SU All (Spring 2009) South University held 6 commencement ceremonies last week for the university’s 1,047 graduates. South University offers 30 programs of study, and graduates from each program are represented in the Class of 2009.
A special thank you to our featured speakers who prepared thoughtful advice for our graduates:
Columbia - Councilwoman Tameika Devine, Columbia City Council
Montgomery - Justice Tom Parker, Alabama Supreme Court
Savannah Undergraduate Class - Dr. Thomas B. Lockamy, Jr., Superintendent of Schools for the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Savannah Graduate Class - Phillip Schaengold, President and CEO, Memorial Health.
Tampa - Mary Beth Reardon, RN MS OCN NEA-BC, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
West Palm Beach - South University alumnus Leslie A. Nagle, President and CEO of Absolutely Legal, Inc.
Photo left: Faculty prepare the gonfalons for the processional.
Photo right: (left to right) Dean Wynn, Dean Brooks, Dean Paulsen, Dean Yoho, and Dean Kearney-Nunnery prepare to present the graduates.
SU Savannah (Spring 2009) - South University student leaders made a positive impact in the Physician Assistant (PA) profession during the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) annual conference. South University PA Student, Kate Callaway, President of the Student Academy of the AAPA, led PA students to develop initiatives for next year as she presided over the Assembly of Representatives.
In the Student Academy officer elections: PA Student Whitney Jeffrey was elected as the Southeast Regional Chair, and Kate Callaway was appointed to continue her work on the AAPA Board of Directors as the Immediate Past President of SAAAPA.
“The highlight of the week for me was meeting Dr. Harvey Estes, who is a co-founder of the PA profession,” said Kate Callaway. “We had the opportunity to discuss the future of the PA profession and current healthcare reform.”
South University received three awards during the conference. The Student Academy recognized South University with the Outstanding Student Society Award - Honorable Mention for outstanding service to the profession in the areas of public education, public service, promotion of diversity, and professional involvement. Tricia Howard, PA-C and Faculty Advisor for PA student society class of 2010, was also honored for her leadership and service to the students and took home the Outstanding Student Society Faculty Advisor Award - Honorable Mention.
SU West Palm Beach (Spring 2009) - Students in Dr. Neil Weiss's Business Simulation (capstone) class tied for the best overall game score performance of the week worldwide in GLO-BUS, an automated business simulation exercise used in the capstone Business Simulation class.
The South University-West Palm Beach students' company, Alliance Digital, is managed by students Jason Shearon and Tareque Ahmed. Alliance Digital's overall game score of 110 put them in first place among their peers globally. Alliance Digital moved into first place during the week of June 1 from the 26th best overall game-to-date score performance the week of May 4.
Their earnings per share of $16.88 was the 2nd best earnings per share performance, worldwide. Their stock price of $279.29 was the 2nd stock price performance, worldwide. And their return on average equity of 45.9% was the 14th best return on equity performance, worldwide!
SU Montgomery (Spring 2009) - Dr. Fred Strickland, an adjunct Information Technology Instructor, earned his Ph.D in Computer Science from Auburn University in August 2008.
He began his doctoral program and the associated research for his dissertation in 2002, the results of which were published earlier this year. The book is titled: Using Different Radio Bands to Provide More Flexibility: Using a Helio Based Protocol in a Battlefield Sensor Network with Directional Antennas and Enhanced Security and is published by VDM Verlag of Germany.
Library says tapping into the “Hidden Web” can help students make the grade
SU All (Spring 2009) - With the help of sites such as Google and Yahoo, students have become savvy online searchers, but even the most agile Internet searchers find that some questions just don’t produce the right results, leaving them unable to effectively and efficiently complete their assignments.
Kate Sawyer, Director of University Libraries for South University, says the problem may not be that the answer isn’t out there but that the usual search engines just can’t get at it. She says that general search engines search what’s free on the Web, but often the most accurate, current educational information resides in what insiders call the “Hidden Web”— password-protected subscription websites typically not open to Web search engines.
“Free search engines are great for finding simple answers to simple questions, but when the answers really matter — like a research assignment— we recommend using something more authoritative,” says Ms. Sawyer. “When you search the free Web you have no idea whether you’re getting accurate information or not.”
SU Montgomery (Spring 2009) - On May 11, Crime Scene Investigator, Detective G.R. Timmerman, of the Montgomery Police Department presented to the Criminalistics class at South University concerning the dynamics of the “real” CSI versus what is portrayed on the television show.
"The students were so engaged by Detective Timmerman," said Roger Humber, the Criminal Justice Program Director. "He shared not only his professional expertise but his passion about this demanding and rewarding field."
His presentation focused on crime scene preservation and the subsequent collection of evidence. He discussed basic skills and expectations of the crime scene investigator. His presentation contained a fantastic mixture of foundational information, case study, and real world experiences.
SU Columbia (Spring 2009) - The Legal Studies Department celebrated Law Day on May 4-5 at the Columbia campus. Department Director John Shupper and Assistant Director Ripley Thames began the activities with a Focus Group in the Carolina Suite. Professor Adesanya also participated in the activities.
Students were apprised of a proposal approved by the faculty, legal advisory board, Deans and Vice President of Academic Affairs that is awaiting approval by the Council of Presidents. If approved, the proposal may become effective as early as Summer Quarter. Some if the changes were the result of student feedback from previous focus groups and caucuses among Legal Studies students.
Students completing their externships also provided feedback to the faculty and advisory board by filling our student survey forms at the end of their externships. Significant changes initiated by students were the reduction in the number of computer courses required for their general studies core curriculum and the addition of new technology courses in Cyber Law and Advanced Technology for Paralegals.
Read about Dr. James (Jim) Fischer, Professor for General Studies in Columbia, in the Columbia Star.
In Ailing Economy, Health Careers Are In - Read what Dan Coble, RN, PhD, Campus President in Tampa, had to say about careers in health care in the Tampa Tribune.