Halmos Alum Returns for Fourth Artistic Collaboration at NSU

Annie Nugget

Since graduating in 2016, Annie Nugget has collaborated with NSU several times, bringing her unique art to campus. She has most recently finished a mural, Hopeful Horizons, on the second floor of the Alvin Sherman library, inspired by Luisa Aimee Sanchez’s journey from Cuba to South Florida and her passion for educating young people. Hopeful Horizons was Annie’s first memorial piece, which she says was “exceptionally challenging – but equally exciting”.

“NSU’s program offered me the educational provisions to challenge myself and explore my particular interests. Leveraging their flexibility in project scopes and connections with art enriching experiences, I had the pleasure to curate a lifestyle unique to me,” Annie says.

The mural in the Don Taft University Center, by the north stairs, is also Annie’s work from seven years ago, when she was still an undergrad. Realizing Potential was her first spray painted piece and one of her four collaborations with NSU.

After graduating from NSU with a concentration in Studio Art from the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, Annie has ventured beyond the walls of the university. Annie’s art can be found in restaurants, shops and other local business in South Florida. To learn more about Annie’s work, visit her website.

Posted 09/24/23

Education Alum Named Dean of Students at Lynn University

Sholondo Campbell

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Sholondo Campbell, Ed.D. has been named the Dean of Students at Lynn University.

Campbell earned his Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from NSU. However, in addition to being an NSU alum, he also served nine years at NSU managing student affairs for the university’s regional campuses across Florida and in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Campbell is no stranger to leadership in higher education.

“A lot of it is relationship building across the university and ensuring collaboration on anything that kind of impacts students’ success and overall experience,” he said.

As the Dean of Students, Campbell works with a small group of people to ensure the students at Lynn are succeeding and doing well.

“I have the opportunity to supervise two assistant deans and an Executive Director of Health and Wellness. So, I essentially work with the VP and assist in the development and implementation of various key projects that support the division’s mission and vision to support student success and retention.”

Some of the areas that fall under Campbell’s office include campus student involvement, case management, Student Conduct, the Student Health Center, counseling services, the fitness and recreation center, and more.

Campbell didn’t initially expect to end up in higher education at the start of his career. But when he considered a fulfilling profession that would allow him to make a living, his mind came to student affairs.

“I really kept coming back to the experiences I had on a college campus, I was a student athlete, I was involved in Student Activities,” he said.

The interactions Campbell had with administrators during those times kind of spurred him to enter the field himself, and he has been helping students ever since.

Campbell said he hopes to really drive student success while he is in his current role.

“If I’m meeting all of my objectives and it’s still fueling student success, and having students stay here and feel a strong sense of belonging and strong sense of satisfaction on their way to graduating, then that’s a win for me.”

Congratulations on the role, Sholondo Campbell! Fins up to you!

Posted 09/10/23

Education Alum Named Superintendent of Sarasota County Public Schools

Terrence Conner

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate Terrence Conner has recently been named the superintendent of Sarasota County Public Schools.

Conner, who graduated from NSU with his M.S., in 2016 has been in the role since July 17 and while the position has been a whirlwind, it has been great at the same time.

“When I got the job, there was a kind of a sigh of relief, but then it was like, ‘Okay, now you got the job. Now the real work begins.’”

As superintendent, Conner’s job entails managing the daily operations of the school districts. He said he has spent a lot of time listening to staff, parents, and community members.

“I’ve been onboarding myself and taking a lot of time to listen and learn and to evaluate current processes and look at the data, analyze that and determine how we’re going to move forward,” Conner said.

Conner said his goal while in the position is to make Sarasota County Schools the No. 1 school district in the state and to receive national recognition.

“That [involves] first and foremost, meeting the needs of all students in the school district, who are coming from different backgrounds, to ensure that when they step foot in our schools, that we’re capable, able and willing to meet every student’s individual needs so that they can be successful,” he said.

Conner said his degree from NSU has proved to be useful in his career.

“It was really great to learn from people who had done the work and been in the trenches and know, because there’s a difference between theory and reality. Having instructors who were able to make those bridges connect was really helpful,” he said.

Fins up to you Terrence and best wishes for this school year!

Posted 08/27/23

Education Alum Publishes Article on Symbolic Violence

Nahum Jean-Louis, Ed.D.

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice graduate Nahum Jean-Louis, Ed.D., is celebrating the publishing of his article “Symbolic Violence in The Classroom: How A Eurocentric Curriculum Excludes & Marginalizes Minority Students” in the journal Belonging.

The article was co-written by Mary Clisbee, Ed.D., and focuses on symbolic violence and how it excludes and marginalizes minority students.

Jean-Louis explained that symbolic violence is any violence that isn’t tangible, for example, verbal assault, racism, using disparaging terms and more.

The article came about after Jean-Louis and Clisbee gave a talk at a conference about diversity. After the presentation, the pair was contacted and asked to write an article detailing their research.

In their article, Jean-Louis and Clisbee discussed how Eurocentrism gives priority to European philosophy and history at the detriment of minority students.

“Minority students have their own cultures, experiences and history, and those are put on the back burner in favor of European culture,” Jean-Louis said. “Minority students are forced to learn from a culture or from a knowledge in which they don’t relate to. And as a result of that, because they can’t relate to it and because their experiences are sidelined or marginalized, they suffer in terms of performance.”

They then went on to explain ways to combat symbolic violence and Eurocentrism.

“One way that I suggested, in my research, to mitigate the effects of symbolic violence and the effects of Eurocentrism is to create a diverse curriculum and to have equity in the curriculum,” Jean-Louis said.

The pair hope that a variety of people can learn and benefit from the research.

“Our message was directed to school administrators, policymakers, and the community at large,” Jean-Louis said.

Jean-Louis graduated from NSU with his doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching. He is currently working on several other projects, including a collaborative book on decolonization in education and a book that focuses on the problems minority students face in the United States school system.

Read the complete article.

Posted 08/13/23

Criminal Justice Alum Helps Previously Incarcerated People

Siena Benson

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Siena Benson is using her degree to help people who were once incarcerated build a better life.

Benson recently graduated with her M.S. in Criminal Justice. Now, she is working as Community Navigator for the New York City-based nonprofit organization Housing Works. Benson works with the Justice Initiatives Department providing re-entry services for people who have been through the criminal justice system and helps connect them to mental health services, employment resources, housing and more.

“My position is really special because I’m the only one that actually gets to go inside Rikers Island and meet with people where they’re at,” Benson said. “I get to listen to what people need, and I get them set up to have services upon release.”

Benson said she feels lucky to work in such an impactful position.

“I get to work in one of the most historical prisons in the country,” she said. “Actually being there is, honestly — it’s outstanding. And outstanding in the sense that it’s an outlier, you know, not a lot of people get to go in, and not a lot of people get this experience.”

Working directly in the system, Benson gets to see the other side of incarceration and how those inside hope to improve their lives after getting out.

“I feel that the prison population is a population that is overlooked. People are serving their time, but they’re still people,” Benson said. “They’re struggling, they’re paying their dues … I think everybody can agree that once they’re released, nobody wants to go back to prison, and nobody wants to get in trouble again.”

Benson said she doesn’t know what’s in store for her in the future, but she hopes to continue working to give back.

“I see myself being successful and being a leader for people who need it the most — being that person who can guide people in the right direction and help people out.”

Posted 07/30/23

Fischler Alum Named to VP Role at Westfield State University

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Kevin Hearn, Ed.D. was recently named the vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Westfield State University in Westfield, Massachusetts.

The position is a new one and combines the enrollment and student affairs functions into single role that helps build a positive student experience from the beginning of the application process all the way through graduation.

Kevin Hearn, Ed.D.

Hearn is the perfect candidate for the role, having previously served as both a vice president for enrollment management and a vice president of student affairs.

“Throughout my career, I have worked to create systems and practices to improve the lives of students, focusing on making their experience as seamless as possible. And now we get the opportunity to really do it at a high level at Westfield State. I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” Hearn said.

In the role, Hearn said he hopes to build a flagship student program that other institutions can model their programs after.

“I’m looking at this as a tremendous opportunity to be innovative in our approach to serving students and their families.  Students and families need more assistance, and higher education must focus on how to serve their interests best while preparing them for the academic rigor and psycho-social development that takes place during this time.  Higher education leaders are making great strides in this area of student support and I believe Westfield State can be a leader in these efforts.”

Hearn earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from NSU. He said that the design of Nova’s program and being exposed to so many different classmates from different fields and backgrounds really helped prepare him for his leadership role.

In his cohort alone, he had fellow educators, teachers, and administrators, but also  veterans, an administrator for LaGuardia Airport, th CFO for a large accounting firm in NYC and more.

“That diversity among the students lent itself to stimulating and exciting conversations, it lent itself to different perspectives, led to a sense that higher education needed to evolve, to be creative.  Simply, as students change, the industry is compelled to change as well.”

As for his next steps, Hearn said he is focused on the challenges and opportunities at Westfield State,, and that maybe one day, he may pursue a presidential position at a college or university..

Congratulations Dr. Hearn!

Posted 07/30/23

Education Alum Named President of Community College

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Chemene Crawford, Ed.D., has been named the president of Everett Community College – Washington State.

Crawford earned her doctorate in Organizational Leadership from NSU in 2005.

Chemene Crawford, Ed.D.

The role of college president is not new to Crawford, she currently serves as the president of North Seattle College. However, she will now oversee a much larger student population.

“I’m at the point in my life where I if I don’t enjoy the work, then I won’t do it. So, I enjoy this work. And as long as I enjoy it, and can have a positive impact, then I’ll keep doing it,” she said.

Crawford has been in higher education for more than 39 years and initially started as a work-study student in the financial aid office. That led to a string of different positions over the years and ultimately led her to take on the role as president.

“One of the things I don’t think realize is that no matter where you are, what you do, if you have an education, no one can take that from you,” Crawford said. “I’m a proponent of people using education to change their lives.”

Community colleges especially appeal to Crawford due to their wide-reaching impact.

“Community colleges serve more students than any other sector of higher education in this country, and so if you want to have a greater impact, that’s probably where you need to be working.”

In addition to helping the students at the college, Crawford is looking forward to working for Everett since they are very influential in the surrounding community.

“It’s uniquely placed in an Everett neighborhood, and you can tell that that college means a lot to that neighborhood that it plays a significant role in the vitality of that neighborhood.”

Crawford officially stepped into her role on July 3rd.

Congratulations President Crawford!

07/16/23

NSU Alums Honored at First Black School Psych Summit

From left, NSU College of Psychology student Kethaki Karunathilake; Aline Milfort, Psy.D.; Tiara Bland, Ed.D.; and NSU College of Psychology student Asia Flagg.

On April 27 and 28, 2023, NSU alums Tiara Bland, Ed.D., and Aline Milfort, Psy.D. organized the inaugural Black School Psych Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. Per the organizers, the summit’s aim was “to support, elevate, and advance the work of Black school psychologists”.

From left, NSU Alumnae Aline Milfort, Psy.D. and Tiara Bland, Ed.D., both NSU Distinguished Alumni recipients.

Both Bland and Milfort founded the Black School Psychologists Network (BSPN) and created the summit to have a safe space where practitioners could feel a sense of belonging and support while accessing resources that would help them in their profession. Milfort completed her doctorate degree in School Psychology in 2022 while Bland completed her specialist in School Psychology in 2017.

The summit welcomed more than 475 registered attendees and included a legends panel, featured sessions, breakout sessions, live podcasts, and interviews from a wide range of Black school psychologists. There was also an exhibit hall, poster sessions, panel discussions, and an awards ceremony celebrating Black excellence.

As part of the award ceremony, Bland and Milfort received NSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award for their pivotal efforts with BSPN and the summit.

NSU College of Psychology’s doctoral program in School Psychology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. Its School Psychology Specialist degree is Florida Department of Education approved and holds the designation of National Recognition by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Posted 05/21/23

Education Alum Named Finalist for Georgia Teacher of Year

Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum Brittany Nearhoof has been named as a finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Nearhoof, who graduated from NSU in 2011 with a Master’s Degree in Integrated Technology and Teaching and Learning, currently works as an art teacher at McAllister Elementary School in Bryan County, Georgia.

Brittany Nearhoof

Having served as a teacher for 14 years, she said to be recognized at the state level left her feeling both honored and humbled.

“When I met all of my fellow finalists … when I saw everybody in person, my goodness, they’re incredible teachers. And I am sincerely humbled and honored to be among the group.”

Earlier in her career, Nearhoof had been named Teacher of the Year before within a previous school she worked at.

“I thought, ‘Wow, that was just an incredible honor.’ Like, how nice to get this award. And then this time around, when I got it for my school, I thought, ‘Wow, my peers see something in me,’” she said. “When I found out I received it for the state, that has been a surreal experience.”

Nearhoof said part of what made the experience so honoring is that many of her peers and colleagues also in the arts aren’t used to their subject being recognized. She recalled how a veteran art teacher close to retirement told her how proud she is to see visual arts in the spotlight.

Nearhoof said her ultimate goal is to continue being a great educator and learn as much as she can.

“I plan to just continue in the classroom and to continue to grow in my craft,” she said. “And advocate for the arts in schools.”

The official teacher of the year will be named at a gala on June 10.

Good luck Brittany! We are rooting for you!

Posted 05/21/23

Education Alum Starts Educational Consulting Business

Kisha Bellande-Francis, Ed.D.

A doctoral graduate of the Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice has opened her own educational consulting business.

Kisha Bellande-Francis earned her Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership from NSU in 2018 and has worked in a number of educational roles. She initially began her career as a Speech Language Pathologist before working as a teacher, administrator, and instructional consultant.

“As an administrator, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m making an impact in the whole school. It’s so wonderful. But when I became a consultant, and I was able to travel to different districts in different states, I felt like ‘Oh my Goodness, now I am making a national impact!”

Bellande-Francis now leads her own consulting business, she helps schools and organizations evaluate instructional practices and recommends areas for improvement. She has been consulting since 2015, but started her own business in 2022 and expressed that the feeling of being on her own has been liberating.

“It’s just been a pleasure because I really get to bring my vision to my practice. I have closer relationships with district and school leaders, and nothing beats that.

Bellande-Francis said her degree from Nova helped prepare her for this role by extending her capabilities through using research as a meaningful way to help her clients.

“It’s opened my eyes to look at challenges in a way of questioning, investigating, and collecting data to leverage the results towards growth and impact.”

When it comes to the future, Bellande-Francis is open to a variety of possibilities, however, there is an ultimate goal that she does dream about: opening her own school, and she has even collaborated with FCE&SCJ Dean Kimberly Durham about it.

“I started the process and was on my way to establishing my own school in 2020 but when COVID hit everything halted. The dream is still in my heart and something that I hope to achieve one day. I have reimagined what schools can look like. I want to implement my vision of a competency-based school that removes “grade level” barriers and allows each individual student the opportunity to excel at their own pace and reach their absolute fullest potential, especially in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) aspects.  I want to apply my experience and talents in my own school and allow all of the best teaching practices to blossom in one place.”

Posted 05/08/23

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