News
GEORGIA SOUTHERN NAMED AMONG ‘AMERICA’S BEST COLLEGES’
Forbes magazine has named Georgia Southern to its roster of “America’s Best Colleges” which includes colleges and universities in the top 20 percent of a survey of the “student’s point of view.”
The survey, by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP), examines post-graduation success, student satisfaction, student debt, four-year graduation rate and competitive awards that reward schools whose students win prestigious scholarships and fellowships.
“Georgia Southern’s designation by Forbes magazine as one of “America’s Best Colleges” is a great indicator that we are moving in the right direction,” said University President Brooks Keel. “We are honored to be recognized as one of the nation’s top universities.”
PUBLIC SAFETY EARNS ACCREDITATION
The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police has granted accreditation to Georgia Southern’s Department of Public Safety after the Department’s completion of a challenging process.
Only four university police departments in Georgia have earned accreditation.
“Georgia Southern has one of the best public safety operations in the state and this accreditation is just another example of the pride that our police officers take in their jobs,” said Georgia Southern President Brooks Keel. “We have been recognized as having one of the safest campuses in the country and that’s important for the community, our students and especially their parents.”
College of Business Administration
EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAM FIELDS FIRST COHORT
The University launched its new Executive MBA this fall, aiming the program at working individuals with professional experience.
One of only a few of its kind in the nation, the program is designed for mid-and upper-level managers, according to College of Business Administration Dean Ronald Shiffler.
“The more knowledge a leader brings to his company about our expanding global economy and ever-changing business landscape, the more of a competitive advantage they will have,” said Shiffler.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Executive MBA should visit http://coba.georgiasouthern.edu/emba.
College of Information Technology
ONLINE M.S. IN COMPUTER SCIENCE DRAWS ACCOLADES
Georgia Southern’s online Master of Science in computer science program is one of the top ten “best buys” in the country according to GetEducated.com.
GetEducated.com is a consumer group that rates, ranks and verifies the cost and credibility of online colleges and online universities. It ranked the University’s program ninth in the nation out of 140 surveyed schools. The M.S. in computer science earned an “A” in consumer satisfaction from the Web site.
“Georgia Southern launched the online Master of Science in computer science program last year to help meet the needs of busy professionals who saw the benefits of continuing their education, but knew it would be tough to juggle their career and family responsibilities with a standard class schedule,” said Ronald Shiffler, interim dean of the College of Information Technology. “We are thrilled that just one year into this program, it is already ranked among the top in the nation for cost and credibility.”
To learn more about Georgia Southern’s online Master of Science in computer science program, please visit http://cit. georgiasouthern.edu/mscs.
College of Health and Human Sciences
DNP GRAD EARNS NATIONAL HONOR
Susan Riley, a recent Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduate, has received an award funding a diabetes education program she began during her doctoral studies.
Riley, a practicing nurse practitioner, is the recipient of the American Association of Diabetes Educators – Bayer 2011 Innovation in Practice Award. The funding will support Riley’s INTERCEED program, a monthly interactive diabetes education program for adults in the communities of Portal and Stilson, Ga.
“DNP students are required to select a vulnerable population to research,” said Riley, who decided to expand the program into local communities, naming it INTERCEED. “This program is a blending of my practice and teaching,” she said.
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
STUDENT LANDS COVETED DAAD SCHOLARSHIP
Georgia Southern modern languages major and University Honors scholar Jennifer Keyser is spending this year at the University of Kassel in Germany by way of a prestigious DAAD scholarship.
The DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, is the German national agency for the support of international academic cooperation. The Griffin, Ga., native is Georgia Southern’s first exchange student at the University of Kassel.
“It’s really exciting because I get to spend an entire year in Germany. I get to basically set the tone for Georgia Southern students at the University of Kassel, and I get to make my own way. Study abroad programs help you step out of your comfort zone – to get to know other cultures,” said Keyser.
While Keyser is abroad, Georgia Southern is hosting three sociology students from the University of Kassel, strengthening and expanding existing international student exchange programs through the Center for International Studies.
Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology
UNIVERSITY MAKES PRINCETON REVIEW ECO-RANKING
Georgia Southern’s growing national reputation has received an eco-boost from The Princeton Review.
The Review has included the University in its recent new Guide to 311 Green Colleges.
“This is a major accomplishment and recognition for Georgia Southern University,” said Lissa Leege, director of the University’s Center for Sustainability. “To be recognized in The Princeton Review’s annual ranking is a solid endorsement of the University’s efforts to promote sustainability in practice as well as in our scholarship, education and outreach.”
It is the first time that Georgia Southern has been named to the prestigious national list of “green” colleges and universities.
College of Education
GEORGIA SOUTHERN REPRESENTED AT SUMMER INSTITUTE
Michelle Rivera, coordinator of the College of Education’s Instructional Resources Center, represented her College at the Library of Congress Summer Institute in Washington, D.C.
Rivera was one of 20 teachers and media specialists from across the nation attending the event. “The Library of Congress Summer Institute was such a rewarding experience for me, and I encourage all educators to apply,” said Rivera. “Not only did I meet several top-notch educators from across the country, but I networked with the Educational Outreach staff at the Library of Congress who have a passionate desire to share their knowledge.”
Institute participants were able to access areas of the Library that are closed to the general public and work with Library specialists to learn best practices for the use of primary sources – historical documents such as letters, photos or artwork – in K-12 classrooms. Rivera was able to explore primary sources on the Library’s Web site.
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
TELEDENTISTRY PROJECT BOOSTS RURAL CHILD HEALTH
Schoolchildren in Brantley and Candler counties have bigger smiles and overall improved health thanks to a grant-funded teledentistry project from the Jiann-Ping Hsu Collge of Public Health.
Dental care for poor and uninsured children is a significant concern in Georgia. Researchers Alison Scott, Renee Hotchkiss and Jangho Yoon, aided by a grant from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, have allowed children to receive basic dental exams by a hygienist with a Medical College of Georgia dentist present via video conferencing. Teledentistry lets the hygienist perform basic procedures with the supervision of the dentist.
At the conclusion of the one-year grant, Scott and the team will determine the cost savings for the state of Georgia by using the teledentistry program.