Health Science Graduate Newsletter. Spring 2014 Volume 45, No.1 February 2014

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1 Health Science Graduate Newsletter Spring 2014 Volume 45, No.1 February 2014 All: While the newsletter has snowflakes, the past ten days have gone from the 60 s to unpleasantly cold. In a few days, another polar vortex (along with snow or ice or sleet or everything) is expected. To say we re having weird weather is beyond understatement. Mother Nature s instability can be particularly stressful for graduate students. Many of you have to be on the road before the University makes its decisions about whether evening classes will be held. It also is true that the weather in Towson can be quite different from whatever is happening where you are located. While your graduate coursework is important, personal safety trumps classes. You need to make decisions that maximize your personal safety. Faculty will work with you to accommodate weather-related absences. When the University is closed due to weather, faculty also will be coming up with creative ways to assure that no important work is missed. If you haven t done so already, sign up for the University s text alert system. It can be an extremely helpful way to obtain periodic updates as to whether classes will begin late, are cancelled as well as other timely University updates. It also is a lot simpler than watching the crawl on the bottom of a TV screen! The only late-breaking College news is that the current dean, Charlotte Exner, will be transitioning to a new position as head of the campus Autism Center. Throughout the spring, as the Search Committee identifies its final candidates, students will have an opportunity to listen to and ask questions of those possible deans. If your schedule permits, you are encouraged to attend all of the interview forums. If you have any thoughts regarding the candidates, Dr. Patrick Herbert is our Department s representative on the Search Committee. I m sure he would welcome your perspective as current graduate students.

2 Just as it s hard to believe that we might have more snow next week, it s even harder to believe that it s almost time to register for fall and summer classes. Adrienne has included tentative schedules for both terms as part of the newsletter. Be sure to look them over and discuss choices with your faculty advisor. As our program s veterans know, HLTH classes fill very quickly. If you ve laid the important groundwork with your advisor, you can register for courses with greater ease and the comfort of knowing that you re enrolling in courses accepted toward your Program of Study. Have a wonderful spring whenever that happens We have a winner! Actually two Neil E. Gallagher Endowed Scholarship Congratulations to Chidiebele Agha and Nikkia Willkens, this year s winners of the Neil E. Gallagher Endowed Scholarship. Neil E. Gallagher was a former chair of the Health Science Department and a guiding force to the Health Science Department and to Towson University. With over 30 years of service, Dr. Gallagher had unlimited enthusiasm for students, faculty, alumni and the university community. The intent of this scholarship is to honor Dr. Gallagher by acknowledging deserving Health Science students. Eligible candidates are students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and a declared major in Health Science. Recipients who meet those criteria will be eligible to reapply in successive years. Based on the strength of their applications, it s clear that Chidi and Nikkia are people to follow in their lives after Towson. Congratulations to them both on their accomplishments. We look forward to all the successes ahead for each of them.

3 ASK THE VIRTUAL ADVISOR I just learned that I can take classes on more nights than I had available when I registered for the semester. What do I do if the class I want to take has a waiting list that already is full? Can I go to the first class and ask to be added? Faculty appreciates students interest in their courses. Showing up, however, will make no difference in your registration ability. University policy requires faculty to rely on waiting lists when determining who is and is not eligible for registration. To allow people the opportunity to register before those who acted sooner (and made it on the waiting list) would not be fair. University policy requires that positions always go first to those people on the waiting list. The best way to assure you have the courses you want is to stay mindful of the academic calendar, and act promptly when it s your time to register. Should I be worried about doing a portfolio? I recently came to the program and am concerned about the additional work I have to do for the portfolio. Is the portfolio required? Is there any way I can avoid doing one? Happily, the portfolio involves very little work on students part. As you have the time, take a look at information provided in your Handbook (if you did not retain the one provided at the time you were admitted, a Handbook is posted at the program website). You ll see that the portfolio process revolves around students saving specific work that you will have completed over the course of your Master s studies. You then need only put those documents together along with very brief reflection pieces. You do not redo any of the assignments included in the portfolio. You also remove your name or other identifying information from all of the portfolio s materials. A faculty committee then looks at work completed by students across all our concentration. The goal is to learn about the program s ability to meet its goals. As faculty review portfolios, we can better identify areas that require new emphases, challenges to students, and related curricular matters. Your work is not graded in any way. Instead, the

4 review which is a University requirement informs us about how to better serve our students. While there s no way to avoid a portfolio, the good news is that it is something easily accomplished. I wanted to sign up for an independent study. The catalog doesn t give any information about what they include. Do they cover a particular topic? What s the work load? How I can learn what goes into an independent study? Rather than there being a content menu from which you select, independent studies are driven by students interests. There is no specific description in the catalog because each independent study is a unique opportunity. If you think you d like to pursue an independent study, your best first step is to crystallize what you d like to study. Once you have the general topic area, think about the sorts of assignments you think would best serve those interests as well as how those assignments would be graded. Lastly, think about when you would want to pursue the independent study. Faculty support independent studies during either minimester or summer terms. Once you have given some thought to these concerns, put your ideas together in the form of a draft syllabus. Ask your faculty advisor whether s/he would accept the course as an elective. If you receive a positive reply, then consider which faculty member you d like to serve as your mentor. That position could be but is not limited to your faculty advisor. Once you have the specific person in mind, you would contact that individual and explain your goals. Providing the syllabus will be an excellent way to demonstrate your interest and your focus. If the faculty member agrees to work with you, s/he informs the program director so you can receive the allimportant permit. Since minimester soon will be here, now is an excellent time to consider an independent study as a terrific way to earn academic credits at a time when you otherwise might not have the opportunity. Faculty Profile: Dr. Niya Werts Dr. Niya Werts is an Assistant Professor in the Health Science Department. This semester she is teaching HLTH 220 (Sexuality in a Diverse Society), HLTH 222 (Foundations of Heath Education), and HONRS 240 (International Food and Culture). She will be teaching the graduate course HLTH 627 (Worksite Health Promotion) this summer for all of you who need a timely and fun elective! Dr. Werts was raised on the east coast in various towns and cities between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Master of Science in Exercise and Health Science, and Masters and PhD in Information Systems. She is also a Certified Asian Bodywork Therapist and Licensed Massage Therapist.

5 Dr. Werts began her career as a visiting professor. Seven years later, she is still teaching at the university and describes her experience at Towson University as being an interesting and rewarding experience. She states that Towson continues to evolve in some dynamic and surprising ways. For students currently enrolled in the program, Dr. Werts encourages that they have some clarity about why they decided to be in the program and what they are willing to devote to it (time, energy, the ability to step out of your comfort zone, persistence etc.). She also encourages students to be open to support and constructive critique. In regards to personal health and minimizing stress, she recommends that students get adequate rest, meditate, and stay hydrated. Student Spotlight: Christy Skipper Christy Skipper will complete her Master s in Health Science, with a Health Administration concentration, in May Prior to entering the Master s program, she earned her undergraduate degree in 2005 from Morgan State University. She was born in North Carolina and raised in Annapolis, MD. Christy is currently the Deputy Director of Quality Management for Ryan White Part A funded programs in the Baltimore-Towson area. Christy chose Towson for the Health Science program and the flexibility it offered her as someone with a full time job. Although she took a break between her undergraduate and graduate career, she knew that furthering her education was something she could not afford to put off any longer. While she was gaining the hands-on experience, she knew that the educational foundation would push her closer to attaining her career goals. After completing her degree, Christy hopes to move on to the federal government where she can continue to practice and enhance her quality improvement and quality management skills. As a veteran in the Health Science Master s, Christy recommends that students currently enrolled in the program learn time management skills. With the amount of work that comes with graduate study, time management cannot be underestimated. Start your assignments

6 right away and work on them every day, even if it is only for a few minutes at a time. Nothing feels better than getting an assignment completed ahead of schedule. One of her favorite tips is to reward yourself after a long night of studying or after submitting a tough assignment. Christy says she likes to indulge in her favorite meal or go to her favorite store. You owe yourself the treat after such hard work! A final tip is to trade phone numbers with a classmate in case you miss a class and need to catch up on notes. Alumnus Profile: Chiso Uko Chiso Uko graduated with her Master s of Science in Health Science (Health Administration and Community Health Education) from Towson University on December 20th She is currently employed at Maxim Healthcare Services as a Wellness Administrative Assistant. Chiso describes her Towson experience as exceeding her expectations. She is grateful to everyone who impacted her life. She especially gives thanks to all of her professors for giving her the best education and equipping her with the knowledge she needs to excel in the healthcare field. She is eager to apply what she has learned in the real world. For students currently enrolled in the program, she encourages them to strive for perfection in all of their classes and to never settle for anything less. She pleads for students to not become discouraged by comments they receive on papers. Rather, view the comments as constructive and use then to improve their skills as aspiring health professionals. Chiso s future plans consist of pursuing a doctoral degree in Epidemiology. Upon completion of her PhD., she would like to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When asked if there was one thing she could redo in her graduate career, she stated Nothing. I am content with how I spent my graduate career. Outside of her career, Chiso enjoys TAKING WALKS with God, watching basketball (#Heat), and playing the guitar.

7 Registration Dates ** Summer Registration begins March 6, 2014 ** ** Fall Registration begins April 2, 2014 ** Summer 2014 Schedule TENTATIVE Course Location Day Time Instructor HLTH 435 EPID BASIS DIS & ENVIRON HLTH HLTH 470 HEALTH WORKSHOPS HLTH 570 HEALTH WORKSHOPS HLTH 690 Online N/A N/A Kesha Baptiste- Roberts LIO 117 Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 am Andrea Brace 12:55 LIO 117 Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 am Andrea Brace 12:55 DIRECTED READNGS IN HEALTH HLTH 655 MNG CONF VIO ABU HLTH SER SE HLTH 657 HLTH ADV0 ACR SERV SETTINGS HLTH 501 TEACHING ABOUT DRUGS & SEX HLTH 601 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN LIO 117 Saturday 9:00 am 4:00 LIO 117 Saturday 9:00 am 4:00 LIO 105 Monday/Wednesday 6:30 9:20 LIO 105 Tuesday/Thursday 6:30 9:20 Hubert Nelson Hubert Nelson Deitra Wengert Deitra Wengert

8 SCHOOL HLTH 627 HEALTH AND WORKER PERFORMANCE LIO 102 Tuesday 7:00 9:50 Fall 2014 Schedule TENTATIVE Niya Werts Course Location Day Time Instructor HLTH 505 LI 111 Thursday 4:00 PM 6:40 Donna Cox PM HLTH 551 LI 111 Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 am Andrea Brace 12:15 HLTH 603 LI 117 TBA TBA Aquila Maxwell HLTH 615 LI 104 Tuesday 7:00 PM 9:40 PM HLTH 617 LIO 104 Wednesday 9:00 am 4:00 HLTH 618 LIO 120 Monday 6:00 PM 8:40 PM HLTH 625 LIO 105 Monday 7:00 9:40 Katrina Debnam Wayne Nelson Meghan Bailey Jean Gaines HLTH 651 TBA TBA TBA TBA HLTH 633 LI 119 Tuesday 7:00 9:40 HLTH 639 LI 105 Wednesday 7:00 9:40 HLTH 643 LI 105 Thursday 7:00 9:40 Donna Cox Patrick Herbert Deitra Wengert HLTH 785 LI 105 Tuesday 7:00 9:40 Susan Radius

9 HLTH 647 LI 204 Tuesday 5:00 7:40 Charles Zorn Graduate Assistantship Opening Would you like to become the Fall 14 Graduate Assistant? If so, please complete and submit an on-line application via the following link In order to qualify for the position, graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 while enrolled in the program. The 10 hour a week graduate assistantship position is a great way for you to cover some of your expenses as well as provide professional experience as you pursue your degree. Along with the tuition waiver, you will receive a small stipend. To learn more about this wonderful opportunity, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies website