Our innovative and passionate faculty, staff and students make our Cedar Crest family special. Featured below are just a few of our community’s achievements from the past semester.
Faculty and Staff Spotlights
Tammy Bean, M.Ed., director of community service programs, was one of the guests on the podcast “Areas of Agreement with Elia Powers.” The episode titled “Dear Senator” focuses on education funding disparities that impact K-12 schools across Pennsylvania. Over the last year, Bean has worked with a group of residents from across Pennsylvania to develop a case study and letter advocating for changes to the allocation of K-12 public school funding across the state.The podcast can be found here.
Dr. Kathleen Boland, professor of social work, wrote a series of articles on professional ethics for the PA-NASW monthly statewide newsletter. She focuses on professional boundaries and gifts in her article for the April newsletter, social networking and social work in May and social work and touch in June. This newsletter is distributed to all members of NASW.
Sarah Carlson, MFA, assistant professor of dance, presented her work “What Lies Within: Dancing with Race and Identity” at ELEVATE: The Inaugural Social Justice Conference at Connecticut College on January 25. The evening-length work, which premiered in 2017, was a collaboration between DanceLink, Carlson’s dance company, and Basem*nt Poetry, a BIPOC poetry group based in Bethlehem, PA. More information on the ELEVATE Conference and a recorded session of Carlson’s presentation can be found here:http://elevate.conncoll.edu/
Shelley DePinto, MS, RDN, LDN, director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics, and David Hersh, BS, chef, adjunct instructor, presented an oral presentation titled “Development and Implementation of Hybrid Format Food Labs for Dietetics Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic” at the Food Systems Management Education Council virtual conference on March 25.
Hollie Gibbons, M.P.H., assistant professor of health sciences, andDr. Chelsea Toth, assistant professor of social work, were the editors of the 2019-2020 State of the Lehigh Valley (SOLV) report.Dr. Todd Hastings, assistant professor of nursing, andDr. Mae Ann Pasquale, associate professor of nursing, were contributing authors from Cedar Crest College.Jill Odegaard, MFA, professor of art and department chair, collected student artwork to incorporate into this year’s SOLV report.Dr. Christine Carpino, assistant professor of political science, is the director of the Lehigh Valley Research Consortium.
Allison Gomes, instructor in the Department of Nutrition, successfully defended her dissertation titled “The Associations Between Pediatric Weight Status and Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes Status and Health Related Quality of Life Among Children and Young Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review.” She was awarded a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s School of Health Professions. She is currently pursuing the publication of this manuscript.
Dr. Scott Hoke, associate professor of criminal justice and director of the Master of Science in Crime Science, andDr. Kerrie Baker, professor of psychology, secured funding to create the Center for Police Innovation and Community Engagement. The Center aims to evaluate and support police practices in four areas: police strategy and practice, community outreach, police organization, and the transferability of nationally recognized police interventions. Specifically designed for the needs of the Allentown Police Department, the College and City of Allentown are attempting to measure, implement, and improve practices that enhance the quality of life for city residents. The funding received will support the work of the Center for three years.
Hoke and Baker also hosted a two-day training event at the College for local police officers. The officers received Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to learn how to properly de-escalate and resolve calls that involve mental health issues. On March 26, Hoke and Baker presented for the Academy of Psychologists Engaged in Private Practice (APEPP). Their presentation, titled “Interdisciplinary Community-Based Research: A Win-Win For All,” aimed to demonstrate the critical importance of data for addressing community agency problems and decisions.
Dr. David Holland, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, was awarded the credential of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This achievement signifies a commitment to mental health care across the lifespan and dedication to professional development. Dr. Holland looks forward to making mental health care accessible to those in need, especially during these difficult times.
On April 21,Dr. Leon S. John, Cedar Crest’s executive director of diversity and inclusion, presented to the HRM 640 Diversity and Inclusion Leadership class, which is part of the new graduate human resource management certificate available in the Modular Master of Science degree.Dr. Michael Zalotwas the course instructor. Dr. John presented his perspectives on diversity, equity and inclusion work as both a career path and a passion in an online interactive Q&A format workshop.
Dr. Melissa Kamyab, assistant professor of education and director of the Masters in Education program, received an Innovative Diversity Effort Award Grant from the Diversity and Inclusion Council at Cedar Crest College to fund the #WeRead360 Diverse Book Collection. The collection, created in partnership with Cressman Library, is dedicated to excellence in teaching with quality literature for children and young adults, recognizing the importance of resource materials that depict multiculturism and diversity for learning about our world and each other.
Kamyab was also honored by The Keystone State Literacy Association of Central Eastern Pennsylvania with the Celebrate Literacy Award in recognition of her accomplishments to advance and promote literacy with preservice and practicing teachers as well as through community outreach initiatives.
Dr. K. Joy Karnas, professor of biological sciences, was asked to co-chair the Da Vinci Science Center’s Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Executive Advisory Council, which oversees the WISE Initiative at the Center. This team of women leaders from Lehigh Valley STEM corporations, colleges and universities, and organizations serving women and girls will work with Center staff to initiate and organize networking events for local science professionals, events that highlight the achievements of female scientists, and mentoring programs that help encourage girls in our community to enter and persist in the science career pipeline. More information about the Da Vinci Science Center WISE Initiative can be found athttps://www.davincisciencecenter.org/wise-initiative/
Dr. Aimee Ketchum, academic field work coordinator and assistant professor in the Occupational Therapy Department, recently published “See Occupational Therapists Run!”, a workbook to help Occupational Therapists practice self-care and avoid burnout.
In January, assistant professor of artMaggie Mills, MFA, was included in issue #23 of “Create Magazine,” curated by Ginger Rudolph from “HAHA Magazine.” Mills’ work was also featured on Create’s website:https://createmagazine.com/read/maggiemills?rq=Maggie%20Mills
In March, Mills spoke with Craig Stover, Executive Director of Allens Lane Art Center as a part of ArtShow, a series of virtual interviews of artists from the Philadelphia area.You can view the conversation here.Mills also gave a talk about her work at Penn State University Abington. She addressed the effects that climate change and the exploitation of nature and animals have on our contemporary spaces and the legacy that we leave to subsequent generations through these spaces.
Dr. Ivonne Miranda, assistant professor of education, is a recipient of an AAUW Community Action Grant for $9,212 for the 2021-2022 award year. She will be collaborating with the Allentown School District to provide early STEM exposure to fifth-grade girls from diverse backgrounds. STEM activities will be based on male-dominant STEM fields such as physics, engineering, computer science and more. Fifth-grade girls will have the opportunity to have a year of innovative hands-on experiences to explore authentic problems and make meaningful contributions in STEM fields.
Dr. Diane Moyer, professor of psychology,Dr. Calley Stevens Taylor, dean of student success, andAndrea Barker, M.Ed., director of the first- and second-year experience, presented at the 40th Annual Conference on the First Year Experience on February 19. The presentation, titled “How to have it all and lead it, too” described Cedar Crest’s comprehensive First Year Experience program and the collaborative FYE leadership approach the College has implemented across Academic and Student Affairs. Attendees were offered an overview of the history of the FYE at Cedar Crest and the changes that have led the College to where it is today: an integrated leadership team that engages faculty, staff and students to offer a year-long, holistic program for traditional first-year students.
Dr. Jill Purdy, professor of education and department chair,Dr. Melissa Kamyab, assistant professor of education and director of graduate studies, andDr. Ivonne Miranda, assistant professor of education participated in Muhlenberg Elementary School’s Career Day: Cedar Crest College Virtual Visit on January 21. This event provided 5th-grade students the opportunity to learn about why people go to college, how to get in a college, the types of degrees that can be earned and the vast number of educational programs that can be pursued.
Purdy will have an article published in American Association of Employment in Education’s (AAEE) 2021 Job Search Handbook for Educators. “Making the Most of Student Teaching and Field Experiences” aids pre-service teachers in utilizing field and student teaching experiences as a step to securing a teaching position. The article provides suggestions to future teachers on several key areas: First impressions, Instructional skills, Importance of collaboration, Accepting feedback, Flexibility, Integrity and Responsibility.
Dr. Allen Richardson, professor of religious studies and chaplain, and his colleague Anishka Gheewala Lohiya at the London School of Economics, made a virtual presentation for the Vraj Hindu temple on January 9. The presentation was about the role of Hindu religious experience on the internet and was part of their ongoing work for a text for McFarland Publishers.
On January 9,Dr. Wendy Robb, professor, and dean of the School of Nursing, participated in a panel of twelve experts representing nursing programs from around the country examining the effect of the global pandemic on new nurses. Dr. Robb discussed the enduring impact of the pandemic on graduates, the importance of resiliency for new graduates when they enter the workforce and the significance of self-care for longevity in the profession. The full panel discussion can be found here:https://www.zippia.com/nurse-manager-jobs/trends/
Professor of psychology,Dr. Micah Sadigh’sbook, “Existential Journey: Viktor Frankl and Leo Tolstoy on Suffering, Death, and the Search for Meaning,” will be translated into Polish by a publishing firm in Poland and should hit the market in 2022. The book has gained some popularity in the Central and Eastern European countries and its translation will make it more accessible to a wider audience.
Sadigh’s 8th commercially released musical composition, “A Distant Star” became available in May. The composition consists of seven movements and symbolizes hope in the darkened skies. The piece was written between 2017 and 2019 and was recorded in early January of this year. The last movement, “orbiting hope,” is a prelude to the next piece — to be composed in the future. All proceeds from this composition will go toward educational scholarships.
Bruce Sarte, director of information technology, presented at the IU 13 Tech Talk Live: Connected conference. His presentation, “Connect the Dots: Measuring, Evaluating, and Resolving Technology Support Woes,” was well-attended and well-received. This is the fourth consecutive year he has presented at this conference. Tech Talk Live by IU13 is a regionally attended conference that is geared specifically towards technology professionals in the education space. The conference is focused on the issues that are encountered by K-12 and higher education technology professionals from both day-to-day and future-focused viewpoints.
Rebecca Seaman, MSN, senior instructor in the School of Nursing, successfully defended her dissertation titled “The Relationship of Transition on Job Satisfaction and Intent to Stay Among Novice Nurse Educators from Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Programs”. She was awarded a Doctor of Education in higher education with a nursing education focus from Immaculata University.
Dr. Calley Stevens Taylor, dean of student success, has been selected as a co-editor for “Academic Advising Administration: Essential Knowledge & Skills,” 2nd Edition. The first edition of Academic Advising Administration (2011) was intended for new and veteran advising administrators and meant to appeal to those interested in building outstanding advising units to serve the mission of their colleges and universities. Key questions addressed in the first edition: What do we wish we had known when first hired as administrators? What do we need to know to lead our offices into the next century? This updated edition, slated for publication in 2023, looks to build upon, expand and update the information from the first edition.
Dr. Laura Teoli, ATR-BC, LPC, LCAT, director of the Master of Art in art therapy program, has an upcoming publication in The Arts in Psychotherapy journal. Her article titled “Companioning artmaking: Creating art alongside clients in group art therapy” is the second of two articles she published related to her dissertation research.
https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1cx6oivMu9Wr2
Alison Wellford, MFA, associate professor and Pan-European MFA program director, published the article “How Antidiscrimination Law Fails Black Mothers” in The Nation. Read Wellford’s article here:https://www.thenation.com/article/society/sexual-harassment-reporting-title-vii/
Dr. William Wrightsman, assistant professor and director of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program, has received the Touro University Alumni of the Year Award. This recognition is given to an alumnus who embodies the spirit of Touro’s vision – “Educating caring professionals to serve, to lead, to teach.” Dr. Wrightsman is from the first graduating cohort of the Occupational Therapy program and became part of the Touro faculty in 2009. Following completion of his terminal degree from Towson University, he became the founding OTD Program director at Cedar Crest College. The awardee epitomizes the tenets of social justice, intellectual pursuit and service to humanity and demonstrates every day his commitment to teaching, leadership and service.
Dr. Catherine Zurawski, director of graduate nursing programs in the School of Nursing, was appointed to serve on the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Faculty Institute Committee. The charge of this committee is to:
Propose and support implementation of conference program, including session topics and speakers, to enhance NP faculty performance in teaching, scholarship, leadership and service roles.
Facilitate coordination of webinars that present a wide range of educational topics to promote faculty development and education that enhances NP student learning.
Oversee the Leadership Mentoring Program including program processes, delivery and development of content for the learner’s leadership development.
Student Spotlights
Rabiya Bowers ’21, a graduate student in the Master of Nutrition program, has been awarded a position in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Program. In accordance with the Academy’s strategic vision and mission, the Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Program supports active members from underrepresented groups within the nutrition and dietetics profession. Four leaders are selected to participate in a two-year leadership program and are provided mentorship, leadership training and networking. For more information on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Program, visithttps://www.eatrightpro.org/leadership/honors-and-awards/diversity-awards-and-grants/diversity-leaders-program-award
During the 33rd Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) Annual Scientific Sessions, senior nurse anesthesia Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) studentsDaniel Byorick, Jr., BSN, RN, CCRN, SRNA;Anthony Hernandez, BSN, RN, CCRN, SRNA; J.Matthew Lohman, MBA, BSN, RN, CCRN, SRNA; andHakeem Sanou, BSN, RN, CCRN, SRNA were honored with a 3rd Place Award for their DNP Project poster “Efficacy of a Multimedia Educational Module on Best Practices of Anesthesia Patient Safety.” This award is given by ENRS to recognize those making valuable contributions to nursing research. The theme of the conference this year was Generating Nursing Science to Meet the Needs of a Diverse Society. The DNP Project is an integral part of the academic experience at the Cedar Crest College School of Nursing, representing students’ time and effort put forth to focus on evidence-based improvements on real-world health care challenges.
The education and art departments collaborated on a “Narrative Publishing Project,” creating children’s books to donate and use as mentor texts by teachers and students in Cedar Crest’s neighboring school district. The project aimed to provide pre-service teachers with hands-on experience teaching writing to students. Education students were then paired up with an art student to collaborate on the book’s images, color, art style and layout. Book titles:
“My Cali Girl” written byJesi Cericola ’23
“Life of a Snow Day” written bySuhail D’Acquisto ’24and illustrated bySara Berrios ’21
“Beach Day” written byJessica Evans ’22and illustrated byOlivia Roberts ’23
“Joanna Goes to Kindergarten” written byMariella Fuica ’21and illustrated byErin Slack’ 22
“The Pumpkin Patch Frenzy” written byArielle Gallicchio ’22and illustrated byIsabel Pichardo ’22
“The Perfect Snowman” written byAlexandra Infante ’23and illustrated byBrenna Desborough ’21
“The Wave” written byShannon Lynch ’21and illustrated byCecelia Tabor ’21
“No More Salt” written byAbigail Martin ’23and illustrated byAlyssa Garrett ’22
“Sundays at Grandma’s” written byNicole Pierno ’21, and illustrated byAutumn Bachert ’22,
“Mami Knows Best” written byJulia Pimentel ’21and illustrated byCynthia Rodriguez ’21
“A Chaotic Adventure!” written byKelli Player ’23and illustrated byNicole Phillips ’22
“A Big Win” written byPaige Shingler ’21and illustrated byHannah Arner ’21
“A Lasting Friendship” written byBreena Stalter ’23and illustrated byAlexandria Porchik ’24
“Lucky” written byAshley Wilson ’23and illustrated byGrace Dougherty ’21
Lauren Crispina ’21, a biology major with a minor in communication studies, presented a talk on her thesis research at the Lehigh Valley Ecology and Evolution Symposium. Her talk was titled “Assessment of microplastic presence, type, and concentration in drinking water on the Cedar Crest College campus.”
The Education Department held their Presentation of Theses on May 5. Six Master of Education candidates presented their research:
Sarah Dreisbach ’21(advised byDr. Ivonne Miranda): “Trauma-Informed Care in Schools”
Jessie Gomes ’21(advised byDr. Jill Purdy): “The Attitudes of Female Student-Athletes, and the Athletic Department Staff Members Towards Implementing a Sports Psychologist at a Division III Institution”
Mikaela Malofiy ’21(advised byDr. Melissa Kamyab): “Female Collegiate Sports Teams Grades In-Season Versus Out-of-Season”
Jessica Martin ’21(advised byDr. Melissa Kamyab): “The Impact of Instructional Coaching on Alternative Education School Personnel Perceptions of Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders in Remote Learning Contexts during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic”
Amber C. Roatche ’21(advised byDr. Ivonne Miranda): “Post-Secondary Student Perceptions of Hybrid Instruction”
Laura Tominaj ’21(advised byDr. Jill Purdy): “Perceptions of 1st Generation College Students”
Shay Escalera ’21, a senior social work student and president of the Social Work Club, introduced the college at the National Association of Social Workers Pennsylvania Chapter (NASW-PA) Advocacy Day in March. This annual advocacy event is attended by all the accredited schools of social work throughout Pennsylvania and represents the advocacy efforts of social work in the state. Social work students were also able to meet remotely with Representative Michael Schlossberg.
The Awards Committee of the New Jersey Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NJAND) selected dietetic intern,Mia Funcheon ’21, for the Outstanding Dietetic Student Award (ODSA)-DI Category 2021. The purpose of the ODSA program is to recognize the emerging leadership and achievement of students in ACEND-accredited dietetics education programs and encourage their participation in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Funcheon will be recognized on the list of outstanding students in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and will receive a congratulatory letter and certificate signed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics president.
Brice Gardner ’21presented two research projects at the 2021 meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA). While virtual, the conference continued EPA’s tradition of offering lectures, symposia and posters to present new developments in psychological science, application and teaching. Gardner presented both projects, which she conducted under the direction ofDr. Kerrie Baker, professor of psychology, in an e-poster video format. Her posters were titled “Examining the Formality of Email Communications Between Students and Professors” and “COVID-19 Policies and Their Influence on Students’ Educational Decisions.”
Graduating seniorCarlie Gausch ’21, a double major in history and English, completed a unique on-campus internship at Cedar Crest’s Marcia Lynn Walsh Alumnae Museum. Under the mentorship ofDr. Megan E. Monahan, assistant professor of history, Gausch created the virtual exhibit entitled “Cedar Crest College Women in the ’40s: Country, Camaraderie, and Celebration.” This exhibit focuses on life for women during World War II and the years immediately after with artifacts carefully curated to tell the story of Cedar Crest College students. From clothing and purses to historical documents and photos from the time period, this exhibit uses hand-picked items to show what life was like during the 1940s. The exhibit can be viewed using this link:https://cccmuseum.wordpress.com/
Jessica Haase ’21, a nutrition student in the didactic program in dietetics, received the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (PAND) Diversity Scholarship. The annual scholarship is awarded to a dietetics student with a diverse background, traditionally underrepresented in the field of dietetics, who demonstrates a commitment to the dietetics profession and exhibits leadership qualities as evidenced by volunteer activities in community organizations, campus activities or other organizations.
The 2021 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science took place virtually the week of February 8.Kimberly Hane ’21presented research that she has been conducting at Cedar Crest under the direction ofDr. K. Joy Karnas, professor of biology, in an e-poster video format. A 3-minute video presentation of her poster entitled qPCR and Microbe Identification for Forensic Blood Pattern Analysis was made available for viewing as part of the annual conference. In addition, her presentation was part of the 2021 AAAS Student E-Poster Competition and reviewed by a panel of judges who selected her as one of the finalists in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology category. Before the meeting, Hane met virtually with the judging panel and gave a 5-minute overview of her work and participated in a Q&A regarding her study. This Zoom Meeting was recorded and broadcast at the annual conference for all participants to view. Hane was awarded the second-place undergraduate student prize in her e-poster category. She will be recognized in an ad in an upcoming issue of the journal Science and on the Annual Meeting website.
Neha Haque ’24, a freshman student, was awarded a Junior League of the Lehigh Valley STEM Scholarship in recognition of her strong academic record, supportive letter of recommendation and her interview on her interest in pursuing a STEM field for her future.
On April 24, three Cedar Crest College psychology majors presented their research at the 35th Annual LVAIC Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference, which was hosted virtually by Lehigh University and DeSales University. These talks were based on year-long thesis research projects the students conducted;
Hailey Harrell ’22(withDr. James Scepansky, associate professor of psychology): “Effects of Article Primes and Photo Exposure on Body Image and Mood”
Christina McElroy ’21(withDr. Sharon Himmanen, assistant professor of psychology): “Perceptions of Personality Characteristics and Political Affiliation Based on Faces of Women”
Mercury Waguespack ’21(withDr. Sharon Himmanen, assistant professor of psychology): “The Influence of Exposure Time and Art Type on Empathetic Responses”
During the 96th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, which was held virtually on April 10, four undergraduate students in the sciences were awarded funding for their proposed research. Each student will receive $750 to support their projects. These students will then present the results of their work during the next annual meeting in 2022. The students earning these research grants, with their respective faculty advisers, are listed below:
Sydney Heathcott ’22(advised byDr. John Cigliano, professor of biology) “Trophic transfer of microplastics in a three-level food chain”
Giulia Romano ’22(advised byDr. Lindsey A. Welch, associate professor of chemistry) “Chemiluminescent Detection of Benzodiazepines Catalyzed by Ionic Liquid Metal Complexes”
Talia Watson ’22(advised byDr. Lindsey A. Welch, associate professor of chemistry) “Determination of Ideal Conditions for the Synthesis of Naphthoquinones by Catalytic Oxidation Reaction”
Allison Wheelan ’22(advised byDr. John Cigliano, professor of biology) “The Effects of Ocean Acidification and Ocean Warming on the Embryonic Development of Hummingbird Bobtail Squid, Euprymna berryi”
The Lehigh Valley Society for Neuroscience hosted its 11th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference. Two students from Cedar Crest College gave oral presentations about their work.Hannah Kemperman ’21presented her thesis project in collaboration withDr. Audrey Ettinger, associate professor of biology, titled “The effect of antidepressants on stem cell neurogenesis in cichlid fish Rocio octofasciata”.Christina Scaffidi ’22presented on “Testing the effects of anxiolytic drugs on Jack Dempsey cichlid behavior,” also in collaboration with Dr. Ettinger. The conference ended with alumni career panels. Cedar Crest alumnaeKaren Knecht ’00(senior director of education, Da Vinci Science Center),Tasha Cornish ’10(executive director at Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc.) andVenesa Cuadrado ’16(quality control analyst, CAR-T Cell Therapy at Legend Biotech) served as panelists, while Dr. Audrey Ettinger moderated the panel on Education and Administration careers.
Thirteen students from the Department of Biological Sciences presented oral or poster presentations at the 96th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences. The meeting was hosted virtually by York College.
Oral Presentations:
Erica Nettles ’21andDr. Jennifer Hayden, assistant professor of biology: “Impact of lysine acetylation on Mycobacterium smegm*tis survival in the presence of isoniazid”
Ashley Wilkins ’21(coauthors are alumnaeEmily Bianchini ’20andMercedes Melo ’21) and Dr. Jennifer Hayden, assistant professor of biology: “Finding novel antibiotics under our feet”
Kimberly Hane ’21, Dr. Andre Walther, associate professor of biology, andDr. K. Joy Karnas, professor of biology: “Quantitative PCR for forensic bodily fluid identification”
Melissa Culver ’22and Dr. Andre Walther, associate professor of biology: “Potential contamination of beer yeast through quantitative PCR with High Resolution Melt analysis”
Kathlyn Dias ’22and Dr. Andre Walther, associate professor of biology: “Identification of Replication Protein A phosphorylation dependent protein-protein interactions via Yeast Two Hybrid system”
Poster presentations:
Khoula Jaber ’23and Dr. K. Joy Karnas, professor of biology: “fabI gene alteration as a mechanism of triclosan resistance in Enterobacter cloacae”
Nicole Silva ’22, Zahaira Velasco ’22and Dr. Andre Walther, associate professor of biology: “Examination of growth and capsule formation in mutant strains of the oleaginous Yeast, Cryptococcus neoformans to be used in biodiesel production.”
Khushali Vyas ’23, Carly Wood ’21and Dr. Andre Walther, associate professor of biology: “The effect of Replication Protein A phosphorylation on telomere shortening in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a PCR amplification-based protocol”
Razan S. Alanazi ’21andDr. Amy E. Faivre, professor of biology: “Potential bee pollinators on the Cedar Crest College campus in Allentown, PA”
Solomaya F. Schwab ’22and Dr. Amy E. Faivre, professor of biology: “Patterns of Birds Visiting a Feeder in an Open Area on the Cedar Crest College Campus in Allentown, PA”
In March,Nikole Orlemann ’21, a senior social work student intern with Adoptions from the Heart, andDr. Chelsea Toth, director of field education and assistant professor of social work, were guests on the podcast, Heart to Heart. The episode, entitled “Reflecting on the Field of Social Work During COVID,” focused on the experiences of social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Orlemann and other interns spoke about the challenges they faced managing internships and schoolwork during a pandemic. The interns also discussed their experiences working with clients virtually rather than in person, the ways they have seen the social work field change, how to achieve a work-life balance and their advice for other students pursuing a social work degree.Listen to the podcast here, or search Heart to Heart podcast on Spotify.
The Cedar Crest College Art Department was chosen as Best Department in the Lehigh Valley Collegiate Art Exhibition, hosted as anonline exhibition with Manifold Global. The following art majors were accepted into the exhibition, which opened April 2:Isabel Pichardo ’22(Studio Art),Autumn Bachert’ 22(Integrated Art with Psychology),Christina Ventrillo ’22(Studio Art),Ashleigh Nagy ’22(Integrated Art with Business) andCecelia Wright ’21(Studio Art). Pichardo earned Best of Show from Cedar Crest College. In recognition of the Art Department and the work of its students, Manifold Global is dedicating an exhibition for Cedar Crest’s Art Department later this year. The juror for the exhibition was Dr. Kevin Richards, chair of the MFA Program at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
Amber Rose G’21, forensic science graduate student, presented a virtual oral presentation at the Pittcon Conference on March 8. The title of her presentation was “Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of Eight Aminoindanes” and was the topic of her thesis research. Pittcon is a dynamic, transnational exposition and comprehensive technical conference, a venue for presenting the latest advances in research and scientific instrumentation, and a platform for continuing education and career-enhancing opportunity.
Rose was also awarded 2nd place for her poster presentation at the Annual Spring Symposium of the Chromatography Forum of the Delaware Valley (CFDV) on April 13. The CFDV is the oldest and most respected chromatography discussion group in the country. It is an organization of professional chemists engaged in chromatographic work who promote, educate and participate in an exchange of information and discussion of mutual interest. The virtual symposium was attended by professional chemists and students throughout the country.
Cedar Crest College students presented at this year’s LVAIC Women’s and Gender Studies Conference, hosted virtually by Lehigh University on April 24.
Caroline Roscoe ’21(she/her/hers) – “A Few Good Women: Modern Depictions of Military Women in Film.”
Lara Struckman ’21(she/her) – “Building Resilience in LGBTQ Youth with Trauma Informed Yoga”
Hannah Stott ’22(she/her) – “Life Imitating Art: Social Media, Filters and Self-Image”
Carlie Gausch ’21(she/they) – “Hermia & Helena as Protofeminists in A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Honorable mentions for best paper:
Annie Elizabeth Kreiser ’23(she/her) – “Liminality in Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” advisor,Dr. LuAnn Fletcher
Amaris Sprowl ’21(she/her) – “The Black Feminist Upgrade: An Overdue Conversation about Black Male Sexism against Black Women,” advisor,Elizabeth Ortiz, MA, assistant professor of communication
Kiera Shellhammer ’21, an environmental conservation major and political science minor, completed an internship with House Representative Susan Wild. She creditsDr. Christine Carpino, political science assistant professor and program director, with helping her find this opportunity and apply. While working in Rep. Wild’s office, Shellhammer attended constituent meetings and helped prepare communications for the public.
On April 23, the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) club in the Department of Business, Management, and Economics hosted its Spring Excel training workshop.Hannah Stott ’21coordinated the event in combination withAndrew Leister, assistant director of career planning.Dr. Michael Zalotfrom the business department presented the workshop. SHRM provides these workshops annually, with basics in the spring, and advanced topics in the fall semester. The workshop was eligible to count toward Student Employment Training.
Lara Struckman ’21, a public health student, passed the Certified Health Education Specialist exam and will receive the CHES credential upon graduation. The competency-based exam, administered by The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, measures the application and interpretation of knowledge in seven topic areas pertinent to health education specialists. Lara is the first Cedar Crest student to sit for the exam since the Health Sciences Department aligned the public health curriculum to meet eligibility requirements for the exam.
Biology majorCourtney Zimmerman ’22and recent graduateMercy Melo ’21were authors (with Dr. Allison Cornell, Penn State – Altoona and Dr. J.-F. Therrien, Hawk Mountain) on a research article published in Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. The paper “Nestling physiology is independent of somatic development in a common raptor, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius)” documents individual variation in chick development, particularly for physiological traits. Zimmerman and Melo both contributed to data collection in the field, lab work, preliminary data analysis and writing of the paper.
Congratulations to all. To share your accomplishments with our community, email
