USC College of Education eNewsletter

With eight paired couples moving deftly to the Cha Cha, The Shag, and other numbers, the second annual and highly energized Dancing with the Deans, held Dec. 1 in the Russell House Ballroom, again proved to be highly popular.
The Office of Annual Giving sponsors Dancing with the Deans. A holiday-timed celebration, it also serves as a reminder—to Carolina’s 6,800 faculty, staff, and retirees on eight campuses—of just how important their gifts are through the University of South Carolina’s Family Fund campaign. President Harris Pastides called the event and others like it “the best expression of who we are” as a University.

Dance Winners: Appreciative, and Gracious

The winners, performing the Cha Cha, were Lemuel Watson, Dean of College of Education, and Jill Michels, an assistant professor in the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. In earlier online voting, they also took first in the Fans’ Choice Award. Coached by event producer Wendi Nance, director of University Foundations, Watson and Michels had practiced about two weeks. But with 29 points—just one shy of a perfect score from the three-judge panel—they looked like seasoned competitors.
“We just wanted to get the crowd going with our routine,” Michels said. “Winning the Fans’ Choice Award was a total surprise.” Added Dean Watson, “We worked very hard to prepare for this competition, giving it everything we had. We want to thank everyone involved for making Dancing with the Deans so successful.”

The Family Fund: Numbers Show High Support

At the beginning of the show, it was noted that now in its 37th year, the Family Fund has raised $36 million toward student support including scholarships, faculty support, campus improvements, and program enhancements the University holds dear.

During the competition, more than 300 University faculty and staff showed their enthusiasm for the contestants, allowing a competitive spirit fills the air.

Your Other Participants: Winners All

A complete listing of Dancing with the Deans results are as follows. Second place went to Charlie Partlow, a professor in the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management (HRSM), and Kathy Smiling, HRSM Assistant Dean. They danced to the Shag and were coached by Nance. In third place was Robert Wilcox, Dean of the School of Law, and Michelle Martin, the Augusta Baker Chair in Childhood Literacy. Dancing the Waltz, they were coached by Mimi Worrell.

The other entrants, their coaches, and dances were:

The emcee was Jonathan Rush of 97.5 WCOS. The judges were John Farley, WIS chief meteorologist; Lazetta Giles of Eboni Dance Theatre; and Larry Hembree of Nickleodeon Theatre. Students from The Carolina Ballroom Club performed the Cha Cha before the competition started. Numerous sponsors made it possible to give prizes to those with stars on the back of their programs.

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you as the new director of development for the college. I am fortunate to have already met many of you, and am looking forward to getting to know, and working with many more of you in the future. In my role with the college, I will be partnering with you to develop ways that we can help improve our College of Education through alumni activities, philanthropic support, and involvement in the education community.

Dean Watson and I will be hosting alumni activities throughout the state and in certain areas of the country over the next year. So, please be on the lookout for an invitation to visit with us when we are in your area. I will also be reaching out to many of you in the coming months to introduce myself to you and talk with you about ideas you might have in support of the college. But, please don’t wait to hear from us! If you would like to discuss ways we can work together for the betterment of our College and University, please feel free to call or e mail me at any time. I am looking forward to getting to know each of you!

A new initiative is launched in the College of Education. The Department of Educational Leadership, in partnership with the Darla Moore School of Business, just welcomed the first cohort of graduate students into a new degree program. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education Business Administration (HEBA) is designed for mid-level administrators who have at least two years of professional work experience. The 13 students who make up the inaugural cohort hark from both university and community college environments and bring to the program a plethora of work experience as well as enthusiasm for this new program. This interdisciplinary program is 39 credit hours; approximately half of these hours are in higher education administration and half are in business administration. Students are beginning their cohort experience by delving into financial accounting at the Moore School and adult learning in the College of Education. Dr. Katherine Chaddock, an architect of the new program and the department chair in Educational Leadership and Policies, noted, “This program is a first of its kind, and its delivery through both distance modalities and face-to-face formats makes it convenient for busy professionals. Program graduates will be much in demand, as they’ll leave us with both the business acumen acquired through their professional MBA coursework and a keen understanding of the functioning of higher education gained through their coursework with us”. The culmination of the program is an action research project which serves as a capstone experience.

Students will be admitted annually to this innovative program. For further information, please go to the program’s Web site at www.moore.sc.edu/masters/academicprograms/masterofeducationheba.aspx. or contact Scott King, director of admissions at the Moore School of Business at scott.king@moore.sc.edu or Dr. Jim Hudgins, the program’s co-director in the College of Education, at 803-777-5205 or at hudginsj@mailbox.sc.edu.

Councilwoman Kathy Maness was elected president of the Women in Municipal Government Constituency group during the National League of Cities Annual Conference November 9-12 in Phoenix, Ariz. Maness is the first woman from South Carolina to hold the position and looks forward to a wonderful year of expanding the role of women in government across the country.

“As current president of Women in Municipal Government, I know the importance of being involved in this great organization. As women, it is our civic duty to ensure that we have female voices in all sectors and roles in government. WIMG affords each of us the opportunity to expand our knowledge of local governments, programs, funding, implementation processes, and the impact that our community and children face. I would encourage all of our fellow sisters in municipal government to join us in the movement to strengthen our country one step at a time, ” stated Maness.

Councilwoman Maness will showcase the great State of South Carolina in May 2012 when she will host the WIMG Annual Summer Conference in Charleston, S.C.

Maness a 1980 graduate of Lancaster High School, earned an associate’s from USC Lancaster in 1982, a BA in elementary education from USC in 1983, a master’s in early education from USC in 1986, and was a third grade teacher at Erwin Elementary School. She currently serves as executive director of Palmetto State Teachers Association.

Councilwoman Maness was elected to Lexington Town Council in 2004 and was reelected in 2008 and serves as the council liaison for the Town’s Advisory Committee.

She is married to Amiel Maness, formally of Cornelia, Ga., and is the daughter-in-law of Edison and the late Floyce Maness. Maness has three children: Rebekah, 22, a senior at USC; Patrick, 19, a sophomore USC, and Jonathan, nine, a third-grader at Midway Elementary School.

Amy Stone, interim executive director of the Carolina Alumni Association, was elected secretary of the university and of the University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees Monday (Oct. 17).

Stone will succeed Tommy Stepp, who is retiring in December after 24 years in the position.

Board Chairman Miles Loadholt said Stone’s leadership skills, her knowledge of the university, and her experience working with the board made her a strong candidate for the position.

“Amy Stone brings a wealth of knowledge to this role,” Loadholt said. ”As president of the Carolina Alumni Association, she worked tirelessly to represent the interests of USC alumni before the board and to build ties with a broad range of constituents. Her leadership skills, her work ethic, and her knowledge of the university will allow her to continue the valuable work that Tommy Stepp has done for 24 years.”
Stone, 61, is a graduate of USC with bachelor’s and a master’s degrees in education. From 2008-2010, she was an ex-officio member of USC’s Board of Trustees, a seat she held as president of the Carolina Alumni Association. She chaired the Student-Trustee Liaison Committee and also served on the Ad Hoc Committee for Development and the Health Affairs Committee. She also is a member of the Alumni Association Board of Governors.

Stone has devoted most of her career to education and fund raising. She taught math at Irmo Middle School and moved into development, working for The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., Hammond School in Columbia, and the Arizona Museum of Science and Technology in Phoenix. From 2004-08, she was owner of AES Consulting, a firm specializing in annual giving, capital campaigns, and special events. She also worked for the S.C. Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for more than 10 years, serving adults in the Greenwood and Conway/Georgetown areas.
Until joining the alumni association on July 1, Stone was vice president for retail recruiting for the City Center Partnership.
Stone said she was eager to begin her work with the board.

“It is truly an honor to serve the Board of Trustees in this vitally important role,” Stone said.”I look forward to working with each member to advance our university and provide the very best educational opportunities for our students.”

Stepp said Stone is an excellent choice to serve Carolina as its secretary. “Her leadership of the alumni association, her service on the Board of Trustees and her knowledge and love of the institution will serve her well,” Stepp said.

The secretary of the Board of Trustees is one of the university’s principal officers and is the official liaison between the board and the university administration, faculty, staff, and students. The board secretary has responsibility for signing university contracts, overseeing commencement planning and activities and, coordinating all board activities and functions.

Four alumni of the Ph.D. Program in Higher Education Administration are “giving back” to USC by serving as adjunct faculty in the College of Education. These graduates of the doctoral program earned their initial course credits through the Community College Leadership Alliance, the partnership between USC and the South Carolina Technical College System. The GCP enables mid-level professionals at South Carolina community and technical colleges to earn 18 credits which are transferable to the Ph.D. program. One hundred and fifty-seven technical college associates have graduated from the graduate certificate program and 14 have earned their doctorate at the University of South Carolina. The Graduate Certificate Program (GCP) faculty includes three of its former participants:

Dr. Rebecca Battle Bryant, dean of career training and development, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

Dr. Gemma Frock, vice president for education and training, Aiken Technical College

and Dr. Gina Mounfield, vice president for academic affairs, Technical College of the Lowcountry

Dr. Kent Cubbage, chair of the science department, Aiken Technical College, serves as an adjunct faculty member in the new master’s degree program in higher education and business affairs (HEBA). The College of Education and the Darla Moore School of Business are pleased to work together on this groundbreaking program, welcoming its first cohort this fall with 13 members. The interdisciplinary program consists of courses offered in the College of Education and the Darla Moore School of Business. The degree is designed for mid-level working professionals in institutions of higher education and related organizations and agencies. Please contact the Department of Educational Leadership and Policies for more information about the graduate leadership program or the master’s degree program in higher education business administration at 803-777-5240.

Education Policy Course Produces Real-World Results
For Veterans at Midlands Technical College”
By Amy Scully, December 2011 graduate, Higher Education and Student Affairs

NOTE: Every year the course EDLP805, Advanced Education Policy Analysis in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policies, includes a three- to four-day visit to Washington, D.C., for up-close interaction with federal level policy makers in government and related agencies. The spring 2011 trip for graduate students in higher education programs sparked long-term results for Amy Scully and some of her students at Midlands Technical College.
* * *
This November, my colleagues at Midlands Technical College and I received notification that four of our non-credit programs are now approved for 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. All of the eligible programs, A+, Network+. Security+ and MCITP, lead to nationally recognized information technology certifications. Midlands Technical College is a veteran friendly campus that has served veterans for years in its associate degree programs, so for non-credit programs to receive eligibility for benefits as late as 2011 might come as quite a surprise. Although veterans often prefer to participate in non-credit development opportunities at the community college level, we repeatedly experienced bureaucratic obstacles securing approval. Previous unsuccessful attempts led us to believe that non-credit programs were not eligible for benefits, forcing us to turn away veterans interested in using their benefits in short-term, industry recognized educational programs. So what changed? I believe the answer is synergy--synergy between an academic experience at the University of South Carolina and real-world application at Midlands Technical College.

In April 2011, as a student in Dr. Katherine Chaddock’s Advanced Education Policy (EDLP 805) class, I travelled to Washington, D.C. to meet with individuals involved in federal higher education policy. We met with and learned from amazing individuals devoted to higher education. At a briefing on the Hill, I had the opportunity to ask about what I believed was a deficiency in the policy that prevented use of veteran benefits for non-credit programs. Armed with the welcome knowledge that the law did not prohibit approval for non-credit programs, I returned to with renewed energy to navigate the bureaucracy and submit our programs, once again, for approval. With the help of my colleague in corporate and continuing education, Cathy Pitts, and the support of the college’s certified VA representative, we worked tirelessly to overcome bureaucratic obstacles so that we could better serve South Carolina’s veterans. It is critical for education stakeholders who debate the relationship between the classroom experience and practical relevance, to speak to those of us who each day take what we learn in the classroom and apply it in real-world settings. It is the proverbial trickle-down effect: Meaningful education spurs its recipients to contribute in positive ways to their communities. Believing that success breeds success, we are preparing our next set of programs for submission. A beauty exists in the true synergy between education and the world at-large.

I've been the liaison between Wofford and our Army ROTC battalion for several years. I work closely with the cadre and the cadets on academics, financial aid, and career plans.

The Army tries to make sure that people like me have a good understanding of the Army, so I have visited with West Point officials several times, shot automatic weapons with our cadre, and now jumped out of an airplane with the Silver Wings, a precision jump team at Fort Benning, Ga.

We have managed to send Wofford cadets to West Point the past two summers for extensive cross-training with West Point cadets. I've had meetings with West Point officials discussing the possibility of the first West Point/non-military-academy student exchange program.

We have dramatically increased the size of the Wofford student cadre, thus increasing the amount of federal support to Wofford by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

My proudest accomplishment, though, has been in bringing together our Chinese faculty with our professor of military science. Wofford now enrolls more than 20 percent of the cadets in the nation who are majoring in Chinese (a critical needs language that receives special attention from the Army). The college has sent our PMS to China to better orient him to our study abroad programs there, and we have financially helped many first-year students study intensive Chinese in Bejing. Several cadets have accelerated their fluency by attending Middlebury College’s summer intensive language programs. Our Chinese major cadets include students who have 1480 SAT scores and who are double-majoring in biology, environmental studies, and government.

Two weeks ago, I sat through the Wofford/CBS Republican debate and then spent an hour in the spin room with media and several candidates. Last week, I placed a student with the Carolina Panther's sports broadcasting group for a brief internship (thanks, Danny).

I do a lot of student advising (academic and emotional), help to shape new academic initiatives, manage an $8 million academic budget, help with building projects (always remembering Kuhn, Shuh, and Whitt's “Involving Colleges”), and still get to dive into databases every day.

Michelle Burke MA (Class of 1998) was named director of student life at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). Burke also teaches in the college student affairs leadership master’s program at GVSU. She recently served as a member of a university delegation to the University of West Indies-Mona, Jamaica, where she has developed a study abroad course for GVSU Master of Education students that will launch in May 2012.

Dr. Vivian Gallman-DeRienzo Ph.D. (Class of 2009) has accepted the position of vice president for enrollment management at Thomas University.

Dr. Bill Mulkey M.Ed (Class of 1976), Ed.D (Class of 1994) completed his 40th year as director of radiologic sciences at Midlands Technical college in Columbia, S.C. He and his wife, Paula, and sons Roman and Gabriel reside on the family farm in Batesburg-Leesville, S.C.

Krystal Weeks Bozard MT (Class of 2005) and husband Brian Heyward Bozard B.A. Engineering (Class of 2004) welcomed the birth of their son, William Heyward Bozard, on November 22. Their daughter, Megan Olivia Bozard, is 2.
Mary Beth Ely M.Ed (Class of 2009) and husband David Ely welcomed their second daughter, Elizabeth Joy, on February 3, 2011.

R. Keith East Ph.D. (Class of 1996) and Ed.S (Class of 1990) was promoted to the rank of full professor in the College of Education at Southern Wesleyan University in June 2011. In August 2011 East was named director of graduate field studies for Southern Wesleyan University's five regional campuses. In October 2011, he was reappointed by S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley to a second four-year term on the Pickens County Social Services Board. In December 2011, he is slated to be a guest researcher with the University of Georgia in Monteverde, Costa Rica, regarding elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education in the region.

Ova Brown-Gillespie M.Ed. (Class of 2008) has accepted an assistant principal position at Cheraw High School. Ova is currently working on her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction and an AP at Long Middle School in Cheraw.

In August 2011, Dr. Stephanie Foote Ph.D. (Class of 2009) and M.Ed. (Class of 1999) began a position as an associate professor of education in the Department of First-Year Programs at Kennesaw State University: previously, Stephanie was the director of the Academic Success Center and First-Year Experience at the University of South Carolina Aiken.

Shun Robertson Ph.D. (Class of 2011) has accepted a position at MDC in Durham, N.C. as the program director for Partners for Postsecondary Success (PPS). PPS is a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation initiative aimed at helping low-income young adults in four communities complete their postsecondary education and acquire knowledge-economy jobs.

Sissie Probert B.A. (Class of 1994) and M.Ed. (Class of 2001) earned a 10-year service award from the University of South Carolina, academic advisor in the USC College of Nursing.

Patricia McMahon Hartwell M.Ed. (Class of 1993) married Christopher Hartwell in October 2008 to and gave birth to daughter, May Catherine, on January 30, 2010. Patricia works as a network contract manager for United HealthCare.

Mary C. Freitas of Dillon, S.C. M.Ed. (Class of 1975) has retired after teaching in Dillon District Schools for 30 years and the Dillon Christian School for nine years. She enjoyed every day she was in the classroom but last February decided (being 74 years young and still able to get around and travel) to retire.

Dr. Stacie L. Williams accepted the position of director of the Academic Success Center (ASC) at the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA). The ASC coordinates the university’s advisement, tutoring, first-year experience programs, and other academic support initiatives. Stacie served as the director of intercultural programs at USCA for eight years.

Jennifer Gamble Townsend B.A. (Class of 2002) and M.Ed. (Class of 2006) received a Doctorate in Education (Organizational Leadership), from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Her dissertation topic was an examination and assessment of organizational culture at a historically black college/university. Her research interests include organizational effectiveness within the higher education setting, student leadership development, and learner-centered curriculum instruction and design.

Two of our former Homecoming queens made it to the parade, Patricia Matheson Morrison (left) , Class of 52 and Ann Loadholt (right), Class of 65.

Mary Rawls is the academic program director for human services at Midlands Technical College and a Ph.D. student at USC (Higher Education Administration). Rawls has received the 2011 Unbar Tompkins Distinguished Lecturer award from Midlands Tech.

Carl B. Strange, Jr. is teaching introductory Latin online for the University of Alaska. Course development ran through spring and summer, and Strange started the 101 course with 20 students in the fall. The 102 course will follow in the spring. About the position Strange said, “I came to this job because the mother of a student I taught in Fairbanks, Alaska, in the early 90s is a UAF employee and I knew that the Center for Distance Learning was looking for a Latin teacher. She found me 14 years after moving to Connecticut and introduced me to the design director. She said that her daughter had enjoyed my teaching and that she as a parent had been well-satisfied with my grading practices (thank you to Dr. Fred Splitgerber for that!) and my level of communication with parents (thank you to Drs. Tim Bergen and Len Maiden). Now I have come 32 years from my undergraduate degree at USC and 26 from my master's, and I know that Wardlaw took me, poor clay that I was, and made a teacher out of me. It continues to be such fun; I have no thought of retirement.”

Daniel Eckstein, Ph.D. (Class of 1973) is currently professor of medical psychology at the Saba University School of Medicine, Saba, Dutch Netherlands. He is also president of the faculty senate there as well as a past president of the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology. Dr. Eckstein is author of Leadership by Encouragement, Psychological Fingerprints, and Raising Respectful kids in a rude world.

Erin Carter M.Ed. (Class of 2004) and Kyle Carter welcomed daughter Emma Rose Carter born on July 17, 2011, in Lansing, Michigan. She weighed 7 lbs., 1 oz and was 21 inches long at birth.

LynnAlison McGavack-Martin received the Marion Quin Dix Leadership Award from the Arizona Art Education Association in October 2011. This award is given to an association officer in the performance and/or development of specific programs and recognizes outstanding contributions and service to the profession by state/province goals or activities at the state/province association level. This award is presented in honor of NAEA’s third president, Marion Quin Dix, in recognition of her pioneer work in the development of NAEA as a national professional organization.

If you have news to share, whether it is a birth, wedding, or promotion, email@Wardlaw to have your exciting news included in the next edition.