UIC Applied Health Sciences Magazine - Summer 2022

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN "The beginning is always today." — Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to serve as the next dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences.

Each of us plays an important role in making the college better every day. Two of the award-winners recognized in this issue—academic adviser Whitney Harris and student tutor Amanda Montoney—illustrate how our individual and collective contributions are paramount to the success of our students. Faculty members like Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, one of this year’s University Scholars, are influential researchers and teachers whose work focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion.

In getting to know the college, I have come to appreciate its remarkable tapestry of specialties, interests and talents. It was a surprise and delight to read, in the magazine’s Alumni Highlights section, about the many unexpected career paths some of our graduates have taken!

There are internal and external challenges ahead for higher education, health care and workforce development. Change is constant, from climate change and demographic shifts to advancement in technology and data science. Through courses like the DHD 400 service-learning capstone, our students learn the real-world skills they need to take on the future.

I envision a college where we leverage innovative ideas to match the transformation of the health ecosystem, as BHIS faculty are doing in clinical informatics. The degree to which we collaborate across disciplines—like our partnership with UI Health in the new 55th and Pulaski Collaborative health center—will dictate how we educate our students to prevent and treat the human conditions that negatively impact the health of the most vulnerable.

I look forward to building creative solutions to our health problems, expanding access to a quality education, and contributing to the advancement of life-changing discoveries. In doing so, we shall remain committed to the vision that “every person can live a healthy and self-determined life.”

Let’s have fun and not be afraid to fail.

Carlos J. Crespo Dean and professor College of Applied Health Sciences

UIC Applied Health Sciences Magazine Summer 2022 EDITOR

Erika Chavez Director of marketing and communications

DESIGN

Heidi Schlehlein Webmaster and graphic designer

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sonya Booth, Kelsey Schagemann

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

UIC Creative and Digital Services, UIC Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications ©2022 University of Illinois at Chicago.

All rights reserved. Published by the Office of the Dean, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences, 808 S. Wood St., 169 CMET, Chicago, IL 60612-7305.

Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor, the college or university.

Telephone

(312) 996-6695

Fax

(312) 413-0086

E-mail

eachavez@uic.edu

Website

ahs.uic.edu

You might notice abbreviations throughout this issue. They correlate to academic units and programs in the College of Applied Health Sciences.

AT

Athletic Training

BHI

Biomedical and Health Informatics

BHIS

Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences

BVIS

Biomedical Visualization

DHD

Department of Disability and Human Development

DIS

Disability Studies

HI

Health Informatics

HIM

Health Information Management

KINES

Kinesiology

KN

Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition

MLS

Medical Laboratory Sciences

NUT

Nutrition

OT

Department of Occupational Therapy

PT

Department of Physical Therapy

RS

Rehabilitation Sciences

UIC Applied Health Sciences MAGAZINE

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Features

Igniting the future The IGNITE campaign, the most ambitious fundraising effort in UIC's history,

11

comes to a close

Service in learning

Compassion and courage

Students use their

New dean of AHS shares his

classroom-acquired

vision for the college

knowledge to partner with

14

Notebook 3

People 22

community organizations for real-world projects

By students, for students, about students

Highlights from alumni with unexpected career trajectories

On the cover: Carlos J. Crespo in Arthington Mall on the west side of the UIC campus.

@UICAHS

7

18

Equity in disability employment

9

New clinic serves Southwest Side

NOTEBOOK AHS News and Notes Guidance star A blinding light in a tunnel of darkness—that’s how one AHS student described Whitney Harris, academic adviser in kinesiology and winner of the 2022 Provost’s Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award.

Harris is one of only three award-winners among 120 undergraduate advisers on campus.

She joined UIC in 2018 after ex- Whitney Harris perience as a certified athletic trainer, an athletic academic coordinator at Chicago State University and an academic adviser in kinesiology and physical education at Northern Illinois University.

high school senior who wants to know how to submit their AP test scores to the university.”

Harris has developed two new kinesiology courses: Diversity for Health and Fitness, and Introduction to Athletic Training. She leads the selection process for a new program created in partnership with North Park University that directly admits UIC students and alumni to North Park’s master’s program in athletic training.

She is co-leader of a new scholarship program for kinesiology students, which will provide three $500 awards each fall semester.

Providing academic and career guidance to undergraduate students sometimes means finding solutions to difficult situations.

Being an academic adviser requires knowledge of both student affairs and academic affairs, Harris says.

“We are constantly navigating sensitive information and relationships, ultimately trying to arrive at an ideal resolution for all parties,” Harris says.

“We can go from meeting with an associate dean about enrollment management and curriculum to meeting with a

“It’s a delicate balance that often takes someone who is patient and collaborative.”

Fellowship in clinical informatics health care by analyzing, designing, implementing, and evaluating information and communication systems to improve patient care, enhance access to care, advance individual and population health outcomes, and strengthen the clinician-patient relationship.”

The Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences and the Department of Pathology in the College of Medicine have teamed up to offer one of the first clinical informatics fellowships approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

The accreditation council defines clinical informatics as “the subspecialty of all medical specialties that transforms 2

Fellows in the two-year program, which began in 2015, take BHIS graduate-level courses together with BHIS students. They work on operational projects across the health care system and conduct research under faculty mentorship. They must also practice medicine during their fellowship.

Andrew Boyd, associate vice chancellor for research and associate professor of biomedical and health information sciences, is a core faculty member in the clinical informatics program. Boyd is also chief research information officer in the Office of Research Data Initiatives and Information, in the UIC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.

By students, for students, about students

UIC students and faculty team up for a longitudinal study of health risk and behaviors for health professional students.

A research study by, for, and about UIC health professions students measures demographics, health risk factors and health behaviors, and other factors for health professional students.

The HOLISTIC study (Health Professional Students at the University of Illinois Chicago) is a longitudinal research project to follow a total of 1,000 UIC students from the seven health sciences colleges.

The three-year study was developed by a team of 12 students, including Ethan Rocha ’22 DPT, who helped start the project two years ago with medical student Sunil Dommaraju. Ayesha Mohammad ’20 BS NUT and Alexandra Seballaros ’21 BS KINES were also in the original research group.

The team works under the mentorship of Mary Keehn, AHS associate dean for clinical affairs and assistant vice chancellor for interprofessional practice and education; Rashid Ahmed, associate dean of academic affairs at the School of Public Health; and Jerry Krishnan, associate vice chancellor for population health sciences and professor of medicine and public health.

“This is really about establishing a way of following students from the time they enter UIC through their educaSummer 2022

tion, so we have a better understanding of their health and health behaviors,” Keehn said.

The study strives for diversity, not only in the demographics of the participants but in the different clinical and nonclinical programs in which they are enrolled.

“The big thing was hearing what each student from each college finds valuable and important when we were developing the study,” Rocha said. “For example, occupational therapy students wanted to make sure the study was accessible to students with physical or cognitive disabilities.”

The study, which began enrolling participants in spring 2021, is being conducted in three recruitment phases. Initial findings from the first group of 553 students appear as an online preprint in medRxiv.

The study results will be useful for a wide range of research studies. It will also help student affairs staff improve programs that support student health and well-being, Keehn said.

Learn more about the study at go.uic.edu/HolisticCohortStudy.

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

3

NOTEBOOK

Honors to two dean emeriti

Bo Fernhall

Charlotte "Toby" Tate

The American College of Sports Medicine presented its highest awards to dean emeritus Bo Fernhall and dean emerita Charlotte “Toby” Tate at the organization’s 2022 annual meeting.

Tate also served as interim provost and vice chancellor for student affairs at UIC, as well as professor of disability and human development and kinesiology and nutrition.

This was the first time two leaders from the same college and university received top honors at an ACSM meeting.

Her research, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association, focused on muscle function during exercise. She was ACSM president in 1997-98.

Tate, dean from 1999 to 2011, received the 2020 Honors Award, the organization’s highest honor. The award recognizes her long career of outstanding scientific and scholarly contributions to sports medicine and the exercise sciences.

Fernhall, dean from 2011 to 2022, received the 2021 Citation Award, the organization’s next-highest honor, for his significant contributions to the field.

The ACSM 2022 Annual Meeting and World Congresses was held May 31-June 4 in San Diego.

4

Under Fernhall’s leadership, the college added two new undergraduate and two PhD programs, as well as faculty practice clinics and the AHS Office of Research.

AHS student enrollment increased 50% and the college has one of UIC’s highest six-year graduation rates for undergrads.

Fernhall’s research on exercise physiology, cardiovascular function and lifetime health focuses on people with disabilities and ethnic and racial disparities. He is president of the National Academy of Kinesiology for 2022-23.

University scholar Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, professor and outgoing head of occupational therapy who is internationally recognized for her community-based participatory research on health disparities, wellness and disability in the Latinx community, was named a 2022-23 University Scholar by the UI Office of the President. The three-year award honors superior performance in scholarly activities for research and teaching and great promise for future achievements.

“Her passion for social justice and equity permeates her teaching, research and service,” said Susan Magasi, OT and DHD associate professor, who nominated Suarez-Balcazar for the award.

Throughout her career, Suarez-Balcazar has been known for her commitment to community-based participatory research, working with Latinx children and families to develop culturally relevant interventions that promote healthy lifestyles. Her work focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion.

In 2018, she was co-author of a report by the American Psychology Association on U.S. immigrant policy and the psychosocial and economic impacts of forced deportation on children and families.

The article, the most downloaded report from the American Journal of Community Psychology, is often used by attorneys to fight family separations at Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar deportation court hearings.

She received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the University of Kansas, where she earned master’s and doctoral degrees.

Disability, adoption and family “I see access to family as the first fundamental need of people with disability,” says Sandy Sufian, professor of disability and human development in the College of Applied Health Sciences and associate professor of health humanities and history in the College of Medicine.

In the past, children with disabilities have waited years to be adopted in the U.S., but the issues and attitudes used to determine their adoptability have long been unexplored.

“How do ideologies around disability and risk translate into policies and practices for adoption? How can we understand the complexity around the social conditions that influence health, medicine and disability?” Sufian asks.

These questions drew her to write “Familial Fitness: Disability, Adoption and Family in Modern America,” the first social history of disability and difference in American adoption during the 20th century.

The book, published by University of Chicago Press, took over 11 years to complete because of its scope and complexity.

Summer 2022

“I drew on the history of adoption policy, disability history, women’s history, the history of childhood, of family, of psychology and psychiatry, and U.S. history,” Sufian says.

She combed the Social Welfare History Archives of the University of Minnesota, the National Archives, the National Library of Medicine and the archives of the American Association of Pediatrics for primary sources.

Sufian has a PhD in Middle East studies from New York University and an MPH in epidemiology and biostatistics from Oregon Health and Science University. Her work follows an interdisciplinary, nontraditional path, combining the history of medicine and history of disability in the Middle East and the U.S. She teaches courses on the history of disability and the modern history of medicine and public health to medical students, PhD students and undergraduates.

For her next project, Sufian is studying female health issues among women with chronic illness, using a patient-centered approach.

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

5

NOTEBOOK

International collaboration

Anwar Jebran, Andrew Boyd, Karl Kochendorfer, Yassine Zarhloule and Miiri Kotche (from left to right) at the ceremonial signing of the agreement.

Faculty in biomedical and health information sciences are working with other UIC colleagues on a new collaboration in clinical informatics with University of Mohammed Premier in Oujda, Morocco.

“We are excited about the partnership between UMP and UIC and looking forward to a long-term collaboration in the field of research, student exchange, professors exchange and more,” said the university’s president, Yassine Zarhloule.

The collaboration began with a conference in mid-May to introduce clinical informatics to faculty and students at the Moroccan university’s colleges of medicine and pharmacy.

“They are just beginning their journey in the digitalizing of health care,” said Andrew Boyd, BHIS associate professor, adding that there is a lack of expertise in health informatics worldwide.

6

Four UIC faculty presented in person at the conference in Morocco: Boyd; Karl Kochendorfer, UI Health chief health information officer; Miiri Kotche, clinical professor of biomedical engineering; and Anwar Jebran, a fellow in the pathology department’s clinical informatics program.

Faculty from the Innovation Center, College of Medicine, University Library and School of Public Health presented virtually, as well as nine BHIS faculty: professor and head Kal Pasupathy, BVIS associate director Leah Lebowicz, clinical associate professor Eric Swirsky, assistant professors Ashley Hughes and Elizabeth Papautsky and clinical assistant professors Margaret Czart, Lois Hitchcock, Miriam Isola and Laura Mills.

The collaboration will begin with the development of a clinical informatics curriculum.

There are plans to hold a conference at UIC within the next two years.

Equity in disability employment “What do we mean when we say disability economic justice?” asks Kate Caldwell ’14 PhD DHD. Caldwell, DHD clinical assistant professor, is principal investigator on a $300,000 Ford Foundation grant for the Nexus Project, which will produce research that defines this issue and informs public policy. The project focuses on racial bias and equity in disability employment.

“It’s an area that’s been severely under-researched,” Caldwell said.

One goal is to encourage research by scholars who are disabled and disabled people of color.

“We want to help create a pathway for them to do this work, then give them a foundation from which to advance,” she said.

Others involved with the project include co-PIs Rooshey Hasnain, DHD clinical assistant professor; Brenda Parker,

associate dean in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs; and research director Sumithra Murthy.

The Nexus Project is a member of the new Disability Economic Justice Collective, an initiative of more than 20 disability rights organizations, research groups and Washington, D.C.-based think tanks, funded by the Century Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

“The Disability Economic Justice Collective will be more policy focused,” Caldwell said. “They’ll take the research that we’re doing and put it into action.”

The first step for the Nexus Project is to complete a literature review that gathers past scholarship on disability and economic justice. Next, they’ll conduct interviews with disabled people of color across the country to document experiences with racial bias, employment and economic disparity.

The project will also set up a panel of experts—primarily disabled people of color—as a resource for policy makers and federal agencies.

Social justice, healthy living Ross Arena, professor and head of physical therapy, and PT faculty members Grenita Hall and Richard Severin were guest editors for the MarchApril 2022 Vol. 71 issue of the bimonthly journal Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, which focused on the need for social justice in healthy living and healthy living medicine.

“Society should do all in its power to create systems and environments supporting healthy living behaviors where Summer 2022

individuals live, work, and go to school. Unfortunately, we are far from this goal and have been entrenched in unhealthy lifestyle and chronic disease pandemics for years,” they wrote in an editorial introducing the issue.

“Now is the time to incorporate the tenets of social justice into a proactive, primary prevention approach to health care; all individuals, irrespective of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education level, etc., should have equal access to healthy living and healthy living medicine.”

The issue also includes articles by PT faculty members Lindsey Strieter, Deepika Laddu and Shane Phillips, as well as other researchers.

Topics explored in the issue include COVID-19 outcomes, tobacco use, public policy, telehealth, and public health campaigns as related to disparities in race, ethnicity, age and income, not only in the U.S. but Latin America and Africa.

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

7

NOTEBOOK

Award-winning tutor For her organizational skills and passion for helping others, Amanda Montoney ’22 BS DHD was named 2022 UIC Student Employee of the Year by the campus Student Employment Office.

Montoney organizes online and in-person tutoring sessions as tutor administrator of the AHS AcademAmanda Montoney ic Support and Achievement Program (ASAP), keeping track of 12 to 18 student tutors who help several hundred undergraduates each semester.

She also helps train tutors, documents ASAP services, and still finds time to do some tutoring herself.

“Amanda can navigate and figure out anything,” said her supervisor, Viviana Kabbabe-Thompson, assistant dean for student affairs.

“Her due diligence doesn’t go unnoticed. Professors, students and staff have commented in appreciation of her many talents and her ‘can do’ attitude to any idea presented.”

Montoney, who started tutoring as a senior in high school, joined ASAP in the second half of her freshman year at AHS. Kabbabe-Thompson promoted her to tutor administrator the next semester.

Montoney majored in disability and human development with a minor in psychology. She’s passionate about disability studies—she tutors two DHD courses and enjoys discussing disability issues and opportunities with her clients.

She will begin doctoral studies in occupational therapy at UIC this fall. She eventually plans a practice in pediatrics, possibly using equine-assisted therapy.

“My dream is to open my own clinic,” she said.

In the meantime, she wants to continue working at the tutoring center. “It’s been one of the best things about my undergrad experience,” she said.

Excellence in health information management education For the 10th consecutive year, the AHS online program in health information management is one of three UIC online bachelor’s degree programs ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

UIC is No. 3 in the country in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. The UIC ranking also includes programs in business administration and nursing.

The bachelor’s degree completion program in health information management teaches students to manage and use information and information systems for health care planning, resource allocation and executive decision-making.

8

“Our students learn the skills to acquire, analyze and protect health information vital to providing quality patient care,” said Karen Patena, recently retired BHIS clinical associate professor and director of the online program.

Felecia Williams succeeded Patena as director of the online program, effective April 16.

“Our graduates are in demand to work in a variety of health care settings, from large academic medical centers to insurance companies to information technology vendors,” Patena said.

U.S. News ranked 384 schools offering bachelor’s degree programs online based on four general criteria, including engagement, student services and technologies, faculty credentials and training, and expert opinion.

UIC’s online bachelor’s degree programs are part of the UIC Extended Campus.

New clinic serves Southwest Side Photo: Sebastian Ortiz/UIC

“When Mercy Hospital closed the clinic, the neighborhood was left with a big hole in their access to health care services,” Keehn said.

Initial funding for the center, at 5525 S. Pulaski Road in the Gage Park-West Elsdon neighborhood, came from a $15 million grant by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Community partners include Alivio Medical Center and Friend Family Health Center.

The new center began seeing patients in February as services are gradually phased in. Phillips said remodeling is underway UIC leaders celebrate the 55th & Pulaski Health Collaborative, a comprehensive clinical care center at 5525 S. for the AHS-run clinic Pulaski Road, with partners at a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 20. The center will include an AHS-run clinic offering physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition counseling and disability services. on the third floor, which will initially provide A clinic providing PT, OT, disability and nutritional serOT for pediatric patients and PT for all ages. Details are vices by AHS faculty, staff and students will open this fall being finalized for nutrition services, especially in diabetes in UI Health’s 55th & Pulaski Collaborative, a new commanagement, and disability services focused on autism, he prehensive care center on the Southwest Side. added. Other services, including PT cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary care, may be added later.

The center, a partnership with UIC health sciences colleges Students in clinical programs will gain additional opand community-based health care providers, will offer portunities for hands-on clinical training and experihealth screenings and specialty services, including dermaence working with colleagues in other health disciplines, tology, surgery, oncology, dental care, and behavioral and Phillips said. He also sees a role for students throughout mental health care. the college in developing wellness education classes for the community—a need emphasized by area residents.

“There’s a high rate of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer in that area,” said Shane Phillips, PT professor and AHS senior associate dean for clinical affairs. “There is a very large community need, and our college has great expertise.”

Phillips and Mary Keehn, associate dean for clinical affairs, are on the executive advisory board for the 55th & Pulaski Collaborative. They were involved in planning for the facility, located in a building formerly run by Mercy Medical Center.

Summer 2022

To read additional news and notes about AHS research, visit ahs.uic.edu/news/archive.

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

9

UIC JOAN WALL ACE LINDSAY ENDOWED SCHOL ARSHIP F UND The UIC Joan Wallace Lindsay Endowed Scholarship Fund was established with a gift from Joan Wallace Lindsay ’84 BS PT. The fund supports physical therapy doctoral students with financial need who may have caregiving and living expenses beyond the standard cost of attendance, such as childcare expenses. As a single mother of two young boys, Joan earned a BS in physical therapy at UIC while working full time. She was a physical therapist for 24 years in North Shore Special Education District public schools, where she was dedicated to serving youth with disabilities. On June 2, she died after a long battle with cancer.

To donate in honor of Joan Wallace Lindsay, visit go.uic.edu/GiveToAHS. Endowments are the most influential investments in higher education, creating self-renewing, living legacies that span generations. In an endowment fund, the principal is invested in perpetuity and only a portion of the investment’s earnings is spent. The rest of the earnings are channeled back into the fund, so the endowment grows over time. Funds can be established with a minimum gift of $25,000, paid in a lump sum or pledged over a multi-year period. You can choose to fund your gift with vehicles such as cash, appreciated stock, trusts or bequests. When you create an endowed fund, it is established in your name or the name of a person or organization you wish to honor.

To learn more about creating your own endowed fund, contact Kristen Kepnick at 312-996-8219 or kkepnick@uic.edu.

10

THERE’S A FIRE INSIDE US. It’s the motivation to scan the skyline and say, “go higher.”

The determination to celebrate differences and not be bound by circumstance.

The audacity to say we’re the ones who will care for this city and cure disease for the world.

OUR ENERGY IS

AND IT ALL STARTED WITH A SINGLE SPARK...

IGNITING THE FUTURE

T H E I G N IT E C A M PA I G N , T H E M O S T A M B IT I O U S FU N D R A I S I N G E FF O R T I N U I C ’ S H I S TO RY, C O M E S TO A C LO S E

Summer 2022

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

11

THE SPARK the start of a transformative journey

October 28, 2017: Public launch of the $750 million UIC IGNITE campaign.

AHS set an IGNITE fundraising goal of $15 million.

THE FUEL historic gifts On June 15, 2021, UIC announced that it had received the single largest gift in its history: a $40 million prize from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to establish a Student Success Fund to provide life-changing support for first-generation and low-income students.

AHS kicked-off the public phase of the IGNITE campaign with the largest gift in its history from Margret Amatayakul, who established the Margret Amatayakul Endowed Fund for Interdisciplinary Initiatives and the Margret Amatayakul Health Information Sciences Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Learn more at go.uic.edu/MacKenzieScottGift.

Learn more at go.uic.edu/MargretAGift.

THE FLAME a light for the future

June 30, 2022: Official close of the eight-year IGNITE campaign. More than 50,000 donors supported UIC with over 137,000 gifts.*

Your impac t AT U I C

AT A H S

$803,428,419 $13.6 million Total raised*

Total raised*

1,100 29

new gift funds*

new gift funds*

“Not only did Dr. Phyllis Bowen help create the very program I attend, but her actionoriented empathy provides me with a model on how to carry myself in the world as a health care professional. In the spirit of Dr. Bowen’s shining example, my goal as a future registered dietitian is to work with and uplift underserved communities.

The compassionate nature of the Phyllis and Samuel Bowen Scholarship Fund truly touches my heart, bringing me strength and resolve to successfully earn my MS in nutrition sciences.”

Yvonne Izquierdo '23 BS NUT *as of 6/30/2022, unaudited

12

Univer s al timing Khorizon Dunn ’24 MS BVIS, an artist who wants to use her skills and training to educate underserved communities about public health, has been awarded the first Biomedical Visualization Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship.

The $10,000 award was established to promote diversity and inclusion in the UIC Program in Biomedical Visualization and in the profession.

Dunn became interested in biomedical visualization in high school when she learned about the profession at the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine.

She developed a bachelor’s program in interdisciplinary studies with emphasis in biology and art at Auburn University, where she graduated in 2016.

Dunn was attracted to UIC because of its Chicago location, and to BVIS because “the instructors in the program had lots of enthusiasm and respect for inclusion, diversity, equality and mental health, which really spoke to my personal values and needs.”

She’s excited by the program’s wide range of opportunities, from virtual reality to comics, games and traditional illustration techniques, especially surgical illustration and documentation.

“The visual medium is a universal way to connect to people of varying backgrounds, and UIC’s Biomedical Visualization program will guide me in honing my skills to do so efficiently and effectively," she said.

Eternally grateful We are deeply grateful for your generosity in helping us inspire discovery, transform health care practice and social systems, and positively impact the lives of Chicago residents and communities around the world.

View the campaign close video at youtu.be/OYF3Ccg3Npg.

Summer 2022

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

13

Service in learning Students use their classroom-acquired knowledge about intersectionality, advocacy, accessibility, social justice and human rights to partner with community organizations for real-world projects.

For all their time and hard work, students who take DHD 400 earn one credit on their transcript.

But they also gain skills in project management, team building, networking, critical thinking and problem solving. Best of all, they use their classroom-acquired knowledge about disability studies for a real-world project, working with a community organization that relies on them to develop a project and follow it through.

“It's set up to be quite demanding in a meaningful and practical way,” says Rooshey Hasnain, DHD clinical assistant professor, of the capstone service-learning course.

14

“But at the end, the students find themselves transformed in terms of leadership roles and advocacy work, no matter what discipline and profession they go into.”

The course, which enrolls up to 75 students, matches them with one of 25 Chicago-area organizations serving the disability community.

The students work in teams to create an action project for the organization.

“Intersectionality, advocacy, accessibility, social justice, human rights—these are concepts they’re exposed to in their DHD courses. As part of their capstone experience, they learn how to apply them,” Hasnain said.

Nereida Rosas ʼ21 BS RS, now a master’s student in occupational therapy, did her capstone project with the Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition.

Her team worked on an awareness campaign for passage of the Illinois Community Emergency Services Rooshey Hasnain and Support Act, which requires that a team of mental health professionals, instead of police, respond to emergency calls related to mental health support.

Rosas and other DHD 400 students interviewed key figures in the Chicagoland disability community for a series of videos posted on the coalition’s YouTube channel. Her team also organized and publicized an online vigil for people in the disability community who died in 2020.

“Learning how to organize and think about things in the context of the population you're helping and serving—that was one of the biggest skills I developed,” Rosas said.

She now uses what she learned in her OT graduate studies and as a leader in the UIC chapter of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity.

“When I finished my undergraduate program, I felt very confident and excited to practice all the new skills that I had,” she said.

Most of the students who take the course are juniors and seniors majoring in rehabilitation sciences, psychology, sociology, business or nursing.

“We know not all students are going to be disability activists, but they will learn the full concepts and skills that are needed to support the community as an ally or a member,” said Sydney Erlikh, one of two DHD doctoral candidates who lead the course with Hasnain.

“Getting the opportunity to understand what disability studies looks like in practice is important,” added Adrienne Smith, DHD doctoral candidate, who is also a course leader.

For the organizations partnering in the DHD capstone projects, the students supply energy, enthusiasm and Gen Z skills in social media, podcasting and marketing.

“The students bring so much existing understanding and dedication—as well as curiosity and openness to learning about particular issues and practice,” said Margaret Fink,

Summer 2022

director of the UIC Disability Cultural Center, which began working with DHD 400 students in spring 2020.

One team developed a virtual Community Care Kit, collecting resources and making them accessible by creating transcripts for podcasts and text-only infographics.

The Chicago nonprofit CIRCA Pintig (Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts) has partnered with DHD 400 students since 2019.

“The students are wonderful to work with, as they help inform our practice and help us test and fine-tune processes that engage the community, that facilitate dialogue around important topics and issues,” said executive director Ginger Leopoldo.

One group conducted interviews and produced the podcast “From Stigma to Mad Pride: Fighting for Visibility,” on Asian Americans and mental health.

The spring 2022 CIRCA Pintig capstone team created a survey for college students about resilience and mental health to commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month.

They planned a roundtable discussion for their podcast “(Re)Silence Defined.”

Other DHD 400 partners include the UIC Assistive Technology Unit, Cambodian Association of Illinois, Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, Digital Tapestries, and the ReVive Center for Housing and Healing, among other Chicago-area nonprofits.

Rosas said DHD 400 is more like an internship than a course.

“At UIC, we really value community engagement. In this class, we were given the opportunity to do it, to take control over the direction of our learning,” she said.

Nereida Rosas

“You're working with real community organization sites, and they're very open to your ideas.

"They treat you as an equal member. It helps build your confidence in being able to pursue future projects.”

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

15

Partner sites

Service-learning sites for DHD 400 students include groups involved in policy, advocacy, service, research, the arts and humanities. We are grateful to all of our partners.

Accessible Cities Project, Great Lakes ADA Center Advocacy, Great Lakes ADA Center Agents of Hope Asians with Disabilities Outreach Project Think-Tank Battersea Arts Centre Bullets 4 Life Cambodian Association of Illinois/National Cambodian Heritage Museum and Killing Fields Memorial Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts Chicago ADAPT Chicagoland Disability Studies Conference Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition Coalition of Immigrant Mental Health Connecting Dots International Digital Tapestries Disability Immigration Taskforce of Illinois, Access Living Disability Justice Mentoring Collective, Access Living Family Clinic, UIC Department of Disability and Human Development Grupo Salto Illinois Association of People Supporting Employment Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services Immigrant and Refugee-Led Capacity Development Network of Illinois Inclusive Dance Workshops, Access Living International Organization for Adolescents

Fall 2019 DHD 400 students with artist Grishma Shah (front row left), Ginger Leopoldo (front row right) and Rooshey Hasnain (far right) at an event in collaboration with CIRCA Pintig at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

The students' project included readings of stories collected from storytellers and an exhibit of Shah’s art.

16

Photo: Rooshey Hasnain

Iraqi Mutual Aid Society Japanese American Service Committee KAN-WIN Kids Enjoy Exercise Now Chicago Mapping Disability Project, UIC Department of Disability and Human Development Native American Support Program New Star Northwestern Illinois Center for Independent Living Partners of Refugees in Illinois Disability Employment Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement Progress Center for Independent Living Reel Abilities Film Festival and the South Asian Perspective Exhibit ReinventAbility ReVive: Center for Housing and Healing Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce Self Advocacy Alliance Sibling Leadership Network The ARC of Illinois U.S. Census Bureau UIC African American Cultural Center UIC Asian American Resource and Cultural Center UIC Assistive Technology Unit UIC Certificate Program in Co-Operative Career Experience UIC Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition UIC Disability and Human Development Student Association UIC Disability Cultural Center UIC Institute on Disability and Human Development UIC Office of Career Services Wellness through Asian American Narratives and Theater WIDE S.T.E.P (Striving Together Elevating Perspective) Inc.

CONGRATULATIONS APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES CLASS OF 2022!

Everything you’ve been through has prepared you to make a difference and change the world for the better. Your patience, leadership, strength and skills in improvising and innovating will serve you well as you move forward.

You are ready to transform health care practice and social systems, creating a world in which every person can live a healthy and self-determined life. Thanks to you, we are confident that the future is in good hands.

We’re #UICProud of you!

Visit ahs.uic.edu/alumni to begin your lifelong relationship with your alma mater.

Summer 2022

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

17

Co On Aug. 15, the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences welcomed Carlos J. Crespo as its new dean.

Crespo is nationally known for his work in undergraduate and graduate education, his commitment to diversity and inclusion in the health disciplines, and his research on minority health issues.

He is experienced in academic leadership and strategic planning, as well as interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration.

Crespo, whose research focuses on the epidemiology of physical activity in prevention of chronic diseases, was among the top-ranked principal investigators funded by NIH in 2021. He has written more 100 published articles and contributed to five textbooks on minority health and sports medicine. He is the author of more than 20 government reports, including the 1996 Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health.

Crespo received a U.S. Secretary of Health Award for Distinguished Service.

He was named a Minority Health and Health Disparities Scholar by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities.

He serves on a CDC advisory committee for the Community Guide for Physical Activity and the Built Environment; the Physical Activity Alliance Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee; the Executive Steering Committee of the Diversity Program Consortium of NIH; and the Oregon Latino Health Coalition. He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Crespo earned a DrPH in public health at Loma Linda University, a master’s in sports health at Texas Tech University and a bachelor’s in chemistry from Inter American University in Puerto Rico.

The new dean recently sat down with the magazine to discuss his goals for the future, his passions, and how he wants to make an impact at UIC.

Learn more about Dean Crespo at go.uic.edu/AHSDeanCrespo.

18

ompassion and

courage

New dean of AHS shares his vision for the college

Summer 2022

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

19

What did you find most appealing about coming to UIC? There are many good things about UIC. It’s an urban, research-serving institution. I come from Portland State University, which is similar. I understand the important roles this kind of institution plays in the lives of its students. UIC is critical in advancing the career goals of many different types of students: those who cannot afford to move away from home, those who are interested in working and going to school, and those who are place-bound to their families and other commitments.

The other thing I found very appealing is that UIC is a Hispanic-serving institution. Some universities check the box that they’re Hispanic-serving institutions, but they absolutely do not have a huge institutional commitment from top to bottom. That wasn’t the case at UIC. And the last thing I’ll say is that it’s a comprehensive university. You have liberal arts. You have professional schools. You have a medical school. And it’s in a great city. I don’t want to keep talking about where I came from, but at Portland State University, there’s a motto: “Let knowledge serve the city.” If you’re not interested in serving the city, it’s not a good fit. And I think UIC has that in its DNA, too.

Some of your research has focused on health disparities and inequities, and you’ve worked throughout your career to enhance opportunities for underrepresented students. How do you intend to leverage those experiences as dean?

You’re right that this is personal for me; I’ve been doing this work for decades. Suddenly, it’s fashionable to talk about diversity, equity and inclusion. It took COVID-19 to lay bare the fact that we’ve had health inequities all along. It took a disease where everybody was dying, but some people were dying at a higher rate—people of color, people in rural areas, people with disabilities—to pull up the curtain. Why? It’s access, it’s lack of diversity in the workforce, it’s priorities.

This is partly why we need a diverse workforce. That’s where UIC comes in. Our patients are diverse, and we need to match that. I’m talking about race and ethnicity, but it’s also urban and rural, religion, gender. I think we are probably the best positioned university to prepare health care professionals—not just for Chicago, but for the entire state. We need to make the connections and be a partner to help make sure that happens.

20

I also want to mention something else about inequities and the pandemic. The pandemic left some students behind. Universities everywhere moved to online teaching, and then we realized students didn’t have computers, didn’t have internet. We can’t let that happen again. We only hurt ourselves if we continue to provide the best education to those who have the most resources. We need an equitable infrastructure that serves all our students.

As you step into this role, what are the most pressing priorities?

Enrollment is a big hallmark. Funding is determined on how many students are coming in, how many students graduate. We’re in a good place, but there is a challenge coming our way: we have fewer students graduating from high school now than 10 years ago. That’s something we can’t change—we call it the demographic cliff.

So that’s an immediate challenge. How do we retain students? How do we graduate them? How do we build the pipeline? It’s going to require developing collaborations with community colleges and high schools and establishing partnerships built on trust. That’s at the undergraduate level. At the graduate level, we might want to think about new programs. Are we content with what we have or are there opportunities to grow?

I’m like a kid in a candy store because there are so many things we can do. But we have to prioritize. We need to have logs in the fire and others ready to go in.

If someone asked you to make the case for higher education, and, specifically, a degree in the applied health sciences, what would you say?

There are not a lot of places where the primary goal is to take your brain, your capacity to think, to the next level— to help you learn how to think and solve problems. You go to college because you want to learn more, so you can serve society, serve humanity and do good.

The major problems we have as we grow are physical and mental health problems. If you are genuinely interested in helping people, the applied health sciences might be the right fit for you. The No. 1 thing you need for this degree? To be a compassionate human being.

We have amazing faculty and labs. We can teach you the rest. But you have to be compassionate and committed to help others.

POP

QUIZ

on CARLOS J.

CRESPO

Do you have a message for the alumni reading this magazine?

I do. Alumni are very, very important members of this family, and I look forward to getting to know them. I want their input and feedback about what we need to upgrade, what’s changing in their fields, whether we need to do things differently. Their voices are crucial.

And our students need mentors. They need people who have been in their shoes and are now willing to give back.

I’m not talking about money—I’m looking for commitment. I’m looking for role models. That’s priceless.

What are you most excited about?

Which of the following might you find in his home office?

A A photo of his family B Bongo drums C Dog treats D A bike helmet Answer: All of the above!

Crespo’s wife, Ellen Smit, is an epidemiologist. Their family includes two daughters, a son and four grandchildren. He loves Latin percussion and owns bongo and conga drums. He has two dogs, a golden retriever and a cocker-spaniel/poodle mix (“One is cute and smart; the other is … cute.”). Lastly, he enjoys biking and he’s ready to explore Chicago on two wheels.

The people! I don’t have to have all the answers myself. We will work together to find solutions.

There’s a lot of good we can do for faculty, students and the city. And that’s exciting.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Summer 2022

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

21

PEOPLE AHS Alumni Highlights Editor’s note: for this section of UIC Applied Health Sciences Magazine, we feature AHS alumni who used their education, training and experience to take their careers in unexpected ways.

Josh Aguiar ’17 BS HIM, ’20 MS HIM

Sarah Brew ’19 MS OT

Governance, risk and compliance lead II, Brex

Assistive technology professional, Numotion

“My interest, from the moment I took my first informatics class as an undergraduate student, has been how tech is transforming the lives of individuals and companies.

Within that interest I have developed a passion for cybersecurity and risk. The industry is arguably at a pivotal moment in history—organizations are scaling rapidly and there has never been a time when cybersecurity has been more important. I am thankful to be part of an organization that values its people, their skills and creativity and welcomes input from all. AHS is unique in the sense that it really brings practical, real-world scenarios and experiences into the classroom. I can say that the courses, instructors and experiences I had during my time at AHS set me up for success to approach new experiences in my career in a methodical and practical way."

“My position is highly specialized. There are only about 4,000 assistive technology professionals throughout the U.S., and fewer who focus on wheelchairs, seating and mobility. I see the impact of my work in immediate and concrete ways. Most recently, I worked with a 5-year-old client who had never sat in a wheelchair before. It was an amazing moment to see him move around independently for the first time in his life. He had the biggest smile and exclaimed that he wanted to use it at school. I was able to access many amazing assistive technology courses at AHS. The emphasis on client relationships and the Intentional Relationship Model have been invaluable as I work with clients, therapists, manufacturers, colleagues and schools on a daily basis."

Christine Armstrong ’92 MS BVIS

Carmen Carcone ’95 BS KINES

“Working in rare disease means that marketing outputs need to resonate in very deliberate ways for our unique patient and caregiver population. Being a student in an early-adopter master’s program left a mark on me and fueled my appetite to constantly innovate and challenge methodologies to better our creative outcomes. It’s made me a better creative director, strategist, manager and overall problem solver. The many facets of health care require a multidisciplinary approach. I encourage students and alumni alike to consider how their work could positively impact the advancement across all these challenges in pursuit of better human health.”

“Winning has always been fun. Although getting everyone on the same page to achieve a common goal is the recipe, when you manage people it’s important to understand there is no secret formula. You have to take it case-by-case and see what is best for an individual first. I’ve learned from doing different jobs in the game: area scout, field manager, coach, player at UIC, international scout and regional supervisor.

AHS has prepared me for all the challenges that come in each of these unique roles, to treat people the way you want to be treated, and to be a good listener and lifelong learner.”

Director of patient and digital marketing, oncology, Pharmacyclics

22

South regional supervisor, Miami Marlins

PEOPLE

Devin Kelly ’18 BS RS

Syreeta Kinnard ’03 BS HIM, ’16 MS HI

“My job is building a relationship with a client to help guide them through the obstacles they face in their lives— to relieve distress, deepen relationships, find meaning, and understand themselves better.

The most rewarding thing about being a therapist is helping clients find the tools they need to help themselves.

The greatest success I have is when a client doesn’t need me anymore. I was prepared for this role at AHS in two primary ways: by learning about client-centered care and cultural humility.

Seeing the clients as the center and therefore leader of any care team puts the power where it should be, with the client. It’s their health, it’s their wellbeing, it’s their life. Cultural humility means understanding that despite all I study, I cannot understand the lived experience of a person from another culture.”

“Each day, my colleagues and I seek to deliver real value for people and give back to the communities where we live and work. In my current role, I ensure health care affordability for government program members. UIC opened my mind to various health care career options. While enrolled in the health information management and health informatics programs, I learned how to apply analytics, project management, business and technology in effective, nontraditional ways. I understand how many aspects of the industry, from legislation changes to operations efficiencies, impact health outcomes and health care costs. I have had the pleasure of working in key roles at great organizations where I’ve witnessed the direct impact of my contributions.”

Michelle King ’10 MS KINES

Joseph Lee ’08 DPT

“I loved learning about how the body adapts to exercise-induced demands. I wanted to learn everything I could to help individuals perform at their best and feel their best. When I found out that an exercise physiologist was a career, I knew that would be a perfect fit for me. Obtaining my master’s at UIC really solidified for me that this is what I wanted to do with my life. What I really enjoyed (and try to do now when I teach) is how the instructors presented the information. It was truly like a puzzle we had to figure out. We were already functioning as researchers and exercise physiologists; we just didn’t realize it yet! I really enjoy my current role because it gives me a chance to still have my hands in research and publish, teach a variety of populations, provide service to athletes to help them perform, and review potential ergogenic aids that may be helpful for athletes.”

“I'm interested in people—learning about their work and building solutions to create a better future.

I leverage technology like cloud computing and modern data architectures to delight clients with a better experience. I've learned from so many people through the DPT program who have prepared me in several critical ways. I was well equipped with critical reasoning, learning agility and effective communication, while encouraged to keep an open mind. Most importantly, people invested in me so that I could invest in others.

I've talked to many clients and colleagues over the years and found that many have nonlinear career paths. My own path is a testament, as I've worked as a clinician, manager, leader and researcher in analytics and operations.”

Staff therapist, Transcend Counseling Chicago

Associate director of affordability, UnitedHealth Group

Principal scientist, Gatorade Sports Science Institute

Summer 2022

Data analytics consultant, Inspire11

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

23

PEOPLE

Marta Scechura ’15 BS NUT

Paralympic sports dietitian, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee “I wanted to attach myself to a greater vision, rather than a specific job role. The USOPC's mission is to pursue excellence, lead courageously, serve others and foster belonging. These are congruent with my professional and personal values and help

to align my action with purpose. My role requires me to think deeper when applying sports nutrition principles in practice.

Certain nutritional considerations developed for able-bodied athletes may need to be adapted to support nutritional needs for athletes with specific impairments. However, if there is one thing I've learned in my role so far, it's NEVER think something may not be possible. Gaining a solid clinical nutrition foundation at AHS has been an advantage working with medically complex athletes. A strong base of medical nutrition therapy, physiology and biochemistry is important when considering paraspecific nutritional challenges.”

Stay connected!

Exciting life change? New milestone? Ready to get involved?

Contact Kristen Kepnick, associate director of engagement and participation, at kkepnick@uic.edu or 312-996-8219.

Build your professional network and deepen your connection with your alma mater–and each other.

Join the official AHS group for alumni and students at go.uic.edu/AHSLinkedInGroup and follow the official AHS page linkedin.com/school/uicahs.

24

Edward Mirzabegian ’79 BS MLS 2021 AHS Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award

Nominate yourself or a classmate for an AHS alumni award today!

Recognizing AHS alumni with four awards Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award Honors alumni who have attained outstanding success and national or international distinction in their chosen profession or life’s work.

New Alum Award Honors alumni who have graduated within 10 years and whose careers and lives are on the rise.

Loyalty Award Honors alumni who have made significant, notable and meritorious contributions, and who have consistently demonstrated exceptional loyalty, commitment, dedication and service to the college.

Service Award Honors individuals who, through their service, demonstrate a passion for social justice; seek to promote health equity; and advocate for the full inclusion and participation of all in society.

Find criteria, nomination forms and details of past recipients at go.uic.edu/AHSAlumniAwards.

Summer 2022

UIC APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES MAGAZINE

25

26