Healthy Connections Newsletter
Spring 2018 Volume 3 Issue 1
From the Dean’s Office Dear Friends,
Hello and Happy Spring! Since coming to Appalachian over just eight months ago, I have discovered that Boone’s weather can be quite diverse. While this week we are experiencing warm, spring like weather, last week we were shoveling our driveways and clearing away several inches of snow. We never know what to expect from week to week, but it certainly keeps things interesting! I am ecstatic to report that our new building has formally been named the “Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences” in honor of the Leon Levine Foundation located in Charlotte, NC. Their Foundation has a special interest in investing in quality healthcare, increased access and enhanced quality of life. We appreciate their trust in us as we continue our mission of educating the next generation of healthcare providers. We look forward to teaching our students in this amazing facility beginning in the fall semester. I hope you will plan to visit our state of the art building when we host our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on September 21. With the help of our faculty, staff and advisory council, the College recently completed its strategic plan. We are now focusing on writing the objectives that will help us to meet the goals outlined in our plan. Please check out our web page to read our mission and vision statements, and to learn more about how the Beaver College of Health Sciences is taking health to new heights. You may glean from our newsletter that we are fortunate to benefit from many offers of support from our generous alumni, friends and community stakeholders. Last week we enjoyed our first annual “Celebration of Giving” luncheon where we were able to thank many of our donors and celebrate our student scholarship recipients. Our new director of Development, Jenny Ward, has hit the ground running. She is especially focused on increasing our student scholarship support to enable our students to achieve their educational goals while accruing less debt. If you would like to learn more about how to support a student scholarship, feel free to contact me directly, or reach out to Jenny Ward at wardjs1@appstate.edu. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter and for your interest in the Beaver College of Health Sciences. I wish you all a healthy and fun filled summer! Most Sincerely, Marie Huff, Ph.D. Dean, Beaver College of Health Sciences
Departments, Programs & Degrees Communication Sciences & Disorders B.S. Communication Sciences & Disorders M.S. Speech-Language Pathology
Health & Exercise Science B.S. Exercise Science B.S. Athletic Training B.S. Public Health M.S. Exercise Science
Nursing B.S.N. M.S.N.
Nutrition & Health Care Management B.S. Health Care Management B.S. Nutrition and Foods M.S. Nutrition M.H.A.
Recreation Management & Physical Education B.S. Recreation Management B.S. Health & Physical Education
Social Work B.S.W. M.S.W.
About the College The Beaver College of Health Sciences seeks to be the most comprehensive academic center for health professions in western North Carolina. It provides transformative education, interdisciplinary research opportunities, and service to local and regional communities. The faculty across six departments, ten undergraduate programs, and six graduate programs equip high quality graduates for successful careers or advanced study. For more about the college, visit:
healthsciences.appstate.edu
Appalachian names newest facility Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences
Architectural rendering of Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences
Appalachian State University has received a $5 million grant from The Leon Levine Foundation of Charlotte. In recognition of their generosity, Appalachian’s Board of Trustees in December approved naming the university’s newest facility - currently under construction - the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences. The building will house Appalachian’s Beaver College of Health Sciences. Read the full story.
March 26, 2018 photo by Audrey Gurkin.
For more information about the Leon Levine Foundation visit: www.leonlevinefoundation.org.
Beaver College of Health Sciences announces Healthy Heart Collaborative By Audrey Gurkin and Linda Coutant The Healthy Heart Collaborative will promote cardiovascular health in the High Country community and advance knowledge about sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and response. This collaborative is sponsored by the Beaver College of Health Sciences along with Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and the Omar Carter Foundation, which was founded by Omar Carter, a former Mountaineer basketball player and 2014 graduate.
Omar Carter was Southern Conference Preseason Player of the Year in men’s basketball in 2011-12. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Athletics.
Carter, who enjoyed a professional basketball career after Appalachian is a SCA survivor. He suffered sudden cardiac arrest while playing in a 2013 game in his hometown of Charlotte. According to his organization’s website, Carter lay on the floor unconscious and received CPR for 13 minutes until emergency transport arrived. He was hospitalized on life support and in a medically induced coma, yet he survived. Carter later founded the Omar Carter Foundation to advocate, empower and serve communities through CPR and AED education and cardiovascular screenings. Read the full story.
Making a difference
Charles E. and Geneva S. Scott Scottish Rite Communications Disorder Clinic supports local families In the spirit of giving, graduate students at the Charles E. and Geneva S. Scott Scottish Rite Communications Disorders Clinic organized a grassroots effort to support a family in need during the holidays. What began as a small project involving just one family, blossomed into a compassionate mission involving graduate students, undergraduate students, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders faculty and the community. Read the full story.
Deepening and growing partnerships for the future John Roos ‘84 is Senior Vice President, Chief Sales, Marketing and Communications Officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Roos has graciously served on the BCHS Advisory Council since its inception in 2012 and is currently Chair of the Council. When asked why he gives so much to Appalachian State University, Roos replies, “Appalachian has given a lot to me. The people I have met, the life skills I learned and the education I received has lead me to where I am today, plus I want other students to have the experiences I had.” The evolving partnership between BCHS and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina focuses on future opportunities to fill the health care needs across the state. Read the full story.
Our Amazing Students
We are excited to be celebrating another year of high academic achievement among our student-athletes. In fact, we are recognizing 297 student-athletes, with 118 from the Beaver College of Health Sciences. We would like to congratulate the student-athletes, managers, trainers, video crew, cheerleaders and dance team members for making the Fall 2017 Academic Honor Roll. To reach this academic achievement while being involved in a Division I sport is a testament to their commitment, hard work and sacrifice. As a whole, Appalachian’s student-athletes had a cumulative GPA above a 3.0 for the 11th consecutive semester. See the entire list.
Ashley Venable pictured in New Zealand. Photo submitted.
Travel abroad brings more than new experiences According to Ashley Venable, a Recreation Management major, one of her most transformational experiences at Appalachian State University was having the opportunity to study abroad. In the spring of 2016, Venable spent a semester in New Zealand. It was here that she discovered her passion. Venable had the opportunity to teach students Outdoor Education in Primary Schools. Because she was able to spend the entire semester with the same group of students she was able to bond with them and make credible observations about how Outdoor Education affects learning. It was also during this experience that Venable decided this was her calling, “I enjoyed teaching in the outdoors so much that semester that I knew it was what I wanted to do. I was pushed out of my comfort zone many times during my study abroad and I thrived on the new experiences, wild expeditions and unknown outcomes,” said Venable.
Pictured left to right: Annaliese Moody, CSD undergraduate participant, JT, Client and Kristin Agee, CSD graduate student.
Speech-Language Pathology student Kristin Agee creates a successful intervention session for clients Kristin Agee, a first semester Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate student developed a successful intervention session by creatively incorporating her client’s goals into play. Agee incorporated a tent, sleeping bag, and typical camping items to address the goals of increasing the client’s spontaneous utterances, including medial “p” sounds in single words (e.g., camping, sleeping), and position words (e.g., inside, outside, on top). Agee reflected on her experience as a graduate clinician in Appalachian’s Speech-Language Pathology program, “I have been encouraged to provide my clients with activities that are both creative and engaging, with an emphasis placed on incorporating the client’s interests into speech-language therapy. Behind the client’s ability to remain motivated is the ability of the clinician to construct an innovative learning experience. With this philosophy in mind, I have been able to watch my clients progress towards their goals while having fun! ”
Join us for Graduation! The Beaver College of Health Sciences Commencement Ceremony Friday, May 11 at 5:00 p.m. (Processional begins at 4:45 p.m.) Holmes Convocation Center
Reflections from our graduating Dean’s Scholars
“Education is one of the few things that can never be taken from a person. As long as someone is alive, they will always know what they are taught. However, in today’s world, people are forced to sacrifice much to gain this irreplaceable knowledge. I am especially thankful for my scholarship because it has allowed me to gain knowledge and experiences without incurring such a burden. This is something I believe all students should have. By pursuing a career in higher education, I hope to provide some of what I have been given to future students.” - Emily Cluen, Recreation Management major. “Being able to graduate without debt has made such a significant impact on me because I did not have that burden during my time in college. I also did not have the stress of having to work while in school and that allowed me the opportunity to focus on my studies and extracurricular activities.” - Jennifer Stevenson, Health Care Management major. “To know that my donor is investing in the idea of educating people is a really cool concept and for me to be included in a group of such ambitious young professionals was a tremendous boost to my confidence.”- Olivia Farmer, Social Work major. “Because of my scholarship I felt this extra kind of support system. I also think the scholarship allowed me additional opportunities to expand my professional network.” Amber Daniel, Exercise Science major. “Receiving the scholarship encouraged me academically, just knowing that I had requirements to meet and that I was a Dean’s Scholar representing the Beaver College of Health Sciences gave me the motivation to do my very best.” - Lyndsay Wilcox, Social Work major. “Not having the financial burden has been a tremendous relief for me and my family. Being awarded the Dean’s scholarship made it easier to focus on school and other outside opportunities without having to worry about how to pay for my education.” Caitlin McConnell, Nursing major. “My scholarship has given me time to do things that I enjoy and are important to me. I am a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run, which I love and it’s one of my favorite things to do. I am also a CNA for Health Services (at Appalachian), which I also enjoy and it gives me experience in the medical field.” Ella Perrin, Exercise Science major. For more information on making a difference for our students, visit give. appstate.edu/healthsciences/ or contact Jenny Ward, Director of Development for Beaver College of Health Sciences at wardjs1@appstate.edu or 828-262-7791.
Outstanding Faculty and Staff
Pictured left to right: Colleen Utter, Chris Seitz, Erin Bouldin, Kelly Cole, Richard Christiana, Adam Hege and Jennifer Zwetsloot.
Congratulations to the Public Health Program for receiving accreditation status. The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited the Public Health Program at Appalachian State University for a five-year term. Our program is the 10th accredited standalone bachelor’s Public Health program to be awarded in the country. The other nine schools include: Clemson, East Carolina, Rutgers, Southern Illinois (Edwardsville), State University of New York-Cortland, Syracuse, University of Nebraska, UNC-Wilmington, and William Paterson University. The accreditation is retroactive and applies to all students who have graduated since August 2016. Congratulations to the Public Health faculty for their accreditation and serving as models of excellency!
Dr. Rebecca Battista named President of the Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Dr. Rebecca Battista, Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science, was named President-Elect of the Southeastern American College of Sports Medicine (SEACSM). The SEACSM is a regional chapter within the American College of Sports Medicine, consisting of members from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Resort and Commercial Recreation Association’s Excellence in Research Award is presented to Dr. Melissa Weddell The RCRA Excellence in Research Award for 2017 was presented to Dr. Melissa Weddell, Program Director and Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation Management & Physical Education. In recognition of her valuable contribution to research in the study, “Nomadtopia: Emerging Tourism Markets,” the RCRA encourages Dr. Weddell to continue her research and engagement in the field of commercial recreation.
The Beaver College of Health Sciences welcomes Jenny Ward
The Beaver College of Health Sciences would like to introduce you to our new Director of Development, Jennifer (Jenny) Ward. Ms. Ward joined our team in December, 2017. She comes to Appalachian with 24 years experience working in higher education in a variety of health professions settings. Most recently she served Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing, where she was director of development for 14 years. Prior to Illinois State University, Ward served at Central Michigan University in the role of director of development for the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions. She also spent seven years’ with the University of Michigan Medical Center, and two years as a Health Educator in the Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa. Along with Ward’s wealth of experience, she also brings an enthusiasm and deep commitment to help BCHS honor and expand our pledge to be a national leader in interprofessional education and innovative scholarship focused on sustainable health and quality of life. Ward spoke about the passion she has for development, “I have witnessed the transformational impact donors make when they invest in causes that are dear to their hearts and being a part of that is the most fulfilling part of my work.”
By the Numbers... 3,425 Undergraduate & Graduate Majors 150 Highly-Skilled Faculty and Staff 100% Of Tenure Track Faculty Hold Terminal Degrees 84% Increase in students since 2009 16 Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees
Help us continue to take health to new heights! Donate here If you would like additional information on student scholarships, naming opportunities, or adding BCHS to your estate plan, please contact Jenny Ward, Director of Development, at wardjs1@appstate.edu or 828-262-7791. Follow the progress of our new building - view a live stream of the construction site.