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IU Southeast Board of Advisors gains two new members
Indiana University Southeast welcomed Garly L. Libs and John E. Colin to the Board of Advisors.
Gary L. Libs is the chief executive officer of Libs Paving Company, Inc., and president of Asphalt Supply Co., Inc. He serves as a member of WesBanco Bank Advisory Board for Southern Indiana and Kentucky and as a director of WesBanco Bank, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia. Gary graduated from Floyd Central High School, attended the University of Louisville, and he is a graduate of Indiana College of Auctioneering.
Gary has served on the Bellarmine College Board of Overseers, the Indiana State Auctioneer Commission Board, the Board of Overseers of Sisters of St. Benedict, the New Albany/Floyd County Education Foundation Board and the Ohio River Greenway Commission Board. He was a director and chairman of the board of Your Community Bank prior to its merger with WesBanco. Gary served as co-chair of the capital campaign for St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church, where he contributed guidance and fund management for the construction of the new church building. He is a sixth-generation member of St. Mary of the Knobs.
Gary served in the United States Army Reserves.
Gary and his spouse, Sandy, reside in Floyds Knobs. They have four children and 11 grandchildren. Each of their children and their spouses attended Indiana University.
John E. Colin is a partner and an attorney at law at Simpson Thompson & Colin, LLC in Corydon. His area of practice includes wills, trusts, estate planning and business law. He received his Bachelor of Arts in political science from IU Southeast in 1993. While in college, he served as student government president and chairman of the All University Student Association, representing the nearly 90,000 students of Indiana University. During college, he also served as an aide to former Congressman Lee Hamilton. After college, John worked as a field representative for Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc. prior to going to law school.
John received his Juris Doctorate from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 1999. From 2002 to 2010, John served as the chief prosecuting attorney in Harrison County. He has also served as county attorney for both Harrison and Crawford counties. Currently, he serves as chairman of the board of First Savings Financial Group and First Savings Bank in Clarksville, Indiana.
John and his spouse, Kelly, reside in Corydon.
Three IU Southeast faculty and staff distinguished by the community
Amanda Felten, associate director of campus life, and Jennifer Ortiz, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice, have both been recognized as notable professionals under the age of 40 by Southern Indiana Business Magazine. Additionally, J.T Douglas, director of alumni engagement and annual giving, has been named one of Louisville Business First’s 20 People to Know in Education.
Grant for augmented reality boosts STEM teacher education at IU Southeast
STEM teacher education at IU Southeast has received a significant grant from the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council at IU.
The $18,000 award will enable teacher candidates in the sciences to become familiar with augmented reality (AR) technology and to transform their STEM classrooms into spaces for innovation.
The project is a first in Kentuckiana.
Dr. Sumreen Asim, assistant professor of education for elementary science and technology, believes that AR can empower educators to innovate by bringing together pieces of the real-world with computer-generated imagery.
It’s also more cost-effective than field trips.
“AR technology allows teachers to incorporate a realm of 3-D experiences into their STEM lessons without leaving the classroom,” Asim said.
As part of the project, new technologies such as merge cubes, curiscope t-shirts, AR books and iPads will be purchased. But Asim’s approach goes far beyond buying gizmos.
“Simply placing technology in the classroom does not promote 21st century skills,” Asim said. “Instead, educators must effectively design curriculum that integrates technology for 21st century skill development, which includes supporting creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking skills.”
Beginning in fall 2019, the tools will be used in required science methods and technology courses for some 50 Block 3 students, most of whom are majoring in elementary and/or special education. Students will be assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The assessments will form part of the related research project on the impact of AR on candidate attitudes, perceptions and teaching practices of STEM content. That research will benefit K-12 classrooms in Kentuckiana and beyond.
IU Southeast collaborates with Veterans Court of Southern Indiana to support military community
The Indiana University Southeast School of Nursing is partnering with the Veterans Court of Southern Indiana to conduct a clinical experiential learning opportunity in collaboration with the correctional justice system and the military community.
Founded in 2011 by Maria Granger, presiding judge over Floyd Superior Court 3, the Veterans Court of Southern Indiana is a certified treatment court for veterans facing a criminal charge after a military experience, and it is the first veterans court in the state.
“This partnership with IU Southeast advances health and recovery outcomes in Southern Indiana,” said Granger. “It reduces the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and mental health by providing student nurses with insightful courtroom experiences and increasing the potential for a more rewarding nurse-patient connection.”
IU Southeast nursing students will learn resources and evidence-based treatment approaches through the justice system that assists veterans with mental health and substance use disorders. Nursing students will communicate and interact with the judge and social service professionals in the court setting and at interprofessional team meetings.
“This partnership will have a substantial impact on meeting the nursing students’ learning outcomes in becoming culturally competent registered nurses,” said Rosalind Williams, clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing. “Nursing students will obtain evidenced-based approaches from court-involved holistic interventions that improve the physical health and social needs of veterans who participate in the court.”