 Edinboro University athlete shines as advocateYou might see Ryan Stratton popping up almost anywhere on Edinboro University’s campus. Just don’t expect to find him sitting still.
Stratton is a football athlete, middle-level math and special education major, and Reserve Officer Training Corps participant pursuing a minor in adaptive leadership and military science. In February, he was awarded the university’s inaugural Dr. Joseph Laythe Award for championing social justice on and off campus.
Among these and numerous other activities, one of Stratton’s most high-profile achievements was introducing the 12th Man Tradition to Edinboro last fall. The tradition brings students with disabilities and children battling cancer to the sidelines of home football games and into the locker room with the team.
Stratton is humble and quick to credit his teammates and the Fighting Scots football program with the immediate success of the 12th Man Tradition.
“We chose a kid for every home game, and they came on Friday night to our team meetings,” he said. “When they arrived, they would get a signed football from all of the players and also an Edinboro football shirt. They would come back on Saturday and stand on the sideline for warmups and the game. They actually ended up cheering louder than some of our players.”
After the season ended, Stratton planned a banquet for 12th Man participants to bring them together with his teammates one additional time. Parents who attended were effusive in their praise for what Stratton did for their children, but he insisted he actually benefitted significantly from experience, noting that it inspired him to realize there is more to life than just football and getting an education.
“Reaching out to the community and using the platform that I have been given has been a tremendous experience for me,” Stratton said. “It has been amazing to see the guys on our football team interact with the kids when they come to team meetings and games. We truly have some amazing guys on our team, and I’m so thankful and blessed to be a part of the team.”
During the spring 2017 semester, the Smethport, Pa., native completed his field experience and worked with a local school district for pre-service teaching. Stratton, who is expected to graduate in 2019, said the field experience was the most challenging experience of his time at Edinboro so far.
“You are basically starting to become the teacher and taking control of the classroom,” he said. “The EU education program is wonderful and challenging, but if you are passionate about teaching and kids, as I am, then it is great. Also, the professors in the School of Education truly care about their students.”
In addition to football and activities associated with his majors, Stratton participates in EU’s strong and growing ROTC program, through which he has signed a contract to continue service as an Army officer upon graduation. A devout Christian, he also is involved in several church groups and Bible studies, including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Edinboro chapter of the campus ministry Chi Alpha, and Campus Crusade for Christ worship services.
“Edinboro University has always pushed me and provided me with a lot of wonderful opportunities,” Stratton said. “Every campus runs the same, but it’s the people who make the difference. The people at Edinboro are truly what have helped me focus on my goals and reach my highest potential. They have always pushed me to do my best and always given me guidance and direction.”
And what is next for Stratton after his busy time at Edinboro University comes to an end?
“I plan on commissioning as an aviation officer in U.S. Army to travel and gain leadership skills,” he said. “After the service, I think one of my dreams and goals has been to start a charity for kids battling cancer and kids with disabilities. The 12th Man opened my eyes to this dream, and I really have a heart for kids. The look on the kids’ faces when they showed up to the football game was priceless. It is something that I would love to see the rest of my life.” |
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 Howard Falls opens window to the past, doors to the future for Edinboro University student scientistsJust outside Edinboro in Franklin Township, Pennsylvania, Falls Run meanders through the countryside, crossing under Route 98 and Falls Road before cascading over a massive rock outcropping forming Howard Falls. Measuring 33 feet wide and 40 feet high, Howard Falls is the largest waterfall in Erie County.
The rushing water plummets into a plunge pool below, stirring sand and stones from the rock-strewn bottom. Suspended sediment the creek carries downstream brushes against and erodes the stream bed along the way. Although on private property, the falls can be readily viewed from Falls Road.
Over the course of thousands of years, erosion from Falls Run has carved a breathtaking ravine into the forested stretch of land between Howard Falls and Elk Creek. Steep, rocky walls stand on either side of the stream, separating the outside world from the brilliant microclimate that lies below.
A closer look at the sides of the gorge reveals deposits of reddish-brown and grey rock, each layer of which has been the Earth’s surface at one time. The rare instance of layered rock allows scientists to determine the environment of deposition and paint a picture of the area’s history.
Edinboro students and faculty have found fossilized brachiopods, corals and horseshoe crabs amid the rocks. Alumnus Kevin Yeager found his future there.
Yeager, ’95, was one of the first students to conduct field work at Howard Falls. His senior thesis research on giant fossil fish, “Fossil Fishes (Arthrodira and Acanthodida) from the Upper Devonian Chadakoin Formation of Erie County, Pennsylvania,” made significant contributions to the study of fish fauna in western Pennsylvania and was published in the June 1996 issue of Ohio Journal of Science.
The field study was Yeager’s first experience in field, laboratory and literature research, and the challenging work inspired him to dedicate his life to the study of sedimentology and marine sciences.
“It taught me that I could do work and even earn a living by following my natural curiosity. After that realization, I was hooked,” he said.
Upon graduating from EU, Yeager earned a Master of Science in geology from the University of Toledo and a Ph.D. in geology and geophysics from Texas A&M University. At Texas A&M, he was recognized as the best graduate student university-wide with the prestigious George W. Kunze Prize.
He is now an associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Kentucky and continues to build his extensive record of scholarship and grantsmanship.
Reflecting on the location where his career began, Yeager said Howard Falls is a pristine environment in which to learn about the compositions, processes and history of the earth.
“The fossils found in the layers of Devonian age sedimentary rock reveal the types of life that were abundant in northwestern Pennsylvania 375 million years ago,” Yeager said. “The property is an invaluable resource for students to observe and study natural river systems, forestry, conservation and resource management.”
Partnership in discovery
In addition to its rich trove of fossil and ancient geological relics, the unique aquatic and terrestrial habitat within the Howard Falls ravine supports species not commonly found in this area, a few of which have been identified as endangered or threatened by the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program.
“There’s really nothing else quite like it around here,” said landowner and EU alumnus Dennis Howard. “There is an environment of plants, birds and aquatic life down there that we don’t know a lot about.”
Curiosity about the history of the region and a deep commitment to the preservation of its natural resources, combined with their connection to Edinboro University, inspired Dennis and his wife, Dianne, also an EU alumna, to develop a working relationship with the university’s Geosciences Department more than 20 years ago.
Since then, EU’s Dr. Dale Tshudy, a paleontologist and geosciences professor, has accompanied hundreds of students to the gorge.
“Howard Falls – the gorge – provides geologists with the best exposures of Late Devonian rocks in southern Erie County,” Tshudy said. “The sandstone, siltstone and shale in the sides of the gorge are continuously exposed from bottom to top, in a succession spanning millions of years.”
“Features such as wave ripples, and the tracks and trails of marine animals, as well as the shells and skeletons of those animals, are beautifully preserved there,” he added.
Based on field studies done in the gorge, students have produced publishable research in both geography and geology, and several have parlayed their undergraduate research into graduate assistantships at top programs nationwide.
Endowment supports explorations
Recognizing the value to students and deepening their commitment to Edinboro University, the Howards established the Howard Falls Research and Education Endowment in 2007 to support and enhance the broad spectrum of research and educational projects connecting the Howard Falls property with Edinboro University’s many science programs.
Since the creation of the endowment, more than $7,000 has been distributed to EU students and faculty for various Howard Falls research projects.
In 2014, forest geography students led by Dr. Karen Eisenhart, chairperson of the Geosciences Department, analyzed the change in land use on the 250-acre Howard Falls property. Using photographs from 1939, 1959, 1969 and 1992, along with tree core samples, they estimated the age of forest patches to be between 25 and 75 years old, and determined the property experienced dramatic changes in land use between 1939 and 1992. Few studies of this type have been conducted in northwestern Pennsylvania, and the project was the first in Erie County.
Geography majors Andrea Pace, Alyssa Piper and Allison Swan presented the work at the Association of American Geographers 2014 Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida, and received funding from the endowment to cover the cost of the registration fee.
Eisenhart has also incorporated Howard Falls group projects as a required part of her Forest Geography and Conservation course curriculum.
“Forest geography projects give students hands-on experience with tree species identification, forest measurement techniques, use of spreadsheet software, and graphical presentation of data,” Eisenhart said. “The opportunities at Howard Falls allow student to expand their skillsets, and gain more confidence in their abilities.”
The Howards receive copies of all published work and meet yearly with the Geosciences Department to strategically discuss work that could be done on their land in the future.
“We just like to learn more about the property,” said Dennis Howard, whose family has occupied the land for more than 175 years. “A property like this, you don’t really ever own it, you just take care of it for future generations.”
The generous endowment and the continued availability of the Howard Falls property offer students and faculty an extraordinarily rich educational environment where students experience the satisfaction of learning, an engagement in research and the excitement of scientific discovery.
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 Edinboro University student and faculty member conduct cutting-edge forensic researchAided by advanced technology and guided by knowledge of human anatomy, osteology and physical anthropology, Edinboro University student Megan Kunst is conducting research that aims to help standardize methods of forensic facial reconstruction for use in the identification of human remains.
Her work has sparked the interest of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), which has invited Kunst to present at its annual conference, Oct. 12-16, in Seattle. It will be her second presentation at an NCHC conference. The first, in 2014, resulted in a first-place award in the category of Visual Arts for her research project “Using Mathematical Perspective,” which studied the relationship between linear perspective, optics and art through the use of mathematical formulas.
Kunst’s latest work also grew from her studies in the field of visual arts at Edinboro.
“I became aware of forensic facial reconstruction during an anatomy class taught by Professor Michelle Vitali,” Kunst said. “During class, she talked about her experience with the process and it sounded like a fascinating way to integrate my passion for art with my love of science.”
Vitali, of the EU Art Department, is Kunst’s supervisor on the project. Also working with her as advisors are Dr. Lenore Barbian of the Criminal Justice, Anthropology, and Forensic Studies Department and Professor Peter Kuvshinikov of the Physics and Technology Department.
“I created two 3D facial reconstructions of the same skull by adding clay to a 3D-printed human skull,” Kunst explained. “The skull I used was printed from scans provided by the Smithsonian Institution, which also provided cadaver photographs to compare the results of my reconstructions.”
One reconstruction was completed using the American method (using tissue depth markers) and the other using the Russian method (constructing the muscles of the face). Kunst then conferred with her faculty supervisor to develop a list of areas of higher and lower confidence in the results of each facial reconstruction, leading to a conclusion about which areas of each method are more reliable.
“The best practices protocol developed during this study can aid the standardization of the field and improve the facial reconstructions done by forensic artists, improving the likelihood of identification of unknown individuals,” Kunst said. “I like that facial reconstruction may allow me to, in the future, use art to help people find resolution and give names to the unidentified deceased.”
Kunst is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with concentrations in illustration and painting, and a bachelor’s degree in art education. The Butler, Pa., native is an active scholar in the Edinboro University Honors Program, which provides opportunities for high-achieving students to pursue special projects with faculty mentors such as the forensic facial reconstruction research.
The exploration of best practices in three-dimensional facial reconstruction is a continuation of research that Vitali presented in 2014 at the international conference of the American Academy of Forensics. That work was titled 3D Facial Approximation: Lingering Problems and Improving Outcomes.
“It was extremely well-received,” Vitali said, “so I wanted to expand it with three goals: researching a wider range of problematic aspects of 3D facial reconstruction, improving the training and education of practitioners in the forensic arts, and improving the training and education of law enforcement and the general public so that they understand what they are seeing when they view forensic facial reconstructions. These are not portraits.”
She said Kunst’s research will aid in achieving her goal of improving the training of forensic art practitioners. Vitali’s further research will include collaboration with her Edinboro University colleagues in the fields of biology and psychology as well as with various law enforcement agencies and coroners.
Vitali teaches human anatomy, scientific illustration, painting and drawing at Edinboro, and earned national recognition in 2015 for her work creating a pair of three-dimensional sculptures of an embalmed, severed head that was found on the side of the road in rural Beaver County, Pa.
She is one of the founding experts of the Edinboro Institute for Forensic Sciences, which was launched in 2015 to provide excellence in undergraduate education and training in the forensic sciences by drawing on faculty from diverse academic disciplines, including criminal justice, anthropology and art. Kunst is one of the institute’s first student scholars. he is one of the founding experts of the Edinboro Institute for Forensic Sciences, which was launched in 2015 to provide excellence in undergraduate education and training in the forensic sciences by drawing on faculty from diverse academic disciplines, including criminal justice, anthropology and art. Kunst is one of the institute’s first student scholars.
Their work together, like that of many forensic artists, is being undertaken with the ultimate goal of creating new and innovative ways of generating investigatory leads for police.
More information about the Edinboro University Institute for Forensic Sciences, visit www.edinboro.edu/ifs.
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 Edinboro University nursing student gains global perspectiveEdinboro University (EU) senior nursing major Crystal Glover didn’t go home to Beaver Falls for the holidays in December. In fact, her holiday season was far from traditional.
While most of her classmates took a break from their studies and spent time with family and friends, Glover devoted her time off to treating critically ill patients in Tanzania, Africa, with the Work the World Organization.
Because of the structured nature of the nursing curriculum, she is the first student from the EU Department of Nursing to participate in an international study abroad experience directly related to her major.
“I have always loved travelling and helping others,” said Glover. “I knew I wanted to do some sort of volunteer work using my nursing skills.”
Determined to make her dream a reality, she found the Work the World opportunity and contacted EU’s International Student Services for assistance. Glover received Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Study Abroad Award and the EU Study Abroad Scholarship to help defray the cost of her trip.
After more than a year of planning, she departed Pittsburgh International Airport on Dec. 12 with a suitcase full of medical items to donate once she arrived.
Following a 22-hour flight, she spent three weeks volunteering in the intensive care unit at Mount Meru Regional Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania. There, she worked predominately with patients in the late stages of malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease and severe trauma.
Each morning, she and other members of her group walked for 25 minutes to board the dala dala, the local minibus taxi. Thought to be named after the English word “dollar,” which used to be the standard fare, the dala dalas are typically overcrowded, sometimes transporting more than 30 people on one small bus.
Once they arrived in town, the group walked another 20 minutes to the hospital, where they spent the day treating patients, assisting in assessments and making hospital rounds.
Glover’s previous hands-on experience in modern clinical settings contrasted dramatically with the conditions she encountered in Tanzania, one of the world’s poorest countries. Patients at the hospital are not given gowns, the sheets are not changed between patients and the wide-open windows do not have screens.
“The hospital was extremely under-resourced,” she said. “The entire intensive care unit shared a single oxygen tank and one blood pressure cuff. Most of the doctors did not have stethoscopes, and gloves were a rarity.”
While in Arusha, Glover also made several visits to the Neema House orphanage, a rescue center for abandoned and orphaned babies. She spent hours playing games with the 43 children and infants who call the orphanage home.
Due to a shortage of clean blood supply in Africa, mothers die during childbirth at a much higher rate than in countries with modern medical facilities. Without access to basic medical resources, many children lose their parents to AIDS or other illnesses.
“Many of the patients die. It’s very sad,” said Glover. “One day I went into the hospital and almost a third of our patients were gone, but when patients improved, it reminded me why I love nursing.”
In the evenings, Glover took Swahili lessons, explored the nearby Via Via and Maasai markets, sampled local cuisine, and learned as much as possible about the customs and traditions of the Tanzanian people.
“As a future nurse, it is important to gain exposure to other cultures in order to be prepared for the diverse populations nurses encounter,” said Glover. “This experience improved my understanding of the importance of cultural competence care, which is the ability for health care professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.”
Glover and her group took a few days off from working in the hospital to travel six hours to Serengeti National Park, where they spent the night in a public campsite in the desert and saw giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, gazelle, hartebeests, impalas, lions, elephants, warthogs, hippopotamuses, leopards, monkeys and baboons.
“I didn’t get much sleep because animals could come into the campsite,” said Glover. “I heard a hyena most of the night and couldn’t fall asleep.”
Leaving the Serengeti behind, the group drove to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and set up camp in the Simba public campsite. During their stay, buffalo roamed freely around them and an elephant approached the campsite and drank from their water supply.
The following day, the group ascended into the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. They had a close encounter with a lion cub and saw a Crowned Crane, Tanzania’s national bird. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also home to members of the seminomadic Maasai Tribe, known for wearing intricate jewelry and colorful shuka cloths.
Upon completion of a Life Experience Portfolio, which includes a daily journal and a summary of the experience, Glover received three credits toward her degree.
“The experience was amazing. It was difficult being away during the holidays, but it was also a very interesting experience,” she said. “I was exposed to diverse health issues only found in books, such as working with communicable diseases and advanced pathologies not prevalent in the United States.”
In addition to pursing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with minors in biology and psychology, Glover is a meal aid for Edinboro’s Office of Students with Disabilities, a resident assistant, an orientation leader, a member of the Student Nurse Organization of Edinboro (SNOE), and a participant in intramural Ultimate Frisbee.
After graduation, she plans to move to Savannah, Ga., to work in a medical surgical unit. She hopes to become a traveling nurse and eventually obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
“I definitely plan on going back to Africa,” Glover said. “Down the road, my ultimate goal is to open my own clinic in a third-world country.”
To learn more about EU’s Nursing Department or study abroad opportunities, visit www.edinboro.edu.
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 Edinboro University athletes are national champions for Make-A-WishWhether they are competing in their respective sports, excelling in the classroom, or granting wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, Edinboro University’s student-athletes are never satisfied with second-best.
“As an athlete you always strive for success on the court, but success off the court is equally important,” said EU junior basketball forward Nicole Johnson.
Perseverance has paid off. The Fighting Scots succeeded in becoming the nation’s top Division II fundraiser in the 2014-15 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Make-A-Wish campaign.
Through the hard work of EU’s Director of Athletics Bruce Baumgartner, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, the Health and Physical Education Department, and the Communication Studies Department, Edinboro University raised a total of $13,665 to benefit Make-A-Wish, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions.
“My fellow student-athletes and I collect donations at almost every home sporting event,” said Johnson. “We sell Make-A-Wish stars to our family, friends, faculty and other members of the community.”
In addition to these efforts, the Student Athlete Advisory Council has hosted a Student-Athlete Auction for the past seven years. Faculty, staff and students, along with the general public, attend the event to bid on their favorite Fighting Scots, with all proceeds benefitting Make-A-Wish. This year’s event raised more than $1,200 for the EU campaign.
EU bested all NCAA Division II institutions, followed by Molloy College, which raised $13,154, and Dixie State University, which raised $12,670.
“I’m an athlete. I’m competitive by nature, and I like to be the best in everything I do,” said senior Fighting Scot swimmer Micah Cattell. “To hear that we finally were the number one school in the country was vindication for all of the work we do collecting at every event.”
As the lone Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) institution in the top 20, Edinboro spearheaded the effort by the PSAC to lead all 24 D-II conferences in monies raised. The PSAC collected $53,493; $13,000 more than the second-place Peach Belt Conference.
“This is extremely gratifying,” Baumgartner said. “I thank our student-athletes and the many parents and fans, including the student body and community, who show up to our events and contribute.”
For the first time, NCAA Division II raised more than $600,000 in a single academic year, shattering the previous record by $37,000. Since the NCAA sponsorship began in 2003, more than $4.1 million has been contributed to Make-A-Wish; resulting in 530 wishes being granted to deserving children throughout the country.
“NCAA Division II student-athletes have taken the skills that have allowed them to succeed in athletic competitions, such as teamwork and self-determination, and channeled them toward helping us grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions,” said David Williams, CEO and president of Make-A-Wish America. “This record donation will forever change the lives of the wish kids who have had their one true wish granted, thanks in part to the efforts of NCAA Division II student-athletes throughout the country.”
According to a 2011 Wish Impact Study, the wishes can impact children’s fights against their illnesses, helping them feel better and, in some cases, get better.
“I wanted to be involved because I love making a difference, especially in a young child’s life,” Cattell said. “ If someone is struggling with a disease and is always feeling down, I want to be a part of what brings them up.”
Schools and conferences that raise at least the national average cost of a wish are given the chance to host a wish reveal, a celebration when a child learns that his or her one true wish will be granted. This marks the third straight year that Edinboro has finished among the Division II leaders in Make-A-Wish donations, and has again been granted the opportunity to unveil a wish.
“We have been fortunate to host wish unveilings the last two years, and I think it goes without saying that there has not been another more heartwarming event in McComb Fieldhouse,” Baumgartner said. “Our student-athletes have seen the joy that a wish unveiling brings, and that has motivated them to work even harder to assist the goals of Make-A-Wish.”
In 2012-13, Edinboro raised $9,424 to finish fifth among Division II institutions. EU presented Austin Hawk with a pit bull puppy, Layla, along with numerous items necessary to keep a pet happy and healthy.
“It’s hard to find the words to describe the feelings I had when I saw the look on the faces of the children during the reveal nights we hosted at Edinboro,” Johnson said. “Working with Make-A-Wish is a humbling experience that makes me truly appreciative of how blessed I am.”
Isabella “Belle” Linz, an 8-year-old with a rare, life-threatening condition, was surprised with a Hawaiian vacation at EU’s Wish Night in February 2015. EU athletes earned the opportunity to participate in a wish fulfillment by placing third in the nation in donations to Make-A-Wish in 2013-14.
“I was able to be one of the hosts for both Austin and Belle when we revealed their wishes. It was amazing to be with them and see that they were just normal kids who were fighting extraordinary battles,” said Cattell. “It really is just a blessing to get to know such great people and be able to give them something they so rightfully deserve.”
Now the Edinboro community can once again look forward to a wish being granted.
“It’s a night I greatly look forward to,” Baumgartner said. “We will again look to make it one of the most special nights our wish recipient will ever have.”
In addition to collecting funds for Make-A-Wish, the EU athletics department collects new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots each year. These toys are distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. The philanthropic efforts of Edinboro University students, faculty and staff do not stop there.
Members of the EU community annually participate in the International Coastal Cleanup by picking up trash around Edinboro Lake and neighboring creeks, and Random Acts of Kindness in Edinboro (R.A.K.E) through raking leaves for disabled and elderly people in the community, as well as cleanup initiatives around EU’s campus.
Additionally, the Student Government Association (SGA) organizes “The Big Event” each spring. This event allows students to get out and do household projects for the elderly and disabled. The projects usually involve light painting, cleaning up a garage and other simple house projects.
“Edinboro University knows the importance of giving back, said Michelle Barbich, Director of Campus Life and Leadership Development. “We strive to instill these values in our students by offering several community service opportunities to them, and we are excited to be working on a ‘Get Connected’ app that will allow the students to become even more involved.”
EU is working alongside United Way of Erie County and Get Connected Erie, a program in the Erie area that lists community service opportunities for residents, to build a portal/website for students to find and engage in community service opportunities.
Barbich expects the app to be ready for use at the beginning of the spring semester.
“I am so proud of Edinboro and so proud to be an Edinboro student-athlete,” Johnson concluded.
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 Africa study-abroad provides transformative experience for Edinboro University students When President Obama announced new restrictions in July on the sale of ivory in the United States, the need for action to help end elephant poaching was vividly clear to 10 Edinboro University students who had recently experienced first-hand the plights of the people and animals in Africa.
Led by Dr. Cynthia Rebar, a professor in EU’s Department of Biology and Health Services, the students spent three weeks exploring the majestic African countryside as part of the annual African Conservation Experience. The trip was designed to afford EU students unparalleled access to the research and wildlife encounters that only Africa can provide, as well as the chance to learn about the history and culture of South Africa.
The group departed Pittsburgh International Airport on May 20 and arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, more than 8,000 miles away, following an hours-long flight.
Their first stop was the city of Soweto, former home to social rights activists Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, and site of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. During the uprising, police opened fire on high school students protesting against the enforced use of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools.
The group visited the Hector Pieterson memorial, which features a collection of oral testimonies, pictures, audiovisual displays and historical documents relating to the uprisings in Soweto. It stands just block away from where 12-year-old Pieterson was shot and killed for his part in the protest.
Edinboro undergraduate Ivy Kuberry was taken aback by the group’s visit to the Apartheid Museum, despite having studied the system of racial segregation in great detail in her classes.
o demonstrate the reality of racial classification, the basis of all Apartheid laws, all museum visitors are divided into two categories: white and non-white. Once classified, the visitors are allowed to enter the museum only through their designated gate.o demonstrate the reality of racial classification, the basis of all Apartheid laws, all museum visitors are divided into two categories: white and non-white. Once classified, the visitors are allowed to enter the museum only through their designated gate.
“It wasn't just about memorizing facts anymore; it was about feeling what the people felt, seeing what they saw, and learning by placing yourself in their footsteps,” Kuberry said.
Leaving Johannesburg and Soweto behind, the group traveled nearly 300 miles to a camp near Kruger National Park while taking in the sights and learning about the history of the region from a knowledgeable guide.
The following day, they hiked the “Panorama Route” in the eastern Mpumalanga province, which included cascading waterfalls, impressive gorges and other scenic destinations. God’s Window, one of the Blyde River Canyon’s most spectacular vantage points, gave the travelers a bird’s-eye view of Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest and most famous game preserve.
They also visited the Khamai Reptile Centre near Hoedspruit, where they had the opportunity to hold exotic snakes, lizards and even baboon spiders as large as their hands.
The group then set off to explore Kruger National Park – home to lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes, reptiles and a variety of birds. They spent the night in a rustic camp before taking a guided walk through the bush.
“I have never felt so alive in my life, to be sitting in the middle of a pride of seven lions, or to drive alongside a herd of 100-plus massive, majestic elephants, or sit outside a hyena den as the cubs come out to play,” said EU student Brandi Hobbs.
Leaving Kruger behind, the group traveled to Mapungubwe Private Nature Reserve and settled into their accommodations for the next two weeks: brick-and-thatch bungalows without electricity or other amenities.
During their time at the camp, students completed coursework for Special Topics in Biology: African Conservation Experience. They took part in data collection, wildlife monitoring, game counts and bird identification, which are crucial to establishing a better understanding of the wildlife populations and movement patterns in the area.
“The importance of these animals doesn't seem significant until you have seen them in the wild, and you don't truly understand how the extinction of such animals could be so devastating until you've seen how remarkable these creatures really are,” Hobbs said.
While at Mapungubwe, the group spent one night camping next to an old bushman cave. While sleeping outdoors, they learned about safety in the field and developed a basic understanding of navigating by using the constellation of stars. They took turns keeping watch during the night to keep the camp safe from nocturnal wildlife.
“Students learn about and are immersed in a different culture, and they never see Africa the same again,” said Dr. Rebar, who has led EU students on three study trips to Africa and is planning the fourth. “Their knowledge of the animals of Africa and conservation issues soars, and they often are exposed to varying views and begin to understand the complexity of solving conservation issues.”
While lectures and textbooks have withstood the test of time as primary educational tools, there are some lessons that cannot be learned in the classroom alone. Studying abroad is not only a wonderful enhancement to education, but also a rewarding and life-enriching experience that is encouraged and supported at Edinboro.
For Kuberry, the excursion was instrumental to her growth; both as an intellectual and an individual.
“This study-abroad trip was more than just three credits and a plane ticket; it was a life-altering experience that gave me insight into other cultures, courage to explore, and a drastically expanded comfort zone,” she said.
Hobbs recounted a similarly eye-opening experience. “We see commercials on TV about the starving children in Africa, or hear about their lack of a clean water supply, but until you have witnessed these unfortunate truths you don't really comprehend them.”
Dr. Rebar is already looking forward to next year’s trip, scheduled to take place May 19-June 8.
“I suppose from my own perspective, what keeps me going is the excitement I witness when students first see ellies or lions or giraffes or whatever it might be,” concluded Rebar. “I've been to Africa often and seen a lot, but I never get tired of seeing the students and their reactions and thrill over what they are seeing.” |
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 Virtual reality system unites arts and sciences at Edinboro UniversityThere is a still-popular theory in psychology that suggests people tend to be either right-brain or left-brain thinkers. Though it since has been largely disproven – more recent research suggests the human brain is not as dichotomous as it was once believed to be – the myth has come to symbolize the divide between the arts and the sciences. Left-brain thinkers are said to favor imaginative pursuits such as creative writing, studio arts like painting and sculpture, and music, while right-brain scholars prefer more rational disciplines, like math and the sciences.
But on the campus of Edinboro University, one small instrument has bridged that famous divide and rallied students from across the academic spectrum. It is called oculus rift.
Developed by Oculus VR with initial financing from a Kickstarter campaign, oculus rift is a virtual reality head-mounted display. It is a relatively simple technology that has opened the door to limitless interdisciplinary possibilities for EU students.
“We were one of the first 200 people, or so, to order one,” Steve Carpenter, professor of animation in EU’s celebrated Art Department, said of the just three-year-old device.
The impact of the oculus rift has been felt most prominently by students in EU’s Computer Science - Game and Virtual World Development major, which was ranked 21st on the East Coast and 53rd nationally in Animation Career Review’s 2014 Game Design School Rankings.
“So far students have mostly been using [oculus rift] for gaming purposes,” Carpenter continued, “developing an environment and then using the software to port it over and just get you into that world.”
The program graduated its first class of two students last year, and nine more will earn their degrees at Edinboro’s spring 2015 commencement on May 9. Though largely comprised of computer science and mathematics courses, the Game and Virtual World Development track of the Computer Science major is unique among EU’s College of Science and Health Professions offerings in that it includes a required art component, consisting of classes in three-dimensional design, traditional animation and computer animation.
Dr. Daniel Bennett of the Math and Computer Science Department notes that the Game and Virtual World Development program is not for the faint of heart.
“We took what we consider to be the hardest part of computer science, and they skip a bunch of art prerequisites, so they’re doing some pretty tough art, too,” Dr. Bennett explained. “We’ve got the students taking physics, we’ve got ‘em taking a lot of math. We still lose a lot of people who are coming in to play games, as opposed to write games, but we are going to have an outstanding group of graduates coming up this year.”
Carpenter and Dr. Bennett echoed praise for the unique relationship the technology has created between the arts and sciences at the university, noting that the campus’s gaming club is a major draw for students in the fields of animation and computer science as well as creative writing.
Carpenter went on to explain just some of the myriad ways the oculus rift could be utilized in a variety of academic pursuits, emphasizing in particular the possible implications of the device as an educational tool. “I completely see the oculus being heavily involved in education, at any level, but primarily at the elementary-age level,” he said.
He believes it could be especially impactful in engaging students in the study of history by recreating major events and placing students inside them virtually to create a real-time feel.
“It would become much more engaging; it’s not just a bunch of dates and places. It becomes much more human to be able to walk around and see things as they happen,” Carpenter explained. “I think it would leave such an impression, and a different kind of impression, about history than students normally get. It’s one thing to read a book, it’s another thing to watch a movie, but this is like reading a book and watching a movie all at the same time – and you’re there.”
Carpenter sees a connection to the forensic sciences as well.
“At some point, some defense attorney or some prosecutor is going to get a judge to OK allowing the jury to tour a crime scene virtually via the oculus rift. It’s a game changer,” he said, noting that the technology would prove extremely useful in cases where a crime scene has been compromised or doesn’t exist and thus can’t be toured by the jury.
Other current areas of exploration with the oculus rift system include the fields of psychology and military sciences, but Carpenter is keenly aware that as the system is further developed it could have implications for all areas of academic pursuit.
Edinboro student work using the oculus rift has been a big hit when the system has been taken to conferences and conventions, according to Dr. Bennett.
“We’ve taken it to a convention in Philadelphia called Too Many Games twice now, and what we’ve had is a billion screaming kids running up and wanting to put it on their heads to see what’s going on,” he said. “When we set up a demo anywhere that involves kids, we’ll have somebody at our booth from the time we start until the time we pull the plug because we just can’t stay any longer.”
Future versions of the oculus rift technology are expected to be outfitted with everything from built-in stereo headsets that detect where sound is coming from to power gloves with sensors that allow users to touch objects within the simulation. Carpenter expects to acquire this updated system in the very near future.
“Where I see us using this in the future, that’s pretty much endless,” he concluded. “We’ll only be limited by our imagination.”
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 Two highly competitive science internships give Edinboro University Biochemistry major career insights and experienceWhen Edinboro University senior Noelle Jurcak dons her cap and gown in May, a Latin honors stole – very likely gold, for summa cum laude – and the gold cord of the university’s Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program will accent the robe’s basic black.
It will be the last and most symbolic of many uniforms the Burton, Ohio, native has worn during her four years at EU.
Jurcak is a familiar sight to campus visitors in the bold red jacket of the Highland Ambassadors. As a member of the Edinboro service organization for three years, she has been a greeter, tour guide and all-around promoter of the university.
Running shoes, too, have been a well-worn part of the scholar-athlete’s wardrobe as a member of the women’s track and cross country teams.
But it’s an iconic white lab coat that has become her uniform of choice, a perfect fit for a Biochemistry major with minors in Biology and Mathematics who aims to become a physician-scientist. Specifically, she aspires to work in the fields of pediatrics and pulmonary diseases, doing both direct patient care and research.
Toward that ambitious goal, she has worked hard for four years to achieve a 3.89 cumulative grade point average in a demanding field while remaining active in the Honors Program and other co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
“Noelle has excelled academically not only because she is intelligent, but also because she applies herself,” said Dr. Lisa Unico, chair of the EU Chemistry Department and an influential faculty mentor to Jurcak. “She pays attention to detail. She is hard-working and reliable. I am confident that she will excel in a research career.”
For the last two summers, Jurcak has complemented her Edinboro course work with exceptional internships offered through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU).
Following her sophomore year in 2013, NSF-REU enabled her to work with the cystic fibrosis researchers at The University of Iowa. She spent her summer days in a laboratory working with cell cultures.
Last summer’s research internship was with Hong Ji, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Pediatrics who is exploring the link between pollution and asthma in children ages 5-18 who have asthma.
“I really like research. I’m not sure I’d be able to give it up – but I don’t want to just be in a lab all day. I also like the patient interaction,” said Jurcak, for whom her summer 2014 assignment working directly with patients as well as doing lab work was “a perfect blend.”
“I got to spend time with patients, then go back to the lab, spin down their blood and take a look,” she said.
After both of these research experiences, Jurcak gave presentations to faculty, administrators and students at the annual Chemistry Department Spaghetti Dinner, and her presentation of her 2013 poster was selected for an award at EU’s Celebration of Scholarship.
“She was able to effectively communicate the background for these projects as well as her results to a diverse audience,” Dr. Unico said. “Even the first- and second-year students understood and seemed to enjoy her talks.”
Jurcak credits her success in landing these highly competitive internships to “a lot of nice letters of recommendation from my teachers” and considerable research online.
Before the summer of 2013, she applied to 18 locations and was accepted by two – The University of Iowa and Wake Forest University.
Twenty interns were selected that year from a pool of almost 1,000 applicants to assist with research at Iowa. At Cincinnati in 2014, 75 undergraduates were doing research internships, chosen from about 2,000 applicants.
“I felt prepared. That was something I had worried about,” Jurcak said. At Cincinnati, many asked if she was a graduate student, “and one person thought I had been doing research for years. So, I felt really prepared.”
That positive self-assessment was affirmed by the University of Cincinnati’s Dr. Ji.
“She is one of the best students I have had, top 5% definitely,” Dr. Ji said. “She works hard, is smart, learns very quickly, can work independently, and is a team player. She is applying to graduate schools, and I would highly recommend her.”
Jurcak began 2015 still working out the details of what’s next educationally. Although the pressure to make the correct next move is great, she takes it in stride – in part because she knows she already made one astute educational decision by choosing Edinboro.
She said EU is “unusually friendly,” and she likes the small class size and the opportunity to do research and other work with her professors. “The Chemistry Department professors are here all day, every day, and are extremely helpful.”
Along with Dr. Unico, she singles out Dr. Naod Kebede as particularly influential.
“Dr. Kebede is one of the main reasons I switched from Biology to Biochemistry. Both he and Dr. Unico have helped me so much in deciding what I want to do and teaching me, just really encouraging me to go after the internships,” she said.
Back when Jurcak was choosing a college for her undergraduate degree, her choice came down to EU vs. Ohio State. She now knows she chose the option that was the better fit.
“I felt I might be more comfortable at a smaller school,” she said. “And I am. I never would have expected the last four years to turn out like they did, but it’s been wonderful.” |
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 Senior Cassandra Rushing found all she needed to succeed at Edinboro University.As Cassandra Rushing looks back on her years at Edinboro University, she would do it all over again – studying and exploring through the university’s Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program, immersing herself in the work of campus organizations and even navigating the detours from her expected career path.
She just wishes it all weren’t passing so quickly.
“Time has flown,” said Rushing, a Pittsburgh resident who’s on track to graduate summa cum laude in May with a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing. “I’m glad I chose Edinboro. The experiences have been everything I had hoped for.”
Rushing looked at all the State System universities and had zeroed in on Edinboro because it seemed just the right distance from her home city – not too close at about 100 miles away, but not so far that she couldn’t go home to Pittsburgh when she wanted to.
Then, when she saw the campus for the first time on a gorgeous fall day, her mind was made up.
“My mom said, ‘I knew you were going to pick Edinboro, because your face lit up when you saw this place,’” Rushing said.
It was the beginning of a love affair that continues to this day, regardless of the season or the weather. The former Florida resident even loves the snow that Edinboro is so well known for.
It’s not only about scenery, however. She said she also feels engaged and challenged academically in the university’s classrooms, which motivates her to do her best work.
Dr. Roger Solberg, Professor of English, and Rushing’s academic advisor, has seen that motivation – and quality work – in each of the four classes she has taken from him.
“Here’s something that stands out for me regarding Cassandra’s work – and this is true for every writing class she took with me,” he said. “In all my writing courses, I give students the opportunity to revise and resubmit their work. If the new version is better, that’s the grade that counts. I’m constantly telling my students, ‘Writers revise!’
“Cassandra took this admonition to heart – perhaps more than any other student I’ve taught in the last five years. She always looked for ways to improve her papers and essays. By sheer force of will (not to mention her formidable skills as a writer), she would transform B work into A work. She challenged herself.”
Dr. Solberg said working with such an enthusiastic, intelligent, tenacious student was fun and exhilarating.
Making such high-quality mentoring relationships possible was the significant financial support Rushing received for her EU education through The Pittsburgh Promise, an innovative scholarship program that has a goal of helping all students in the city’s public schools prepare and pay for education beyond high school.
“Like many high school students, I was unsure of how I'd pay for college,” Rushing said. “Being offered The Pittsburgh Promise meant more to me than I realized, as it now accounts for over 40 percent of my financial aid. Every day I appreciate the opportunity The Pittsburgh Promise has given me to attend a university I love to pursue my dreams.”
Rushing also aims to give back – whether to the city that supported her educational goals or another place where her writing skills and passion for teaching can do the most good. She is applying for Teach for America, which places highly motivated college graduates in high-need classrooms.
That’s currently at the top of the list of possible career moves. The list also includes exploring employment as a writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, her hometown newspaper, or pursuing a master’s degree in linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh.
“Right now I’m putting most of my hopes on Teach for America,” she said.
Whichever course she follows, it will be a significant change from her initial plan to study biology and work toward a career in medicine. That was a choice, she now freely admits, that was influenced by the hope of landing a job that would pay a lot of money rather than real passion.
During an internship in the summer of 2012, Rushing discovered greater enjoyment in teaching Chinese and Taiwanese students in the program to speak English correctly than in doing the biology work. That experience, and her EU English classes, made her decide she’d like to teach.
The transition between majors was difficult, and her grade point average slumped to the lowest of her undergraduate years, but with the help of her Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program peers and the program’s director, Dr. Jean Jones, Rushing got through the rough patch and thrived. In addition to boosting her grade point average, she learned valuable insights to share with incoming Edinboro students as well her own future students.
“Definitely take into consideration what you’re really passionate about and not necessarily what you think will make you a lot of money,” she said.
She also suggests to freshmen that they “break out of your shell and meet people. Join an organization. You’ll learn so much about yourself that way.”
Though admittedly shy at the start, Rushing threw herself into an array of activities at Edinboro. In addition to working in the Honors Program office, she was inducted into Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for Women, has been on the staff of the student literary and art journal Chimera for two editions – including serving as literary editor this year – and has been an active member of the Highland Ambassadors, an EU student organization devoted to service to the university and community as well as to enhancing the educational and social experience of its members.
Just as she fell in love with Edinboro at first sight, she also decided to become an Ambassador immediately upon encountering the group for the first time on freshman move-in day.
“They were so helpful and so nice. As a scared freshman, I didn’t want to talk to everyone, but they tried,” said Rushing, who was won over by their polite persistence in drawing her out and sought to join the organization as soon as she met the qualifications. In addition to displaying significant Edinboro pride, Ambassadors must have completed at least one semester at the university and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Coleen Panko, Special Events Coordinator in the Office of the President and one of the Highland Ambassadors advisors, said Rushing has become a valued member of the organization since she joined in December 2011.
“Cassandra is an asset to our organization and a student the new inductees look up to for advice,” Panko said. “She’s really committed to the work that the Ambassadors do to serve the university and the community.”
Several busy years later, Rushing still is thrilled to don the trademark red blazer and lend a hand wherever needed. She’s especially proud of the organization’s largest recent effort, the creation of an overnight experience for prospective students called Crash Our Campus.
Recognizing the impact on future students that such an experience could have, the Ambassadors planned a full program, enlisting other campus groups to build a fun and effective event that provides a small taste of all that Edinboro offers.
“I enjoy what we’re doing for the university,” Rushing said. “I definitely think the Ambassadors are a strong group, academically and professionally.”
Rushing also credits the university’s Honors Program with offering her many opportunities to learn and to lead. From 2011 to 2013, she worked in the program’s office, where she still helps out when her many other commitments allow. Among other efforts there, she played an instrumental role in creating a mentoring program that matches incoming students with more experienced participants in the program.
The mentorship formalizes the benefits of a relationship with the scholar-in-residence on the Honors Living-Learning Floor that Rushing developed as a first-year student. She lived in that living-learning community as a freshman and junior and recommends the experience highly.
“It’s a good starting point,” Rushing said. “You’re all there because you share a common interest – you help each other to figure things out.”
In addition to this peer support, the Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program at Edinboro University is supported by stellar faculty members who are enthusiastic about working with talented and motivated students. The program is open to majors from all academic disciplines, and it seeks to provide its students with the individualized attention and the opportunity for extraordinary experiences that they need to excel at EU.
For Cassandra Rushing, those extraordinary experiences included an opportunity to study abroad and contributed significantly to a fulfilling, life-changing education at Edinboro University.
“I’m pretty happy about where I’m going now, even if the start was a little rough – oh, it builds character,” she said with a broad smile.
For more information about Edinboro University and its Robert C. Weber Honors Program, visit www.edinboro.edu or call 888-8GO-BORO.
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Senior Cassandra Rushing found all she needed to succeed at Edinboro University.As Cassandra Rushing looks back on her years at Edinboro University, she would do it all over again – studying and exploring through the university’s Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program, immersing herself in the work of campus organizations and even navigating the detours from her expected career path.
She just wishes it all weren’t passing so quickly.
“Time has flown,” said Rushing, a Pittsburgh resident who’s on track to graduate summa cum laude in May with a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing. “I’m glad I chose Edinboro. The experiences have been everything I had hoped for.”
Rushing looked at all the State System universities and had zeroed in on Edinboro because it seemed just the right distance from her home city – not too close at about 100 miles away, but not so far that she couldn’t go home to Pittsburgh when she wanted to.
Then, when she saw the campus for the first time on a gorgeous fall day, her mind was made up.
“My mom said, ‘I knew you were going to pick Edinboro, because your face lit up when you saw this place,’” Rushing said.
It was the beginning of a love affair that continues to this day, regardless of the season or the weather. The former Florida resident even loves the snow that Edinboro is so well known for.
It’s not only about scenery, however. She said she also feels engaged and challenged academically in the university’s classrooms, which motivates her to do her best work.
Dr. Roger Solberg, Professor of English, and Rushing’s academic advisor, has seen that motivation – and quality work – in each of the four classes she has taken from him.
“Here’s something that stands out for me regarding Cassandra’s work – and this is true for every writing class she took with me,” he said. “In all my writing courses, I give students the opportunity to revise and resubmit their work. If the new version is better, that’s the grade that counts. I’m constantly telling my students, ‘Writers revise!’
“Cassandra took this admonition to heart – perhaps more than any other student I’ve taught in the last five years. She always looked for ways to improve her papers and essays. By sheer force of will (not to mention her formidable skills as a writer), she would transform B work into A work. She challenged herself.”
Dr. Solberg said working with such an enthusiastic, intelligent, tenacious student was fun and exhilarating.
Making such high-quality mentoring relationships possible was the significant financial support Rushing received for her EU education through The Pittsburgh Promise, an innovative scholarship program that has a goal of helping all students in the city’s public schools prepare and pay for education beyond high school.
“Like many high school students, I was unsure of how I'd pay for college,” Rushing said. “Being offered The Pittsburgh Promise meant more to me than I realized, as it now accounts for over 40 percent of my financial aid. Every day I appreciate the opportunity The Pittsburgh Promise has given me to attend a university I love to pursue my dreams.”
Rushing also aims to give back – whether to the city that supported her educational goals or another place where her writing skills and passion for teaching can do the most good. She is applying for Teach for America, which places highly motivated college graduates in high-need classrooms.
That’s currently at the top of the list of possible career moves. The list also includes exploring employment as a writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, her hometown newspaper, or pursuing a master’s degree in linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh.
“Right now I’m putting most of my hopes on Teach for America,” she said.
Whichever course she follows, it will be a significant change from her initial plan to study biology and work toward a career in medicine. That was a choice, she now freely admits, that was influenced by the hope of landing a job that would pay a lot of money rather than real passion.
During an internship in the summer of 2012, Rushing discovered greater enjoyment in teaching Chinese and Taiwanese students in the program to speak English correctly than in doing the biology work. That experience, and her EU English classes, made her decide she’d like to teach.
The transition between majors was difficult, and her grade point average slumped to the lowest of her undergraduate years, but with the help of her Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program peers and the program’s director, Dr. Jean Jones, Rushing got through the rough patch and thrived. In addition to boosting her grade point average, she learned valuable insights to share with incoming Edinboro students as well her own future students.
“Definitely take into consideration what you’re really passionate about and not necessarily what you think will make you a lot of money,” she said.
She also suggests to freshmen that they “break out of your shell and meet people. Join an organization. You’ll learn so much about yourself that way.”
Though admittedly shy at the start, Rushing threw herself into an array of activities at Edinboro. In addition to working in the Honors Program office, she was inducted into Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for Women, has been on the staff of the student literary and art journal Chimera for two editions – including serving as literary editor this year – and has been an active member of the Highland Ambassadors, an EU student organization devoted to service to the university and community as well as to enhancing the educational and social experience of its members.
Just as she fell in love with Edinboro at first sight, she also decided to become an Ambassador immediately upon encountering the group for the first time on freshman move-in day.
“They were so helpful and so nice. As a scared freshman, I didn’t want to talk to everyone, but they tried,” said Rushing, who was won over by their polite persistence in drawing her out and sought to join the organization as soon as she met the qualifications. In addition to displaying significant Edinboro pride, Ambassadors must have completed at least one semester at the university and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Coleen Panko, Special Events Coordinator in the Office of the President and one of the Highland Ambassadors advisors, said Rushing has become a valued member of the organization since she joined in December 2011.
“Cassandra is an asset to our organization and a student the new inductees look up to for advice,” Panko said. “She’s really committed to the work that the Ambassadors do to serve the university and the community.”
Several busy years later, Rushing still is thrilled to don the trademark red blazer and lend a hand wherever needed. She’s especially proud of the organization’s largest recent effort, the creation of an overnight experience for prospective students called Crash Our Campus.
Recognizing the impact on future students that such an experience could have, the Ambassadors planned a full program, enlisting other campus groups to build a fun and effective event that provides a small taste of all that Edinboro offers.
“I enjoy what we’re doing for the university,” Rushing said. “I definitely think the Ambassadors are a strong group, academically and professionally.”
Rushing also credits the university’s Honors Program with offering her many opportunities to learn and to lead. From 2011 to 2013, she worked in the program’s office, where she still helps out when her many other commitments allow. Among other efforts there, she played an instrumental role in creating a mentoring program that matches incoming students with more experienced participants in the program.
The mentorship formalizes the benefits of a relationship with the scholar-in-residence on the Honors Living-Learning Floor that Rushing developed as a first-year student. She lived in that living-learning community as a freshman and junior and recommends the experience highly.
“It’s a good starting point,” Rushing said. “You’re all there because you share a common interest – you help each other to figure things out.”
In addition to this peer support, the Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program at Edinboro University is supported by stellar faculty members who are enthusiastic about working with talented and motivated students. The program is open to majors from all academic disciplines, and it seeks to provide its students with the individualized attention and the opportunity for extraordinary experiences that they need to excel at EU.
For Cassandra Rushing, those extraordinary experiences included an opportunity to study abroad and contributed significantly to a fulfilling, life-changing education at Edinboro University.
“I’m pretty happy about where I’m going now, even if the start was a little rough – oh, it builds character,” she said with a broad smile.
For more information about Edinboro University and its Robert C. Weber Honors Program, visit www.edinboro.edu or call 888-8GO-BORO.
Two highly competitive science internships give Edinboro University Biochemistry major career insights and experienceWhen Edinboro University senior Noelle Jurcak dons her cap and gown in May, a Latin honors stole – very likely gold, for summa cum laude – and the gold cord of the university’s Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program will accent the robe’s basic black.
It will be the last and most symbolic of many uniforms the Burton, Ohio, native has worn during her four years at EU.
Jurcak is a familiar sight to campus visitors in the bold red jacket of the Highland Ambassadors. As a member of the Edinboro service organization for three years, she has been a greeter, tour guide and all-around promoter of the university.
Running shoes, too, have been a well-worn part of the scholar-athlete’s wardrobe as a member of the women’s track and cross country teams.
But it’s an iconic white lab coat that has become her uniform of choice, a perfect fit for a Biochemistry major with minors in Biology and Mathematics who aims to become a physician-scientist. Specifically, she aspires to work in the fields of pediatrics and pulmonary diseases, doing both direct patient care and research.
Toward that ambitious goal, she has worked hard for four years to achieve a 3.89 cumulative grade point average in a demanding field while remaining active in the Honors Program and other co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
“Noelle has excelled academically not only because she is intelligent, but also because she applies herself,” said Dr. Lisa Unico, chair of the EU Chemistry Department and an influential faculty mentor to Jurcak. “She pays attention to detail. She is hard-working and reliable. I am confident that she will excel in a research career.”
For the last two summers, Jurcak has complemented her Edinboro course work with exceptional internships offered through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU).
Following her sophomore year in 2013, NSF-REU enabled her to work with the cystic fibrosis researchers at The University of Iowa. She spent her summer days in a laboratory working with cell cultures.
Last summer’s research internship was with Hong Ji, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Pediatrics who is exploring the link between pollution and asthma in children ages 5-18 who have asthma.
“I really like research. I’m not sure I’d be able to give it up – but I don’t want to just be in a lab all day. I also like the patient interaction,” said Jurcak, for whom her summer 2014 assignment working directly with patients as well as doing lab work was “a perfect blend.”
“I got to spend time with patients, then go back to the lab, spin down their blood and take a look,” she said.
After both of these research experiences, Jurcak gave presentations to faculty, administrators and students at the annual Chemistry Department Spaghetti Dinner, and her presentation of her 2013 poster was selected for an award at EU’s Celebration of Scholarship.
“She was able to effectively communicate the background for these projects as well as her results to a diverse audience,” Dr. Unico said. “Even the first- and second-year students understood and seemed to enjoy her talks.”
Jurcak credits her success in landing these highly competitive internships to “a lot of nice letters of recommendation from my teachers” and considerable research online.
Before the summer of 2013, she applied to 18 locations and was accepted by two – The University of Iowa and Wake Forest University.
Twenty interns were selected that year from a pool of almost 1,000 applicants to assist with research at Iowa. At Cincinnati in 2014, 75 undergraduates were doing research internships, chosen from about 2,000 applicants.
“I felt prepared. That was something I had worried about,” Jurcak said. At Cincinnati, many asked if she was a graduate student, “and one person thought I had been doing research for years. So, I felt really prepared.”
That positive self-assessment was affirmed by the University of Cincinnati’s Dr. Ji.
“She is one of the best students I have had, top 5% definitely,” Dr. Ji said. “She works hard, is smart, learns very quickly, can work independently, and is a team player. She is applying to graduate schools, and I would highly recommend her.”
Jurcak began 2015 still working out the details of what’s next educationally. Although the pressure to make the correct next move is great, she takes it in stride – in part because she knows she already made one astute educational decision by choosing Edinboro.
She said EU is “unusually friendly,” and she likes the small class size and the opportunity to do research and other work with her professors. “The Chemistry Department professors are here all day, every day, and are extremely helpful.”
Along with Dr. Unico, she singles out Dr. Naod Kebede as particularly influential.
“Dr. Kebede is one of the main reasons I switched from Biology to Biochemistry. Both he and Dr. Unico have helped me so much in deciding what I want to do and teaching me, just really encouraging me to go after the internships,” she said.
Back when Jurcak was choosing a college for her undergraduate degree, her choice came down to EU vs. Ohio State. She now knows she chose the option that was the better fit.
“I felt I might be more comfortable at a smaller school,” she said. “And I am. I never would have expected the last four years to turn out like they did, but it’s been wonderful.” Virtual reality system unites arts and sciences at Edinboro UniversityThere is a still-popular theory in psychology that suggests people tend to be either right-brain or left-brain thinkers. Though it since has been largely disproven – more recent research suggests the human brain is not as dichotomous as it was once believed to be – the myth has come to symbolize the divide between the arts and the sciences. Left-brain thinkers are said to favor imaginative pursuits such as creative writing, studio arts like painting and sculpture, and music, while right-brain scholars prefer more rational disciplines, like math and the sciences.
But on the campus of Edinboro University, one small instrument has bridged that famous divide and rallied students from across the academic spectrum. It is called oculus rift.
Developed by Oculus VR with initial financing from a Kickstarter campaign, oculus rift is a virtual reality head-mounted display. It is a relatively simple technology that has opened the door to limitless interdisciplinary possibilities for EU students.
“We were one of the first 200 people, or so, to order one,” Steve Carpenter, professor of animation in EU’s celebrated Art Department, said of the just three-year-old device.
The impact of the oculus rift has been felt most prominently by students in EU’s Computer Science - Game and Virtual World Development major, which was ranked 21st on the East Coast and 53rd nationally in Animation Career Review’s 2014 Game Design School Rankings.
“So far students have mostly been using [oculus rift] for gaming purposes,” Carpenter continued, “developing an environment and then using the software to port it over and just get you into that world.”
The program graduated its first class of two students last year, and nine more will earn their degrees at Edinboro’s spring 2015 commencement on May 9. Though largely comprised of computer science and mathematics courses, the Game and Virtual World Development track of the Computer Science major is unique among EU’s College of Science and Health Professions offerings in that it includes a required art component, consisting of classes in three-dimensional design, traditional animation and computer animation.
Dr. Daniel Bennett of the Math and Computer Science Department notes that the Game and Virtual World Development program is not for the faint of heart.
“We took what we consider to be the hardest part of computer science, and they skip a bunch of art prerequisites, so they’re doing some pretty tough art, too,” Dr. Bennett explained. “We’ve got the students taking physics, we’ve got ‘em taking a lot of math. We still lose a lot of people who are coming in to play games, as opposed to write games, but we are going to have an outstanding group of graduates coming up this year.”
Carpenter and Dr. Bennett echoed praise for the unique relationship the technology has created between the arts and sciences at the university, noting that the campus’s gaming club is a major draw for students in the fields of animation and computer science as well as creative writing.
Carpenter went on to explain just some of the myriad ways the oculus rift could be utilized in a variety of academic pursuits, emphasizing in particular the possible implications of the device as an educational tool. “I completely see the oculus being heavily involved in education, at any level, but primarily at the elementary-age level,” he said.
He believes it could be especially impactful in engaging students in the study of history by recreating major events and placing students inside them virtually to create a real-time feel.
“It would become much more engaging; it’s not just a bunch of dates and places. It becomes much more human to be able to walk around and see things as they happen,” Carpenter explained. “I think it would leave such an impression, and a different kind of impression, about history than students normally get. It’s one thing to read a book, it’s another thing to watch a movie, but this is like reading a book and watching a movie all at the same time – and you’re there.”
Carpenter sees a connection to the forensic sciences as well.
“At some point, some defense attorney or some prosecutor is going to get a judge to OK allowing the jury to tour a crime scene virtually via the oculus rift. It’s a game changer,” he said, noting that the technology would prove extremely useful in cases where a crime scene has been compromised or doesn’t exist and thus can’t be toured by the jury.
Other current areas of exploration with the oculus rift system include the fields of psychology and military sciences, but Carpenter is keenly aware that as the system is further developed it could have implications for all areas of academic pursuit.
Edinboro student work using the oculus rift has been a big hit when the system has been taken to conferences and conventions, according to Dr. Bennett.
“We’ve taken it to a convention in Philadelphia called Too Many Games twice now, and what we’ve had is a billion screaming kids running up and wanting to put it on their heads to see what’s going on,” he said. “When we set up a demo anywhere that involves kids, we’ll have somebody at our booth from the time we start until the time we pull the plug because we just can’t stay any longer.”
Future versions of the oculus rift technology are expected to be outfitted with everything from built-in stereo headsets that detect where sound is coming from to power gloves with sensors that allow users to touch objects within the simulation. Carpenter expects to acquire this updated system in the very near future.
“Where I see us using this in the future, that’s pretty much endless,” he concluded. “We’ll only be limited by our imagination.”
Africa study-abroad provides transformative experience for Edinboro University students When President Obama announced new restrictions in July on the sale of ivory in the United States, the need for action to help end elephant poaching was vividly clear to 10 Edinboro University students who had recently experienced first-hand the plights of the people and animals in Africa.
Led by Dr. Cynthia Rebar, a professor in EU’s Department of Biology and Health Services, the students spent three weeks exploring the majestic African countryside as part of the annual African Conservation Experience. The trip was designed to afford EU students unparalleled access to the research and wildlife encounters that only Africa can provide, as well as the chance to learn about the history and culture of South Africa.
The group departed Pittsburgh International Airport on May 20 and arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, more than 8,000 miles away, following an hours-long flight.
Their first stop was the city of Soweto, former home to social rights activists Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, and site of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. During the uprising, police opened fire on high school students protesting against the enforced use of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools.
The group visited the Hector Pieterson memorial, which features a collection of oral testimonies, pictures, audiovisual displays and historical documents relating to the uprisings in Soweto. It stands just block away from where 12-year-old Pieterson was shot and killed for his part in the protest.
Edinboro undergraduate Ivy Kuberry was taken aback by the group’s visit to the Apartheid Museum, despite having studied the system of racial segregation in great detail in her classes.
o demonstrate the reality of racial classification, the basis of all Apartheid laws, all museum visitors are divided into two categories: white and non-white. Once classified, the visitors are allowed to enter the museum only through their designated gate.o demonstrate the reality of racial classification, the basis of all Apartheid laws, all museum visitors are divided into two categories: white and non-white. Once classified, the visitors are allowed to enter the museum only through their designated gate.
“It wasn't just about memorizing facts anymore; it was about feeling what the people felt, seeing what they saw, and learning by placing yourself in their footsteps,” Kuberry said.
Leaving Johannesburg and Soweto behind, the group traveled nearly 300 miles to a camp near Kruger National Park while taking in the sights and learning about the history of the region from a knowledgeable guide.
The following day, they hiked the “Panorama Route” in the eastern Mpumalanga province, which included cascading waterfalls, impressive gorges and other scenic destinations. God’s Window, one of the Blyde River Canyon’s most spectacular vantage points, gave the travelers a bird’s-eye view of Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest and most famous game preserve.
They also visited the Khamai Reptile Centre near Hoedspruit, where they had the opportunity to hold exotic snakes, lizards and even baboon spiders as large as their hands.
The group then set off to explore Kruger National Park – home to lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes, reptiles and a variety of birds. They spent the night in a rustic camp before taking a guided walk through the bush.
“I have never felt so alive in my life, to be sitting in the middle of a pride of seven lions, or to drive alongside a herd of 100-plus massive, majestic elephants, or sit outside a hyena den as the cubs come out to play,” said EU student Brandi Hobbs.
Leaving Kruger behind, the group traveled to Mapungubwe Private Nature Reserve and settled into their accommodations for the next two weeks: brick-and-thatch bungalows without electricity or other amenities.
During their time at the camp, students completed coursework for Special Topics in Biology: African Conservation Experience. They took part in data collection, wildlife monitoring, game counts and bird identification, which are crucial to establishing a better understanding of the wildlife populations and movement patterns in the area.
“The importance of these animals doesn't seem significant until you have seen them in the wild, and you don't truly understand how the extinction of such animals could be so devastating until you've seen how remarkable these creatures really are,” Hobbs said.
While at Mapungubwe, the group spent one night camping next to an old bushman cave. While sleeping outdoors, they learned about safety in the field and developed a basic understanding of navigating by using the constellation of stars. They took turns keeping watch during the night to keep the camp safe from nocturnal wildlife.
“Students learn about and are immersed in a different culture, and they never see Africa the same again,” said Dr. Rebar, who has led EU students on three study trips to Africa and is planning the fourth. “Their knowledge of the animals of Africa and conservation issues soars, and they often are exposed to varying views and begin to understand the complexity of solving conservation issues.”
While lectures and textbooks have withstood the test of time as primary educational tools, there are some lessons that cannot be learned in the classroom alone. Studying abroad is not only a wonderful enhancement to education, but also a rewarding and life-enriching experience that is encouraged and supported at Edinboro.
For Kuberry, the excursion was instrumental to her growth; both as an intellectual and an individual.
“This study-abroad trip was more than just three credits and a plane ticket; it was a life-altering experience that gave me insight into other cultures, courage to explore, and a drastically expanded comfort zone,” she said.
Hobbs recounted a similarly eye-opening experience. “We see commercials on TV about the starving children in Africa, or hear about their lack of a clean water supply, but until you have witnessed these unfortunate truths you don't really comprehend them.”
Dr. Rebar is already looking forward to next year’s trip, scheduled to take place May 19-June 8.
“I suppose from my own perspective, what keeps me going is the excitement I witness when students first see ellies or lions or giraffes or whatever it might be,” concluded Rebar. “I've been to Africa often and seen a lot, but I never get tired of seeing the students and their reactions and thrill over what they are seeing.” Edinboro University athletes are national champions for Make-A-WishWhether they are competing in their respective sports, excelling in the classroom, or granting wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, Edinboro University’s student-athletes are never satisfied with second-best.
“As an athlete you always strive for success on the court, but success off the court is equally important,” said EU junior basketball forward Nicole Johnson.
Perseverance has paid off. The Fighting Scots succeeded in becoming the nation’s top Division II fundraiser in the 2014-15 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Make-A-Wish campaign.
Through the hard work of EU’s Director of Athletics Bruce Baumgartner, the Student Athlete Advisory Council, the Health and Physical Education Department, and the Communication Studies Department, Edinboro University raised a total of $13,665 to benefit Make-A-Wish, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions.
“My fellow student-athletes and I collect donations at almost every home sporting event,” said Johnson. “We sell Make-A-Wish stars to our family, friends, faculty and other members of the community.”
In addition to these efforts, the Student Athlete Advisory Council has hosted a Student-Athlete Auction for the past seven years. Faculty, staff and students, along with the general public, attend the event to bid on their favorite Fighting Scots, with all proceeds benefitting Make-A-Wish. This year’s event raised more than $1,200 for the EU campaign.
EU bested all NCAA Division II institutions, followed by Molloy College, which raised $13,154, and Dixie State University, which raised $12,670.
“I’m an athlete. I’m competitive by nature, and I like to be the best in everything I do,” said senior Fighting Scot swimmer Micah Cattell. “To hear that we finally were the number one school in the country was vindication for all of the work we do collecting at every event.”
As the lone Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) institution in the top 20, Edinboro spearheaded the effort by the PSAC to lead all 24 D-II conferences in monies raised. The PSAC collected $53,493; $13,000 more than the second-place Peach Belt Conference.
“This is extremely gratifying,” Baumgartner said. “I thank our student-athletes and the many parents and fans, including the student body and community, who show up to our events and contribute.”
For the first time, NCAA Division II raised more than $600,000 in a single academic year, shattering the previous record by $37,000. Since the NCAA sponsorship began in 2003, more than $4.1 million has been contributed to Make-A-Wish; resulting in 530 wishes being granted to deserving children throughout the country.
“NCAA Division II student-athletes have taken the skills that have allowed them to succeed in athletic competitions, such as teamwork and self-determination, and channeled them toward helping us grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions,” said David Williams, CEO and president of Make-A-Wish America. “This record donation will forever change the lives of the wish kids who have had their one true wish granted, thanks in part to the efforts of NCAA Division II student-athletes throughout the country.”
According to a 2011 Wish Impact Study, the wishes can impact children’s fights against their illnesses, helping them feel better and, in some cases, get better.
“I wanted to be involved because I love making a difference, especially in a young child’s life,” Cattell said. “ If someone is struggling with a disease and is always feeling down, I want to be a part of what brings them up.”
Schools and conferences that raise at least the national average cost of a wish are given the chance to host a wish reveal, a celebration when a child learns that his or her one true wish will be granted. This marks the third straight year that Edinboro has finished among the Division II leaders in Make-A-Wish donations, and has again been granted the opportunity to unveil a wish.
“We have been fortunate to host wish unveilings the last two years, and I think it goes without saying that there has not been another more heartwarming event in McComb Fieldhouse,” Baumgartner said. “Our student-athletes have seen the joy that a wish unveiling brings, and that has motivated them to work even harder to assist the goals of Make-A-Wish.”
In 2012-13, Edinboro raised $9,424 to finish fifth among Division II institutions. EU presented Austin Hawk with a pit bull puppy, Layla, along with numerous items necessary to keep a pet happy and healthy.
“It’s hard to find the words to describe the feelings I had when I saw the look on the faces of the children during the reveal nights we hosted at Edinboro,” Johnson said. “Working with Make-A-Wish is a humbling experience that makes me truly appreciative of how blessed I am.”
Isabella “Belle” Linz, an 8-year-old with a rare, life-threatening condition, was surprised with a Hawaiian vacation at EU’s Wish Night in February 2015. EU athletes earned the opportunity to participate in a wish fulfillment by placing third in the nation in donations to Make-A-Wish in 2013-14.
“I was able to be one of the hosts for both Austin and Belle when we revealed their wishes. It was amazing to be with them and see that they were just normal kids who were fighting extraordinary battles,” said Cattell. “It really is just a blessing to get to know such great people and be able to give them something they so rightfully deserve.”
Now the Edinboro community can once again look forward to a wish being granted.
“It’s a night I greatly look forward to,” Baumgartner said. “We will again look to make it one of the most special nights our wish recipient will ever have.”
In addition to collecting funds for Make-A-Wish, the EU athletics department collects new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots each year. These toys are distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. The philanthropic efforts of Edinboro University students, faculty and staff do not stop there.
Members of the EU community annually participate in the International Coastal Cleanup by picking up trash around Edinboro Lake and neighboring creeks, and Random Acts of Kindness in Edinboro (R.A.K.E) through raking leaves for disabled and elderly people in the community, as well as cleanup initiatives around EU’s campus.
Additionally, the Student Government Association (SGA) organizes “The Big Event” each spring. This event allows students to get out and do household projects for the elderly and disabled. The projects usually involve light painting, cleaning up a garage and other simple house projects.
“Edinboro University knows the importance of giving back, said Michelle Barbich, Director of Campus Life and Leadership Development. “We strive to instill these values in our students by offering several community service opportunities to them, and we are excited to be working on a ‘Get Connected’ app that will allow the students to become even more involved.”
EU is working alongside United Way of Erie County and Get Connected Erie, a program in the Erie area that lists community service opportunities for residents, to build a portal/website for students to find and engage in community service opportunities.
Barbich expects the app to be ready for use at the beginning of the spring semester.
“I am so proud of Edinboro and so proud to be an Edinboro student-athlete,” Johnson concluded.
Edinboro University nursing student gains global perspectiveEdinboro University (EU) senior nursing major Crystal Glover didn’t go home to Beaver Falls for the holidays in December. In fact, her holiday season was far from traditional.
While most of her classmates took a break from their studies and spent time with family and friends, Glover devoted her time off to treating critically ill patients in Tanzania, Africa, with the Work the World Organization.
Because of the structured nature of the nursing curriculum, she is the first student from the EU Department of Nursing to participate in an international study abroad experience directly related to her major.
“I have always loved travelling and helping others,” said Glover. “I knew I wanted to do some sort of volunteer work using my nursing skills.”
Determined to make her dream a reality, she found the Work the World opportunity and contacted EU’s International Student Services for assistance. Glover received Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Study Abroad Award and the EU Study Abroad Scholarship to help defray the cost of her trip.
After more than a year of planning, she departed Pittsburgh International Airport on Dec. 12 with a suitcase full of medical items to donate once she arrived.
Following a 22-hour flight, she spent three weeks volunteering in the intensive care unit at Mount Meru Regional Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania. There, she worked predominately with patients in the late stages of malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease and severe trauma.
Each morning, she and other members of her group walked for 25 minutes to board the dala dala, the local minibus taxi. Thought to be named after the English word “dollar,” which used to be the standard fare, the dala dalas are typically overcrowded, sometimes transporting more than 30 people on one small bus.
Once they arrived in town, the group walked another 20 minutes to the hospital, where they spent the day treating patients, assisting in assessments and making hospital rounds.
Glover’s previous hands-on experience in modern clinical settings contrasted dramatically with the conditions she encountered in Tanzania, one of the world’s poorest countries. Patients at the hospital are not given gowns, the sheets are not changed between patients and the wide-open windows do not have screens.
“The hospital was extremely under-resourced,” she said. “The entire intensive care unit shared a single oxygen tank and one blood pressure cuff. Most of the doctors did not have stethoscopes, and gloves were a rarity.”
While in Arusha, Glover also made several visits to the Neema House orphanage, a rescue center for abandoned and orphaned babies. She spent hours playing games with the 43 children and infants who call the orphanage home.
Due to a shortage of clean blood supply in Africa, mothers die during childbirth at a much higher rate than in countries with modern medical facilities. Without access to basic medical resources, many children lose their parents to AIDS or other illnesses.
“Many of the patients die. It’s very sad,” said Glover. “One day I went into the hospital and almost a third of our patients were gone, but when patients improved, it reminded me why I love nursing.”
In the evenings, Glover took Swahili lessons, explored the nearby Via Via and Maasai markets, sampled local cuisine, and learned as much as possible about the customs and traditions of the Tanzanian people.
“As a future nurse, it is important to gain exposure to other cultures in order to be prepared for the diverse populations nurses encounter,” said Glover. “This experience improved my understanding of the importance of cultural competence care, which is the ability for health care professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.”
Glover and her group took a few days off from working in the hospital to travel six hours to Serengeti National Park, where they spent the night in a public campsite in the desert and saw giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, gazelle, hartebeests, impalas, lions, elephants, warthogs, hippopotamuses, leopards, monkeys and baboons.
“I didn’t get much sleep because animals could come into the campsite,” said Glover. “I heard a hyena most of the night and couldn’t fall asleep.”
Leaving the Serengeti behind, the group drove to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and set up camp in the Simba public campsite. During their stay, buffalo roamed freely around them and an elephant approached the campsite and drank from their water supply.
The following day, the group ascended into the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. They had a close encounter with a lion cub and saw a Crowned Crane, Tanzania’s national bird. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also home to members of the seminomadic Maasai Tribe, known for wearing intricate jewelry and colorful shuka cloths.
Upon completion of a Life Experience Portfolio, which includes a daily journal and a summary of the experience, Glover received three credits toward her degree.
“The experience was amazing. It was difficult being away during the holidays, but it was also a very interesting experience,” she said. “I was exposed to diverse health issues only found in books, such as working with communicable diseases and advanced pathologies not prevalent in the United States.”
In addition to pursing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with minors in biology and psychology, Glover is a meal aid for Edinboro’s Office of Students with Disabilities, a resident assistant, an orientation leader, a member of the Student Nurse Organization of Edinboro (SNOE), and a participant in intramural Ultimate Frisbee.
After graduation, she plans to move to Savannah, Ga., to work in a medical surgical unit. She hopes to become a traveling nurse and eventually obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
“I definitely plan on going back to Africa,” Glover said. “Down the road, my ultimate goal is to open my own clinic in a third-world country.”
To learn more about EU’s Nursing Department or study abroad opportunities, visit www.edinboro.edu.
Edinboro University student and faculty member conduct cutting-edge forensic researchAided by advanced technology and guided by knowledge of human anatomy, osteology and physical anthropology, Edinboro University student Megan Kunst is conducting research that aims to help standardize methods of forensic facial reconstruction for use in the identification of human remains.
Her work has sparked the interest of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), which has invited Kunst to present at its annual conference, Oct. 12-16, in Seattle. It will be her second presentation at an NCHC conference. The first, in 2014, resulted in a first-place award in the category of Visual Arts for her research project “Using Mathematical Perspective,” which studied the relationship between linear perspective, optics and art through the use of mathematical formulas.
Kunst’s latest work also grew from her studies in the field of visual arts at Edinboro.
“I became aware of forensic facial reconstruction during an anatomy class taught by Professor Michelle Vitali,” Kunst said. “During class, she talked about her experience with the process and it sounded like a fascinating way to integrate my passion for art with my love of science.”
Vitali, of the EU Art Department, is Kunst’s supervisor on the project. Also working with her as advisors are Dr. Lenore Barbian of the Criminal Justice, Anthropology, and Forensic Studies Department and Professor Peter Kuvshinikov of the Physics and Technology Department.
“I created two 3D facial reconstructions of the same skull by adding clay to a 3D-printed human skull,” Kunst explained. “The skull I used was printed from scans provided by the Smithsonian Institution, which also provided cadaver photographs to compare the results of my reconstructions.”
One reconstruction was completed using the American method (using tissue depth markers) and the other using the Russian method (constructing the muscles of the face). Kunst then conferred with her faculty supervisor to develop a list of areas of higher and lower confidence in the results of each facial reconstruction, leading to a conclusion about which areas of each method are more reliable.
“The best practices protocol developed during this study can aid the standardization of the field and improve the facial reconstructions done by forensic artists, improving the likelihood of identification of unknown individuals,” Kunst said. “I like that facial reconstruction may allow me to, in the future, use art to help people find resolution and give names to the unidentified deceased.”
Kunst is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with concentrations in illustration and painting, and a bachelor’s degree in art education. The Butler, Pa., native is an active scholar in the Edinboro University Honors Program, which provides opportunities for high-achieving students to pursue special projects with faculty mentors such as the forensic facial reconstruction research.
The exploration of best practices in three-dimensional facial reconstruction is a continuation of research that Vitali presented in 2014 at the international conference of the American Academy of Forensics. That work was titled 3D Facial Approximation: Lingering Problems and Improving Outcomes.
“It was extremely well-received,” Vitali said, “so I wanted to expand it with three goals: researching a wider range of problematic aspects of 3D facial reconstruction, improving the training and education of practitioners in the forensic arts, and improving the training and education of law enforcement and the general public so that they understand what they are seeing when they view forensic facial reconstructions. These are not portraits.”
She said Kunst’s research will aid in achieving her goal of improving the training of forensic art practitioners. Vitali’s further research will include collaboration with her Edinboro University colleagues in the fields of biology and psychology as well as with various law enforcement agencies and coroners.
Vitali teaches human anatomy, scientific illustration, painting and drawing at Edinboro, and earned national recognition in 2015 for her work creating a pair of three-dimensional sculptures of an embalmed, severed head that was found on the side of the road in rural Beaver County, Pa.
She is one of the founding experts of the Edinboro Institute for Forensic Sciences, which was launched in 2015 to provide excellence in undergraduate education and training in the forensic sciences by drawing on faculty from diverse academic disciplines, including criminal justice, anthropology and art. Kunst is one of the institute’s first student scholars. he is one of the founding experts of the Edinboro Institute for Forensic Sciences, which was launched in 2015 to provide excellence in undergraduate education and training in the forensic sciences by drawing on faculty from diverse academic disciplines, including criminal justice, anthropology and art. Kunst is one of the institute’s first student scholars.
Their work together, like that of many forensic artists, is being undertaken with the ultimate goal of creating new and innovative ways of generating investigatory leads for police.
More information about the Edinboro University Institute for Forensic Sciences, visit www.edinboro.edu/ifs.
Howard Falls opens window to the past, doors to the future for Edinboro University student scientistsJust outside Edinboro in Franklin Township, Pennsylvania, Falls Run meanders through the countryside, crossing under Route 98 and Falls Road before cascading over a massive rock outcropping forming Howard Falls. Measuring 33 feet wide and 40 feet high, Howard Falls is the largest waterfall in Erie County.
The rushing water plummets into a plunge pool below, stirring sand and stones from the rock-strewn bottom. Suspended sediment the creek carries downstream brushes against and erodes the stream bed along the way. Although on private property, the falls can be readily viewed from Falls Road.
Over the course of thousands of years, erosion from Falls Run has carved a breathtaking ravine into the forested stretch of land between Howard Falls and Elk Creek. Steep, rocky walls stand on either side of the stream, separating the outside world from the brilliant microclimate that lies below.
A closer look at the sides of the gorge reveals deposits of reddish-brown and grey rock, each layer of which has been the Earth’s surface at one time. The rare instance of layered rock allows scientists to determine the environment of deposition and paint a picture of the area’s history.
Edinboro students and faculty have found fossilized brachiopods, corals and horseshoe crabs amid the rocks. Alumnus Kevin Yeager found his future there.
Yeager, ’95, was one of the first students to conduct field work at Howard Falls. His senior thesis research on giant fossil fish, “Fossil Fishes (Arthrodira and Acanthodida) from the Upper Devonian Chadakoin Formation of Erie County, Pennsylvania,” made significant contributions to the study of fish fauna in western Pennsylvania and was published in the June 1996 issue of Ohio Journal of Science.
The field study was Yeager’s first experience in field, laboratory and literature research, and the challenging work inspired him to dedicate his life to the study of sedimentology and marine sciences.
“It taught me that I could do work and even earn a living by following my natural curiosity. After that realization, I was hooked,” he said.
Upon graduating from EU, Yeager earned a Master of Science in geology from the University of Toledo and a Ph.D. in geology and geophysics from Texas A&M University. At Texas A&M, he was recognized as the best graduate student university-wide with the prestigious George W. Kunze Prize.
He is now an associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Kentucky and continues to build his extensive record of scholarship and grantsmanship.
Reflecting on the location where his career began, Yeager said Howard Falls is a pristine environment in which to learn about the compositions, processes and history of the earth.
“The fossils found in the layers of Devonian age sedimentary rock reveal the types of life that were abundant in northwestern Pennsylvania 375 million years ago,” Yeager said. “The property is an invaluable resource for students to observe and study natural river systems, forestry, conservation and resource management.”
Partnership in discovery
In addition to its rich trove of fossil and ancient geological relics, the unique aquatic and terrestrial habitat within the Howard Falls ravine supports species not commonly found in this area, a few of which have been identified as endangered or threatened by the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program.
“There’s really nothing else quite like it around here,” said landowner and EU alumnus Dennis Howard. “There is an environment of plants, birds and aquatic life down there that we don’t know a lot about.”
Curiosity about the history of the region and a deep commitment to the preservation of its natural resources, combined with their connection to Edinboro University, inspired Dennis and his wife, Dianne, also an EU alumna, to develop a working relationship with the university’s Geosciences Department more than 20 years ago.
Since then, EU’s Dr. Dale Tshudy, a paleontologist and geosciences professor, has accompanied hundreds of students to the gorge.
“Howard Falls – the gorge – provides geologists with the best exposures of Late Devonian rocks in southern Erie County,” Tshudy said. “The sandstone, siltstone and shale in the sides of the gorge are continuously exposed from bottom to top, in a succession spanning millions of years.”
“Features such as wave ripples, and the tracks and trails of marine animals, as well as the shells and skeletons of those animals, are beautifully preserved there,” he added.
Based on field studies done in the gorge, students have produced publishable research in both geography and geology, and several have parlayed their undergraduate research into graduate assistantships at top programs nationwide.
Endowment supports explorations
Recognizing the value to students and deepening their commitment to Edinboro University, the Howards established the Howard Falls Research and Education Endowment in 2007 to support and enhance the broad spectrum of research and educational projects connecting the Howard Falls property with Edinboro University’s many science programs.
Since the creation of the endowment, more than $7,000 has been distributed to EU students and faculty for various Howard Falls research projects.
In 2014, forest geography students led by Dr. Karen Eisenhart, chairperson of the Geosciences Department, analyzed the change in land use on the 250-acre Howard Falls property. Using photographs from 1939, 1959, 1969 and 1992, along with tree core samples, they estimated the age of forest patches to be between 25 and 75 years old, and determined the property experienced dramatic changes in land use between 1939 and 1992. Few studies of this type have been conducted in northwestern Pennsylvania, and the project was the first in Erie County.
Geography majors Andrea Pace, Alyssa Piper and Allison Swan presented the work at the Association of American Geographers 2014 Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida, and received funding from the endowment to cover the cost of the registration fee.
Eisenhart has also incorporated Howard Falls group projects as a required part of her Forest Geography and Conservation course curriculum.
“Forest geography projects give students hands-on experience with tree species identification, forest measurement techniques, use of spreadsheet software, and graphical presentation of data,” Eisenhart said. “The opportunities at Howard Falls allow student to expand their skillsets, and gain more confidence in their abilities.”
The Howards receive copies of all published work and meet yearly with the Geosciences Department to strategically discuss work that could be done on their land in the future.
“We just like to learn more about the property,” said Dennis Howard, whose family has occupied the land for more than 175 years. “A property like this, you don’t really ever own it, you just take care of it for future generations.”
The generous endowment and the continued availability of the Howard Falls property offer students and faculty an extraordinarily rich educational environment where students experience the satisfaction of learning, an engagement in research and the excitement of scientific discovery.
Edinboro University athlete shines as advocateYou might see Ryan Stratton popping up almost anywhere on Edinboro University’s campus. Just don’t expect to find him sitting still.
Stratton is a football athlete, middle-level math and special education major, and Reserve Officer Training Corps participant pursuing a minor in adaptive leadership and military science. In February, he was awarded the university’s inaugural Dr. Joseph Laythe Award for championing social justice on and off campus.
Among these and numerous other activities, one of Stratton’s most high-profile achievements was introducing the 12th Man Tradition to Edinboro last fall. The tradition brings students with disabilities and children battling cancer to the sidelines of home football games and into the locker room with the team.
Stratton is humble and quick to credit his teammates and the Fighting Scots football program with the immediate success of the 12th Man Tradition.
“We chose a kid for every home game, and they came on Friday night to our team meetings,” he said. “When they arrived, they would get a signed football from all of the players and also an Edinboro football shirt. They would come back on Saturday and stand on the sideline for warmups and the game. They actually ended up cheering louder than some of our players.”
After the season ended, Stratton planned a banquet for 12th Man participants to bring them together with his teammates one additional time. Parents who attended were effusive in their praise for what Stratton did for their children, but he insisted he actually benefitted significantly from experience, noting that it inspired him to realize there is more to life than just football and getting an education.
“Reaching out to the community and using the platform that I have been given has been a tremendous experience for me,” Stratton said. “It has been amazing to see the guys on our football team interact with the kids when they come to team meetings and games. We truly have some amazing guys on our team, and I’m so thankful and blessed to be a part of the team.”
During the spring 2017 semester, the Smethport, Pa., native completed his field experience and worked with a local school district for pre-service teaching. Stratton, who is expected to graduate in 2019, said the field experience was the most challenging experience of his time at Edinboro so far.
“You are basically starting to become the teacher and taking control of the classroom,” he said. “The EU education program is wonderful and challenging, but if you are passionate about teaching and kids, as I am, then it is great. Also, the professors in the School of Education truly care about their students.”
In addition to football and activities associated with his majors, Stratton participates in EU’s strong and growing ROTC program, through which he has signed a contract to continue service as an Army officer upon graduation. A devout Christian, he also is involved in several church groups and Bible studies, including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Edinboro chapter of the campus ministry Chi Alpha, and Campus Crusade for Christ worship services.
“Edinboro University has always pushed me and provided me with a lot of wonderful opportunities,” Stratton said. “Every campus runs the same, but it’s the people who make the difference. The people at Edinboro are truly what have helped me focus on my goals and reach my highest potential. They have always pushed me to do my best and always given me guidance and direction.”
And what is next for Stratton after his busy time at Edinboro University comes to an end?
“I plan on commissioning as an aviation officer in U.S. Army to travel and gain leadership skills,” he said. “After the service, I think one of my dreams and goals has been to start a charity for kids battling cancer and kids with disabilities. The 12th Man opened my eyes to this dream, and I really have a heart for kids. The look on the kids’ faces when they showed up to the football game was priceless. It is something that I would love to see the rest of my life.” |
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