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UNIVERSITY NEWS Social Worker Earns Lifetime Achievement Award The National Association of Social Workers Pennsylvania (NASW-PA) Chapter has honored West Chester’s Three Distinguished Alumni Address WCU Graduates Three distinguished alumni addressed close to 900 undergraduates and 223 master’s degree candidates during this year’s mid-winter ceremonies. Alan J. Butcher ’88 spoke to undergraduates during the morning ceremony, while Donald E. Leisey ’59, a recipient of the President’s Medallion for Service, addressed the afternoon commencement audience. The following evening, Bernard Carrozza ’66, secretary of the University’s Council of Trustees, addressed the graduate degree candidates. With more than 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry Alan Butcher, vice president of business and corporate development at Endo Pharmaceuticals,has played a role in the development of three currently marketed anti-viral medicines. Prior to joining Endo, he directed GlaxoSmithKline’s worldwide business development transactions and was co-leader for the largest single asset deal transacted in pharmaceutical history. Butcher earned a bachelor of science in clinical microbiology and a master of arts in molecular biology/genetics from West Chester and an M.B.A. from Cornell University. A visionary in entrepreneurial education, Donald E. Leisey founded The Report Card, an educational resource store and co-founded and is co-director of the International Academy of Educational Entrepreneurship. He taught in Coatesville, Pa., earned his master’s of school administration from Villanova University and became a principal in Downingtown. He spent several years as a school principal in Japan with the Department of Defense Overseas Dependent Schools, then relocated to California, becoming a principal, then superintendent of schools in San Rafael. He earned his doctorate from the University of Southern California. After retiring, he acquired the Merryhill Country School in Sacramento in 1981, building it from a private school for 200 students to a system of 22 for-profit schools with 8,000 students. An early supporter of WCU’s Institute for Educational Excellence and Entrepreneurship (3E) and a founding member of the 3E Advisory Council, Donald Leisey coauthored The Educational Entrepreneur: Making a Difference. Today, he serves on the boards for various corporations and institutions, including the West Chester University Foundation. With a career in education spanning over four decades, Bernard Carrozza has served in a number of positions in both secondary and higher education. For 17 of those years, he was with the Upper Darby School District, first as assistant superintendent for personnel and public infor- mation and ultimately, as the district’s overall superintendent. In 2002, he joined the academic administration at Delaware County Community College where he served as assistant to the dean for technical education, director of the school’s Applied Engineering Technology program and as project administrator for a community based job training grant. Over the years, Carrozza Bernard J. Carrozza ’66, secretary of WCU’s Council of Trustees. has received accolades for his contributions and leadership in education, as a past recipient of the Pennsylvania Department of Education Workforce Leadership Award, a “National Award of Merit” from Partnerships in Education, a workshop service award from American Education Week, and a “Leaders of American Secondary Education” award. A member of the University’s Council of Trustees since 1981, Carrozza also has served in several leadership capacities on the board, most recently as secretary. In 1991, he received West Chester University’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In addition to his undergraduate degree in elementary education from West Chester, Carrozza earned his master’s in counseling and guidance and an Ed.D. in educational psychology from Temple University. Kean Spencer, cofounder and president of Eastern Research Services, also received a President’s Medallion for Service. He is a founding member and current chair of West Chester University’s Poetry Center Advisory Board. He endowed the Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards for the University’s Poetry Center and Conference. The awards include the Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award, the Myong Cha Son Haiku Award, and the Donald Justice Poetry Prize. FAR LEFT: Recipient of the President’s Medallion for Service Donald E. Leisey ’59 with Nadine Bean, Ph.D., LCSW, with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her many professional social work leadership roles that demonstrate commitment to advocacy and social justice. She was president of the Chapter from 2005 to 2007. An associate professor of graduate social work, Bean is a disaster mental health services volunteer with the American Red Cross. Her first deployment was in New York City after 9/11. She has also worked extensively in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and set up a drop-in center for emotional, social and spiritual support services in the devastated Lower 9th Ward. Lawrence Davidson, an Army veteran who became the WCU Veterans Center coordinator last spring as he completed his bachelor’s degree in history here, is one of the many people whose lives Bean has influenced. He vouches for Bean’s prowess as instructor and social worker – and now mentor. While taking her winter 2012 week-long course “Social Work with Veterans and Military Families: A Resilience and Trauma Informed Approach,” he was so inspired that he switched post-graduate programs and is now pursuing his master’s degree in social work. “This was my first exposure to the field of social work and its practitioners,” Davidson explained. “I had no idea it would change the course of my studies and career.” For his post-graduate work and his role with the Veterans Center, Davidson was seeking faculty and a master’s program that would best fit the [requirements] of serving this unique population. “ Dr. Bean exhibited to me that social work was an academic pursuit, but was driven by an unabashed and deep sense of human empathy and dignity,” says Davidson. “After all of her field experience, her research and extensive knowledge, she wanted to hear and learn from the experiences of the students. The assignments reflected this fusion of academic research and personal reflection. “I am not sure what other quality you would like in an educator.” Since 9/11, Bean has been working with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces Division and is a Red Cross trainer in psychological first aid for military families. She has conducted training for both ARC and The Soldiers Project, a national group of licensed mental health professionals Nadine Bean who provide pro bono counseling services to veterans and their families. President Weisenstein. LEFT: During WCU’s mid-winter commencement, (l to r): commencement speaker J. Alan Butcher ’88, M’92; President Weisenstein; and Kean Spencer, a recipient of the President’s Medallion for Service. 2 West Chester University Winter/SP RING 2 012 3

McKinney entered the public relations field when she was tapped to be press secretary for Washington Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who, at the time, was running for election for her first term in Congress in 1990. In 1992, she signed the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as a continuous retainer client from 1992-2007. During that time, McKinney accumulated a client list of other NGOs, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the Metropolitan Washington Council/ AFL-CIO, the TransAfrica Forum, and Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington. Today, the agency focuses on criminal justice advocacy, particularly issues surrounding the death penalty and race, as well as civil rights and environmental issues and is exploring involvement in health and health equality issues and labor rights. During this year’s Martin Luther King. Jr. brunch (l to r): President Weisenstein; Katherine Norris, president of the Frederick Douglass Society; Drum Major for Justice Award recipients Gwen McKinney ’76 and Broadus W. Davis ’76, M’86; and Skip Hutson, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Two Distinguished Alumni Honored at Martin Luther King, Jr. Brunch This January more than 200 members of the campus and borough community joined together to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to honor two “Drum Majors for Justice” during the University’s 19th annual campus brunch. The reference to “drum major for justice” is taken from one of Dr. King’s sermons, in which he talked about his life and how he hoped to be remembered: “If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness.” This year’s honorees were two distinguished WCU alumni: educator Broadus Davis and public relations and marketing professional Gwen McKinney. Broadus Davis retired in June 2011 from the Bristol Borough School District and today serves as the acting superintendent in the Franklin Township School District in Hunterdon County, N.J. During his 35 years of public school service, Davis has taught at the elementary, middle and high school level and held administrative positions at all levels. He began his teaching career in the Bristol Borough School District in 1976 after completing his undergraduate education degree. He taught socially and emotionally disturbed children in the fourth through sixth grades, designing a program to help them develop a positive attitude. In the early 1980s, he taught at Bristol High School, where he developed a program to aid disturbed students. He influenced students on the playing fields as well, serving as a head varsity coach in basketball, football and track and field in middle school. After 16 years as a spe- 4 West Chester University cial education teacher and football coach, he went to the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant lightweight football coach. Following his service in the navy, Davis earned an associate of arts degree from Bucks County Community College and both his bachelor’s and master’s in education at West Chester University. After completing his doctorate in educational leadership at Immaculata University, he began his career as a school administrator, serving twice as an assistant principal, principal and superintendent of schools. Gwen McKinney owns McKinney & Associates, the first Washington, D.C.-based African-American and woman-owned public relations firm that expressly focuses on social justice marketing. In addition to its strategic communications partnership with the Robert Wood Foundation, her firm serves as a strategic counselor and managing partner for the Foundation’s Capital portfolio. McKinney established her connections to philanthropic and social ventures shortly after graduation from West Chester, when she spent the late 1970s covering issues affecting the African-American community in Philadelphia for the Tribune. She later became a columnist and Washington correspondent for several minority-owned newspapers, had articles syndicated in newspapers across the nation by the National Newspaper Publishers Association and wrote for Essence and Black Enterprise. In 1980, she founded and directed the Namibia Information Service, a special project supported by the United Nations that disseminated news to the U.S. media and non-governmental organizations on developments in Namibia during the period before the U.N.-supervised elections and independence. She became involved with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa during that time and co-founded and was national co-coordinator for the National Alliance of Third World Journalists, an association of U.S. journalists and media professionals. Troops to Teachers Opens Regional Office at WCU Program to serve military personnel in Pennsylvania, New York West Chester University has been designated as a regional office for “Troops to Teachers,” assisting eligible military personnel in Pennsylvania and New York to begin new careers as school teachers in targeted public schools. Besides receiving counseling, information on the teacher certification process and employment leads within those states; the candidates have access Retired U.S. Army Colonel Vanessa Barron to other resources, including a mentoring program that pairs interested applicants with other veterans who have become certified teachers through the program. “The University is proud to become a Troops to Teachers regional office,” says WCU president Greg Weisenstein. “Through this highly valuable program veterans are able to secure their future and continue to serve the country in new and expanding roles.” Program manager for the regional office, retired U.S. Army Colonel Vanessa Barron, points to the value of “Troops to Teachers” for both veterans and school districts. “These teachers not only are prepared in terms of the curriculum, they bring structure, leadership and cultural sensitivity to the classroom. “Veterans serve as strong role models for their students and can help alleviate the shortage of qualified teachers in math, science, special education, and other critical subject areas,” she says. Financial assistance in the form of stipends up to 5000 is available to eligible individuals to help pay for teacher certification costs or as bonuses of 10,000 to teach in schools serving a high percentage of students from low-income families. Osgood Named to Fulbright Specialist Roster Assistant professor of political science Jeffrey Osgood has been named to an elite group of scholars in the Fulbright Specialists Roster, a national program that places leaders from higher education and industry in global collaborations that strengthen the positions of U.S. institutions. The Council for International Exchange of Scholars, which administers the Fulbright Scholar Program, receives requests from host institutions overseas seeking specialists, then contacts those canAssistant professor of political science Jeffrey Osgood didates on the roster with the most relevant professional experience to ascertain their interest and availability for the grant opportunity. A member of WCU’s faculty since 2009, Osgood is associate director of the University’s Center for Social and Economic Policy Research, which serves business, community agencies and government with research in health, economic development and outreach. New Concentration Prepares Chiropractors Students in West Chester’s exercise science program have a new option if they want to pursue a career in alternative medicine: a pre-chiropractic concentration. This past fall, the University forged an articulation agreement with Texas Chiropractic College, one of the country’s leaders in chiropractic healthcare. The agreement ensures WCU graduates acceptance into TCC’s doctor of chiropractic program for those who maintain their grades. “Chiropractic is one of the leading alternative medicine professions,” says Sheri Melton, assistant chair of the kinesiology department. “According to the 2009 National Health Statistics Report, it accounts for approximately 8 billion per year in health care expenditures.” Melton, who teaches exercise physiology, expects that as it grows, the program will achieve the popularity of the department’s pre-physical therapy and pre-occupational therapy concentrations. Already, she says, pre-chiropractic students are impressing educators beyond the University and career prospects are excellent. “According to the 2010-11 Edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook (Bureau of Labor Statistics), employment of chiropractors is expected to increase 20 percent between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. So the future looks bright for our graduates in this program,” says Melton. Located in Pasadena, Texas, Texas Chiropractic College is the fourth oldest of all chiropractic colleges in the United States and the second to enter into an articulation agreement with West Chester. New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, N.Y., inked an agreement when the prechiropractic program was approved in 2010. Winter/SP RING 2 012 5

Student Musicians in China UNIVERSITY NEWS Online from Poland When West Chester University professor Ola Kopacz began teaching her “Communication Research” course in late January, she was thousands of miles from campus and Ola Kopacz the 75 students who had enrolled in her class. A member of the University’s Communication Studies faculty, Kopacz, is using a variety of web technologies to teach a course on research methods this semester from her native Poland to students at the University. “The course is not going to be a typical in-classroom experience, “she explains, “but, I expect to have even more enriching communications with each one of the students.” In preparing the course, Kopacz had to address a number of challenges, not the least being the level of difficulty of the curriculum and the need to establish a supportive learning environment long distance. To allow for more individual instruction, Kopacz pre-recorded lectures that she normally would conduct in person. “That portion of time I would spend in class every week, I can spend coaching each student.” By polling her students in advance of the official start of the course, Kopacz was able to establish the best times for the whole group to meet as a “virtual” class using Winba. Through “ConnectYard,” she is able to automatically notify students in ways they most prefer – whether through email, text messages, Facebook, Twitter or other social media. And, she is hosting her office hours on Skype so students can communicate with her easily using their computers, laptops and smart phones. 6 West Chester University The course appears to be off to a good start. While not required, attendance in three live class sessions via Skype had close to perfect attendance. Rui Li, WCU’s director of distance education, notes that Kopacz’s course is debunking a common criticism of online education. “Ola’s class shows that the concern over a lack of personal interaction between the students and faculty member in an online course can be alleviated if lessons are carefully designed with appropriate technologies and instructional strategies,” she explains. The course, which is required of all Communication Studies majors, examines different research methods and develops students’ ability to assess the quality and validity of information from a variety of sources. At the course’s conclusion, students must produce a formal research proposal, based on either qualitative or quantitative research methods they have learned in the course. “From the outset of the course, we explore each student’s individual research interests,” explains Kopacz. “Based on the topic they would like to research, students utilize the research design that best fits their proposal.” The students are directed to post their reflections on a discussion board much like posting on Facebook so their classmates and Kopacz can personally respond to each post. “Students can explore what they really care about, and I can help them focus in on a topic they might find interesting to research,” she explains. With an online class, Kopacz believes she can create a meaningful education experience with 75 or 100 students that would be impossible in a regular classroom. While this is Nick Alexander’s first experience with “Professor Kopacz has an online course, the sophomade it very easy to more says he’s learning his access all information way around it pretty quickly. needed to succeed in “Professor Kopacz obviously developed a well planned the course. Being a mom schedule so you aren’t conand a student, I have a fused with where you are in very busy schedule. This the course,” says Alexander. course has made it pos“It’s nice to be able to complete assignments on my own sible for me to continue time and know that she’s my degree.” always accessible.” For at least one student, the — Vikki Edmond, Student arrangement has been critical to her completing her education. “Professor Kopacz has made it very easy to access all information needed to succeed in the course,” says Vikki Edmond. “Being a mom and a student, I have a very busy schedule. This course has made it possible for me to continue my degree.” In addition to her teaching, Kopacz will be investigating the possibility of developing faculty and student exchange programs and research collaborations between West Chester University and one or more of the Polish universities in Bialystok, a city in northeast Poland with 300,000 residents. She also plans on conducting research into how people outside the U.S. use mass communications including social media. During winter break, 11 West Chester music students Bethann Cinelli, director of the University’s Center for Healthy Schools Center for Healthy Schools Recent debates in Congress over what should be included in school lunches don’t take into account the importance of students’ overall health to learning and achieving. According to a West Chester University health educator, nutrition plays an important role in learning. “Equally important are children’s attitudes and behaviors related to fitness, substance use, intentional and unintentional injuries, sexuality, mental and emotional health, and social well-being,” says Bethann Cinelli, director of the University’s Center for Healthy Schools. While initiatives in other states or through other organizations cover specific aspects of children’s health such as obesity, asthma, drug use or bullying, the Center at West Chester focuses on all aspects of children’s mental, emotional, social and physical health, as well as the learning environment itself. In the interest of linking children’s health with their education, the Center has teamed up with 11 school districts in the Philadelphia region plus health and education agencies in Pennsylvania, engaging school administrators, teachers, staff, prevention partners and parents to promote the importance of healthy schools and academic achievement. By consolidating resources and creating partnerships, the Center is becoming a state-wide clearinghouse for research and data related to health and learning, policy and advocacy for creating healthy school communities. Eventually, Bethann hopes it will become a connector for supporting the alignment of a health-promoting school, community and family environment. A cornerstone of the Center is the Pennsylvania School Health Leadership Institute. The Institute provides professional development opportunities for educators, school administrators, school boards, parents, and community prevention partners to create healthy school communities and align health and education. Until the Center adopted the American Cancer Society Pennsylvania School Health Leadership Institute, Cinelli had been one of the Institute’s lead consultants and co-director. Currently chair of the College of Health Sciences’ Department of Health, Cinelli joined the West Chester faculty in 1987 after earning her B.S. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania; her M.Ed. from Temple University; and her D.Ed. from Pennsylvania State University. joined the orchestra Camerata Philadelphia on a three-week tour of China. Several Curtis Institute students and one each from the Juilliard School of Music and San Francisco Conservatory also participated. The opportunity arose through School of Mu

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1274 SOUThEASTERN, PA chANGE SERvIcE REqUESTEd West chester University West chester, PA 19383-7401 The West Chester University Magazine is published three times a year for the alumni, friends and family of West Chester University of Pennsylvania by the Office of Public Relations, West Chester