Tag: Alumni

Education Alumna Keynote Speaker at Annual Summer Institute

Shelley Cooper, Ed.D.

NSU’s Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice held its annual Summer Institute (virtually) from July 14-16. The event saw more than 200 education doctoral students representing the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Colombia. The students were able to connect with one another, faculty, alumni and more.

Education Alumna, Shelley Cooper, Ed.D., served as both an adjunct professor and keynote speaker for the event. During her presentation, Cooper said she wanted to explain the importance of keeping an end goal in mind.

“What’s your endgame? What’s your goal? What’s your why?” she asked “What are you going to do with [your doctorate?] How are you going to change the world and how will what you’re doing make a difference for anybody?”

Cooper said that while she stresses the importance of keeping your eye on the prize and planning ahead, she also mentioned that it’s important to take some time to enjoy the moment.

“My experience as a student was: ‘I’m paying a lot of money. I have these objectives and goals, I have a timeline in mind… and the only thing between me and my objective is writing this dissertation and I just want to get it over with,’” Cooper described. “It wasn’t until the end of the experience … I realized, for four years, I really should have been enjoying the experience.”

Cooper earned her Doctorate of Education in Instructional Technology and Distance Education in 2014.  She is the founder of Diversity Telehealth, a telemedicine consulting firm that specializes in bringing healthcare to underserved populations in diverse communities.

During her studies, she attended four Summer Institutes and when asked how they were she used one word: “Amazing.”

“The interaction with the other cohorts and team members and the professors, just the whole environment was wonderful,” she said.

Cooper added that attending the event as a student and alumnus has brought the experience full circle and allowed her to better serve the students.

“I could see it from both sides, and I think that really makes a huge difference in helping the students have a successful experience,” she said.

Posted 08/14/22

Law Graduate Wins Historical Society’s Golden Quill Award

Kenneth A. Cutler

“Mystery Solved: Justice George W. Macrae,” published in the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society’s Historical Review Fall/Winter 2021 magazine, received the Florida Historical Society’s 2022 Golden Quill Award for an outstanding article on Florida history. The story of Florida’s fourth Supreme Court justice, about whom little was known before the article, was researched and authored by Kenneth A. Cutler, a Coral Springs attorney at Cutler Rader and vice mayor of Parkland. Cutler is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law.

The Florida Historical Society honor recognizes a one-time in-depth article or special section focusing on Florida history, or the history of some part of our state, published in the preceding calendar year. Entries are judged on factual accuracy, clarity of expression and overall historical merit. The award was presented on May 19, 2022, in Gainesville, during the FHS Public History Forum.

A self-described history detective, Cutler was shocked when reviewing online biographies of Florida’s Supreme Court justices that there was little known about Macrae beyond his 1847 service on Florida’s highest court. Cutler also found out that the portrait in the Court’s gallery, commissioned in 1984, is entirely imaginary.

Then, using tools honed as a family genealogist, Cutler uncovered clues in 19th century newspapers, surveys, census records, and letters to trace Macrae’s birth in Virginia in 1802 to his grave in Kentucky.

“I credit the dramatic growth in digitized historical materials with making it possible for me to establish a biography that eluded other researchers for years,” said Cutler, who received his J.D. from NSU in 1986.

Posted 08/14/22

Event in Orlando Allows NSU to Reconnect with Alumni

Nova Southeastern University recently held an event in Orlando for alumni from NSU’s College of Dental Medicine and the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. Alumni from the region, NSU President and CEO Dr. George L. Hanbury II, Dean Elaine M. Wallace from the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Dean Steven I. Kaltman from the College of Dental Medicine attended the event, which was held August 4 at the Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park.

Maintaining connections with those who graduated is vital for a robust and vibrant university. Having pride in where you earned your degree is something NSU works hard to cultivate and nurture. To that end, the university’s Alumni Relations Department schedules events in various parts of Florida and the nation for alumni to meet, network and catch up on old times.

Posted 08/14/22

Halmos Alumna Lands Prestigious Job at Arizona College

Michelle Cromwell, Ph.D.

Michelle Cromwell, Ph.D., graduate of the master’s and doctoral programs in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies (DCRS) in the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center (HCAS), has been named the inaugural Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at the Southwest College for Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, Arizona.

Prior to SCNM, Michelle served as Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the State University of NY-Plattsburgh, the Associate Vice President for Inclusive Excellence at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, and as the Chief Diversity Officer at The School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont.

In 2018, Cromwell was named as one of NSU’s Distinguished Alumni. In addition to Cromwell’s NSU graduate degrees, she received a B.Sc. in Social Work from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad where she was born.

According to Cromwell, “The work of inclusive excellence is about getting institutions to shift their status quo and engage in intentional actions that position the needs of community members in particular the needs of marginalized and minoritized community members at the core of the institution’s existence.”

Cromwell is a yoga master and teacher and enjoys creating whole-food plant-based recipes inspired by favorite foods from a West Indian childhood. She has been a featured presenter for The Social Justice Roundtable housed in DCRS.

Posted 04/24/22

Halmos Alumna Named Finalist for Teacher of the Year

Elizabeth Fahy

Broward County Public Schools annually recognizes teachers for outstanding service in education, and this year, Halmos alumna Elizabeth Fahy was selected as a finalist for the prestigious Teach of the Year award. Fahy has been employed at New River Middle School for the past 17 years and is the head of the school’s marine science department.

While at NSU, Fahy worked as a graduate research assistant at the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) on the Oceanographic Campus.  Her research with the NCRI took her to Belize and the Galapagos as well as numerous places in between.  Fahy uses experiences gained in these research opportunities to help foster and develop the next generation of ocean conservationists.

Posted 04/27/22

College of Education and School of Criminal Justice Spotlights Jon Prince

Jon Prince, Ed.D.

The St. Lucie County School Board in Florida recently announced that Nova Southeastern University alumnus Jon Prince, Ed.D., will be appointed as the new superintendent at St. Lucie Public Schools.

Prince is a Florida native and grew up in Fort Walton Beach. He earned his bachelors and master’s degrees in Elementary Education from the University of Florida. After a year of teaching elementary school, Prince moved to Palm Beach County and taught middle school science. During this time, he completed his Educational Specialist degree in 1999 and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2002. Prince said that receiving his education from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice has opened many doors in his career and allowed him to build a great network of educators and administrators throughout the process.

Prince is a first-generation college student and was inspired to pursue a career in education by his high school science teacher Mr. Woolwine. Prince said, “Mr. Woolwine cared about his students. He made them feel valued and important. Mr. Woolwine genuinely cared about getting to know his students. He showed me the impact that educators can have on their students’ lives.” Because of this influence, Prince values the importance of a transformational relationship with his students and staff.

Before being appointed to Superintendent, Prince served as Deputy Superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools. Prince assisted with orchestrating Superintendent Gent’s vision of accountability, high standards and rigor in our public schools. The St. Lucie County School District has soared from 45th to 28th in overall academic performance while ranking as high as 22nd out of 67 districts. In addition, St. Lucie Public Schools ranks in the top 10 in the State for graduation rate, improving from 75% to 95% over the last six years. St. Lucie Public Schools is one of only four districts in Florida to maintain a graduation rate of over 90% for five consecutive years.

Prince resides in Florida with his wife, Heather and their four children. Prince is a proud advocate for public education, believing that equity and access to accelerated coursework will create a thriving community in St. Lucie County.

The Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice wishes you the best of luck as you step into your new role. We know you will continue to accomplish great things for the St. Lucie Public Schools!

Posted 03/25/22

Law Alumnus Discusses COVID’s Affect On Hybrid Work Models

Ira Coleman, J.D.

Ira Coleman, J.D. (’86), a Shepard Broad College of Law graduate, is the chairman of McDermott Will & Emery. Since Ira took on this role in 2017, the firm has embraced a new strategic direction focused on being indispensable to clients, enhancing performance and nurturing a happy, fun culture.

He focuses his practice on all aspects of representing major private and publicly held corporations. In particular, he advises clients in navigating M&A and controversy matters that have “bet the company” implications. His other areas of focus include health, private equity and compliance.

The pandemic forced lawyers to leave the office and work from home. Now, as many of those offices open back up, leaders of big law firms are grappling with what tasks need to be done in person and what can be done remotely.

Leaders from some of the country’s biggest law firms share their return-to-office plans and whether hybrid work is here to stay. To watch video, click here.

To learn more about our alumnus, Ira J. Coleman, click here.

Posted 03/13/22

Law Alumna is Candidate for Florida Bar President Elect

Lorna Brown-Burton, J.D.

Should Lorna Brown-Burton, J.D. ’87, be elected, she will become the first female graduate from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law to be President Elect and then President of The Florida Bar in its 70-plus year history.

Brown-Burton has 25-plus years of leadership experience as president, chair, and executive committee member at the local, regional, and state levels.  She brings to the table her vast and diverse leadership experience at the Florida Bar, and 30-plus years with voluntary bars, as well as more than 20 years of experience on community, non-profit and civic Boards.

Brown-Burton says [she] “is the right person at the right time, and that time is NOW.”

She says that her vision is to ensure the independence of all Florida Lawyers and to ensure that ALL Florida Lawyers have the resources necessary to be the success they desire. Her campaign is about ALL Florida Lawyers and what the Florida Bar can do for Florida Lawyers.

Brown-Burton was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1987, after receiving her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida and her law degree from the NSU Center for the Study of Law, where she also sits on the school’s Board of Governors. She is also admitted in the U.S. Southern District of Florida.

She primarily practices in workers’ compensation defense, but also represents clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy matters, labor and employment and real property.  Since joining the Bar, she has worked for several private firms before forming her own in 2004 and then merging that into Brown-Burton & DeMicco in 2014.  Brown-Burton is a partner at Lubell | Rosen, where she manages the Workers’ Compensation Defense Practice Group.

Since joining the Board of Governors in 2012, Brown-Burton has served on the Communications, Budget, Disciplinary Procedure, Disciplinary Review, Strategic Planning, and Program Evaluation committees and the Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics.

To learn more about Lorna Brown-Burton visit her website: www.electlorna.com.

Posted 02/27/22

Sharks Spread Love and Cheer to Local Hospital Patients

On February 14, 2022, the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Alumni Association delivered almost 1,500 handmade Valentine’s Day cards to spread love and cheer to pediatric patients and families at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and patients at the Memorial Cancer Institute in Hollywood, Florida. The Shark Notes initiative was created as a way for the university to give back to the community, let local patients know that they were thought of, and help ease their hospital stays. The Shark Notes included creative artwork, notes of encouragement, personal stories, and Valentine’s Day messages.

NSU partnered with Babette Ferre-Kosar, Development Director of the Cancer Institute at the Memorial Healthcare System, to deliver the Shark Notes to patients.

“The patients and staff appreciated the abundance of notes. It was an impactful morale boost for both patients and staff, especially during active cancer treatment, compounded by the restrictions during COVID,” Ferre-Kosar said. “The support from NSU has made a difference in the lives of patients that face a difficult time in the medical infusion area. The notes and other items donated in the past by NSU bring a welcome distraction during treatment.”

The NSU Alumni Association called on fellow Sharks to show just how great the power of love can be. Whether it was at an in-person table on campus, virtually via forms, or as a class project, NSU students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the university took part in this initiative and shared their support.

Kevin Dibert, M.S., NSU alumnus and NSU’s University School’s Community Service Coordinator, went above and beyond to make Shark Notes a success. He assisted the NSU Alumni Association by coordinating with University School educators and their classrooms to create the homemade cards.

We would like to extend our gratitude and thank everyone who participated in this initiative.  Your Shark pride shined bright and without your support, it would not have been possible!

Posted 02/27/22

Dental Medicine Graduate Devotes Life to Giving Back

Roxene Gascoigne, DDS

Roxene Gascoigne, DDS, completed her residency in Endodontics at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU-Dental) and currently practices in New York. Not only does Gascoigne devote her life to health care and educating people on oral health’s vital role in overall wellness, but she also hones a passion for philanthropy.

Gascoigne grew up in Jamaica and was immersed in an environment of educators and philanthropists. Her grandparents were prominent principals in Jamaica. Her grandfather founded a credit union to provide educators with an opportunity to establish their livelihoods by assisting them in purchasing homes and building their careers. Gascoigne’s father, Rae Gascoigne, has been an exemplar in raising resources for their native Jamaica. Rae founded scholarships for educators in honor of his father, the distinguished Desmond Charles (“DC”) Gascoigne Award for Excellence, administered by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association Credit Union. Gascoigne’s compassion and strong work ethic can be attributed to her strong bond with her father, who continues to serve as her mentor. Since graduating from  NSU-Dental, Gascoigne is committed to following in her father’s philanthropic footsteps, providing a Changing Life Scholarship to NSU dental students seeking to pursue a career in dental medicine. She has named her scholarship in honor of her father, from whom she learned philanthropy. Gascoigne also volunteers her time at one of the largest hospital groups in New York, Northwell Health, working with recent dental graduates and serving as an attending at their GPR Program. Despite her hectic schedule, giving back to the community is a priority for Gascoigne. She finds it rewarding to work with the next generation of graduates and inspires them to reach their goals.

During her time at NSU-Dental, Gascoigne immersed herself in the curriculum and established herself as a hard worker amongst her peers. Her fondest memory is grand rounds, a monthly conference during which students from different specialties presented clinical cases. Partaking in grand rounds allowed her to collaborate with classmates and articulate on pressing matters within different specialties. When asked what advice she would give students, Gascoigne said, “Medicine is a very demanding field. Put passion into your work and love what you’re doing, then everything else will follow.”

To learn more about creating a Changing Lives Scholarship, contact Shari Meehan, Director of Development, smeehan@nova.edu.

Posted 02/13/22

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