College seeks to begin AS degree in Environmental Science Technology by fall

A new associate of science degree offering in Environmental Science Technology will be available to Daytona State College students beginning this fall semester, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

The 64-credit hour, two-year program is among only five such programs being offered at colleges statewide, according to Daytona State's Institute of Marine and Environmental Studies advisor and professor Dr. Debra Woodall.

SACS is expected to formally authorize the college to offer the program in April.

Environmental science technicians perform laboratory and field tests to monitor natural resources and measure contaminants and sources of pollution. A large part of their work entails collecting samples for testing, managing hazardous materials inventories, or performing general activities related to regulatory compliance.

Seven new courses have been developed to implement the degree program, including Environmental Policy and Law, Introduction to Ecology, Geographic Information Systems, Energy and Its Environmental Effects, Aquatic Environmental Science and a required internship that will give students working experience in the field.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for environmental science technicians are expected to grow by 12 percent annually through 2018, with the average entry level wage nationwide being nearly $20 an hour.

The program is designed to prepare students for immediate employment upon graduation. The college currently also offers an Assocaite of Arts/University Transfer degree track in Environmental Science for students who wish to pursue more advanced degrees in the field.

For more information, please contact Dr. Woodall at (386) 506-3765, woodald@daytonastate.edu.

College’s Center for Interdisciplinary Writing and Research recognizes faculty

Daytona State’s Center for Interdisciplinary Writing and Research (CIWR) is proud to announce the recent scholarly/creative accomplishments and activities of its member faculty. 

Dr. Michael Avery

Dr. Michael Avery (Business) was a major presenter (with Dr. Albert Elam, of the International Business Academy in Kolding, Denmark) in a Global Forum at the 35th Community Colleges for International Development Conference, held in March 2011 in Orlando, FL.  His presentation, "TABS--A Conversion Model for US/EU Student Learning Outcomes," described a model for facilitating the transfer of student credits between US credit hours and EU program units.

Dr. Rebecca Block 

Dr. Rebecca Block (English, College Writing Center) presented a paper titled "Exploring New and Old Reading Aloud Practices: A Comparative Analysis of Three Tutoring Methods" at the International Writing Centers Association-National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing Joined Conference, held in November 2010 in Baltimore, MD.

John Connor

John Connor (Education) presented his Revelation Theory of Learning at the "Drop-Out Prevention Conference" in October 2010 and will also present this theory at the "Narrowing the Gulf for Disadvantaged College Students Annual National Conference" in March 2011.  He was part of a team that evaluated St. Lucie County Public School District's Professional Development and Principal Effectiveness in November 2010, and will join a team evaluating Orange County Public School District's Professional Development and Principal Effectiveness in May 2011.  He is currently part of a (state-level) Department of Education team evaluating new Teacher Education Programs and revisions of recent folio submissions.  In addition, Professor Connor is involved in a grant project dedicated to educating faculty from the Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute.  He looks forward to his second site visit to BTVI in April 2011, and also to completing revisions to the 3rd edition of an educational psychology text he has co-authored.

Dr. Michael Flota

Dr. Michael Flota (Sociology) presented "An Economic Theory of Collaborative Learning" at the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference, held in November 2010 in Orlando, FL.  He will present "Exit Versus Voice: The Financial Services Modernization Act and the Collapse of the Global Economy" at the Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, to be held in April 2011 in Jacksonville, FL.  Also, Sociology, a textbook Professor Flota co-authored (with Dr. John E. Farley of Southern Illinois University) will be published in July 2011 by Paradigm Publishers.

Dr. Richard Grego

Dr. Richard Grego (Philosophy, Religion, Cultural History) presented "An Evolving Dialectic: Contesting Conceptions of Nature in American Philosophy" at the Agricultural History Society Annual Conference, held in August 2010 in Orlando, FL.  The panel on which Professor Grego presented will submit its work for a special issue of the Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era titled "A New Eden: American Conservation Thought, 1890-1990" to appear in 2012.

Dr. Carol Grigas (History) authored a chapter, "Total Force Policy and the Post-Vietnam Era, 1976-1990," in Splendid Service: The Montana National Guard, 1867-2006, edited by Orlan J. Svingen and published by Washington State University Press in 2010.

Jessica Kester

Jessica Kester (English) has published a drabble (a story in exactly one hundred words) titled "Untitled #5" in the e-journal Luna Station Quarterly.  Also, Professor Kester's prose poem, "Riding the EL in the Early Morning" will be included in Classifieds: An Anthology of Prose Poems, a forthcoming book from Equinox Publishing and The Prose Poem Project.

Dr. Kathleen Lazarus (English) co-presented (with Dr. Betty Green) "HOSTS: Reading Mentoring Program" at the Florida Association of Teacher Educators Annual Conference, held in October 2010 in St. Petersburg, FL.  Professor Lazarus also co-presented (with Dr. Evan Rivers) "Faculty Mentoring Programs" at the Florida College English Association Annual Conference, held in October 2010 in Winter Park, FL.

Dr. Michelle Lee

Dr. Michelle Lee (English) has published two poems in e-journals: "Grim" in Fickle Muses, and "Jugs" in Luna Station Quarterly.  She has co-edited an issue of The Michaelian, a peer-reviewed journal about the life and literary coterie of 19th-century writer Michael Field, and has co-presented (with Liz Barnes, Maggie Karda, and Dr. Ben Graydon) a roundtable titled "From the Ground Up: Program Assessment at Daytona State College" at the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention, held in November 2010 in Orlando, FL.  Professor Lee was awarded a NISOD Medallion of Teaching Excellence for 2011.  Her article, tentatively titled "The Sex, Scandal, and Spectacle of Lady Gaga and Baudelaire," will be published by The Poetry Foundation in April 2011, and her roundtable presentation, "Slamming Poetry and YouTubing: The Seduction of Using Multi-media in the Classroom," will be featured at the Third Annual Academic Excellence Symposium, to be held in April 2011 at Daytona State College.



Dr. Leonard Lempel



Dr. Leonard Lempel (History) has published "Port Orange's (Almost) Forgotten Hamlet of Freemanville" in the winter 2011 issue of the Halifax Herald, the journal of the Halifax Historical Society, where he serves as Editor.  He also served as editor for the recently completed booklet, "City of Daytona Beach Black Heritage Trail."  Professor Lempel was elected Vice President of the Florida Historical Society in May 2010, and he continues to serve locally on the Daytona Beach Historic Preservation Board and the Board of Directors of the Halifax Historical Society.

Reed Markham (Speech Communication) has published several articles.  A peer-reviewed piece, "Debating Current Issues," appeared on edarticles.com in 2010.  "Fathers and Communication: I may not be a rocket scientist, but I am your father" appeared locally in the New Smyrna Beach News in 2010.  "Are you listening to your children?" also appeared in the New Smyrna Beach News in 2010 and was reprinted in the Volusia News.  Professor Markham has also served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American Communication Association, the Marketing Committee and Site Review Committee for the 80th Annual Florida Communication Association Conference, and as a Contributing Editor for the International Debate Education Association.

Dr. Elaine Perea (Psychology) has co-authored (with M. N. Shiota, S. L. Neufeld, W. H. Yeung, and S. Moser) an article, "Feeling Good: Autonomic Nervous System Responding in Five Positive Emotions," which is forthcoming in the journal Emotion.  Also, she will present "Creating Discussions in an Online Discussion Board" at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, to be held in May 2011 in Washington, DC.

Congratulations to these CIWR members on their outstanding achievements!

Find out more about the Center and its mission at http://www.daytonastate.edu/ciwr.  

University Center to host transfer fair

The University Center at Daytona State College invites students and the community to learn more about bachelor’s and master’s degree opportunities offered through its partner institutions during a University Transfer Fair scheduled Wednesday, March 30, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m..

The fair will take place in ECHO Plaza (near the clock tower) on the college's Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.

“In addition to the bachelor’s degrees offered by Daytona State, the college has partnered with other institutions such as Bethune-Cookman University, Capella University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, St. Petersburg College, Troy University, the University of Central Florida, University of Florida and Webster University to increase access to bachelor’s and master’s degree opportunities,” said Taylor Childress, director of the University Center.

The University Transfer Fair will feature representatives from each institution providing information about degree programs and transfer requirements.

For more information call (386) 506-3143, or visit the University Center on the Web at http://www.daytonastate.edu/uctr/.

Minority teacher scholarships available

Minority students interested in enrolling in one of Daytona State’s Bachelor of Science in Education degree programs can defray their costs through scholarships offered by the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers.

The program provides students in their junior and senior years with up to $4,000 annually. Scholars are selected based on qualities that indicate their potential to become good teachers, including writing ability, communication skills, overall academic performance, volunteer service and evidence of their commitment to young people.

More information and applications can be found on the Web at www.ffmt.org.

Medallion of Excellence teaching awards announced

Four Daytona State College faculty members were honored this week for excellence in teaching and leadership in higher education. The Medallion of Excellence teaching awards have been presented each year since 2007, recognizing faculty who have made outstanding contributions to the college and its mission.

This year’s winners are:

Jeffrey Zahnen, Ph.D.

Dr. Jeffery Zahnen

Dr. Zahnen joined the College in 2007 as an associate professor of mathematics. A current member of the Master Faculty II cohort, he serves as a student-athlete mentor through the college’s Falcons in Action program and as a peer mentor for School of Mathematics faculty who are working on advanced degrees.

His commitment to Daytona State and to his discipline is demonstrated through his service on the college’s General Education Review Committee, Tenure and Promotion Committee, Technology Committee and several Mathematics Department committees, including the Calculus III Committee, Pre-Calculus Committee, and the Trigonometry Committee. He also chairs the College Algebra Committee on Differential Equations, and has developed new courses in Linear Algebra and the History of Mathematics.

Dr. Zahnen regularly serves students by holding office hours in the Academic Support Center. He has developed online quizzes that have been instrumental in advancing student retention and offers learning sessions for faculty who also wish to implement them.

Dr. Zahnen holds a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Florida. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the American Mathematical Society.

Theresa A. Moore, J.D.

Dr. Theresa A. Moore

Dr. Moore has been with the College since 2008 as an associate professor in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management program. She also is a third-year cohort  member of Master Faculty.

Dr. Moore consistently demonstrates innovative teaching practices through experiential activities, games, video clips, movies and other non-traditional teaching exercises. In the classroom, she brings current issues and trends to the forefront to illustrate important course concepts and culminates her courses with final experiential or service learning project assignments.

She has mentored two international students over the past two years. She also serves on the Children’s Home Society board, and is involved with the Volusia Women’s Lawyers Association and the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Moore also participated in a project to recruit students from Denmark into Daytona State’s BAS program and will help mentor the students when they arrive on campus this summer. She also will present at the 2011 Daytona State College Faculty Teaching Excellence Symposium later this year.

She holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from Antioch University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Indiana University. She also participated in a Geneva, Switzerland, study abroad program at Kent State University.

L. Jane Rosati, Ed.D., MSN, RNC

Dr. L. Jane Rosati

Dr. Rosati joined the Daytona State College faculty in 2004, and was promoted to assistant chair and program manager of the School of Nursing’s Associate Degree in Nursing program. She is in the second-year cohort of Master Faculty.

Dr. Rosati is a passionate educator. She shows innovation in the classroom by choosing learning activities that enhance the experience of students, who describe her as approachable, kind, fair and knowledgeable.  

In addition to collecting items for the homeless shelter in Daytona Beach and providing gift cards to the shelter residents, Dr. Rosati collects items such as food, towels and blankets for the Humane Society. She is a volunteer for Health Occupations Students of America, an organization whose mission is to promote career opportunities in health care and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people, and attends several events during the year to judge various competitions.

Dr. Rosati also presents health fairs for area senior centers and conducts workshops for a medical equipment company at hospitals throughout the country.  She has published two articles and is currently working on a chapter about concept-based learning to be included in a nursing textbook.

Dr. Rosati is a member of the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives and the National Honor Society for Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau. She holds a doctorate in education, summa cum laude, a Master of Arts in Education, summa cum laude, and a Master of Science in Nursing, summa cum laude, from the University of Phoenix. Her bachelor's degree is in Nursing from Neumann University, Aston, Pa.

 Michelle Lee, Ph.D.

Dr. Michelle Lee

Dr. Lee joined Daytona State College in 2009 as an assistant professor of English in the School of Humanities and Communication. A second-year cohort member of Master Faculty, she teaches composition courses, as well as women's literature, fiction writing and poetry writing. She also counsels students on their writing and academic pursuits, and participates in department-wide development of new pedagogies and assessment strategies.

She is a published fiction writer, poet and playwright.  Most recently, she was invited by The Poetry Foundation to write articles on the 19th century poet Michael Field, as well as on the connection between another 19th century poet, Charles Baudelaire, and the 21st century icon Lady Gaga.  

Dr. Lee has participated in the Daytona State College e-text initiative and hosted part of a Southeast Museum of Photography film series in conjunction with the college’s Shakespeare Festival.

She received her Master of Arts in Creative Writing and Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Faculty are nominated for their awards by program chairs, vice presidents and fellow faculty members. Criteria for nomination includes a requirement that the faculty member be a participant in the second- or third-level faculty cohort, and demonstrate excellence in teaching and service to the college and its mission, examples of which include:

• Publishing scholarly works;
• Demonstrating creative teaching practices;
• Serving the college through support of its athletic and mentoring programs;
• Volunteering for student or community activities;
• Other activities showing innovation, service or dedication to teaching, learning or creativity;
• Volunteering in areas of need at the college (Academic Support Center, Advising, Etc.) or community.

Find out more about the Master Faculty program on the Web.

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