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Kudos for April: Faculty, staff and student awards, appointments and achievements

Gazebo and the historic bell in spring
The historic bell dates back to 1900 and was once used to signal when it was time to change classes or attend other campus activities. 

Faculty/Staff Recognition

James S. Etim, professor of education, edited a recently published book titled “Teaching Strategies: Perspectives, Challenges and Outcomes.” Muztaba Fuad, associate professor of computer science; Alice Etim, chair and associate professor of Department of Accounting, Economic and Finance; and Beth Day Hairston, chair of the Department of Education, each contributed a chapter to the book. The 297-page book is available through Nova Science Publishers.

Judy Foxworth, professor of physical therapy; Lynn Millar, professor and chair of physical therapy; and Emma White, clinical assistant professor of physical therapy, co-authored a chapter in the 2019 edition of “ACSM's Clinical Exercise Physiology.”

Cynthia Joel, program manager of academic services and assessment for University College and Lifelong Learning (UCaLL), was a panelist for “the Second annual HBCU Best Practices for Student Success,” a webinar presented by UpSwing. Joel talked about how WSSU engages its students to support student learning outcomes as well as how WSSU’s culture contributes to student success.

Joel Lee, assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management, was one of three co-presenters selected as the winner of the Outstanding Presenter Award at the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers 2019 Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Lee co-presented “Signal through the noise: Using a multi-channel approach to reach Gen Z.” The selection of this award is based on the session evaluations, relevance of the topic, and SACRAO Executive Committee recommendations. 

Guy Martin, professor of political science, and Mueni Muiu, associate professor of political science, are the recipients of the African Studies & Research Forum (ASRF) Presidential Award for service to the organization. The award was presented at the 22nd annual ASRF conference, which was held in Durham March 28-30.

Christina Placilla, professor of music, and Gregory Thompson, associate professor of music, performed a recital at Xavier University in New Orleans on March 12.

Darryl Scriven, dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education, has been selected to participate in the 2019-20 Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA) co-sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI). The opening session will be held in Minneapolis in July. WSSU has received a $2,300 grant from AALI toward the cost of the program. 

Quiteya Walker, associate professor of rehabilitation counseling, has been selected to attend the 2019 Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Emerging Leaders Workshop on Oct. 13. She was one of only 20 emerging leaders chosen out of 160 applications. The workshop is designed to help students and faculty members discover how leadership can enhance their own professional development, to enhance the diversity of ACES, and to help engage talented and dedicated leaders with ACES members.

The Department of Social Work sponsored a college day workshop on March 30 to expose 175 area high school students to WSSU. The workshop was held in collaboration with the Department of Admissions, Black Achievers and Latino Achievers of the YMCA, and the African American Males Pursuing Educational Dreams and Hispanic Outreach, both part of the Crosby Scholars program.

Student Recognition

Music majors Tierre Dempsey, of Ahoskie, and Demarcus Oglesby, of Charlotte, were invited presenters at the Third annual International Music by Women Conference in Columbus, Mississippi, on March 7. They presented alongside Associate Professor Gregory Thompson and Professor Christina Placilla on the life and works of American female composer Julia Klumpkey. This presentation was the result of recent work done in the Klumpkey Archive at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.

Gabriel Bottazzi, Nora Zbieranski and Jessica Steen, students in the Master of Science in Health Administration program, participated in the 2019 Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity (MACHE) Interdisciplinary Bowl Competition. The MACHE Bowl requires students to compete with students from other disciplines. Each of the students placed on first-, second- and third-place teams, with Bottazzi’s team winning the first-place prize.   

Students in the History Honor Society presented their research at the Phi Alpha Theta Carolinas Regional conference at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on April 13. WSSU presenters were: Anthony Baxter, a junior African and African-American studies major from Winston-Salem; Brian Davis, a senior history major from Philadelphia; Tyokia Harrison, a junior African and African-American studies major from Capitol Heights, Maryland; Raven Johnson, a senior political science and African and African-American studies major from Queens, New York; Ayana Mitchell, a senior history major from Winston-Salem; Gladys Salas, a senior social work major from Lexington; and Genesis Woods, a junior exercise science major from Greensboro. In addition, Salas won the award for best overall undergraduate paper, and Harrison won an award for the best presentation on a panel. Their faculty advisor is Beau D.J. Gaitors, assistant professor of history.

Seniors and faculty in the Department of Social Work participated in North Carolina Social Work Advocacy Day at the General Assembly in Raleigh on March 6. During their visit, they attended a Senate Committee on Education/Higher Education presentation by Dr. William Roper, interim president of the University of North Carolina System.  

WSSU's Office of Integrated Marketing Communications distributes the Kudos Report monthly as a platform for the university to celebrate and promote the many achievements, successes and contributions of our campus community. Submit a kudos announcement online. 

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