NURSING SIMULATION LAB OPENS - Amazon Web …...Board of Nursing was provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and re ects the results of all rst-time NCLEX test

INSIDE:> COLLEGE EARNS NATIONAL PRESS

> ACCELERATED BSN GRADUATES EARN 100 PERCENT PASS RATE ON NATIONAL NURSING LICENSURE EXAM

> COLLEGE AND SAYLOR FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE OPEN COURSE COLLABORATION

> PAULA VAUGHAN BSBA ’90, MSM ’98

> STEVEN GREGOR ’09 AND JILL GREEN ’11 ON EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

NURSING SIMULATION LAB OPENS

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page C1

Invention is published quarterlyand is produced by the Office ofCommunications and the Officeof Institutional Marketing andPublications at Thomas Edison

State College.

DR. GEORGE A. PRUITTPresident

JOE GUZZARDOEditor

KAREN HUMEChief Marketing Officer

CHRIS MILLERArt Director

MEG FRANTZAssistant Director of Publications

KELLY SACCOMANNOLINDA SOLTIS

Contributing Editors

SPRING 2013What’s Inside

1 Message from the President

College News:2 � College Earns National Press

� Leadership Trenton Alumni Meet With Trenton Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán

3 � Foundation to Publish Inaugural Donor Report� College Names Robin Walton Vice President for Community and Government Affairs

4 � College’s Accelerated BSN Graduates Earn 100 Percent Pass Rate on National Nursing Licensure Exam� The 19th Annual Thomas C. Streckewald Golf Classic

5 � College and Saylor Foundation Announce Open Course Collaboration

6 Cover Story� Virtual Hospital Setting Comes to Campus

10 Alumni Profile� Paula Vaughan BSBA ’90, MSM ’98

12 Feature� Making the Grade - MAEdL Grads

14 Applause Applause� Alumni News

10

Cover Story: 6Virtual Hospital Setting Comes to Campus

6

24

On the Cover: (from left) Student Marie Cadet, nurse educator Lynne Capik, MSN, RN, APN, C, and student Monica Shah. www.tesc.edu

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page C2

rlyofcedn

ons

M E S S A G E F R O M T H EP R E S I D E N T

INVENTION | SPRING 2013 1

Sincerely,

Dr. George A. PruittPresident

Dear Alumni, Students and Friends,Henry David Thoreau said, “Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which issufficiently appreciated by mankind.”

This issue of Invention is dedicated to those whose support of Thomas EdisonState College has earned our collective appreciation and gratefulness. The annualsupport we receive from individuals, foundations and corporations plays a criticalrole enabling us to continue our ongoing commitment to academic excellenceand integrity.

An example of this support is illustrated in our cover story, which focuses on ournew nursing simulation laboratory. This state-of-the-art lab supports ourAccelerated 2nd Degree BSN Program and was made possible in part by morethan $270,000 in donations made to the Thomas Edison State College Foundation.

The Foundation is busy preparing its inaugural donor report that will be releasedlater this spring. The report will include our annual Honor Roll of Donors andoutline how Foundation support was invested this year.

Also in this issue, we check in with Paula Vaughan ’90, ’98, a longtime supporter ofthe College who has established the Paula Vaughan Scholarship EndowmentFund to help adult learners achieve their goals. Paula talks about her successfulcareer with Prudential International Insurance and her inspiration for supportingthe College.

On behalf of the entire College family, I would like to extend our sincere thanks toall of our supporters and to the Foundation for the extraordinary work it doesevery year.

We are grateful for your generous support.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Invention.

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page 1

C O L L E G EN E W S

2 INVENTION | SPRING 2013

Thomas Edison State College received national press this February in The New York Times, where itwas praised for its flexible degree programs for adults.

The College was profiled in the story “Adults Are Flocking to College That Paved Way for Flexibility,”which appeared in the Feb. 25, 2013 edition and was written by Tamar Lewin, a New York Timeshigher education reporter. The story featured an interview with College president George A. Pruittand several College alumni who earned all or most of their credit using external credit sources,including Dr. Arthur C. Brooks ‘94, Jennifer Hunt ’12, Pilar Mercedes Foy ’12 and David Esterson ’11.

To read the article, visit: www.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/education/25degree.html.

In addition, Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, wrote an opinion piecepublished in the Feb. 1, 2013, edition of The New York Times. In the column, Brooks praises his almamater and its nontraditional model of higher education and recalls that when he was in his late20s, he was ready to return to school, but had no desire to burden himself with debt.

“Fortunately, there was a solution – an institution called Thomas Edison State College in Trenton,N.J.”, he writes.

To read the column, visit: www.nytimes.com/2013/02/01/opinion/my-valuable-cheap-college-degree.html.

College Earns National Press

Trenton Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán metwith graduates of Leadership Trenton and other civic leaderson Jan. 17 and shared his vision for improving schools in thecity.

During the meeting, sponsored by The John S. WatsonInstitute for Public Policy of Thomas Edison State College,Durán made the distinction between what many call theachievement gap and what he described as an opportunity

gap and the need to expose students to positive learningexperiences that can lead to greater academic achievements.

“We have to think outside the box if we are going to create acommunity of learners where academics are valued alongwith nonacademics that support the whole child,” said Durán,who took over as superintendent in July. “Children need tosee people in their community coming together andinvesting in them, and then they see the world in a differentway and see themselves differently, too.”

Barbara George Johnson, executive director of The John S.Watson Institute for Public Policy, said she thought theexchange was beneficial to Durán and the community.

“There was a positive energy about the superintendent, thecommunity leaders and Leadership Trenton alumni whoattended the event,” she said. “People respectively passedtheir issues on the table and solutions that could help thisnewcomer to Trenton trailblaze a path for future success forTrenton’s children.”

Leadership Trenton Alumni Meet With TrentonPublic Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán

Dr. Arthur Brooks ’94, president of theAmerican Enterprise Institute

(from left) Calvin B. Thomas Jr., Leadership Trenton Fellow ‘06, Barbara GeorgeJohnson, executive director of The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy andTrenton Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán.

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page 2


N E W SC O L L E G E

The Thomas Edison State CollegeFoundation will publish its inauguraldonor report this spring as a stand-alonepublication that outlines financialinformation, investments made fromFoundation support during the past yearand vignettes highlighting donors of theinstitution.

“We look forward to developing thistargeted report for our donors todemonstrate how their support enablesthe Foundation to fund importantinitiatives at the College,” said John P.Thurber, vice president for Public Affairs.“This year, we are excited to share

information with our donors aboutimportant investments their donationsmade possible, such as our new nursingsimulation laboratory.”

The report will also include expandedinformation about the Foundation’s

special events and the new 1972 Society.

The report will be mailed to all donorsand made accessible on the ThomasEdison State College Foundation websiteat www.tescfoundation.org

College Names Robin Walton Vice President forCommunity and Government Affairs

Foundation to Publish Inaugural Donor Report

Thomas Edison State College has ap-pointed Robin Walton as vice presidentfor Community and Government Affairs.

Walton, who has served as director ofCommunity and Government Affairs atThomas Edison State College sincejoining the institution in 2005, willcontinue her work to support theCollege’s commitment to working withcivic leaders and organizationsthroughout the state of New Jersey andin the Trenton community, and servingas the College’s primary liaison withlocal, state and federal officials.

“Robin has done tremendous workduring her tenure with the College,” saidGeorge A. Pruitt, president of ThomasEdison State College. “We look forwardto her continued leadership workingwith community groups to helpimprove our city and with electedofficials here in Trenton and inWashington.”

Walton is responsible for communityaffairs efforts and initiatives at the city,county and state level and directs the

College’s government affairs programsat the local, state and federal levels.

“I have always been passionate aboutsupporting the city of Trenton andadvocating the mission of ThomasEdison State College. I believe the workwe do every day to create opportunitiesfor self-directed adult learners changestheir lives,” said Walton. “Highereducation plays an important role incommunity relations and is animportant policy issue in New Jerseyand around the country. I look forwardto continuing my work to serve theCollege locally and at the state andfederal level.”

Walton earned a bachelor’s degree fromRutgers, The State University of New Jer-sey, in New Brunswick, and a Master ofScience in Management degree fromThomas Edison State College. Walton isalso a graduate of HERS Wellesley Insti-tute for Women in Higher Education Ad-ministration. Prior to joining the College,she served as community relations coor-dinator at Capital Health in Trenton.

Walton currently serves as chair for theBoard of Trustees for Children’sSpecialized Hospital and represents thehospital on the Board of Robert WoodJohnson Healthcare Corporation. She isthe vice chair of the New Jersey MultipleSclerosis Task Force and serves on theCommunity Advisory Boards for boththe Trenton Health Team and theGreater Mercer Public HealthPartnership.

Robin Walton, vice president forCommunity and Government Affairs atThomas Edison State College

This year, we are excited to share information with our donors about important investments

their donations made possible, such as our new nursing simulation laboratory.

> John P. Thurber, vice president for Public Affairs

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page 3

C O L L E G EN E W S

The New Jersey Board of Nursing recently reported that thefirst graduates of Thomas Edison State College’s acceleratedBachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program achieved a 100percent pass rate on the National Council LicensureExamination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), based on thegraduates who took the exam in 2012.

The College’s Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN Program,launched in 2011, is a one-year program designed for thosewho already possess a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and areinterested in becoming a registered nurse. The program’s firstgraduating class included 16 graduates, of which 14 took theNCLEX-RN exam in 2012. All of the graduates who took theexam in 2012 passed.

“We are extremely pleased about this outcome and theperformance of our graduates,” said Dr. Phyllis Marshall, deanof the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing. “They haveinvested a great effort and were fully committed to puttingtheir lives on hold for the program.”

The information reported to the College by the New JerseyBoard of Nursing was provided by the National Council of StateBoards of Nursing and reflects the results of all first-time NCLEXtest takers from the College who took the exam in 2012.

College’s Accelerated BSN Graduates Earn 100 PercentPass Rate on National Nursing Licensure Exam

(From left) Brittany Arrington, Gerald Bertekap, Carl Coleman, Rachel Boka andLisa Dellon, members of the first graduating class of Thomas Edison StateCollege’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, whichachieved a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council LicensureExamination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), based on the graduates who took the exam in 2012.

THE THOMAS EDISON STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES

Monday, June 10, 2013

TPC Jasna PolanaPrinceton, NJ

For a chance to win a foursome of golf at Jasna Polana, register by May 10, 2013.For more information, tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.tescfoundation.org/golf,

call (609) 984-1588, ext. 2083, or e-mail [email protected].

The 19th Annual Thomas C. Streckewald Golf Classic

Save the Date

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page 4

N E W SC O L L E G E

Thomas Edison State College and the Saylor Foundation haveannounced an agreement to enhance access for adults toearn college credit through Saylor’s high-quality, free, opencourses and the College’s nationally renowned expertise inassessment.

According to the agreement, the Saylor Foundation willidentify its most popular courses for which learners haveexpressed an interest in earning college credit and ThomasEdison State College will create examinations and otherassessments for those courses. In addition, the College willmap Saylor courses that already align with existing Collegeexaminations, including the Thomas Edison State CollegeExamination Program (TECEP®). With this agreement, theCollege became the first senior public institution of highereducation in New Jersey to partner with a major provider ofonline open courses.

“We are excited to work with the Saylor Foundation toprovide students the opportunity to earn college credit forsuccessfully completing Saylor’s open, online courses,” saidMarc Singer, vice provost of the College’s Center for theAssessment of Learning. “We are in the midst of the latestparadigm shift in higher education and look forward toleveraging our expertise in assessment to help our studentsto take advantage of it.”

The first six Saylor courses that the College will createassessments for include:

> Introduction to Comparative Politics;

> World History in the Early Modern and Modern Eras(1600-Present);

> Management Information Systems;

> Negotiations and Conflict Management;

> Introduction to Mechanical Engineering; and

> Thermodynamics.

“We’re pleased to see more of our courses take shape aspathways to affordable college credit and equally pleased tosee Thomas Edison State College embracing openeducational resources as a basis for a credentialed education,”said Devon Ritter, special projects administrator for the SaylorFoundation. “We’re grateful to be able to translate cooperationinto meaningful opportunity for our students.”

The agreement with Saylor comes on the heels of ThomasEdison State College Foundation’s decision in December toinvest $100,000 to fund the development of competency-based degree programs that leverage massive open onlinecourses (MOOC) and other open resources to create newpathways for degree completion for adult students.

College and Saylor Foundation Announce Open Course Collaboration

We are in the midst of the latest paradigm shift in higher education and look forward to leveraging our expertise in assessment to help our

students to take advantage of it.> Marc Singer, vice provost,> Center for the Assessment of Learning


TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page 5


(from left) Student Mariel Palumbi goes to work on a state-of-the-art, high-fidelity simulatoras students Chelsea Alex, Dianna Quick, Kirti Patel, Gwendolyn Oliphant, Saber Alaoui, nurse educator Deborah Caniano, RN, MSN, CEN, and student Stephen Fox observe.

TE003 5/8/13 12:42 PM Page 6


Thomas Edison State College Opens New State-of-the-Art Nursing Simulation Lab

Virtual Hospital Setting Comes to Campus

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 7


The nurse hears screams for help and darts into the room tofind a patient half out of bed and having difficulty breathing.She attempts to position the patient back onto the bed andbegins to check vital statistics.

“Ouch! That hurts,” the patient responds.

This type of scenario plays out daily in hospitals throughoutthe country. Thanks to the support of the Thomas Edison StateCollege Foundation, it also takes place in the new NursingSimulation Laboratory at Thomas Edison State College as part

of the course work for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)students. Only the patients in the lab are high-fidelitysimulators and the caregivers are students in the College’sAccelerated 2nd Degree BSN Program.

“It’s as close to real life as you can possibly get,” saidaccelerated BSN student Mariel Palumbi, of Blackwood, N.J.

“It makes you think on your feet and teaches skills that we canapply in our clinical experiences.”

The state-of-the-art simulators, which cost around $139,000each, can be programmed to simulate virtually any healthcareemergency or condition.

“Nursing students cannot experience all there is toexperience in a hospital when they go through their clinicaltraining,” said Dr. Phyllis Marshall, dean of the W. Cary EdwardsSchool of Nursing. “The new simulation lab gives ourstudents the opportunity to learn how to handle a variety ofsituations in a safe environment and develop critical-thinkingand decision-making skills required in our profession. We are

grateful to all of the businesses, organizations and individualswhose generous donations made our new lab a reality.”

Simulation sessions are scripted and the simulators areprogrammed to exhibit specific symptoms and to respond tothe actions of the students. This includes bodily functions,speaking and having any reaction a nurse can expect whentreating a live patient.

Students will be experiencing a wide variety of scenarios in thesimulation lab, including cardiac disease and cardiac arrest,diabetes, acute respiratory issues and patients that exhibitcomorbid conditions.

“Somebody help me!”“Everything hurts!”

“I can’t breathe!”

In the simulation lab, we get to deal with situations that are

more extreme than we would see inour clinical experience, where the

patients are mostly stable.> Kate Lawrence, student

Nurse educators bring the simulators to life in the Simulation Laboratory’s controlroom, where they also observe students responding to a variety of scenarios theywill experience with live patients.

(from right) Nurse educator Lynne Capik, MSN, RN, APN, C, works with students Marie Cadet and Monica Shah during a simulation session with a high fidelity simulator.

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 8


“When a code takes place during a clinical experienceinvolving a live patient, students are typically moved to theside and observe,” said Dr. Christine Rosner, associate dean ofthe W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing. “But in the simulationlab, students are the practitioners who can save the life.”

Student Kate Lawrence of Jackson, N.J., said the simulationsessions help tie together everything she is learning in theprogram.

“It’s nice to see all the dots connect what we learn in theclinical experiences,” said Lawrence. “In the simulation lab, we

get to deal with situations that are more extreme than wewould see in our clinical experience, where the patients aremostly stable.”

Every simulation session is videotaped so students and nurseeducators can review student actions and continually improvestudent performance.

“Working with the simulators is very interesting,” said studentKirti Patel, of Franklin Park, N.J. “It helps us understand thesymptoms we need to look for when we get on the patientfloor.”

Patel said she selected Thomas Edison State College over otherprograms in New Jersey because the College offered a one-year BSN program and accepted all of her credits.

“I liked that it was a one-year program, and it was helpful that Idid not have to retake any of the general education courses,”she said.

The simulation lab is located in the Kuser Mansion CarriageHouse, which is located behind the mansion on West StateStreet in Trenton. The Carriage House was renovated as part ofthe College’s extensive improvements to Kuser Mansion.

The 635 square-foot lab is located on the first floor of thebuilding and includes a technical room where the simulatorsare controlled and features a one-way glass window so nurseeducators can watch students during simulation sessions.

The simulation sessions take place in a patient care area thatresembles an emergency room with three beds and three

simulators. On the second floor of the building, there is aclassroom and a conference room where students reviewsimulation sessions with nurse educators.

The Thomas Edison State College Foundation played a key rolesupporting the simulation laboratory by raising more than$270,000 to help purchase the simulators.

“We are honored to support the development of this cuttingedge simulation laboratory,” said Brian T. Maloney, chair of theThomas Edison State College Foundation. “The lab adds acritical element that enriches our accelerated BSN program.”

The College’s accelerated BSN program was launched in 2011.The New Jersey Board of Nursing recently reported that thefirst graduates of the program achieved a 100 percent passrate on the National Council Licensure Examination forRegistered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), based on the graduates whotook the exam in 2012.

The current cohort is the first to use the new simulation lab.Patel said she looks forward to continuing the simulationsessions as part of her course work.

“During my first session, I was the primary care nurse. It wastalking to me and I was talking back to it. It had a pulse andwas breathing,” she said. “If I see the symptoms that thesimulator is showing, I will know what to do when I am in ahospital caring for real patients.”

To learn more, visit www.tesc.edu/2degreeBSN.

Students debrief with nurse educators following each simulation session to reviewwhat takes place during the sessions and how to improve student performance.

FOUNDATION

The Thomas Edison State College Foundationplayed a key role supporting the simulationlaboratory by raising more than $270,000 tohelp purchase the simulators.

SUPPORTERS INCLUDE:

> BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB

> JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

> THE ROMA BANK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

> THE JAMES KERNEY FOUNDATION

> THE KARMA FOUNDATION

> NEW JERSEY MANUFACTURERS INSURANCE COMPANY

> THE GARY AND DIANE HEAVIN COMMUNITY FUND

> NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS

> THE FRED C. RUMMEL FOUNDATION

> PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.

> THE PROVIDENT BANK FOUNDATION

> NUMEROUS INDIVIDUAL GIFTS

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 9

“From things as simple as donatingblood to involvement in communityand devoting myself to a cause,philanthropy has always been anundercurrent in my life,” said PaulaVaughan, whose personal drive fueledher career in the insurance industry. “Itis a sense of responsibility I haveshared with my family for as long as Ican remember.”

By the time she retired in 2007,Vaughan was a vice president ofoperations for Prudential InternationalInsurance, where she was responsiblefor the implementation of a newcompany in Poland and developingprocess and systems improvements inlarge existing operations in Japan.

Her connection to her employer,however, extended beyond projectsand processes.

Vaughan said Prudential shared astrong commitment to socialresponsibility. Today, a scholarshipendowment at Thomas Edison StateCollege bears her name with a portionof the contributions she makesmatched by Prudential.

“During my career with Prudential, Iwas proud to be associated with acompany that maintained such astrong sense of corporate citizenship,charitable giving and volunteerism,”said Vaughan.

Vaughan said that she had beendonating to the College for a numberof years, and, fortunately, was able toutilize Prudential’s matching giftprogram to supplement her giving.Since her retirement from thecompany, she has continued tosupport the institution.

“When I found TESC, as a potentialstudent, I was grateful for therecognition that working adultsneeded a different approach to fulfilltheir educational goals,” said Vaughan.“I understand how difficult it is forpeople to work while managing familyand continuing their studies.”

Vaughan, who completed a Bachelorof Science in Business Administrationin 1990 and a Master of Science inManagement in 1998, said she alwaysfelt a lingering need to finish collegeto satisfy her own sense ofaccomplishment and to honor thecourage it took her father to finish hisown education. Vaughan recalls herfather as a self-directed, nontraditionallearner who passed five licensing

exams to practice as a professionalarchitect at the age of 48.

“For me, earning the bachelor’s degreewas a personal milestone,” saidVaughan. “By the time I completed mymaster’s degree, it was clearly to helpaddress the changing workenvironment and to have credentialsthat would serve me in any futureposition. My gratitude to the Collegecontinuously evolved to myparticipation in the Alumni Associationand becoming a donor.”

Vaughan has also completed anumber of executive managementcourses through MIT’s Sloan School ofManagement, Hammer and Companyand George Washington University.

She said that retirement has been agreat opportunity to continue herlearning through travels, studying newlanguages, taking piano lessons andhorseback riding.

Vaughan also contributes to several ofher local charities throughvolunteering and donations. Amongthem, the United Way for GreaterAustin, Texas, where she brings herexperience in staff development,process improvement and projectmanagement to the organization. Shealso serves on the chapter’s ITCommittee and President's Cabinet.Additionally, Vaughan serves on theboard for Ascend Center for Learning,which helps adults earn a GED.

Giving back is not just the 'rent we payfor the privilege of living on this earth',but it should be built into our spirit tomove us from self to community,”noted Vaughan. “There is a quote that Iparticularly like by Rabbi Hillel: ‘If I am

not for myself, who will be for me? If Iam only for myself, what am I? And, ifnot now, when?’”

Vaughan said that she has beenfortunate to see the growth and newdirections of the College’s academicprograms under Dr. Pruitt’s leadership.

“When I was approached aboutconsidering a scholarship endowment,it just felt right to move to donatingthrough the institution to deservingindividuals who qualify for the [PaulaVaughan Scholarship] EndowmentFund to help adult learners achievetheir goals. I give to the Collegebecause it was the most viablesolution for completion of myeducation, and I want Thomas EdisonState College to continue to beaccessible for other adults like me.

This is my “paying it forward.”


Paying It Forward

For Paula Vaughan, giving back is an ingrained behavior.

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 10

or.

Alumni Profile


Paula Vaughan BSBA ’90, MSM ’98

Giving back is not just the ‘rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth,’

but it should be built into our spirit to move us from self to community.[ ]

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 11

MAEdL

Steven Gregor, principal of Orchard ValleyMiddle School in Washington Township, N.J.

Steven Gregor, who serves as principal of Orchard ValleyMiddle School in Washington Township, N.J., said hedeveloped a midcareer desire for an educational leadershipposition and began hunting for a flexible program thatmatched those objectives.

“I chose Thomas Edison State College because of the versatilityof the program’s online format,” he said. “I also knew thatresearch has found that distance education students spendmore time studying and have access to more instructionalresources than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. I decided Iwould rather spend my time immersed in course work thandriving to and from classes.”

Gregor, whose appointment as principal became effective inFebruary 2013, said that all of his courses were aligned withInterstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC)standards.

“The syllabi correlated all learning activities with theappropriate standards, ensuring comprehensive preparationfor the standardized state tests,” he said.

Gregor passed his Principal’s Praxis and School Leader’sLicensure Assessment exams on his first attempt, due in largepart, he said, to his course work.

For Jill Green, finding a flexible educational leadership programwas also critical because it would have to fit her demandingschedule. Green, who earned her undergraduate degree atRutgers University, said obtaining her master’s degree hadbeen in the back of her mind for years, but holding down acareer while piloting her own children through school andonto college preempted those plans.

“Once I was able to enroll in the program, I completed myassignments whenever I could fit them in,” said Green, who hasserved as vice principal of the Frank Defino Central ElementarySchool in Marlboro, N.J., since August 2012.

“I enjoyed every moment of the course work experience,” shesaid. “What especially drew me in were exchanges with fellowstudents who were also professional peers. Our discussionboards allowed us to share experiences across differentacademic models, philosophies and challenges.

As a seasoned teacher, reading specialist and literacy coach,Green was especially struck by other districts’ variations inhuman resources management.

The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program at Thomas Edison StateCollege is helping educational leaders like Steven Gregor ’09 and Jill Green ’11empower their school districts to achieve their goals.

Making the Grade

I particularly credit my current success with the action research techniques

learned at Thomas Edison State Collegeand the emphasis on scholarly

writing and research.> Steven Gregor ’09

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 12

L


“As an educator in a large school district containing manyspecialized positions, it was a real eye-opener,” she said. “Fellowstudents in the program hailed from different districts in thestate or country where one person might serve as bothprincipal and superintendent, so there was plenty of diversityon HR-related issues.”

Green noted that the program’s components, encompassingcurriculum design and development, public school law,human resources administration, technology administration,budget planning, community partnering along with a field-based practicum in which she was mentored by anotherprincipal, further enhanced her practical experience.

“The material we covered was super-relevant to my role withthe school district and has served me well,” she said. “I amconstantly going back and looking at my course work filesbecause so much of what we covered bridges to my currentposition.”

Like Green, Gregor brought a rich breadth of competencies tohis educational leadership courses.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Valley ForgeChristian College in Phoenixville, Pa., a master’s degree in socialstudies from Temple University in Philadelphia and aSupervisor’s Certificate in graduate studies from RowanUniversity in New Jersey.

Earlier in his career, he served as a social studies programsupervisor and technology trainer for the WashingtonTownship Public School System, developing and coordinatingcurriculum, managing departmental budgets and helping astaff of 300 infuse technology into their curriculum.

Gregor also taught geography, world history, U.S. history, civicsand German while designing lessons and syllabi. In 1995, hewas voted as ‘Teacher of the Year’ at Washington TownshipHigh School. In 2009, he earned a three-year $500,000 Liberty

Fellowship Teaching American History Grant for the schoolsystem and served as the grant’s director.

“It is encouraging to see our educational leadership programhaving such a positive impact on the personal andprofessional objectives of our students,” said Dr. SusanDavenport, dean of the Heavin School of Arts and Sciencesand associate provost of Graduate Programs. “The programenables alums like Steven and Jill to earn credentials leadingdirectly to career advancement in a mode that complementedtheir existing professional lives.”

Gregor, who serves as an adjunct professor of history andtechnology courses at Camden County College and RowanUniversity, is now enrolled in a doctoral program at NovaSoutheastern University.

“I have completed the preliminary course work and a largesegment of my dissertation,” he noted. “I particularly credit mycurrent success with the action research techniques learned atThomas Edison State College and the emphasis on scholarlywriting and research.”

To learn more, visit www.tesc.edu/heavin/maedl.

I enjoyed every moment of the course work experience. What especially drew me

in were exchanges with fellow studentswho were also professional peers.

Jill Green, vice principal of the Frank Defino Central Elementary School in Marlboro, N.J.

> Jill Green ’11

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 13

14 INVENTION | SPRING 201314 INVENTION | SPRING 2013

A P P L A U S E A P P L A U S E

Tina Carkhuff AA ’97, BSHS ’98, MSM ’04Tina Carkhuff, who has had a “robustcareer” in IT, started a nonprofitorganization called Cerebral FolateDeficiency Research with Dr. RichardFrye of the University ofArkansas/Arkansas Children’s Hospitalin January 2012. The Cerebral FolateDeficiency Research organization isdedicated to exploring theconnection between cerebral folatedeficiency and autism in the hope of finding a cure. Theorganization was formed to raise funds for research into theeffects of the deficiency on autism and to find treatmentoptions available so that affected children can reach their fullpotential. Cerebral folate treatment can result in fewer autisticsymptoms and even their disappearance.

Gerald R. “Rob” Carter BA ’07Gerald R. “Rob” Carter completed a Master of Arts degree inclinical mental health counseling from the University of MaryHardin-Baylor in Belton Texas, in December 2012.

Harold A. Coghlan-Montero BS ’85Harold A. Coghlan-Montero recently received two majorawards from the U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Timothy Edenspresented Coghlan-Montero with the U.S. Army SafetyAchievement Award for successfully completing “20,000 flighthours without an accident” from 1979 to 2012, a feat fewmilitary or civilian aviators ever achieve. In December, he waspresented the “Knight of the Order of Saint Michael (Bronze)”award by the commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center ofExcellence at Fort Rucker, Ala., Maj. Gen. Kevin Mangum. TheKnight award is received by less than 1/10 of 1 percent ofmilitary aviators. Coghlan-Montero noted that both of thesesignificant awards recognize a lifetime devoted to aviationand, specifically, military aviation service. He added, “Icompleted my BS degree in 1985 and it has served me wellduring my many years of service.”

Albert G. “Al” Curving ASM ’96, BSBA ’96, BA ’97Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) RetiredAlbert G. “Al” Curving, of Flemington,N.J., is the recipient of the UnitedStates Army Warrant OfficersAssociation (USAWOA) “CW4 Albert M.Holcombe Warrant Officer of the YearAward” for 2012. The presentation wasmade at a ceremony during the

annual meeting of members in Harrisburg Pa, on Nov. 3, 2012.The USAWOA consists of nearly 6,000 members representingsome 15,000 U.S. Army warrant officers presently serving inthe active component, reserves and National Guard as well assome 45,000 retired and former Army warrant officers. TheAssociation promotes: professionalism, representation andrecognition of Army warrant officers as part of The MilitaryCoalition (TMC), which lobbies Congress in support of themembers and families of all branches of military service.Curving, the father of three adult children, now writescountry and gospel music with a partner Dan Laurie of NorthHaledon, N.J., under the name www.StoryInSong.com.

John J. Deltuvia Jr. BA ’91, MAPS ’06John J. Deltuvia Jr. was awarded the degree of Master ofScience in computer information systems with asubconcentration in information technology management by Boston University on Sept. 25, 2012.

Robert K. Denton Jr. BA ’88Robert K. Denton Jr. was recently appointed to the VirginiaCave Board for a four-year term by Gov. Bob McDonnell.Denton, a senior geologist at GeoConcepts Engineering Inc.,in Ashburn, Va., is a certified professional geologist and astate-certified soil scientist. Establish by the Virginia GeneralAssembly in 1979, the Cave Board is an advisory body withfunctions that include cave management, rescue operations,cave ownership laws, enforcement of the Cave Protection Actand a potential cave recreation plan. The board is chargedwith protecting caves’ minerals, archeology, life, groundwaterflow and unique characteristics. “I always have had a stronginterest from childhood in geology, paleontology, and havebeen a caver since I was a teenager,” noted Denton. “I’mexcited about it.”

Dr. Ambrose E. Edebe BSBA ’99Dr. Ambrose E. Edebe, ordained as aminister, has written a book, YourWomen Did Prophesy, whichdocuments evidence for biblical andhistorical precedent for women’sparticipation in preaching andprophesying ministries. It citesspecific activities of women asrecorded in the New Testament,apocryphal writings and a selection ofearly church fathers that refer to the first two centuries. Thefocus of this book is on the activity of women rather than onopinions expressed about the role of women. For moreinformation, please visit www.ambroseedebe.com.

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 14


Lee Doric-Henry BA ’92Lee Doric-Henry graduated with adoctorate in clinical psychology(PsyD) from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in December2012, 20 years after graduating with aBA degree from Thomas Edison StateCollege. Her doctorate was on Inter-generational Eating Disorders amongHolocaust victims. On Jan. 15, 2013,Doric-Henry started work as a post-doctoral fellow at the Cambridge Eating Disorders Center.

Andrew Elliott BA ’06Andrew Elliott had his first book pub-lished in January, Miracle at the Garage,which has already climbed to No. 8 onthe best sellers list and has been se-lected as a book of the month. Miracleat the Garage tells a present-day taleof hope, wonder, amazement, grace,love and faith. This memoir offers alook into the lives of a few individualswith two common bonds — their reli-gious faith and their connectionthrough the Garage, a men’s ministry. To read more about thebook, visit http://bookstore.crossbooks.com or the author’swebsite at www.miracleatthegarage.com. Elliott, who recentlyretired from the U.S. Coast Guard following 23 years of service, noted that he was thankful for the education at Thomas Edison State College, which helped him reach his goals and pursue other options for a career.

Justin Farnsworth BSAST ’07Justin Farnsworth was promoted to vice president in thetrade operations group at Citigroup in January. His groupmanages 15 to 20 percent of the overall stock and optionvolume traded on all major U.S. exchanges. Farnsworthnoted, “Had it not been for the higher educationopportunities at Thomas Edison State College, I would notbe in the position I am in today. Thank you for providingsuch a great launching pad!”

Andrew Finley BA ’11Andrew Finley received a graduate certificate ininstructional systems design from Trident UniversityInternational in June 2012 and completed a master’s degreein education with a concentration in training andinstruction from Trident University International inDecember 2012. He is a recent award-winning graduate

from the New York Institute of Professional Photography,and during his time with Thomas Edison State College from2009 through 2011, while working on his BA degree inphotography, he graduated from the USDA GraduateSchool New Leader Program. Finley is the co-founder ofGratitude Path Books Publishing with his wife Cindy. TheFinley’s have published two children’s books of a plannedseries of six books designed to teach children and adultsabout using gratitude in their daily lives. The projectincludes t-shirts, gratitude coins and other items based onthe main character – Rudy the Rhino, and his jungle friends.Finley has been a Master Training Specialist at the CoastGuard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia since 2002.

Gloria Fisher BA ’07Gloria Fisher has had her new book,Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep...drawingnearer to God with your dreams, releasedby Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC inDecember 2012. It is available onFacebook, the Tate Publishing website,Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.Fisher noted, “My education at ThomasEdison State College was invaluable inhaving the confidence I needed tomake my dream come true,” said Fisher.

Ronald M. Graham ASAST ’87Ronald M. Graham, who went on toearn a JD degree from Widener Lawin 1991, is a senior partner at Graham& Mauer, P.C., a personal injury lawfirm with offices in the Valley Forgeand Harrisburg, Pa., areas. Grahamearned his master’s degree with aconcentration in environmentalissues from the University ofPennsylvania in 2012.

Laurel Hoffmann BA ’92Laurel Hoffmann became involved inthe fashion industry the 1990s whenshe taught an introductory fashioncourse at Philadelphia University.Following her graduation fromThomas Edison State College, shedeveloped a capstone fashion degreecourse using couture techniques andwrote a series of textbooks about thefashion industry. Her efforts evolved

APPLAUSE APPLAUSE

07-642 Invention Spring 2013.6 5/6/13 3:36 PM Page 15



into a fashion technology program with supportingtextbooks, which are currently being used by several collegefashion programs and are marketed on Amazon.com. Afterteaching at Philadelphia University for 18 years and DrexelUniversity for two years, Hoffmann now has her own schoolin Oreland, Pa. “Thomas Edison State College has helped tomake all of this possible; it was the perfect and only solutionfor my situation,” she said. ”For more information onHoffmann’s program, school and books, please visitwww.laurelhoffmann.com orwww.contemporaryfashioneducation.com.

Nora L. Ishibashi BA ’80Nora L. Ishibashi, who went on to complete two master’sdegrees and a doctorate, notes, “Thomas Edison made itpossible to finish my undergraduate degree in spite of havingthree small children and moving every two or three years.”

Tammi Joyner AA ’08Tammi Joyner has gained notice from International Who’s Whoin Poetry, an organization that reviews the poeticaccomplishments of people whose work has recently beendiscovered in major poetry archives, poetry websites, and inprint editions released by various publishers in America andaround the world. “My Very Own Kin,” a poem written byJoyner, has been selected for publication in the 2012 historicedition of International Who’s Who in Poetry. The poem isdedicated to her son, Marquel Green, and is available atBlurb.com in a booklet entitled, A Theory of Maternity andTogetherness - The Book.

Jessica Kubel BA ’12Jessica Kubel is the volunteercoordinator for the Volunteer Centerof San Gabriel Valley in California. InOctober 2012, she helped organizethe 22nd Annual Make A DifferenceDay in the city of Monrovia, Calif.There were more than 450volunteers that participated in theevent and completed more than 25community improvement projects aswell as a blood drive, canned food drive, e-waste recycling,“Warm for Winter” collection for the homeless and more.Some of the projects included house painting, fence repair,yard waste cleanup, landscaping, school vegetable gardensand tree planting. A 1994 graduate of Duarte High School,Kubel also participated at the Duarte Martin Luther King Jr.Day of Service.

Lonnie Lane BA ’90Lane, who went on to PalmerTheological Seminary after earningher Thomas Edison State Collegedegree, is now a pastor at The River inJacksonville, Fla. She has writtenextensively and travels as a speakerand teacher on the subject of theJewish roots of Christianity. Lane co-authored her most recent book,Heaven Is Beyond Your WildestExpectations, a collection of 10 testimonies of people whohave died and returned to life after experiencing heaven. Thebook is available on Amazon.com. Lane noted, “Obtaining myBachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State College was thestep up that made all the rest possible.”

Marita A. Lawler BSHS ’98Marita A. Lawler, PhD, M-RAS, CSC, is an addiction counseloras well as a mentor and clinical supervisor to alcohol anddrug counselors and has been in the field for more than 30years. In addition to earning the Master’s Level - RegisteredAddiction Specialist (M-RAS) and Clinical SupervisorCredential (CSC) professional certifications from BreiningInstitute as well as a number of other addiction counselingcertifications, Lawler earned her PhD in addiction psychologyfrom Capella University, and is an ordainednondenominational Christian minister who provides crisiscounseling in rural Alaska. In 1998, Lawler moved fromCalifornia to Chickaloon, Alaska, (pop. 272) in order to provideservices for clients in rural Alaska where substance abusedisorders and addiction are a major problem. Recently,Breining Institute presented Lawler with the Excellence inSupervision Award for 2012.

Krystal Lopez BA ’10Krystal Lopez, who currently teaches at a community collegeand works as an academic advisor, is in the process offinishing her MA degree in English. The writer of a series ofchildren’s books, Lopez recently gave birth to her own child –a baby girl named Krystabella Grace Lopez-Salyer.

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page 16

Patricia A. “Patt” Martinelli MAPS ’03Vineland, N.J., native Patricia A.Martinelli, author of eight nonfictionbooks on true crime and thesupernatural, announced that her firstnovel, Rim Road, Book I: The Lost andFound, has been released by SolsticePublishing. Available as an e-bookthrough www.amazon.com, the bookwill soon appear as a paperback. Sheis already at work on the second bookin the trilogy. To learn more about Martinelli’s writing, visit herwebsite at www.patriciaamartinelli.com.

Frank Minnella BSAST ’87Frank Minnella has recently obtained a new position asteacher of Industrial Technology at Manasquan High School.Minnella, who holds multiple professional certifications andlicenses, has more than 30 years of experience inarchitectural, interior design, facility management andconstruction. He held senior facilities design and constructionpositions at companies like AAA and Blue Cross Blue Shield ofNew Jersey. Minnella is a professional member of theAmerican Design Drafting Association. He has more thanseven years teaching experience at the secondary and post-secondary level and is an adjunct professor at Kean University.He is a lifelong resident of New Jersey.

Keith Moeller BSBA ’01Keith Moeller, who is affiliated with Northwestern Mutual-Minneapolis, was honored by Northwestern Mutual with its2013 Central Region Top Producer award. This honorrecognizes Moeller for an outstanding year of performancewith Northwestern Mutual, serving the financial securityneeds of others throughout the region. Moeller and anetwork of Northwestern Mutual specialists offer a holisticapproach to planning with financial security solutionsincluding life insurance, long-term care insurance, disabilityinsurance, annuities, investment products and advisoryproducts and services.

Claudia A. Newton BSBA ’01Claudia A. Newton published CareerWonders and Blunders: If I Knew Then,What I Know Now - the first in atrilogy of career development books.The book is a holistic career guidecreated for entry-level workersincluding college students andgraduates entering the workforce. Itis also a great refresher for moreseasoned workers. It is filled with theraw, untouched experiences of hundreds in the workforcealong with the author’s insights. The book is available onwww.careerwondersandblunders.com as well as onAmazon.com. Newton is a manager for BlueChoiceHealthPlan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross andBlue Shield of South Carolina. She is also an adjunctprofessor for the University of Phoenix online and theprincipal of Rewarding Resume Services.

Allan E. Smith BSBA ’79Allan E. Smith, who serves as the president of nonprofits,wrote “Thomas Edison State College was one of the bestthings that happened to me in my life! Finding a college thatwould allow me to transfer all my credits from four or fiveother colleges is beyond measure. Because of this, it allowedme to get an MBA from a great school: Babson College.”

Rev. Dr. Marlene Walters AA ’74, BA ’78Rev. Dr. Marlene Walters, who went on to earn a Master ofDivinity degree and a Doctor of Divinity degree fromEastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now PalmerTheological Seminary), noted, “I continued to serve as anordained minister for 40 years and, in fact, I’m still serving atIRCC Chapel Services in Melbourne, Fla.”

Jason Willis BSAST ’07 Jason Willis received a Senior Reactor Operator License fromThe United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March2012. He is currently a unit supervisor for PPL at TheSusquehanna Steam Electric Station in Berwick, Pa.


TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page C3

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDTrenton, NJPermit #112

101 W. State StreetTrenton, NJ 08608-1176

Address Service Requested

Printed On Recycled Paper

A L U M N I & S T U D E N T N E T W O R K I N G E V E N T S

May

30 > Virginia Beach, VA

June

17 > Society of Human Resource Management conference (SHRM)Chicago, IL

25 > Police Security Expo Atlantic City, NJ

July

17 > San Francisco, CA

Connect with Us!

save the date

19th Annual Thomas C. Streckewald Golf Classic

> Monday, June 10 TPC Jasna PolanaPrinceton, NJ

For more information about these events or having an event near you, contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at (609) 633-8592 or [email protected].

tesc.edu/alumnievents

TE003 5/8/13 12:43 PM Page C4

Documents

NURSING SIMULATION LAB OPENS - Amazon Web …...Board of Nursing was provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and re ects the results of all rst-time NCLEX test