Two Colorado College Student Scholars Win Watson Fellowships
April 30, 2008 | 
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Two Colorado College seniors, John Zirkle and Brian Hockaday, have been awarded Thomas J. Watson Fellowships., The Watson Fellowship is a one-year, $25,000 grant for independent study and travel outside the United States. A bright, articulate, and modest young man, John Zirkle met with CSR+ over a cup of coffee on the Colorado College campus. The interview with Brian Hockaday was conducted by email. They both talked about their academic passion, their experiences Colorado College as an undergraduate and their future plans in life.
CSR+: Congratulations on being awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowships. It is a great achievement. Can you tell us a little more about this fellowship?
JZ: The Thomas J. Watson Foundation is named after the founder of International Business Machines Corp. or IBM. It was founded in 1968. One of the foundation’s major activities is giving out the prestigious Watson Fellowships. Quoting from the foundation’s Web site “The mission of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship Program is to offer college graduates of unusual promise a year of independent, purposeful exploration and travel outside of the United States in order to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world community.”
CSR+: Did you have to apply for the fellowship or someone nominated you? Can you please tell us about what’s involved in being considered for the fellowship?
BH: Any graduating senior of good standing among the fifty participating universities is eligible to apply for a Watson, and no nomination is necessary. In fact, personal impetus and self-directedness are integral components of what make a good Fellow.
JZ: The Foundation has about fifty participating colleges. These are mostly liberal arts colleges with fewer than three thousand students. Each applicant has to write a project proposal and a personal statement. Then, the nominees are interviewed by representatives of the Foundation. The Foundation representatives fly around the country conducting hour-long interviews. The recipients are announced based on the quality and potential impact of the proposed projects on the life of the nominee. For 2008-2009, there are fifty awards. Watson Fellowships are investments in people, not projects.
CSR+: Can you tell us about the project you want to pursue as a part of the fellowship? Give us an overview of what you intend to do and what you expect to achieve through your research.
JZ: I am going to travel to Eastern Europe and study the primary passion of my life, which happens to be choral music. I will spend the first five months of my year abroad in the Czech Republic with children in famous choral schools throughout the country. These organizations put choral music first for children at an early age, and they have produced choirs that are unique, mature, and expressive. After Christmas, I will catch the train down to Sofia, Bulgaria, and delve into folk ensembles of Bulgaria during the winter months. Next, I will relocate to Estonia’s capital city, Tallinn, to engage myself in one of the most steadfast choral societies the world has ever seen.
BH: I will be using my Watson year to study sexual identity and gay communities in six newly urban or developing nations in the context of globalization. Many in the West take for granted the way we conceptualize sex, gender, and sexual orientation. As universal norms, the person to whom one is attracted can serve as the primary marker for his/her entire identity, and this identity has various logical norms as perpetuated through common gay stereotypes. In the face of the massive rural-urban migration of the past few decades, newfound opportunities for same-sex persons to meet for sex and relationships are bringing to light new queer communities influenced by their cultural background, individual histories within the city, and the image of an increasingly homogenized global gay community. In my Watson year I hope to provide a face and a name to these otherwise obscured communities, to allow them to define themselves on their own terms, not merely as extensions of western images or as human rights victims, and to provide a litmus test for how well these groups are faring in defining their fates and achieving their goals in a global context.
CSR+: You are going to study choral music in Eastern Europe. Why choral music? And, why Eastern Europe? What are you actually going to study? What do you want to learn from your studies?
JZ: These three countries are from a region that has a very rich tradition in choral music, spanning several centuries. Choral music requires a group of musicians to work together to produce beautiful music. In choral music, there are no stars. It is a cooperative effort where everyone compromises but strives to perform the best as a group. That’s what attracts me to choral music. My ambition is to become a conductor of music. I am getting a BA in Music in a month. I have studied music theory and many aspects of music, including choral music in the United States, during my studies. Now, I want to study the technical aspects of choral music, as practiced in Eastern Europe, during my year abroad. I am hoping to be able to use what I learn in my evolution as a conductor of choral music.
CSR+: You have decided to visit the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Estonia for your study. Why did you choose these countries?
JZ: During the past several years, as my musical horizon has expanded, I have been listening to choral music from Eastern Europe. I have thoroughly impressed by the music I have heard; I have internalized them. I want to now go to these countries, sing in choirs of these countries, and totally immerse myself in the choral traditions of these countries.
CSR+: Are you involved in the music scenes in Colorado College, Colorado Springs, or your native Knoxville, Tennessee?
JZ: During my time at Colorado College, I have lived a life filled with singing. I have directed Room 46, a student a cappella group. I have performed with a professional choir, and interned with the Broadmoor Community Church Choir. I have worked with every choral ensemble at Colorado College. I have sung with bands, all-female groups, and friends on a daily basis. Most of my days are spent in the music building, and I am usually eating meals in between rehearsals. Outside of the classroom, I am almost always doing something related to choral music.
CSR+: In your writings, you have talked about a “post-gay” world. Can you elaborate on this idea?
BH: In societies in which homosexuality is becoming increasingly acceptable across social circles, young gay men and women have the opportunity to identify themselves more so with other social categories – race, nationality, region, religious beliefs, etc. – than with their being gay persons per se. This leads to a decreased reliance on a unified ‘gay culture’, causing some to worry that the broader social aims of the gay movement, to breakdown hegemonic constructions of sex and gender, misogyny and sex-negativism, are being undercut by the newly formed suburban gay bourgeoisie. It’s ironic that opponents of gay marriage are attempting to stall a process that could very well undermine those aspects of homosexuality they find most subversive!
CSR+: You have decided to visit South Korea, Vietnam, India, Turkey, South Africa and Brazil. The countries cover Asia, Africa and South America. Why did you choose these countries? Why didn’t you choose a country in Europe for your studies?
BH: I chose countries that have all undergone strong urbanization within the past twenty years and have witnessed the emergence of new queer communities within the last decade or so. I chose areas that were as disparate as possible in cultural and religious backgrounds and which have not traditionally been a part of the same evolving dialogue on sex and sexual politics as that of the United States and Western Europe – a dialogue that is now entering these areas with a presumed sense of authority. Does a western notion of gays in short shorts and disco balls make sense in a Muslim nation? Certainly not. But such is the latent assumption of globalized media, and no one is going into these areas asking them what does.
In a way, you could say a large part of my life has been involved in undertaking such a study in the United States and Latin America (I’m half-Chilean myself). My own internalization of these issues has been a significant part of my life story as I’ve transitioned out from my rural Texas community. Gay society isn’t like other cultures wherein there are a set norms and traditions passed down between generations – it a group that crosses all social boundaries and is continually seeking to redefine itself with each new generation. The newfound field of queer theory has been tackling these questions in the US and Western Europe for several decades now.
At best, as I said, I hope to provide a ‘snapshot’ of these communities at this time of such strong cultural flux and allow them to define themselves. I’m working through various social and academic networks as well as through international LGBT organizations to make contacts in each location now.
CSR+: As a whole, the population of the world is almost equally divided between urban and rural. Are you interested in the lives of gay people in rural communities as well?
BH: My study is focusing on the emergence of sexual communities as a product of urbanization. Such communities have often not existed in a visible sense in a rural setting for social or practical reasons. While sex factors into every society in myriad and complex ways, as has been shown though generations of anthropological research, the way in which we define these terms is now changing in an increasingly globalized context.
CSR+: You are about to graduate from Colorado College, a prestigious liberal arts college. What are some of your most memorable experiences in the city and at the college?
JZ: I didn’t come to Colorado College thinking I wanted to become a choral conductor. My studies and musical experiences at CC have led to the germination and the growth of this idea in me. My senior project, Playground, where I am preparing a concert of modern experimental choral music I have written and programmed, stands out as the highlight of my experience at CC. I really like the Block Plan at CC. For example, when I took a class in Buddhism, I was able to immerse myself for twenty-four hours a day for a month in Buddhist philosophy, thought, and practices; the experience transformed me as a person.
BH: My stay at CC and in Colorado Springs has been just fantastic. I’ve enjoyed every moment of getting out into the mountains and exploring the Rocky Mountains with my professors. I’ve learned a lot from them as well as from the friends I’ve made here in the arts community and downtown area. I suppose one of my most memorable experiences from the Springs has been the simple act of watching the seasons change – I’d never been exposed to that growing up in the South!
CSR+: Please tell us a little bit about your background before coming to Colorado College. What made you choose Colorado College for higher education?
JZ: I grew up in the Knoxville, Tennessee. My father is a well-known surgeon and my mother volunteers in community and church activities. I went to a private school in Knoxville. As a senior in high school, I really wanted to go to Stanford. When that dream did not materialize, I had to choose between Middlebury College in Vermont and Colorado College. I am an avid skier and outdoor person. I like rafting and mountain biking. I love the Rockies. I decided to go the best college in the Rocky Mountain area. On top of all this, the hand-written acceptance letter from CC was the deal clincher.
BH: I grew up in a small shrimping town in South Texas, and took a few years to live, work, and travel on my own before coming to college. I chose Colorado College because it was important to me to have a close relationship with my professors, I found it to be a college that resounded with a strong personal ethic, and has a real and practical concern for broader-scale social and environmental issues outside of the context of pure academia.
CSR+: What are your future plans? Where is life going to take you from now on?
JZ: My dream is to become a choral music conductor or a composer. I met Eric Whitacre, one of the biggest composers in choral music, last year. I want to do my best to follow the footsteps of someone like him. My family in Tennessee has created a name in medicine. My parents were apprehensive of my pursuits of choral music. But, my love of choral music, affirmed by the Watson Fellowship, has given me the hope that, maybe, a Zirkle will do well in music, particularly in choral music, as well.
BH: Hah! Isn’t that the million-dollar question? Well, like most graduating seniors, I’m not quite sure, but upon returning from my Watson year, I’m sure I’ll be ready to continue on with my post-graduate education in biology. I hope to integrate the issues facing a quickly urbanizing world with efforts for sustainable development.
CSR+: It was a pleasure talking to you. Thanks so much!
JZ: The pleasure is mine!
BH: I think that pretty well covers it. Thank you very much. I’ve enjoyed it.
- J
Moving to the top
April 30, 2008 | Email This Post
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Margie Teals-Davis, Executive Assistant to the Dean of Letters Arts and Sciences at UCCS, never thought she would be a major player in academe. As the Dean’s Executive Assistant + Director of National Student Exchange + Assistant to Interdepartmental Studies, she fills a role that few professionals would attempt. Margie is always on top of her game.
Margie’s story is special. A self-described “B student,” she confesses to non-stardom as a high-schooler. Her family advised her not to even try to go on to college since her strong points seemingly did not lie in that direction.
The daughter of a single mom, Margie married early, became a military wife, moved away as a and did “what women do best,” as she says. She took care of her family. However, with her husband’s intensive military obligations and disinterest in her pursuing another career, she decided that to pursue the dream that continued to nudge her forward.
“We don’t have a clue who we are as people are until we try,” Margie shared with this reporter. After working as an Executive Assistant to emergency-room physicians, she discovered that her talents lay in logistics and development. Not to be dissuaded from taking the crucial next steps, Margie applied for federal and state grants, Pell grants for single parents (her marriage did not survive the dilemma of two-pronged career objectives) and work study to support her decision to finish college.
Margie met and married her current husband, took classes while pregnant with her second child, and gave birth to a beautiful son the first year she resumed her college courses. In her senior year of college (December, 2005) she became the family bread winner when her husband was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. For most people life-changing events of this magnitude would signal the end of a dream, but for Margie it was the beginning of a significant journey. She came onboard the Letters Arts and Sciences team when her work-study colleagues urged her to apply.
In October 2005, Margie joined LAS as staff, and she acknowledges “this university took care of me when I needed it.” While she did not go to her own college graduation, she is presently attending graduate school with a major in history and plans to attend her graduate school celebration. She functions as an executive staff member who wears three hats and does them all justice continuing to wrestle with the many challenges that face the graduate student population.
“I am centered,” Margie said. “I enjoy different things, love the rural life, and treasure my husband and children. I also love UCCS for what it has given to me all this time. I just want to repay the university with good work because it has given me so much.”
The Colorado Springs Record+ agrees that Margie Teals-Davis is more than executive director of three major areas within Letters Arts and Sciences. She is proof positive that, indeed, “we don’t have a clue who we are as people are until we try.”
Margie, thanks for keeping us centered with in tune with what we can be.
- M
Michael Arsenault - A Milken Educator
April 30, 2008 | Email This Post
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Michael Arsenault, math teacher at Pine Creek High School, was awarded the prestigious Milken Educator Award in late 2007. The Milken Family Foundation awards this award to outstanding K-12 teachers who demonstrate
- exceptional educational talent as evidenced by outstanding instructional practices in the classroom, school, and profession
- outstanding accomplishment and strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership
- engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, and the community
The mission of the Milken Family Foundation, founded in 1982, is to discover and advance inventive and effective ways of helping people to help themselves and those around them lead productive and satisfying lives.
The following is an interview with Michael Arsenault that took place via e-mail.
CSR+: You worked as a software engineer before becoming a teacher. What brought you to teaching?
MA: I’ve always wanted to teach. Life just seemed to steer me down different paths - one of which was software engineering. I realized that my job didn’t give me the satisfaction I thought it would and wanted to do something more fulfilling. My family and I sat down and worked out the “pros and cons”. It was evident that all of the elements I enjoyed in software engineering were elements of being an educator. The choice was clear, so I took the leap!
CSR+: The Milken Educator Award brings you national recognition as an outstanding teacher. How does it feel to be the recipient of such an award?
MA: It is humbling. There are so many amazing educators that I work with day in and day out, folks who could easily have received the MEA. I also feel inspired to “step it up”. As a part of the MEA network, there are a lot of resources at my disposal. I want to use them to represent the organization, my school, and my students to the best of my ability.
CSR+: Students have described you as “awesome”, “passionate”, and “dedicated”. What makes you an outstanding teacher? What are qualities you possess as a teacher that make you stand out among students, peers and administrators?
MA: First and foremost I care about my students. I know that their success not only depends on the content they are learning, but also character education and life skills. I also feel my past experiences help me to bring real-world examples into the classroom. Those experiences reflect the passion I have for mathematics — a passion that I hope will be contagious. Finally, I love what I do!
CSR+: What is your philosophy of teaching?
MA: I think the information above really sums it up, but I’ll expand. Math can be daunting, as the number of students (and parents) with math anxiety demonstrates. I strive to foster a safe environment, an environment of respect, where ALL students can be successful. I believe the questions students ask are as important as the answers and therefore want my students to be inquisitive.
CSR+: How do you integrate your philosophy of teaching into the practice of teaching?
MA: It all comes down to respect in both directions. The respect I show for my students shows them that I care. I expect them to show the other students in the class and me the same level of respect. In an environment of respect it becomes easier to have a discussion that creates the questions necessary to achieve understanding.
CSR+: You teach mathematics. It is a difficult subject for most students. How do you motivate your students to like and be enthused by mathematics? What are some instructional practices you have found to be effective?
MA: I think that successful mathematics education comes from tying things together. I like to incorporate historical stories, modern-day applications, and how students may use it in the future. Sometimes I use lecture, sometimes investigations, and every once in a while I’ll pull out the guitar and sing a song or two. I think that my questioning strategies help students reach greater understanding. I like to let them reach the conclusion rather than giving it to them.
CSR+: You also spend a lot of time outside the classroom working with students in various activities. A student was quoted in the Colorado Springs Gazette as saying “He might live here. I am not sure.” (‘here’ means the school). Can you please tell us about some of the activities that you participate in? What makes you spend so much time with the students?
MA: I have been a Student Council sponsor for the past four years. I love the opportunity to get to know students on a different level. It helps to form the relationships that I think are so important to their success.
CSR+: What makes you popular among the students?
MA: Popular? I’m sure there are times that I’m not so popular (tests after break, etc.)! I would speculate that it is the fact that I care about them and enjoy my job so much. I think you’d need to talk to my students to answer this one….
CSR+: There is shortage of students, entering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields at the college level across the US. All of these fields require a strong foundation in mathematics. Our K-12 schools need to improve how they prepare students in mathematics and related fields. What do you think that can be done better?
MA: I think our focus is currently too broad. We strive to hit every element of the state standards each year to prepare students for standardized testing. I wonder if by focusing on a smaller set of distinct benchmarks within a given year if we couldn’t help students master those skills. With solid communication between courses, we could focus on the different subsets of standards from year to year to ensure a comprehensive mathematics education before graduation.
CSR+: What regional, state or national policies must be put in place so that STEM fields are able to attract more students at all levels?
MA: The first thing we need to do is pass a law forbidding all parents to tell their students how bad they are at math! All joking aside, I don’t know how much policies will make an impact on the ability of STEM fields to attract more students. I think we have made strides in the right direction by attempting to ensure that educators possess solid content knowledge. I am also hopefully optimistic on the focus on 21st Century Skills in the classroom. When students focus on problem solving, technology, creativity, and global literacy they may be inspired to pursue careers in the STEM fields.
CSR+: There is a shortage of qualified teachers in mathematics and technical areas in many areas of the country. What do you think are some ways to ameliorate the situation?
MA: Short term, the issue will be pay. We need to reevaluate pay scales to find a competitive way to compensate quality educators. We need to provide professional development opportunities to keep improving the skills of these educators and foster an environment of collaboration between them. Long term we will fill these jobs by increasing the number of STEM students in the system. Increased competition will foster higher quality educators, and on and on.
CSR+: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
MA: Thank you as well.
- J
Dr. Ramaswami “Dan” Dandapani
March 31, 2008 | Email This Post
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Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at UCCS
CSR+: How long have you been teaching at the college level? What is your area of expertise and what classes do you teach?
RD: I have been teaching at the college level since 1974. I have been teaching at UCCS since 1986. My areas of expertise are in Computer Engineering, in particular, Testing and Testable Design of integrated circuits.
CSR+: What attracted you to the area of electrical engineering in the first place?
RD:While in high school and when working toward my first degree (Bachelor of Science in Physics, Chemistry, Math), I became interested in applying theory to practical problems. In addition, I was inspired by the lure of going to study at Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, a premier institute in the early 1960s, where Dr. C.V. Raman, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930, had served as Director, the equivalent of President.
CSR+:You were the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for a long time (I forget how may years – from December 1998 to August 2007). Tell us about the accomplishments of the Department.
RD: During my tenure, the Department of ECE at UCCS was able to renew its accreditation from ABET for six years. It is the first time a program at UCCS obtained ABET accreditation for the maximum period of six years. I was also able to recently hire two women faculty members – in fact, the first woman faculty member in ECE ever at UCCS! I directed the National Science Olympiad held at UCCS, USAFA, and the World Arena in 2001. I have been directing, with a group of volunteers, the Southern Colorado Regional Science Olympiad for a number of years. During my tenure, I established working relationships with a number of local companies. Many of these companies have donated equipment, provided instructors, and much more. During this period, a majority of the department faculty worked as a group to obtain an NSF grant to bring new ways of teaching circuits and systems with a lot more hands-on experience in the curriculum.
CSR+: For the past five years, you have been the Associate and then the Acting Dean of Engineering and Applied Science at UCCS. What is your philosophy of academic leadership? What are the main strengths of the College? Where is the College headed in the next few years?
RD: I have been Associate Dean since August 2006. During 2006-07, I was also the Chair of ECE; this year 2007-08 I am performing half of the dean’s job. I am responsible for internal procedures within the College. I like to see the three departments in the College work together as a unit in all aspects of academic life and avoid creating “silos”. My interest is to provide an environment where faculty and staff can contribute to the best of their abilities to the success of the College and the campus. I also want to see the college faculty teach more distance education courses to attract students who would normally not come to UCCS. I want to provide an environment where diversity is valued and the new hires, especially the women faculty, feel at home and succeed. I want to improve the image of the college on campus – for a long time we have been thought of as snobbish and elitist. I want to see the college increase graduate student support and the faculty increase funded research. Other goals include increasing enrollments, especially those of women and minority students.
CSR+:You have been very successful as a parent. Your children went to MIT, Harvard and Carnegie Mellon. Can you tell us what have been your keys to success in raising highly motivated children?
RD: We did not do anything special – our emphasis was the children to learn the basics well in any subject they studied. I give almost all the credit to my wife, especially for maintaining constant communication with the children and for being very patient.
CSR+: You have been very active in holding regional Science Olympiads in Colorado Springs. Please tell us about the Science Olympiad movement. A couple of years ago, you were instrumental in holding the National Science Olympiad on the UCCS campus. Tell us about the experience of holding a national event in Colorado Springs.
RD: Science Olympiad, Inc., is a national organization that has been conducting tournaments since the mid 1980s. It started in Michigan to address the declining interest in science and engineering. Today all 50 states and Canada hold state tournaments to send teams to the Nationals, which is held in a different university each year. The states hold regional tournaments in preparation for the state tournaments. Colorado has two Regionals and some states have several. At the present time, there are 23 science and engineering events that are designed by nationally renowned teachers and others. This year on March 8, we hosted 33 high school and 32 junior high and middle school teams with about 15 students in each team. There were 115 teachers that accompanied the teams.
We hosted the 2001 Nationals, and we did not have the facilities. As a result, we partnered with USAFA, which turned out to be great. The tournament was a great success with the awards ceremony being held at the World Arena.
CSRD+: Congratulations on all this work!
RD: My pleasure.
- J
An Interview with Tina Moore
February 29, 2008 | Email This Post
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Tina Moore is the Director of Student Support at the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She creates and manages programs that support students with scholarships, internships, experiential and managerial learning. She also interfaces with engineering alumni and students in elementary, middle and secondary schools.
CSR+: You have been working with students of science and engineering for almost ten years. How do you like working with such students? What are certain things you do to make the students’ educational experience more productive and more enjoyable?
TM: I have been here for more than years and I truly enjoy working with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students. I have been trying to incorporate experiential learning into their educational experience. For example, the Engineering Challenge, our Middle School outreach, where we have hundreds of middle school students visit the university for exciting competitions, is very hands-on. Students have the opportunity to be creative and design things while learning valuable STEM principles. I think it is much more fun to do things than to sit and listen to a lecture.
CSR+: In the College of Engineering at UCCS as well across the nation the percentage of minority students, particularly African-American, is small, compared to the population as large. What do you think are the reasons? Can you suggest some ways in which the situation can be improved?
TM: I think part of the reason for the low numbers is a lack of mentors and role models. It is hard for individuals to see themselves engineers if they see no one who looks like them in engineering fields. Creating a new generation of role models will help those who are going through STEM disciplines to stay encouraged and finish the programs.
CSR+: Can you tell us more about the Society of Women Engineers? What are the missions, goals, and activities of the group? How are you involved with this organization?
TM: The Mission of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is to “stimulate women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity.” I have been the staff advisor for SWE since I started working at UCCS. SWE is a very active group and I usually just sit back and let them go. They are always busy doing something within the community.
CSR+: You are also involved with an organization called NSBE?. What is this organization? Can you tell us more about this organization and your involvement in it?
TM: NSBE is the National Society of Black Engineers and their mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. NSBE has over 24,000 members nationwide and is one of the largest student-managed groups in the country. I became involved with NSBE as an undergrad at Lehigh University, and I remain committed to the ideals and values of the organization. I have been the advisor for the UCCS chapter of NSBE since about 1998 when we started the chapter on this campus.
CSR+: What are other student- and profession-oriented organizations you are associated with? What are some offices you have or activities you carry out on the behalf of these organizations?
TM: I have been the advisor for several student groups over the years, including the Black Student Union, the UNIQUE Step and Dance Team, SHPE: the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Student Diversity Committee.
I have also served on campus committees like the Diversity Alliance Committee (DAC), the Recognition and Rewards Committee, the Student Affairs Committee, and numerous campus search committees. I have been a member of NSBE, SWE, the International Code Conference (ICC), and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Science (INFORMS).
CSR+: You are involved with a large project called Colorado CO-AMP. Please tell us more about this project, how it is funded, and what it does.
TM: CO-AMP is the Colorado Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and it is a consortium of 14 campuses and four Native Tribes in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The consortium is led by Dr. Omnia El-Hakim from Colorado State University and funded by the National Science Foundation. The Alliance’s mission is, to double the number of historically and currently under-represented American Indian, African-American, Hispanic and Pacific Islander students earning bachelor’s degrees in STEM disciplines. The consortium is in its third five-year phase. (It will soon be 15 years old.)
One of the great things that CO-AMP is doing this year is the Bridge to Doctorate Program (BDP). This graduate program aims to build well-qualified, highly competitive STEM education and research scholars who enter the professoriate and become role models for other diverse, underrepresented groups. The scholarship includes $30,000 per year for two years plus $10,500 per year for two years to cover tuition, books, fees, and other educational expenses. The BDP includes mentoring, seminars, workshops, and many other great opportunities for graduate students. For more information, go to www.coamp.colostate.edu/files/BD.
CSR+: Thanks so much for your time!
TM: My pleasure.
- J
Changing the Concept of Community Design
February 29, 2008 | Email This Post
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Robert Wonnett, UCCS Vice-Chancellor for Student Success, has always been intrigued with how people view themselves within "their space" and how they interact with each other in the physical space they inhabit.
"How people come together in units, create social spaces, integrate, and sometimes deny access to each other" has everything to do with whether people succeed or fail, Wonnett began. His passion is facilitating proper use of space on a variety of levels in order to foster community success; his career paths to further understand this passion have taken many unique turns.
Robert Wonnett’s life as a son in a military family has much to do with his passion for investigating how people interact. In his earliest years he came to appreciate how the military lifestyle provided for a progressive approach to community access, outreach, social change and promoting social interaction with the communities in which he lived. His father’s tours in Washinton, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, and Germany, with a last tour in Colorado Springs, provided Robert with much "neat stuff" to ponder about how people come together, integrate, and manipulate their environment.
Of particular interest was his discovery that people in the military view community much differently than those who remain stationary as community. When his dad’s work took him to Virginia, Robert was asked, "Who are your people?" He discovered that his definition of people differed greatly from theirs. Theirs focused on blood connections; his was more expansive. Despite the differences in interpretation, he realized that social barriers are mostly man made.
Wonnett admits to a tendency to "work himself out of a job" but always in an upward spiral. His initial experience as a recreation therapist introduced him to youth who required sports therapy to address their physical challenges. Afterwards, he served as a police officer and parole officer in Denver, working with at-risk populations. For Wonnett, appropriate tools for his work necessitate developing more skills, and he did.
He acquired an MA degree in guidance and counseling, thereby allowing him entry into "Interstate Compact", a program that focuses upon self-improvement strategies for post-incarceration populations.
Wonnett, no stranger to personal academic development, entered law school in 1991, and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2005, a four-year commute from Colorado Springs to Denver. It was at this point that he "saw the space changing" both in his academic and professional focus. He came to terms with what he wanted to create.
"What are the broader behaviors with younger students? How can the physical, social, and organizational characteristics of a college or university affect success for students? How do the spaces we create as institutions of higher learning, or any institutions for that matter insulate and isolate us? That is my bottom line."
Robert Wonnett cares deeply about creating an environment in which students, faculty, staff, and administration can become their best selves. His daily schedule is filled with activities that study students’ short-term behaviors and difficulties within the university system. However, his ongoing determination to interface exterior space concerns with academic and sociocultural priorities has led him to work on his doctorate: how physical space can be best utilized to improve the academic community.
We have no doubt that this architecture cum sociocultural investigation will work Robert Wonnett out of his present job and allow him entry into one that keeps his passion alive. Colorado Springs Record+ looks forward to sharing those results with our readers.
- M
Daphne Greenwood
January 30, 2008 | Email This Post
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Daphne Greenwood is a professor of Economics at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She has taught at UCCS for more than 20 years. In addition to being an academic, she has real-world experience in the analysis and development of economic policies in the City of Colorado Springs as well as the State of Colorado. Dr. Greenwood was a member of the Colorado State Legislature from 1990 to 1994.
CSR+: Tell us about the Center for Colorado Policy that you direct.
Greenwood: Our Center for Colorado Policy Studies is devoted to applying economic principles and research results to critical policy issues at the state and local level. We explore nonpartisan fact-based examination of issues that face the Pikes Peak Region and the state of Colorado. Our faculty and our best students conduct research regarding these issues and provide information to local, state, and nonprofit organizations that request it of us.
CSR+: You have talked and written extensively about “smart growth” and how it can be applied to Colorado Springs. What does the term “smart growth” mean?
Greenwood: It means that we should be able to recognize the way we build homes and businesses and how such development affects the quality of life. We need to consider the associated costs of services to tax payers as a result of development. The impact of growth on the quality of life should be positive. For example, growth should not lead to traffic congestion and bad air quality. The quality of K-12 schools and institutions for higher education should be positively impacted by growth.
CSR+: This all sounds nice, but “smart growth” as you describe has the potential to arrest the continued growth of our city, region, and state. Is that right?
Greenwood: It’s a myth that population growth is necessary for economic development. For example, I can cite a study by Gottlieb called “Growth without Growth” that describes how a city or a region can continue to grow even without population growth. And, if population growth is inevitable, we can grow our city and region so that we don’t have sprawl.
CSR+: Isn’t that interfering with people’s choice regarding how they want to lead their lives? Doesn’t that sound un-American?
Greenwood: People have a right to make choices, but choices come with costs. However, when we, as a society, decide to spend our tax money, why should we subsidize the true cost of services to expensive new homes being built on mountainsides? Why should we not subsidize education and health care for poor children instead? It is expensive to provide services such as fire, water, and other utilities to mountain homes or homes in suburban sprawls in general. Homeowners who decide to build or buy homes in such areas should pay for the true cost of such services.
CSR+: When people build new homes, don’t they pay taxes and fees that cover the associated expenses?
Greenwood: No. The city gets a big tax amount when the homes are built, but due to the way our property taxes are structured, later the true costs of services are not covered.
CSR+: According to one of your studies, Colorado Springs collects 7% less tax per person now than 20 years ago. That sounds good to the taxpayer. But, what are its effects?
Greenwood: There is an enormous backlog of outdated infrastructure projects in the city. The water company stays in the next seven years; there will be fifty percent rise. In some cities in Colorado, all the water will be gone in a few years if not consumed wisely.
CSR+: Do you think there are benefits to population growth other than economic growth?
Greenwood: Of course, there are many benefits to population growth. Population growth leads to better choices of restaurants, bars, nightclub, shops, colleges, and schools. A larger population base leads to a better cultural scene in the city. It also leads to more ethnic diversity, primarily in the high-tech and military sectors.
CSR+: What are your parting thoughts?
Greenwood: Colorado Springs, Colorado, and our nation should embrace growth as it occurs, but we must ensure that the growth is smart and that it benefits society in general.
CSR+: Thank you so much for talking to us.
Greenwood: My pleasure.
- J
A Man with a Mission
January 30, 2008 | Email This Post
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Ron W. Pelton, M.D., Ph.D., is a specialist in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids, eyebrows, and face. Informally, he describes himself as a father and as a physician. All of the preceding descriptors are correct. However, our readers need to know that Ron W. Pelton is a unique human being who has created a singular practice that blends science of medicine with the art of improving people’s self-image inside and out.
Ron Pelton told us that he “came by the study of medicine naturally,” as a young student in Arkansas. His sixth-grade teacher encouraged his talent, and from then on the path to further study took root. The combination of his father’s mechanical skills as a craftsman and his mother’s people skills provided a perfect base from which to begin his medical career.
The journey from Arkansas high-school student to international authority in his field took a series of interesting turns. Ron’s sixth-grade teacher receives credit for having recognized his skills in science. The Vanderbilt University M.D./Ph.D program had the good sense to accept him on full scholarship within their program. His mentors provided him with advice that he practices on a daily basis.
Ron learned much from Professor Alice Hines. He gives her an A+ for “telling it like it is.” Professor Hines recommended that he study a foreign language to improve his English, and for sure to “listen to the evening news.” Hal Moses and Tom Goodwin, charismatic as mentors, and inspirational as friends, shared what would become Ron’s mantra as a physician and as a scholar. “Be excited and encourage those around you to be excited as well!”
“It is easy to lose one’s love for medicine” if one forgets that the science of medicine is “only a part of what this thing is,” Ron said. “It’s all about a being a partner in the wellness process. My people [office personnel] ‘get it.’ I have never missed a single school function with my children. We do 90% of our activities as a family. We carry the ‘care card.’”
Academic interests took Ron far from his roots in Arkansas. He “found his question” in East Berlin as a graduate student, studied in London, and discovered that “trials by fire make for clearer intent.” At this juncture in his career he focused upon oculoplastics, and facial reconstruction that requires a artist’s touch and a physician’s mastery and an artist’s hand.
Only 20 per cent of his clients come to him for cosmetic reconstruction. The majority require reconstructive procedures, the most difficult being disfiguration from aggravated wounds. Ron told us that surgical reconstruction for those who have experienced serious traumatic injury gives him a sense of the greatest satisfaction.
Ron’s office is his universe. Entering Suite 309 at 455 East Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs one immediately notices a singular difference in atmosphere, ambiance, and assistants who greet prospective patients. No glass separates patient from assistant. The ladies do not wear uniforms. The furniture reflects attention to “people comfort”. Ron’s framed certificates provide a chronological snapshot of his academic and professional career. All this occurs in an environment that signals, “We are here to help you.” Prospective clients may enter Ron’s office a bit worried, but “they come out smiling.”
Ron W. Pelton’s awards are many; his talent is world-renowned; his dedication to a job well done is a daily mission. He is a physician’s physician and a caring human being. Colorado Springs is a better place for having him in our midst. Tom, wife Wendy, children Lee and Laney have made Colorado Springs their home, and The Record+ is honored to celebrate them with our readers.
If you wish more information about Ron and his work, you may find it on his website: http://www.drpelton.com.
- M
A Toast to Lifelong Learning
December 19, 2007 | Email This Post
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“I’m not ready yet,” were Dr. Ann Elrod’s words in March of 1999, when she decided to retire after 30 years in the field of education. While most veteran teachers with 30 years of experience to their credit would more than likely hightail it to retirement Nirvana, Ann decided that there still was much more she wanted to contribute within the profession. Those who know her as Doctor Elrod, School District 20 President, President of Phi Delta Kappa, President of the Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals, and Chair of the State Committee for the Colorado North Central Association, are very glad that she decided to remain on the education scene.Ann McClintock arrived in Colorado Springs in 1957, way back when the city was bounded on the east by Circle Drive, north Nevada Avenue was the end of town, and the Broadmoor Hotel was a day-trip away. Despite her family’s move from Denver to the southern hinterlands, Ann lost no time in immersing herself into the Colorado Springs way of life. Her first in a series of epiphanies occurred when she attended Wasson High School.
“The best teachers I ever had were at Wasson High School,” Ann said. “I based my dissertation research on what I learned in Lee Higgins’s class, and I taught under him when I returned to Wasson as a teacher. That was awesome.”
All was not totally awesome, however. Ann discovered that outstanding teaching requires lots of thought, much attention to individual student needs, and above all, a comprehensive lesson plan. She shares with her college students an experience from her first teaching days at Wasson, just to let them know that teaching master does not “just happen.”
“When I was first observed at Wasson, the observer wrote in her notes, ‘Does she have a lesson plan?’ It was then I knew I had to get a grip or get another career.” Ann definitely got a grip.
Ann’s nineteen-year career as a speech teacher at Wasson High School initiated many changes in her teaching style. She trained the city’s outstanding speech team, brought home state and national speech trophies, and discovered that her leadership skills were duly noted by her colleagues and supervisors.
In 1985, Ann accepted the post of Teacher on Special Assignment, and in 1987 she entered the CU Cohort Program for doctoral studies through CU Denver. She served at Liberty High School for eight years as Assistant Principal, and her research on alternative schools facilitated her entry into a principalship at Aspen Valley High School, where the school received the John Irwin School of Excellence Award, and Schools of Innovation commendation from the Chamber of Commerce thanks to her research focus.
“Aspen Valley helped me learn and I am still learning, “ Ann told us.
She ran for School District 20 School Board in 2000, and the learning curve “was straight up.” Ann admits that Francis Jenkins, another role model in her career, is the main reason why she ran for School Board in the first place. It seemed a crucial time to decide how policy governance, focus on student achievement, and the accreditation process could become a state model for academic success. Her bottomline was “to establish a competitive edge with the rest of the state, to maintain a general fund to keep up with adequate funding and take the next hill.” Ann ran on that platform, and she won the election.
Thirty years of stellar teaching, one doctoral degree in Curriculum and Supervision from CU Denver, one vice-principalship, one principalship, one interim university directorship, and two Academy School District presidencies later, Ann McClintock Elrod still leads believes that “there remains much to do in the field.” She believes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, so she will continue “to make the parts work.”
Ann has admitted to one defect in her work ethnic. “I may collaborate too much.” Those who have benefited from her collaborative efforts would not agree in the least. With Ann in charge, “taking the next hill” comes about directly as a result of collaboration, planning, and celebration. “It’s all about working together.”
Ann’s life is not all work, however. She and her husband Ron share a mutual passion for travel, for visiting family and friends, and for enriching the lives of others. They receive an A+ for all of the above, and those who know them thank them for making our days rich because they shared them with us. Absolutely Doctor Ana, “You are awesome!”
- M
Robert Sebesta - Prolific Author Retires from Academia
December 19, 2007 | Email This Post
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Dr. Robert Sebesta recently retired from his long and successful teaching career at UCCS, SUNY, and Penn State. During more than thirty years in academia, he excelled as an author and administrator. CSR+ recently talked to Dr. Robert Sebesta as he was packing to vacate his office.
CSR+: The last few days you have been carefully culling through the years of books, academic journals and magazines, conference proceedings, copies of your own books to decide what to keep and what to throw away. How long have you taught at UCCS?
RWS: I taught at UCCS for twenty-six years. I was the Chair of the Computer Science Department at UCCS for fifteen of those years. Before moving to UCCS, I taught at the State University of New York at Oswego, and the Pennsylvania State University.
CSR+: We know you are a prolific author of computer science textbooks. How many books have you authored so far?
RWS: I have written six books. In total, the books have gone through sixteen editions so far. These days, each edition is a new book by itself.
CSR+: What are the topics of your books?
RWS: My books have the following titles: Concepts of Programming Languages, Programming the World Wide Web, Little Book on Perl, Introduction to Programming Using Basic, Assembly Language for the VAX, and Assembly Language for the PDP-11.
CSR+: What are your most successful books?
RWS: The two most successful books are Concepts of Programming Languages and Programming the World Wide Web.
CSR+: Why do you think your books are so successful?
RWS: The ingredients for successful textbooks are the right approach, the right time, the right material and of course, luck. I have had the good fortune to combine the ingredients successfully.
CSR+: Have your books been translated to other languages?
RWS: The Concepts of Programming Languages book has been translated to Portuguese, Korean, and Chinese. The Web book has been translated to Italian, Chinese and Hungarian. The Vax Assembly book was translated to Russian.
CSR+: How many books do you have in print right now?
RWS: Three that are selling. Two sell well. The Programming Languages book and the Web Programming book are #1 in Spring 2007.
CSR+: You must be really dedicated to writing! How do you write so much especially on topics that are so technical?
RWS: I spend two to three hours every day writing although I take Friday nights off. I spend full days during summer and winter writing. When I was working full-time, this was my schedule. Now that I am retired, I have a lot more time to write. I read constantly to be able to write.
CSR+: What keeps you going with all your writing?
RWS: I learn new technologies and write about them. I am dedicated to life-long learning. In addition to that, the success that has come with the books keeps me going. The bottom line is money; the rewards have been good. In addition, the books have brought some name recognition in the computer science community, which is gratifying.
CSR+: Are you working on any books right now?
RWS: I am working on the fifth edition of the Web Programming book and the eighth edition of the Programming Languages book.
CSR+: Computer Science is a fast-moving field. Every new edition must be a lot of work!
RWS: Yes, to be able to keep up, one needs to learn new material constantly. Right now, I am learning technologies such as AJAX, Ruby, Rails, and a lot more.
CSR+: You are an expert on programming languages. Can you tell us how programming languages have evolved over the past fifty years?
RWS: Languages have become far more complex, sophisticated, and safe. Language designers have worked hard to eliminate common programming errors.
CSR+: You are also an expert on how the Web is programmed. Can you tell us a little bit about how Web technology has evolved over the past ten years?
RWS: The Web hasn’t really changed, but the user interface has changed from text-based to graphics-based. Search engines have become tools to help users find information on the Web.
CSR+: You have a passion for religious architecture and have traveled the world seeking to see beautiful buildings. Can you tell us more about this particular interest is and where have you traveled in pursuit of it?
RWS: Architecture is the most obvious record of past cultures. I believe it is the most accessible window to the past. Poetry and other forms of literature are usually a little less accessible. For a lot of cultures and civilizations, architecture is all that’s left.
I have traveled to most countries in Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, Mexico, and China in search of architectural impressions of past societies.
CSR+: Tell us about the book on early church architecture of South Dakota which you are working on right now.
RWS: I want to write an early history of South Dakota by looking at its early churches. I am not so interested in religion, but more in the buildings and the people who built them. I am interested in the different styles of the church architectures. I am interested in finding out why the churches are located where they are. I have traveled extensively through South Dakota during the past several years taking photographs of the churches and their environs. The oldest church in South Dakota was built in 1869 in Mission Hill. It was built by Swedish immigrants. It’s a plain wood building, like the ones that would have been built in Sweden at that time. I am not looking at churches built after 1930.
CSR+: Thank you for sharing this information with us. I know the IT community joins us in thanking you for your many contributions to the field. All the best in your next project!
RWS: Thanks for talking to me.
- J
