Dr. Jeffrey W. Focht, assistant professor of business, has been named to the Edward A. McCabe Chair in Business at DeSales University.

As the McCabe Chair Focht will work with the Enrollment Management Office, recruiting students for the Business Division, and with the Career Development Center, overseeing and increasing the number of internships and job placements for business division students.

Focht will also serve as director of the Fleming Ethics Institute, which includes conducting the Fleming Ethics Bowl. The Fleming Ethics Bowl is a competition among area colleges and universities in which student teams research an assigned case study that includes ethical issues.

The general purpose of the McCabe Chair is to study and analyze the impact business has on society and the impact social concerns should have on business. The McCabe Chair was established in memory of Edward McCabe, chairman of the board at Salle Mae and a trustee of DeSales University from 1969 to 1975.

Focht became a faculty member at DeSales in August 2014. Previously he was vice president for academic affairs at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pa., after serving as dean of business and technology and an assistant professor of marketing. 

From 1999 to 2001, Focht was an assistant professor of marketing at Central Connecticut State University and previously was the owner and president of Dollar Plus Stores, a retail chain based in Mount Holly, N.J. 

Focht earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Central Connecticut State University, a master of arts in liberal studies from Villanova University, and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

Trexler Library is excited to introduce you to a powerful new search tool,  EBSCO Discovery or as we are calling it OneSearch.  OneSearch is a discovery service that provides a single Google-like search box that conducts a search across many library resources at one time!  The results that are returned will consist of books, journal articles, ebooks and much more. 

There are many ways to limit your results and we hope you will enjoy exploring the many options.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns please let us know.  In mid May, this will be the main search box on our library page.

Give it a try at:  http://desales.libguides.com/onesearch

The U.S. Department of Education has released data for the 2013 fiscal year for its financial responsibility test. All private colleges that award federal student aid must participate in the test, which is based on information from their audited financial statements.

The department develops a composite score on a scale of negative 1.0 to positive 3.0, based on financial ratios that measure factors such as net worth, operating losses, and the relationship of assets to liabilities. Institutions with scores of 1.5 to 3 pass. Those with lower scores are subject to additional oversight and, in some cases, must post letters of credit.

DeSales University scored a 3.0 in the test.

Information was reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

 On Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m. in the Hurd Science Center Auditorium, the natural science department chemistry faculty and students will present the 14th Annual Spring Chemistry Demonstrations program.

This event is free and open to the public, however, seating is limited and reservations are strongly encouraged.  Please email NaturalSciences@desales.edu to reserve your seat. This is a family event and all ages are welcome.

The DeSales faculty, staff and students who participate in the Chemistry Demonstrations Program seek to instill in elementary, middle, and high school students a love of science and to enrich their understanding of chemistry.  The demonstrations are a treat for all the senses and include over a dozen highly visual and entertaining experiments such as Fire Tornado, Mad Scientists, Bed of Nails, Ethanol Cannons, and ice cream.  The colorful and explosive presentations are designed to be visually interesting and exciting, as well as illustrative of important but easily understood chemical concepts. 

The Chemistry Demonstrations Program is directed by Dr. Rodger Berg, associate professor, coordinator of chemistry, chairperson of the natural science department, and head of the healthcare and natural sciences division. He is assisted by natural science department faculty, including assistant professors Dr. Sara Hayik, Dr. Julie Himmelberger, and Dr. Steven Sweeney; associate professor Dr. Francis Mayville and Mrs. Patricia Hartman, chemistry laboratory manager. 

Each year, the Natural Science Department entertains approximately 1,000 students from area middle and high schools who attend performances during the school day.

On Monday, March 23, DeSales University will host a conference that will provide an update on nurse practitioner (NP) practice as well as an update on full practice authority for NPs.

The event, sponsored by the DeSales University Nurse Practitioner Programs, starts at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the Gambet Center on the University’s Center Valley Campus. It is free to attend. Optional tours of the Gambet Center facilities begin at 5:30 p.m.

Susan M. Schrand, FNP-BC, MSN, CNRP (right), chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners (PCNP), will deliver the keynote address, which will feature an update on full practice authority for Nurse Practitioners and the PCNP Care for PA campaign.

The discussion will focus on the distinction between the primary care and acute care nurse practitioner roles, scope of practice, and maintaining eligibility for certification.

Following the keynote, a panel of nurse practitioners representing both the acute and primary care roles will answer specific questions regarding role delineation in the outpatient and inpatient environments.

Schrand, MSN, CRNP, is a family nurse practitioner and a leader in state nursing policy. In that role, she has helped to improve and finalize certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNP) regulation revisions following Governor Rendell's Scope of Practice Laws in 2007, successfully championed Act 68 of 2012 that amends the Vital Statistic Law to allow CRNPs to sign death certificates for their patients, and continues to work in collaboration with other associations and state department leaders across the Commonwealth to maximize full use of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).    

Schrand was a 2009 recipient of the Bux-Mont Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award and served on the Corbett Administration transition team for Health and Aging.  In 2014, she was given the AANP Nurse Practitioners Advocate State Award for Excellence from Pennsylvania. Schrand completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and her master's degree at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia with board certification in family health.

The DeSales University Graduate Programs will participate in a Virtual Graduate School Fair for Veterans on March 18, 2015.

During the fair, which is free and open to all veterans and active military of the United States Armed Forces, DeSales will have its own virtual chat room where prospective students will be able to ask questions of graduate program directors.

“DeSales University is a proud participant in the Post-9/11 GI Yellow Ribbon Program,” said Abigail Wernicki, director of graduate admissions. “We are hopeful that this fair will connect us with veterans and active U.S. military armed forces near and far. This is a great opportunity to spread awareness about our programs and inform these honorable individuals about the educational benefits available to them.”

Click here to register for the Fair.

DeSales has eight graduate programs including the doctor of nursing practice, the doctor of physical therapy, master of arts in criminal justice, master of business administration, master of education, master of science in information systems, masters of science in nursing, and master of science in physician assistant studies.

Best-selling author and sales coach, Todd Cohen, recently delivered his “Everyone’s In Sales” presentation to students, faculty, and members of the business community. The event was sponsored by the University’s I.D.E.A.S (Inventing and Developing the Entrepreneurial Association of Student) club and Career Development Center.

Over the course of the talk, Cohen covered concepts like making a virtual sales team out of people we connect with regularly, including friends, clients, colleagues, and professors, and keeping those relationships constantly portable and available. The former Xerox and LexisNexis executive also stressed having a response to the common question, ‘What do you do,’ called a value proposition.

“They say there’s this 30-second window you have on an elevator to tell people what you do… It’s actually about 7-10,” Cohen said. “So you’ve got to tell them something that makes them say ‘tell me more.’”

 Cohen went on to lecture on the importance of asking people what you can do for them. He insisted that all of these practices combined with effective communication can lead to growth in personal revenue.

“The rules have changed. Things are different. It’s not a reactive thing to go get what you want: your next job, your first job,” Cohen said. “You’ve got to be proactive and you’ve got to network and work the team of people around you to get them to keep you top of mind.” 

Cohen, who has headed sales teams that have combined earned more than $750 million, left LexisNexis in 2007 before the economy recessed to help organizations build sales culture through workshops, training, and keynote speaking. He has since authored two books, Never Sell Alone, and Everyone’s In Sales--Stop Apologizing, and has clientele that includes corporations like American Express and Corning, Inc., as well as companies abroad. 

Cohen’s talk drew a sizable crowd and resonated well with students. Senior Michele Bartkus said she intends to use Cohen’s advice in her job search.

“His advice will help me with my job interviews because I will be able to explain to the interviewer that I am confident in helping him or her achieve his or her goals with that company,” Bartkus said. “One thing I will always remind myself of is ‘every single conversation and connection is a selling moment.’”

The event was organized by I.D.E.A.S. club secretary, Paul Vizza, who has been in contact with Cohen over the past eight months, with the assistance of the Career Development Center. 

“I am very pleased with how tonight went. We worked hard for a very long time and I think everyone enjoyed it,” Vizza said. “We got donations for Colleges Against Cancer, we’re selling books, so it was everything we could have hoped for. I hope that we can do more events like this in the future.”

Vizza asked the DeSales chapter of Colleges Against Cancer to be present and take donations at the event as a gesture toward Cohen, who lost his father to cancer.

“It’s nice to see the DeSales Community come together for something other than a keynote,” Colleges Against Cancer member Christy Kobaleski ‘17 said. “It’s a keynote, but then they’re nice enough to open up their hearts and their pockets to a different cause.” 

After the talk, Cohen was available to the audience and signed copies of his books, which were on sale at a discounted price for students.

“I find that young people are very receptive to the message because this isn’t the kind of stuff you’ll get in a textbook, you won’t get this in class. It’s different, it’s unique and I find that they are thankful, they’re appreciative of the message and committed to it,” said Cohen, the former Temple University Fox School of Business Sales Executive in Residence. “They take it seriously. I love talking to young people. Any day of the week.”

Photo by David Barnes '15

Your company can provide the means to allow the government to monitor government healthcare patients using radio frequency identification (RFID) and GPS technologies.

But should you?

Patient privacy vs. better healthcare outcomes and patient safety are topics in The Fleming Institute for Business Ethics competition at DeSales University to be held on Wednesday, March 25, in the DeSales University Center.  The competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude by announcing the winners at 4:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Seven colleges and universities in the Lehigh Valley will participate in this student competition that presents a business-related ethical dilemma and requires students to respond with a detailed and justifiable action plan.

This year students must assume the role of a CEO of a fictitious technology company on the brink of going under. A lifeline is offered in the form of a contract with the federal government that would allow your software to be used to monitor patients in the government-run healthcare legislation using RFID.

While RFID technology can be used for storing and ease-of-downloading vital medical information, the potential for patient privacy violations is a threat. 

Twelve student teams will participate from Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Lafayette College, Marywood University, Muhlenberg College, Penn State Berks Campus, and Penn State Lehigh Valley Campus.

The 2015 event judging committee includes:  Dennis Abruzzi, Senior Vice President, Safety & Enterprise Solutions, Penske Logistics; Liza Ackerman, Corporate Events Manager, Bear Creek Mountain Resort;  Jason Barnes, CPA, Partner, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP; Diane DiDonato, a banking professional; Ramona Hollie-Major, Director of Operations, National Institute for School Leadership; Richard Jennings, Vice President and Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors; Paul Leese, Marketing & Media Services Director, Keenan-Nagle Advertising Inc.; Pat Lincoln, General Manager, Connoisseur Media North; Tom Marnell, Senior Vice President Human Resources at Buzzi Unicem USA Inc.; Rev. Dr. Sherrie Sneed, Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care, Pocono Medical Center; Kristin Sommer, Senior Digital Forensics Investigator, T-Mobile and President, Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; Maureen H. Thomson, CPA, CVA, MAFF, Senior Manager, Concannon, Miller, & Co., P.C.

Richard Fleming and his family foundation established The Fleming Institute for Business Ethics in 2009 with a goal to promote a culture of ethical awareness and action in business professions through the collaborative efforts of corporate and educational groups.

The work of the institute is administered by the DeSales University Division of Business, in collaboration with the Salesian Center for Faith & Culture. Ultimately, the goal is to engage students and to enable them to become ethically and socially responsible business contributors through intellectual and professional development.

For more information, please contact Professor Elizabeth Rosa, Planning Committee Co-Chair at 610.282.1100, ext. 1371, or by e-mail at Elizabeth.rosa@desales.edu.  You may also click here for the Ethics Bowl web page. 

DeSales University will hold a traditional Tenebrae service Tuesday March 31 at Connelly Chapel at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The service is designed as a segue from Lent into the Paschal Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, and serves to help in spiritual preparation for Easter.

“This is just one hour that we’re going to provide to people who have been especially busy, to just come in and prepare for Easter,” University Chaplain Rev. Tim McIntire, OSFS said. “It’s music, it’s reading, it’s some quiet time. I would say it’s an incredibly prayerful experience.”

The University’s Schola Cantorum will provide music for the service, which incorporates the extinguishing of candles and reverent silence to embody the sorrow of Good Friday.

“As the hour goes on the lights are dimmed and eventually fairly dark just to represent or symbolize the darkness before the light,” McIntire said. “That even if we are experiencing difficult times, even if things seem hopeless, that, as we come to find out on Easter Sunday, light wins out.”

Tenebrae, which translates to “shadows” in Latin, began in medieval monasteries, and regained popularity in the 1900’s, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. This is the second year the University will host the event. 

“It’s a really nice complement to a penance service,” McIntire said. “It’s a nice opportunity to do some reflection on your own life, to do some reflection on God’s sacrifice for us.”

Act 1 DeSales University Theatre will close its 2014-2015 season with How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Filled with a great score and dazzling dance numbers, this recent hit Broadway revival and Pulitzer Prize winning musical will be presented April 22 to May 3 on the Main Stage of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa.

Long before TV’s Mad Men, there was J. Pierrepont Finch’s story of power, ambition, and greed. With a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, and music by Frank Loesser—the same team that penned Guys and Dolls—How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying follows Finch’s adventures as he steps off the ledge from his window-washing job and cleverly charms his way up the company ladder.

Following a “how to” manual while breaking hearts and stepping on toes along the way, this musical’s great score features exhilarating dance numbers on songs such as “I Believe in You,” “Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm,” and “Brotherhood of Man.”

Associate Professor of theatre Steven Dennis is the director. Dennis previously directed Act 1’s A Christmas Story, Quilters, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Merry Christmas, George Bailey, among others. “I became drawn to this piece as a college student after I caught the film on television,” says Dennis.“Someone at a dinner theater where I was performing gave me the original Broadway cast album. I remember going for a good stretch of time listening to it daily. As I work on it now, I see it as a musical satire, which in many ways is a bit smarter than some musical comedies.  It’s noted for its strong, fun script with well-crafted scenes, in addition to lovely songs and innovative dance numbers.”

Nathan Diehl is musical director. Diehl’s Act 1 credits include musical director for Rodgers and Hart: A Celebration, I Love a Piano, and Chicago. In addition, Diehl has served as musical director for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s productions of  Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, and South Pacific, and will serve again as musical director for PSF’s upcoming musical, Les Misérables.

Stephen Casey is choreographer. Casey directed last season’s Act 1 performance of  Rodgers and Hart: A Celebration. Other Act 1 credits include director of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and choreographer for Little Women, The Music Man, I Love a Piano, and Chicago, among others.

“A little known fact about How to Succeed… is that the choreography for the original production was credited to an obscure dance director named Hugh Lambert,” says John Bell, director of the Division of Performing Arts at DeSales. “Producer Cy Feuer attended a trade show and was extremely impressed by an elaborate dance number created by Mr. Lambert. Based on that one number, Feuer hired Lambert to choreograph the new musical. It soon became clear however, that Lambert's creative abilities were not up to the task and Bob Fosse was brought in to replace him. Fosse was unwilling to hurt Lambert's career by having him fired so Lambert's trade-show dance number was recycled as the ‘Treasure Hunt’ dance in ‘How to Succeed…’ while Fosse agreed to take a "musical staging" credit for choreographing all the other dance numbers. It’s a rare case of artistic generosity by one of the great choreographers of the American musical theatre.”

For the DSU production, the corporate jungle comes to life with sets and costumes by Act 1’s resident creative faculty team: scenic designer Will Neuert and costume designer Amy Best. Guest artists Eric Haugen and Matthew Given designed the lighting and sound, respectively. Senior theatre major Karyn Bohli serves as stage manager. “I’m having a blast working with a very fine team,” says Dennis. “Our sound designer Matt Given noted that this was the very first musical he performed in high school, and we agreed that our earlier exposures may not have been coincidental, but part of being made ready to mount this DeSales University production. Our actors are bringing in fun, energetic, original ideas and just as jazzed as we are.”

The production runs April 22 to May 3 on the Main Stage of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts at DeSales University. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. A talk back with the director and cast is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 after the 2:00 PM performance. There is a morning matinee on Monday, April 27 at 9:45 AM and an added performance on Tuesday, April 28 at a new time of 7:00 PM. There is also an added Saturday matinee performance on May 2 at 2:00 PM.

In an effort to improve accessibility for all patrons, the Saturday, May 2, 2:00 PM performance will feature Open Captioning for patrons who are deaf or hearing impaired and Audio Descriptions for patrons who are blind or visually impaired. During Open Captioned performances, all dialogue and sound effects are presented in real-time on an LED screen that is adjacent to the stage. During Audio Described performances, all action and physical appearances are described live through a headset.

Ticket prices are $27 for adults and $25 for students and seniors on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and $29 for adults and $27 for students and seniors on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Group discounts are available for all performances. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Labuda Center box office at 610-282-3192 or by visiting the web site at desales.edu/act1.

The Labuda Center is fully accessible and equipped with a listening enhancement system. Special seating is available for our patrons using wheelchairs or requiring other assistance. Please inform the box office of your needs when ordering tickets.

On Sunday, March 22, more than 350 students and their families attended the DeSales Bulldog Bash, an event for accepted undergraduate students.

The Bulldog Bash is an annual celebration held in Billera Hall for accepted students to meet each other and the faculty, see the campus, and even have a chance to win prizes. They can also visit a clubs and activities fair and take a tour of the residence halls.

In addition, Dr. Gerard Joyce, vice president for student life, hosted a variation of the popular game show Deal or No Deal. Prizes ranged from additional scholarships to bookstore gift cards to tumblers and pens.

Current students performed at the event and for the second straight year, the Bash was emceed by Matt McMonagle '15 and Kevin White '15.

Former Olympic gymnast Carly Patterson returns to speak at DeSales University on Wednesday, April 1, at 3:00 p.m., in the DeSales University Center. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a question and answer session.

Patterson began her gymnastics career in 1994 at the age of 6 and was competing professionally less than a decade later. She won consecutive American Cup titles in 2003 and 2004 and was given the title of 2004 Co-National Champion. She also competed in the 2003 World Championships where she earned a silver medal in the all-around and helped the United States team to their first-ever gold medal. Her performance earned her a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Patterson earned a silver medal on the balance beam as well as helping the U.S. women earn the team silver medal. She was awarded the 2004 All-Around Olympic Gold Medal, the first American Woman to win the award since Mary Lou Retton in 1984.

As last year, Patterson’s speech will be the April keynote address for the Character U program at DeSales University, and the program is sponsoring her lecture. Character U is a component of the DeSales Experience and is a first-year program for students to help them transition to college life. The program provides students with opportunities to develop character through keynote speakers, campus programs and events, and access to peer mentors.

For more information, contact Chad Serfass, director of the DeSales Experience in Character and Leadership, at 610-282-1100, ext. 1599.

On Saturday, March 21, the University hosted its 34^th annual dinner dance in Billera Hall. 

As the university’s major event-based fundraiser, 100 percent of the evening’s income, about $150,000 annually, goes directly into financial aid for DeSales students, 97 percent of whom receive some form of financial assistance. Chairpersons for the dance were Michael & Michele Pessina, and they were joined by area business, professional, and community leaders as well as DeSales alumni, who are sponsoring tables or providing contributions.

Music was provided by The Rich Postmontier Ensemble, and as part of the evening’s festivities, six DeSales dance students performed an opening number. Will Neuert, associate professor of theatre, created the decorations for this year’s Around the World in 80 Days-themed dance as he has for the past 17 years.

Philosophy graduates, you’re about to have Tanzanian company.

Starting this June, DeSales University will offer accredited B.A. degrees in philosophy at Lumen Christi Institute, a higher education seminary in Arusha, Tanzania. The agreement was signed in March by Rev. Bernard O’Connor, OSFS, president of DeSales University, and Rev. Dr. Johnson Kallidukkil, MSFS, provincial of the East Africa Province and Delegate of the Superior General of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) Congregation, on site at the African school. 

Lumen Christi is run by the MSFS under Tanzania’s British-style education system, which means that because of its non-university status, the school needed an affiliate university to issue its bachelor’s degrees.

“The institute in Tanzania can only give certificates, which doesn’t allow admission to graduate schools,” said Fr. Peter Leonard, OSFS, dean of graduate education at DeSales. “So what this agreement does for them is give them an undergraduate degree from an accredited American Institution that can then help them further their studies.”

Plans for the agreement have been in the making for more than a year, with a proposal outlining the partnership needing the approval of the Middle States Commission of Higher Education. Leonard, along with Dr. Brian Kane, division head of the liberal arts and social sciences and Fr. John F. Harvey, OSFS, Chair, and Dr. Stephen Loughlin, department chair of philosophy and theology visited Lumen Christi last year and met with administrators to draw up plans for the deal. While at the school, which will have access to DeSales’ Trexler Library’s resources, Leonard said the biggest problem he came across was an overwhelming lack of internet, which would have posed problems with a Middle States approval.

“If we went to the accreditors and said we’re going to share the library, but we have a water pipe that’s so small nothing comes through it, we weren’t going to be able to substantiate that,” Leonard said. “The initial reaction of the faculty was: that a robust internet was not crucial, but it was something that the partnership needed. Soon after, the Institute was able to improve their internet and data connections through the generosity of a donor from Germany.” 

In spite of the internet issues, the institute is developed and includes an academic building, a seminary building, a small library, a chapel, dining hall, two hostels, and a recently built medical clinic. Leonard said it was evident the school will continue to develop, having long term plans already laid out. “They know where the next ten buildings will go,” he laughed. Talks are also beginning about a program that would send physician assistant students to Lumen Christi’s new clinic as a medical rotation option.

This is the second foreign MSFS institution where DeSales University is offering degrees. The first is Suvidya College in Bangalore, India, a country also operating under the British education system. When Suvidya first sought to offer bachelor’s degrees, Leonard explained they had trouble finding a partner university in India that aligned with their religious curriculum wishes because the majority of the population is Hindu. 

Leonard said Lumen Christi began to have the same difficulty in finding a Catholic partnership in Tanzania when the MSFS inquired about a partnership with DeSales University. Twenty-five students currently make up Lumen Christi’s philosophy program, and eight to ten of them are scheduled to graduate next year.

“They think it’s wonderful,” Leonard said. “They would like to have a college full of programs, education, science…that’s what this mission was about.” 

On Friday, March 27, a group of DeSales University nursing students won the 2015 Student Nursing Challenge Bowl at the Reading School of Nursing and Health Professions in Reading, Pa.

Teams of six to eight students from ten schools from Lehigh, Berks, Northampton and Montgomery counties participated in the quiz show style format answering questions related to the practice of nursing. The Nursing Challenge Bowl helps prepare nursing students for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) taken after graduation. The DeSales students represented all three pre-licensure Nursing programs at DeSales—Traditional BSN, Accelerated BSN, and Evening/Weekend ACCESS BSN.

Pictured above are nursing students (from left) Gaelyn Amick, Brent Barwick, Michael Schewein, Emily Shaud, Andrea Harring, AJ Cook, and Elizabeth Ickes. Faculty pictured in the front row are (from left): Dr. Tricia Bernecker, Karen Peterson, Dr. Patrick Kenny, Dr. Mary Liz Doyle-Tadduni, Jennifer Gambal and Dr. Mary Ellen Miller.

Three DeSales University students, in collaboration with faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences, completed a research project measuring the effects of waste chemicals from a sewage treatment plant (STP) on the reproductive behavior of fathead minnows. Their findings were presented at the 13th Annual Undergraduate Research at the Capitol – Pennsylvania (URC-PA) poster conference held on March 5 in Harrisburg, Pa.

Work on the study began in 2014, led by biology major, Julia McMahon ’15. McMahon was mentored by Dr. Joseph Colosi, associate professor of biology, and assisted by fellow students Savanna Risser ’16 and Alexa Dunlap ’16, as well as Dr. Joseph M. Leese, assistant professor of biology. 

The researchers were interested in first measuring the amount of environmental estrogens released from a local wastewater treatment plant and secondly, determining if these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) could affect the reproductive behavior of male fathead minnows.

Minnows were placed in wire cages in the water upstream and downstream the STP for three weeks and then returned to the lab at DeSales, where their reproductive behavior was compared to control animals. Minnows placed downstream from the STP showed significant decreases in sex-typical reproductive behavior when compared to controls, while minnows placed upstream showed no differences.

This pattern correlates with elevated levels of estrogen recorded downstream of the STP. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that EDC’s present in sources of drinking water can affect the physiology and behavior of vertebrate animals, including humans.

Risser (above right) presented the group’s findings at the State Capitol, where congressmen and advocacy representatives discussed the findings and her experience of conducting undergraduate research at DeSales University. Forty eight students were selected to present.

The URC-PA poster conference is an educational event allowing undergraduate students enrolled in Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities to showcase their research talents to the Commonwealth’s key decision-makers. 

On Sunday, April 5, Jeff Tomlinson, instructor in the University's criminal justice program, was interviewed on Fox29 Weekend, a Philadelphia news program. Tomlinson spoke on the recent arrests of Americans with ties (or attempted ties) to ISIS. He is a retired FBI agent and a former supervisor of the Philadelphia FBI joint terrorism squad.

 Click here for the video.

Fourteen students enrolled in a biennial field biology course traveled to Costa Rica this past winter break to study the country’s diverse and distinctive ecosystems.

The course was taught by Dr. Joseph Colosi, associate professor in the division of healthcare and natural sciences, who, throughout the fall semester, focused the course on Costa Rica’s defining features, from its climate and geology to its native species and healthcare system.

While in Costa Rica, the group traversed the country’s vast tropical rainforests and multiple volcanoes and stayed overnight at field stations throughout the country, including The Soltis Center of Texas A&M University, the University of Georgia at Monteverdi, and the Organization for Tropical Studies in both Paulo Verde National Park and La Selva.

Before their exploits students were educated on the backgrounds of the stations where they stayed, and most days during the trip included scheduled early morning, daytime, and night hikes, as well as free time for self-guided exploring. In addition to hiking, the class engaged in workshops and lectures from scientists on topics like crocodile hibernation, bat migration, iguana behavior, and local birds, plants, and insects.

“The biggest thing is for them to experience a totally different ecosystem than they’ve ever seen before, and we did,” said Colosi, who has led 11 field biology trips to locations including Hawaii, Texas, and Florida. “The tropical rainforest is a magical place, and everybody felt it. You can just feel the diversity around you. It’s hard to describe.”

Colosi also said he hoped the experience would make the students more in tune with and conscious of their environment in Pennsylvania. Sophomore biology major Angeline Lonardi was one of the fourteen on the trip and said seeing the country’s diverse habitats first-hand couldn’t be duplicated.

“There’s only so much you can do in a laboratory on campus. If you want to learn about an ecosystem, you have to go and get right in the middle of it, and that’s exactly what we did—we were in the middle of the rainforest for two weeks, and it was awesome,” said Lonardi, who said the trip also allowed her to become closer with new classmates, remarked. “We talked about Costa Rica the whole semester, but in the classroom, nobody really grasped the understanding that they had after the trip. You have to go, you have to see it, and you have to be there to understand everything that goes on ecologically in a region.”

Despite being a biology class, the trip was focused on more than ecological studies, as various cultural activities were on the itinerary. Students milked cows, cooked and ate with a local family in their home, toured a banana plantation, took dance lessons, and saw cultural sites in the country’s capital, San Jose.

Colosi wanted the trip to encourage students to think about important life questions as well, as the group saw a high level of poverty.

“A majority of the houses were very modest—they tended to have tin roofs, it wasn’t hard to find one where you could see openings in it,” Colosi said. “So even though Costa Rica is one of the most stable, secure countries in Central America—life expectancy is the same as Pennsylvania, most people have jobs—it clearly is a less-wealthy place than here. Yet all of the people we came across were happy. It’s an important lesson.”

Colosi plans on taking the fall 2016 field biology class to the Galapagos Islands to study evolution. This year’s class was one of many courses at the University that include an abroad component. Trips are partially subsidized by the University.

“On the course evaluation students wrote about the trip, and one of the students said they think this sets DeSales apart because very few schools give that kind of support for foreign travel,” Colosi said. “I agree with that statement. I think the support that DeSales gives students to help them experience a totally different place, a totally different culture, is a really good thing.” 

The DeSales University nursing department is now partnering with Meals on Wheels by incorporating the organization into student clinical rotations, a move designed to give students first-hand experience in patient care and bedside manner.

The partnership is part of a required junior-level course in the department called “The Older Adult,” which pairs students with local assisted-living centers, senior centers, and now Meals on Wheels, for seven days throughout the semester to encourage intergenerational communication.

The nursing program first affiliated with Meals on Wheels during the 2013-14 academic year on a trial basis and chose to implement the non-profit into its student rotations full time this year because of the invaluable hands-on skills and new perspectives gained by students.

“We can talk about cognitive changes, but it’s another thing to have someone who’s confused and living in their home who might wander out into the streets because they’re not watched,” Terri Wenner, instructor of nursing in the Division of Healthcare and Science, said. “So we need to see the things that are going on out in the community as well as learning about it in a textbook.

“With Meals on Wheels, they’re looking to make sure that person is in a safe place, and their health is not in a situation where emergency help is needed. On occasion we’ll actually find someone collapsed. So even though it’s focused on nutrition and food, volunteers and our students really get to participate in a site assessment.”

Previously, the nursing program focused primarily on nursing home student rotations, where residents were less responsive and non-participative. But the course curriculum has recently transitioned from having students interact with less active senior citizens to exposing students to more involved and lively older adults.

 “Terri’s initial vision was to make sure that, in addition to nursing home rotations, the students could get a good feeling about senior citizens who are still very active and vibrant, getting out into the community, driving themselves to senior centers, or going on bus trips, living in their own homes,” said Janet Parsley, clinical liaison for the Department of Nursing and Health.

According to Wenner and Parsley, student reaction to the partnership has been nothing but positive. Meghan Carr, a senior in the nursing program, was enrolled in the class last year and said Meals on Wheels gave her new insight on her hospital patients.

“The day enhanced my nursing by giving me first-hand experience with members of the surrounding cities who I may often only see in a hospital bed,” Carr said. “I was able to see my clients' living conditions, obstacles, needs, and culture.”

As a whole, the program is beginning to take a more amplified approach toward gerontology to accommodate the growing population of senior-citizens in America. Along with “The Older Adult” course, DeSales started its acute gerontology and gerontology-focused nurse practitioner program this year. The hope is that these courses and programs, as well as the field experience gained through Meals on Wheels and assisted living centers, will provide students with a more full and well-rounded picture of future patients and their lives.

“These people have lived these tremendously full lives—went to college in the 1920s or ’30s during The Great Depression when they somehow scraped enough money together to go; very important stories that students have heard,” Parsley said. “And that, I think, made a big difference when they then went back into the clinical setting in the hospital and were dealing with the elderly. Students realized this isn’t just some person in a bed, this is a person who has had this incredibly full life and want to get back to that.”