Learning the Hand, Hands-On

Published May 11 at 10:28 a.m. by Rachel E. Dewey.

The occupational therapy students pass skeletal hand forms back and forth along the table top counters in the science lab room. Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Holly Preston quizzes them on the bones, joints and muscles that connect each intricate part of the fingers, thumb, palm and wrist.

As part of Preston’s pop quiz, the students palpate their palms and observe the innate response of their fingers to the change in pressure. In addition to the natural study their own bodies provide for the class – Applied Anatomy – Preston passes out iPads for students to share and instructs them to open up an app called “Muscle and Bone Anatomy 3D.”

Sophomore Caleigh Alterio uses her fingertips to scroll from a muscular view of the body to a 360-degree rotation of the skeleton. Across the table, sophomore Nick Scherer scrolls through a similar screen image on his personal iPad, pointing out how it lets the viewer see multiple layers of muscle and bone, all of which can be rotated in 3-D. The download was just $7, he says.

“It’s so cool just being able to actually see what we’re feeling,” sophomore Mackenzie Berger says as she mimics the movements of the arm, wrist and hand onscreen with her own appendage.

“I didn’t know the answer to [labeling] pictures on the lab exam, so this helps,” adds sophomore Taylor Szwec.  Indeed, the iPad app boasts video and even has an online quiz feature that Preston encourages students to work through. (more…)

Experiential Learners of the Year Named

Published May 10 at 1:47 p.m. by Rachel E. Dewey.

At Keuka College, experiential learning is a core focus and the 140-hour annual Field Period internship is one of the primary arenas where hands-on learning comes into play.

Each year, one freshman and one upperclassman earns Experiential Learner of the Year honors for demonstrating initiative, development of a broad and varied portfolio of work, and personal reflection on the skills learned during the Field Period experience.

The six nominees for 2012 were nominated by academic advisers, created a portfolio of work in essays, photographs and other media, and were honored at a luncheon April 27. During the May 5 Honors Convocation ceremony, the winners were named: freshman Lelia Torres of Stockton and sophomore Sarah Marquart of Auburn.

Torres’s first-time Field Period experience was quite a coup, as she was the first freshman from any college or university to land a Field Period internship with the Chautauqua County Office of Probation (CCOP). (more…)

“Fired Up” President Outlines Vision at Inauguration

Published May 4 at 5:47 p.m. by Doug Lippincott.

Saying that “we are obliged to reconsider a liberal arts education in a digital, connected world,” Keuka College President Jorge L. Díaz-Herrera today (May 4) set  the College on a path to become “the cradle for the next generation of scientists and humanists.”

In remarks after being invested as the College’s 19^th president, Dr. Díaz-Herrera encouraged the faculty of this “great institution to create the liberal arts curriculum for the 21^st century.

“What if we were to integrate computational methods seamlessly across the curriculum?” said the president, a native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. “What if we were to produce criminal justice experts who solved cybercrime, nurses proficient in medical informatics, and English majors fluent in digital storytelling?”

Reaffirming the College’s historical commitment to the liberal arts, the president disagreed with those who question the value of a liberal arts education because graduates can’t find jobs.

“A liberal arts education provides its own rewards and combined with our Field Period innovation is a superb preparation for the world of work and service,” he said. “A liberal arts foundation is good for the economy and for democracy.”

Even highly technical jobs require a high degree of intellectual skills and contextual understanding, said the president, who pointed to Google, which is hiring 6,000 new employees this year, 5,000 from the liberal arts or humanities.

“As the late Steve Jobs said, ‘Technical skills are not enough,’” said Díaz-Herrera, contrasting what Daniel Pink, chief speechwriter for former Vice President Al Gore, calls conceptual workers vs. knowledge workers. “Conceptual workers are anchored in the liberal arts—strong in science, math, and humanities, plus technology.”

An education with a liberal arts base “allows us to be able to address difficult, global, complex issues by allowing us to place this knowledge in context without compartmentalization,” said Díaz-Herrera. “This is an education that unique places like Keuka can provide, and it’s one of the reasons that drew me to the job.”

Although the president has spent a good deal of time “ascertaining the hopes, dreams, and concerns” of the College community, he also spearheaded a campus-wide, long-range strategic planning effort. One of the first outcomes of that work is a new mission statement:

Keuka College exists to create citizens and leaders to serve the world in the 21st century.

Among the many topics being discussed during the on-going strategic planning process is the arts.

“We must bring the arts back to Keuka College,” said the president. “Conversations are under way with the Eastman School of Music to see what we can do together. Another exciting project is the potential reviving of the Sampson Theatre in downtown Penn Yan. We should be part of this effort and also participate wholeheartedly in the Penn Yan 20/20 planning effort. The Finger Lakes Museum is another project that plays in this arena.”

Díaz-Herrera pledged to “enthusiastically give my full dedication to the College in the only way I know: with passion and firmness. You can be sure that I will put my heart and soul toward moving this institution to the next level.”

But the president said a team effort is required to reach that level.

“Resilient academic institutions succeed because their faculty, staff, students, and friends are strongly committed to them,” he said. “I will need your total commitment, and I will work hard on building confidence and trust to achieve the solidarity needed to address difficult and changing times.”

In the discussions he has had with members of the College community during his 10 months on the job, Díaz-Herrera said one thing resonates loud and clear.

“Our community is passionate about this place,” he said, “and I must confess that the enthusiasm is contagious. I am fired up!”

To view a brief album of photos from the Inauguration, click HERE.

Joyce Cohen to Deliver Commencement Address

Published May 2 at 9:27 a.m. by Doug Lippincott.

Joyce Cohen, a 1967 graduate of Keuka College and a leading figure in the field of career development and life planning for more than 25 years, will deliver the commencement address at her alma mater Sunday, May 27.

Keuka’s 104th commencement will begin at 12:30 p.m. on the Norton Chapel lawn.

Founder and president of Unconventional Wisdom LLC, a life planning consulting agency, Cohen is an experienced consultant, workshop facilitator, life coach, outplacement counselor, and creator of updated credentials. She has worked with more than 350 companies, universities, and government agencies in this country and abroad. (more…)

A Lot in Common

Published May 1 at 2:15 p.m. by Doug Lippincott.

You can add Keuka College to the growing list of colleges and universities that use the Common Application.

The Common Application is used for undergraduate admissions by more than 490 colleges and universities. It appeals to students who apply to multiple schools, said Dr. Gary Smith, vice president of the Center for Professional Studies and International Programs.

“The Common Application will allow students to apply to Keuka in a more simple and convenient way,” said Smith. “Given the complexities of searching for the right school and then filling out a variety of applications, we believe that the Common Application will streamline this process for those students interested in Keuka College.” (more…)

A Less Taxing Experience

Published April 26 at 10:34 a.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

April 17 was a day many Americans circled on their calendars.

And not because they were looking forward to it.

April 17 was tax day.

“Imagine how most people feel about doing their own tax returns,” said Rita Gow, associate professor of accounting. “Now, imagine if you are a student from China, Vietnam, or South Africa and totally unfamiliar with the American tax structure or not familiar with the concept of taxing your income.”

A daunting task to be sure—unless you were one of the nine international students attending Keuka College who, thanks to a collaboration between Gow, the Center for Global Education, and AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, didn’t have to sweat April 17. (more…)

Keuka College, Rochester Folk Art Guild Team Up

Published April 24 at 10:11 a.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

Two Chinese students pursuing master’s degrees in management, with a concentration in international business, at Keuka College have embraced the College’s model of experiential, hands-on learning.

For their final project, Yinqi Lu, from Guangdong Province in southern China, and Yang An, from Anhui Province in central China, are creating a business strategy and marketing plan for the Rochester Folk Art Guild’s woodshop in Middlesex.

“Simply asking the Guild questions would not be enough,” said Yang. “We started the consulting project by visiting the Guild, working together with the woodworkers, and observing their behavior. By doing so, we could obtain a direct awareness of their working procedure, define problems, and offer some potential solutions.” (more…)

Eyes (and Ears) Wide Open

Published April 17 at 10:16 a.m. by Rachel E. Dewey.

Bundled warm in hoodies against the morning chill at Keuka Lake State Park, the students are standing still, listening intently. From the branches of trees nearby come chirps, calls and sing-song melodies, rising over the sound of the waves lapping the shore.

“What do you hear?” asks Bill Brown, assistant professor of biology and environmental science, who holds a Ph.D. and specializes in ornithology, the study of birds. Binoculars hang suspended from the students’ necks, but Brown wants them to listen first.

Pencils poised over palm-size waterproof notepads, the handful of students lower their heads and jot down four-letter codes for different species as they respond with the names: Mourning dove. American robin. Cardinal. Canada goose. Carolina wren. Downy woodpecker. [Eastern] Pheobe. House finch.

This is ENV/BIO 331, Keuka’s ornithology class, where one of Brown’s primary objectives is teaching students to master identification of some 104 different species of birds by sight. Thirty-nine of those species must also be identified by sound. And those are just the birds found here in New York state.

According to Brown, almost 90 percent of “birding” is done by ear; the rest comes from knowing what to expect in a given setting, whether that may be a small cluster of trees near a building, along a road, or deep in a forest fragment. (more…)

Child Care Credential Offering Expands Job Options

Published March 27 at 1:43 p.m. by Rachel E. Dewey.

Thanks to its long-running Field Period internship program, and five courses already offered each year, Keuka College will have a near-seamless transition for students – both degree-seeking and non-matriculated –to earn a state credential in early childhood education.

The New York State affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children has offered a credential known as the ITCCC (Infant/Toddler Child Care Credential). In formal documents from the state’s affiliate in Albany, the credential is described as giving “formal recognition of those who display a specialized knowledge of infant and toddler development, the partnership of caregivers with the families of the children in their care and professional practice based on respect for the individuals, the system and themselves.”

Approximately 12 hours of coursework is required by the state in four areas: infant/toddler development (birth to 36 months), family and culture, environment and curriculum, and assessment and evaluation. The state requires applicants to have obtained at least three of those credit hours within the last five years. Additional on-site work experience, known as “field work” and a professional portfolio are also required before an applicant can be awarded the credential, but it could be possible to complete requirements within one year.

According to Deb Dyer, assistant professor of education, the credentialing body has already looked at five Keuka courses and confirmed they fulfill the state’s educational component. This means undergraduates may add the credential and the process to obtain it within a degree program they are already pursuing. In addition, those in the work force seeking to add the credential to their resume can also look to Keuka for help, because the College offers courses to non-matriculated students, or those who are not seeking a specific degree.

According to Dyer, the state requires either one year of direct experience caring for infants and toddlers in a licensed setting, or two semesters of supervised “field work” plus six months work experience in a licensed setting. All total, 480 hours of documented work must be completed.

Keuka’s long-running Field Period program, requires each student to complete a 140-hour internship each year at a real-world work site, and would provide nearly half the hours required for the field work component, Dyer said. That means a Keuka student who conducts a Field Period at a child care facility or service site could count that time toward the credential requirement, she said.

A professional portfolio that includes extensive documentation of an applicant’s competency across the four areas of study and across the stages of birth to 36 months is also required. According to Dyer, the portfolio must include documentation across each of the four areas, and the types of documentation must vary at least twice within that, including a photo or video journal, work samples such as communication with families or record-keeping systems, written observation from another person on the candidate’s interaction with infants or toddlers, or an essay discussing an ethical dilemma. Keuka professors would work with applicants and mentor them through submission of the portfolio, Dyer said.

“If they want our help, we can help them with the field work or maybe they have some of the hours already,” she suggested.

According to Dyer, the latest state day care regulations call for one year of specific training for infants and toddlers for those seeking “lead teacher” roles in a day care center, and advises obtaining the new credential. Day care centers in the state are moving towards a “star rating” system, she said, and centers that employ more staff with the credential are more likely to receive higher ratings.

“I think the marketability [of this] is another advantage in a tough market that may put you ahead of the pack,” Dyer said.

For more information on the new credential, go to: www.earlychildhood.org

 

Muslim Students will Learn and Teach

Published March 7 at 10:41 a.m. by Doug Lippincott.

In recent years, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has apparently kept close tabs on Muslim student associations across the Northeast.

“The effort,” according to an Associated Press (AP) story, “included daily tracking of student websites and blogs, monitoring who was speaking to the groups, and in one case sending an undercover officer on a whitewater rafting trip with students from the City College of New York.”

The story hit the AP wire about two weeks after Liyana Che Aziz and Maisaroh Mohd Maasom began spring semester classes at Keuka College. Liyana and Maisaroh are Muslim students from the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

“Like Keuka College, UUM, a premier management university in Malaysia, has on its agenda a dynamic program of internationalization, and Liyana and Maisaroh are the first students from Malaysia to take classes in Keuka Park,” said Padmini Pillai, a senior officer of the Center for International Affairs and Cooperation at UUM who accompanied the students to Keuka Park. (more…)