Ivy Tech Indianapolis Magazine, January 2022: Issue 1
SASE Spotlight Ivy Tech Indianapolis Spring 2024 (2) | SASE Quarterly Newsletter
School of Arts, Sciences & Education
A Note from the Dean:
A wonderful commencement ceremony under our belts and we’re happy to see our graduates off on the next step of their journeys. Cheers, Sara
Ivy Tech Community College
Volume 9, Issue 2
New Faces on Campus! As a dedicated visual artist with a decade of experience, I’ve navigated the dynamic landscape of the art world by balancing roles with established local artists while also nurturing my personal creative endeavors. Academic Specialization I joined Ivy Tech’s Fine Art Department a month ago as a part-time team member and I’m thrilled to contribute to the next generation of artists. Outside of Ivy Tech, you’ll find me in my home studio, where I craft sterling silver and gemstone jewelry. Beyond making, I’m a passionate concert-goer, finding joy in other’s creations, and watching the latest tv series cuddled up with my cat, Jasper, and my partner, Patrick. Experience at Ivy Tech Fun Fact!
FINE ARTS LAB & STUDIO TECHNICIAN Al Imran
Academic Specialization
I’m a practicing mental health counselor, and my therapeutic specializations are anxiety, trauma, and neurodivergence in young and middle-aged adults.
Experience at Ivy Tech
I’m pretty new! I started teaching as an adjunct in October 2023, and I was hired as a full-time faculty member in March.
Fun Fact!
Michelle
I have synesthesia! My version is pretty boring, though: I just see colors when I see numbers. For example, 7 is always green, and 8 is always red.
PSYC FACULTY Maloney-Mangold
Ivy+ Career Link’s SASE Career Coach Lilandra Dwenger-Lestz
llestz@ivytech.edu +1 (317) 921-4800 ext. 4541 lilandra-dwenger-lestz-80b215161
We’re excited to introduce our amazing new SASE Career Coach, Lilandra! She’s passionate about what she does and has already worked with several of our faculty, presented at our recent Dean’s List event, and hosted a myriad of workshops - including employability, elevator pitches, interview prep, and networking. Lilandra considers herself a ‘Midwestern Nomad,’ although she’s been able to spend much of her life in Indiana. She has lived in Indianapolis for the past five (5) years - working in career services for just as long - and she just graduated with a Master’s in Education Leadership Practice this year. She was also recently accepted into the Axis Leadership Program, an empowering initiative for young Latinx leaders in Indiana!
Lilandra likes to spend quality time with her close connections, listen to music (singing in the car is a must!), exercise, and watch Korean dramas. When she’s not doing that, however, she’s loving on Mojo, her adorable miniature Australian shepherd, and dreaming of hosting her own podcast or tv show. Perhaps the most important thing to know about her though, she says, is, “I want to continue to be unapologetically, authentically, myself.”
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The School of Arts, Sciences & Education would like to congratulate the following winners of the 3rd Annual SASE Part- Time Faculty “Excellence in Teaching” Awards! Eleven faculty were chosen to represent the various departments, each selected by their chairs for their exceptional teaching and dedication to our students. Their awards included a framed and hand-signed certificate, a letter of congratulations from the Committee detailing their reason for designation, and a specially-designed travel mug. You may also see online posts and tv monitor graphics highlighting their achievements. Please join us in congratulating our colleagues for their outstanding work!
COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL SCIENCES
ENGLISH, HUMANITIES & WORLD LANGUAGES
EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
Tessa Duncan
Barbara Sanders
Alyssia Ashkevron
Lisa Cordle
Congratulations to our Excellence in Teaching Award Winners!
Teresa Tackett
Jesse Sopher
FINE ARTS
MATHEMATICS
IVYT
SCIENCES
Colton Pedro
Jennifer Harrell
Gad Flaumenhaft
Pat Nelson
These adjuncts, and several others, were celebrated for their amazing work at the inaugural SASE Adjunct Appreciation Celebration. Though a small affair, we hope it shows just how much we at the School of Arts, Sciences & Education appreciates our part-time faculty - not just for their time, their dedication, and their wisdom, but also for simply being themselves. We hope to continue the tradition so that we might always be able to honor our adjuncts and show how grateful we are.
Vickie Poole
LEFT: Ms. Teresa Tackett stands with her award alongside Chair Dr. Michael Sparks
With everything that’s been going on, what exactly have our staff and faculty been up to? Well, we can start with the newest (and cutest!) furry addition to Dr. Michael Sparks’ family: Welcome home, Guinevere! Talk about a busy semester!
CORISSA MCCLAMMER GRADUATE ALERT:
You might recognize Corissa from around the Downtown and Lawrence campuses, where she works full time as our Science Lab Manager. Perhaps you recognize her for her community involvement as a member of the Student Government Association, with the Office of Student Life, or her
volunteer work with Women & Hi Tech. Maybe you recognize her because she’s been in your classes, working steadily towards a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology. Come summer, you might even recognize her as one of our amazing, dedicated, and hard- working graduates. We’re so very proud of you, Corissa, and we
can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish next! You can read more about Corissa’s journey here.
Liz Wierzbicki has been showing up and showing off! Her phenomenal artwork was recently installed on a storefront window along Jackson Boulevard as part of the Indy Arts Council and City of Indianapolis Sidewalk Galleries program (Left). She also has artwork on display in The Archivist’s current exhibition: “Good Grief!”. Though the opening reception has come and gone, you can still check it out and show it some love. Just be sure to stop by before June 1st! Canvasing the Streets
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PROFESSOR Scott Cook, ED. D. PROFESSOR Quinton Blackwell, MPW ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Natalie Solmer, MFA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Adam Robinson, MA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Candice Wise, MS Promotions We’re excited to announce that five of our faculty have been promoted! Scott Cook and Quinton Blackwell have now earned the title of ‘Professor,’ Natalie Solmer has now earned the title of ‘Associate Professor,’ and Adam Robinson and Candice Wise have now earned the title of ‘Assistant Professor.’ Congratulations to each of you! Faculty
LEFT: and enthusiastic SASE faculty in the DigIndy tunnel! Featured from left to right are Brandon Mouser, Keith Vogelsang, Jack Cooney, Erica Barrow, Allison Babij, Vickie Poole, Michael Clay, and Megan Allison. Our brave RIGHT: Keith Vogelsang looks cool and collected along the gangways.
As expertly arranged by Professor Erica Barrow, on Friday, March 22, 2024 an interdisciplinary group of SASE teachers gathered for a three-hour ‘in-depth’ tour of the Southport Wastewater Treatment Facility and DigIndy Pump Station. The facility is owned and operated by Citizens Energy Group and serves the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The DigIndy project is a 28-mile long network of 18-foot diameter deep rock tunnels being built 250-feet beneath the city. As pictured above, our eight-teacher tour group stands in the hub of the SUBMITTED BY: Jack Cooney, with contributions from Erica Barrow and edits from Codi Shoemaker A High Ranking Adventure
DigIndy tunnel system now nearing completion after decades of planning and years of construction. The complex of tunnels will now capture nearly 100 percent of the wastewater overflows that have been a major contributor to water pollution in the city for over a century. Our principal tour guide was Mr. Dustin Abramson, who supervises the facility. He led us through the complex of buildings and instructed us on the step-by-step process of making wastewater good enough to drink. After such a detailed tour, we expressed our great thanks to Mr. Abramson for the care he took to show us around. Members of our group met after the tour for a delightful luncheon and, as we enjoyed our food and spoke about the tour, we were each a little more aware and appreciative of the role clean water plays in our daily lives. For more information and for access to the photo album from our tour, please contact Erica Barrow, Jack Cooney, or other members of our tour group.
Students and employees of Ivy Tech were invited to present their interpretations of the phrase “Bridging the Gap” in the most recent gallery exhibition. At the center of it all stood a collaborative mural (‘August 15: A Mural for Afghanistan’) by IvyTech faculty and artist Tiffany Black, Zainab Ahmadi, Fawzia Abdaly, Camp Atterbury Staff, and 59 other Afghani evacuees from the 2021 exodus out of Afghanistan. Alongside a diverse panel discussion with artists and members of the
international community, the exhibition promoted open dialogue of global issues and offered news perspectives into the lives of our native and non-native Indianapolis residents.
ABOVE, LEFT: Are You From Arabic? by Staff Leena Dobouni (calligraphy ink on silk, digital) ABOVE, RIGHT: Retrogression: Men or Tools by Adjunct Faculty Nathan Smith BELOW: Our five panelists. From left to right, Asli Narin (Artist, IU Herron Faculty, Istanbul), Jean Claude Lofenia (Artist, DRC), Yaqoub Saadeh (Psych Major, Activist, Palestine), Amina Boudaia
(RN, Algeria). ABOVE, LEFT: As Oil Takes to Water by Rebekah Pies ABOVE, RIGHT: Decaying Personalities / Blooming Personalities by Aiden Himebaugh RIGHT: The Alley by Alyson McHale Atwell (Charcoal, photography)
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UN Global Women’s Leadership Series
“Global Women of Tech and the United Nations” Panel Discussion Cemre Ulker, UN Representative and US Director of the Journalists and Writer’s Foundation, was invited to return to Ivy Tech for a virtual talk on the intersection between international women’s rights and global press freedoms. Additionally, Cemre provided an overview and update on global progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students, staff, and faculty joined us for this insightful and urgent look at contemporary global challenges. A recording of the event can be found here.
“Gender, Press Freedoms, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” with Cemre Ulker Six leaders in technology from across the globe - including multiple UN scholars and leaders in Science Diplomacy - participated in a virtual roundtable discussion to share about their lives, careers, and what it means to be a woman in STEM making a meaningful impact on the world today. Our speakers made a meaningful impression upon students and faculty alike, especially with their remarks about self-advocacy and the idea of “bringing your own chair to the table.” A recording of the event can be found here.
LEFT: Our speakers from the virtual roundtable RIGHT: A portrait of Cemre Ulker
As we reach the bittersweet conclusion of our “UN Global Women Leadership Series,” we’d like to thank all of the amazing people who came together to make it happen. First, we’d like to thank the inspiring women leaders from around the globe who were featured in our three virtual talks. In the first, Jelena Pia-Comella, women’s rights activist and the first female representative from her country to the UN, spoke on “Women’s Leadership in Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution.” The second event, a virtual roundtable - “Global Women of Tech and the United Nations” - included six women sharing about their lives and careers as women in STEM making a meaningful impact on the world today. The virtual roundtable included Larisa Schelkin, a renowned leader in Science Diplomacy and global science education. Most recently, Cemre Ulker returned to Ivy Tech for a talk on “Gender, Press Freedoms, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” Ivy Tech classes were joined by faculty and students from Chile and Uzbekistan during these events. We would then like to thank faculty members Dr. Noor Hussain and Dr. Ann O’Connor-Whaley for their participation as co-moderators. We would also like to thank our sponsors and hosts within the Ivy Tech Indianapolus Campus for supporting our endeavors and allowing us to utilize their spaces: The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging and the Julia M. Carson Learning Resource Center. And last, but certainly not least, we’d like to thank Professor Gerald Maki, for organizing the series and without whom this series may not have happened. We are at the early stages of brainstorming for next year, so if you have any ideas or if you have an interest in collaborating, please be sure to reach out to Gerald Maki.
Indianapolis was lucky enough to be in the line of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse. And with a mandatory virtual work day, that allowed many Ivy Tech employees the opportunity to watch it. Of course, our SASE crew was right at the center of it! Assistant Professor Ernesto Rodriguez watched the eclipse using a pinhole projector and a special camera. Technology may have advanced so that we can view the eclipse from our phones (with filters), but being able to see the eclipse through traditional methods is still uniquely fun - especially when they look almost the exact same!
SOLAR E LIPSE The 2024 Total
Photos provided by Ernesto Rodriguez, Codi Shoemaker, and Emily Bopp
ABOVE: Paper vs. Photo comparisons! ABOVE, RIGHT: A view of the eclipse from Fort Harrison, in Lawrence LEFT: Ernesto Rodriguez checking out the Eclipse
Buzzing with Success
We’d like to congratulate our first cohort of Ivy Tech Biology students who earned summer internships working full-time at the Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming. Jace Dickey, Sean Fischer, and Charlie Schmidt were selected from a pool of 20 applicants to participate in a NSF- funded program launched from a collaboration between Ivy Tech and IU-Indianapolis. The students will be working under the mentorship of Ivy Tech’s Dr. Keith Vogelsang and IU’s Dr. Christine Picard. They’ll be learning about insect genomics and testing hypotheses related to using insects for food and feed production. Students will present their research findings at a national conference in November.
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IMPROVING OUR Sustainability With the growing importance of sustainability and making eco- conscious decisions, it’s important to think about how we at SASE can Shining a Spotlight on...
improve as an academic school and make more sustainable business and academic decisions.
Do you support improving our sustainability as a SASE goal?
In the previous edition, we asked you to provide your thoughts in a short survey. Just in time for Earth Day 2024, here are our results! We were pleasantly surprised to see how many of our staff & faculty supported improving SASE’s sustainability! While we can’t possibly include every response, but please know that your responses were incredibly insightful and we appreciate you taking the time to let us know. Our primary goal will always be providing a quality education to our students, and rest assured, we’re not going to implement anything that might add to your workload. This survey simply tells us where we might be able to provide guidance, make small administrative changes, and provide event opportunities.
It depends... 16.7%
No 5.6%
Yes 77.8%
Environmentally sustainable products or practices that you already utilize.
Planting native plants Using community gardens Use environmentally-friendly cleaners, fertilizers, etc. There was an obvious trend in results, and it all seems to point back to the tried-and-true methods of... Print less Use smaller document margins when printing Digital/Online course materials Avoid single-use plastics Avoid products with excessive packaging
Avoid unnecessary purchases Use sustainable lab materials
Food composting Recycle old clothes and shoes Return plastic bags to grocery stores Return medical bottles to pharmacies Foam recycling
Environmentally sustainable products or practices that you’d like to utilize. Though there were many wonderful responses, we limited our answers to practices where SASE might be able to assist, such as...
Recycling on campus Community composting Having small bulletin board/magnetic strips Campus donation drives and buy-nothing groups Ways to more easily use scrap paper
Use re-usable napkins and towels Use re-usable food containers, cups, and grocery bags Re-use commonly disposed items (paper, plastic bags, bubble wrap, etc.)
Print on the back-side of used paper Participate in buy-nothing communities
E-Waste recycling “Odd” recyclables
Spring Dean’s List
Award Reception
On March 27th, we celebrated our Fall 2023 Dean’s List students through our bi-annual Award Reception. We had three top-notch speakers to help encourage and inspire the students, and were proud to provide cookies and pastries made by Ivy Tech’s culinary students! Please enjoy these fun photos from the event, and don’t forget to congratulate your students for this awesome academic achievement!
Photography by Kenny Rogers
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Teach & Learn Series Teach & Learn Sessions are primarily hosted virtually around lunchtime on Fridays. Feel free to munch while you watch! But if you can’t join, then keep an eye out for some summary emails with recordings and resources. Interested in hosting a Teach & Learn session of your own? Fill out an interest form here!
SUMMER SESSIONS
FALL SESSIONS
Incorporating Engaging Course Content with Dr. Ann Whaley
Sessions TBD
June 7 at 2pm
Creating Mini-Simulations with Dr. Michael A. Sparks
June 13 at 2pm
C.R.T. Explainer: Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Teaching with Gayle Cosby
Generational Learning Differences with Ms. Ami Sullivan
TBA
Additional Sessions TBD
Ami Sullivan is a Learning Experience Designer with GP Strategies and has spent the last decade working on creating custom training solutions for different clients. Every time she starts a new project, one of the many questions she needs to take into
The SASE Part-Time Faculty Committee currently has several openings for adjunct faculty to join. The committee meets monthly and seeks to support the experience of part-time faculty. Past areas of focus have included the development of teaching awards, strengthening onboarding, and refining the fee remission process. Background info can be read here . Consider joining the committee by filling out this interest form. For more information, please contact Don Vondrak. We would love to have your voice! NEW ADJUNCT FACULTY MEMBERS for the SASE PT FACULTY COMMITTEE Now Seeking:
account is: “What does this specific audience need?” From there, her job is to ensure the curriculum deliverables and solutions that her company provides meet the learning objectives in such a way that the audience will receive it. This led to an interesting collaboration between Ms. Sullivan and SASE, where we delved into the growing topic of generational learning differences and explored how various generations - particularly Gen Z - approach learning, communication, and collaboration in educational settings. This was an excellent opportunity to gain insights into effective strategies for bridging generational gaps and fostering inclusive learning environments.
Did you know we have other newsletters? That’s right! If you’re interested in finding out more about what’s happening in our Fine Arts program, you can email Leena Dobouni to sign up for their program newsletters!
Upcoming Events
SASE Retirement Open House: May 10 th
The LRC Art Gallery is currently closed until Monday, May 20th. ART GALLERY OPEN HOURS
Which came first, the EPA or Earth Day? For some, the answer may be easy! But for those who may not know, Earth Day is the older counterpart of this particular duo - but not by much. The massive and overwhelming support of the first Earth Day in 1970 resulted in the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency that same year. This also serves as the source for significant environmental laws, like the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and
the Endangered Species Act. It really goes to show that when we support one another and our Earthly home, we can accomplish some
COOL FACT
Do you have something you’d like to include in the SASE Spotlight? Just email Codi!
amazing things!
A Note from the Editor: Hello, everyone!
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank not only our full-time faculty, but once again thank our hardworking adjuncts. Meeting and working alongside you all has been a joy, and I’m so glad we were able to show our appreciation through our recent event. In my educational journey, some of my favorite and most influential teachers were all adjunct faculty - without them, I wouldn’t be half the person I am today. (Though they won’t read this, this is for you, Evangelia, Ann, and Jason!) So, at risk of sounding overly pandering, please know how grateful I am to work with you! Moving on, we’re almost at the end! This edition actually ended up being pretty big - it may not seem it, but that’s only because I had to cut a section just to get it out on time! The second half (our Professional Development Special Edition) will be out soon, so please keep an eye out. Our faculty have been doing some pretty awesome things, if I do say so myself! (And I do say so!) As always, thank you for reading this edition of the newsletter and for continuing to support the School of Arts, Sciences & Education here at Ivy Tech Indianapolis. Please look forward to the next edition!
Volume 9, Issue 2: End
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