Office of Research and Sponsored Programs: Grants in Action

AbleNet

Principal Investigator: Kara Medeiros, Ph.D.
Sponsor: AbleNet Reserach Consortium
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
College: Reap College of Health and Human Development

Marywood University and Kara F. Medeiros, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders, received 39 BIGMack Communicator as part of a grant from AbleNet, Research Consortium.  AbleNet provids educational and technical solutions to help children and adults with disabilities lead productive and fulfilled lives. The BigMacks, and additional funding received as part of the grant, will be used toward research that will allow both faculty and students to work toward improving the ability of practitioners to help families implement AAC devices in the home environment.      

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Adult Basic Literacy Education

Principal Investigator: Diane W. Keller, Ph.D., Interim Director, ABLE Program
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Department of Education, Adult Basic Literacy Education
Department: Education
College: Reap College of Education and Human Development

Recognizing the importance of receiving their GED, recent participants of Marywood University's Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) program and GED graduates attended graduation on Thursday, June 21, 2012.  Marywood University offers free classes to the community as part of a grant received from the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Division of Adult Education. The intent of adult education and family literacy services is to assist adults to become literate; to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency; to become full partners in the education and development of their children; and to complete their secondary school education.

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African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) and Sister Leadership Development Initiative: SLDI

Principal Investigator: Sr. Jane Wakahiu, LSOSF, Ph.D. Executive Director, ASEC/SLDI; Diane W. Keller, Ph.D., Co-Investigator, SLDI
Sponsor: Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Department: ASEC, in conjunction with School of Social Work
College: Health and Human Services

Capacity-building of African Sisters and the development of leadership competencies for effective ministry are at the heart of the mission of the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) and the needs of African Sisters.  This project provides technological and/or leadership skills to  African Sisters in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.

The Sisters Leadership Development Initiative (SLDI) is an innovative partnership envisioned by Steven Hilton, President and CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The purpose is to increase access for management and leadership skill-building for African Sisters through training and education and adaptable to the specific needs and contexts in which the Sisters are working.

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Hunger-Free Communities

Principal Investigator: Joanne Christaldi Ph.D. R.D. L.D.N, Assistant Professor,
Sponsor: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), United States Department of Agriculture
Department: Nutrition and Dietetics
College: Health and Human Services

Marywood University was awarded $100,000 toward its Hunger-Free Communities program to research and assess hunger and food insecurity within Lackawanna County.   Joanne Christaldi Ph.D. R.D. L.D.N., Primary Investigator, co-investigators, Lee Harrison Ph.D., R.D., F.A.D.A., C.N.S.D., C.M.F.C., and Gerald S. Zavorsky, Ph.D., work with advisory member Peg Kopko, Vice President, United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties and over 25 community partner representatives and several  Nutrition and Dietetic graduate students in conducting surveys, focus groups, food store analysis.  The data will help to better recognize and overcome food insecurity within Lackawanna County.  Additionally, the  plan to achieve a hunger-free community will also serve as an educational resource and model for other communities.

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Physician Assistant Training Program Expansion

Principal Investigator: Lori E. Swanchak, PhD, PA-C, Interim Program Director
Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Department: Physician Assistant Program
College: Health and Human Services

Marywood University's Physician Assistant Program received a $704,000 grant from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that will be used toward scholarships for students who commit to practicing in primary care within the community for at least two years upon graduation.  The students began their classes during Summer I 2011 and will receive funding over the next four years.  The Physician Assistant Program began in 2000, currently has over 200 alumni, and was one of only 40 PA Programs granted nationwide.

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Primary Document Recovery Project

Principal Investigator: William Conlogue, Ph.D., Professor,
Sponsor: Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area
Department: English
College: Liberal Arts and Sciences

Primary Document Recovery Project, a cooperative venture between Marywood University, the University of Scranton, and the Lackawanna Historical Society, received a matching grant from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area (LHV). Sponsored in part by LHV, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the National Park Service, this grant will be used to locate and archive primary Lackawanna Historical Society documents. Program directors are William Conlogue, Ph.D., Professor, English, and Amanda Avery, Instructor, Library Service, Marywood Univeristy, and Lawrence W. Kennedy, Ph.D., History, University of Scranton.

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Student Academic Success and Inspiring Excellence (SASIE): Promoting Success in High School and Readiness for Higher Education

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Ruthkosky, Ph.D., Program Director; Tammy Brown, Ph.D, and Jane Helman, Program Coordinators
Sponsor: William G. McGowan Charitable Fund
Department: Education
College: Reap College of Education and Human Development

The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund  has awarded $320,869 to Marywood University's Student Academic Success and Inspiring Excellence (SASIE) program for year two of a three-year program designed to provide opportunities for selected groups of high school students to enhance their success at the secondary school level and to increase their awareness and academic readiness to pursue higher education as an academic goal. The grant was used in part to create a new Learning Instructional Lab that includes a climate controlled environment housing 24 new computers learning stations, instructional station, projection screen and speakers.

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Students on Campus Achieving Success (SOAR)

Principal Investigator: Dr. Patricia Arter, Associate Professor
Sponsor: US Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Education
Department: Special Education
College: Reap College of Education and Human Development

SOAR (Students On-Campus Achieving Results) encourages independent living and prepares students with autism for competitive employment using real life experiences in an age-appropriate environment.  Students attend classes and participate in vocational and student activities.

June 9, 2011 marked the second annual Commencement Ceremonies for the SOAR program.  Graduates John Hevers, Daniel Ogozaly, and Rachel Boyer, proudly display their certificates alongside program administrators, Mary Ann Fedrick, Ph.D., Dean, Reap College of Education, Jack Kirby, Special Education Teacher, Patricia Arter, Ed.D., Program Director, Lisa Walters, Teacher Assistant, Dr. Clarence Lamanna, Acting Executive Director, NEIU and Anne Mary Doyle, Special Education Supervisor, NEIU.  

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Using Design to Intergrate Solar Panels into Architecture

Principal Investigator: Joseph A. Gluba, Assistant Professor,
Sponsor: 2011-2012 Research Initiation Funding
Department: Architecture
College: School of Architecture

Working to integrate solar technology into building design, Joseph Gluba, Assistant Professor, Architecture, conceived his "Solar Leaves Project"—the first project for the Bureau of Solar Research—after considering the similarities between the natural aesthetics of trees and building design.

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Watershed Workshop for Educators II

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jay Clymer III, Associate Professor
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania American Water
Department: Science
College: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Watershed Workshop for Educators II, an interactive five day workshop designed to educate middle and high school teachers about local ecology and the value of natural watersheds was presented by Jay Clymer, III, Ph.D., in collaboration with Northeast Intermediate Unit 19 (NEIU).  The workshop included classroom instruction, lab exercises and field work in Lake Winola, the Lackawanna River, and the Lackawanna County Conservation District office in Mayfield, PA.   Information obtained from the workshop will allow participants to further educate their students of the importance this and all watersheds have both directly and indirectly to our communities.  The Lackawanna River flows from northern Wayne County to southern Lackawanna County where it eventually joins the Susquehanna River, then on to the Chesapeake Bay."   Young brown trout from the Lackawanna River pictured indicating an improvement of water quality. 

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