Health Science Graduate Newsletter

Transcription

1 Health Science Graduate Newsletter Fall 2012 Volume 43, No.2 September 2012 Welcome back: With the start of the academic year, it s not surprising to find something new on campus. This year, there s more than the usual quota of newness for us all. Perhaps the most obvious new thing is the Health Science Department s location. Burdick Hall is slated for major renovations. In anticipation of those changes, the Health Science Department, Nursing and the Office of Collaborative Programs moved to Linthicum Hall. Those of you taking summer classes saw the moving process as it unfolded. Thanks in no small part to the help of Ms. Donna Rettaliata (Health Science s administrative assistant), our move was virtually problem free. Furniture found its way to classrooms. Offices had phones and computers reconnected. And crate upon crate of files and books made their way to new homes in Linthicum. While we are still becoming accustomed to the building, everyone seems to have begun to settle in, and to enjoy the freshness of our new home. If you ve walked around Linthicum, you ll have seen that its renovations are not yet fully complete. Those parts of the building where you ll be most involved, however, are ready for us. With the move to Linthicum, we also have some new office arrangements. The majority of the Health Science Department faculty now is located in the LI100 complex. Because of this configuration, you ll no longer have direct access to faculty offices as was the case in Burdick Hall. Instead, you ll be going through the main Health Science Department Office to meet your faculty member. The Master s program resides in LI106, a few doors down from the main HLTH office. To visit Linthicum, it s best to park in the same garage used when we were in Burdick Hall. Depending upon how much exercise you want, one can walk to Linthicum via sidewalks. Alternatively, you can go through the new College of Liberal Arts (CLA) building. Enter CLA on its second floor (which you can enter almost directly from the parking structure s second floor). Walk or take the elevator to the building s third floor. The exit at the building s end, walking toward Linthicum (i.e., away from Burdick), will position you at the back entrance to Linthicum Hall. On cold or rainy days, the CLA approach promises to keep you warmer and drier. Given Linthicum s location, you ll be better positioned to take advantage of the CLA Snack Bar as well as the Starbucks located in Cook Library.

2 Among our other new things, Dr. Maggie Reitz is serving as the interim Department chairperson. Dr. Reitz (whom you ll meet in this newsletter) has an extensive history with Towson and is a valuable addition to our faculty. We are lucky to have her at the helm. In addition, the Department expects to launch a new approach for registration in Spring 13 sections of HLTH615, 625 and 785. Rather than continued reliance upon the permit system for these classes, PeopleSoft is to be programmed such that only those people who meet terms of the class (i.e., what we previously checked when you requested a permit) will be able to register. In addition, the computer system will maintain automatic wait lists for all classes. As with any new approach, there is always caution. I look forward to your feedback as the new approach unfolds. HLTH691 and 695 will continue to operate by permit only. Enjoy the weather of the moment. If the forecasters are to be believed, we re in store for an interesting winter. I hope you have a wonderful semester. DrR Faculty Profile: Dr. Maggie Reitz Dr. Maggie Reitz has been serving as interim chairperson for the Health Science Department since this past summer. She is also the chairperson of the Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science Department, and has been enjoying that position for the past 15 years. Dr. Reitz is not teaching any courses this semester, but she has taught research courses in the past. She misses teaching, and hopes to get back to it soon! As a result of her father being in the Air Force, Dr. Reitz and her family moved around frequently when she was growing up. She was born in Michigan, and not long after, her family moved to England. Her family eventually moved back to the States and settled in Massachusetts. When she was in the third grade, Dr. Reitz s family moved to Maryland. She grew up in Prince George s County, and now calls Columbia, MD home. Dr. Reitz received both her Occupational Therapy Bachelor s and Master s degrees from Towson University. She also has a PhD in Health Education from the University of Maryland College Park. Prior to working at Towson University, Dr. Reitz worked for 10 years in Occupation Therapy and Senior Occupational Therapy at Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Washington, D.C. In her position, she worked in acute care with adults who had physical disabilities. Dr. Reitz has many areas of interest in health science, including the role occupational therapy plays in health promotion. She explored this interest when she, along with the

3 help of a Graduate student, worked in a Baltimore jail in the women s pre trial detention section. They worked to ease the transition of inmates into jail, and to decrease violence on the unit. More specifically, they studied how the inmates occupations could be used to ease the transition into jail. Outside of health science, Dr. Reitz enjoys many hobbies, including visiting wineries and traveling. She enjoys visiting her family who reside in England, and has even been to China and Hong Kong! She has been invited multiple times by the Chinese government to consult and lecture on the developments of occupational therapy education. Dr. Reitz encourages Towson University students to take advantage of the activities that are available on campus, including theater and athletic events. Maintaining a balance between academics and student life is very important. Dr. Reitz believes that maintaining that balance will decrease stress, and allow for healthier Health Science students! Alumnus Profile: Lewis Lebrun Mr. Lewis Lebrun is both an alumnus of Towson University and a faculty member in the Health Science Department. He received both his Bachelor s degree in Business and Master s degree in Health Administration from Towson. He is an adjunct professor, and has worked in the Health Science Department for the past seven years. This semester, he is teaching HLTH631 Program Planning in Health Care. Mr. Lebrun has lived in Maryland his entire life, and was born and raised in Baltimore County. He chose Towson because it was close to both work and home. Towson also offered the right courses for the advancement of his career in the health administration field. Because most senior level positions in the health care industry require a Master s degree, receiving his graduate education from Towson s Health Science program has greatly assisted in Mr. Lebrun s promotional opportunities. Within the field of health science, Mr. Lebrun is most interested in statistical analysis, health care benefit consulting, and wellness, particularly exercise physiology. Outside of health science, he enjoys theater, traveling, and politics. Mr. Lebrun also enjoys activities such as bicycling, and relaxing on the beach. He encourages Health Science students to learn to be flexible, write with impeccable precision, be creative, and work harder than everyone else they know!

4 Student Profile: Bashirah Moore Bashirah Moore is currently in her third year of the Health Science Master s Program at Towson University. She anticipates graduating with her Master s in Health Science with concentrations in Health Administration and Community Health Education in December She received her Bachelor s degree in Community Health from the University of Maryland College Park. Bashirah has enjoyed all of the classes she has taken so far in the program, especially HLTH 615 and HLTH 618. She hopes to combine her knowledge and skills with her community health background to be a well rounded program manager. Bashirah enjoys health policy, and strongly believes that access to health resources can be improved through legislative changes. She has a true passion for community education, particularly working with underserved populations. Currently, Bashirah is working as a full time Environmental Health Educator for a non profit organization. She also recently became CHES certified! Outside of health science, Bashirah enjoys volunteering with women and children who are transitioning into becoming independent families. She helps provide life skills training, which include bill and budget management, healthy eating, goal setting, and interview skill building. In her spare time, Bashirah detoxes by working out, cooking, traveling, and running her own business. Congratulations to Our Summer 2012 Graduates! Megan Blakeley Tara Buecker Angela Eshleman Sara Foote Ashley Fried Joy Hall Kimberlee Hartwell Amanda Hawver Nancy Poznak Imane Sene Jessica Smith Francesca Weaks Tara Williams

5 Great News for the Health Field! According to a recent study conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 5.6 million new health care jobs will be created over the next eight years. The health care industry will account for 13% of all jobs, and post secondary education in health care will be in great demand! For more information, and the Healthcare report, go to: News from The Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) SOPHE's 63rd Annual Meeting October 25 27, 2012 Grand Hyatt San Francisco Hotel San Francisco, CA 16th Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit March 2 4, 2013 Washington, DC In collaboration with the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations (CNHEO) and Partner Organizations. SOPHE's 64th Annual Meeting April 17 19, 2013 Orlando, FL SOPHE's 2012 Midyear Scientific Conference A Success! Tuning Up Health Promotion: New Lyrics across the Lifespan April 11-14, 2012 Sheraton Music City Hotel Nashville, TN

6 ASK THE VIRTUAL ADVISOR What is CHES and should I be worried that I don t have it? To be a CHES is to qualify as a Certified Health Education Specialist. Managed by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC), the CHES designation is intended to distinguish those people who have passed the NCHEC examination and who (after passing the exam) maintain their currency in the field by securing continuing education. In a growing number of states, employment opportunities carry the stipulation: CHES required or CHES preferred. To learn more about the credential, the test and what the designation can do for your professional development, go to Indicative of our program s quality, every credit you earn as a Master s candidate is NCHEC approved for CHES credit. If you now have or acquire your CHES while a Master s candidate, look out for regular s at the end of each semester. At that time, we collect necessary information from all CHES students to assure that their CHES records reflect their earned continuing education credits. I m new to the program. I overheard somebody talking about his Master s portfolio. Can you help me figure out what it is and how I go about having one? A Master s portfolio is something which you construct, not a particular item provided to you by the Department. Depending upon your enrollment history, early in your program (typically in HLTH615), you will receive a binder intended to serve as the holder of your portfolio. The portfolio s content is a collection of work from courses you will have taken throughout your Master s career. In addition, the student provides several reflective pieces, all very brief, regarding the work which is included. Portfolios are submitted to the Program Director during a student s last semester as a Master s student. Due dates are posted in the Handbook. A panel of Health Science faculty reviews each portfolio to determine how the program fares in meeting its objectives. They do not know who submitted the portfolio as the work is reviewed anonymously. Faculty also do not grade the portfolio. Rather they are interested in providing both the Department and the University with feedback on program assessment. For further information about the portfolio s specifics, go to the Master s Handbook accessible to you online at the program s website.

7 ** Minimester Registration begins Monday, October 8, 2012 ** ** Spring Registration begins Tuesday, November 6, 2012 ** Spring 2013 Schedule TENTATIVE Course Location Day Time INSTRUCTOR HLTH 601 LI 105 R PM WENGERT HLTH 615 LI 104 M/W PM RADIUS HLTH 617 LI 117 S 9:00 AM 1:40 PM NELSON HLTH 618 LI 105 M PM BAILEY HLTH 625 TBA M PM AGLEY HLTH 637 LI 117 W PM NELSON HLTH 639 LI 117 M PM WERTS HLTH 645 LI 120 W PM ALT HLTH 649 LI 107 R 6:30 9:10 PM AGLEY HLTH 651 TBA M 6:00 8:40 PM STAFF HLTH 691 TBA TBA TBA STAFF HLTH 695 TBA TBA TBA STAFF HLTH 785 LI 104 R PM RADIUS

8 Minimester 2013 Schedule TENTATIVE Course Location Day Time INSTRUCTOR HLTH 619 LI 102 R 5:30 9:30 PM STAFF HLTH 653 LI 107 M/W 5:00 9:00 PM ALT HLTH 655 LI 117 S 9:00 AM 4:00 PM NELSON HLTH 691 TBA TBA TBA STAFF HLTH 695 TBA TBA TBA STAFF ATTENTION EVERYONE! DID YOU MOVE? CHANGE YOUR LAST NAME? CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS OR CONTACT INFORMATION? If you answered YES to any of these questions, you may be missing out on important information regarding your graduate education including: Employment Opportunities Permit Availability Graduation Requirements Program of Study Forms The Graduate Program in Health Science relies primarily on for communication with students. If your information is not up to date, you may be missing out. Updating your information with the University is not enough. Please send your updated contact information to the Health Science Department via to Rachel Hart, Health Science Graduate Assistant, at [email protected].

9 Public Health Education Job Opportunities on the Internet American Public Health Association PA Public Health Association Society for Public Health Education PA Department of Health Centers for Disease Control Health Education Professional Resources Riley Guide Northern Arizona University, Career Services Department UNC Chapel Hill