April 2012 202nd Edition A Publication of New England Institute of Technology Martin Sheen to Address the Class of 2012 Commencement Is Coming New England Institute of Technology will host its 71st Commencement ceremony to be held on Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Award-winning actor and social activist, Martin Sheen, will deliver this year’s commencement address. M.Therese Antone, RSM Chancellor of Salve Regina University, along with Martin Sheen, will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters at the ceremony. Martin Sheen, a three-time Emmy and Golden Globe awardwinner, social justice activist and humanitarian, will deliver this year’s commencement address on May 6, 2012, at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Before an audience of approximately 5000, Sheen will share his values and encourage the more than 1200 graduates to always be honest and to follow their dreams even when faced with adversity. Sheen, one of ten children and the first to be born in the United States to immigrant parents, was named Ramon Estevez at birth, which is still his legal name. He knew as a child that he wanted to be an actor despite his father’s advice to go to college. At 18 years old, he borrowed bus money from his parish priest and headed to New York to pursue his dream. Since that time, Sheen has portrayed a wide range of characters and is best known for his role in the film, Apocalypse Now and as President Josiah Bartlet on the NBC hit series, The West Wing, which enjoyed a seven year run. To his credit, he has performed in more than 100 roles since the late 1960’s in such films as Badlands, Wall Street, Catch Me If You Can, Gandhi, The Departed, Bobby and The Way, which was written and directed by his son Emilio Estevez. Both he and Emilio have written a soon-to-be released memoir entitled Along the Way. Sheen’s upcoming work includes an independent Irish film, Stella Days, as well as his role in Spiderman to premier this July. Sheen has used his success to bring awareness to many social causes, such as gun violence, nuclear proliferation, homelessness and war. Despite the fact that these situations are still cause for much concern, Sheen stands strong in his convictions. With all of the awards and accomplishments Sheen has worked so hard to achieve, what is most important to him is his family. He has been married to his wife, Janet, for 50 years and they have TechTalk is published by NEIT’s Office of Media Relations, Linda Dionne, Editor. Please send your story ideas or comments to [email protected] . 2| TechTalk April 2012 four children, Emilio, Renee and Ramon Estevez and Charlie Sheen, all with careers in the entertainment field. Martin Sheen will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters from NEIT recognizing his many achievements. The Commencement ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. M. Therese Antone, RSM, To Receive Honorary Degree Chancellor of Salve Regina University, M. Therese Antone, RSM, is being awarded with an honorary doctor of humane letters at NEIT’s 2012 Commencement for her outstanding contributions to education and the Rhode Island community. A native Rhode Islander, Sister Therese was raised in Central Falls and Cumberland and realized at a young age, her desire to join the Sisters of Mercy order and become a teacher. She graduated from Salve Regina with a bachelor’s degree and began her teaching career. Sister Therese later earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Villanova University as well as a doctor of education degree from Harvard University. At the outset of her career, Sister Therese enjoyed working as a classroom teacher at all grade levels before moving into school administration at the secondary level. In 1973, she joined the staff at Salve and became president of the university in 1994. Sister Therese was named Chancellor in 2009 where her responsibilities are now focused on long term planning and projects for the university. Under her leadership, Salve has enjoyed a growing endowment fund along with a dramatic increase in annual freshman applications. She has assisted in positioning the university as a center for international studies through the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy. Because of her commitment to the betterment of Salve Regina University, its Center for Culture and the Arts was named in her honor. Sister Therese has been honored with several prestigious awards including the National Conference Humanitarian Award, the John E. Fogarty Award, and was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. Her dedication to the needs of the community are quite evident having served on several boards, including AAA of Southern New England, Lifespan Health Care Corporation, the Davis Educational Foundation, as well as financial organizations, libraries and academic institutions. In 2006, Sister Therese worked with the Carcieri administration to help revamp the troubled worker’s compensation system. New England Tech is proud to add Chancellor M. Therese Antone, RSM, to its distinguished list of honorary degree recipients. 3| Planning for the Future TechTalk April 2012 By Sharon Charette, Assistant to the Provost On Wednesday, March 7, 2012, President Richard Gouse welcomed over 60 members of the faculty, staff, administration, and a student representative to an all-day planning meeting connecting the work done in the NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) self-study standards committees to the College's Long-Range Plan. Those participating included members of the long-range planning teams and the NEASC self-study standards committees. Dr. Thomas Wylie, Senior Vice President and Provost, opened the meeting by introducing facilitator Jay Vogt of Peoplesworth, who set the stage by explaining the planning process, constructing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) action items, and what was Assistant Provost, Tom Thibodeau, summarizes the comments of the Faculty group to all participants. (Photo by Jay Vogt) expected for the day. The groups were divided into the six planning areas: Programs, Faculty, Student Services, Facility, External Relations, and Administration. Each group was tasked with reviewing the previous long-range plan and input from all of the self-study drafts and the NEASC meetings held earlier this year, discussing those and coming up with potential objectives and action items for the new 2013 – 2015 plan. The NEASC Operations Committee is currently working on compiling the results of the sessions and editing them into objectives and action items to submit to the six Long-Range Plan teams for consideration. Sarah Schirduan (ABTA), the student who attended, did so eagerly, and was happy to add a student perspective to the ideas exchanged in the discussions. Sarah mentioned that whenever she participates in something, she does so completely, embracing the process and the challenges. There was a lot of energy in the room reflecting on how much has been accomplished in the past few years and with plenty of enthusiasm for the future. One major theme that surfaced for the day was increasing communication between different groups on the three campuses. This productive meeting was a great start toward fulfilling the spirit of that goal. COLLEGE NEWS Spotlight on Student Accounts As we continue to focus on the responsibilities of various departments at New England Tech, this issue of Tech Talk will showcase the Student Accounts Department. It is important for all faculty and staff to be familiar with the role each department plays, especially those areas where NEIT students are directly serviced. 4| TechTalk April 2012 The role of the Student Accounts Department is two-fold. First, the staff monitors tuition payments for those students who have agreed to “pay as they go”. Secondly, Student Accounts personnel stand ready to assist students who may be experiencing difficulty in making their payments because of life changes that may have occurred since the student first enrolled. Students who may be struggling to make their tuition payments should contact the Student Accounts office before the problem escalates. Some common problems include the inability to make payments as first agreed upon, changes in the student’s personal life, receipt of past due notices, loan denials, and questions regarding reimbursement from employers or government agencies such as, the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. When those students who are facing financial difficulty do not come forth on their own for assistance, the Student Accounts Department then intervenes through phone calls, emails and invoices. The goal is to assist the student before the account is too far in arrears. Once notified, many students will then seek out help and payment adjustments can be made. The Student Accounts staff prides itself in being understanding, helpful, and successful in getting students back on track. There are situations, however, where a student does not respond to any of the attempts made by the Student Accounts Department to contact the office for assistance. In these cases, Pierre Morin, Director of Student Accounts, will then instruct staff member, Tony Monteiro, to visit the student’s class. Tony has no knowledge of the student’s financial situation. Tony simply advises the student to contact the Student Accounts office that day to address the outstanding issues. The purpose of this visit is not to embarrass the student or possibly disrupt the class but to get the financial matter resolved so the student can focus on his/her studies and educational success. In addition to Tony Monteiro, the Student Accounts staff includes Assistant Director, Cindy Skavron, Student Accounts representatives Anthony Fossa and Terri Walker; Administrative Assistant, Paula Allen, and evening receptionist, Sandra O’Donnell, all of whom are ready to help. The Student Accounts Department is located at the East Greenwich campus, 1st floor, room N119. The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday. (Extended hours are available by appointment for students in the master’s degree OT program). Any questions or concerns may be directed to Pierre Morin at ext. 3406 or by email at [email protected]. 5| TechTalk April 2012 Erin Flynn Attends State-of-the-Union Address Erin Flynn, NEIT’s Manager of Admissions Outreach and Events, was surprised and honored when she was invited by Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) to be his guest at President Obama’s recent State of the Union Address held at the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. Why was Erin chosen by Congressman Langevin? During her 25 year tenure at NEIT, Erin has become a leader in the state’s educational initiatives designed to help build a skilled workforce. Over the past year, New England Tech has partnered with Congressman Langevin in bringing the National Cyber Security High School Challenge to Rhode Island. Through Erin’s diligent efforts serving as State Coordinator, Rhode Island boasted more than 300 participants, outnumbering every other state’s competition. For the past five years, Erin has served as the Rhode Island point person for the state’s FIRST Tech Challenge, which is hosted by NEIT. Erin brings more than 30 Rhode Island high school teams to campus each year for this exciting robotics competition, of which Congressman Langevin is a strong advocate. Having a keen interest in the political scene, Erin’s trip to Washington, D.C. was a dream come true. The college community wishes to thank Erin for her dedication not only to NEIT students but to the youth of Rhode Island. FACULTY AND STAFF UPDATE New Development Director at NEIT Lynne Donahue has recently joined our college community as the new Director of Institutional Development and Alumni Relations. She brings more than 20 years of non-profit management and development experience working with many notable organizations such as, the Rhode Island School of Design, Women and Infants Hospital, Special Olympics of Rhode Island, the Compass School and many more. Lynne’s knowledge and expertise in the development arena will be of great importance to NEIT as we continue to grow. In her new role at NEIT, Lynne will be responsible for building an effective and sustainable development program engaging alumni, employees, employers, corporations, foundations and members of the college’s technical advisory committees. Lynne will oversee New England Tech’s 3rd Annual Alumni Golf Tournament scheduled for July 27, 2012, along with other development projects currently underway. Lynne will also continue to expand NEIT’s Alumni Association. 6| TechTalk April 2012 Lynne holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Providence College along with a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from Bryant University. For further information regarding NEIT’s development opportunities or alumni relations programs, please contact Lynne Donahue at ext. 3704 or [email protected]. Mary Brinson, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA Mary Brinson has joined the faculty at New England Tech as an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department with a long list of accomplishments to her name. Mary has been active in local, regional, and national occupational therapy activities. During her tenure as Director of the Occupational Therapy Department at Butler Hospital, The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) named the Butler OT Fieldwork Program as one of the top 25 model fieldwork programs in the country. She has held several leadership positions serving as President of the Rhode Island Occupational Therapy Association, a member of the AOTA Commission on Practice, and as Chair of the Mental Health Service Delivery Guidelines Task Force for the AOTA Commission on Practice. Mary was awarded the Fieldwork Education Award of Excellence by the New England Occupational Therapy Education Council and named to the Roster of Fellows by AOTA. Mary received a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Indiana University. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy, both of which are from Boston University. In Remembrance Ellard Richard “Dick” Merrill, a dedicated faculty member, passed away on March 7, 2012. Dick began his career at New England Tech in 1979 and served the college well until his retirement in 1996. During his tenure, Dick established the Building Construction/Cabinetmaking Technology program and served as Department Chair. He later became a faculty member in the Architectural/Building Engineering Technology program. Dick was a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. He was a self-employed builder and architect who put his creativity and talents to work building unusual structures, such as a diamond-shaped house in Maine, a butterfly design roof and a solar home with a wood foundation. He also served as the building inspector in Scituate, RI. 7| TechTalk April 2012 Fred Reisman, a former NEIT colleague, stated that Dick believed in simplicity. Dick was very deliberate in his approach and was able to solve complex problems using simple methods. In addition to his passion for teaching and his talent for carpentry, Dick was an avid skier. NEIT is proud to have had Dick Merrill as a member of our college community. STUDENT EVENTS Alpha Chi Honor Society Established at NEIT The inauguration of the Rhode Island Gamma Chapter of the Alpha Chi Honor Society was held on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at the East Greenwich campus. Dr. Margaret FitzGerald, Alpha Chi National Council President, officiated the Inauguration Ceremony. Alpha Chi membership is a prestigious honor reserved for only the top 10% of Bachelor and Master’s students in all academic fields. Alpha Chi recognizes and promotes scholarship and those elements of character that make scholarship effective for good. The top 10% is based on quarterly cumulative GPAs. NEIT is now one of 300 Alphi Chi chapters that are located in 45 states and Puerto Rico. This prestigious honor society boasts more than 400,000 members and is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. NEIT is very proud of the 19 outstanding students that were inducted into the Rhode Island Gamma Chapter. Dr. Thomas Wylie, Senior Vice President and Provost, welcomed the students, families, faculty and staff. Dr. Robin Schutt, Associate Professor at NEIT, and the Gamma Faculty Advisor, along with Co-Advisors, Assistant Provost, Karen Arnold, and Student Activities Coordinator, Melissa Hague, conducted the induction ceremony. For a complete list of inductees, please visit www.neit.edu and scroll down to the “What’s New” tab on the left. The PTA Open House Is A Success The 5th quarter Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Technology students hosted an Open House at the East Greenwich campus on Tuesday, April 10th from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the PTA Lab. NEIT faculty, staff, and students were invited to participate in activities offered by our PTA students. The Open House was used to promote awareness of Physical Therapy and wellness through exercise and nutrition. The activities offered included: exercise and balance with the Wii, Zumba, Plyometrics, kettlebell 8| TechTalk April 2012 workouts, core strengthening with stability balls, and “nutrition on the go”. The students did an outstanding job putting their hands-on training to use. They are now completing four weeks of class to prepare for their full-time clinical placements. SkillsUSA Competition Winners SkillsUSA is national organization serving more than 264,500 high school and college students as well as professional members enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations, including health professions. SkillsUSA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. During the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, more than 4,500 students compete in 77 occupational and leadership skill areas. SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the classroom. NEIT is a post-secondary chapter of SkillsUSA. On Thursday, March 29, 2012, Rhode Island SkillsUSA held its annual awards ceremony at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, where the winners were announced from each technical area. The first place winners will travel to the national competition in Kansas City, Missouri, in June and will compete against top students in their technical areas from across the United States. Congratulations to all the winners and best of luck to the four 1st place gold medalists competing at the nationals this year. Industrial Motor Controls: 1st Place: Kevin Prisco Architectural Drafting: 1st Place: Kyle Duquette Electrical Construction Wiring: 1st Place: 3rd Place: Mike Scicutella Jevorni Lloyd Automotive Service Technology: 1st Place: 2nd Place: 3rd Place: Andrew Biederka James Brookman Julio Bautista MARK YOUR CALENDAR Best of Tech Award Presentation Scheduled The 15th annual “Best of Tech” award ceremony will be held on Friday, April 27, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. in the Media Presentation Theater at the East Greenwich campus. Awards will be presented to those students receiving Best of Tech, Tech Scholar, and Best of Humanities and Social Sciences awards. Please contact Dav Cranmer, 2012 Chair, Best of Tech Committee, at ext. 3342 or email him at [email protected]. 9| TechTalk April 2012 Attention All Golfers! The 3rd Annual New England Tech Alumni Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, July 27, 2012, at the Swansea Country Club, 299 Market Street, Swansea, Massachusetts. All faculty, staff, alumni, students, guests and friends of the college are invited. Check-in time begins at 10:00 a.m. with tee-off at 11:00 a.m. Join us for a great day of golf including lunch, dinner, prizes and an awards ceremony too! This event sold out last year so please register early at www.neit.edu/golf. Tournament proceeds will benefit students in need with scholarships, textbooks and financial support. For more information, please contact Lynne Donahue, Director of Institutional Development and Alumni Relations at ext. 3704 or email her at [email protected]. Upcoming TECH NITES June 5, 2012 August 7, 2012 November 7, 2012
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