2017 Summer Issue

Assistant Professor of English and Writing Program Administrator Tara Wood, Ph.D., was awarded the Community Based Learning (CBL) Innovation Grant for Spring 2017 as part of Rockford University’s commitment to providing students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to address the needs of the Rockford Community. Dr. Wood incorporated CBL into her RHET 102 Intermediate Rhetoric course by partnering students with The Literacy Council in Rockford, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the literacy levels and educational/employment opportunities for the Rockford region. Students worked on a project aimed at promoting the council’s fundraising efforts for the 14th annual Rockford Literacy Races marathon held in early May. The project consisted of researching literacy in the Rockford region and drafting research based profiles of adult learners associated with The Literacy Council that were used for promoting the sponsorship of runners for the marathon. Dr. Tara Wood was the lead author on an article published in the May 25 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Dr. Wood’s piece, “Why We Dread Disability Myths” is a critical response to an article published in April by Gail Hornstein titled “Why I Dread the Accommodations Talk.” Dr. Wood critiques Hornstein for perpetuating dangerous and ableism myths about disability and disabled students. Dr. Wood donated the publication stipend for the article to the Society for Disability Studies.

In an article published May 30 titled “Ticked off: Lyme disease to be an issue this season,” Assistant Professor of Biology Sean Beckmann, Ph.D., shares with the Rockford Register Star | rrstar.com that he expects an increase in the local tick population this season after winter’s brevity and warmth. Pictured above, Dr. Beckmann and Taggart Venegas, biology major, trap a ground squirrel at the Distillery Road conservation Area in Belvidere, Ill., Dr. Beckmann and students collected rodent specimens to test for Lyme disease. Photo courtesy of the Rockford Register Star and photographer Arturo Fernandez.

Kearstin Findley, a senior biology major concentrating in evolution and ecology, was selected for The Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory’s 2017 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Scholarship Program. Eight outstanding undergraduate students, four Ohio State students and four students from other Midwestern colleges were selected. The five week program is a competitive, comprehensive research internship that gives students the chance to conduct scientific research in the field alongside top scientists throughout a month, at Stone Laboratory, located on OSU’s island campus on Lake Erie. Students receive a full scholarship to Stone Lab, including lab fee, room and meals and in-state tuition for the 2 credit research experience and 4-credit, five-week course. The program runs concurrently with Stone Lab’s five-week summer term. Students spend their non-class days focused on research, working closely with their supervisors to design an experiment, collect samples and analyze data. At the end of the program, they give a final present ation to their peers and the public.

Dr. Troy Skwor, associate professor of Biology, assisted with expert commentary for two extensive media stories airing in May. WREX, Ch. 13 (NBC), aired “Digging Deeper: Drinking water contamination and the government study that was never released,”an investigative report by Evening Anchor Kristin Crowley about a superfund site located in Rockford and its resulting groundwater contamination concerns. Based on Dr. Skwor’s expertise and research in the field, he also provided comment for the WIFR, Ch. 23 (CBS), story “Superbug Syndrome and the threat of antibiotic resistance.”

Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship Steven Hicks, Ph.D., contributed opinion to the Toronto Metronews.ca feature, “Debate: Who should get to speak on campus,” which published online May 1, 2017.

Assistant Professor and Political Science Department Chair Ron Lee, Ph.D., led three small-group breakout sessions on the topic of the politics of universalism versus the politics of multiculturalism at the “Welcoming Diversity: Building Bridges of Understanding” community collaborative program, sponsored by the Unity in Diversity and the Unity, Pride and Culture committee of Transform Rockford and held on April 23 at the Midway Village and Museum in Rockford.

Mirela Papandreou’s article “How to Develop the Interdisciplinary Literacy of English Language Learners” was published in the Illinois Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages – Bilingual Education newsletter in April. Mirela is an instructor in the University’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

Roxana Idu, Ph.D., assistant professor of Economics, Puri School of Business, attended the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education’s (IACBE) annual conference and assembly meeting held in San Francisco, Calif., on April 18- 21. Dr. Idu represented Rockford University, which was recognized as a 20-year charter member of the organization.

Late Associate Professor of Economics, Business and Accounting Gary Lubbert was nominated for the IACBE’s Education Leader of the Year Award. Prof. Lubbert was selected for this prestigious recognition and honored posthumously at Rockford University’s commencement ceremony held on May 13. Prof. Lubbert also was recognized with Emeritus status in honor of his dedicated and meritorious service to Rockford University. Members of Prof. Lubbert’s family were in attendance to accept the awards on his behalf.

Dr. Catherine Forslund, professor of History, and dean of academic administration presented “John F. Kennedy 1917-2017” to the University Club’s Forbes University Discussion/Lecture Series on Thursday Feb, 9. She also shared “The Legacy of John F. Kennedy in the 100th Year of his Birth,” with the Rockford Downtown Rotary Club on March 30, including in both presentations remarks about JFK’s connections to Rockford with his two visits to the city.

President Eric Fulcomer attended the U.S.-Mexico Higher Education Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico on March 29-31, joining a delegation of 24 presidents from independent colleges across the U.S. According to the organizers of the summit, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Mexican Federation of Private Higher Education Institutions (FIMPES), the purpose of the meetings is to explore partnership opportunities between Mexican and U.S. colleges and universities. The summit, “Reaffirming the North American Spirit of Collaboration in Higher Education: Creating Bridges for Communication” aimed to strengthen relationships for shared opportunities in research and development, exchanges with students and faculty, and crossborder internships.

Dr. Jules Gleicher, professor of Political Science, attended a lecture on genealogical research techniques, by Steven Flack, of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois, at Temple Beth-El, in Northbrook, Ill., on January 22.

For the second year in a row, Professor of Performing Arts Jeff Hendry has received the award for Best Costume Design from Broadwayworld.com for his work on Mamma Mia! which ran Aug. 10–27, 2016. The show was a production of Maine State Music Theatre, a professional musical theater organization located on the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick, Maine. Professor Hendry won the 2015 Best Costume Design award for Sister Act and The Music Man.