Spring 2024 CASE Alumni Newsletter

EmpoweringFutures:TheCoreofUNA’sExperientialLearning

EmpoweringFutures:TheCoreofUNA’sExperientialLearning

Inthedynamiclandscapeofhighereducation,theUniversityofNorth Alabama(UNA)continuestodistinguishitselfthroughasteadfast commitmenttostudentsuccessandworkforcereadiness.Attheheartof thisendeavorisourQualityEnhancementPlan(QEP),aninitiativethatnotonly highlightstheimportanceofexperientialandwork-basedlearningbutalso cementsUNA'sstandingasAlabama'sWorkforceDevelopmentUniversity. This commitment is further encapsulated in our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, Pride in the Gold Standard, specifically under Theme I: Student-Centric Excellence.

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (CASE) is thrilled to share that, aligned with UNA's Shine On, Gold capital campaign, experiential learning has been identified as a paramount priority. This focus on hands-on, real-world experiences is not just an educational strategy; it's a transformative journey for our students, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of the global workforce

The Essence of Experiential Learning

Experiential learning at UNA transcends traditional classroom boundaries, offering students immersive experiences that combine knowledge with practical application. From education abroad and study away programs to internships and research opportunities, our students are engaging with the world in meaningful ways. These experiences not only enhance academic learning but also develop essential life skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability.

Strengthening Workforce Development

UNA‘s role as Alabama's Workforce Development University is reinforced through our strategic partnerships with regional employers. These collaborations, established through numerous Memoranda of Understanding, ensure that our experiential learning initiatives are not only aligned with industry needs but also contribute to the economic development of our region. By integrating work-based learning into our curriculum, we prepare

our students to be competitive, skilled professionals ready to meet the demands of a rapidly changing workforce.

A Call to Action: Supporting Our Vision

The advancement of experiential and work-based learning is a collective effort As part of our community—students, alumni, and friends of the university we invite you to join us in this vital mission. Your support, whether through financial contributions or partnership opportunities, is crucial to sustaining and

expanding these high-impact activities.

For our alumni and regional employers, your engagement can take many forms, from providing internship opportunities to participating in our mentorship programs. Your expertise and insights are invaluable resources for our students, offering them a glimpse into the professional world that awaits them.

As we move forward, UNA remains dedicated to fostering an environment where experiential learning thrives. Our commitment to student-centric excellence is unwavering, and through initiatives like our QEP and the Shine On, Gold campaign, we are setting new standards in higher education. Together, we can ensure that our students not only succeed academically but also emerge as well-rounded individuals ready to shine in their respective fields.

For those interested in contributing to these key initiatives or learning more about how to get involved, please reach out to me at rzayac@una.edu. Your support makes a difference in the lives of our students and the future of our community.

Together, let's continue to build on UNA's legacy of excellence, empowering our students to lead, innovate, and thrive in an ever-evolving world.

ROAR LIONS!

Dr. Ryan Zayac, Interim Dean

THANK YOU!

Dr. Yi-Min Cai Professor of Music

Dr. Beth Garfrerick Professor of Communication

Thank you all fo

THANK YOU! or your service!

Ms. Pamela Kingsbury Senior Lecturer, English

Dr. Craig Robertson Professor of Sociology

KarenWilliams K

aren Williams began her position as the Senior Administrative Assistant for the Visual Arts & Design Department in 2020, but UNA has been a part of her life for much longer. She grew up on campus attending Kilby Laboratory School, then went on to receive her BBA in Entertainment Industry Management in 2005 and MBA in Professional Management in 2017, both from UNA.

The Visual Arts & Design Department encompasses Fine Arts, Culinary, Hospitality, Fashion, and Interior Design. “Working in the Visual Arts & Design Department, I appreciate the various forms of creativity around me on a daily basis. From sewing a dress, baking a cake, designing a restaurant, or handcrafting a mug, our students amaze me with their ingenuity and vision. Seeing them flourish in their time at UNA is the most rewarding part of my job.”

While not on campus, Karen enjoys spending time with her husband and pets. She enjoys crocheting, baking, and gardening.

OliviaMorris

Olivia Morris, a native of Tupelo Mississippi, began her undergraduate career at the University of North Alabama in the fall of 2020. She started as a Professional Biology major with a Pre-health concentration with the goal of becoming an Emergency Medicine Physician. However, she became more interested in a researchbased career after becoming involved with the research opportunities on campus, such as a program called Characterizing our DNA Exceptions (CODE) where she completed two computation-based projects.

These CODE projects connected her to many related opportunities throughout her undergraduate career. Olivia was also able to work as a laboratory technician for this program and was a part of the HudsonAlpha Biotrain internship cohort in the summer of 2023. She is also credited with authorship on a paper published in microPublication Biology Journal. Recently, Olivia has accepted an offer to the Genetics and Genomics PhD program at Michigan State University and will start her first year in the fall of 2024.

ExperientialLearningOpportunitiesintheCASESchooloftheArts

There were several experiential learning activities this semester in the School of the Arts (SOTA), and a few more are on the horizon before the semester ends and well into the summer. This article highlights all four of our departments, as they consistently facilitate great student opportunities all year, including exhibitions, productions, concerts, Alabama Film Week at the Sidewalk Film Center. Chain of Fools, a facultymentored project with students, is a full-length feature film that started with submissions of five-page scripts, developments of those, and a final scene that resolved story arcs. After the scripts were complete, the students held auditions, directed and filmed the scenes, and the student editing team began their work. The final product was screened on April 27, 2024. Additionally, CAT student Star Smith received a student grant to attend the 2024 Southeastern Theatre Conference in Mobile, AL.

ilms, symposiums/conferences, master classes, panel discussions, internships, firm isits, and recording sessions. Our dedicated aculty in Cinematic Arts and Theatre, Music, Visual Arts and Design, and Entertainment ndustry carefully curate these experiences each academic year, and they are of significant benefit to our students in many ways.

Our Cinematic Arts and Theatre (CAT) tudents traveled to Birmingham, met with Birmingham Southern’s Independent Film class, and attended a panel discussion entitled So You Want to Work in the Film Industry?” hosted by Create Birmingham. Further, five student films were screened in late April at

Collaborations are a vital part of SOTA, and this spring, CAT’s production also involved students from the Department of Music in the

musical Putnam County Spelling Bee. UNA Opera’s staging of The Golden Apple also featured students from both departments this April. In March, the University Orchestra and UNA Choirs performed together for A Classical Eclectic Mass, and Shoals Symphony student performers got to share the stage side-by-side with professional musicians and guest artists Patrick Conlon and Christina Giacona of Onyx Lane in the performance of the multimedia installation Cube of Light, which included live audio, film, and special lighting design. Another unique experience for the Department of Music’s UNA

Contemporary Ensemble and Percussion Ensembles involved the second residency with visual artist and Sō Percussion member Jason Trueting. Norton Auditorium’s stage was covered with paintings made before the event; some were even painted live during the musical performance. Finally, the annual President’s Concert highlighted several ensembles associated with the UNA Bands, and members of the Wind Symphony collaborated with retiring piano faculty member Dr. Yi-Min Cai in celebration of the 100thanniversary premiere of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

The second annual Urban Music Symposium was hosted in March at The Mane Room by the Department of Entertainment Industry, with several industry partners and co-sponsors, such as the Mitchell-West Center for Social Inclusion, School of the Arts, and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Students got to hear firsthand presentations from Grammy-Award-winning artists and could ask questions about establishing themselves in the music business. Internship locations for our students this spring and summer include local and state venues such as Single Lock Records, Overflo Productions, East Avalon, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Nutthouse Recording, Big River Media, Sutherland Sight and Sound, Ivy Manor, UNA’s ESPN Station, Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and Cypress Moon, as well as national placements in Manhattan, NY, and three international placements in Japan, at Pony Canyon, Crunch Studio, and Evening Music Records.

The Department of Visual Arts and Design’s Interior Architecture and Design (IAD), Fashion Merchandising and Design (FMD), Ceramics, Digital Media, the Jeff Eubanks Culinary Arts Management (CAM), and the Hospitality and Events Management (HEM) programs as well as the UNA Galleries all offered numerous experiential learning opportunities this

semester. For instance, IAD’s

Residential Studio class had the invaluable opportunity to visit the highly sophisticated residential design-build firm High Cotton Homes, a construction site in Florence that employs program alum Lindsey Pool. The IAD Commercial Studio class traveled to Huntsville to visit Martifed and Integration, Innovation Inc. (i3), where they engaged with professionals in contemporary, inventive workspaces. The IAD Furniture and Millwork Design

Studio were guests at Turnerboone in Huntsville, where the students experienced firsthand many ergonomic office furniture pieces at a leading regional dealer. Other visits as part of Design Firm Hop in

Huntsville included Wilhouse Designs, founded by alum Andrea Wilson, and Wilder Roots Interior Design, which employs alum and interior designer Megan Jones. These real-world experiences, seeing our alums in their workspaces, inspired our current students. Finally, our IAD students participated in events hosted by IIDA (a global commercial interior design association) and the American Society of Interior Designers in Birmingham. These events allowed them to speak with industry professionals and receive evaluations of their resumes/portfolios, further enhancing their practical skills and industry readiness.

Our HEM, CAM, and Ceramics students, through their collaborative efforts, were

instrumental in the success of this year’s Lions Under the Lights, providing the menu, the service experience, and the sale of original work at the UNA Alumni Association event at Pickett on Court. As a team, Ceramics hosted their semesterly sale in the GUC over two days, where they priced, displayed, and sold items. In a joint project, CAM Wine, Beer, and Spirits students developed three custom beers (Razz ‘n’ Jazz, Leo’s Luau, and Berried in Mintopia) from concept to completion. These are currently on tap at Singin’ River Brewery as part of an annual collaboration with Digital Media students who developed the Shoals Brew Challenge's marketing materials and branding. Further, in late April, the CAM and HEM programs hosted a dinner at the Marriott Shoals for the annual UNAfied fundraiser for the Jeff Eubanks Culinary Arts Management endowment at the UNA Foundation. Students, as a united team, are involved in curating all aspects of this event. Another great example of curating this semester involved students selected to intern with Professor Chen in the Gallery at 126 and Elaine Bailey Augustine Art Gallery on main campus. This semester, the Lights and Shadows professionally-juried exhibition of student work and several guest artists are featured in these spaces.

Additionally, FMD students traveled to Atlanta, GA, to tour Carter’s Headquarters, ATL Apparel Mart, and the SCAD Fashion Museum. There, they actively networked with employers, eager to make an impression at places of possible future employment. Not content with observing, these students also thoroughly planned and marketed an entire fashion show, the Shoals Designer Showcase. FMD hosted this at the McKinney Center on April 19, featuring fashions crafted by the students and a menu prepared by CAM students and served by HEM students. FMD’s Senior Apparel Design major Jessalin Unger, an excellent example of our students' skill and ability, won

the AL Fashion Alliance Style Tank Contest and showcased her designs during the early March Fashion Week show in Huntsville. This experience, a testament to her hard work and creativity, connected her with many industry professionals, further fueling her passion for fashion design.

Looking to the future, the School of the Arts will continue to offer several varied experiential learning opportunities, collaborating with the two other schools in the College. We plan to continue highlighting our students' many activities through our social media channels on Instagram and Facebook (@unasota) We hope you will follow us!

ThomasPratt, W

HospitalityandEventsManagement

hat inspired you to choose your field?

For me, it was the feeling of comradery I felt while working in

ColeJohnson

Cole Johnson ('22) graduated with a BFA in Cinematic Arts and Theatre with a concentration in Film Production. Cole's films have been screened at various film festivals, including Sidewalk, Southern Georgia, and Rocket City. During his time at UNA, he acted in a theatrical departmental production of Chatroom, won the Best UNA Film award at the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival for his short film After Tomorrow, and was the cinematographer on a music video for Indigo Girls member Amy Ray. He has a production company, Mooneye Productions, with fellow UNA alumnus Jacob Skinner ('21). Mooneye Productions produces corporate content, music videos, and feature films. Currently, Cole Johnson is studying Film Production at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, whose alumni include Martin Scorsese, Chloé Zhao, and Spike Lee (who currently teaches in the program). Cole has recently produced three short films in New York City and is working on a film to be shot in Alabama.

UNASummerEntertainment/MusicIndustryCamps

High school students interested in careers in the entertainment/music industry will have the opportunity to attend two camps on the University of North Alabama campus this

summer. Both camps are open to students in 9th through 12th grade and will be held June 10-14 and July 9-13.

The weeklong day camp held June 10-14 will mark the third year of the partnership between UNA’s School of the Arts, Department of Entertainment Industry, and the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Throughout the week, high school students will study songwriting, recording techniques, music theory, the music business, and the history of Muscle Shoals music. The camp schedule also includes a visit to Nutthouse Recording Studio plus workshops and panel discussions with seasoned music industry professionals. Campers will be mentored by hit songwriters, engineers, producers, artists, and musicians. The camp will conclude with a free concert where campers will perform songs written and recorded during the weeklong camp. The concert will be held on Friday, June 14, at 6:00 p.m. in Norton Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public. Applications are available at http://muscleshoalsmusiccamp.com.

The deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, May 15, 2024. More information may be found at http://www.una.edu/schoolofthearts/muscleshoals-music-camp.

Additionally, UNA’s School of the Arts, College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, and Department of Entertainment Industry are partnering with Reach N Teach to bring high school students to campus for a music industry camp held July 9-13. Reach N Teach is an education program that allows students to plan, promote, and execute a concert, giving them hands-on experience, which not only teaches content knowledge but also employability skills such as teamwork, communication, and problemsolving. Topics covered during the camp include audio production, film and television, and the entertainment/music business. Students will learn entrepreneurship, business, and marketing by planning, promoting, and executing a concert on UNA’s campus. The outdoor concert will be held adjacent to the Department of Communication Building on Friday, July 12, 2024. Applications for the camp may be found at http://www.reachandteach.rocks/camp.

Ms. Janna Malone

Department Chair and Senior Lecturer

Entertainment Industry

In the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, our faculty go above and beyond to connect classroom instruction to real-world challenges through experiential learning. Our School has a long history of offering internships, study abroad and study away trips, as well as including students in faculty research projects. These enriching activities not only strengthen student academics, but help prepare them for life after UNA.

Internships give students hands-on opportunities to apply the skills they develop in the classroom to the working world. Some majors, such as Social Work, have internships as a required component of the degree. This year I attended a luncheon with current Social Work interns and their field supervisors, where I learned about the local school systems, government departments, and non-profits our students are placed into These students are doing meaningful work that positively impacts our area now and in the future.

Even when internships are not required for graduation, departments like English still work hard to send students out into the

working world for experience that will help them land future employment. This academic year, English placed 34 students in internships, many of which were paid. Students worked for NASA, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon, Hexagon/Intergraph, as well as local non-profits and entities like the Florence Lauderdale Public Library.

Research projects allow students to delve more deeply into the world of academic scholarship while honing skills they can use for future professional opportunities. Our faculty so consistently build these experiences into their course syllabi that it would be impossible to list them all, but here are some examples that reflect the diversity of these

offerings In Communication professor Dr. Tim Worley’s “Research Methods” course, students work as a team on an ongoing study that examines relationship problems and their impact on communication in parents’ relationships with their college student the first such study of its kind

Research is even built into the coursework for “inside” students taking courses at Limestone Correctional Facility as part of our Restorative Justice Lab. These students are learning to facilitate restorative justice work from inside a maximumsecurity prison. "Inside" students at Limestone and "outside" students from UNA's campus

collaborate on pair and group projects including restorative justice dialogue, narrative mapping strategies, and how to plan a community accountability process to address structural harm.

In Psychology and Sociology there are several interesting faculty-led research projects currently underway. Dr. Kayla Jenssen has two projects in the works: the first looks at the efficiency of video prompts with and without enhanced features, such as text and voice-over narration, for teaching job-related skills. The second aims to investigate how effective peermediated intervention is for increasing vocal emissions in children with language delays. Dr. Chris Klein is working with student research assistants to complete a project that examines encoding specificity: or how memories are influenced by the context in which they were created. His group is examining if specific posture when standing/sitting at a desk affects memory recall.

The Criminal Justice major in the Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy department not only includes research built into multiple classes, but also engages students with hands-on learning. In Suzanna Taylor’s Forensic Investigation Lab, students recently participated in Mock Crime Scene day at the North Alabama Public Safety Center. This exercise has students apply what they have learned in class to a room carefully constructed as if a crime has occurred. Throughout crime scene day, the students were given the opportunity to interact and learn from law enforcement practitioners from the Florence Police Department, State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Ardmore Police Department. Similarly, students in the Crime Scene Reconstruction class showcased for prospective students how crime scenes are processed for hidden bloodstain patterns with tools like BlueStar, which uses chemical reagents to render bloodstains visible.

Every summer, intrepid faculty members from our School lead students on education

abroad trips all across the world. I can personally attest that the work is hard faculty leaders are on call 24/7 for the duration of the trip and serve many roles beyond just instructor but once you’ve seen the impact these programs have on our students it makes it all worthwhile. Our Department of Foreign Languages has long been a leader in offering these opportunities to students. This summer they will once again lead a trip to Salamanca, Spain. Students in the program take language courses while also getting immersed in Spanish language and culture by staying with local families. The group visits local historic sites and museums as

will be extra special, as the country gears up to host the Summer Olympics.

Students participating in Model UN took two trips this year; one to Erfurt, Germany in the fall and one to Charlotte, NC this spring. Dr. Leah Graham, a faculty member in the Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy department, works hard helping students fundraise and prepare for the political simulations the students will negotiate with their team. Faculty are also active in taking students on field trips for hands-on learning. Dr. Sean Jacobson, Assistant Professor in the History department (and recent winner of CASE’s 2024 Early Career Teaching Award) regularly takes his students to sites such as Shiloh National Park, the Indian Mound Museum, and Pope's Tavern to experience history first-hand.

CASE recently hosted a series of Career Panels for Humanities and Social Science students, funded by a grant we received from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Every one of the alumni panelists we invited to attend mentioned an internship, education abroad trip, research project, or other experiential learning experience as being significantly important to their journey as a student and job seeker. Whether it was an internship at NASA or a psychology research project, our faculty are helping students make the most of their time at UNA.

W Dr.ClaudiaVance, ForeignLanguages

hat inspired you to choose your field?

I have a long history and love for the University of North Alabama, and I am a proud 1990 alumna from the Department of Foreign Languages. My true inspiration came from my mother, a wonderful teacher, who encouraged me to participate in Dr. Max Gartman’s education abroad trip to Europe. I could not have anticipated what an eyeopening, life-changing cultural experience it would be for me. It was one thing to hear about other cultures, but experiencing them in person was a revelation. Now it is my privilege to lead education abroad groups to countries such as Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, and Spain. I still have that eye-opening, life-changing experience each year through my students!

Can you recall a particularly impactful moment in your career and tell us how it has shaped you?

When I became chair of my department, I became acutely aware of the importance of recruitment, enrollment, and retention of language students. This led me to realize that although critical thinking skills and language learning are more important than ever in the global market, these skills are being prioritized less and less. The Humanities need advocacy, and I am fortunate to work with an administration and colleagues who understand this need and care about students. Collaboration within disciplines has created a symbiotic relationship between departments who encourage their students to add a language and study other cultures. I am a better person for having collaborated with so many wonderful and for sharing our successful students in a variety of disciplines.

ErinRemkus

Erin is a currently a Senior Social Services Coordinator for Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), based in Northern Virginia Field Office. KIND provides no-cost high-quality legal representation and social services to unaccompanied immigrant minors. As Senior Social Services Coordinator, she works directly with families to connect them with resources and develops therapeutic programming for KIND clients.

Erin has long been passionate about building a greater support system for immigrant communities in the U.S. Erin’s journey to working in the immigration field started with her love for speaking Spanish. She began volunteering in southeast Guatemala the summer before her freshman year at UNA. As soon as she returned, she registered for Dr. Claudia Vance’s Spanish 101 class and never looked back. Through her time in Latin America, she became more in-tune to the experiences of those who were fleeing their homes for the U.S. She ultimately decided to pursue her Master’s in Social Work so she could provide direct support to those families and help them get what they need to enhance their quality of life.

Erin is looking forward to supervising an MSW intern this fall and growing the local volunteer base in Northern VA. She writes, “I hope that one day I can give back to my home state by investing the knowledge and experiences I’m gaining now to grow a network of support for immigrant children and their families in Alabama.”

Follow Uson Social Media

n this edition of the CASE Newsletter, we are proudly spotlighting the diverse array of experiential and work-based learning opportunities that our students have seized across disciplines. From internships to field research and study abroad programs, the students from the School of Natural Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics are actively engaging in hands-on experiences that transcend the boundaries of traditional

classroom learning. As we delve into the highlights from students across our departments (Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Geoscience, Engineering and Industrial Professions, and Mathematics), we witness firsthand the transformative power of handson education. Let's celebrate their remarkable achievements together

Participating in internships and research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) provides students with hands-on experience, valuable skills, and networking opportunities. Students across our departments have been engaged in these opportunities, which ultimately prepare them for future careers and further studies

Two students from the Department of Engineering and Industrial Professions completed internships: Brian Sloan at HudsonAlpha's BioTrain program and Miles Williams at North American Lighting.

Additionally, students in the Department of Geoscience have undertaken internships at various organizations. In Spring 2024, four students participated in internships: Zach Herndon at Florence City, Trey McWilliams at Sheffield Utilities, Anthony Wilbanks at Lawrenceburg Utilities Systems, and Thomas Borden at WLC & Associates, Inc. In Fall 2023, two students (Trey and Thomas) interned at Sheffield Utilities and

WLC & Associates, Inc., respectively. During Summer 2023, Rishi Doreswamy interned at Southern Nuclear Energy Center and Joseph Williford interned at Shelby County IT Services.

Furthermore, the Department of Mathematics has several students participating in internships as well. Hanna Joy Jefcoat, Helena Heiberger, and Scarlett Swinea are participating in a six-month internship called Scholars Transforming through Research (STR), which is sponsored by the Conference on Undergraduate Research (CUR). This summer, Neely Lovvorn will

attend an REU at CUNY Baruch in Manhattan and Lydia Uptain will participate in BiGG Data REEU at UT Knoxville.

Education abroad and field research offer invaluable benefits to students, including the opportunity to immerse themselves in different cultures, gain firsthand experience in their field of study, develop crosscultural communication skills, build global networks, and foster personal growth by stepping out of their comfort zones. The Department of Geoscience actively embraces these opportunities. Under the

Four students (John Bailey, students who will be studying in Costa Rica in May.

Participating in research projects provides numerous benefits to our students, such as developing critical thinking and

Furthermore, Taylor also presented a poster featuring his research, which was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Balentine.

Aubrey Clay, Sarah Clouse, and Clay Gilley) from the Department of Chemistry and Physics attended the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Spring Meeting in New Orleans, LA this semester. They presented on their undergraduate research projects, which were supervised by Dr. Humayun Kabir. The students were accompanied by Dr. Cameron Gren (Department Chair) and Dr. Sara Johnson (Faculty Advisor for UNA Student Chapter of ACS). Additionally, Dr. Gren has a student, Rachel Dorsett, working with him this semester on a project, and Dr. Mel Blake has a student, Caleb Kettering, doing a research project with him in collaboration with Dr. Tuba Koktay of DDO Defenders in Richmond Hill, Canada.

In the Department of Biology this semester, 5 undergraduate students (Scarlett Swinea, Jackson Scott, Jessica Steagall, Avery Irvin, and Arika Miller) started on a new research project under the supervision of Dr. Kara Million. Their research is focused on a group of highly specialized gill parasites that infect darters (colorful North American freshwater fishes). They presented their research project at UNA Scholars’ Day in April.

The CODE (Characterizing Our DNA Exceptions) Program is a bioinformatics research experience for undergraduates offered by Dr. Cindy

Hanna Joy Jefcoat, Helena Heiberger, Olivia Morris) participated in this research endeavor. Four of these students (Sydney, Scarlett, Hanna Joy, and Helena) presented their results at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Long Beach, California. Jared, Avinash, Sydney, and Lydia presented their results at the HudsonAlpha Symposium, where the first three received recognitions/awards for their work. The STR group (Hanna Joy, Helena, and Scarlett) will showcase their accomplishments in Washington, DC at a conference this spring as well. Furthermore, Hanna Joy was the lead author on a paper published in microPublication Biology.

Lastly, in the Department of Engineering and Industrial Professions, UNA’s LeoSink team has been selected to compete in the semifinals of the ASME K16/IEEE EPS Heat Sink Design Competition, an international competition organized by ITherm.

As we celebrate these achievements, it’s essential to recognize the collaborative

efforts of faculty, staff, community partners, and alumni who support and mentor our students on their journeys of experiential learning. Together, we cultivate a culture of innovation, inquiry, and lifelong learning that prepares students for success in a rapidly evolving world.

In closing, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who contribute to the rich tapestry of experiential learning at UNA. Your dedication and support continue to inspire and empower the next generation of leaders, scholars, and change-makers. Thank you!

Dr.MarioMighty,

Geoscience

What inspired you to choose your field?

I am a native of Jamaica and my upbringing has done a lot to shape who I am and how I became a geographer. Agriculture was a big part of my surroundings and with regular exposure to the issues and challenges of small farmers competing against big, better counterparts I became very interested in trying to figure out ways that local farmers could compete on the international market. I also wanted to ensure that my work would be able to benefit and bless those involved in the agricultural sector. These desires shaped my pursuit of Geography as my focus area of study in high school and later on in my undergraduate ng university, I discovered the IS) and realized that this field leverage my interests in rmation technology with sequently pursued a Masters in Geography where I focused GIS technologies to strategize na and coffee farmers in mpete on the global arkets. I have carried this my teaching at UNA where I aim only share the many ways my scipline can integrate with their interests, but also encourage them to think about how they can understand the world around them through the lens of geography.

BriarAllen

Hailing from Florence, Briar attended UNA as both an undergraduate and graduate student. After graduating in May 2017 with a degree in Industrial Hygiene, Briar began his career within the manufacturing sector. Over the years, he has held various roles encompassing Environmental Health and Safety, process engineering, quality control, and research and development. After working in the manufacturing industry for a few years, he felt that developing his knowledge in an engineering field would be beneficial in his current role as well as make additional opportunities available to him in the future. This led him to return to UNA to pursue a master's degree in Applied Manufacturing Engineering, which he graduated with in Spring 2023.

Reflecting on his educational journey, Briar highlights the pivotal role of the experiential and work-based learning methodologies employed at UNA. These immersive approaches provided him with invaluable opportunities to tackle real-world challenges, fostering critical thinking and problem -solving skills essential for success in the industry. Briar emphasizes that such handson experiences not only reinforce theoretical knowledge but also cultivate a deeper understanding of practical applications.

As he continues to thrive in his role as a chemist at Tarkett Flooring in Florence, Alabama, Briar remains grateful for the transformative educational experiences afforded to him by UNA and extends his gratitude to UNA's faculty for their unwavering support and guidance.

STEM CAMP

INCREASINGACCESSTOSTEMEDUCATIONFORHIGHSCHOOLSTUDENTS

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering will welcome high school students to campus the first week of June for a three-day, two-night residential summer STEM Camp. The camp promotes scientific inquiry and the application of mathematics and technology in the context of experimental design, problem solving, technical briefing, and report writing. Camp instructors are members of the UNA faculty and the camp counselors are current UNA students majoring in STEM disciplines. As the only residential summer camp at UNA, students are immersed in campus life and STEM activities that build confidence, competence, and community.

The students are exposed to a range of STEM fields, career possibilities, and pathways to college. Students learn to think logically, solve problems, and work together in a group setting to address real-world issues. They work directly with our talented UNA faculty and gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of STEM in many areas of life. All of these experiences help increase students’ STEM self-efficacy and belonging.

The 2023 camp had students from 15 different high schools in the region, and we have expanded our recruitment efforts which has resulted in students from 20 different high schools for 2024. The goal is to provide access to STEM

education and we aim to offer the summer camp at little-to-no cost for those who want to attend. We are grateful to our partners at the Northwest Shoals Community College Talent Search Program and for the grant received from the UNA Women of Influence.

The University mission is to be innovative, inclusive, engaged, evolved, and global. This requires outreach to potential students and engaging them in ways that build connection to the University. The residential summer UNA STEM Camp exemplifies this as a transformational experiential learning opportunity for students. We invite you to learn more about this camp and see firsthand how we are changing lives across the region.