Spotlight on Success

On March 17, Dr. Carolyn Cook and five education students attended the Region IV Literacy Conference in Harrisburg, PA. Michelle J. Kelley, assistant professor of reading education at the University of Central Florida, and Nicki Clausen-Grace, an award-winning classroom teacher presented their research and provided strategies to engage students in reading. They shared information from their books Comprehension Shouldn't be Silent and R5 in Your Classroom.

Nicholas Chavez, a social studies secondary education major said, "I thought the conference was very enriching! I was glad I was able to learn about metacognitive reading now, because I am using it for my own studies and plan to teach it at the camp I work at during the summer."

Christine Parker, a Frederick undergraduate elementary major said, "This conference truly reinforced the reading courses that we have taken to date. I was also able to confer with others in the field about the methods and materials they use in their classrooms."

Dr. Thomas A. Evitts, associate professor at Shippensburg University, presented Making Mathematical Connections on March 21.  Dr. Evitts discussed how learning mathematics is a matter of finding, using, and creating the right connections! The Education Club sponsored this event. Education Club officers are: Jaime Mullin, president, Colleen Kane, vice president, Lexi Hussey, secretary, and Catie Brown, treasurer. Dr. Carolyn Cook is the club's advisor.  

The Criminal Justice Student Association (CJSA) hosted its 7th annual CSI Challenge on Saturday, March 24, at Mount St. Mary’s University. Project co-managers were Brandy Guy, Leah Perdue, Madelaine Stross, and Michael Hall. The Challenge was co-hosted by the Frederick County Police Department with participation from officers of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and the Pennsylvania State Police. Teams, consisting of three students each, demonstrated their skills in crime scene processing, evidence collection and preservation, case preparation, and investigative presentation, all of which was judged by practicing professionals. This year over 65 students participated, including invited universities from Canada, Maryland, and Virginia as well as the Mount. The Canadian team was awarded the first place Dine Cup. The Mount team took second place.

The Criminal Justice Student Association (CJSA) won first place for "Best Display" during Accepted Students Day on Saturday, March 31. Accepted students and their parents learned about MSMU's clubs and organizations as the Admissions Office hosted over 1200 visitors. CJSA officers are: Brian Ballintyn, President; Brittany Mason, Vice President; Kyle Carter, Treasurer; and Millea Matthew, Secretary. Joseph Vince is the club's faculty advisor.

Alpha Phi Sigma, the Criminal Justice Honor Society, and Alpha Kappa Delta, the Sociology Honor Society held their annual induction dinner on March 27. Alpha Phi Sigma promotes critical thinking, rigorous scholarship, and life-long learning, and is moderated by Dr. Virginia McGovern. Alpha Kappa Delta encourages and rewards outstanding students of sociology and promotes intellectual and social activities, which improve that human condition. Dr. Marty Malone is the moderator.