Healthy Connections Newsletter
Summer 2017 Volume 2 Issue 3
From the Dean’s Office I am delighted and proud to introduce myself as the new Dean of the Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS) at Appalachian State University. I am grateful for this opportunity to return to North Carolina and my mountain roots. While I came to Boone after serving as the Dean of the College of Health and Human Services at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, I was previously employed as the Associate and Interim Dean at Western Carolina for over 14 years. After accepting this position I quickly learned that I picked an excellent time to join the BCHS team! The faculty and staff are passionate and productive, the students are bright and eager to learn, and the alumni are making a positive difference in the region and in their communities. In addition, there are a number of upcoming exciting initiatives, including the construction of a new 203,000 square feet health sciences building. I look forward to continuing to build on the previous work and accomplishments of our faculty, students, staff and alumni within the College. I invite you to read our Newsletter to learn a little more about what is currently going on in the College. We are excited about the progress of our new building and look with anticipation to our move. You will also read about some of our incredible students and their accomplishments, as well as features about our amazing faculty. During the next academic year we will be focusing on moving the majority of our programs from four different buildings on campus into the new health sciences building located next to Watauga Medical Center. And, while our building may change, our goals will not. We will continue to provide high quality and innovative programs that produce ethical and competent practitioners to help meet the healthcare needs of the region. We are grateful for our successful partnerships and for the support of our friends and stakeholders within the community. If you are interested in sponsoring a student scholarship or honoring someone through one of our many naming opportunities in the new health sciences building, please contact Kelli Wilson at wilsonkh@appstate.edu or me at huffmt@ appstate.edu. To learn more about our college check out our web page at healthsciences.appstate.edu or drop by for a personal visit when you are on campus. Warm Regards, 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
Workers celebrated in ‘topping ceremony’ for Appalachian’s Beaver College of Health Sciences building
By Elisabeth B. Wall More than 100 craft workers looked upward, many with visible pride, as the final steel beam was lifted by crane to the top of Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS) facility June 8. The building is slated to open in August 2018. Read more
View video of topping event here
Recipients of the first Appalachian Innovation Scholars grants are, standing from left, Dr. Kyle Thompson, Dr. Paul Wallace, Dr. Ok-Youn Yu; seated, Anna Ward and Dr. Anne Fanatico.
Five ‘original and collaborative’ projects funded by Chancellor’s first Innovation Scholars program The Appalachian Innovation Scholars Program supports innovative research and practice by Appalachian faculty and staff throughout all disciplines and program areas on campus. Each of the scholarship proposals awarded reflect one or more of the university’s strategic initiatives: sustainability in the areas of economics, equity and the enviroment; diversity; student research; global learning; wellness and safety; and community and civic engagement. The winners from the Beaver College of Health Sciences; Dr. Kyle Thompson, senior lecturer in nutrition and dietetic internship director, Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management; Dr. Paul Wallace, associate professor, Department of Leadership and Educational Studies, with collaborator Dr. Louise Keegan, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Read more
Most Admired CEO Awards
From left, James J. “J.J.” Brown III, Martha Marking, John Martin “Jamal” Peters, Dr. Mike Mayfield and Jonathan Mauldin. Photo courtesy of Micki Early.
Five campus leaders receive Appalachian’s 2017 Plemmons Leadership Medallions John Martin “Jamal” Peters, a senior majoring in health promotion received the Applachian’s 2017 Plemmons Leadership Medallion. Peters, a senior from Durham who is majoring in health promotion, interned in 2017 for Appalachian’s Department of Wellness and Prevention Services. In that capacity, he assisted with focus groups and developed a health promotion research project. He has also worked in Appalachian’s Office of the Dean of Students. Peters’ nominator called him “the type of student that every Mountaineer wants to meet on their first day… This is due to the intentional, genuine and upbeat efforts of this remarkable individual, and his ability to connect with the heart and soul of this campus,” the nominator said. “In the way that he approaches leadership roles, internships and other involvements, one can see that Jamal truly lives by the university’s motto, ‘Esse quam videri,’ which means ‘To be, rather than to seem.’” Read more
Tim Wilson -Photo submitted
Steve Fleming - Photo submitted
Congratulations to two local CEOs who were both named a "Most Admired CEO" by the Triad Business Journal. Tim Webster of The Presbyterian Homes in Colfax and Steven Fleming of The Well-Spring Group in Greensboro were selected by a panel of judges as "outstanding business leaders" who have demonstrated "vital leadership and a customer service philosophy, outstanding employee relationships, contributions to the community and evidence that they have shaped their company's products or services to help lead their business to success." Webster and Fleming were honored with 16 other top executives from the Triad region. Fleming will be installed as Chair of LeadingAge National this fall at the Annual Meeting and Expo. Mr. Fleming currently serves on the BCHS Advisory Council and Mr. Webster serves on the BCHS Health Care Management Board. Congratulations gentlemen and thank you for your service!
Dr. Eric Frauman (left) pictured with Department of Recreation Management and Health and Physical Education Chair, Dr. Dale Adkins. Photo on the right: Dr. Adam Hege. Photos courtesy of Audrey Gurkin Dr. Eric Frauman, Associate Professor in the Recreation Management Program, received the Wayne Duncan Faculty Enrichment and Teaching Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching in General Education presented by the University College on April 26, 2017. Frauman’s award is directly linked to a course he developed in 2012 titled, “Natural Resources: Becoming an Informed Citizen.” The course was designed to address the history and politics of natural resources and environmental issues through the lens of outdoor recreation. One nominator wrote, “Being provided a structure in which to learn the essentials of good citizenship was a unique and important opportunity, especially in the increasingly politicized world we live in. I was able to call my representatives and senators, write about the links between policy and environment, present on the global environmental policy climate, and in general learn how to treat both people and the earth with a combination of respect and accountability.” Another added, “Dr. Frauman personally fostered a space that welcomed diverse worldviews, and kindly provided feedback and assistance to any student who asked. On the odd occasion I popped into his office outside class time, he exemplified a warmth and professionalism that I believe typifies the very best of Appalachian State University faculty.” Frauman reflected on how the course pertains to his teaching philosophy, “Each day that I meet with students, my primary goal is to tell a story that is relevant, engaging and memorable. It is a story that I hope encourages students to want to learn more and become more aware.”
Dr. Adam Hege, Assistant Professor in the Public Health program within the Department of Health and Exercise Science, was also recognized by the University College with the Excellence in Community Engagement Award. Hege responded with deep gratitude upon winning the award, “As someone who seeks to be a community engaged citizen down to my core being, a public health advocate striving for social justice at the societal level, and a professor focused on instilling the same passion in our students, I am overwhelmed with excitement at being nominated for and receiving this coveted award. Through the layers of civic engagement, the pursuit of social justice and providing meaningful student learning experiences that incorporate these, it is evident of the need for and the importance of collaboration between community members and the academic institution in pursuing a better quality of life for our local community and the world at large. As an academic professor in the field of Public Health, it is vital for me to stimulate students’ interest and involvement in community action and to translate our course objectives into developing an understanding of the needs and concerns of our local communities. For those reasons, connecting students with local research and practice through servicelearning opportunities, link directly to my communityengaged research projects aimed at alleviating health disparities while also helping to facilitate students’ own individual community-engaged projects. It is my desire to motivate them to understand that each of us can make a difference. In fact, nothing makes me prouder than to inspire young minds to seek active involvement in social justice issues on our campus, in our community and at the state, national and global levels.”
Congratulations Eric and Adam on your well-deserved recognition!
Dr. Scott Collier named Faculty Director of Prestigious Scholarship Programs
Kaaren Hayes, director of Parent to Parent Family Support NetworkHigh Country, speaks at the May 2017 graduation of the Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Department of PA Studies. She accepted the Community Partnership Award the network received from the PA program. Appalachian State University sponsors the network. Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Baptist Health photography.
Wake Forest-Appalachian partnership educates PAs, benefits children with special needs By Ken Keuffel
On a recent Friday evening, Katherine Moss, a master’s student at Wake Forest School of Medicine’s physician assistant (PA) studies program at Appalachian State University in Boone, took an unconventional “class.” She attended a meeting of the Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country. Her participation – which fulfilled a requirement of a course called Being a PA – helped her gain insights from parents and other caregivers of children with disabilities, developmental delays, disorders and other challenges. It will further two aims of her PA training: enhancing the care she provides to children with special needs and promoting empathy with their caregivers, whom health care providers can easily overlook in the small window of time they get with patients. “I think it was one of the most important things we had to do,” said Moss, who is from Ocean Park, Florida. Parent to Parent, sponsored by Appalachian and its Reich College of Education, is best known for providing support services to families who have children with special needs and/or families grieving the loss of a child. It serves Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. Read more
Dr. Scott Collier pictured third from left. Photo submitted.
The Beaver College of Health Sciences would like to congratulate Dr. Scott Collier on his recent appointment to the position of Faculty Director of Prestigious Scholarship Programs at Appalachian State University. Dr. Collier earned his Doctoral Degree in Cardiovascular Exercise Physiology in 2006 from Syracuse University. He has been a faculty member at Appalachian since 2009 where student research has been a focus throughout his career. According to the office of the Provost, “The Faculty Director for Prestigious Scholarship Programs is responsible for recruiting and preparing highachieving students to compete successfully for prestigious national and international scholarships. The Faculty Director works in collaboration with the Assistant Director of Scholarship Programs and the Office of University Scholarships to identify stakeholders across campus to publicize opportunities, identify and nurture a diverse set of high-potential students, advise those students as they develop their portfolios, as well as support faculty in their roles as mentors and recommenders.” Dr. Collier has always had a passion for helping students achieve their highest potential. “I really believe I don’t just deliver content, but teach students where to get the information they need to continue to learn when they leave our institution. Good teachers prepare students for the next level, not just where they are now.” We wish Dr. Collier all the best as he continues to prepare our students for success.
The New York City Nursing-Social Work Service-Learning experience took place this year on May 28 - June 4. While this was the third annual trip for the Nursing Department, it was the first interprofessional study away program for the Beaver College of Health Sciences. Graduate and undergraduate students from both the Nursing Department and the Social Work Department were included. The purpose of the New York City Service-Learning experience is to provide students with an interprofessional opportunity to learn about and interact with individuals from a variety of cultures within a domestic setting. Carly Tindall, a senior from Gastonia, who is majoring in social work, had the following to share regarding her participation, “Surprisingly, my prior experiences serving others initially hindered my ability to interact with the homeless population in New York City. I was ignorant in offering my leftover dinner to a woman picking through garbage on the sidewalk. She was culturally offended that I offered her my scraps. The next day, our group visited All Saint’s Soup Kitchen, the longest operating soup kitchen in the United States. This organization operates similar to an actual restaurant; participants are welcome to sit with whomever they choose at round tables accented with table cloths and other decor. Volunteers served meals individually, while gladly taking dietary preferences and restrictions into consideration. Many people preferred extra macaroni and cheese, while some chose the vegan option of the night. My experience with All Saint’s allowed me to obtain an entirely new perspective of the right to choose. Contrary to the popular phrase, ‘beggars can’t be choosers,’ no one should have to fall asleep feeling malnourished in a country with an abundance of wealth. I really enjoyed witnessing a successful non-profit organization in the works. Unlike other soup kitchens and food pantries, I could tell that participants truly felt the individualization of the program rather than simply being reduced to a stereotype. I learned a lot about myself over the course of this trip as well. I realized my intent is not always an indication of care and may appear pretentious to others. The best way to learn is to immerse yourself in uncomfortable situations. If and when an opportunity arises to join a service learning trip, take it! I can guarantee you won’t regret it.” Please read the first publication from the program here.
Giving back...
College was something Leah Bouchard knew from a very young age she was expected to do. More so, it was something she knew she wanted to do. She also knew that it was something she would have to largely finance herself. Being the daughter of hard-working, middle-income parents who simply did not have the means to fund her education meant she would need loans or scholarships to make attending college a reality. Her parents were first-generation college students who graduated by working long hours and taking out loans, and while they lovingly supported her and offered as much help as they could along the way, they were not able to financially support her attainment of higher education. Bouchard knew this from the start and began the task of seeking scholarships and grants for college as a junior in high school. When she was successful in obtaining enough scholarships to carry her through her first year, Bouchard enrolled at the University of North Carolina with plans to build a career in military intelligence. She experienced a change of plans, however, when “something didn’t feel right” halfway through her first year of college despite good academic standing and interest in her courses. On a whim, Bouchard applied for a transfer to Appalachian State University’s Social Work program, and according to Bouchard, “It’s been a perfect fit ever since.” Through the benefit of scholarships, she was able to graduate with minimal loans and go on to achieve her Master of Arts in Social Administration from the University of Chicago. Bouchard is quick to note, “You don’t get anywhere on your own. It was the tremendous support of the Office of Institutional Research Assessment and Planning (IRAP) staff who graciously employed me, the Department of Social Work faculty who invested in me, and my family who loved and encouraged me that allowed me to graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work in December 2015.” By accelerating her studies, Bouchard was able to finish in three and a half years. Her steadfast determination enabled her to take a 20 hour course load (at times), while also working 20 hours per week in the IRAP office. That point of pride helps her today when she feels exhausted after working a long week in her current role as a Social Worker at Youth Villages in Johnson City, Tennessee. Bouchard’s gratitude was a key factor in making the decision to sponsor a Beaver College of Health Sciences Scholarship next fall. When asked what advice she would give her scholarship recipient, she replied, “The main thing I’ve learned is that flexibility is the best kind of security when it comes to choosing a career or getting through college. If you’re willing to give yourself some room and allow the flexibility, and forgiveness to embrace your change of heart that will likely come as you grow and learn and experience more, it can lead you to some pretty cool places.” If you would like more information on student scholarships, naming opportunities, or adding BCHS to your estate plan, please contact Kelli Wilson, Director of Development, at wilsonkh@appstate.edu or 828-262-6714
Mary Sheryl Horine makes her ‘playground’ a healthier, happier place to play By Audrey Gurkin
Mary Sheryl Horine grew up at Appalachian State University – literally. Her father was a professor at Appalachian State University and her home was adjacent to the football stadium. So, according to Horine, “The campus was my playground. Growing up in Boone contributed to my fundamental core, a grounded sense of who I am, and what my values are with a feeling of support from the entire community.” But, she believes “getting out of your comfort zone is essential to growth.” She left Boone, and then, in 2005, came back. Horine is actively changing ideas and realities about health care in this region as associate director of Appalachian’s Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBS-NC) Institute for Health and Human Services (IHHS) and council director of Girls on the Run - High Country (GOTR-HC). “Growing up here, becoming professionally trained and educated [elsewhere], and bringing my experiences back to try to personally apply what I have learned in a regional context has been a lot of fun. …[it] has also opened my eyes to the tremendous opportunities for growth and ways that we can be doing things differently to impact and help our region.” Boone to Boston and back – a full circle experience After attending UNC-Chapel Hill, she moved to the Northeast to start a career and to attend graduate school at Boston University. There, she gained experience in international and local public health, with a focus on urban environments. The Northeast offered Horine an extensive background in her specialty – infectious disease epidemiology – and, with training from various medical schools and subsequent teaching opportunities, she was able to achieve her dream of a career of service in public health. After 20-plus years in the Boston area, she wanted to come back home to raise her family. Although the area had grown, the flavor of the town was still the same, she said: healthy and active, year-round. Horine also feels “Appalachian’s desire of caring about the region and the people by bringing teachers to underserved rural areas was why the university was founded. That tradition still remains and sets Appalachian aside from the other colleges in the UNC system. [Appalachian] has a strong tie to the region and to the environment.”
“Mary Sheryl is always looking to engage students in community outreach... She serves not only as an excellent role model for students, but for us all.” – colleague Dr. Gary McCullough Read more
Advising Update from Dr. Denise L. Levy Associate Dean
N. Travis Triplett, Ph.D., Professor of Exercise Science and Director of the Strength and Conditioning Concentrations for the Exercise Science Bachelor and Master of Science degree programs in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, has been elected as the first female President of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She will serve as President-Elect from July, 2017 until July, 2018 and as President from July, 2018 until July, 2021. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), is an international nonprofit educational organization founded in 1978 by 76 strength coaches from across the country who had the common desire to network, collaborate, and unify the profession of strength and conditioning. Since its inception, the NSCA has grown to more than 30,000 members in 72 countries and become the leader in research and education for strength and conditioning professionals. The NSCA disseminates research-based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services and continuing education opportunities. Triplett has been a member for nearly 30 years. Her past strength and conditioning experience includes serving as the Director of the Strength Centers at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, a research assistantship in Sports Physiology at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, a postdoctoral research fellowship at Southern Cross University in Australia, and additional international research at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland and the University of Valencia in Spain. She also served on a panel for NASA for developing resistance exercise countermeasures to micro-gravity environments for the International Space Station. For the NSCA, Triplett is currently a Senior Associate Editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (JSCR) and was honored in 2016 with the JSCR Editorial Excellence Award. She was also the first female Founding Fellow of the NSCA. Triplett had this to say about her recent appointment, "I am truly humbled, not only to have been selected to be the next President of an organization to which I have devoted my career, but also for the historical significance of my selection to the role."
Congratulations Dr. Triplett!
Did you know that the BCHS Office of Advising and Academic Support (OAAS) now serves every program in the College with professional advisors and records staff? When students officially declare their major in one of our degree programs, they are connected with a professional advisor, faculty mentor, and records specialist. These three resources assist students with course planning, referral to campus resources, academic support, career mentoring, preparation for graduate school and for careers, identification of internship and volunteer opportunities, and ensuring they have met all the requirements for graduation. Also housed in OAAS is our Health Professions Advising Office. Health Professions Advising works with students interested in pursing graduate programs in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry and more. The Office provides individual advising and workshops to assist students in understanding prerequisite course requirements, clinical requirements, extracurricular experiences, service opportunities, research, and other opportunities or experiences that help develop our students into competitive applicants. These are just a few of the services we offer in OAAS. As the College continues to grow and expand, our staff in OAAS are developing ways to better serve students through a model of appreciative, holistic, and inclusive advising and records services. We invite you to visit our website to learn more (https://healthsciences. appstate.edu/students).
By the Numbers... 3,400 Undergraduate & Graduate Majors 150 Highly-Skilled Faculty and Staff 100% Of Tenure Track Faculty Hold Terminal Degrees 82% Increase in Undergraduate Majors since 2009 16 Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees 2nd Largest College at Appalachian State University
Help us to continue our growth! Donate here If you would like additional information on student scholarships, naming opportunities, or adding BCHS to your estate plan, please contact Kelli Wilson, Director of Development, at wilsonkh@appstate.edu or 828-262-6714
Educate. Engage. Elevate
View the live stream of the new BCHS building currently under construction.
Your Newsletter As we continue to work to create a cohesive college and pull departments together, Healthy Connections will be a place to share our news, successes and information. So as you receive news regarding someone from your department, please forward the information to me so that it can be shared. This is a work in progress and I would love to hear from you with any ideas or suggestions for future issues. This is YOUR newsletter and should reflect your thoughts and ideas. Future issues of Healthy Connections will be published quarterly and will include a section for announcements from each department/unit, so be sure to forward your news to me at gurkinat@appstate.edu or 828-262-7798. Thank you! Audrey Gurkin The Beaver College of Health Sciences is on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget to friend and follow us!