Nurses Association. The award recognizes a nurse who has made significant contributions to the education of colleagues, nursing students, EMS personnel, patients, families, and/or the community through the publication of articles, formal or informal courses or the development of a specific emergency nursing program or curriculum. A nomination letter described Moon’s teaching as “magic,” and read, “He takes very complicated clinical subjects and plays a game. Within that game are pieces that come together to teach you the concepts by taking the time to make lectures interesting, memorable and fun.”
UIW nursing’s traditional baccalaureate track is the recipient of a four-year $2.6 million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant. The Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program aims to increase the: number of graduates practicing in primary care, enrollment and retention of full-time students from disadvantaged backgrounds including students who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups, and number of graduates working in medically underserved communities. Program director for the grant is Dr. Julie Nadeau, assistant professor of nursing. One-hundred percent of funds are designated for nursing scholarships.
Four Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO) 4th year interns participated in UIW RSO’s fifth annual mission trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, teaming with Los Quijotes of San Antonio. Dr. Jeannette Wong-Powell, senior clinical instructor, accompanied the interns and assisted with patient care and supervising along with local optometrist Dr. Robert San Martin. The optometric team saw in excess of 900 patients over five days. In addition, four RSO 4th year interns accompanied by Dr. Russell Coates, assistant professor of optometry, participated in RSO’s third eye-care mission trip to Chichicastenango, Guatemala, in November 2016 teaming with ASELSI ministries. The optometric team provided comprehensive eye exams and glasses for approximately 120 patients during the trip. A team of 13 RSO interns (1st, 2nd and 3rd year); three optometric residents; and two faculty, Coates and Dr. Raelyn Ottenbreit, senior clinical instructor; participated in an eye-care and health services mission trip in December. They were accompanied by six UIW nursing students; one nursing faculty, Dr. Christina Hernandez, assistant professor of nursing; one Feik School of Pharmacy student; three UIW undergraduate students; two representatives from the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership, Monica Cruz, director, and Cecilia Elizondo Herrera, global immersion coordinator; and Sr. Marichui Bringas, CCVI. The UIW team partnered with the ARISE and Remote Area Medical (RAM) organizations to provide complimentary eye exams, spectacles, and health wellness checks and education for the underserved population in the Texas Rio Grande Valley area (Alamo, Texas). The team examined approximately 350 patients over two and a half days.
Dr. Gregory Soukup, professor of kinesiology, co-authored and published three peer reviewed articles: “Utilizing Inclusion Instructional Methods to Promote Student Motivation and Success in the Movement Environment: The Pool Model,” in the “Journal of Research and Contemporary Issues in Human Kinetics and Health Education,” Vol. 3, 1, 1 – 7, Carleton, W. L., Henrich, T. W., Bowyer, G. R. and Lynch, T. J. (2016); “Physical Education, Health and Physical Education, Physical Literacy and Health Literacy: Global Nomenclature Confusion,” in “Cogent Education,” 3(1), 1217820, 1 – 22, Lynch, T. J. (2016); and “A Study of Rural Chinese Students’ Educational Expenses, Academic Performance, and Extracurricular Activities,” in the “Journal of Chinese Economics,” Vol. 4, 1, 13 – 28, Zhang, S. (2016).
On Nov. 15, the UIW community came together to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Sarah Williams, professor of nursing, at the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing. In attendance was Dr. Caroline Spana, professor emerita of nursing. Williams joined UIW in 2003 to direct the RN-BSN degree completion program. She coordinated and led the transition of that program from the traditional classroom to an online program serving more nurses in South Texas. She also added an RN-MSN option to encourage graduates to pursue the master’s degree.
Dr. Shishu Zhang, associate professor of business administration, co-authored two papers, “A Study of Rural Chinese Students’ Educational Expenses, Academic Performance, and Extracurricular Activities,” in the “Journal of Chinese Economics,” Vol. 4, 1, 13 – 28, Soukup, G., and “The Impact of Religious Regulation on International Health, Wealth, and Happiness,” presented and paper published in the proceedings of the 11th Biennial Conference of Asian Consumer and Family Economics Association (ACFEA), Hong Kong, China, July 7-10, 2016, 356 – 365, Soukup, G.
