Faculty Development Day 2017

From August 24-25, University faculty took part in a two-day Development Day, complete with engaging presenters, a faculty social and a ribbon cutting ceremony for two of the University’s latest renovation projects. Twice a year, faculty members have the opportunity to gather together for professional development opportunities, learning sessions, and to socialize with fellow colleagues.

Attendees took part in three sessions to enhance their presentation and relationship building skills, and to learn more about advancement opportunities within the University. Johanna Inman, assistant director of Educational Development at the Center for the Advancement of Teaching at Temple University, presented, “Hello! Is anybody out there? Engaging Learners through Interactive Lectures.” She examined the benefits and challenges of adopting interactive lecture strategies into teaching. The group also practiced specific activities they could use in their own lectures. Dr. Jeffrey L. Sternlieb discussed the importance and difficulty of teachers building relationships with their students as it relates to providing a quality education. Dr. Sternlieb is a psychologist in the Lehigh Valley Hospital Family Practice Residency Program where he teaches physicians to develop better self-awareness, use reflection skills, balance their own needs with their patient needs, and better understand their most challenging patients. Faculty also learned about tenure and promotions in a presentation from Dr. Elise Ciner, professor in the University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry, and Marcy Graboyes, MSW, associate professor in the College of Education and Rehabilitation.

Prior to the faculty social held on Thursday evening, a special ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Optometry Clinical Procedures and Virtual Reality Simulation Labs was held. Dean of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Dr. Melissa Trego, along with faculty members who teach in the lab unveiled the space. Dr. Trego provided opening remarks and demonstrated some of the technology available as faculty, staff and students across the University toured the new spaces.

“We were tasked to look at all the other labs across the other schools [of optometry] and we were supported by the University to see what would work best for us,” she said. “All of this has been a labor of love for the many people involved so thank you very much on behalf of the entire Pennsylvania College of Optometry.”

Following the ceremony, faculty gathered in the Hafter Student Center where Dr. Janice Scharre, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, introduced new, newly promoted, tenured and retiring faculty members, including:

New Faculty

Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO)

• Siva Meiyeppen, OD
• Navpreet Hehar, OD
• Stephanie Leburg, OD

College of Health Sciences, Physician Assistant Studies Program

• Karyn MacQueen, MMS, PA-C

Promotions

Instructor to Assistant Professor:

• Caitlyn Foy, OTD
• Elizabeth Sedunov, AuD
• Kriti Bhagat, OD
• Byung Josh Kim, OD
• Erin Kenny, OD
• Laine Higa, OD

Assistant to Associate Professor:

• Daniel Pavlik, MSPAS, PA-C
• Andrea Tyszka, MS, OTR/L
• Jingyun Wang, PhD 

Tenure

• Connie Chronister, OD
• Helene Kaiser, OD
• Mitchell Schieman, OD, PhD
• Jingyun Wang, PhD

Professor Emeritus

• Chuck Wormington, PhD, OD

Retirements

• Bernie Blaustein, OD
• Lorraine Lombardi, PhD

Administrative Roles

• Erin Kenny, OD, Chief, William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center
• Gregory Benjamin, PhD, MPH, Director, Institutional Research & Assessment
• Melissa Trego, OD, PhD, Dean, Pennsylvania College of Optometry

Recognition of Office of Admissions

• Monae Kelsey, assistant director of Admissions and associate director of student engagement, presented by Dr. Jim Caldwell, dean of Student Affairs
• Monica Maisto, director of Admissions, presented by Dr. Melissa Trego, PCO dean
• Candida Mulligan, admissions officer, presented by Dr. Fabiana Perla, chair of the Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies
• Michael Saracino, admissions officer, presented by Bob Serianni, Speech-Language Institute clinical director
• Chris Speece, assistant director of Admissions, presented by Drs. Radhika Aravamudhan, interim dean of the Osborne College of Audiology, and Kathleen Youse, Speech-Language Pathology department director
• Melissa Tran, associate director of Admissions, presented by Lauren Sponseller, chair of the Occupational Therapy department
• Larry Walsh, associate director of Admissions, presented by Donna Agnew, director of the Physician Assistant program