Equipping students for meaningful lives and productive careers

By Branden Ferguson

Equipping students for meaningful lives and productive careers has long been the focus of the University of Findlay community. Spanning our 141 years fulfilling this mission, our campus landscape and classrooms have seen profound changes. Beginning with iconic Old Main to the new Dick Strahm Champions Field, the physical expanse of campus has experienced noteworthy developments. These expansions have been accompanied by radical changes in classroom technology to prepare students for success in a global society.

“This institution has been through many challenges and has always managed to adjust as needed to continue its mission of serving students with a high-quality education. The fact that UF has not only survived a variety of changes but also thrived, says something about the character and nature of this institution and the people who have believed in it,” explains Christine Denecker, Ph.D. associate vice president for learning and innovation.

Reflecting on the growth of the campus, Benjamin Sapp, director of the Mazza Museum adds, “I remember walking across streets to get to class and through parking lots that are no longer here… it’s exciting to see how the campus has changed and developed.”

Expansion has included several facilities located a distance away from the main campus. More than 200 acres were added to campus with the addition of the Dr. C. Richard Beckett Animal Sciences Center at the Western Equestrian Farm and the James L Child Jr. English Equestrian Complex. Both farms feature working barns, indoor arenas, and academic spaces including capacity for over 450 horses.

As the campus landscape evolved, so did the classroom technology. Founded in 1882, chalkboards would not be introduced for another eight years. Focus on pencils and paper for testing and notetaking gave way to new audio, visual, and instructional technology for professors. In the 1930s, overhead projectors were introduced and by the 1970s radio, television, calculators and even photocopy machines were common across campus. Each major advancement in technology enhanced the quality and depth of instruction and support our students needed.

As society moved into the digital age, institutions of higher education followed suit, the University of Findlay among them. Technology-enhanced education has become a given rather than a novelty. Most students today, compared with students in the past, cannot remember a time when there was no World Wide Web, and most carry with them cell phones that serve as computers, calculators, and search engines.

“I can remember walking into Shafer Library and seeing the new Mac lab. We just thought it was the greatest thing to be able to sit behind a computer for the first time,” says Sapp.

The debate and usage surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to shape our community and innovate our society. As in the past, the University of Findlay welcomes progressive technology into our classrooms. Implementing hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities advanced by augmented reality prepares our students for the future. Follow us as we visit the unique academic spaces at UF.

Sonography Program

Modeled after the University’s Nuclear Medicine Technology Program, UF’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is one of the most unique programs in the country. Students not only begin hands-on sonography experience within the first week of class, but the use of augmented reality is also made available to them.

Last summer, a new, one-of-akind technology — augmented reality goggles — was added to the Sonography program. The goggles, developed by Cleveland-based MediView XR, Inc. specifically for UF, allows students to view the patient from an angle not possible previously.

Students don MediView XR, Inc. headsets, allowing them to put their screen anywhere they want. The headsets provide students with direct line-of-sight with their hands and the patient, providing a more intuitive experience. This also addresses workrelated skeletal issues suffered by sonographers.

“The support from UF with providing industry-relevant equipment, scanning phantoms, and continually updated technologic classroom advancements has been exceptional,” says Susan Watters, chair of Diagnostic Services Program. “Through administrative support and the generosity of donors, our programs were the first in the nation to partner with Mediview to bring our students the opportunity to train on MediScout.”

When sonography students are not using augmented reality, they are utilizing state-of-the-art technology to simulate scanning examinations, review patient records, and run case studies.

“We have six Philips EPIQ 5 and two GE Vivid ultrasound machines, allowing students to examine abdominal, cardiac, vascular, gynecological, and obstetrical regions of the body,” says Watters. “Students use these machines to scan each other to build clinical skills and practice more sensitive exams before encountering a live patient.”

College Of Science Programs

Technological advancements have enhanced learning in the Department of Physical Sciences, as the University has invested heavily in advanced instrumentation for teaching and research labs. Students have access to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instruments, a new gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GCMS), and an upgraded X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument.

“These types of equipment have facilitated student-led projects such as novel synthesis of materials for electronic devices, biofuel formation and testing, and isolation of biologically active compounds in native plants,” says Nathan Tice, Ph.D., chair of Physical Sciences. “Research experiences like these have given our students a competitive edge in the job market and set them up to succeed when they take their next steps after UF.”

University students receive one-on-one attention from faculty and staff due to the University’s small size, and also benefit from the advanced facilities and technology provided by the institution and its generous donors.

Cadaver Lab

For students focusing on medical school careers in the health sciences, UF offers a unique experience with an on-site cadaver lab. “To have access to a cadaver laboratory space like the one at UF is unusual for schools not affiliated with medical schools or teaching hospitals,” says Cara Davies, Ph.D. director of the Anatomy and Neuroscience Lab.

For students, the opportunity comes with its fair share of anxiety and excitement. “When I heard that we would have the opportunity to work in the cadaver lab at UF, I was slightly nervous about the experience. After the first 15-20 minutes in the lab, all of the nerves subsided, and I was excited to learn about the human body in such a hands-on way,” says Ben Farrar, a thirdyear student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.

Once the students acclimate to the lab, they find that the donor bodies bring their textbooks to life. “Although many of the textbook pictures are drawn with great detail, the cadaver lab offers a hands-on learning experience,” says Kylie Ray, a first-year DPT student. “It is helpful to have a visual representation of the different body structures, and I believe this will be beneficial for patient care as we become physical therapists,” she added.

Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Program

Not only has University of Findlay updated its technology and facilities over time, it has also improved the way it prepares students for an everchanging world. For example, the Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability (EHSS) Program takes a hands-on approach to learning, resulting in 100% job placement after graduation.

“Our program offers the next generation the opportunity to build a career that’s stable, highly skilled, and financially rewarding,” says Kim Lichtveld, MSPH, Ph.D. chair of Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health Management.

“Through their classes, specialized training in realistic situations, and experiential learning, students gain a breadth of knowledge through environmental and occupational health, policy, and safety, using the same equipment they will encounter after they leave UF. Findlay is the only university in the U.S. that integrates an academic program with a nationally recognized emergency response training site - the All Hazards Training Center.

EHSS students frequent the AllHazards Training Center, the nation’s leader in the development and delivery of customized environmental, health, and safety training programs. Established by the University of Findlay, the five-acre training facility utilizes a derailed train, an overturned tanker, buried drums, a ditch/stream spill, surface and groundwater sampling, and other training scenarios to prepare students. Students learn first-hand about how to manage emergencies through defensive and offensive mitigation techniques, establishing control zones, and conducting sampling and damage assessments, all while wearing personal protective equipment. These experiences give the students a competitive advantage in the workplace.

Our campus landscape and classroom technology will continue to reshape the future for UF students. While changes were exciting and sometimes debated, one thing remained consistent—the support and encouragement from faculty and staff. “The people are what make up a university—no matter what new technology promises to make education better or easier,” says Denecker. University of Findlay and its people are committed to equipping students for meaningful lives and productive careers.