LETTER FROM THE INTERIM DEAN

Welcome to the first edition of the School of the Professions Newsletter!

The School of the Professions was created to capitalize on the synergistic relationships that exist among its varied academic departments and centers.

In addition to award-winning faculty members, professional accreditations, and a vibrant student body, the School of the Professions is home to several academic programs not available at any other State University of New York institution.

Through continued collaboration, faculty commitment to excellence in teaching and research, and a strong role in the community, the School of the Professions educates future professionals to lead in diverse settings and participate in the community through partnerships. The school prepares graduates for productive and successful careers in a global society.

We are proud of the excellent education and transformative experiences our faculty members provide to our students, and are thrilled to share our story with you. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Dr. Rita M. Zientek, ’90Interim DeanSchool of the Professions

SUNY BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE • FALL 2019

2 • Fall 2019

DEPARTMENT NEWS

COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS had a busy summer. The department hosted its annual Computer Science for High School (CS4HS) Student Project Showcase and Competition on June 1. The event welcomed 80 high school and middle school students from 19 schools to campus to demonstrate computer science projects in areas of robotics, computer programs, computer games, computer apps, web page design, and posters. The CS4HS Workshop was held on July 9–12 and presented computer science topics to more than 30 teachers from 20 local high schools in preparation for and in support of opening courses in their schools. Workshops concentrated on introductory computer science, AP Java, and AP Computer Science Principles course development. In addition, the Girls Coding Project 2019 was held on July 15–26 for 62 beginners and 21 advanced participants. A partnership between the WNY STEM Hub, Girl Scouts of WNY, and Buffalo State, the summer experience focused on coding, visits with women role models in IT, additional unplugged STEM experiences, and leadership training.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE reports that the Criminal Justice Club is enjoying its continued resurgence with increased membership, participation by students, and expanded meetings dealing with a variety of topics. Under the leadership of student president Reginald Osuji, many guest speakers have made and will be making presentations on a variety of topics at the regular Tuesday meetings in Classroom Building B119 during Bengal Pause, as well as at special evening presentations, and the Criminal Justice Club Special Events Week, which was held October 21–25. CS4HS Student Project Showcase and Competition

CS4HS Workshop

CS4HS Workshop

Engineering technology

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY placed second in the 2019 ASHRAE University Competition. Student team members Madeline Kromer, Thomas Vullo, Don Schenk, and Shawn Whalen designed an efficient HVAC system for the competition and will be recognized at the 2020 ASHRAE Winter Meeting in Orlando. David J. Kukulka, professor of engineering technology and coordinator of the mechanical engineering technology program, served as faculty adviser and the Wendel Companies was the team’s industrial sponsor. This was the second time that a team from Buffalo State has placed in the top three in this international competition.

FASHION AND TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY received the 2019 Goodwill Community Partner Award in October. Since fall 2013, Liza Abraham, assistant professor of fashion and textile technology, has directed a collaborative project with Goodwill stores in Buffalo in her fashion retailing class. Fashion students have been involved in Goodwill’s re-branding activities, visual merchandising, and content creation for Goodwill’s Instagram site.

FASHION AND TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY students found multiple interpretations on the “Reawakening” theme at the 12th annual Runway fashion show held April 27 at the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. The show featured juried work of student designers and included 100 models. About 100 students worked behind the scenes to create the show. Read the full story:https://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/student-designers-find-many-interpretations-runway’s-reawakening-theme

HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION launched a new fully online advanced graduate certificate program in assessment in student affairs this fall. The certificate is designed to provide professionals with the necessary skills to become assessment leaders in their higher education community and beyond. It is grounded in the principles and foundations of data-based decision making, collaborative practice, and reflective learning. It is designed to equip practitioners with the skills to gather information, the ability to understand the nature and value of formal inquiry, and the opportunity to serve as change agents within their institution through assessment.

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM’s Campus House management team received the John Henry Cardinal Newman Award at the Mass of the Holy Spirit on September 8. The team was recognized by Patrick J. Zengierski, director of the Newman Center at Buffalo State, for its generous hospitality to the community over many years. Josh Blumberg, Steve Burgeson, Krista Constantino, Jeffrey Hirschfelt, Kathleen O’Brien and Sue Sims accepted the award.

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM is planning a faculty-led study abroad program to the Alps (Germany and Switzerland). Students will study cultural tourism and participate in the travel program during spring break. In addition, students from the HTR 400: Catering Management course volunteered at the “Men Who Cook” event as part of a class project. The event was led by Don Schmitter, lecturer of hospitality and tourism.

The INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR STUDIES IN CREATIVITY’s Myanmar service learning cohort—which included education, education technology, and multidisciplinary majors—totaled 108 hours of training in leadership, art therapy, twenty-first century skills, creative problem solving, and English as a second language. After reviewing the cohort’s work, the U.S. Embassy in Yangon invited members of the cohort to return and train leaders in other parts of the country in creative problem solving. Students are now planning return trips, running fundraisers, and exploring grant possibilities to support potential projects (e.g., starting a mental health clinic, expanding the art program to the community, and delivering design thinking service program for a K-12 school).

Runway 2019

Runway 2019

Campus House management team

3 • Fall 2019

FACULTY SPOTLIGHTSTEPHEN C. BURGESON, lecturer of hospitality and tourism, and SUE C. SIMS, kitchen manager at Campus House, partnered with LYNNE C. SOMMERSTEIN, lecturer of exceptional education and founder/director of the College-Based Transition Program at Buffalo State, and Buffalo Public Schools representatives to offer a non-credit program for students ages 18-23 with significant disabilities who are learning skills in the commercial kitchen at Campus House.

KIMBERLY A. KLINE, professor of higher education administration, and LAURA H. RAO, director of civic and community engagement, guided 10 students on a three-week study tour to Ukraine, Poland, and Germany this past May–June. The course was focused on civic engagement through an international lens. Students visited Ukraine and Poland to study current social issues that are being addressed by student-led reforms. In addition, students visited a selection of higher education institutions and refugee resettlement areas in Germany in order to gain firsthand knowledge of how the influx of refugees in 2015 resulted in thousands of New Germans who are thriving citizens.

MICHAEL J. LITTMAN, chair and associate professor of business, says that while ethical leadership is important in any organization or institution, putting the idea into practice can be difficult. Traveling around the globe, Littman makes it his goal to teach what ethical leadership looks like to leaders around the world. From Canada to Germany and Kazakhstan to Latvia, Littman has spoken at a variety of conferences on the topics of ethical leadership in education, project management, and research. There are six tenets to his presentation: honesty, respect, fairness, responsibility, courage, and kindness.Read the full story:http://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/buffalo-state-experts-littman-ethical-leadership-key

The SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER hosted a sold-out “Meet the Experts” forum on minority and women business opportunities on September 25 in celebration of the City of Buffalo’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise Week. A panel of six leading program officers from various levels of government provided participants with valuable insight into the types of certifications that are available, efficient ways to access bidding opportunities, and methods to engage with each of the government entities. Attendees included entrepreneurs representing a wide range of businesses.

SOCIAL WORK has offered an international study experience in Trinidad and Tobago since 2015. This coming J-Term, six students in the department will travel to Point Fortin, Trinidad, to participate in service learning opportunities at the Naomi Chin Kit Memorial School. Students Alicia Scott, Sadira Brown, Shayla Rhodes, Malika Thompson, Ke-nijah Holloman-Wilson, and Cleo Gallagher will be working on individual research projects in Point Fortin as well.

Michael J. Littman

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Higher Education Administration Study Tour to Ukraine, Poland, and Germany

• Fall 2019

STUDENT PRESENTATIONSALEJANDRO ASHE and KERRI BUBAR, who earned their master’s degrees in speech-language pathology this year, and Camilo Maldonado, assistant professor of speech-language pathology, were selected to present at the 31st Congress of the International Association for Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) in Taipei (Taiwan) in August. Their presentation was titled “Unexpected Cultural Competencies: A Qualitative Study of SLP Services for Immigrant and Refugee Families in a U.S. Early Intervention Program.”

ANNA COOKE and ERIKA MITCHELL presented “Graduate Students of Color: Strategies for Coping with Role Conflict and Engaging in Self-Care” and Shandra Hake presented “Recognizing and Addressing Secondary Trauma” at the College Student Personnel Association of New York State’s (CSPA-NYS) annual conference in Rochester on October 20–22. They were among 20 graduate students and faculty members in the higher education administration program to participate in the conference. Kimberly Kline, professor of higher education administration, was joined by students Kayla James, Faherty Nielsen, Jordain Moore, Richie Sanders, Meghan Fayette, and Jalen Wright in presenting “Civic Engagement and Study Abroad: Takeaways from our Daily Practice.”

IALP in Taipei

College Student Personnel Association of New York State Annual Conference

5 • Fall 2019

JAMES J. SOBOL, associate professor and chair of criminal justice, along with Associate Professor S. Marlon Gayadeen and Professor Scott Phillips, partnered with the Dent Neurological Center in Amherst to conduct a study of 52 police officers from Western New York on stimuli related to decision-making. The study, which was funded by the Research and Creativity Council, determined that officers identified as having low self-control in other settings were more likely to fire their weapons in a high-stress situation than officers with higher levels of self-control. The ones considered more impulsive also were more likely to miss their targets. The professors presented their findings at the American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting last November and have published their results.Read the full story:http://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/buffalo-state-experts-sobol-criminal-justice-faculty-look-inside-minds-police-officers

James J. Sobol

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHTELAINE FLOWERS, ’19, and JASMENE MOSLEY of the higher education administration program were the recipients of the Champion of Diversity and Inclusion Award for their development and implementation of the VRY BLK Conference in New York City this past summer. The pair received the award at the College Student Personnel Association of New York State’s (CSPA-NYS) annual conference in Rochester on October 20–22.

SARAH JENSEN and WILLIAM FOGARTY, students in the International Center for Studies in Creativity, recently led a strategic planning retreat for the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission. The event was attended by a number of local government officials, including Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, ’83.

BRYANNA MARSHALL, an undergraduate speech-language pathology student, won first place in the Social Science Division at the Statewide Student Conference of the Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) in April 2018 for her poster presentation, Observation of Speech-Language Pathology Services in Accra Ghana.

MAX MATUSKA and ZHENGLI (CHRISTINE) ZHU, computer information systems majors, were selected to participate in Google’s 10-week summer boot camp, Applied Computing for Higher Education. Matuska landed a spot in the Claremont, California, bootcamp, while Zhu participated in the Atlanta, Georgia, bootcamp. The students learned the latest in machine learning from Google engineers and faculty teaching at host institutions Agnes Scott College and Scripps College. A total of 35 students were accepted for the prestigious program. Read the full story:https://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/three-students-chosen-googles-machine-learning-boot-camp

HEIDI MOREAU is this year’s Graduate Diversity Fellow in the Criminal Justice Department. A second-year graduate student, she is working under James J. Sobol, associate professor and chair of criminal justice, on a project involving cyberbullying and cyberaggression.

PATRICK MOYER, an undergraduate student in the mechanical engineering technology program, was awarded the Ron Brown Information Technology Exchange Center (ITEC) Scholarship for Fall 2019. The scholarship, named in honor of the center’s first chief information officer, is awarded to Buffalo State students from any degree program who demonstrate promise in computing and technology.

LILA ROLLO, a junior social work major, traveled to Rwanda with the Anne Frank Project last summer. She spent two weeks training teachers in the use of theater- and story-based learning. Rollo currently works at the International Institute of Buffalo as the international program coordinator and is well versed and passionate about the plight of Rwandans under the rule of Kagame. She hopes to return to Rwanda in the near future to learn more about the manner in which they are dealing with the legacy of the genocide and ongoing political strife, and ultimately bring that knowledge back to her work at the International Institute to assist with the mental health needs of Rwandan and other East African refugees.

KENDALL SKUSE, a first-year graduate student in the master’s program in speech-language pathology, was named a 2018 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Award-Semifinalist, ranking third in the nation in the female division. This award, administered by Diverse Issues in Higher Education, recognizes outstanding men and women who have distinguished themselves in their academic and athletic pursuits.

TAYLOR SZLAPAK, a senior hospitality and tourism student, is the 2019–2020 recipient of the Statler Scholarship of Excellence Award. She serves as president of the student chapter of the Club Managers Association of America, a member of Eta Sigma Delta International Hospitality Management Society, and a member of the Hospitality Department’s Culinary Club.

Kendall Skuse

Taylor Szlapak

• Fall 2019

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

ASHLEY C. GOODWIN, ’09, ’11, a first-generation scholar, recently became the first African American woman to earn a doctoral degree in creative leadership for innovation and change from the University of the Virgin Islands, a program set up through a partnership with the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State. After working for more than a decade consulting both nationally and internationally on issues of education and diversity, Goodwin has returned to Buffalo State as assistant director for student leadership and engagement.Read the full story:https://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/buffalo-states-goodwin-earns-first-its-kind-doctoral-degree

Ashley C. Goodwin

Ade Samuel

James Wangelin

Josh Lipka

JOSH LIPKA, ’12, is a senior advanced supplier quality engineer at California-based Zoox, one of the first self-driving technology companies in the world. Progress in the field suggests the autonomous vehicle will have life-changing benefits and drastically reshape society. As a quality engineer, Lipka focuses on the model’s powertrain, battery, charging, and electrical system. He earned his degree in engineering technology.Read the full story: https://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/bengals-work-josh-lipka-12

JAMES WANGELIN, ’12, learned the technical skills needed to rehab homes from his father while growing up, but his Buffalo State classes in business administration instilled the fundamentals to launch a real-estate investment business, Wangelin Development. The company has purchased, remodeled, and sold or rented more than 20 properties in Buffalo since its founding in spring 2015. The entrepreneurial-minded alum, a recipient of the 2012 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, has also successfully run a summer storage and moving company for college students and a professional boat-detailing service.Read the full story:http://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/alumni-profile-james-wangelin-12-0

ADE SAMUEL, ’10, has been featured in the Hollywood Reporter’s “25 Most Powerful Stylists in Hollywood” list. A fashion and textile technology graduate, Samuel is an accomplished celebrity stylist who has worked with actors like Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan.Read the full story:https://newsandevents.buffalostate.edu/news/news-alumna-stylist-makes-hollywood-power-list

• Fall 2019

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FACULTY RECOMMENDATIONS

MOVIESYesterday.Now available on Amazon Prime, this 2019 movie by director Danny Boyle tells the story of a struggling musician who wakes up in an alternate timeline after an accident and becomes famous by taking credit for Beatles songs.Recommended by: Engineering Technology Department

DOCUMENTARIESBrené Brown: The Call to Courage. This hour-long special focuses on how bravery arises from engaging with our deepest vulnerabilities. It builds upon Brown’s earlier work: two viral TED Talks and several books, including the best-sellers Dare to Lead, The Gifts of Imperfection, and the most popular one of all, Daring Greatly.Recommended by: Social Work Department

BOOKSThe Rise of Big Data Policing: Surveillance, Race, and the Future of Law Enforcement (NYU Press, 2017) by Andrew Guthrie Ferguson.

Reducing Crime: A Companion for Police Leaders (Routledge, 2018) by Jerry Ratcliffe. Recommended by: Criminal Justice Department

RESTAURANTSThe Phoenix at 269Casual dining at 269 Amherst Street (Black Rock District) in Buffalo.Recommended by: Speech-Language Pathology Department

Buffalo Distilling CompanyA distillery and cocktail bar in historic building at 860 Seneca Street(Larkinville Neighborhood) in Buffalo.Recommended by: Hospitality and Tourism Department

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 3 International Center for Studies in Creativity Workshop: “Creative Thinking: Skills for the 21st Century”

April 3–4 Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration Golden Anniversary Celebration

April 18 Runway: Voices, fashion show hosted by the Fashion and Textile Technology Department

April 22 26th Annual Buffalo Niagara Ambassador Awards Ceremony, hosted by the Hospitality and Tourism Department

CONTACT USSUNY Buffalo State CollegeSchool of the ProfessionsRita M. Zientek, Interim DeanCleveland Hall 2141300 Elmwood AvenueBuffalo, NY 14222Phone: (716) 878-4698E-mail: professions@buffalostate.eduWeb: professions.buffalostate.eduEditor: Elizabeth SzockyjSecretary to the Dean: Kathrine R. MoralesDesigner: Lauren R. Cox

• Fall 2019