Newsletter Issue 4 - Spring 2017 Summer is active with opportunity By Dr. James Bell, Dean of Faculty er faculty members will continue to panying students in the university’s One common (mis)perception teach courses throughout the sum- choral music program to Germany, of the educator’s life is that summer mer months. Th e quiet appearance of Austria, and the Czech Republic to provides a seemingly endless stretch Northwestern’s campus during these perform at a number of venues and of days of unbroken rest and relax- hot days may not be indicative of the participate in the “Jubilate Mozart!” ation. Th is is partially true: summer signifi cant activity that continues for choral festival in Salzburg. In early does off er some reprieve from the faculty, staff , and students. June, Coach Stockton Graves accom- bustle of committee work and the A notable area of endeavor is panied six men and four women to routine of the long semesters. Still, summer travel. For Dr. Kathryn the College National Finals Rodeo in the stretch between the end of the Lane, Dr. Jenny Sattler, and Dr. Kathy Casper, Wyoming. spring term and the beginning of the Earnest, the summer began with ac- Many additional faculty mem- fall term is punctuated by, if not fi lled companying a group of Northwest- bers will travel for the purposes of with, teaching-related activity for ern students to Australia and New research and professional growth, us- many faculty members. For some, Zealand. Th ere, they explored the ing this time to expand their expertise summer off ers sustained time to un- Great Barrier Reef, saw the Sydney and feed the curiosity that initially dertake research and prepare for the Opera House, and experienced lo- led them to the academic life. One upcoming academic year. Additional cal food and culture. Late June and notable example is Ken Kelsey, who coursework toward degree comple- early July will fi nd Mr. Karsten Lon- spent almost a month and took more tion is in the plans for others. Yet oth- ghurst and Mrs. Susan Duell accom- than 6500 photographs in Rome and the surrounding area. Pictures of the Flavian Amphitheater in Rome and Central Th ermal Baths in Pompeii will certainly enrich his presentations in HIST 3143/5143: Roman History in the upcoming fall. Professor Kyle Larson’s students will similarly ben- Summer Activity efi t from the time that Prof. Larson spends in Santiago, Chile, this summer Continued on page 3 Spotlight 1 Mihai earns Sheffi eld Teacher of the Year Dr. Cornelia Mihai, professor of ogy. them to pursue careers in chemis- chemistry for 13 years at Northwest- “I have always enjoyed sharing try, pharmacy and other pre-health ern Oklahoma State University, re- my knowledge in science and my fi elds. cently was named the John Sheffi eld passion for chemistry by tutoring Her favorite parts of being an Teacher of the Year. students, and aft er spending years educator include seeing the stu- “I was emotionally touched in research, I have decided to pur- dents growing and thriving profes- learning that my students appreciat- sue a career as an educator,” she sionally as well as being able to help ed my teaching eff orts, and they felt said. “A full-time teaching position students reach their career goals they have to share with me their ap- at a small university such as North- and to prepare them to become preciation,” Mihai said about receiv- western has allowed me to fulfi ll productive citizens. She enjoys ing the award. “It is a confi rmation both my passions to teach chemis- working at Northwestern because that my activity as an educator reso- try and to mentor students through of the friendly and supportive at- nates with my students in a positive research.” mosphere and the limited class siz- way.” At Northwestern, she teaches es that allow for better interaction Mihai was born in Bucharest, general and organic chemistry. between her students, herself and Romania. She holds a Bachelor of Mihai’s passion is overall promot- her colleagues. Science degree in chemical engi- ing science, organic and medicinal When not teaching, Mihai en- neering (Technology of Organic chemistry, and she hopes to con- joys reading good books, watching Compounds) from Polytechnic vey her passion to her students at movies and listening to classical and Institute of Bucharest, Romania. Northwestern and help encourage New Age music. Mihai also has a master’s degree in chemistry and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Il- linois at Chicago. She taught undergraduate-level classes including general chemis- try, organic chemistry, principles of drug action and therapeutics, and graduate-level medicinal chemistry classes for more than four years at the University of Illinois at Chica- go. Prior to coming to Northwest- ern, Mihai worked as a research associate at Albany Molecular Re- search, Inc.; as a research scientist at Integrated DNA Technologies in Coralville, Iowa; and as a post- doctoral research associate at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. She has more than 10 years of research experience and a proven record in synthetic medicinal chemistry, bio- Recent Northwestern Oklahoma State University graduate and Student Government organic chemistry, biocatalysis, and Association president Nick Villalobos (left ) presented Dr. Cornelia Mihai (right) with mechanistic and synthetic enzymol- the John Sheffi eld Teacher of the Year award during an annual ceremony. 2 Spotlight Continued from page 1 Summer is active.... participating in the Molten Capital sponsored in Residency. part by Starr Closer to home, many faculty and Lumber. As staff are engaged in camps that serve always, stu- public school students from through- dent coun- out northwest Oklahoma. A few weeks cil and Up- ago, Dr. Leslie Collins, Dr. Chandler ward Bound Mead, Dr. Bo Hannaford, and Isilei camps have Ofi u partnered with Northwest Tech- engaged area nology Center personnel to provide high school MASH (Medical Avenues in Service students in and Health) Camp for more than 40 preparation seventh-grade students who are inter- for their fu- ested in medical professions. Faculty ture pursuits. Mary Riegel, assistant professor of mathematics, works with students from the Math and Computer Science Upward at the sailboat races held at the end of the Math and Science Academy department and Natural Science de- Bound staff on campus. partment—Dr. Sheila Brintnall, Dr. Jaunita Dotson, Lisa Franz, Megan 20, fi ve of whom were Rangers, have Tim Maharry, Dr. Steve Maier, Keen- Stratton, and Darla Adams have coor- held youth soccer camps on the Alva an Meeker, Dr. Aaron Place, Dr. Mary dinated the activities of eight counsel- campus as well as in Enid and Ponca Riegel, and Dr. Jenny Sattler—hosted ors and seven teachers, among them City. More than 170 young people at- a Math and Science Academy for 42 Dr. Frank Martinez, who provide tended the three camps. An addition- area elementary students on the fi rst academic support and enrichment for al camp for high school students hop- four Fridays in June. Supported by camp participants. ing to continue their soccer careers funding from the Fellers, Beisel, and Sports camps staff ed by athlet- into college drew 32 attendees. A fi - Fisher endowments, the camp was free ics personnel and team members are nal Elite Camp for high school soccer to all students and featured activities also a constant at Northwestern each players will be held on the Alva cam- on math- and science-related topics summer. For example, women’s bas- pus on July 15. (As an aside, on this such as cryptography, geometric pat- ketball coach Tasha Diesselhorst and same day Dean Calleb Mosburg, his terns, hypothesis testing, engineering, her staff and players hosted a tourna- staff , and any faculty members able and circuitry. Th e camp culminated in ment-style team camp for area high to attend will have the opportunity sailboat races attended by parents and school students earlier this summer. to meet and welcome the incoming In addition to freshman students at Freshman Fun participating Day.) A variety of other sports camps in camp ac- have been or will be among the sum- tivities, teams mer activities for Northwestern per- were given sonnel and students. coupons to at- Th ese examples represent only tend area at- a sample of the ways in which the tractions such Northwestern community contin- as the Menag- ues to serve and grow during the erie, bowling summer months. Clearly, campus alley, and Ri- life and service do not ever cease. alto Th eater. Whatever the remainder of your Coach Craig summer holds, I wish you at least a Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater), Rome, Italy, ca 70-80 CE, as Liddell and a portion of that rest and rejuvenation seen by Ken Kelsey, instructor of history and art, on his May trip. staff of around that we hear so much about. Spotlight 3 24 admitted into inaugural DNP class Northwestern’s new Doctor of graduates of the DNP-Family Nurse vidual basis. Nursing Practice (DNP) program Practitioner program.” Acceptance into the program has fi lled its fi rst class, which will was competitive as there are a lim- begin work in August. ited number of applicants admitted. Of 30 applicants, 24 were se- Th is program will accept applica- lected as members of the fi rst DNP tions each spring for entry into the class. Two of those 24 are Advanced fall semester class. Acceptance was Placement Candidates, for the MSN determined by reviewing the fol- to DNP. All others are classifi ed as lowing criteria for each student: all BSN to DNP.