Here are the latest accomplishments in scholarship, research, and craft by MBU faculty and staff.
David Black, digital projects and academic engagement librarian
Selected to serve on the National Open Education Network coordinating committee.
William Cundiff, program director of healthcare administration
Named to the Board of Directors of For Kidney’s Sake, Inc., a New York non-profit organization which offers those with chronic kidney disease various program offerings and social activities that helps increase the patients’ level of socialization and physical activities leading to a better quality lifestyle.
Pamela Dressler, assistant professor, RN-to-BSN Program
Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree was conferred in December 2020 from Eastern Mennonite University. Her scholar project, “Readiness & Resistance, Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing: A Community Hospital Approach,” consisted of collaborating with a local healthcare organization on the delivery of evidence-based practice education to the inpatient registered nurses. The increased knowledge was a catalyst in launching the beginnings of building a culture in which the consistent use of evidence to make clinical decisions becomes the norm within the organization.
Christina Harris, instruction and outreach librarian
Serving as chair of the Virginia Library Association LGBTQIA+ Forum and as a member of the Staunton Pride leadership committee. Harris says the following about her work: “While the organizations are separate, the mission is the same. The forum and I are striving to create a digital resource to educate librarians, and the community they serve, about an underrepresented community. We feel that information resources paired with programming and events will impact the community by allowing a taboo and ‘banned’ topic to become normalized. Love is love, and hate will no longer be acceptable in our society. If we all embrace acceptance and equality, we can only rise; together.”
Chris Harnish, founding program director of exercise and sports science
A collaborative publication, “The Relationship Between Flourishing, Injury Status, and Resilience in Collegiate Athletes,” was accepted by the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, January 26, 2021, with co-authors Chelsea Martin, Ellen Shanley, Amy Knab, Shefali Christopher, and Garrett Bullock.
Colin Johnson, adjunct faculty, music
Successfully defended his doctoral dissertation and completed his doctorate of musical arts in pedagogy from Shenandoah University, November 2020. His dissertation topic was “The Application of Motor Learning Feedback in the Singing Voice Studio.”
Katherine Low, associate professor of religion
Received a Racial Equity & Interfaith Cooperation Award that is a part of the “We Are Each Other’s Campaign” from Interfaith Youth Core, including a $1,000 grant for programmatic efforts in MBU’s newly launched Quest Interfaith Council.
Catherine “Cat” McPherson, associate professor of business
Acted as a judge for the American Marketing Association’s national student case competition. The case study was building a strategic plan and comprehensive marketing strategy for PODS, a portable moving solution. The challenge was to create a strategy for reaching a younger demographic audience not generally accustomed to utilizing storage and moving services.
Brian Miller, assistant professor of health sciences
Co-presented a full session, “Disco-ing your CPR Education,” at the Survival 2020: International Red Cross First Aid, Injury Prevention, and Aquatics Education Conference, October 2020. The session was about the triangulation between the CPR learner’s experiences in the course, the instructors delivery of content, and the objective measurement of CPR skill, knowledge, and attitudinal outcomes.
A co-recipient of a Department of Defense grant through the North American Red Cross and the Stop the Bleed Foundation to develop, implement, and evaluate a life-threatening bleeding first aid training curriculum targeted to lay responders. He has been able to include two MBU student researchers to assistant him through the spring and summer semesters.
Rachel Potter, director of Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
Presented, “Video Self- and Peer-Modeling for Supporting Students with Autism,” Virginia Society for Technology in Education Annual Conference, December 13.
Jan Triplett, adjunct faculty, master of business administration
An article, “3 Choices for a Better Business Year: Plans, Goals, and Resolutions,” has been reprinted on msn.com.
Re-certified as a certified business technical advisor consultant (CBTAC) by the state of Texas after passing exams.
A speaker for Texas State’s Women Entrepreneurship Weekly Founder Series and kick-off event, February 5. At the kickoff, she spoke about networking online during a pandemic, and her interactive session was based on ideas and skill-building from her book The Networker’s Guide to Success.