Walden University Alumni Association Blog

A Natural Educator

Dr. Carol Ann Breyer walks along the banks of the Manatee River at sundown. This tidal river along Florida's Gulf Coast plays host to manatees, or "sea cows," known for their gentle nature and playful spirit. In this area, it's a rarity to spot the whiskers of the endangered 1,000-pound mammal, and Breyer has yet to see one despite the fact that her home is perched here, just above the water's edge. Named "Mercy-on-the-Manatee," Breyer's Florida cottage serves as a symbol of peace to the river, the mammals, and the world around her.

Breyer, a retired education administrator, and her husband, Lee, built their energy-efficient, environmentally friendly home in Ellenton after visiting the Florida House Learning Center in nearby Sarasota. The Florida House was built in 1994 as a model for how to live sustainably when scarce water conditions led county officials to consider placing a moratorium on building. The Florida House encourages its 10,000 annual visitors to adapt environmental principles, whether it’s obtaining a free copy of their architectural plans, swapping out toxic carpet for bamboo, or replacing regular light bulbs with compact fluorescents.

Unlike the Florida House, Breyer’s 2002 home is strictly residential, yet she has led more than 50 tours for curious conservationists. In fact, she’s so set up for visitors, she keeps a stack of fliers by the front door highlighting the home’s sustainable design and construction methods. Breyer says the question that worries visitors the most is the cost. And while she acknowledges that her sustainable design ran 2 to 5 percent more than a standard home might, her electricity and water bills are significantly lower than in other similarly sized South Florida homes.

Modeled after the Florida “Cracker” architectural style from the late 1800s through 1920s, the Florida House design inherently maximizes airflow and reflects sunlight. The Breyers worked with a local designer to adapt the Florida House plans to their location and lifestyle. They adjusted the placement of rooms to take full advantage of their water views, expanded the back porch, and added a loft above the garage—but the sustainable features remain consistent. A galvanized roof, together with 4-foot roof overhangs, reflects more than 95 percent of the sun’s rays; front and back porches offer protection from the heat while maximizing airflow; exterior transom windows usher the river breeze into the house while interior transoms and ceiling fans keep it moving from room to room. Natural materials such as bamboo and baked-clay tiles cover the floors and porches, while low-energy appliances, compact fluorescent lights, water-saving devices, solar tube light fixtures, and a solar panel for heating water further conserve resources.

USING HER YARD AS A CLASSROOM
In addition to offering tours of her home, Breyer hosts sessions in her yard for the Florida House master conservationist program and local Master Gardener programs. Despite the slightly scruffy look of her Florida-native, drought-tolerant plants during dry months, Breyer’s yard was named Florida Residential

Yard of the Year in 2006 by the Florida Native Plant Society; it also serves as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat.
As a volunteer with the Manatee County Extension Service of the University of Florida, Breyer teaches local residents how to plant “Florida-friendly yards” using more native species and minimizing pesticides. Fertilizers pollute the river and are even suspected of enhancing red tide flare-ups, an algal bloom that plagues Florida’s Gulf Coast, causing asthma in humans and deaths in marine life.

She says by the time summer’s rainy season rolls in, the lawn will green up. “But this yard is not going to look like Disney, ever,” she adds. “That’s just not compatible with the environment.”

Breyer’s landscape includes sea grape, a Ponderosa lemon tree, and thick mangroves that run along the riverbank. Palm trees and native brush line the shell driveway, and it’s not uncommon to see tall white egrets tiptoe along.

A WALDEN DISSERTATION OPENED DOORS
Breyer graduated from Walden University in 1977 with a Ph.D. in Educational Administration. She chose Walden because of the flexibility it gave her to continue working as an administrator at a Maryland community college. Attending a traditional university would have meant leaving her job, something Breyer wanted to avoid.

Breyer says having a Ph.D. didn’t alter her career while she was in Maryland—she already had the job she wanted. But when her husband received an appointment to Florida State University, Breyer’s degree helped her land a position with the Department of Education in Tallahassee, where she helped develop Florida’s community college planning board.

“It was 1979, and Walden wasn’t very well-known at that time,” Breyer says. “There was a lot of skepticism in Florida because of the post-World War II diploma mills.” But when she presented her dissertation—a descriptive study on nontraditional part-time students at Maryland’s community colleges—to the agency division director, she won big accolades. “My faculty mentor was a Florida State graduate, so my dissertation looked exactly like an FSU dissertation,” she recalls. “When they saw it, they said, ‘OK!’”

SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, FAITH
Not only is Dr. Breyer leaving a smaller footprint on the environment, she lobbies for social change in other ways, too. As the Florida state coordinator for Pax Christi, a national Catholic peace movement, she promotes issues of peace and justice related to nonviolence and eco-spirituality. She serves as a member of the Environmental Justice Task Force of the Diocese of Venice and lobbies for change through the Southwest Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice, including a recent march and candlelight vigil at the White House as a Christian Witness for Peace in Iraq.

A plaque above Breyer’s computer reads, “Do everything with love.” And whether she’s marching in Washington, teaching the benefits of planting native species, or collecting litter along the riverbank in front of her home, Breyer’s example reminds us that kindness, peace, and mercy can be practiced everywhere, all the time.

Walden announces new Global Initiatives

Walden has launched a new Center for International Programs that provides stronger operational support and services for Walden students and faculty living outside the United States. The center provides a convenient entry point to Walden for prospective students around the world and will sponsor major global initiatives for the university and its more than 28,000 students.

“With students from more than 70 countries enrolled in our programs, Walden offers international students an ideal opportunity to earn a U.S. degree from an accredited university without the challenges of leaving their home countries and interrupting personal and professional commitments,” said Stuart Finnigan, executive director for Walden’s Center for International Programs. “The new programs and services in the center are designed to add convenience and specialized support for Walden students worldwide.”

Those services include an international transcript-review service, a proprietary English test that produces a TOEFL-equivalent score, special admissions services for international students, and  multilingual enrollment advisors in Amsterdam and Baltimore.

Other international initiatives at Walden include the following:

• Doctoral students at Walden have the opportunity to attend international residencies in Liverpool, England; Madrid, Spain; and Santiago, Chile.
• Walden launched the “Perspectives on the World” speakers series, bringing distinguished scholars, journalists, and experts to Walden-sponsored events to share their diverse views on world topics. Recent speakers included social entrepreneur David Bornstein on micro-lending in the developing world and author Jeffrey Goldberg on Middle East peace prospects.
• Walden offers a Writing Center with tutors for graduate students whose first language is not English, an online library, and a range of other student support services.

Show your school spirit with Walden University Swag

The Walden Gifts & Gear Web site has everything from polo shirts to coffee mugs.

Walden gear is a great way for students and alumni to spread awareness of the Walden name in their pe rsonal and professional lives. A Walden shirt or mug can prompt conversations about the benefits of the Walden experience—and they also make great gifts for loved ones who have supported the student during his or her program.

The Walden University Gifts and Gear store can be found at www.waldengear.com.

 

Walden Faculty: Doing what they Teach

Walden’s faculty are contributing to their disciplines through publications, presentations and other professional activities.

Dr. Aqueil Ahmad, a faculty member in the School of Management, has had an article published in the 2007 special issue of the journal Globalization: “India and China: Conflict, Competition, and/or Cooperation in the Age of Globalization.”

Dr. Bonnie Beardsley, a faculty member in the School of Nursing, has been reappointed by the secretary of the U.S. Army to serve a second term on the Army Education Advisory Committee. As an American Association of Colleges of Nursing representative, she will also assist in designing curriculum that addresses transitions between military and civilian nursing. Additionally, Beardsley was recently elected president for the Illinois Coalition for Nursing Resources.

Dr. Daniel Berman, a faculty member in the School of Nursing, will make three presentations on health care issues facing the Hispanic community at the 33rd Annual Conference of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, which will be held July 15–18 in Boston. His presentations are “Chronic Diseases: Are They a Function of Heredity and Ethnicity or a Function of Socioeconomic and Political Issues?”; “Hispanic Health Disparities: A Social Epidemiological Solution”; and “Respectful Counseling: A Nurse's Multidimensional Approach.”

Dr. Stephanie Cawthon, a faculty member in the School of Psychology, co-wrote a chapter with Alycia Harris, a Ph.D. in Psychology student, titled “Developing a Community of Practice: The Role of Sociology in Learning and Team Development” in the 2008 book, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning: Best Practices and Principles for Instructors.

Mary Beth Crum, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, has co-written a book, Evening Out the Uneven Hand: The This1 Matters Approach to Teaching African American Males.

Dr. Gordon Forbes, a faculty member in the School of Psychology, has published the following: “Experiences with Dating Aggression and Sexual Coercion Among Polish College Students” in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence; “Relationships Between Multidimensional Measures of Sociocultural Variables and Multidimensional Measures of Body Dissatisfaction Among Korean and U.S. College Women” in the
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology; and “The UCLA Body Project I: Predictors of Body Satisfaction and Appearance Surveillance Among 2,206 White, Asian, and Hispanic Men and Women” in Sex Roles.

Dr. Stuart Gold, a faculty member in the School of Management, was appointed to serve on the advisory board to the School of Business and Technology Management at Northcentral University. He has also published the following: “The Effects of Course Delivery Modality on Student Satisfaction and Retention and GPA in On-Site vs. Hybrid Courses” in The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education and “An Analysis of Factors Impacting Student Satisfaction and Retention in On-Site and Hybrid Courses” in The International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning.

Dr. Angeline Nandini Gunewardena, a faculty member in the School of Counseling and Social Service, has published the following: “Envisioning Alternatives: Seven Pragmatic Proposals to Advance Human Security in Disaster Assistance and Recovery,” “Human Security Versus Neoliberal Approaches to Disaster Recovery,” and “Peddling Paradise, Rebuilding Serendib: The 100-Meter Refugees Versus the Tourism Industry in Post-Tsunami Sri Lanka,” all in Capitalizing on Catastrophe: Neoliberal Strategies in Disaster Reconstruction; “Disrupting Subordination and Negotiating Belonging: Women Workers in the Transnational Production Sites of Sri Lanka” and “Gendered Repression, Women’s Resistance, and Reconstituting Marginality,” both in The Gender of Globalization: Women Navigating Cultural and Economic Marginalities; and “Hidden Transcripts: Women's Suicide as Resistance in Sri Lanka” in Shout Out: Women of Color Respond to Violence.

Dr. Magy Martin, a faculty member in the School of Psychology, published the following articles: “Reading and Learning-Disabled Children: Understanding the Problem” in the Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research and “The Oregon Project: Do System of Care Programs Work?” in New Jersey Journal of Professional Counseling.

Dr. James Rohrer, a faculty member in the School of Health Sciences, has published the following: “Change in Body Mass Index Over 1 Year in a Family Medicine Clinic: A Retrospective Analysis of Medical Records” in the Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management; “Illness Severity and Total Visits in Family Medicine” and “Marital Status, Feeling Depressed and Self-Rated Health in Rural Female
Primary Care Patients” in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice; “General Pain and Frequency of Medical Visits in Family Medicine: A Retrospective Analysis of Medical Records” in Disease Management & Health Outcomes; and “Physical limitations and Self-Rated Overall Health in Family Medicine Patients” and “Physical Limitations and Perceived Quality of Care Among Family Medicine Patients” in Clinical Rehabilitation.

Dr. Marilyn Simon, a faculty member in the School of Management, was part of a group of visiting professors who spent a week helping young people in Tonga identify career goals and plan their future as part of a leadership program called Dare to Dream. She conducted a seminar called “The Power of One” that integrates chaos theory, leadership, and social change theory. Simon is also on the board of trustees for the Responsibility Project, which builds schools and hospitals for families who live in the Tijuana Dump.

Dr. Thomas Wolsey, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, has published “Efficacy of Instructor Feedback on Written Work in an Online Program” in the International Journal on E-Learning.

New Resource Connects Education Community

Impact Education offers insightful stories and practical knowledge for everyone interested in education.

Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership has launched Impact Education, a new resource created specifically for those interested in the field of education.

The inaugural issue features a conversation with Richard W. Riley. In “The Lifelong Pursuit of Education,” Riley, the former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, describes the difference between a good teacher and a great teacher.

“Walden Addresses the Community College Leadership Crisis” highlights Walden’s Ph.D. in Education specialization in Community College Leadership and its role in developing the next generation of leaders. “Mentoring the Next Generation of Teachers” describes how Walden is helping working professionals begin a second career in education through its state-approved* teacher preparation programs.

Other highlights include profiles of alumni making a difference in their community, as described in the “Lifelong Learners Insights” department. This issue includes Heidi Evans’ remarkable work with hearing-impaired students and Rebecca McLelland’s efforts to expand her students’ perspectives on the environment.

View the inaugural issue at http://ImpactEducation.WaldenU.edu.

*Walden University’s teacher preparation programs are approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching for licensure in Minnesota. Walden’s enrollment advisors can provide individuals with guidelines and other information about licensure. It remains the individual’s responsibility to understand and comply with the out-of-state licensure requirements for the state in which he or she seeks to be licensed.

Open call for Articles

The following is an open call for articles in 2008:

The 2008 PA TIMES Editorial Calendar is as follows:
The PA TIMES, monthly newspaper of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), is seeking quality articles for upcoming issues. The articles must be 1,000–1,200 words, contain no references, and adhere to the deadlines below. Authors need not be ASPA members. If you have questions or want author guidelines, email PA TIMES editor Christine Jewett McCrehin at cjewett@aspanet.org. Please pass this along to any colleagues who may be interested in writing for the paper.

Note: Items in parentheses are intended as subject ideas for monthly topics. Authors are not limited to these subjects and are encouraged to write in their specific areas of expertise.

August
State of Emergency Management (collaboration/what’s better, what’s worse/success stories; how Hurricane Katrina helped California)
Submission deadline: July 23, 2008

September
Gender Issues in PA (what has changed, what remains the same?)
Submission deadline: Aug. 22, 2008

October
Leadership Development and Succession Planning (case studies or examples of actual leadership development programs or succession planning/resources for leadership development or succession planning) Education Supplement: Evolving PA Education: Preparing Public Servants for the 21st Century (homeland security, emergency management, technology, communication, are curriculums evolving fast enough, contract/contractor management, dealing with nongovernmental service delivery mechanisms)
Submission deadline: Sept. 22, 2008

November
Changing of the Guard: How Do Administrators Handle Relationships with Newly Appointed/Elected Bosses? (educating nonspecialists, balancing political leadership and professional standards, dealing with short-timers)
Submission deadline: Oct. 22, 2008

December
PA Success Stories (current innovations, telecommuting, victories large and small)
Submission deadline: Nov. 21, 2008

The Fourth International Joint Conferences on Computer, Information, and Systems Sciences, and Engineering (CISSE 2008) will be held December 5–13, 2008. The online conference is sponsored by the University of Bridgeport and co-sponsored technically by the Computer and Communications societies of the Connecticut Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Prospective authors are invited to submit full papers electronically in Microsoft Word format through the conference Web site. Accepted papers must be presented in the online conference by one of the authors.

Webinar - Identity Theft: Reducing Personal Risk and Surviving in a Wired Economy

The June Alumni Lecture Series presentation, "Identity Theft: Reducing Personal Risk and Surviving in a Wired Economy," presented by Dr. Albert J. Marcella Jr., a Walden University alumnus, is available at www.waldenu.edu/alumni

Walden offers new Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems

Walden University is offering a new Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems degree, designed to provide students with the technical and business skills they need to advance their careers in information technology.

“The Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems program blends academic theory with real-world experience, so students can acquire the skill set most sought after by today’s information technology managers, including the interdisciplinary skills least likely to be outsourced,” said Dr. Wanda S. Gravett, associate dean of Walden’s School of Management.

Employment opportunities are expected to remain strong in the information technology industry as demand for highly trained professionals grows in response to rapid advances in computer technology, continuing development of new computer applications and the growing importance of information security.

According to a recent national poll from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, nearly two-thirds of employers say that “too many of today’s graduates lack the skills to succeed in our global economy.” As a member of the Laureate International Universities network, Walden has a growing international student body that gives students a unique opportunity to gain a diverse, global perspective.

Students in Walden’s B.S. in Computer Information Systems program will be able to translate their online learning experience to the workplace and improve their ability to work across organizational, disciplinary and geographic boundaries. Adult learners can earn their degrees while balancing work and personal commitments and prepare themselves for an increasingly global economy and job market.

Students will also gain experience in conducting group analysis and designing projects; in communicating effectively with co-workers, employers and other professionals; and in using specialized information technology tools. Concentrations are offered in Educational Computing, Healthcare Informatics, Human Computer Interaction, Information Systems Management, Information Systems Security, Online Work and Communities and a Self-Designed option.

Teachers and Administrators--Share Your Tips!

The editors of Impact Education, Walden’s new publication for educators, would like you to share your tips on the following subject:

How to Find—and Keep—Excellent Teachers, Faculty and Staff

What are your ideas on what schools can do to attract the best talent, reduce teacher attrition, and make your school a great place to work? (Feel free to tackle just one of those subjects.)

Send your tips to alumniassociation@waldenu.edu by Friday, June 20. Please write “Tips from Teachers” in the subject line. Responses may be edited.

When you submit your tip, be sure to include the following information:

• Your Full Name
• Email Address (this will not be published—for internal use only)
• Year you graduated from Walden, your degree earned and specialization (if applicable). If you are a current student, please indicate “Student” and your degree program/specialization
• Current job title
• School where you currently work
• School city and state

Thank you!

Walden launches new Bachelors programs

Walden University is now offering Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and in Child Development, adding to a current undergraduate offering in Business Administration. Adult learners can earn these degrees while balancing work and personal commitments, as they also become prepared for an increasingly global economy and job market.

According to a recent national poll from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, nearly two-thirds of employers say “too many of today’s graduates lack the skills to succeed in our global economy.” Walden University is directly addressing this critical skills gap by including elements such as global awareness in the undergraduate curriculum. As a member of the Laureate International Universities network, Walden has a growing international student body that gives students a unique opportunity to gain a diverse, global perspective.

“Since gaining greater global awareness and understanding cultural diversity is becoming vital to all professions, we strive to have our graduates become more globally competent,” said Jonathan A. Kaplan, president of Walden University.

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the field of psychology and its relevance across a number of professions in an increasingly diverse and global society. Students may take up to 70 percent of their courses in psychology topics while completing general education courses that emphasize civic engagement, social responsibility, and global awareness. Courses help students understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues as well as reflect values that are the underpinnings of psychology. Students may choose from four concentrations: Psychology Applied to Everyday Life for general interest; Psychology Applied to the Helping Professions focusing on areas such as counseling or social work; Psychology Applied to the Workplace to apply knowledge in a nonprofit, government or business environment; and Preparation for Graduate Studies for students considering an advanced degree in psychology.

Walden’s Bachelor of Science in Child Development degree program addresses the need for increased quality care in early care and education for infants and children to age 5. This non-licensure bachelor’s program allows current and future professionals in the early care and education field the opportunity to earn a degree while continuing to work. Students will benefit from the program’s unique curriculum that blends the latest research in child development and education, insights and guidance from national experts, and a look into effective early care and education practices around the country. Students can choose from three concentrations—Preschool, Infant/Toddler and a dual concentration in Preschool and Infant/Toddler—that deliver an in-depth focus on child development, child-centered learning, developmentally appropriate environments and effective practices for working with children and families.