Faculty and Staff Receive Honors, Awards
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Turkish Ministry Recognizes Gannon Gannon University has been awarded formal recognition by YÖK, the Ministry of Higher Education in Turkey. The recognition is the result of efforts by Gannon’s Office of Admissions and by Thomas B. Hassett, the office’s director of international admissions. The Ministry of Higher Education’s decision to grant approved and recognized status to Gannon will allow for greater student mobility to the United States from Turkey, where government recognition of American colleges and universities is critical to the authentication of degrees earned from those schools, Hassett said. Because of the YÖK recognition, Gannon degrees also will carry more credibility and significance in Turkey. The University currently enrolls about 300 international students representing more than 15 countries.
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Women In Leadership Development
Thank you to our additional
Women Go W.I.L.D. Sponsors for Conference
Gannon’s Small Business Development Center presented its second annual Women in Leadership Development (W.I.L.D.) Conference on March 27 “to empower professional and entrepreneurial women with knowledge, energy and passion.” More than 400 women from northwestern Pennsylvania and beyond attended the conference, which featured sessions on wellness, leadership and entrepreneurship. Keynote speakers included: Dr. Terri Kennedy, a leading expert on health and productivity management; Jan Hargrave, a body language expert; and Soni Dimond, author and public speaker.
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In addition, more than 50 businesses, either owned by or targeted toward women, had an opportunity to exhibit their products and services throughout the day. 04
gannon magazine
spring 2009
Annmarie George receives recognition from Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D., president, during the 2009 Service Recognition Ceremony, where she was honored for 35 years of service to the University. Chris Dubbs, University grants writer, was interviewed along with his co-author, Colin Burgess, in the December 2008 issue of the French magazine Ciel & Espace (Sky & Space). The issue includes a four-page article/ book review/interview of Dubbs’ 2007 book, Animals in Space, which focuses on the use of animals on space flights. ▪ Annmarie I. George, associate professor of fine arts, received the 2008 Distinguished Alumna Award from Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., for excellence in career achievement, community service and service to the college. She received a bachelor of science degree from Daemen in 1966. ▪ Thomas B. Hassett, director of international admissions, recently led a workshop in Nicosia, Cyprus. Hassett’s three-hour workshop, “U.S. Higher Education: What Students Need to Know Before They Go,” was presented to about 60 educational advisors at the high school and college levels. He discussed the college selection and admissions processes, financial aid sources and methodology and Visa issuances for international students. ▪ Renee Huefner ’97, assistant director of financial aid, was recently interviewed by a reporter for Kurier, a large, nationwide German newspaper, for a story about how American college students are finding financial aid during challenging economic times. ▪ Villa Maria School of Nursing faculty Karen A. Lumia, M.S., R.N., Lisa A. Quinn, Ph.D., M.S.N., C.R.N.P. ’82VMC and Sharon J. Thompson, Ph.D., R.N., M.P.H. ’87VMC, ’89VMC, ’94M presented at the 33rd annual Women’s Health Conference held in Atlantic City, N.J., in February. The three gave a platform presentation on their study, “Framing History: The Meaning Parents Ascribe to Bereavement Photographs Following Perinatal Loss.” ▪ Berwyn M. Moore, associate professor of English, had a collection of poems, entitled O Body Swayed, accepted for publication later this year by Cherry Grove Collections. ▪ Dr. Rick Prokop, assistant professor of marketing, was named chair of the board of directors of the Erie City Mission. ▪ Dr. Troy A. Skwor, assistant professor of biology, had two manuscripts chosen for publication. The first, a study of the ocular disease trachoma, was published in the July 2008 issue of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. The second study looked 1/29/09 1:38:25 PM at human genetic polymorphisms that might influence disease progression and was published in PLoS One in October 2008. ▪ Dan Teliski ’97, director of athletic media relations, was named 2008 Men’s Sports Information Director of the Year for the Southern Division of the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA). Chosen by the CWPA director of communications, the award is presented to those offices which have achieved notable excellence in the field of water polo communications during the past academic year. ▪ Dr. Karinna M. Vernaza, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, was honored as a Minority Achiever by Minority Opinion magazine, published by LJS Publishing. The theme of the celebration was “A Vision of Diversity in Higher Education.” LJS Publishing annually sponsors the event to recognize African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans who have distinguished themselves in their professions and in their communities.