Norbert Vance,
an Eastern Michigan University professor, and the Sherzer
Observatory may not be stars yet, but they are about to
take one step closer.
Vance, professor of astronomy at EMU, will be featured
as part of Detroit Public Television's "Think Squad" show.
The show was shot at the observatory July 28. An air
date for the show has not been scheduled.
"Our production team did research about observatories
all over the area. After we saw the facilities and met
Norbert, it seemed like a natural fit," said Alexander
Wright, producer of the show. "(The Sherzer Observatory)
is just a cool location and a nice fit."
 |
STAR CHAMBER: Norbert Vance, an EMU astronomy
professor, and the Sherzer Observatory will be
featured as part of Detroit Public Television's "Think
Squad" show. |
"Think Squad" is a group of kids who come together to
solve science-based riddles or gather information about
a science-related topic. The group uses the scientific
method to address each situation.
Vance, who has been at EMU since 1991, said that stars
will be the topic he tackles with the "Think Squad."
While this isn't the first time on TV for Vance or the
observatory, he said that it is a bit different than talking
about celestial events when they occur.
"I have been on the news for events, but this is scripted.
Maybe I need an agent now," Vance said with a laugh.
Vance said the most important thing about the show is
the educational value for viewers.
"I hope the kids enjoyed it and got something out of it," he
said.
Ramesh Garg,
a professor of finance and international business in EMU's
Department of Accounting and Finance, was recently awarded
the FMA International Superior Faculty Adviser Award
from the Finance Management Association (FMA).
 |
Garg |
The FMA student chapter at Eastern Michigan nominated
Garg for dedication, hard work and meaningful contributions
to the chapter. Successful faculty advisers help students
plan programs, guide chapter activities and ensure succession
planning.
"FMA truly appreciates all of the hard work Ramesh has
provided to the FMA chapter at Eastern Michigan," said
Shannon Walsh, director of student programs, FMA International,
University of South Florida. "Dr. Garg has gone above and
beyond his standard role of adviser. FMA is very fortunate
to have Ramesh Garg involved with the student chapter programs."
Garg was appreciative of the award and praised the student
chapter's president, Hamdan El-Ayache, and its vice president,
Rachel Naemi.
"I want to express my special thanks to Hamdan and
Rachel," he said. "Without their hard work and initiative,
we would not have received this recognition."
FMA was established in 1970 and has become the global
leader in developing and disseminating knowledge about
financial decision making. FMA's members include academicians
and practitioners across the world. For more information,
visit fma.org.
 |
Stevens |
Lizbeth Stevens,
an EMU associate professor and speech-language pathologist,
was recently appointed to the Michigan Board of Speech
Pathology for a four-year term by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Her term runs through Dec. 31, 2012.
The Michigan Board of Speech Language Pathology is charged
with overseeing the issuance of licenses to applicants,
promulgates rules, and prescribes continuing education
and disciplinary action.
After 20 years of serving children with communication
disorders in Michigan public schools, Stevens joined EMU's
Department of Special Education in 1998. Stevens
is a Faculty Fellow for Academic Service-Learning at EMU
and has presented widely and written about service-learning's
application in students working with individuals with severe
communication impairments. Stevens also teaches courses
on language disorders in children and augmentative/alternative
communication.
Stevens has served as president of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (2005), president of the Council of State Association
(2008) and currently serves as a board member of the Michigan
Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation.
 |
Podell |
Ron Podell,
assistant manager, news services, University Communications,
took the Best Short Script award at the recent Action on
Film International Film Festival (AOF) in Pasadena, Calif.
July 24-30. During the AOF Writers Awards Dinner, Podell
received a plaque and $500 worth of Write Bros. screenwriting
software for his winning script, "If Brad Met Billy
Bob." Podell also was nominated in the Best Comedy
Short Script category for a scene from his feature-length
script "Pulp Science Fiction." In addition, four
scenes from his various scripts — shot with
actors from the Stella Adler Los Angeles Studio for Actors
and W. Morgan Sheppard acting school in Los Angeles — screened
during the festival. Podell's short script, "Time and Tide,"
tied for second at the Woods Hole Film Festival in Woods
Hole, Mass. July 25-31.
 |
Watson |
Mary Ann Watson, an
EMU professor of electronic media and film studies, co-edited
the book "Norman Corwin's One World Flight: The
Lost Journal of Radio's Greatest Writer." Watson
co-edited the book with Michael C. Keith, a member of
the communications department at Boston College. The
book chronicles Corwin's journal from his postwar travels
to 37 countries during 1946. Documentation from his journal
was used for "One
World Flight," Corwin's 13-part
documentary series which broadcast on CBS Radio. The
book will be published in September by Continuum,a leading
independent academic publisher based in London and New
York.
Eastern Michigan University
students Wendy Gonzalez (Gregory, Mich.), Evelyn Shulan
(Ann Arbor) and Ericka Wilson (Detroit) were
recently selected for a scholarship award through the
American Humanics Next Generation Nonprofit Leaders
Group (NextGen). Underwritten by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation,
NextGen is a competitive scholarship program for students
enrolled in American Humanics programs at 70 colleges
and universities across the U.S. NextGen is designed
to help a racially and ethnically diverse group
of students with demonstrated leadership potential
complete their American Humanics certification requirements,
specifically a 300-hour internship with a nonprofit
organization. NextGen leaders will receive a $4,500
scholarship from American Humanics during their internships,
along with access to and support from a network of
nonprofit leaders who will serve as mentors.
Eastern Michigan
University recently
received one of 18 grants as part of the NCAA Division
I Women's Basketball Grant Program.
The NCAA gave approximately
$750,000 in grant money to schools and conferences. Eastern
Michigan received $15,000 as part of the program. The
grant program is designed to foster increased awareness,
exposure and increase attendance of women's basketball
on NCAA member campuses and within NCAA member conferences.
"We are delighted that the NCAA has awarded EMU a grant
to enhance our marketing efforts and increase attendance," said
Derrick Gragg, EMU's director of athletics. "This is a
very exciting time for our women's basketball program and
this money will allow us to extend our reach and introduce
new fans to our team."
A total of 75 member schools and conferences submitted
proposals in the second year of the pilot program. National
office staff and representatives from the NCAA women's
basketball marketing consultant firm, Hawkeye Sports and
Entertainment, evaluated the proposals.
Eastern Michigan University students
Stacy Waack, Dana Wolford and Kitsie Johnson finished third
at the national student quiz bowl competition at the American
College of Sports Medicine National Conference in Seattle
May 26-30. The quiz bowl is a "Jeopardy"-style quiz game
of exercise physiology-related categories. In order to
represent the Midwest at the national conference, the three
won the Midwest region competition in Bowling Green last
October.
The Eastern Michigan
University women's golf team was one of 25 teams recognized July 20 by the National
Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) for having a collective
team GPA of 3.582.
The University of Idaho was honored
as the recipient of the 2008-09 NGCA All-Scholar Team GPA
Award. This award recognizes the women's collegiate golf
program with the highest collective average team GPA, which
includes all of the team's student-athletes for the 2008-09
season.
 |
GOLFERS GRADE WELL ACADEMICALLY: The
EMU
women's golf team had the 19th highest
team GPA
among all NCAA divisional institutions
during 2008-2009. |
Idaho's seven team members had an average GPA of 3.78.
The Eagles had the 19th highest team GPA among all NCAA
divisional institutions.
Earlier in July, Darby Peters
of Lake Orion, Lina Pasquali of Kendallville, Ind.; Marjorie
Thuot of Quebec; and Stephany Fleet of Dewitt were named
to the 2008-09 NCAA Division I All-American Scholar Team
by the NGCA.
The National Golf Coaches Association, founded
in 1983, is a nonprofit organization representing women's
collegiate golf coaches. The NGCA was formed to encourage
the playing of college golf for women in correlation with
a general objective of education and in accordance with
the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today,
the NGCA represents nearly 500 coaches throughout the U.S.
and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing
both its members and the student-athletes they represent.
 |
NATIONAL CALLING: Kamil Janton, a
sophomore-to-be
on the EMU men's baskeball
team, played for the
Polish National Team in
the FIBA European Under-20
Division B
Championships July 16-26 in Skopje,
Macedonia. |
Kamil Janton,
a sophomore-to-be on EMU's men's basketball team, was recently
selected to compete for the Under-20 Polish National Team.
Janton, a 6-foot, 10-inch center, is a native of Tarnow,
Poland, and attended Bartlett High School in Chicago, Ill.
He played for the Polish team that competed in the FIBA
European Under-20 Division B Championships July 16-26 in
Skopje, Macedonia.
As a freshman, Janton played in 16 games for the Eagles,
scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Eastern
Michigan University basketball players Wendale Farrow
(Sacramento, Calif.), Zane Gay (Olivet, Mich.) and
Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.) were recently
selected to the National Association of Basketball
Coaches' (NABC) Honors Court, which recognizes college
basketball players for their academic excellence during
2008-2009. Farrow had a 3.27 GPA as a communications
major while Gay posted a 3.24 GPA in finance. Jones
had a 3.2 GPA as a sport management major. To make
the NABC Honors Court, athletes must meet a high standard
of academic criteria, including being a junior or senior
academically and posting a 3.2 GPA during 2008-2009.
 |
HAWAII HOTSHOTS: (from left) Eastern
Michigan
baseball players Kendall Lewis,
Brent Ohrman and
Kyle Klein played in the
Hawaii Collegiate Baseball
League All-Star
Game July 4. |
Eastern Michigan
University baseball players Kendall Lewis, Brent
Ohrman and Kyle Klein were selected to
play on the 2009 Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League
(HCBL) All-Star Team. The three, all sophomores, played
for the home team Makai Islanders July 4 in the HCBL
All-Star Game. Lewis, from Huntsville, Ohio, had a
2-0 record with a team-best 1.32 ERA for the Waimea
Waves going into the All-Star Game. Klein, from Grand
Rapids, was hitting .321 with 11 runs and seven RBIs
for the Waikiki Surfers. Ohrman, of Adrian, was batting
.268 with 13 runs scored, nine RBIs and 12 stolen bases
for Waikiki.
