Congratulations Corner

Soaring Beyond in Excellence

At Georgia Southern, we celebrate the achievements that inspire us to reach new heights. The Congratulations Corner is your space to spotlight the incredible work happening across our campuses—whether it’s earning accolades, publishing impactful research, or receiving noteworthy appointments.

Let’s continue to soar together! Share your success stories with Mary Kate Allen at mallen@georgiasouthern.edu to be featured in the next newsletter.

These are the successes highlighted in the latest edition of Excellence in Action.

Publications

CBSS

Tookes, Jennifer Sweeney and Leege, Lissa M. (2024) “Innovative Climate Pedagogy: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Teaching Climate Change,” International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Vol. 18: No. 1, Article 11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2024.180111
 
Petrossian, G. A., Pires, S. F., Spencer, M. D., & Cohen, N. (2024). An empirical assessment of seaports as facilitators of FOC-flagged transshipment landings. Crime Science, 13, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-024-00210-0

Singh, A. M., Pires, S. F., & Spencer, M. D. (2024). Using a spatial access measure to assess the relationship between alcohol outlet types and various violent crimes in the Bronx, NY. Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12061-024-09589- 4

Randall, K.; Walters, S. R.; Arthur, S. A.; Briggs, A. M. (2024).  Degrading Reinforcement Quality for Target Behavior During Differential Reinforcement Without Extinction. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin 2024, 35, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/XMVJN

McNutt, R. K. (2024). The Devil’s Outriders: a LiDAR and KOCOA investigation of the battle of Buckhead Creek, 1864. Journal of Conflict Archaeology, 19(3), 187–220. https://doi.org/10.1080/15740773.2024.2365175

Stockley, J., & Wessel, L., (2023). Georgia Senate Race: Raphael Warnock versus Herschel Walker. In Wilson, W.C., Foreman, S. D., & Godwin, M. L. (eds), The Roads to Congress: Controversies and Competing Visions for America’s Future.  Palgrave Macmillan. 2023.

Flynn, M. B., Flynn, J.F.,, & Palacios, A. M. (2024). “Capitalizing on Hope: Questionable Marketing Approval and Pricing of a New ALS Drug.” International Journal of Social Determinants of Health and Health Services. doi:10.1177/27551938241247778

Flynn, M. B., and Elize Massard da Fonseca. (2023). Dependency, Capacity, and Agency: Austerity and Leadership Failures in Brazil’s Homegrown COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts. Studies in Comparative International Development. doi: 10.1007/s12116-023-09403-1.

Bulla, A. J., Wertalik, J. L., & Yakabovitz, L., (2023). Comparing the Effectiveness of Restricted-Operant and Free-Operant Teaching Arrangements on Measures of Acquisition and Fluency Outcomes. Single Case and the Social Sciences

Randall, K. R., Long, C., & Bulla, A. J. (2024). Concurrent Operant Analysis Validation: A Brief Report. Single Case and the Social Sciences.

Confer, L. M., Mowen, T. J., & Boman, J. H. (2024). Do Peers Protect People or Put Them at Risk of Recidivism? Friendship Quality and Peer Crime Among Justice-Involved Youth. Crime & Delinquency, 70(9), 2371-2404. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287231151874

Corradi, A., Felmlee, D. H., Gartner, S. S. (2024). A Bipartite Network Analysis of Terrorism in Nigeria, Crime & Delinquency.

*Bean, B.M., & Rickert, N.P. (2024). The impact of academic development structures on self-perception:  Honors vs. nonhonors university students. Journal of Advanced Academics. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X241237281

Rickert, N.P., Dancis, J.S., & Skinner, E.A. (2024). Dynamics of teacher autonomy support in early adolescence:  Feedforward and feedback effects with students’ autonomy, competence, relatedness, and engagement. European Journal of Psychology of Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-024-00852-3

Rickert, N.P., & Skinner, E.A. (2024). Parent and teacher involvement and adolescent academic engagement:  Unique, mediated, and transactional effects. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 48, 71-84. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254231210561

Thompson, K. J., Vaughn, P. E., Giuffre, A., & Huebner, B. M. (2024). Fines and Fees in Flux: Exploring Changes in Municipal Violation Sentencing after Court Reform. Justice Quarterly, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2024.2369184

Baldwin, C.; Finley, A. J.; Hebbring, T. M.; van Reekum, C.M.; Thayer, J.F.; Davidson, R.J.; Schaefer, S.M. (2023). Differences in Emotion Expression, Suppression, and Cardiovascular Consequences Between Black and White Americans in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study. Psychosomatic Medicine.

Naufel, K. Z., Spencer, S. M., & Richmond, A. S. (2024). Workforce readiness and guidelines 3.0: Is it time to update the skillful psychology student? Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000421

Costello, L.;  Van Willigen, M.; Walsh, C. Do Y’all Say Gay or Trans?: The Impact of Gender and Sexuality on College Students’ Experiences in the Rural South. Journal of Homosexuality.

Do, Q. B. P., McKone, K. M. P., Hamilton, J., Stone, L. B., Ladouceur, C., Silk, J. S. (in press). The link between adolescent girls’ interpersonal emotion regulation with parents and peers and depressive symptoms: A real-time investigation. Development and Psychopathology. doi: 10.1017/S0954579423001359
JPHCOPH

Das, S, Shri, N., Chakraborty, P., Dhada, I., Adhikari, A, Kannan, Krishnamurthi, Padhy, PK. Spatio-temporal trends in deaths due to cardiovascular diseases attributable to air pollution in India and its states: evidence from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019. The Evidence 2(3).
See the link for more information  https://the.evidencejournals.com/index.php/j/article/view/89
 
Alford, A., Riggins, A.D., Chopak-Foss, J., Cowan, L.T. Nwaonumah, E.C., Oloyede, T.F., Sejoro, S.T., & Kutten, W.S., A systematic review of perinatal psychosis resulting in infanticide: Missed opportunities in Screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Archives of Women’s Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01508-3
 
 
Rajamani S, Waterfield KC, Austin R, et al. Training in Public Health Informatics and Technology Leveraging a Multi-institutional Partnership Model and Emphasizing Experiential Learning. Appl Clin Inform. 2024;15:668-678. doi:10.1055/s-0044-1787979.
 
Floyd, A., Silcox, J., Strickler, G., Nong, T., Blough, M., Bolivar, D., Rabin, M., Bratberg, J., Irwin, A., Hartung, D., Hansen, R., Bohler, R., Green, T.C. (2024). Policies, adaptations, and ongoing challenges to naloxone, buprenorphine and nonprescription syringe access across four-states: Findings from an environmental scan and key Informant interviews. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports. 11:100243. doi: 10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100243.
 
 
 Bowser, D., Bohler, R., Davis, M.T., Hodgkin, D., Horgan, C.M. (2024). Incorporating Patient, Payor, and Provider Perspectives to Inform Payment Reform for Opioid Use Disorder Services in Massachusetts. Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment. https://www.jsatjournal.com/article/S2949-8759(24)00153-X/fulltext.
 
 
M.E. Eremeeva, L.A. Durden, J. Eisenstat, B.C. Hargrove and E.B. Mondor.  A severe head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) infestation:Timeline, pathogen detection, kdr-gene screening and morphological anomalies of lice. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2024. DOI: 10.1111/mve.12763
Note: The article above was a collaboration with Lance Durden and Ed Mondor from COSM. The paper is a part of a special issue on Forensic Entomology. This was a local case from rural GA, it received a lot of press attention due to pandemic-related child neglect and parents being charged and sentenced (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/us/kaitlyn-yozviak-severe-lice-coronavirus.html).

Xu, N., L. Sai, G. Wang, G.A. Dasch, and M.E. Eremeeva. 2024. Utility of next-generation sequencing for the etiological diagnosis of Orientia tsutsugamushi infection. Infectious Medicine, 3(3): e33226. doi.org/10.1016/j.imj.2024.100116
 
 
Kalu K, Shah GH, Ayangunna E, Shah B, Marshall N. The Role of Social Determinants of Health in Self-Reported Psychological Distress among United States Adults Post-COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024; 21: 1219. ttps://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091219. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1219 

PCOB

Jason Beck’s article “The Impact of Gunfire on Residential Property Values” has been accepted for publication in Applied Economics.

Omid Ardakani’s co-authored article “Tail Risks in Household Finance” has been published in Finance Research Letters.

Presentations & Accolades

WCHP

A team of researchers from Georgia Southern University’s Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) presented their latest findings at the 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) in Orlando, Florida. Their study titled “Effects of a Neurocognitive Multitask Activity on Lower Extremity Functional Performance Tests in Healthy Military Age Adults,” explored the impact of neurocognitive multitasking on physical performance in young, healthy individuals.
 
The research was led by WCHP faculty members Sidney Stoddard, Ed.D., DPT, Joseph Kardouni, Ph.D., DPT, and Bryan Reimann, Ph.D., alongside Logan Hall, a current Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student at Georgia Southern, and colleagues Ian Allen, DPT, and George Davies, DPT.
 
Their work provided valuable insight into the effects of incorporating a neurocognitive reactive component and a multitask neurocognitive reactive-recall component into a traditional single-limb hop functional performance test in healthy, military-aged adults.
 
Janet Bradshaw,  Ph.D., CCC-SLP,  ACUE, was awarded the Georgia Judicial Award for her presentation entitled “Important Topics when working with Speech-Language Impairments: Evaluations, Receptive/Expressive Disorders, and Social Communication Skill” at the Georgia Office of State Administrative Hearings Conference in Athens, Georgia, on August 29, 2024.
 
Charles “Hal” Wilson, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, was invited to speak on coaching leadership at the USA Basketball Coach Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Approximately 200 coaches were in attendance. The event is described as a coaching clinic of on- and off-court sessions on game strategies, skill development, practice planning and coaching leadership.This was the 10th session invitation for Wilson, who has spoken for USA Basketball at events across the nation since 2015.
 
Li Li, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, presented “Neurological Adaptations to Peripheral Neuropathy and Its Influence on Postural Control” at the Seminar in Health, Activity, Rehabilitation, and Exercise (SHARE) series of the Beaver College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University on September 20
 
Li Li, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, presented “Neurological Adaptations to Peripheral Neuropathy and Its Influence on Postural Control” at the annual Aging Academy Speaker Series of the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness on September 20 and September 23
 

COSM

Sue Ellen Dechenne-Peters, Ph.D. has been accepted as a Distinguished Visiting Professor with the US Air Force Academy for the 2024-2025 school year.This semester, she is teaching two upper-division courses; Embracing Complexity: Genetics, Environment, and Health and Molecular Methods. We’re looking forward to hearing more about her incredible journey over the next year!
 
The School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability (SEES) has been recognized in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education!  Don’t miss it—check out pages 49 and 77 for all the details. We’re proud to be part of this incredible achievement! https://www.aashe.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SCI-2024-Final.pdf
 
On September 5th, Dr. Robert L. Santos, Director of the U.S. Census Bureau gave a keynote speech on Empowering your quantitative acumen by bringing your whole self to the table. This was hosted by The Statistical Consulting Unit and the College of Science and Mathematics.
 
Dr. Lissa Leege from the Department of Biology has led the way locally with sustainability efforts for Georgia Southern, the Statesboro community, and beyond. She was recently interviewed by the Grice Connect about her commitment to preserving our environment, which extends all the way into her own backyard. https://www.griceconnect.com/rooted/lissa-leege-community-leader-in-sustainability-educates-and-inspires-8761349?utm_source=Villager&utm_campaign=Content&utm_medium=Facebook_Graph&fbclid=IwY2xjawFWvW5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQPoLcnvxQcUFE1IF5g4364ms-kflJmT0G_kkBP_scko60I-BToURK3-Cw_aem_tRhXbzIGRXgpj-KxZdoaVQ
 
John Carroll, Ph.D. of the Department of Biology was awarded a University of Georgia Grant to explore the potential for aquaculture product diversification with macroalgae. This 2 year award will support aquaculture research, fund graduate and undergraduate students, and support conference travel.
 
Checo Colon-Gaud, Ph.D. of the Department of Biology was awarded a National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc. (NCASI) Grant to study aquatic macroinvertebrate community response to streamside management zones.This 1.5 year award will fund one graduate thesis project, publication, presentations, and community outreach.
 
Tyler Cyronak, Ph.D. of the School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant to study seagrass and the coastal alkalinity cycle.This 3 year ($250,000) award will fund one Ph.D. student in the Environmental Science program, field work, data collection and analysis.
 
Callie Mauersberg, a graduate student in the Department of Biology was Awarded a Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society Grant to study long-term microplastic persistence in neural tissues of Danio rerio (zebrafish) with Dr. Rob Mans. This 1 year award will fund materials, data collection and analysis.
 
Ember Crutchfield, a graduate student with the Department of Biology was awarded a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grant to study effects of saltwater intrusion on mature Pinus taeda health and water use in barrier island maritime forests with Dr. Georgianne Moore. This 2 year award will fund materials, travel, housing and data collection.
 
Mark dela Cerna, Ph.D. of the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Physics was awarded a National Institutes of Health Grant to study PRL3 inhibitors as migrastatics and to determine the molecular determinants of PRL3 druggability.This award will fund  graduate and undergraduate students, travel, and materials.
 
Heather Joesting, Ph.D. of the Department of Biology was Awarded a GA-DNR Coastal Incentive Grant to study germination success of Spartina alterniflora under natural marsh conditions. This award will fund  graduate and undergraduate students, research and materials.
 
Risa Cohen, Ph.D. of the Department of Biology was Awarded a Georgia Sea Grant and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Grant to study Neonicotinoid presence in coastal waters and potential impacts on Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginia. This award will fund  co-investigators, graduate and undergraduate students, research and materials.
 
The Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern University hosted an extraordinary “Hops and Hawgs” event on August 22, drawing an enthusiastic, sold-out crowd and delivering an unforgettable evening of great live music, delectable food, and refreshing beers. https://www.griceconnect.com/local-news/hops-and-hawgs-at-the-garden-was-sold-out-and-enjoyed-by-all-9442991?fbclid=IwY2xjawFWvNRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRTItvS66xGEeJfZ6PLjAxSQjxh6tqwZgwdoCwUylkRCD54lPWyUs2AIZA_aem_V33We2dQBHnCvaP_clhy8w
 
Huge congratulations to Dr. Rafael Quirino on being awarded the Colvin Distinguished Professorship!  Dr. Quirino, a dedicated Professor of Chemistry at Georgia Southern since 2012, earned his PhD from Iowa State University. With over 100 peer-reviewed publications under his belt, his research in bio-based materials, carbon nanotubes, and novel heterogeneous catalysts has been repeatedly funded by the National Science Foundation. This prestigious professorship honors Dr. Clair Colvin, the beloved chair emeritus and professor emeritus of Georgia Southern’s Department of Chemistry. Dr. Colvin’s legacy includes his significant contributions to teaching, research, and service, as well as helping the department achieve ACS accreditation in 1989.

JPHCOPH

Eremeeva, M.E., S. Das, and C. Ogwara. 2024. Detection and characterization of Rickettsia amblyommatis in sympatric Amblyomma americanum. 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Rickettsiology, Williamsburg, VA, July 13-16, 2024 (Poster presentation).

Dasch, G.A., M.L. Tang, and M.E. Eremeeva. 2024. Molecular typing of isolates of Rickettsia akari. 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Rickettsiology, Williamsburg, VA, July 13-16, 2024 (Poster presentation).

Eremeeva, M.E. 2024. An overview of rickettsiology presented at the American Society of Microbiology meetings before the ASR. 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Rickettsiology, Williamsburg, VA, July 13-16, 2024 (Poster presentation).

Dasch, G.A., T. Adebile, C. Obianyo, and M.E. Eremeeva. 2024. Large protein gene targets for differentiating Rothia species and strains in genomics data. 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Atlanta, GA, June 13-17, 2024 (EEB-SUNDAY-1161, Poster presentation).

Eremeeva, M.E. 2024. Impact of the ASM on Rickettsiology and of Rickettsiologists on the ASM: The first 50 years. 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Atlanta, GA, June 13-17, 2024 (POM-FRIDAY-1212, Poster presentation).
 
Dr. Marina Eremeeva attended the 11th Tick and Tick-borne Pathogens Conference in Havana, Cuba. The title of her oral presentation was “The Phenology of Ticks and Tick-borne Pathogens in a University Green Zone in Georgia, USA”. 
 
Dr. Dziyana Nazaruk has been selected as a Career Champion for 2024. Each year the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) recognizes select campus partners as Career Champions.  The Career Champions award celebrates faculty and staff members who support career readiness as a part of a student’s professional development.
 
Dr. Gulzar Shah was awarded the “Best Researcher Award” by the MDPI journal Children.  This recognition is for his many contributions and achievements in innovative research in public health. The award, presented by the International Academic Achievements organization, is a significant acknowledgment of the impactful work we are doing in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. As Dr. Shah said in the email he sent to me, “This award not only reflects individual achievement but also the collaborative and supportive environment that our college fosters.”
 
Dr. Atin Adhikari attended the 36th Annual Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology in Santiago, Chile where he presented two works which are now published in the NIH/NIEHS Environmental Health Perspectives. See the links below for more information.
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/abs/10.1289/isee.2024.0373
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/abs/10.1289/isee.2024.0384
 
 
Dr. Tilicia Mayo-Gamble was invited by the Frontiers in Public Health journal to serve as a guest editor for a research topic, Novel Strategies for the Equitable Engagement of Community Partners Across the Research Continuum. A link to the research topic is below.
https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/66138/novel-strategies-for-the-equitable-engagement-of-community-partners-across-the-research-continuum
 
Dr. Tilicia Mayo-Gamble was also accepted into a leadership program, Transforming Biomedical Research and Academic Faculty through Leadership Opportunities, Training, and Mentorship (TRANSFORM) Program.
 
Dr. Atin Adhikari who was recently notified of a proposal award from the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PIN). The title of this proposal is “Exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Reduce Pesticide Exposure in Communities Around Cotton Farms and Promote Sustainable and Safe Pesticide Practices.” Dr. James Thomas is a Co-PI on this proposal.
 
Dr. Atin Adhikari will oversee a subcontract grant of nearly $50,000 to explore mold germination in paper and parchment-type museum collections. This effort is part of the National Leadership Grant program of the IMLSThis is a collaborative effort with Rochester Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

COE

Mete Akcaoglu will deliver the opening keynote at the 17th International Computer and Instructional Technologies Symposium. October 3rd, Kastamonu, Turkiye.  His talk titled “Teaching and Learning in the age of AI: What will remain the same and what will change?”

Marla Morris graduated magna cum laude with a PhD in Philosophy, Art and Social Thought from the European Graduate School in Switzerland. Her Dissertation title is Education at the Edge of Experience (Under the supervision of Dr Avital Ronell, Jaques Derrida Chair and Professor of Philosophy)

Elise Cain presented at the NAD Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) Grantees Conference
Cain, E. J., & Soloiu, V. (2024, September). Developing the engineering identities of undergraduate students: Leveraging momentum from an interdisciplinary REU Site (NSF Award No. 1950207) [Concurrent Session Presentation]. 2024 National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) Grantees Conference, Alexandria, VA, United States.

Cain, E. J., & Soloiu, V. (2024, September). Leveraging momentum by increasing participants’ engineering knowledge and skills at REU Site “Propulsion, Aerodynamics, Materials, and Controls of Aerial Vehicles” (Award No. 1950207) [Poster Presentation]. 2024 National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) Grantees Conference, Alexandria, VA, United States.

Selçuk Dogan and his collaborators developed a rubric to review and evaluate unit plans. This rubric is one of its kind and assesses if a unit plan is designed using Understanding by Design (UbD) curriculum model. The rubric is published in both English and Turkish forms and can be used to give feedback to pre-service and in-service teachers on their planning efforts and products.

Güneş-Savul, E., Doğan, S. & Nalbantoğlu Ü. Y. (2024). Developing a Rubric for Evaluating the Understanding by Design (UbD) Plan, Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 25(2), 807-829. DOI: 10.17679/inuefd.1446457

Stevenson, A., Ross, S., Walton, C., & He, M. F. (2023). A collaborative effort to develop and implement an online social justice professional development for urban school teachers. English Leadership Quarterly. 46(1), 2-7. https://doi.org/10.58680/elq202332578
 
Shannon-Baker, P. (2024). A sticker does not a “safe space” make, but you can affirm LGBTQ+ people through action. In L. Rychly (Ed.), What do we mean by that?: Interrogating familiar expressions in education (pp. 129–137). Myers Education Press.
 
Langdon, J., Brady, A., & Botnaru, D. (2024). Need Satisfaction, Motivation, and Learning Strategies in Undergraduate Kinesiology Students. International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/24711616.2024.2335885
 
Brady, A. C., Wolters, C. A., Pasque, P. A., Yu, S. L., & Lin, T. J. (2024). Beyond goal setting and planning: An examination of college students’ self-regulated learning forethought processes. Active Learning in Higher Education, 14697874241270490. https://doi.org/10.1177/146978742412704
 
Cornett, A. & Fitzpatrick, C. (2024). Leave only footprints, Yogi Bear!: Youth activism to preserve outdoor places of importance. In L. K. Pennington, M. A. Kessler, P. Horst, M. E. Tackett, & D. Fogelsong (Eds.), Hollywood or history?: An inquiry-based strategy for using film to teach salient societal issues in elementary social studies. Information Age Publishing.

Stephanie Devine Hosted a site visit with Senator Billy Hickman and members of the Georgia Council of Developmental Disabilities to tour our COE Eagle Academy, discuss program goals and students we serve. EAGLE Academy is a certified comprehensive transition program (CTP) for highly motivated young adults whose disability is characterized by limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. EAGLE Academy is a two year, non-degree program. Students will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment upon completion of the program. Students are eligible to receive college credit or audit courses. As a Certified Comprehensive Transition Program, approved by the Department of Education, EAGLE Academy students are eligible to receive financial assistance.

COE hosted our Senior Symposium on September 13, 2024.  This event is organized by Alisa Leckie, Heather Huling and Kelli Howard. There were 17 county school systems on campus in the COE building, and eager to recruit our preservice teachers. This event is aimed at connecting aspiring educators with job opportunities and professional development resources.
The attendees could participate in 17 sessions designed to enhance their skills and knowledge about the profession, covering various relevant topics.
There was also a dedicated space available for students who needed professional outfits for student teaching. This initiative provided access to professional clothing, ensuring that all participants could present themselves appropriately for interviews and teaching placements.
The Senior Symposium is a place for networking opportunities and sharing with our larger community that GS students are career-ready day one. 
 
Anna Brady, Alesia Moldavan, and Bailey Nafziger were each awarded funds through the Faculty Development Committee to initiate an exciting research-practice project focused on culturally responsive engineering instruction.
 
Dr. Erin Piedmont received Faculty Research Committee Undergraduate Research Grants to support our travel to the Georgia Council for Social Studies (GCSS) conference in Athens, GA with undergraduate students. We each will be accompanied by four undergraduate students that will be presenting with us a number of times. We each received $1,526 in total. 
 
Drs. Cynthia Bolton-Gary, Ashley Carter, Abe Flanigan, Kymberly Harris, Taylor Norman, Regina Rahimi, and Amanda Wall completed their four-months-long evaluation of the Georgia Leader and Educator Acceleration and Development System (GaLEADS) pilot program. GaLEADS is being proposed as a new statewide K-12 teacher observation, feedback, and advancement system by the Georgia Department of Education. They were awarded a $20,000 grant from GaDOE to conduct this evaluation.

PCOB

Linda Mullen, Associate Professor of Marketing, and Danielle Smith, Director of Experiential Learning and Corporate Relations for the Parker College, received the Career Champions Award.

Several faculty members in the Department of Management have recently been elected to leadership positions at various academic and professional organizations.  Dr. Katia de Melo Galdino was elected to the executive board of the Southern Management Association, a domestic affiliate of the Academy of Management.  Dr. Gabby Swab was elected to the leadership track of the Eastern Academy of Management (another domestic affiliate of the Academy of Management), and will serve as the Program Chair for its 2025 conference. Mr. Charles Marvil was elected Vice-President of the Madison/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Dr. Steve Charlier was elected as the Research Coordinator for the Management Education Division of the Academy of Management.

Parker College of Business’s Charles Marvil presented “Exploring Customer Perceptions and Expectations of Generative AI Services in the Quick Service Restaurant Industry” in July at the 2024 ICHRIE (International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education)  conference in Montreal, Canada.