SCSU School of Graduate and Professional Studies newsletter, Dec. 2020

The Hoot Fall 2020

Table of Contents

Just Checking in

Where to go From Here

A Message from the Dean

Just Checking in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 Quick Degrees and Professional Teas + A Zine Inside of a Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 In with the Old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Associate Dean Highlight + Why Grad School? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Leading, Enrepeneurship, and Composting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Reaching New Aerial Views, + Professional Programs for Programming Pofessionals . . . . . Page 7 What’s New, Professor Cat? + Socially Distant Socials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

Dear Friends,

While we are living in interesting times, that are certainly challenging, and even unsettling for some, one thing is reassuringly clear: that human perseverance and resilience triumphs in the end.

For one thing, our Southern community rose to the challenges posed by the pandemic and launched the semester on time and without any disruptions. Our faculty and staff have made the transition to online nearly seamless and continue to provide students with tremendous support and guidance. Our student services, safety and security teams have worked tirelessly for our students. Rigorous testing and contact tracing have resulted in keeping the campus safe and our students, staff, and faculty healthy and in good spirits.

Our alums and friends in the community have shown an unprecedented outpouring of support and affection towards Southern students. Most importantly, our students have shown exemplary strength and tenacity to keep moving forward in pursuit of their academic and professional goals. In fact, compared to last year, graduate school enrollments are up by over 5%.

It is the stories of my students’ and colleagues’ victory every day that makes me stay inspired and motivated to do our best! Stay the course and together; we shall overcome the difficulties and make the future brighter for ourselves, our loved ones, and for all of humanity.

With best wishes and gratitude

1

Manohar Singh 2

Quick Degrees and Professional Teas

In With The Old

Business School Introduces Accelerated MBA and Outlines BSC Program Offerings

A&S Faculty Members Tenured Admidst Pandemic

The School of Business recently introduced its Accelerated MBA program, allowing students to receive their completed degree in just 18 months. Each session is eight weeks long, earns six credits, and is composed of nine Saturday sessions that take place both inperson and online. MBA students can choose from a variety of concentrations, including Accounting, Finance, Healthcare Administration, International Business, Management, and Marketing. The goal of the accelerated program is to allow students the flexibility to work fulltime while pursuing their degree and to be able to achieve degree completion in a shorter the amount of time.

Within the School of Business, The Business Success Center (BSC) has also been working hard to provide students with tools to excel in their academic and professional lives.

The BSC prepares students for the workforce by providing them with opportunities for mock interviews, resume and cover letter review, job search help, and scheduled events. Other examples of their offerings are the Etiquette Dinner, Virtual Job Fairs, and the Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Program. The Business Success Center has recently received a $40,000 grant from Wells Frago to continue to provide these programs and resources.

Graduate students are welcome and encouraged to participate in all BSC events and programs.

The College of Arts and Sciences is thrilled to be welcoming six new tenure-track faculty who will teach in our graduate programs:

Dr. Sahar Al Seesi, a new faculty member in the Computer Science Department, specializes in Bioinformatics, which is an interdisciplinary field in which computer science intersects with biology, mathematics, and statistics. Dr. Dana Casetti is joining the Physics Department; her research is in astronomy, and she applies machine learning techniques to astronomical data. Joining the Department of the Environment, Geography, and Marine Sciences, Dr. Miriah Kelly does research in the areas of climate change, coastal transformation, and environmental communication and is a member of SCSU’s Project Blue.

The Sociology Department has two new hires: Dr. Adam Pittman and Dr. Amanda Bertana. Dr. Bertana’s primary area of research is on the political economy of global environmental change, specifically focusing on how development and inequality contribute to environmental degradation. Dr. Pittman’s research specialties are Criminology, Urban Sociology, and Qualitative Methods.

Dr. Anastasia Sorokina is joining the TESOL program and is a fluent Russian-English bilingual with training in ESL, e-learning, and linguistics, and has extensive experience in assessment development, curriculum design, and academic writing.

Please email Patricia Conte at contep2@southernct.edu for more information.

A Zine Inside of a Newsletter College of Education Releases Annual Magazine

The College of Education has released its first-ever annual magazine highlighting the thoughts, works, and development of both faculty and students. Entitled Learning Through Inquiry, Experience, and Reflection: 2019-2020 in Review, the magazine reflects the continuing and untiring efforts of the College to become a recognized leader in pedagogical research and scholarship. Featured, is a piece on the opening of the new Barack Obama H. Magnet University School—the city’s first elementary school located on a university campus and nationwide model for teacher preparation and educational innovation—as well as achievements by former and current education students pioneering research by faculty, and news on our newly ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science.

The magazine can be read here: https://issuu.com/scsu/docs/coe_annual_magazine-150dpi 3

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What’s Up, Doc? Meeting SGPS Interim Associate Dean Wharton

SGPS would like to proudly introduce our new Interim Associate Dean, Dr. Jonathan Wharton. Dr. Wharton is an associate professor and internship coordinator for the SCSU political science department and has worn a multitude of hats over the past 25 years of his career, including: teaching at a variety of institutions, dealing with curricula initiatives at Stevens College, working admissions at Howard University, and serving as an academic advisor for a community college.

Dr. Wharton was attracted to this position for its ability to help improve the graduate school, and upon accepting, he knew he wished to focus on advisement, curriculum, and community involvement. He hopes to develop more 4+1 programs at our university and with community colleges, certificate programs through partnerships with local New Haven businesses, and a pathway for easier communication between faculty and SGPS to ensure the programs get off the ground well rounded and supported. Dr. Wharton is very open-minded to any and

MBA Student Haroon Chaudhry on His Time at SCSU and Life During Covid What has your life been like over the past seven months? How has quarantine affected your education?

Initially, COVID-19 negatively affected my learning. As classes transitioned online, it was very difficult for me to remain focused and motivated. There have been times when I wanted to give up, but thinking about my purpose of coming to the United States keeps me motivated.

Due to COVID-19, I saw millions of people had been laid off or had internships canceled; I decided I wanted to give back to my community by trying to help as many people get back on their feet as I possibly could. I never imagined that this sentiment would turn into me founding a consulting company.

everyone’s ideas, and says his door is always open for brainstorming sessions. We are excited to have Dr. Wharton as our SGPS Interim Associate Dean. We can’t wait to see the amazing things he will accomplish this semester and we thank him for being such a warm and joyful presence in our office.

Why Grad School?

Master your Path • Enhances career flexibility and possibilities

• Lowers risk of joblessness by 12.5%

• Expands your personal and professional network

• Can earn you more money over a lifetime than only a bachelor’s degree

• Taught by experts and professionals in designated fields of study

• Helps you make important career changes

Click for On Demand access to Fall 2020 Graduate Virtual Open House 5

Leading, Entrepreneurship, and Composting

“Education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world.”

Nelson Mandela What influenced your decision to pursue your Graduate Education at Southern?

The pursuit of a better education was my motivation for leaving my birth country, Pakistan, to travel to the United States of America. My parent’s wish was to see their children earn recognition and success here in their academic and professional pursuits.

My undergraduate time at Southern was an extraordinary experience and I wanted to come back to further my education and continue to offer my dedication, enthusiasm, and work ethic to the University community.

While my path hasn’t been always easy, I feel I have grown into a confident, considerate, and respectful leader in every aspect of my life.

Are there any important social movements, projects, or organizations you have been a part of or would like to bring attention to?

Black Lives Matter. I have taken part in assemblies and advocating for the BLM movement. I believe in standing for and with my brothers and sisters and continuing to hold conversations in my community and workplace. Black Lives Matter.

I partook in a Summer Fellowship program with Dr. Wang Zheni. We worked with STEM students to create a business plan for Quantum Biopower, an organic waste company located in Southington, CT.

It was through this collaboration that SCSU’s sustainability department launched composting at Connect Hall (Student Center). According to Dr. Suzanne Huminski (Sustainability Coordinator at SCSU) and her research team, SCSU diverted 45 tons of food scrap from the waste stream during the compost project’s pilot year, and more than 50 tons the following year.

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Reaching New Aerial Views 2020 Drone Academy Program

SCSU’s Fall 2020 Drone Academy took fight on September 26th, with COVID19 guidelines of masking and distancing in place and effect. Program participation extends from photographers, hobbyists and novices, to firefighters and realtors. This session, we are proud to serve participants from the City of New London and Town of Greenwich Municipalities.

This session offered 5 modules: Safe Drone Operation, Drone Pilot FAA Test Preparation, Drone Photography and Videography (Part 1&2), and Introduction to Landscape and 3D Modeling. Completion of all five modules equips students with a strong understanding of safe drone aviation, preparation for the FAA exam, familiarization with Photoshop and Final Cut Pro training, and the use of Px4d software for landscape mapping and 3D modeling. We look forward to continuing to offer programming in the Spring of 2021!

What’s New, Professor Cat? An Update on The School of Graduate and Professional Studies

SGPS’s Fall 2020 Achievements • Admitted 671 New Students • Awarded 26 GSS Scholarships • Approved 103 Graduate Assistanships

• With Most Popular Programs continuing to be Social Work and Communication Disorders *As of Publication Date

For more information, please visit https://www.southernct.edu/drone-academy or contact us at gpsinfo@southernct.edu and/or (203)392-5420

Socially Distant Socials

All Virtual and/or Socially Distanced, of Course Fall 2020

Professional Programs for Programming Professionals MindEdge at SGPS

Southern has recently partnered with MindEdge to provide students with opportunities to expand their professional skills and stand out in today’s competitive job market. We are offering online courses, including, cybersecurity, leadership, non-profit management, women and business, and more. Courses are self-paced, online, and available anywhere on any device. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate and digital badges to add to their resumes and LinkedIn profiles. These courses also meet requirements for CEU, PDU, SHRM, HRCI, or CFRE credits.

For more information or to sign up, please visit: https://www.southernct.edu/academics/continuing-education/online 7

Spring 2021

November 1st 2020-2021 Fafsa Priority Dates

February 1 1st CMP applications due

2nd Registration deadline, 8am

15th 2021-2022 Fafsa Priority Date for all returning students

4th Government, Social Services, & NonProfit Fair: 12pm-4pm 30th Everything moves to remote learning December 15th MSW and DSW application deadlines for fall 2021 Crossword answer key Vertical Horizontal 2. Mindedge 1. Normal 3. Buley 4. Drone 5. GSAC 6. Singh

March 1st Educational Leadership, ED.D Intermediate Administrator application deadline 1st Educational Leadership, ED.D General application deadline 15th 2021-2022 Fafsa Priority date for new incoming students May 15th Public Health, M.P.H. application deadline

*Be sure to check with your advisor and chairperson for program deadlines.

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Brain Teaser

All Virtual and/or Socially Distanced, of Course

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2

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Vertical 2.Who has Southern partnered with to provide online classes for Southern Students?

3.Where is the office of Graduate and Professional Studies located?

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5.What committee is dedicated to enhancing the experience of graduate students?

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Horizontal: 1.New Haven ___________ School was the original name of Southern.

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4.What academy did Southern offer this fall semester?

6.Who is the Dean of graduate school?

* Answer key on page 8

Content Submissions:

Newsletter Staff:

“A Zine Inside of a Newsletter”... Gema Guevara

Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . .Shermaine Edmonds

“In With the Old” . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Craig Hlavac

Content Creator . . . . . . . . .Madeline Turiano

“Reaching New Aerial Heights” . . .

. . . Manpreet Sachdeva

Graphic Designer . . . Iliana Cusack-Mercedez

@SGPS_Info

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miranda Kross

Graduate and Professional Studies at Southern

@SouthernGPS