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Dr. Nasser Paydar		Call to duty Dear Friends, With the hard work of our faculty and staff, along with strong community support, IUPUC has been able to reach new heights in recent semesters. We have grown significantly so that we can have a greater impact on the economic development and quality of life in this region. The new faculty and staff to be added in the next two years will only strengthen our academic programs and the campus as a whole. The recent growth trends in the quantity and quality of our students are projected to continue. Overall, the state of the campus is extremely strong. As many of you know, IU President Adam Herbert has now asked me to help Indiana University by leading the efforts at IU East in Richmond. Feeling obligated to help the university by assisting that campus overcome its challenges, I have accepted this new assignment beginning July 1. In the interim, Dr. Jay Howard has agreed to serve as the next vice chancellor and dean of IUPUC. Dr. Howard, professor of sociology, currently heads the Division of Liberal Arts at IUPUC, and is one of the most highly respected faculty members within Indiana University. I congratulate Dr. Howard and know that IUPUC’s forward momentum will continue under his leadership. It has been a great pleasure serving this region, and I thank you for your continued support of IUPUC. Nasser H. Paydar, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor and Dean

Dr. Jay Howard		Howard to serve as interim vice chancellor and dean Dr. Jay Howard, professor of sociology and head of the IUPUC Division of Liberal Arts, has been named interim vice chancellor and dean of IUPUC, effective July 1. He will take over for Dr. Nasser H. Paydar, who will manage IU East as interim chancellor. Howard has been with IUPUC since 1992. He said his major focus in his new position will be student retention. “One thing that is an issue in higher education is retaining students through degree completion. The research tells us that students are retained when they make connections with others on campus,” he said. “At a commuter campus like IUPUC, those connections will be made, not exclusively, but first and foremost in the classroom. We have to have outstanding teachers.” “We also need to continue to increase the number of majors and degrees offered in Columbus to give students more reasons to not only begin at IUPUC, but to finish at IUPUC,” Howard said. Though he will miss being in the classroom himself, Howard said he is excited about the opportunity because “IUPUC is poised for growth.” “Nasser has provided incredible leadership over the past three-and-a-half years,” he said. “Our campus is much stronger as a result of his vision, tireless efforts, and ability to engage the community in support of IUPUC.” “I also acknowledge the role our faculty and staff have played in our success,” he added. “IUPUC is its people.” Howard, a native of Mishawaka, earned a B.A. from Indiana University South Bend and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Notre Dame. His research interests, which deal with religion and popular culture, have led to a popular book entitled “Apostles of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music” (co-authored with John M. Streck). An inspired teacher, Howard has won several teaching awards, including the IU President’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2001). In 2006-07, he served as president of the North Central Sociological Association and president of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation Board of Trustees. “Dr. Howard’s service to the campus and the community is exemplary,” said Paydar. “IUPUC will be in good hands.”

Melissa Anderson, BSN		IUPUC nursing program graduates first BSNs The IU School of Nursing program at IUPUC reached a milestone at last month’s commencement day ceremony, honoring its first 11 bachelor’s degree recipients. A few years ago, a regional study indicated the need for BSN-level nurses for area hospitals, and IUPUC began working with the medical community to develop a program on campus. The first group entered the program in 2004. “It’s a very flexible program,” said Susan Adler, academic advisor for IUPUC’s Division of Nursing. “Students may take a semester off if their work or life circumstances require them to. That’s really kind of the beauty of the program, to offer that flexibility since our students are non-traditional.” Students also have the option of completing some of the coursework online, making it easier for students to balance work, family, and education. Melissa Anderson earned her associate degree through IU Kokomo in 2001 and moved to the Columbus area that August. She is the emergency department manager at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour. “Since I got my ASN through IU, I really wanted to get my BSN through IU, too, if at all possible,” she said. “It was nice to be able to get an IU nursing degree close by.” For Leah Knight, furthering her education was necessary to maintain an administrative position she held at a private psychiatric facility in Columbus. The Shelby County resident considered the nursing program at IUPUI, but learned of the IUPUC BSN program in the process. Since she worked in Columbus at the time, earning her BSN at IUPUC was more convenient. While completing the program, Leah took a position as a community psychiatric nurse at Midtown Community Mental Health Center in Indianapolis, but decided to stay with the IUPUC BSN program. The availability of an online option meant she could balance her work life and family life. As medical technology changes and the need for pharmaceutical knowledge increases, earning a BSN in nursing is becoming more important, said Cherona Hajewski, senior vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Columbus Regional Hospital. Hajewski has also served on the IUPUC Board of Advisors since 1993 and has been involved with the Division of Nursing throughout her career at CRH. She said helping IUPUC start the BSN program was exciting and one of the more rewarding projects she’s been involved with in her time at CRH. “This has been a real win-win for all of us,” she said. “We are addressing the local needs for nurses very well currently.” Nurses, like any other group of professionals, want to advance their careers. Earning the BSN is an important step in that process, and the ability to achieve it locally makes it more accessible for more nurses in the region. “They want to be in charge of their futures,” Hajewski said. “They know education will open more doors for them.” Debra Harmon, head of IUPUC’s Division of Nursing, said, “For some of the students, I am sure there is relief to be finished and for others it is just another hurdle to an even bigger professional goal.” “There are several ASN graduates that are starting the RN to BSN program at IUPUC this summer,” Harmon said. “There are also several BSN graduates that are starting the MSN program at IUPUI this summer. It’s wonderful to see students continue their professional education.” Leah has already started her Master’s in Adult Mental Health at IUPUI. Likewise, fellow BSN graduate Teresa Miller is considering a Master’s in Nursing Education from IUPUI. “One of the biggest reasons I earned my BSN was to have more opportunities,” Teresa said.

Sandy Beach-Gillespie and one of her Kenyan students		Education students gain worldly perspective teaching abroad After spending 10 weeks student teaching first graders in Kenya, Sandy Beach-Gillespie said she will never look at her students the same. The 2007 IUPUC education graduate returned just in time for commencement, a day she had been looking forward to for some time. The next day, Sandy, her daughter, Tara, and two granddaughters visited friends in the IUPUC Division of Education to share some highlights from Sandy’s experience in Kenya. “It’s just a different world there,” Sandy said. “You can’t even imagine what it’s like. I learned to love every one of them. It was tough to let that guard down and love them knowing I would have to leave. They just bore holes in my heart.” She and her husband, David, plan to return to Kenya next summer to work with a women’s group and to teach carpentry and sewing to young men and women. Whether teaching in Africa where students lack some of the things we take for granted or teaching in America where the standard of living is much higher, one of Sandy’s classroom goals is universal: “I want to do my best to give my students the best start possible.” Student teaching in Kenya has become a trend for IUPUC student teaching placements. Dr. Henry Wakhungu, a former full-time professor in the Division of Education and native of Kenya, has inspired many students to fulfill their student teaching placements abroad. “They go to my home village and talk to people who knew me as a little boy,” explained Wakhungu, who works with cultural immersion at IU Bloomington. He said the interest to student teach in Kenya is always high at IUPUC and other IU campuses, but sometimes family circumstances or the expense of the trip prevent students from following through with their interest. “Hopefully we will have more scholarships available in the future,” he said. IUPUC education student Dorvin Bailey is at the same school in Kenya and arrived shortly after Sandy’s departure. “I chose Kenya because it’s more family friendly,” Dorvin said. Just as Sandy had, Dorvin took along someone very close to him: his 11-year-old son, Jobey. His son will attend school in Kenya while there and took letters from his classmates here to give to the Kenyan students. When Jobey and his father return later this summer, he will bring letters back to give to his class here, hoping to establish many pen-pal relationships. “In America, we have such diversity in classrooms anymore,” Dorvin said. “To go there and bring something back was appealing to me.” Several IUPUC education students have already committed to student teach at the school in Kenya in upcoming semesters. “I look forward to teaching the students,” Dorvin said before leaving for Kenya. “That’s what I’ve worked for for three years. To see these kids every day and to get to know them and see them grow as individuals…to me that’s exciting.”

Laura Waelbroeck and Tess Baker		Networking with MBA grad leads to summer internship for IUPUC undergrad Tess Baker wanted to do something professionally that made her happy. So, as she approached her senior year at IUPUC, the accounting and finance major asked her career management instructor to recommend someone for her to speak with about the field. Her instructor, Jeff Hittler, had the perfect person in mind: fellow IU MBA Columbus graduate Laura Waelbroeck. Laura, a financial analyst for Cummins Inc. with bachelor's and master's degrees in aeronautical engineering from Purdue, arranged an hour-long lunch with Tess. They met, they ate, they talked. And talked. And talked. Two hours later, Laura offered Tess an internship. “About three-fourths through lunch, I realized that she would be a great fit for the intern role I needed to fill for my finance group,” Laura added. “To be honest, neither one of us realized that I had just spent an hour interviewing her.” When Laura offered the internship, Tess accepted without hesitation. “We instantly connected,” she said. Despite the new situation, Tess was at ease when she started the internship in mid-May. She attributes her confidence to that first meeting with Laura, along with their shared values and work ethics. One of those shared values is balancing work life and family life. Tess and her husband have a 13-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter and Laura and her husband have three children, ages 11, 5, and 3. Tess, who came to IUPUC with an associate degree, hopes to gain valuable experience this summer. “I look forward to learning as much as I possibly can,” Tess said. “I want to come out of this feeling like I contributed. I want to leave my mark.” Laura is confident she will do just that. “Every student needs opportunities to show what they have learned and what they can achieve, and this is my chance to open a door and give back for what others have taught me,” Laura said. She added, “Having this connection to IUPUC by hiring a business student for an internship is quite special and really just icing on the cake. I know I am getting a hard-working, driven student with high goals and values that match my own, as well as offering an opportunity for someone who needs a chance, just like I did.” Tess is excited about the internship and the chance to strengthen her work experience in the finance field. She is on schedule to complete her bachelor’s degree in December, but, if she can continue bridging to a future career, she might spread out her course load and finish in May 2008.

		Upcoming IUPUC Events Summer 2007 Kids Science & Technology Camp This camp will excite elementary school children (grades 3-6) about math, science, engineering, technology and teamwork using LEGO™ bricks, robotics, and aviation as teaching tools. June 26-29, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. IUPUC Cost: $10 per camper More information: 812-314-8734 (registration) or 812-348-7203 (itinerary) Register by June 15 at www.columbusctl.com Discover IUPUC Program for prospective non-traditional students to learn more about IUPUC. July 28, 10 a.m. – Noon IUPUC, Learning Center More information: 812-348-7311

IUPUC nursing students at their recognition ceremony		IUPUC News & Notes Just before graduating last month, an IU MBA Columbus team won an international competition of the Business Strategy Game, an online simulation exercise where teams of students run an athletic footwear company in head-to-head competition against companies run by students from around the world. The team, which won the campus competition as well, included Jayne Farber, senior vice president in Wealth Management Group at Old National Bank; John Sandlin, engineer at Toyota Industrial; and Jimmy Hopkins, manager BIS Tech Support at Batesville Casket Company. The IUPUC Division of Business also holds an undergraduate Business Strategy Game competition, and this year’s winners were Victoria Bryant, Rikki Laudick, and Kirby Shelton. All three graduated from IUPUC in May. A recognition ceremony for graduates of the IU School of Nursing at IUPUC was held in the Learning Center Lecture Hall on May 10. Cherona Hajewski, senior vice president, Patient Care Services at Columbus Regional Hospital, addressed the 11 BSN students, 27 ASN students, and their guests.