BW Student Ambassadors Program Receives ICAA Recognition

The BW Alumni Relations' Student Ambassadors Program has been recognized with a 2015 Independent College Advancement Associates (ICAA) Program of Excellence Award.

Lisa M. Judge '00, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, BW Student Ambassadors Kyle Johnston ’16 and Abigail Snow ‘16, and Terry Kurtz ‘91, Director of Alumni Relations (pictured left to right) all attended the ICAA conference in Pittsburgh this summer where the award was presented. Kurtz and Judge are co-advisors to the Ambassadors organization, which is currently comprised of 40 BW sophomores, juniors, and seniors representing a variety of academic disciplines and campus involvement.

The ICAA Program of Excellence Award recognizes successful programs that “enhance the work of advancement or the university as a whole. “The goal for this award is to celebrate people or teams that have developed innovative programs, tools and systems and additionally, to help recognize best practices in the field of advancement.”

“BW Ambassadors allow our alumni connect with the BW of today and generate excitement about the University’s future,” Judge said. “We are thrilled that their hard work has been recognized with this award.” 

At the ICAA conference, Judge, Johnston and Snow also co-presented a session on Harnessing the Energy of Student Volunteers: Best Practices from BW Student Ambassadors.

Recruitment for new BW Student Ambassadors will begin again in January 2016.

International Studies Grad Works to Launch a First for NEO

Laughlin-Caroff '05

Northeast Ohio's only foreign language immersion school--the state's first Mandarin immersion school--is gearing up to open in Cleveland in August 2016 and a BW alumna Kristen Laughlin-Caroff '05 is playing an instrumental role in the development of the new Global Ambassadors Language Academy (GALA). Laughlin-Caroff, who triple majored in international studies, French and economics at BW, serves on GALA'sboard and is chief marketing officer for Cleveland International Fund.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District-sponsored charter school has initial plans are to enroll Kindergarten and First Graders Mandarin and Spanish immersion programs, with the goal of adding Arabic and Portuguese and developing an international school for grades 9-12 in the future. The school will be tuition free and provide instruction of all core subjects in both English and a target language, "leading to dual proficiency in reading, writing,

listening, and speaking by the 3rd grade."

Laughlin-Caroff is optimistic for the future of GALA, telling us that "it will serve as a change agent for Cleveland," offering area families "innovative school options" as it works to "strengthen culture and diversity, and produce a globally competitive local workforce for multinational companies in the Cleveland area."

Senior Takes Psychology Research to NYC

Undergraduate research successes at BW often result in impressive national presentation opportunities. That's the case for BW psychology/ pre-medical major Kyle Johnston '16, who spent three semesters researching the effects of concussion in athletes. His unique study analyzed information from all 23 athletic teams at BW. 

In May, the rising senior and aspiring medical professional took his research on the road. Johnston and his faculty advisor, Dr. Dale Grubb presented the research at the American Psychology Society's 27th annual Conference in New York City. APS not only provided an excellent conference for showcasing the research, but allowed Johnston to gain insight on similar psychological studies.

Alumna Named Dean of Undergraduate Admissions NSU

Deanne "Dee" Voss 

Alumna Deanne "Dee" Voss '90 has been named dean of undergraduate admissions at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Voss is heading to NSU after spending more than 20 years as an enrollment professional at the University of Miami. Brad A. Williams, NSU's vice president for student affairs and dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies stated in a News Release that, "Miss. Voss brings a wealth of knowledge about admission and enrollment management and relationships with high school counselors throughout Florida, nationally and internationally."

She holds a bachelor's degree in international studies from BW and a master's degree in higher education leadership from the University of Miami. Voss is active in the National Association for College Admissions Counseling and the Southern Association of College Admissions Counselors.

Sport Management Majors Intern with NFL's Dawg Pound

Photo Courtesy of the Cleveland Browns.

Everyone sees Johnny Manziel, Joe Haden and other Cleveland Browns superstars in the news and on the field. But not everyone sees them at work every day.

Eric Kwiatkowski '17 and Kevin Hulsmann '16 are working as Team Operations interns for the Browns this summer. The sport management majors assist with Training Camp in a variety of ways, driving shuttles of Browns players back and fourth from their hotel to the training facilities, taking inventory and distributing training camp schedules to players, managers and other members of the Browns' support staff.

"I like working with the Browns because I get to be a part of something that I've loved my whole life," Kwiatkowski tells us. "I get to see what goes on behind the scenes to make a Browns season happen."

Both students found out about the internship through BW sport management professor Charles Campisi. "The sport management professors at BW are always sending us emails about internships in the sporting industry which gives us many opportunities," says Hulsmann.

Both Kwiatkowski and Hulsmann believe they are fortunate to have landed summer internships that are exposing them to a side of the pro sports industry that they have never seen before.

Student Writer Spends His Summer at Outlook Ohio Magazine

The multi-talented Nathan Cole '17 took his passion for writing to Columbus this summer. Cole, an English major who also writes student and alumni success stories for BW, spent his summer in an editorial internship with Outlook Ohio magazine. Outlook Ohio is a free, monthly publication that is geared for the LGBT and allied community and can be found on newsstands in over 2,000 locations around the state. 

"I have had so many different opportunities to grow in the field of journalism and communications," Cole explains. In addition to contributing to Outlook Ohio's online blog, Cole had articles published in the July and August print magazines, and will have another article published in the upcoming September issue.

He had the opportunity to interview and write about RuPaul's Drag Race Season 7 runner-up, Pearl; fashion director of the Columbus Fashion Meets Music Festival, Horacio Nieto; and Neon Trees lead singer, Tyler Glenn, just to name a few. 

The publishing industry, according to Cole, is nothing like what we see in 'The Devil Wears Prada.' He says that he could not be happier about his summer at Outlook Ohio.

Cole's published article on the 2015 Gay Softball World Series in Outlook Ohio Magazine. 

Pre-Physical Therapy Major has High-Flying Internship Overseas

Levin (bottom) skydiving over the coast of Israel. 

As college students, many of us spend our summers building our resumes through internships and volunteer opportunities. Jon Levin '17 is spending his summer doing just that, but with a major plot twist. Levin's internship is in Bnei Brak, Israel.

The pre-physical therapy and exercise science major is interning as an assistant to the physical therapists at Ateret Rimonim, a retirement home, located in Bnei Brak. The eight week internship has included working with patients on motor functions, occupational therapy activities and daily exercises. Although he is not licensed to lead physical therapy by himself, Levin is able to assist with small physical therapy exercises and activities under supervision.

Representing Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at The Kotel in Jerusalem

Levin and his fellow interns use their days off to travel around Israel. He's had the opportunity to visit Jerusalem and the City of David, repel down a 164-foot cliff in Tel Aviv and, his favorite experience: skydiving over the coast of Israel (see photo!). At 11,000 feet above the coast, he was able to see some incredible views of both Israel and Lebanon.

The Olmsted Falls native tells us that his time in Israel has exceeded his expectations. "I am loving being in Israel for the summer and the experiences that I have had are ones that cannot be replicated in the States."

Levin heard about this opportunity through the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and competed to land the internship in an extensive interview process. The effort, he says,  has proved to be completely worth it!