Faculty and staff news

Brent Gregg, assistant professor, has been selected as a research delegate/presenter to 10th Oxford Dysfluency Conference (ODC) in Oxford, England this summer. The conference is to be held at St Catherine’s College July 17 – 20. The conference brings together researchers and clinicians, providing a showcase and forum for discussion and collegial debate about the most current and innovative research and clinical practices. Throughout the history of ODC, the primary aim has been to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice.

Lisa Christman, transitional math faculty, and Lisa Ray, clinical instructor II, were elected to three-year at-large positions on the Faculty Senate. Their term of office will begin in May 2014.

 

Dr. Mary Ellen Oslick, assistant professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Special Education, was recently honored by receiving the 2014 Virginia Hamilton Essay Award for her article, “Children’s Voices: Reactions to a Criminal Justice Issue Picture Book.” Established in 1991, the Virginia Hamilton Essay Award recognizes a journal article published in a given year which makes a significant contribution to professional literature concerning multicultural literary experiences for youth. The award is given annually at the Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature, a forum for multicultural themes and issues in literature for children and young adults, held at Kent State University each spring.

Nelda New, assistant professor, has been selected as a 2014 Fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. New will be inducted at the organization’s annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on June 19.

Upon induction, New will become of the sixth Arkansas nurse practitioners recognized as an AANP Fellow from a total 416 nationally. AANP Fellows are selected based on outstanding contributions to clinical practice, research, education or policy.

Established by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) in 2000, the Fellows of the AANP (FAANP) is dedicated to the global advancement of NPs and the high-quality health care they deliver. By engaging recognized NP leaders who have made outstanding contributions to NP education, policy, clinical practice or research, and developing NP leaders of the future, we are furthering the NP profession while enhancing AANP’s mission.

Josh Markham, Assistant Director for UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development, received his Professional Community and Economic Developer Certification in March 2014. It is available to professional community developers who have successfully demonstrated a sound knowledge of the profession.

The certification is governed by the national Community Development Council. The Community Development Council (CDC) is a nonprofit organization founded to promote the advancement of standards of competence for community development professionals through accreditation of community development educational programs, professional certification, and the development of community volunteer leaders.

Dr. Angela Webster-Smith, associate professor in the Department of Leadership Studies, received the President’s Award at the 2014 Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Annual Meeting held in St. Louis, Mo., in February 2014, for her many contributions to ATE. ATE is an individual organization that promotes quality teacher education through both exemplary clinical practice and scholarly research. ATE promotes professionalism, leadership, advocacy, community, and equity for teacher educators, establishing a collegial sense of place in all settings supportive of quality education for all learners at all levels. Reflective of the ATE Mission and Vision, Dr. Webster-Smith serves on the Corporate By-Laws Committee, Self-Efficacy Commission, Educational Leadership SIG, and Leadership Academy in addition to her many academic presentations. Highlighting the 2014 ATE Annual Meeting, Dr. Webster-Smith presented a Featured Session about her children’s book, In the Presence of a King, written by Dr. Angela Webster-Smith and illustrated by her adult daughter, Jerica Webster Mitchell. For more information about In the Presence of a King, contact Dr. Angela Webster-Smith at awebster@uca.edu.

Meghan Thompson, coordinator of student organizations, and university events, was recently included in the OrgSync spring 2014 newsletter because of her work on campus implement OrgSync. She also will make a presentation on the successful implementation of the system at a conference in June.

John Vanderslice, associate professor of writing, has had his short story “Escape to Ash” accepted for inclusion in the anthology Appalachian Voices, forthcoming from KY Story. Also, his historical fiction “Dead Notes” has been accepted by the journal Jenny, and his magic realist folk tale “Around the Bend” has been accepted by the journal American Fantastic.

Mark Spitzer, associate professor of creative writing, had his poem “Trans-Amerigo Sound-Vision-Sutra for Scotty Lewis Exit 192” accepted in the lit journal House Organ. He also had two very different versions of his essay “Making Environmental Lemonade with the Creature that Put the “Ish” in “Fish” in the lit accepted in Frontiers Magazine and Saltfront. Spitzer was a featured reader at the recent Next Poetry Festival in Fayetteville.