Category: Shark Success Stories

Latonya Peterson, Ed.D., first graduated from the Abraham S. Fischer College of Education and School of Criminal Justice (FCE&SCJ) in 2005 with her master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a Specialization in Behavioral Criminology. In 2010 she received her Doctorate of Education in Organization Leadership. Latonya also holds a bachelor’s degree from Albany State University.

Peterson is also an adjunct instructor for Baker University, teaching MBA & CJ courses. This past April, she was appointed to the Faculty Senate for Baker University, and she is the first female African American to hold that position!

She wants to remind future students to remember to keep in touch with their close family and friends. Keeping your support system close is essential while going through school, she says. There will be times when your program will feel overwhelming, and it will be vital to have someone to lean on and help you through the tough days.

Peterson began working in her father’s law office at the age of 16 and realized that working in criminal justice was one of her passions. Since earning her degrees, she has been teaching criminal justice courses in higher education for 15 years. She currently works as an online instructor for American InterContinental University and as an adjunct professor for other schools teaching criminal justice, leadership, and management courses. She enjoys writing and peer-reviewing journal articles, and in 2016 she co-authored the course textbook called “Victimology: Understanding the Victim.”

The FCE&SCJ community congratulates you on your significant accomplishment with the Faculty Senate post and wishes you the best of luck as you step into your new role!

She currently lives in Georgia with her husband and two sons. Latonya is a die-hard New England Patriots Fan, and she teaches Children’s Church for the Greater 2nd Mt. Olive Baptist Church.

The Fort Mill School District in South Carolina recently announced that Nova Southeastern University alumna Emily McQuay will take over as principal of Fort Mill Middle School. McQuay is now the director of Fort Mill Virtual Academy, the district’s online learning option that grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before her promotion, McQuay received a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Clemson University, a master’s degree in Library and Information from the University of South Carolina, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice at NSU.

McQuay began her education career as an eighth-grade social studies teacher and was a media specialist at the elementary and middle school levels. She then served as an assistant principal at Rock Hill and Nation Ford High Schools before being a part of Catawba Ridge High School’s inaugural school year in which she was also an assistant principal. During her time as an administrator, she was a part of being awarded more than a $1 million in grant funds and was published four times in education journals.

The FCE&SCJ wishes you the best of success in your new role! Fins Up!

Marymount California University (MCU) has announced Jonathan Harper, a seasoned collegiate athletics administrator, as its new athletic director. Jonathan graduated in 2003 from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice with his master’s in education with a specialization in sports management.

Harper joins Marymount at a pivotal time as MCU reinvigorates its athletics program after having suspended the spring season because of COVID-19 and as it make plans to become a part of Saint Leo University. Harper has a vision, the experience and the passion needed to lead the MCU athletics program in a new era, continuing its proud traditions on and off the field and driving the university to even greater accomplishments.

Harper was the former director of athletics at Newbury College in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he supervised 14 NCAA Division III sports and won three conference championships in men’s soccer and men’s and women’s track and field before the school permanently closed in 2019. While there, he led fundraising for the Chawla Fitness Center and the Connolly Family Sport Court. He also chaired the New England Collegiate Conference Athletic Directors’ Council and the NCAA Division III Membership Committee.

Before working at Newbury, Harper served as the assistant commissioner at the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (NCAA Division II) and commissioner of the Little East Conference (NCAA Division III), launching its official video stream website. Other roles include commissioner of the East Coast Conference (NCAA Division II) and associate commissioner of the Northeast-10 Conference (NCAA Division II).

Additionally, Harper has worked for media company Penn Atlantic, securing partnerships with NCAA member conferences and institutions and professional sports organizations to facilitate live internet video streaming of athletic events to broadband pay-per-view viewers.

Harper currently lives in Hermosa Beach with his wife Heather and their three children: Clayton, Skyler and Brooklyn.

DeShanna K. Brown graduated from the Abraham S. Fischer College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2016 with her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership. Brown also holds a bachelor’s degree from Kennesaw State University and a master’s degree from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University.

She started her higher education career in the Office of Undergraduate Studies Dual Enrollment & Honors Program at Kennesaw State in 2003. She began her career in development at Georgia State University in 2005. She continued to progress in her career, holding positions at private and public institutions, including Spelman College and Louisiana State University, eventually becoming the vice president for institutional advancement, development, marketing and communications at Edward Waters College (EWC).

In 2020, she was recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as a 2020 Woman of Influence! For nearly two decades, the Business Journal has sought to honor women whose leadership has helped their companies grow, shaped the next generation, and provided a model for the community. While at EWC, she worked strategically to create transformative philanthropic opportunities to move the higher education agenda forward for students at one of the first historically black colleges and universities on the First Coast.

Brown says that by receiving her Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University she has leveraged her career in more ways than one. When asked how she overcomes change, she said she deals with changes by really leaning in on grit. GRIT is an acronym that she developed! Number one is gravitas; an individual needs to be very patient and thankful. Next, they must be R, a risk-taker. Thirdly, they must be I, individuals need to be inventive and intuitive, and lastly T, you must take the initiative!

No matter what path 10-year-old Angelica Gary takes in life, she’ll have options.

Her mother, Wanda Fernandopulle a Doctor of Education graduate from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2004, has made sure of it.

Whether it’s supporting her daughter’s passion for art, enrolling her in classes to help her learn the basics of four different languages or laying the foundation for her daughter’s education, Fernandopulle has made preparing her daughter for the future a major priority.

Earlier this year, Fernandopulle accumulated a collection of her daughter’s artwork and created “Exploring Angelica’s Art,” a book published through Trafford Publishing. This book can be found in more than a thousand bookstores across the country. Having their name on a published book is an exciting accomplishment few 10-year-olds can say they’ve experienced, and Fernandopulle hopes it will inspire her daughter to continue to achieve as she gets older.

Fernandopulle currently serves as the Senior Dissertation Chair at Grand Canyon University. Education has long been an important factor in Fernandopulle’s life, from her years as a student through her career in academia. No matter her workload, she has made time to instill that same love for education in her daughter. “That’s my job as a parent, to prepare her.” It’s a labor of love she takes seriously.

“When I’m not looking at dissertations, doing dissertation defenses and helping all my doctoral Learners out at Grand Canyon, this is my other life in terms of her academics and also homing in on her gift,” she said. “There’s always a purpose in everything that you do, and my purpose is to hopefully give her some options.”

In addition to being published, Gary’s art has been showcased in other ways. Her tribute to famous artist William H. Johnson was published last year in TIME for Kids magazine. Gary submitted artwork she drew of Ida B. Wells to former First Lady Melania Trump’s “Building the Movement: America’s Youth Celebrate 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage” project. The project accepted art submissions, themed around the suffrage movement, from children all over the country before selecting one art piece to represent each state. Gary’s piece was selected to represent her home state, South Carolina.

“Melania Trump sent her a beautiful letter from the White House, she was invited to come, and it was all on the news,” Fernandopulle said. “She sent us an invitation to the White House, but that was in the midst of COVID when it was really bad, so I made the decision not to go.”

Her daughter is currently working on a second book. “It’s fun for her. She loves art and those kinds of things,” she said. “With children, you have to make it fun, but at the same time I know that there’s a reason behind the fun.” Fernandopulle hopes that her daughter’s love of art will continue in her education. Maybe she’ll even pursue a doctorate in art history someday.

In 1991, Ford Craig received is Doctor of Education from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Craig currently lives in Seward, Nebraska, with his wife Doris. They have two grown daughters, Jody and Jill. Doris and Ford help with raising their three wonderful granddaughters.

Craig been busy during his 50 years of full and part time work experience. He serves as an adjunct faculty member with Concordia University and served as a consultant evaluator for the North Central Accrediting Association. Additionally, he served as a manuscript evaluator for the Teaching English in the Two-Year College and was a member of the Midwest Regional Conference on English in the Two-Year College. In the 1970s, he began his career in education as an English and speech teacher for Palmer Public Schools and Saint Paul Public Schools. Over the years, Craig found success through varying academic positions with North Platte City Schools, McCook Community College, Mid-Plains Community College Area, and the University of Phoenix.

Craig earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English education from Wayne State College, a Master of Science in English education from Kearney State College, and a Specialist in Education in educational administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. During his spare time, Craig contributes to his community through numerous churches in his area, including the Presbyterian Church of York, Nebraska, and Friedens United Church of Christ in Seward, where currently is pastor.  You can also find him working on cars and writing. Currently, Craig is working on a narrative for genealogy on his side of the family. He also served as an editor of a two-part book series on the history of the Mid-Plains Community College area.

Although his career has been filled with many accomplishments, he is very proud of being presented with the Who’s Who Among American Teachers Award while at McCook Community College. Looking toward the future, Craig intends to experience the continued success of his career. Fins up to you Ford Craig!