Walden University Alumni Association Blog

Walden Community News

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

Arthur Greenwood, a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration student, published “Health Care Reform: An Administrator’s Viewpoint” in the August 2009 issue of PA Times, the American Society for Public Administration’s monthly newspaper.
 
Dr. Reza Hamzaee, a faculty member in the School of Management, co-published “Critical Thinking: A Foundation for a Better Learning and an Effective Teaching: A Systemic Approach” (Global Business & Economics Anthology, Vol. 1, 2009) and published “An Assessment of Global Economic Recession With a Focus on Iranian Economy” (Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 12, 2009).
 
Dr. Sunil Hazari, a faculty member in the College of Management and Technology, co-published “An Empirical Investigation of Factors Influencing Information Security Behavior” (Journal of Information Privacy and Security, Vol. 4, Issue 4, 2009) and “VoIP Quality and Security Issues for Consumers and Small Businesses” (Handbook of Research on Telecommunications Planning and Management for Business, Information Science Reference, 2009).
 
Molly Hillig, a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) student, will be serving as a nurse at the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia. She will educate Americans coming to Bolivia about health concerns and provide education and medical care to Americans living in and near the embassy.

Dr. Roberta McKnight, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, published “The Art and Science of Instrument Design” in The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions (Vol. 29, Issue 2, 2009).
 
Dr. Maria Rangel, a faculty member in the College of Health Sciences, co-published “Sexual and Reproductive Health of Persons Aged 10–24 Years, United States, 2002–2007” in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Vol. 58, Issue SS06, 2009).
 
Joseph L. Ricca, a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) student, is now superintendent of East Hanover schools, East Hanover, N.J. He formerly served as the principal of East Hanover Middle School.

Jay Spitulnik, a Ph.D. in Psychology student, is presented his dissertation research as a poster session at the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, along with his committee chair, Dr. William Disch, in Miami Beach, Fla., on Oct. 5, 2009.
 
Dr. Mukesh Srivastava, a faculty member in the College of Management and Technology, co-published “Chinese Cultural Implications for ERP Implementation” (Journal of Technology Management and Innovation, Vol. 4, Issue 1, 2009).
 
Daniel A. Weigand, Ph.D., associate director of the Center for Research Support at Walden University, has been selected as the next editor of the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, a refereed publication of the Association for Sport Psychology.
 
Dr. Jörg Westermann, a faculty member in the College of Health Sciences, has been re-elected to the American Public Health Association Governing Council.
 
Kenneth R. Williams, a Ph.D. in Applied Management and Decision Sciences student, was awarded fourth place in the 2009 General William E. DePuy Writing Competition, sponsored by the United States Army Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., for his article “The Noncommissioned Officer as Moral Exemplar.” His article will appear in the September/October issue of Military Review. Williams has served as an active duty Army chaplain for 15 years and is currently assigned as the brigade chaplain, 14th Military Police Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He was recently selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel.

Jeff Zuckerman, director of the Writing Center at Walden University, contributed to the recently released sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, and his work is acknowledged in its preface.

Walden awards faculty with research grants

To support research that leads to real-world solutions, Walden University awarded four faculty members and six faculty teams the 2009 Faculty Research Initiative Grant, totaling $139,500. With the goal of supporting excellence in scholarly work, the grant program helps fund select faculty research projects that are deemed exceptional in merit. The grants provide seed money for the development of faculty research agendas.

Walden University congratulates the following individuals and research teams for their standout projects:

Assessing a Predictive Modeling Technique for Proactive Patient Management of Diabetes
 
Principal Investigator: Dr. Howard B. Schechtner, School of Management
Co-Principal Investigator: Mr. Nithyanandam Mathiyazhagan, School of Management
Grant Amount: $15,000
Project Abstract: Diabetes affects nearly 25 million Americans and is estimated to cost approximately $125 billion annually. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. The human cost can be measured in terms of hospitalizations, drug costs, amputations, blindness, nerve damage, pain management and other health problems. The societal cost is in the trillions of dollars and is stressing a health care system whose costs are soaring. This study will create and assess predictive models for patients to proactively treat their blood sugar levels. It is difficult for patients to predict blood sugar as current technology gives them only a momentary reading without indicating whether levels are rising or falling. If insulin boluses are injected when sugars are high but actually falling, a serious hypoglycemic event requiring hospitalization could transpire. The model will take into account a number of variables such as insulin dose, blood sugar level, food intake (grams of carbohydrates), calories consumed, food timing, physical activity, type of activity, duration of activity, time of day, day of week and historical blood sugar readings. These explicit and tacit knowledge variables will guide the creation of the predictive model. The goal of the research is to tighten the control of blood sugar range which typically means reducing the running average of blood sugar level readings and reducing high and low readings. The theoretical basis for the study rests with Nonaka and Takeuchi’s Spiral Process Theory of Knowledge which will guide the creation of the model. This knowledge-based, technology-leveraged approach has the goal of greater adherence to self-controlled diabetes management through tacit and explicit knowledge conversion and internalization.
 
Formative Research to Identify Barriers to Completing Prenatal Care Services in HIV-Positive Communities in Rural South India
 
Principal Investigator: Dr. Vishnu-Priya Sneller, College of Health Sciences
Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Raghu Korripati, School of Management
Grant Amount: $20,000
Project Abstract: The study proposes to use qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the prenatal services available to women in rural India. In collaboration with a local non-government agency that provides HIV prevention services in three different settings in Andhra-Pradesh. Participants will be residents from communities where HIV is known to be present. Participating communities will be identified by locating HIV-positive women who were lost to follow-up during the third trimester of pregnancy and missed an opportunity to prevent perinatal transmission of HIV. The project proposes to use qualitative and quantitative methods to identify barriers to prenatal care and health status of HIV-positive women who were lost to follow-up. Qualitative methods will use focus groups and non-structured interviews. The quantitative method will use structured interviews. Focus groups composed of women 16 years and older and couples from these communities will inform the development of communication messages and print material promoting prenatal care. Focus groups will also be used to develop the questionnaire, which will be used for individual interviews. Women 16 years and older from these communities will participate voluntarily in the structured individual interviews. Univariate and logistic regression models will be used to describe the barriers to prenatal care and risk for HIV infections in these communities.
 
About the Faculty Research Initiative Grant
The Faculty Research Initiative Grant program is open to all faculty who have been employed by Walden for a minimum of six months. Grant funds can be used to support pilot research projects and small-scale research studies, and to supplement new areas of investigation that are spin-off studies or sub-studies of larger ongoing research projects.    

Walden Community News

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

Dr. Lorraine Cleeton and Dr. Gil Cleeton, faculty members in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, published Controlling the Levees of the Mind (Adaptability, 2009).
 
Erikson Daniel Conkling, a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration student, has begun a faculty professor of social and behavioral sciences position at the Logansport, Ind., campus of Ivy Tech Community College.
 
Todd Daniel, a Ph.D. in Psychology student, was awarded the 2009 Best Student Poster Presentation for his poster, "On Thin Ice: Listening to Methamphetamine Users in the Ozarks," at the Walden University summer residency held at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
 
Jacqueline Derby, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, presented “Second Life: What Type of Professional Development Is Available?” at the 30th Annual National Educational Computing Conference in Washington, DC, on June 30, 2009.

Dr. Nicholas Johns, a faculty member in the College of Management and Technology, co-published “Building Reflective Practitioners on Business Programmes: An Action Research Study” in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education.
 
Dr. Bernice Kennedy, a faculty member in the College of Health Sciences, published “Psychosocial Model: Racism as a Predictor of Adherence and Compliance to Treatment and Health Outcomes Among African Americans” (Journal of Theory Construction & Testing, Vol. 13, No. 1, 2009).
 
Dr. Anthony Leisner, a faculty member in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, co-published “Alleviating Poverty: A Macro/Micro Marketing Perspective” in Macromarketing (Sage Publications, 2009).

Dr. Jason Seacat, a faculty member in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, co-published two articles: “Dental Students Treating Patients Living With HIV/AIDS: The Influence of Attitudes and HIV Knowledge” (Journal of Dental Education, Vol. 73, Issue 4, 2009) and “Stereotype Threat and the Exercise/Dietary Health Intentions of Overweight Women” (Journal of Health Psychology, May 2009).
 
Dr. Carl Sheperis, a faculty member in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, co-published Counseling Research: Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Methods (Pearson, 2010).
 
Dr. Jeff Snodgrass, a faculty member in the College of Health Sciences, co-published “Faculty Perceptions of Occupational Therapy Program Directors' Leadership Styles and Outcomes of Leadership” in the Journal of Allied Health (Vol. 37, 2008).
 
Dr. Janice Spangenburg, a faculty member in the College of Management and Technology, co-published “Leadership and the Future: Gen Y Workers and Two-Factor Theory” in the September 2009 issue of The Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge.

Walden awards faculty with research grants (pt. 2)

To support research that leads to real-world solutions, Walden University awarded four faculty members and six faculty teams the 2009 Faculty Research Initiative Grant, totaling $139,500. This year’s grants support research projects ranging from determining the predictors of prejudice to identifying prenatal-care barriers in rural south Indian HIV-positive communities. With the goal of supporting excellence in scholarly work, the grant program helps fund select faculty research projects that are deemed exceptional in merit. The grants provide seed money for the development of faculty research agendas.
 
Walden University congratulates the following individuals and research teams for their standout projects:

Utilization of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Title I, Part A Stimulus Funds: Translations of Federal, State and District Policy to Action
 
Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Phyllis Durden, The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership
Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Paula Dawidowicz, The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership
Grant Amount: $18,000
Project Abstract: It is unclear how local districts interpret local guidelines for the use of federal funding and, as a result, the impact those funds have on students’ performance and/or school climate. With the introduction of the short-term, nonrenewable American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Policy, and economic stimulus funds for Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), understanding the factors impacting interpretation of these initiatives, their implementation and their ultimate educational impact becomes particularly important to ensure the funds’ impacts are maximized. The purpose of the proposed research is to conduct a multiple case study of the implementation process of those stimulus funds allocated for school improvement in terms of the selections made for utilization of funds. The independent variables are the school improvement initiatives funded by the ARRA Title I, Part A funds. The intervening variables are the socioeconomic level (as measured by the Free and Reduced Price Lunch percentage) and the cultural attitudes in the locations. The dependent variables are student achievement and school climate. Data sources will include several annual government reports and archived data, surveys and interviews. Analysis will be accomplished through use of both SPSS and NVivo software and will include ANOVA, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis of quantitative data and open coding and axial coding to identify themes and patterns in qualitative data, as well as integration of quantitative and qualitative data, to draw overall conclusions. Through this research, greater understanding of the funding to implementation process, intervening factors and potential results of short-term funding in Title I, Part A programs can develop and, as a result, refinement of policy and process can occur.
 
Evaluating the Impact of Community Leadership: Researching Leadership Development Outcomes
 
Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Janice Garfield, The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership
Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Kurt Schoch, The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership
Grant Amount: $18,500
Project Abstract: Community-based leadership development projects exist in many communities, small and large, across the United States and in other countries. Recent literature, such as the 2002 report of research sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation, attempted to discern the impact of community-based leadership development programs. Sogunro’s (1997) study of a leadership development program in Alberta, Canada showed increases in leadership knowledge and behavior for participants in a rural leadership education program, based on responses from recent and long-term graduates. The purpose of this research is to expand on previous work and compare and contrast three existing leadership development initiatives (Leadership New Haven [Conn.], Leadership Johnson County [Ind.] and Leadership Lynchburg [Va.]) to identify key factors in their success and overall impact. This project also expands the related research presented at the Walden University Poster Session conducted at the January 2009 residency and faculty meeting titled “Evaluating the Impact of Community Leadership.”
 
This multiple case-study research will use elements of the CIPP (Context Input Process Product) model of program evaluation, while using the structure and core values of the Baldrige National Quality Program (BNQP) as a conceptual framework. Sources of data will include interviews (with leadership development program participants, planners and stakeholders), observations of program activities, and document review (program materials, needs assessments, educational materials and program evaluations). This approach combines Yin’s concepts of using case studies in evaluation research for both explanation of “presumed causal links” and description of “an intervention and the real-life context in which it” occurs. Data analysis will include description, development of categories and naturalistic generalizations to identify and compare causal links.
 
The aim of this research is to expand the scope of existing community leadership development program evaluation, focusing on the impact of such programs regionally and globally. With the current economic concerns and expanding global markets, even small markets (towns, counties) are becoming concerned about adopting a global perspective. This affects the sustainability of local economies, as they strive to be competitive in a larger, more global economy.
 
Examining Resilience Factors for a Transsexual Woman of Mexican Heritage
 
Principal Investigator: Dr. Stacee Reicherzer, School of Counseling and Social Service
Grant Amount: $9,000
Project Abstract: This single case study will examine resilience factors in the life of a transsexual woman of Mexican ethnic origin who works as a drag performer in an urban area of south Texas. The study’s aim will be to explore real-world examples of marginalization, social opprobrium, strength and resiliency for the purpose of improving community-based intervention and prevention efforts that address suicidality for transgender women of color. Data will be collected through personal interviews with the participant, direct and indirect observations of her drag performances and a review of the artifacts of her life that reveal her story of resilience. Results will be analyzed using NVivo 8 through the use of two case study methods: direct interpretation, in which a single event is reviewed numerous times for the purpose of understanding its importance; and categorical aggregation, in which numbers of specific occurrences are recorded and analyzed. Findings from this research would assist the development of better counseling and human services for the transgender community, potentially resulting in a reduction in transgender suicide rates through the use of evidence-based interventions.
 

Walden web site receives "Excellence Award"

I am pleased to share the exciting news that Walden University’s newly re-designed Web site received the 2009 University Standard of Excellence Award from the Web Marketing Association (WMA).

The WMA’s annual WebAward Competition has been setting the standard of excellence for Web site development since 1997. Independent expert judges from around the world reviewed sites in 96 industries and 47 countries. The entries were judged based on design, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation, ease of use, and use of technology. Judges evaluated sites against an ever-increasing Internet standard of quality and against peer sites within the candidates’ sectors.

The redesigned home page offers new, user-friendly tools intended to make navigating and exploring the Walden site an easier, more enjoyable experience for visitors. In addition, this student-centered redesign helps prospective students understand the Walden difference of providing innovative learning, effective programs, dedicated support, and a vibrant student community.

Congratulations to my co-workers!This award reflects their hard work and reinforces Walden’s commitment to providing a high-quality experience for everyone in our community.

Walden awarding $5,000 grants during American Education Week

On Nov. 19, 2009, The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University will  honor schools and educators across the nation with its campaign in support of the National Education Association’s (NEA) Educator for a Day program. Walden will award $5,000 grants to three P–12 schools that host Educator for a Day events as part of the nationwide celebration of NEA’s American Education Week, to be observed Nov. 15–21, 2009.

 “Over the three years of the program, we have been inspired by the hundreds of creative and thoughtful nominations we have received, and by the commitment and vision of the educators who apply for these grants. Walden University, with our rich teacher-education legacy, celebrates and supports the valuable difference educators make in young lives every day,” said Victoria Reid, vice president of The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.

Teachers who want to nominate their schools must complete a nomination form that consists of short essay questions about their profession, the importance of teachers’ duties, why their school should receive a Walden Educator for a Day grant and what their school would do with the grant. Three schools will be selected by a panel familiar with the issues currently facing P–12 teachers and administrators. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 28, 2009.
      
 Winning schools will officially receive their grants on Nov. 19, 2009. Grants must be used for educational purposes, such as school supplies or educational activities. In addition, recipient schools will be required to arrange for at least one aspiring educator to shadow a teacher during Educator for a Day events. 

Walden created the Educator for a Day grant initiative in 2007, and because of its impact on the honored schools and teachers and its success around the country, it was repeated in 2008. Last year’s winning schools—Eastlawn Elementary School in Pascagoula, Miss.; East Auburn Community School in Auburn, Maine; and West View Elementary School, Burlington, Wash.—were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by faculty and administrators nationwide.

24 State Teachers of the Year Enroll at Walden University

Twenty-four of America’s top educators who were selected as Teacher of the Year in their states have chosen to enroll at Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership to pursue a graduate degree in education. The two dozen Walden Teacher of the Year scholars currently enrolled at the university come from across the United States, representing 18 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Department of Defense Education Activity.

Each year, Teacher of the Year honorees are recognized nationally after a rigorous selection process, which varies by state, and a validation of his or her abilities in the classroom. Walden’s programs allow the honorees to work toward earning their master’s or doctoral degree in education online while meeting their classroom and Teacher of the Year responsibilities. 

“Walden University has a nearly 40-year legacy of educating educators and, in fact,  a number of our alumni have been honored as State Teacher of the Year award winners in the past. We feel privileged to have some of our nation’s finest teachers as a part of the Walden community of learners,” said Victoria Reid, vice president of The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.

Teacher of the Year scholars currently enrolled in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University are:

* Alabama State Teacher of the Year 2008—Pamela Harman  
* Guam Teacher of the Year 2008—Ronald Canos
* Indiana Teacher of the Year 2009—Tania Harman 
* Iowa Teacher of the Year 2008—Andrew Mogle
* Kentucky Teacher of the Year 2008—Chandra Emerson
* Louisiana Teacher of the Year 2008—Laurie Carlton
* Louisiana Teacher of the Year 2009—Deborah Tonguis
* Massachusetts Teacher of the Year 2008—Michael Flynn
* Missouri Teacher of the Year 2008—Eric Langhorst
* Montana Teacher of the Year 2008—Steve Gardiner
* Nebraska Teacher of the Year 2008—Mary Schlieder
* Nevada Teacher of the Year 2008—LeAnn Morris
* New Hampshire Teacher of the Year 2009—Deborah Fogg
* Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year 2008—David Woten
* South Carolina Teacher of the Year 2007—Jennifer "Buffy" Murphy
* South Carolina Teacher of the Year 2008—AnnMarie Taylor
* Tennessee Teacher of the Year 2009—LuaJean Bryan
* Virginia Teacher of the Year 2008—Thomas Smigiel Jr.
* Washington, D.C., Teacher of the Year 2008—Kathleen Sheehy
* Washington, D.C., Teacher of the Year 2009—Kimberly Worthy
* Washington Teacher of the Year 2008—Laura Jones
* West Virginia Teacher of the Year 2008—Eric Kincaid
* Wisconsin Teacher of the Year 2008—Beth Oswald
* Department of Defense Education Activity’s Teacher of the Year 2008—Cathleen Marziali

Voting is OPEN for the Walden Scholars of Change Video Contest

Public voting for the winning entries in Walden University’s Scholars of Change video contest began last week. Walden students and graduates created and submitted videos on how a Walden University degree will change their lives and empower them to personally effect positive social change. Grand prize winners will receive $5,000 plus an additional $2,500 from Walden to donate to their favorite charities.

The video contest kicked off this summer when Walden invited students and graduates to submit a short video on how Walden has helped them to make a positive change in their career, their life, or the lives of others. In response, more than 90 current students and graduates created videos, sharing compelling stories about how their learning experience at Walden has impacted their lives and the lives of those around them.

Public viewing and voting on the 40 selected video finalists is OPEN. You may vote once per day for multiple videos. Voting ends this Friday, October 9th at 3 p.m.

Grand prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

Walden's Social Entrepreneurship conference featuring Cheryl Dorsey and Michele Jolin

Walden’s fifth annual Social Change Conference, Social Entrepreneurship: Taking Action, Leading Change, has two phenomenal featured speakers this year:

Cheryl Dorsey—President, Echoing Green presents “Be a Social Change Agent through Cross-Sector Collaboration"

An accomplished social entrepreneur with expertise in health care, labor issues, and public policy, Cheryl Dorsey was named President of Echoing Green in May 2002. She is the first Echoing Green Fellow to lead this global nonprofit, which has awarded more than $28 million in start-up capital to over 450 social entrepreneurs worldwide since 1987.

Dorsey received her education at Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges where she earned a degree in history and science in 1985. In 1992, while training to be a pediatrician at Harvard Medical School, she received an Echoing Green Fellowship. With it, she launched the Family Van, a community-based mobile health unit that provides basic health care and outreach services to at-risk residents of inner-city Boston neighborhoods.

As a public policy innovator, Cheryl served as a White House Fellow from 1997-1998, serving as Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Labor, advising the Clinton Administration on health care and other issues. She was later named Special Assistant to the Director of the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Labor Department, where she helped develop family-friendly workplace policies and spearheaded the labor secretary’s pay equity initiative.

Cheryl was most recently appointed Vice-Chair of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, after serving as a team member of the Innovation and Civil Society subgroup of the Obama Presidential Transition's Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform Policy Working Group. Cheryl serves on the board of City Year (national), DonorsChoose.org, and Freelancers Insurance Company, Inc., a for-profit insurance company and subsidiary of Working Today. She also serves as an advisory board member of the Action Tank for Social Entrepreneurs, America Forward, and the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation. Dorsey is a 2006 Henry Crown Fellow through the Aspen Institute, a 2007 Prime Movers Fellow through the Hunt Alternatives Fund, and a member of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Visiting Committee.

Cheryl has received numerous awards and honors for her commitment to public service, including the John C. Whitehead Social Enterprise Award, Pfizer Roerig History of Medicine Award, the Robert Kennedy Distinguished Public Service Award and the Manuel C. Carballo Memorial Prize. She holds a B.A. in History and Science from Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges, an M.D. from the Harvard Medical School and an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. She writes and speaks widely on minority affairs, social justice, social entrepreneurship, and maternal and child health issues.

Michele Jolin—White House Senior Advisor for Social Innovation for the Domestic Policy Council presents “Government’s Role in Partnering with Social Entrepreneurs”

Michele Jolin is a senior advisor for social innovation for the Domestic Policy Council at The White House. Before joining the White House, Ms. Jolin was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where she led the Center's presidential transition effort and co-edited the book Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President. While at CAP, she also developed proposals for ways that the federal government can create a better policy climate for social entrepreneurship, including a proposal to create a White House Office of Social Innovation.

Ms. Jolin also was a senior vice president at Ashoka, launching and managing several global initiatives to build the global network of Ashoka Fellows. In addition, Ms. Jolin served for four years as chief of staff for former President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers. She also worked as a legislative counsel for Senator Boxer on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. 

Walden is honored to have such women of distinction, action and change joining us this year. Click here to attend the event in person or click here to attend virtually.

An accomplished social entrepreneur with expertise in health care, labor issues, and public policy, Cheryl Dorsey was named President of Echoing Green in May 2002. She is the first Echoing Green Fellow to lead this global nonprofit, which has awarded more than $28 million in start-up capital to over 450 social entrepreneurs worldwide since 1987.

Dorsey received her education at Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges where she earned a degree in history and science in 1985. In 1992, while training to be a pediatrician at Harvard Medical School, she received an Echoing Green Fellowship. With it, she launched the Family Van, a community-based mobile health unit that provides basic health care and outreach services to at-risk residents of inner-city Boston neighborhoods.

As a public policy innovator, Cheryl served as a White House Fellow from 1997-1998, serving as Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Labor, advising the Clinton Administration on health care and other issues. She was later named Special Assistant to the Director of the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Labor Department, where she helped develop family-friendly workplace policies and spearheaded the labor secretary’s pay equity initiative.

Cheryl was most recently appointed Vice-Chair of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, after serving as a team member of the Innovation and Civil Society subgroup of the Obama Presidential Transition's Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform Policy Working Group. Cheryl serves on the board of City Year (national), DonorsChoose.org, and Freelancers Insurance Company, Inc., a for-profit insurance company and subsidiary of Working Today. She also serves as an advisory board member of the Action Tank for Social Entrepreneurs, America Forward, and the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation. Dorsey is a 2006 Henry Crown Fellow through the Aspen Institute, a 2007 Prime Movers Fellow through the Hunt Alternatives Fund, and a member of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Visiting Committee.

Cheryl has received numerous awards and honors for her commitment to public service, including the John C. Whitehead Social Enterprise Award, Pfizer Roerig History of Medicine Award, the Robert Kennedy Distinguished Public Service Award and the Manuel C. Carballo Memorial Prize. She holds a B.A. in History and Science from Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges, an M.D. from the Harvard Medical School and an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. She writes and speaks widely on minority affairs, social justice, social entrepreneurship, and maternal and child health issues.

Michele Jolin—White House Senior Advisor for Social Innovation for the Domestic Policy Council presents “Government’s Role in Partnering with Social Entrepreneurs”

Michele Jolin is a senior advisor for social innovation for the Domestic Policy Council at The White House. Before joining the White House, Ms. Jolin was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where she led the Center's presidential transition effort and co-edited the book Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President. While at CAP, she also developed proposals for ways that the federal government can create a better policy climate for social entrepreneurship, including a proposal to create a White House Office of Social Innovation.

Ms. Jolin also was a senior vice president at Ashoka, launching and managing several global initiatives to build the global network of Ashoka Fellows. In addition, Ms. Jolin served for four years as chief of staff for former President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers. She also worked as a legislative counsel for Senator Boxer on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. 

Walden is honored to have such women of distinction, action and change joining us this year. Click here to attend the event in person or click here to attend virtually.

Walden Nursing faculty member named a Top 10 American Business Woman

Dr. Janice Unruh Davidson, graduate nursing core coordinator for Walden University’s School of Nursing, has been named a Top Ten American Business Woman by the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). The Top Ten is the highest honor awarded to ABWA members.
 
Davidson, the current Woman of the Year for the Mississippi Council of ABWA, was previously selected as Woman of the Year for her local chapter of ABWA. She was selected from nearly 100 leading businesswomen nationwide for the “Forever Ten” distinction.
 
The mission of ABWA is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition.
 
Since 2006, Davidson has owned and operated a private consulting firm that specializes in health care research, informatics and statistical analysis as well as market segment research. In this capacity, she additionally serves as consultant and grant writer to a number of national organizations. Davidson earned her Ph.D. in nursing from Texas Woman’s University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from Wichita State University. In addition, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship as a family nurse practitioner at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.
 
Davidson maintains national board certification as a nurse informaticist, nurse executive and family nurse practitioner. She has 30 years of nursing practice experience with 18 years of higher education experience—having earned tenure at all three institutions where she served during those years in nursing administrative roles—and 12 years of advanced practice experience.
 
As a faculty member, she has been recognized with various awards including outstanding institutional service, national teaching excellence and outstanding scholarship. Davidson was named the first Nurse Researcher of the Year at the inaugural Mississippi Nurses Association Nightingale Awards Gala and was named as a fellow of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Executive Academic Leadership Program. She has received a number of recognitions from Sigma Theta Tau, including the International Newsletter Award for Layout and Design Excellence and the Pinnacle Award for Research Dissemination. Davidson is internationally recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP).
 
Over the last decade, Dr. Davidson’s scholarship has been published by internationally recognized journals such as Nursing Administration Quarterly and the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has been further cited in such journals as the Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, the Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Professional Case Management and Clinical Excellence for Nurse Practitioners. Davidson has also authored a textbook chapter for Health Promotion in Communities: Holistic and Wellness Approaches with her work further cited in classroom textbooks such as Advanced Practice Nursing: An Integrative Approach and Primary Care of the Child with a Chronic Condition.
 
Davidson has directed nearly 60 doctoral dissertations and theses in addition to over 60 graduate evidence-based practice projects in nursing and currently serves as an international mentor through Sigma Theta Tau and FAANP.

Walden Community News

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

Meg E. Infiorati, a Ph.D. in Psychology student, was selected to receive a Family Liaison Office Professional Development Fellowship from the U.S. State Department, a grant that will allow her to further her studies with Walden University. She also published the article, “Emergency Management Planning Challenges in Nepal,” in the June–July 2009 issue of PA Times.
 
Sonya Jackson, a Doctor of Education student, was selected to fill the newly created assistant superintendent position in the Hernando County School District, Hernando County, Fla.
 
Dr. Alana James, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, co-published the book Participatory Action Research for Educational Leadership: Using Data-Driven Decision Making to Improve Schools (Sage, 2008).
 
Sharon Jumper, a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration student, has accepted a visiting faculty appointment from Wenzhou University in Zhejiang, China, for the fall 2009 term.
 
Jamie Kenney, a Ph.D. in Psychology student, was invited to present a poster on her dissertation proposal and anticipated results at the European Brief Therapy Association Conference in Helsinki, Finland, Sept. 4–6, 2009.
 
Dr. Cheryle Levitt, a faculty member in the School of Nursing, recently co-published two research papers in the area of online nursing education: “Role-Playing: Engaging the Online Student” (Journal of Nursing Education) and “Constructivist Strategies in Online Distance Education in Nursing” (Journal of Nursing Education). The second article was co-authored with two other Walden faculty members, Dr. Timothy Legg and Dr. Dale Mueller.
 
Dr. Steven Little, a faculty member in the School of Psychology, received the Jack Bardon Distinguished Service Award, presented by Division 16 of the American Psychological Association. The award is given to those who have been deemed to have consistently demonstrated voluntary professional service that goes above and beyond the requirements of the position the person holds and who have demonstrated an exceptional program of service across a career that merits special recognition.
 
Rafael E. Matos, a Ph.D. in Psychology student, was elected to the board of directors of the Military Operations Research Society during the society’s annual symposium held at the Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., June 16–18, 2009.
 
Dr. Scott McDoniel, a faculty member in the College of Health Sciences, published the article, “Employing RMR Technology in a 90-Day Weight Control Program” in Obesity Facts: The European Journal of Obesity (2008: Vol. 1, Issue 6).
 
Dr. John Nirenberg, a faculty member in the School of Management, was reappointed to the editorial board of Today's Manager (through 2011).

Walden Award Recipient: Michelle Watson ’08, Ph.D. in Psychology

Michelle Watson is a licensed professional counselor with a private practice in Oregon, as well as an adjunct professor at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. Watson, who earned a Ph.D. in Psychology, has focused her research on the impact of forgiveness on the symptoms of eating disorders. In nominating Watson, her dissertation committee chair, Dr. Rebecca Jobe, said Watson's work “forged a new area of research within eating disorder therapy, one that bridges an important gap among social psychological, health, and counseling approaches to treatment.”

How did you begin your work with eating disorders?
I’ve had an eating disorder and I have a sister who had anorexia, so I come to this with a personal passion. I started my own counseling journey as a client, when I was 29, at the tail end of my eating disorder. After coming through healing, I wanted to turn around and walk with other women (and some men) through their own process. I’ve had a private practice in counseling for 10 years.

How did you discover the importance of forgiveness in eating disorder therapy?
In my classes at Walden, I was drawn to looking at different aspects of eating disorders. Then one of my former professors from Lewis and Clark asked me to participate in a forgiveness project. I never did the project, but it spurred my thinking. I discovered that the toxic effects on health from an eating disorder are almost identical to the toxic effects on health from lack of forgiveness. I thought, there’s got to be a link, but no one has ever linked them.

How would you describe the relationship between the two?
My favorite definition of forgiveness is letting go, and women with eating disorders don’t like to let go, because a large part is about control. I decided to focus more on forgiveness of the self, rather than forgiveness of the other. Looking at a subscale of symptoms from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3), my research revealed a 42% correlation between unforgiveness of the self and a drive for thinness, a 30% correlation between unforgiveness of the self and body dissatisfaction, and an 18% correlation between unforgiveness of the self and bulimia.

What’s the most important thing to keep in mind when trying to help someone you suspect has an eating disorder?
If you’re a parent, remember that eating disorders are not about food. Oftentimes, that’s where parents’ focus will be—nagging about not eating. And I love the saying, “Rules without relationship equals rebellion.” Eating disorders are not just a label; they’re not just a diagnosis. They’re a person who is hurting and who needs extra amounts of love, not extra amounts of rules. If you’re a friend, address what you’re noticing in a loving way, and expect there to be denial. Say the truth of what you’re seeing, but in love, not in judgment.

If someone thinks they themselves might have an eating disorder, what should they do?
One starting point is to get information about what an eating disorder looks like, so you can evaluate yourself in relation to that. The National Eating Disorders Association is a good resource.

What are you working on now?
I want to heighten awareness so people can get the help they need. In addition to giving presentations and publishing articles on my research, I’ve written handouts to equip other colleagues in the field with better resources to treat eating disorder clients. And I’ve recently been asked to be an auxiliary board member of FINDINGbalance, a national faith-based organization dedicated to helping people with eating disorders.

Walden Student: Michael Flynn, Massachusetts Teacher of the Year (2008)

Walden University is proud to have more than 20 state teachers of the year—including Michael Flynn, education doctoral student—currently working toward advanced degrees at its Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.
 
The children in Michael Flynn’s class at William E. Norris Elementary School in Southampton, Massachusetts, aren’t just second graders—they’re TV stars. Several times a year, Flynn’s students find it hard to enter the cafeteria without other students asking them for their autographs. So it goes when your teacher has you make a video report on every unit you finish, and then broadcasts the 40-minute production (on subjects like weather or life in the polar regions) to the whole school.
 
Flynn, who studied video production in college, calls his student-actors “The Flynnsters.” With a little guidance from him, they break up into teams and write comedy sketches, do standup routines, or imitate the evening news. Flynn shows them how to make virtual backdrops using a green-screen, and then edits the pieces together, adding in sound and special effects. The only thing more impressive than the production value is the pint-sized actors’ enthusiasm.
 
Often, his students become so fascinated with the experience of seeing themselves in such high quality videos that they watch—and re-watch—the shows to the point that they learn them by heart. “It just helps them get deeper and deeper into it,” says Flynn. “I work really hard to make everything I teach really engaging. For instance, my kids think I eat and live and dream spelling, because I get so excited about it. But that’s what you have to do to get them excited.”
 
Flynn’s road to teaching began with an episode that seems straight out of The Wonder Years. When he broke his arm in the fifth grade, the principal suggested that he come to his office and read instead of going to recess. A class clown, Flynn had often been disciplined by his principal, but he got to see another side of him during these recess sessions. “He had me read The Indian in the Cupboard to him. We made a promise that we’d start it and finish it together, but he passed away before we got to the last chapter,” Flynn says. In graduate school, he broke the promise and finally finished the book. It was then that he realized how formative that experience had been: “I thought about how much time he’d given me. He really cared.”
 
That principal’s interest in him, and his commitment to finding a way to make the young Flynn feel both important and interested in learning, informs all of Flynn’s scholastic efforts, be it raising Atlantic salmon with his second graders, teaching future teachers at Westfield State College, or partnering with special education instructors to create goals that are specific to each student—not just benchmarks set by the state.

“If you’re passionate about something and you bring that into the classroom, then you’re helping to create buzz and energy, and that’s so important,” says Flynn. “I’ve had teachers say that it’s nice that I do what I do, but they can’t do anything like that because they teach older kids who need to worry about testing. I don’t buy that argument—my kids will have to take the state tests, too, but I want them to enjoy the process of learning. That’s what’s going to keep them engaged as they grow.”

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New issue of Walden Alumni Magazine

In July 2009, Walden University published the seventh issue of its award-winning Walden Alumni Magazine.
 
The cover story, “Five Ways to Publish Your Book,” is a practical guide to determining which type of publishing best suits one’s research. Standard practices of trade, textbook, scholarly, niche and self-publishing are compared, and published Walden authors offer tips from their own experiences.
 
“The Transgender Professional” examines the challenges that transgender individuals face negotiating their professional spheres. In the article, Walden faculty, students and staff share personal stories and discuss how organizations can create equal, safe and supportive workplaces.
 
In “Faculty Insights,” recipients of the 2009 Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence answer questions about preparing Walden students for careers in mental health. In “Meet the Faculty,” Dr. Sara Torres, associate dean of the School of Nursing, discusses her research on domestic violence.
 
In “Alumni Insights,” three Walden alumni offer practical tips in their areas of expertise.

“Starting Up: How to get a small business loan in tough economic times”
“Softening Up a Tough Audience: How to be a dynamic presenter”
“For the Greater Good: How to serve on a nonprofit board”

There are also “Lifelong Learners” articles about graduates who have returned to Walden for a second degree:

Laura Ybarra, who earned a Master of Science in Nursing and is now pursuing a Master of Public Health
Michael Cox, who earned an M.S. in Psychology and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology

The current issue and archives are available here.

Walden Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Souror Baetjer, 00

“As a nurse, I don’t believe anything else on Earth is as important as our health,” says Dr. Souror (Sourri) Baetjer. “You can be the richest man or woman on Earth or have the best education, but if you’ve lost your health, you’ve lost everything.”

Baetjer, recipient of Walden’s 2008 Outstanding Alumni Award, described her vision for total health when accepting her award: “Total health is an overall, inclusive umbrella covering physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, and occupational health. It helps us sustain happiness and success in whatever we endeavor to achieve in our lives. The importance of total health should be respected and promoted, not only for the benefit of the individual, but also to help lower health care costs and reduce the heartbreak of sickness.”

Born in Iran, Baetjer studied and taught practical nursing before coming to the United States through an RN exchange program in 1970, when she was 25 years old. At the end of Baetjer’s exchange year, the hospital offered her a job if she passed the test for a nursing license. She also met the man who was to become her husband. She ended up staying in the United States, and, “because of the politics, I haven’t seen my home country since 1973.”

Baetjer has held a range of positions across the health care arena—in hospitals,  schools, nursing homes, and business. “I’m a person who wants to get experience in every area,” she explains. In 1983, she began working as an assistant professor at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in Somerville, N.J. In her current position of assistant dean for corporate and continuing education, she has developed an exemplary continuing-education allied health program from the ground up.

Along the way, Baetjer earned a B.S. in health care administration and a master’s in health education before earning her Ph.D. in Health Services from Walden University in 2000. In her award acceptance speech, she noted: “Walden University has made a difference in my work, my community, and my personal life by giving me the tools to promote total health.”

“Advancing an education elevates your knowledge and skills,” she says of earning a Ph.D. “And the social change mission of Walden expanded my ideas of how to reach not only the younger generation, but anyone else about health and education. You develop so many contacts with people who are experts in the field.”

Now, in her role as assistant dean, Baetjer shares her expertise at conferences, prepares students for state and national certification examinations, advises prospective students and others about health and allied health careers, and continues to teach courses. The credential of a Ph.D., she says, gives her more credibility in this role: “People look at you a little differently [and] listen to what you’re saying better.”

Throughout her career, she has focused on wellness and disease prevention, which she says should take priority over treatment. “As a nurse, I believe in the value of medical interventions; however, medication and surgery should not be our first choices. We need to get away from the quick fix and take responsibility for our own health. As the saying goes, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment.’”

Baetjer believes that taking responsibility for one’s health requires knowledge that can only come from comprehensive and coordinated health education for all, beginning in nursery school and continuing throughout life.

“We want miracles, but miracles are not going to happen until we realize that we need continuous health education throughout life,” Baetjer says. “We know that no one is going to be an expert in English or math or history in a short period of time, but we don’t think that way about health. Three to six weeks in a year in high school is not going to give students enough knowledge to achieve total health.”

Sometimes the task of providing this education seems overwhelming to Baetjer, but she is dedicated to making a difference. She explains: “One thing my father always said was, ‘You are the world, and you have to do everything in your power to make the world a better place.’”

Walden Student: Buffy Murphy, South Carolina Teacher of the Year (2007)

Walden University is proud to have more than 20 state teachers of the year—including Buffy Murphy, education doctoral student—currently working toward advanced degrees at its Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.
 
What makes a perfect student? If you ask Buffy Murphy, a fifth grade language arts teacher at Irmo Elementary School in Irmo, South Carolina, you won’t get one answer to that question. In Murphy’s class, no two students are the same—each is perfect in his or her own way.

“That unconditional love you have for your own children,” says Murphy, “you have to have that for your students, too. They have to know that even if they mess up, you’ll still believe in them. When they sometimes slip up and call me ‘Mom,’ I feel like it’s the biggest compliment I can receive.”

Murphy originally planned to become a pediatric nurse, but during an internship at a hospital in her junior year of college, she saw how easy it was to become attached to kids—and the chance of losing one to leukemia was too much for her to bear. While exploring different parts of the hospital, she found the classroom. “I saw these kids come to life,” she says. “They forgot about being sick and attached to tubes. That’s when I realized I really wanted to be a teacher.”

Murphy took the nurturing and caring attention she once thought she’d give to ailing children and transferred it to her students. “Every student knows that I see them as an individual,” she says.
 
Part of Walden’s appeal to Murphy was its focus on social change. In her work, she’s heard ample talk about the pros and cons of the No Child Left Behind act. In her view, it’s helped focus attention more evenly. “Before, our highs were very high and our lows were very low. It was easy for some kids to get lost,” says Murphy. However, the program still has its flaws. “The ideas are significant, but there are missing pieces. In the first No Child Left Behind, there were no educators at the table, and I think there should’ve been. Good teachers know that 100% of anything isn’t possible. You should see 100% growth, not necessarily 100% proficiency. They’re not robots. They’re kids.”

For Murphy, an individualized approach means catering curricula to fit the needs of each student. When Devin, a fifth grader and struggling reader, voiced concern about participating in a program where fifth graders aided first graders as “literacy buddies,” Murphy didn’t pressure him. “I said, ‘Well, you like history, so why don’t you be our class historian for this and take notes on how others are doing.’”

Murphy noticed that, over the weeks, her “historian’s” notes went from looking at all the first graders to focusing on just one student: Trey, a first grader who was having trouble concentrating. “I asked [Devin] about it, and he said, ‘Well, Trey is all over the place!’—which was funny, because this fifth grader was all over the place—‘He doesn’t use pictures to figure out what’s happening in a book.’

“By the project’s end, [Devin] said to me, ‘This whole time, I was supposed to be coaching, but I realized I wasn’t using the strategies that I was telling Trey to use …’” recalls Murphy. “Working with his strengths, he made his own decision to be part of the project. He used the opportunity to observe his own weaknesses. I felt very lucky to watch it all come full circle.”

Visit ConnectEd to read other education-related articles.

Walden Community News

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

Dr. Aqueil Ahmad, a faculty member in the School of Management, published an article, “Globalization of Nuclear Technology and Threat: Myth and Reality,” in the International Journal of Contemporary Sociology (2009: Vol. 46, Issue 1).
 
Dr. Kimberly Anderson, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, published War or Common Cause? A Critical Ethnography of Language Education Policy, Race and Cultural Citizenship (Information Age Publishing, 2009).
 
Dr. Amy Beddoe, a faculty member in the School of Nursing, recently co-published two articles: “Effects of Mindful Yoga on Sleep in Pregnant Women: A Pilot Study” (Biological Research for Nursing, in press) and “The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Yoga During Pregnancy on Maternal Psychological and Physical Distress” (Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, May–June 2009).
 
Dr. James Bowman, a faculty member in the School of Management, co-published the article, “To ‘Re-Hatch’ Public Employees or Not? An Ethical Analysis of the Relaxation of Restrictions on Political Activities in Civil Service,” in the February 2009 issue of Public Administration Review.
 
Vanessa Briscoe, who earned a Ph.D. in Health Services, has been named the recipient of the 2009 Davis-Galloway Empowerment Award by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Metropolitan Nashville Chapter. The award is given to recognize and honor women of color across Middle Tennessee who ascend to leadership through outstanding advocacy, effective networking and superlative community service. Briscoe is currently a research assistant and professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University.
 
Alex Camacho, a Ph.D. in Public Health student, will be presenting an abstract based on his dissertation’s research in a 15-minute session at the Society for Public Health Education 60th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pa., in November. His dissertation research was also accepted for oral presentation at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exposition in Philadelphia, in November.
 
Dr. Tom Cavanagh, a faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, published the article, “Creating Schools of Peace and Nonviolence in a Time of War and Violence,” in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of School Violence.

Walden Student: David Woten, Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year (2008)

Walden University is proud to have more than 20 state teachers of the year—including David Woten, education doctoral student—currently working toward advanced degrees at its Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.

Students in David Woten’s choir class at Carson Middle School in Pittsburgh aren’t just getting instruction on how to harmonize or read music: They’re learning that education doesn’t stop when the school day ends. “I don’t teach music,” says Woten. “I teach students through music.”

Woten brings a love of learning to everything he does, be it working with middle schoolers or exploring the workings of boats and car engines. “I don’t read books for pleasure, but give me a manual that will teach me how to do something …” he says. “The more things you know, the more things you experience, the better you teach.”

Before embarking on a career in teaching, Woten became unusually adept at fixing cars, thanks to his work as a diesel mechanic in the army. He’s applied that knowledge to one of his passions: Harley Davidson motorcycles. Another interest? Whitewater kayaking. When he’s not facing the rapids, he’s writing for kayaking magazines or teaching the basics of paddling to his two young sons.

In addition to showing his students the way in which his interests feed his love of learning, Woten inspires them to think about how their own pastimes can shape their lives.

“I want to help them see that there are a lot of things out there that we can get interested in, not only as hobbies, but also as careers,” he says. “It could be something as simple as seeing a photo of whitewater kayaking on my wall. That might lead to the thought of ‘Oh, I could be a wilderness photographer.’ Or ‘I wonder how engineers make paddles—maybe I could do that.’”

Music, of course, has long been a major focus of Woten’s life—he’s been playing guitar, trumpet, and drums since he was in grade school. He picked up those instruments not long after he first realized that school was a pretty great place to be. “My third grade teacher would give me extra worksheets so I could play school all summer,” he says.

Combining education and music was a natural choice, but part of what appealed to Woten about teaching choir is the way in which his classes transcends just notes on a page: Singing, he feels, can draw on elements from many different disciplines. “Music is based on math, so you make those connections,” he says. “We talk about the language of the lyrics and what it means to become a lyricist. I try to bring it all together in those ways.” There’s also the element of performance, which can have an effect on the way kids approach future obstacles. “When you stand up to sing alone in front of your peers, that’s scary,” he says. “But then you realize, ‘Hey, I’m going to be okay.’ The next time they have to speak publicly or go on an interview, they’ll think, ‘If I can sing in front of all my classmates, I can certainly do this.’”

Walden, Woten says, is giving him a chance to be reminded of what it’s like to be on the other side again. All students can find educative experiences in every aspect of their lives, but it’s not always so easy to put the rest of life on hold in order to be a student again. “The best thing for me, so far, has just been personal growth,” says Woten. “It’s getting me to think like a student again.”

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Walden Student: Laura Jones, Washington state Teacher of the Year (2008)

Walden University is proud to have more than 20 state teachers of the year—including Laura Jones, education doctoral student—currently working toward advanced degrees at its Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.
 
Last spring, students from Pasco High School in Pasco, Washington, were approached by Goodwill: The second-hand charity store wanted to know if the kids could help get the word out about the organization’s great clothing offerings. 
 
What followed was a blur of excitement and ingenuity. After several weeks of planning, the Pasco   students squared off against two other high schools in a Project Runway-style fashion competition at a local Barnes & Noble bookstore. The event, which they called “Fashion Literacy Rocks 2009,” culminated with models walking down runways in outfits that students from each school had made out of books and Goodwill items. The entire thing was conceived, advertised, and organized by the students—but none of it could have happened without the quiet leadership of one person: their marketing teacher, Laura Jones.
 
“Normally, kids are so programmed into thinking ‘What’s the answer?’ that they’re not creative in figuring things out,” says Jones. “I’ll point them in the right direction, but I want them to do the thinking.” Jones believes that marketing is one subject that can help students tie together a lot of various disciplines—something that, in her opinion, doesn’t happen enough in schools. “I wish subjects could be integrated more and that there could be more opportunity for collaboration between teachers. My kids are figuring out math equations all the time, so why aren’t the math teacher and I working together?”
 
In her first years out of college in the early 1990s, Jones toiled away as a publicist for technology companies. As successful as she was, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something missing. “I liked helping people get exposure for their products, but I wanted to help people in a way that felt more immediate,” she says. When a friend mentioned that Pasco High was looking for a new marketing teacher, she jumped at the opportunity—despite never having previously taught anyone but interns. 

“There was no curriculum. So, I did what I would’ve done in the business world: I sat the kids down and said ‘You are all here for a reason. What is it that you are here to learn?’” she says. “In that way, we designed the curriculum. That really helped me shape my philosophy of teaching. It’s not my class, it’s our class. We make decisions together, but they’re in charge of their own learning.”
 
This empowering approach has led to an endless stream of accolades from the harshest critics of all: her students. Graduates often contact her and tell her how much her class helped them figure out how to start their own businesses—or else aided them in their careers in ways that calculus never could.

“What does good customer service look like? That matters even if you’re going to be a dentist or a biologist. Everyone needs good marketing skills,” she says. Some kids have reached out to tell her how her mentorship guided their career choices, or encouraged them to go to college, or even gave them something to shift their focus away from violence and drugs.

“I think I can sometimes be that adult figure who can give positive feedback and help them make goals and see possibilities,” she says. “Having the ability to influence kids in that way—that’s one thing you can’t put a price tag on.”

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Walden Think+Up Case Study: Putting a Stake Into Vampire Power

It took the lights going out in her 27,000-square-foot facility for a light bulb to go off in Brenda MacDonald’s head.
 
“Suddenly, it was a lot cooler than when we had power,” says MacDonald, president and CEO of Coyle & Greer Awards Canada, an Ontario-based manufacturer of recognition awards such as lapel pins, medallions, and corporate jewelry, recalling the power failure in 2005 that forced her employees to work by natural light and without air conditioning. “Ding, ding—a bell went off for me that said, ‘Well, maybe if we keep the lights off, we’ll be cooler.” The energy-saving practice continues today: The overhead lights at Coyle & Greer Awards are rarely turned on in the summertime.

MacDonald is just one of an increasing number of business owners taking control of their energy consumption—and pursuing cost savings—by cutting off unnecessary lights and other power-hungry devices. Better still, the hunt to eliminate vampire power, also known as standby power—the electric power consumed by electronic appliances while they are switched off or in standby mode—is leading to even greater savings. Personal computers, printers, power adapters, cell phone chargers: They are all common business tools that consume power when they’re supposedly “off” in standby or ready mode. In fact, standby power accounts for 10% of U.S. residential electricity consumption, at a cost of more than $6 billion annually—a figure the U.S. Department of Energy estimates could rise by 20% by 2010 as more and more devices work their way into American homes. And in 2004, vampire power consumed almost 130 million MWh— equal to the output of 36 power plants.

But that’s not all. Generating all that electricity pumps millions of tons of CO2-equivalent emissions into the atmosphere every year, all for the convenience of not having to turn off your desktop computer during lunch breaks. What’s worse, companies wind up spending thousands of dollars a year on wasted energy. Consider this: Not turning off one desktop computer and leaving it in sleep mode can cost an additional $70 per year. Now multiply that figure by 1,000 for each employee working in a medium-sized company and that’s $70,000 in unnecessary expenses.

Fortunately, according to Bob Schildgen, saving the planet—and sparing your bottom line—is a lot easier than you think. Schildgen writes “Hey Mr. Green,” an environmental advice column for Sierra, the national magazine of the San Francisco-based environmental agency, Sierra Club. “Sure, we have to develop alternative sources of energy but the quickest and cheapest method of generating power is not to use so much,” says Schildgen, the self-proclaimed “Ann Landers of Environmentalism.”

The first step, he says, is conducting an energy audit of your company, which should give you a good idea of “the state of your energy consumption.” That’s because a certified energy auditor is qualified to assess how much energy your business consumes and evaluate what measures you can take to make your facility more energy efficient and reduce vampire power. An audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you substantial amounts of money over time. And audits may also determine the efficiency of your facility’s heating, cooling, and hot water systems.

Of course, if hiring an energy auditor is financially out of reach, you can perform a simple energy audit yourself. MacDonald, for example, undertook the task of assessing the use of Coyle & Greer’s energy-consuming air compressor, which runs the company’s hot stamping machines. “We found out that we only needed a 3-horsepower air compressor, so we switched and now keep the 10-horsepower compressor as a backup.”

Another discovery: The power-guzzling process of making castings for jewelry, which uses burn-out ovens, could be conducted just once a week rather than three times a week for greater energy efficiency. What’s more, MacDonald opted to switch “to a very small electric oven for our off-season so that it would use much less power.”

Identifying areas for energy improvement is one thing. The next step is creating policies that will guide and modify employees’ energy consumption practices. Encouraging workers to shut off their desktop and laptop computers when not in use, plugging devices such as printers and scanners into a single power bar that can be turned off with a flick of a switch, removing cell phone chargers from the wall—they are all good habits that employees should be encouraged to embrace.

Other vampire power-busting policies include “setting up computers to go into sleep mode when they’re not being used,” recommends Schildgen. “A lot of power is wasted simply by leaving the screen on.” In addition, Schildgen says companies should set thermostats no lower than 78 degrees in the summer and no higher than 68 degrees in the winter.

Still, establishing eco-friendly policies is a lot easier than enforcing them. “Most people really do want to use less energy,” says Schildgen. “They know it’s bad for the environment, they know it costs a lot of money, so a smart thing for a company to do would be to send out a memo on energy use and encourage employees to cut their usage.”

In addition, companies could point employees in the direction of reliable sources of information such as the U.S. government’s Energy Star website, which provides everything from online scorecards for measuring energy use to expert tips and strategies. In 2006 alone, the Energy Star program saved some $14 billion on Americans’ utility bills and helped avoid more than 35,000 megawatts of peak power demand.

Some companies are even taking steps to educate not only their employees but also their customers on the dangers of vampire power. Electronics giant Best Buy Co., for example, declared October 30 National Vampire Awareness Day. The nationwide campaign aims to educate Americans about the worst offenders of vampire power—namely, plasma TVs, computers, game consoles, and cell phone chargers.

While it’s true that “educating is a lot better than mandating,” Schildgen says the quickest way of convincing employees to put a stake through vampire power is to “show them how much money the company is saving.” That’s because demonstrating the cost benefits of reducing energy consumption is not only a morale boost for your workforce, but also proof of a company’s commitment to responsible financial and ecological practices. 

After all, asks MacDonald, “Do you really want to give your money to an electrical or gas company, or would you rather have that money for yourself to promote your company and pay your staff more?” MacDonald should know. She says she’s shaved 16% off of Coyle & Greer’s electrical bill—money that is now being used “to grow the business with sales and marketing initiatives and promoting our business.” Proof positive that ridding the planet of vampire power can do wonders for your bottom line.

To read more case studies, visit Think+Up.