We congratulate our winners of the 2021 Willa Dean Lowery Fund to Support Research in the Natural Sciences:
Kristine Dye, Assistant Professor of Biology
Elucidate the Mechanisms of Cellular Transformation and Tumorigenesis by MCPyVST Necessary for the Development of MCC
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive skin cancer with a mortality rate three times greater than melanoma. In 2008, it was discovered that MCC is caused by the integration of the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) genome into the host genome, and subsequent constitutive expression of viral oncoproteins, such as the small tumor antigen (ST). Previous research of mine has shown that MCPyV ST binds to the cellular protein AMOT, a regulator of the cell cycle. The goal of this current project with senior research students is to elucidate the mechanisms by which MCPyV ST perturbs the functions of AMOT resulting in tumorigenesis. Such experiments will provide the MCC field with influential advancements necessary for the design of novel, efficacious, therapeutics to treat MCC. Of importance, the most influential health care workers have an appreciation and the ability to conceptualize basic research that contributes to our current understanding of disease and individualized, efficacious treatment options. Therefore, the engagement of senior research students in an authentic virology and cancer research project will provide these students with the comprehensive training, confidence, and experience that will undoubtedly influence their future careers in health care and progress my development as a teacher-scholar at Stetson University.
Holley Lynch, Assistant Professor of Physics
Tracking Cellular Motion During Early Embryo Development
The proper assembly of new tissues and organs throughout development depends on large-scale tissue motions. Current approaches to understand the mechanics of these developmental processes in many species are limited to analysis of fixed samples or almost non-existent. In this project, we will establish protocols for live cell imaging in Ambystoma mexicanum embryonic tissue explants and Vanessa cardui butterfly embryos. These time-lapse image sequences will be used to determine the cellular coordination within developing tissues and to investigate the extent cellular behaviors are conserved across species. This will further my development as a teacher-scholar at Stetson University by enhancing my research program. In addition, protocols established in this project will be used to expose Biophysics (PHYS 251) students to fluorescent microscopy and its use in interdisciplinary research. The proposed image processing workstation will advance computationally intense tasks, like deconvolution from long term and live imaging experiments using the inverted fluorescent microscope acquired from the National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant ($266,091, 2019), on which I am a principal investigator.
Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2021 Hand Awards for Distinguished Faculty Achievement.
The Hand Award for Distinguished Faculty Achievements are made possible through the continued generosity of trustee emeritus and alumna Dolly Hand and her husband, Homer Hand. Through their support of excellence in higher education, we are honored to recognize outstanding faculty. The awards have been presented to faculty since 1988, with recipients whose names many in the audience will recognize as faculty who have been transformative to this institution—Michael Rickman, Karen Kaivola, and Leonard Nance to name a few
This year, we recognize the professional achievements of two outstanding faculty members in two primary areas: Research, Creative, and Professional Activity and Community Impact. Historically, there have been Hand awards that recognized the stellar work of faculty who have been at Stetson for a short period of time, and then go on to do great things at Stetson. Some examples include then-Assistant Professors Terri
Witek, Stephen Robinson, Sue Ryan, and Isabel Botero, who all received the Hand recognition just a few years after they joined the University. Both recipients of this prestigious recognition are junior faculty members. In sum, during their short tenure at Stetson University, they have made significant contributions to their fields, to Stetson’s vibrancy and vitality, to our academic culture, and to the world beyond this campus.
The first 2021 Hand award honors a faculty member who was invited to join the faculty at Stetson University five years ago and who has already helped to bring $1.6 million in funding to our campus. In addition to an impressive publication record, she has experienced exceptional success in obtaining grant funding, and demonstrated an amazing ability to forge strong collaborative efforts with faculty from a diverse array of academic departments at Stetson, including Biology, Environmental Science, Health Sciences, Chemistry, Philosophy, and Physics in the quest of academic excellence. Her publications and successful grant applications showcase her success in integrating cutting edge molecular techniques and scientific equipment with high impact teaching practices and novel pedagogical approaches to the great benefit of Stetson students. One nominator wrote, “She is interested in inspiring all students through exposure to research.” One of her photographs was selected for the cover of the journal Development. In the STEM disciplines, this selection is recognized as a distinction. One nominator wrote, “Her work involved photographing cilia of cells and she has produced photographs of cells that are quite beautiful.”
For her professional commitment, and in recognition and celebration of her substantial scholarly contributions, it gives me great pleasure on behalf of the faculty and staff at Stetson University to present the first of two 2021 Hand Awards for Research, Creative, and Professional Activity to Assistant Professor Lynn Kee.
Lynn Kee, Assistant Professor of Biology
This year’s second 2021 Hand award honors a faculty member who has accomplished an extraordinarily impactful breadth and scope of timely work within the short three years of her tenure at Stetson University. Invited in 2018 to join the faculty as Brown Teacher-Scholar Fellow in Sustainable Food Systems, she rapidly became a key force in the development of Stetson’s Sustainable Foods Systems program, and broad to this academic endeavor the lenses of equity and inclusion especially aimed at uncovering issues of race, class and gender in the U.S. food system. Working with other Stetson faculty and students, she has co-developed multiple programs in the broader community, forging strong connections with local elementary schools, boys and girls clubs, the Artisan Alley Market, local farmers, and the Tomoka Correctional Facility. As a Stetson teacher-scholar, she has experienced successful grantsmanship to support her craft of educational outreach as a grant recipient of the Nina B. Hollis Institute for Educational Reform and the recent collaborative Andrew Mellon Foundation grant. Her many peer-reviewed publications are strong evidence that others find her work on the intersection of equity, education and food production of great significance. For her professional commitment, and in recognition and celebration of her substantial contributions to Stetson and the communities of central Florida, it gives me great pleasure on behalf of the faculty and staff at Stetson University to present the second 2021 Hand Award for Community Impact to Assistant Professor Sarah Cramer.
Sarah Cramer, Visiting Assistant Professor in Sustainable Food Systems
Presented by Dr. Rosalie Richards, Associate Provost for Faculty Developmenton May 6, 2021 at the 2021 Academic Awards and Recognition Ceremony
Congratulations to the recipient of the 2021 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching
Established in 1974, the McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching is considered to be Stetson University’s most prestigious award based on the highest attainment of teaching excellence as personified by the former Dean of the University, William Hugh McEniry. Exceptional teaching in the classroom is at the heartbeat of this award, along with intellectual growth, professional competency, academic activities outside of the classroom, and impactful service to students and the University as a whole.
Needless to say, this year’s McEniry selection committee had an incredibly challenging job with Stetson being a community full of highly deserving teacher-scholars. That said, this year’s awardee stood out as an exceptionally impactful educator at Stetson and also within her field. There is a clear record demonstrating that she is phenomenal teacher and a dedicated leader in her field. And she had thoughtfully written nominations demonstrating her deep commitment to high-quality teaching at Stetson and beyond.
A nomination by a fellow faculty member notes: “[This professor] is in her nineteenth year as a member of the Stetson faculty…and clearly, [she] is one of Stetson finest scholar-teachers. While her stature as a publishing scholar is highly meritorious, her skills and accomplishments as a teacher are no less remarkable. She is highly organized, mature, innovative, engaged, and passionate.”
This professor is described as a master teacher who cares most about student learning, and she considers part of her teaching role preparation of students for professional success.
A student nomination states: “[This professor] goes the extra mile in every aspect, teaching and beyond. She teaches some of the most challenging courses at Stetson and in the computer science field. While the coursework is rigorous and intellectually demanding, she provides ways to grasp the difficult concepts in ways that suit all learning styles. As an advisor, she’s not only concerned about short-term academic success, but also long-term professional development and your best interests. Additionally, she never fails to encourage and inspire. I switched my major to computer science after a semester and felt very out of place at first. Having [this professor] as a mentor was a really important part of staying encouraged; she connected me with other women in the field and introduced me to conferences and other opportunities.”
This year’s recipient is a professor of computer science who recently received the Florida Council Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Outstanding Engineering Educator Award, a testament to her commitment to teaching excellence and the quality of education that she provides students, as well as her outstanding contribution to the electro-technology profession. I am delighted and honored to announce this year’s award winner! Please join me in wishing a heartfelt congratulations to the recipient of the 2021 William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching… Dr. Hala ElAarag!!
Congratulations to the recipient of the 2021-2022 Sabbatical Awards:
Eric Kurlander, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of History,“Before the ‘Final Solution’: A Global History of the Nazi ‘Jewish Question’”
Maria Rickling, Associate Professor of Accounting, Chair of M.E. Rinker, Sr. Institute of Tax and Accountancy, “A Research Proposal: A Unique Point of View to Innovating the Accounting Curriculum”
Leila Roach, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Chair of Counselor Education, “Exploring and Expanding Mental Health Services in Bhutan”
Peter Smucker, Assistant Professor of Music Theory, Director of Music Theory, “Values, Currencies and Economies of Video Game Music”
Nancy Vosburg, Professor of World Languages and Cultures, “Antonia Huerta’s Cybercrime Fiction; Ushering in a New Subgenre in Spanish Literature”
Robert Askew, Assistan Professor of Psychology, “Imparting Clinical Meaning to Pain Intensity Ratings”
Grace Kaletski-Maisel, Assistant Professor, Learning & Information Literacy Librarian, “Trajectories of Information in Literacy Learning”
Dejan Magoc, Professor of Health Science, “Promoting Active Living Through Behavior Change”
Michael McFarland, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies, “Discourse Strategies in Sudden Change Rhetoric: Argument and Invention in Evangelical Preaching”
Emily Mieras, Chair of History; Associate Professor of History and American Studies, “Progressive People” in “Elysian Lands: History, Memory, and the Making of Community Identity in the American South 1870-1970”
Ramachandran Subramanian, Professor of Leadership, “Developing Teaching Cases in Corporate Governance”
John York, Professor of Chemistry, “Utilizing Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical (QM/MM) Methods for the Study of Metal-Ligand Bonds in Proteins”
If you have attended one of our conferences in the past, then you know that you’re in for a half-day jam-packed with an inspirational keynote from a sitting university president, informative and interactive leadership development workshops, and opportunities to expand your professional network.
Limited scholarships to cover the registration fee are available, thanks to the generous support of Prez Roellke. Apply here on/before April 7, 2022.
Tap the EventBrite link to join us and/or share with a colleague and your professional networks. Questions? Contact [email protected] or [email protected].
December 9, 2021 9-10 a.m. EST; join the watch party, register here TOPIC:Effective External Board Relations for Higher Education Leaders President Rhea Law, University of South Florida
Higher education leaders actively engage with Boards of Trustees, advisory boards, community boards, etc. Fostering and maintaining effective relations with external boards is imperative.
In addition to her extensive legal and higher education accomplishments, President Rhea Law joined Stetson University’s Board of Trustees in 2019, serving as chair of the Stetson Law Board of Overseers.
October 22, 2021 9-10 a.m. EST; join the watch party, register here TOPIC:What a long, strange trip it’s been! Dr. Martha Saunders, president, University of West Florida.
Dr. Saunders will share her leadership journey and lessons she’s learned along the way.
We had a great workshop today on Imposter Syndrome: What is it and What to Do With It! presented by Dr. Karen Griffin. As promised, attached is the presentation from today’s workshop.
Have a great weekend and I hope to see you on October 22nd at 9:00 a.m. ET for our virtual Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Saunders, President of the University of West Florida. I already sent the invitation and registration information to you.
Career success is about more than just whether we can get the job done–it’s how we do it. One key to getting things done well is professionalism. More than just a way of describing someone (i.e. professional vs. unprofessional), professionalism is a practice that we can all engage in. Professionalism as a practice may be the secret to better organizations, better outcomes, and more satisfying work experiences. Additionally, professionalism can make it easier to market yourself both inside and outside your organization. We’ll talk about the tenets of professionalism, how to become a more professional practitioner, and how they can help with career navigation.
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EVENT: Coffee & Conversation with presidential sponsor and president, Dr. Mark B. Rosenberg, Florida International University
TOPIC:Leading with Collaboration in Community
DATE: March 26, 2021
TIME: 9-10 a.m.
LOCATION: Join the Coffee & Conversations Watch Party
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EVENT: 2021 State Conference
THEME:The Hill We Climb: Leading with Hope
DATE: April 9, 2021
TIME: 9 a.m.-noon
COST: $25
LOCATION: Live Virtual Event – registration information forthcoming
MINI-GRANTS: Mini-grants are available to cover the cost of registration. Deadline: March 22, 2021. Mini-grant recipients will be auto-registered for the conference and will receive confirmation via EventBrite. We are indebted to Prez Chris Roellke, presidential sponsor of the ACEWNFL, for this generous support.
ABOUT THE ACE WOMEN’S NETWORK OF FLORIDA: Stetson University is a proud Presidential Sponsor of the ACE Women’s Network of Florida. The ACE Women’s Network is a national system of networks within each state with the goal of advancing and supporting women in pursuing higher education leadership. ACE aims to develop programs that identify, develop, encourage, advance, link and support (IDEALS) women in higher education careers. For details about the ACE Women’s Network and Stetson’s activities, visit the website or contact Rosalie Richards or Lua Hancock.
Spring 2021 Dates & Times: various Communities of Care A community of care is an inclusive, caring, safe, and supportive group organized intentionally to address and improve the well-being of each of its members. Information is forthcoming on different communities and how to join.
February 1, 2021 noon-1 p.m. Register here Stetson’s ACEWNFL Speaker Series
Lila Jaber, ’88, ’90 and Stetson University Trustee is currently serving in her third decade of regulatory policy and government practice. She recently retired from one of Florida’s leading law firms, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, where she successfully built and led a statewide regulatory and legislative government affairs practice earning her the role of Regional Managing Shareholder. Notably, Lila is also the architect of Florida’s Women in Energy Leadership Forum, an annual initiative that highlights the workforce and economic development contributions of the electric and natural gas industries by affording women a platform to share their personal stories and career paths to inform, inspire and motivate others.
January 22, 2021 9-10 a.m. Join the Coffee & Conversations Watch Party here TOPIC: Presidential Transitions in Higher Education: Focusing on Institutional Priorities (aka Leadership transitions when there is no playbook)
Dr. Chris Roellke, president and ACEWNFL presidential sponsor, Stetson University
Dr. Wendy Libby, president emerita and inaugural ACEWNFL presidential sponsor, Stetson University
Fall 2020 Dates & Times: various Communities of Care A community of care is an inclusive, caring, safe, and supportive group organized intentionally to address and improve the well-being of each of its members. Information is forthcoming on different communities and how to join.
November 16, 2020 Noon-1 p.m. join here Should I stay or should I go: When to bloom in place or seek new opportunities This brown bag conversation will help women identify personal and professional priorities and, with these in mind, develop a sense of whether it is time to advance their careers in place or uproot to pursue a new position. Participants will be encouraged to be deliberate in seeking professional experiences, to create and use a professional support network, and to advance their careers while keeping personal and professional priorities at the forefront.
Dr. Alicia Slater is in her third year as Dean of the School of Science at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Prior to taking that position, she was a Professor of Biology and held various academic and administrative positions during her 17 years at Stetson University. Dr. Slater currently oversees graduate allied health and undergraduate science programs and serves on the President’s Cabinet and Deans Council at Marist College. She is very grateful to the many mentors who have supported her along her way and encouraged her to continue growing, even when that meant uprooting her family and moving from Florida to New York!
SAVE-THE-DATE November 6, 2020 10:00 a.m. Join the Coffee & Conversations Watch Party here Leading Cultural Change: Promoting Social Justice on Campus
Dr. Georgia Lorenz, president and ACEWNFL presidential sponsor, Seminole State College
October 16, 2020 9:00 a.m. Register to join the Presidential Coffee & Conversations Watch Party here The Path Forward: React, Respond, Reset President Avendano’s leadership in the current environment will guide everyone who seeks senior leadership positions. During the Q&A session, participants will be able to engage in dialogue with Dr. Avendano.
Dr. John Avendano is president and ACEWNFL presidential sponsor at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He possesses over 30 years of community college experience and served previously as president and CEO of Kankakee Community College in Illinois. Dr. Avendano was a first-generation college student and English is his second language. He received his associate degree from Waubonsee Community College, bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from Northern Illinois University, master’s degree in adult continuing education from Northern Illinois University, and his doctorate in educational administration and foundations from Illinois State University. In 2019, the Daily Journal recognized Dr. Avendano as its 2019 Citizen of the Year.
October 15, 2020noon-1 p.m. register here Courageous Conversations: Women Experiencing Microaggressions & Bullying in Higher Education This presentation on microaggressions and bullying in higher education will help to identify the sometimes “invisible elephant” in the room and increase awareness, knowledge and skills of multicultural competencies. Through critical, courageous conversations, thetools presented will encourage transparent and authentic communication and assist with developing strategies for successful navigation and advancement in the academy, especially in leadershiproles.
Michelle Mitcham, Ph.D. , LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, CFM, is passionate about empowering women and families. At Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, she is associate professor and CACREP liaison, and serves as the institutional representative of their ACE Committee. Her research interests include leadership, multicultural competencies, diversity, equity, and inclusion, empowerment, advocacy, social justice and transformational multicultural pedagogy. In 2020, she was selected as one of “25 Women You Need to Know” by the TallahasseeDemocrat. Dr. Mitcham earned a Master’s degree at Webster University in clinical mental health and school counseling and a doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision from the University of Central Florida.
October 14, 2020 6:00-7:00pm; register here Women in Leadership Viola Thompson, president and CEO, Information Technology Senior Management Forum
Stetson’ School of Business Administration presents female leaders who will share their stories of successes, challenges, lessons learned, and how they have defined their paths.
Stetson’ School of Business Administration presents female leaders who will share their stories of successes, challenges, lessons learned, and how they have defined their paths.
Women in Action Women in Action is a virtual event that creates an open dialogue about various topics that affect women as leaders. This is a monthly event is hosted by Stetson’s Wellness & Recreation to celebrate women leaders as they speak about their experience as women in leadership positions.
Colleen Vanderlip is the Director of Wellness & Recreation here at Stetson. She will be presenting on her leadership journey as a woman in her field. She will also be speaking about the ways to incorporate self-care into a schedule full of Zoom and other commitments!
October 1, 2020 noon-1 pm; join the luncheon here Virtual Meet & Greet Luncheon Welcome to the ACE Women’s Network of Florida kick-off luncheon for the 2020-21 academic year. Lua and Rosalie look forward to joining you to connect/re-connect, identify plans already in place (see fall calendar items above), and learn what you would like to see happen this year. As in the past, this year’s programming center around the ACE Women’s IDEALS: identify, develop, encourage, link, and support. Bring your lunch and a colleague!
September 30, 2020 6:00-7:00pm; register here Women in Leadership Yamila H. Harris, vice president of Service Delivery, Atos
Stetson’ School of Business Administration presents female leaders who will share their stories of successes, challenges, lessons learned, and how they have defined their paths.
September 23, 2020 6:00-7:00pm; register here Women in Leadership Adrian Torres, senior vice president, global head of Hospitality and Food Beverage Support, Oracle Corporation
Stetson’ School of Business Administration presents female leaders who will share their stories of successes, challenges, lessons learned, and how they have defined their paths.
May 1, 2020 noon-1 pm: join us here End-of-Semester Brown Bag Join us for lunch to celebrate leadership, courage, grit, determination, and service.
April 8, 2020 noon-1 pm: join the conversation here Virtual Book Club Brown Bag As we work through extraordinary change, we hop to use this time to focus on how you are doing and how you are leading through change (see Section One: The Moments and the Myths of our book, pp 19-43). To supplement our discussion, can I draw your attention to a few resources to review at your own leisure?
• Why You Should Ignore All That Coronavirus-Inspired Productivity Pressure – an op ed at the Chronicle of Higher Education:
• Self-care and COVID-19: Getting Ready for the Marathon – a blog post at Psychology Today
• The Science of Wellbeing – a series of short lectures by Yale University psychologist Laurie Santos
Shadow-A-Leader for a Day Program –suspended due to covid pandemic
Women’s History Month – suspended due to covid pandemic
February 3, 2020 noon-1 pm; Lee’s Garage: CUB 2nd Floor – Deland Campus Book Club Potluck Bring your favorite lunch dish to share as early as 11:30 am! Coffee and water will be provided. Come prepared to share: a lunch meal and what you’ve learned. Open to ALL staff and faculty, regardless of gender identity
December 17, 2019 noon-1 pm; Lee’s Garage: CUB 2nd Floor – Deland Campus Book Club Kick Off & Winter Potluck Mixer Sign Up NOW! Join Drs. Rosalie Richards and Lua Hancock as we kick of our winter read.
Bring your favorite lunch dish to share as early as 11:30 am! Coffee and water will be provided. Open to ALL staff and faculty, regardless of gender identity
The first 35 book club participants to sign up at the Deland Campus will receive a free copy of this year’s winter read, Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.Dare to Lead is a “practical playbook” based on research with 150 global C-suite executives. Dr. Brown starts her research by asking what people should do differently to lead during our modern times, when “we’re faced with seemingly intractable challenges and an insatiable demand for innovation.” With strategies extracted from her research, this book challenges readers to lead bravely and courageously.
November 4, 2019 12:00 pm-1 pm, Deland Hall Boardroom RSVP Exploring Your Personal Leadership through Strengths The first 10 participants to sign up receive CliftonStrengthsTM Assessment free. Open to ALL staff and faculty, regardless of gender identity Bring your lunch, a colleague, and your STRENGTHS Assessment.https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1191420036642160646&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.stetson.edu%2Fworld%2Fstetson-chapter-of-the-ace-womens-network-of-florida%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=ed20a2b%3A1601588405575&width=550px
CliftonStrengthsTM empowers you to perform better by doing more of what you naturally do best. Throughout this workshop, you will explore the meaning and application of your personal Strengths to develop a plan to use it to the best of your ability. Additionally, we will dive deeper in the application of Strengths to your leader role in higher education.
Lizzie Dement currently serves as the assistant director of Student Development & Campus Vibrancy at Stetson University where she oversees Student Leadership initiatives and Strengths-Based learning for the institution. Lizzie earned a B.S. in political science & social science at Florida State University, an M.Ed. in higher education & student affairs at the University of South Carolina, and worked previously at Arizona State University. During Lizzie’s time at Stetson University, she worked to help the institution become a Strengths-Based Campus where all incoming undergraduate students take the CliftonStrengthsTM Assessment.
