Faculty Accolades

Dr. Tina Holland, President and CEO of FranU, was named The Baton Rouge Business Report's Executive of the Year for its 2023 Business Awards and Hall of Fame. She was awarded at a special dinner held by the Business Report on Tuesday, March 14 at the Crowne Plaza Baton Rouge.

Dr. Phil Page, Director of Research and Associate Professor for the DPT program, recently co-authored 4 articles on using musculoskeletal ultrasound in physical therapy in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy:

• Page P, Manske RC, Voight M, Wolfe C. MSK Ultrasound - An IJSPT Perspective. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2023;18(1):1-10.
• Manske RC, Page P, Voight M, Wolfe C. EDITORIAL: MSK Ultrasound and Introduction of IJSPT Ultrasound Bites Feature. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2023;18(1).
• Manske RC, Voight M, Wolfe C, Page P. The Use of MSK Ultrasound with Quadriceps Muscle Injury. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2023;18(1):282-284.
• Manske RC, Voight M, Wolfe C, Page P. MSK Ultrasound Bites: Long Head of Biceps Tendon (LHB). Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022;17(7):1205-7.

Tammy Vidrine, Director of Campus Ministry, presented a workshop designed for the mission of the Salesian Sisters, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians on March 16-18 in San Antonio, Texas. The workshop included practical tips on accompaniment in ministry through the lens of Christus Vivit and Evangelii Gaudium, exhortations of Pope Francis. It also included practical tips for spiritual direction and the review of specific case studies relating to direction.

In March 2023, Dr. Aubry Turner, Academic Advisor, was recognized by Baton Rouge Metro Council along with others who made the inaugural 225Fest on February 25 possible, which will be an annual event celebrating Baton Rouge. Aubry was the official aerial photographer and videographer for the festival, and his work was also featured in the initial promotions.

Dr. Rhoda Reddix, Director of Service Learning's abstract entitled A Population Health Approach to Promote Significant Learning in an Undergraduate Pathophysiology Course, was accepted for presentation at the American Physiology Society Summit in the Physiology Education Section, April 20-23, 2023 in Long Beach, California.

Dr. Brian Pedraza was selected as the FranU Fall 2022 Franciscan Service Award Recipient!

Brian received his award and recognition at the March 9 Bioethics Lecture. His nominator said, “Brian Pedraza is a strong advocate of showing reverence and love for all of life and always placing a strong emphasis on reaching out to meet the needs of others. He believes that it is a privilege to respond to special and deep-seated needs. Dr. Pedraza encourages us to extend equal dignity and respect to all that we meet. He goes out of his way to recognize those that do important yet often “unnoticed” things for us. Brian has a very calming presence. He is kind, relatable, funny and compassionate. He clearly has a joyfulness of spirit. Brian is a humble servant who compels others to join him in Franciscan servant leadership. Brian Pedraza, thank you for your outstanding service and congratulations on this honor!”

On January 7, 2023, Tammy Vidrine, MRE, Director of Campus Ministry, designed and facilitated a retreat for Catechists at Immaculate Conception of Denham Springs. The retreat, titled, Joined Together By Love, guided them through reflection and interaction in who they are created in the image of God, mission, gifts, and virtues.

Tammy also presented at the Archdiocese of New Orleans Gulf Coast Conference on January 14 on Renewing the Heart of the Parish through Ignatian Spirituality. The topic explored using Ignatius' model of prayer, discernment, praying with the saints, and the sacraments to develop opportunities for parishioners to grow in their faith. It ended with sharing how spiritual direction can be offered in the parish modeling the Busy Person's Retreat.

In addition, on January 22, she designed and presented on Holiness is For All Seasons, Not Just Lent, at a Theology on Tap to parishioners at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. It offered personal and professional wisdom on how to live daily in holiness by developing habits and practices leading to a trinitarian relationship.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals presented the 2022 Brother Donnan Berry Award for Chapter Service Presentation to Judith Roberson, FranU's Vice President for Institutional Advancement! The AFP Board of Directors said that Judith is a servant leader and that her leadership is persuasive, effective, and creative. She's been a Greater Baton Rouge AFP member for many years, even serving as President in the past. She regularly gives back to the Chapter by mentoring newer members and volunteering for various committees.

Congrats to the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program for being accepted into the Well-Ahead Rural Health Scholars Program, which is in its second year of a 3-year grant. It focuses on building partnerships between rural & underserved healthcare facilities and colleges & universities. Beginning in Spring '23, 3 FranU FNP students will participate in this program and complete 180+ clinical hours at various rural healthcare sites across Louisiana.

Tinicia Turner, MRE, Director of Career and Leadership Initiatives, was recognized recently as a member of BRAC's 2022 Leadership Baton Rouge. This is a year-long program designed to seek out, train and promote high achievers for positions of voluntary responsibility in the community and to establish a communication network among these emerging leaders. When asked why she wanted to participate in this program, Tinicia said, "I'm committed to growing professionally and as a servant leader to help improve the region for all current and future citizens."

Dr. Jeff Thompson, Director of Clinical Research for DPT, presented his research validating musculoskeletal ultrasound in the cervical spine at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists Annual Conference in San Diego, CA in October 2022.

The Orthopedic Summit for Evolving Techniques (OSET) was held in Boston in September. Dr. Phil Page served as Research Symposium Chair, where students, faculty, & alumni presented 5 posters. The abstracts were printed in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy's October '22 issue. In addition, Dr. Page gave 2 presentations on rehabilitation & technology. OSET is the premier gathering of over 1,000 orthopaedic surgeons and musculoskeletal specialists in subspecialties, including knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, spine, trauma, foot & ankle and sports rehabilitation.

Dr. Page recently gave 2 lab-based lectures at the Noraxon users' national meeting in Phoenix. Noraxon is a leading manufacturer of biomechanical & EMG analysis equipment. He presented "Integrating technology in clinical gait analysis" and "Analyzing exercise prescription with surface EMG".

Dr. Page co-authored 5 poster presentations at the Orthopedic Summit in Boston in September along with several FranU DPT alumni & students. The peer-reviewed abstracts were published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.

At the 2022 LACRAO conference, Zoe Ramachandran, Admissions Counselor, was selected as Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee (LAC), and will assist greatly next year when FranU serves as host of the annual conference.

At the LACRAO 2022 Conference, Rebecca Gruntz, Admissions Counselor, was elected as Communications Chair on the Executive Board for the upcoming year. LACRAO brings together recruiters, admissions staff, records and registration staff as well as high school counselors.

Admissions Counselors Marlena McGrath and Rebecca Gruntz were selected to present at the 2022 Annual Louisiana Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (LACRAO) conference. The conference was hosted by Louisiana State University of Alexandria at the Hotel Bentley in Alexandria and was the first held since 2019. Rebecca and Marlena presented on Using Social Media as a Tool to Recruit and touched on how FranU Admissions has used a small team to improve and expand our social media presence.

FranU was also selected to host the 2023 LACRAO conference! FranU Admissions and LAC's will first select a host hotel in the Baton Rouge area and identify a conference theme. The University is very excited about this opportunity!

Dr. Phil Page currently hosts a monthly online journal club in sports physical therapy with the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy and Northeast Seminars. Each month, he co-hosts the virtual journal club to review 2 recent sports PT-related articles.

Dr. Phil Page was awarded the 2022 Dave Warner Distinguished Service Award from the APTA-Louisiana at their annual Fall Meeting in August. Dr. Page was acknowledged for his service in physical therapy research and education, as well as for facilitating legislative efforts and serving on the state board of Physical Therapy. He also received a 30-year service award as a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.

As a result of her academic achievement, Dr. Rhoda Reddix, Director of Service-Learning, has been invited to join the National Society of Leadership and Success as a Presidential member. She was nominated by Purdue University Global. It is the largest leadership honor society in the United States and nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction

School of Health Professions faculty and SETH leadership, including Drs. Sarah Deyo, Kathryn Fakier, Rachel Fournet, Tabitha Jones-Thomas, Kelly Rodriguez, and Nicole Scott, MSN, joined forces to engage students in a simulation that identified risk in the health care setting. The data and outcome of this interprofessional education was published in the International Journal of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science and was entitled "Room of Errors: Can You Find Risk? A Competency-Based Learning Experience".

Christy Sevier, Director of Admissions, was a member of the planning committee for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2022 annual college fair, which took place in New Orleans and Baton Rouge on Sept. 27 and 28, 2022, respectively.

Amy Hall, PhD, RN, CNE, Professor and Dean for the School of Nursing, was elected to the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) Board of Commissioners. Dr. Hall was elected as a nursing education representative. She will serve a three-year term from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2025.

Dr. Kathryn Fakier, Director of the Nutritional Sciences (MSNS) program, and MSNS Alumni Sarah Broekhoven recently published an article for the International Association for Food Protection in the September/October 2022 issue of Food Protection Trends. They collaborated on this research project with Dr. Wenqing Xu, food safety specialist and food scientist for the LSU AgCenter.

Dr. Fakier was also recently interviewed in an article published by LSU President William F. Tate IV, which spoke about the Ideal Diet.

Kristen Wells, Assistant Professor for Rad Tech, served as Grand Marshal in the Celebrate Life Car Parade on Friday, September 30, 2022. The car parade was held at 12 noon at Woman's Hospital, in partnership with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and Our Lake of the Lake.

Tammy Vidrine, MRE, Director of Campus Ministry, completed a two year internship in the theory and practice of spiritual direction in the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola through the Spirituality Center with the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She received her certification as a spiritual director in August 2022.

Tammy was also recently selected by the Archdiocese of New Orleans to present at the Gulf Coast Faith Formation Conference (Go Conference) in January 2023 on Renewing the Heart of the Parish through Ignatian Spirituality. Her presentation will engage participants in the practice of Ignatian spirituality. It will offer a short review of the life of Ignatius and his search to see the glory of God in all things. Included will be practical ways to lead parishioners in renewing their hearts through prayer, reflection, meditation, and imaginative contemplation, and for the busy parishioner, who has no time for retreats, how the Busy Person's Retreat model can develop prayerful habits in renewing the heart.

Dr. Candi McElheny, Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Research, served as a panel member for Louisiana SACSCOC Accreditation Liaisons presentation on July 12, 2022 as part of the Louisiana Association for Institutional Research (LAIR). She provided her experience and insight into ongoing best practices to implement for sustained compliance with SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation.

Dr. Alicia Bates, Dr. Kristin Martin, and Dr. Amy Hall presented at the ACEN Nursing Accreditation Conference in Atlanta, GA in July 2022. Representing the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program, Alicia and Kristin provided a podium presentation on Integrating Simulation, Telemedicine, and Interprofessional Education to Improve Graduate Program Outcomes. Amy Hall, Dean of the School of Nursing, gave a podium presentation on Program Assessment and Evaluation. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by providing specialized accreditation for all levels of nursing education and transition-to-practice programs.

On June 3, 2022, Dr. Damon Boria, Associate Professor for Philosophy, presented his paper “Seeing Green in the Rust Belt with Beauvoir: On Perception and Imagination Amidst Ecological Ruin” at the Simonde de Beauvioir 7th International Conference, hosted by John Carroll University. On June 22, he presented “Becoming Alert: Ortega y Gasset’s Meditations on Hunting and the Possibilities for Eco-Existentialism” at the International Association for Environmental Philosophy Online Workshop.

Kirk Nelson, PhD, Director of the DPT program, was in Washington, D.C. for the final intensive session and graduation of the APTA Fellowship in Educational Leadership (formerly Educational Leadership Institute or ELI) in Summer 2022.  This is a credentialed fellowship program.

Dr. Phil Page co-authored an international publication, "The association of the localized pain sensitivity in the residual limb and prosthesis use in male veterans with transtibial amputation" in Assistive Technology. He served as program chair of the ICCUS Society sports rehabilitation research meeting in Colorado Springs and was interviewed on the contemporary evidence-based use of rehabilitation modalities for a webinar based on his article published last Fall. He co-hosted a new monthly online journal club for the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.

Dr. Beth Crochet, Nurse Anesthesia Instructor, received the Future Leaders of LANA Scholarship, sponsored by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) to help CRNAs become more involved in the profession's future by enhancing understanding of governance & leadership within AANA/LANA. Beth is one of 5 applicants to receive the scholarship. She attended the AANA Annual Congress in Chicago, IL from Aug 12-16, 2022.

Dr. Riaz Ferdaus, Associate Professor for Health Administration, is now a John Hopkins University Press Book Reviewer. He recently reviewed David Ropeik's book, "How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts". Ropeik revealed fascinating details of the subconscious human system of risk perception & how it's driven as much by emotion & instinct as reason & fact with a focus on cancer diagnosis, workup, & treatment. Ferdaus' focus was policy & economic aspects of processes when we make decisions on cancer diagnosis, workup, & treatment.

LA's Jefferson Parish Library recently invited Professor Angus Woodward, MFA, Director of CITE, to give a talk for their August 2022 Writer's Clinic. Professor Woodward gave a presentation entitled "Keep Them Reading: The Key Ingredients of Compelling Stories."

Pearce Cinman, Director of Business Administration, and Dr. Elaine Purdy, Director of Healthcare Administration, were selected to lead an educational session at AUPHA Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 9, 2022. Their presentation was entitled "Introducing a Digital Strategy for Healthcare Administration and the 21st Century Workforce".

Alicia Bates, PhD, NP-C, CDE, Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner program, has new credentials to add behind her name: CNE! Alicia successfully passed the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) examination on June 14, 2022. This exam, offered by the National League for Nursing, demonstrates expertise in nursing education and is a mark of distinction for nursing faculty.

Dr. Tracy Lepper, Director, ABA Certificate Program and Dr. Brian Rash, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, recently secured a $48,000 grant award from The Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation to launch a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) training program at FranU! Individuals in this position serve as frontline workers in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and are responsible for delivering much needed behavior-analytic interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Program completers will be in a position to apply their education directly to helping Capital Region citizens challenged by ASD. In addition, the program will target underserved populations and provide RBT training at no cost to the students, while putting them on a path toward a career in ABA.

Dr. Debanjana Bhattacharya, Adjunct faculty member for the Biology Program, recently supervised her student Thi Lan Anh Nguyen in writing the review article "Antimicrobial Activity of Quercetin: An Approach to Its Mechanistic Principle" in the scientific journal Molecules.

Dawn Simms, Assistant Professor for Biology, won Best Faculty Poster at FranU's 2022 Research and Scholarship Showcase. Her poster was titled "Impacts of Alternative Teaching Modalities on Microbiology Laboratory Student Outcomes Since the Start of the Covid-19 Pandemic".

Sarah Goncalves, Assistant Professor for Rad Tech, recently opened a fitness studio, Buti MVMNT right around the corner from FranU's campus in Baton Rouge.

Dr. Michele Blackwell, Retention Coordinator for FranU's Pre-licensure BSN program, received the Helen Johnson Cremeens Excellence in Teaching Award from the B.R. District Nurses Association in 2022. This award is named in honor of late nursing educator Helen Cremeens, wife of late local TV newscaster Carleton Cremeens. It was established to honor his wife's love for nursing & her career as an educator.

Heavy Feather Review published an excerpt entitled "Palmerland: BNA's Ellis Island" from Professor Angus Woodward's graphic novel in progress, How to Vanquish a Nemesis.

FNP faculty members Dr. Kristin Martin, Dr. Alicia Bates, and Dr. Leon Gallow presented at the Simulation Expo in Lafayette in April 2022. Their topic was "Lessons Learned During the COVID Pandemic: Development and Implementation of a Simulated Telehealth Clinic for FNP Education." and detailed the challenges to patient care & student education during clinics' shutdown amidst the worst of the pandemic. FNP faculty developed & implemented a simulated telehealth clinic to meet students' needs for clinical hours and teach them the realities of telemedicine

FNP faculty members Dr. Kristin Martin and Dr. Alicia Bates and Dietetic Internship faculty Dr. Kathryn Fakier and Aimee Serio, MS presented at the Simulation Expo in Lafayette, LA on April 29, 2022. The presentation was titled "Integrating Simulation, Telemedicine, and IPE to Improve Graduate Program Outcomes and Student Success" and discussed the development and implementation of a simulated telemedicine appointment involving interprofessional collaboration. Students from both the MSN-FNP and MSNS-DI programs worked together to provide a plan of care for a standardized patient. Outcomes of the scenario indicated that integrating simulation, telemedicine, and IPE into graduate education helps meet program objectives and improves student outcomes.

Professor Angus Woodward's digital story, "Susan and Angus, Then and Now" was published by Aquifer, an online literary journal, in April 2022.

Dr. Susan Steele-Moses, Professor in the Health Administration program, recently contributed to two published articles. She says, "In the first article, I served as the methodologist, ran the statistics, and wrote the methods section. For the second article, I served as the mentor, in a mentor/mentee program with the Journal. Sheri conducted a study, but we worked together to take her data from concept to publication."

Dr. Riaz Ferdaus, Associate Professor for Business and Health Administration, is on track to earn his MAS degree in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health at the end of the Spring 2022 semester. Dr. Ferdaus is currently at the final term of his Master of Applied Sciences degree. The Health Administration and Public Health discourse community considers the commencement ceremony at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health as one of the highest achievements and honor.

Dr. Aubry Turner, Academic Advisor, secured the Spring 2022 Ellucian Impact Grant Award in the Student Experience category for FranU. This one time grant of $25,000 recognized how the University utilizes Ellucian's CRM Advise application to proactively engage at-risk students, improving student retention and completion. Aubry and a team from FranU accepted the award during the Ellucian Live conference in Denver, CO in March 2022.

Dr. Kathryn Fakier, RND, received the 2022 LAND Outstanding Dietician of the Year award. This is the highest honor awarded to the top Registered Dietitian in each state each year. The recipient is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who exemplifies what it means to be a dietitian, serves the public, and has dedicated a significant amount of time volunteering in service and leadership roles within the Academy and its local affiliates.

Beth Crochet, CRNA, faculty member for the DNP program, completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in May 2022. The title of her DNP project was: A Process Improvement in Spinal Anesthetic Management of Elective Orthopedic Surgery Patients to Attenuate Post-Spinal Hypotension.

Dr. Damon Boria, Associate Professor of Philosophy, published a chapter titled "Reading Nietzsche and Sartre Toward an Eco-Existentialism" in the book Nietzsche und der Franzosische Existenzialismus, eds. Alfred Betschart, Andreas Urs Sommer, and Paul Stephan (Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 2022).

William Roshto and Dawn Simms, MS, from the Biology Department of the School of Arts and Sciences have submitted a poster abstract to be presented at the 8th annual FranU Research and Scholarship Showcase (RSS) entitled, "Examining the Efficacy of Toothpastes in the Prevention of Biofilm Formation by Three Bacterial Species Associated with the Formation of Dental Caries".

DPT faculty, students, and alumni presented their research at the physical therapists' state meeting (APTA-LA). The Spring Rehab Summit was held in Lafayette on March 18-20, 2022. DPT faculty Dr. Kelly Rodriguez had 2 presentations: “Outcome Measures in Rehab” and “Clinical Ladder Challenges.” Dr. Phil Page, Research Director, presented “Rehab Statistics in Clinical Decision Making.”

Michael Dreznick, Associate Professor in Psychology, recently had an article published in The Journal of Continuing Higher Education. The article was entitled A Welcoming Environment: Nontraditional Students’ Experiences at a Small, Healthcare-Focused University.

Kristen Wells, MEd, RT(R), Assistant Professor for Radiologic Technology, was Moderator at the 2022 Gulf South Summit Pre-Conference Professional Development Session on March 22, 2022.

Dr. Alicia Bates, Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program, had an article published in the ACEN February 2022 issue of Bridges - The Graduate Issue. The article, entitled "FranU MSN-FNP Program Makes 5 Years!," regaled the history and accomplishments of the FranU FNP program.

Professor Augus Woodward's work has recently appeared in two publications. Solstice Literary Magazine published his graphic narrative, "Your Salt Mines," in their Winter 2021 issue, and Delta Poetry Review published his poem, "Everyone Writes a Mary Oliver Poem at Some Point" in their Winter 2022 issue.

Tammy Vidrine, Director of Campus Ministry, presented to the women of St. Joseph and St. Stephen Catholic Churches in French Settlement, LA on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. The presentation covered the Mystical Body of Christ and the role of women in the church.

Dr. Tina Holland, University President and CEO, was recently featured on Degree Insurance's Rebuilding the American Dream podcast. She shared insights garnered from her years in public services as well as the values instilled in her from her parents, as first generation Americans.

Dr. Amit Mitra, Associate Professor for the School of Nursing, was one of the textbook reviewers for the newly published 7th edition of Gould's Pathophysiology for the Health Professions textbook. This textbook published by Saunders is used in Nursing's prelicensure pathophysiology course.

Biology faculty, Drs. Natalie Lenard, Latoya Paul, and Rhoda Reddix, Lawrence Bird, 2021 Human Medicine graduate, Grace Turner, and Desire Crow (Nursing student) had their abstract accepted, entitled " Diverse STEM Community Engagement Strategies that Promote Student Advocacy and Healthier Communities", into the 2022 Gulf Coast Summit on Service-Learning and Community Engagement in Higher Education Conference. They will present at the Summit on March 23-25, 2022, whose theme is “Cultivating Community Resilience through Engagement”.

The summit is a national and premier conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement in Higher Education in the U.S. The mission is to promote networking among practitioners, disseminate research, share ethical practices, promote reciprocal campus-community partnerships, sustainable programs, and a culture of engagement and public awareness through service-learning and other forms of civic engagement. 500+ faculty, staff, students, and community partners from across the U.S. and abroad attended the first virtual conference in 2021.

Dr. Kathryn Fakier, Director for Nutritional Sciences, coauthored a A manuscript titled "Development, Validation, and Testing of a Self-Assessment Tool to Measure Food Safety Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors in Healthcare Foodservice Operations". It was published on December 16, 2021 in the Journal of Food Protection. Kathryn, along with her major professor Dr. Xu, were invited to submit the manuscript for publication after she presented a poster review at the International Association of Food Protection conference in July 2021.

Dr. Kristin Martin, Director of Clinical Education for the FNP program, earned her CNEcl certification in December 2021. The Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Certification Exam was created for academic clinical nurse educators to demonstrate expertise in this role. The academic clinical nurse educator facilitates the learning of nursing students throughout clinical components of an academic nursing program.

Tammy Vidrine, Director of Campus Ministry, recently wrote about spiritual direction being instrumental during difficult times, especially since the pandemic.

Dr. Phil Page served as co-chair of the research committee of the 2021 OSET Orthopaedic Summit in Las Vegas from Dec. 11-14, 2021. He presented 2 posters that were also published as abstracts in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy: "Clinical interpretation of inferential statistics: Making clinical decisions with estimation statistics" and "Evaluation of musculoskeletal clinical practice guidelines for recommended therapeutic interventions".

The Orthopaedic Summit is held annually with over 1000 Orthopaedic Surgeons, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Athletic Trainers, Physical and Occupational Therapists from across the globe.

Dr. Phil Page was named Co-Chair of the Research Committee for the Orthopedic Summit this December in Las Vegas. The annual meeting hosts international surgeons and therapists sharing the latest in orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation.

Dr. Phil Page was also appointed by Governor Edwards for another 3-year term as member of the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board. He also serves on the Rules Committee, Continuing Education Committee, and Technology Task Force.

FranU's BSN program received the 2022 Nightingale Award for the Undergraduate Nursing Program of the Year from the Louisiana State Nurses Association (LSNA).

Dr. Phil Page published a clinical commentary in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy titled, Making the case for modalities: the need for critical thinking in practice. He also co-authored a research paper available ahead of print in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation with colleagues from Memorial University in Newfoundland Canada titled, Menthol-based topical analgesic induces similar upper and lower body pain pressure threshold values: A randomized trial.

Dr. Phil Page, Director of Clinical Education for the DPT program, recently had his textbook, “Strength Band Training” published in Taiwanese. The book offers practical exercises using elastic resistance for exercise, rehab, and sports performance. Other languages translated include Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. This is the 3rd edition published by Human Kinetics.

Michael Acaldo with "Beacons of Light" sat down in Fall 2021 with Tyler Trahan, FranU's Director of The Franciscan Experience, to discuss how important it is for us to serve others even during the COVID pandemic.

Dr. Laurinda Calongne, Assistant Professor for Business Administration, recently wrote about students being prepared for the workforce in an article for Linkedin.com.

Drs. Jeff Thompson and Phil Page of the DPT program presented their research at the Louisiana Physical Therapy Association meeting in Baton Rouge in September 2021. Dr. Thompson presented, "Reliability of cervical disc height using magnetic resonance imaging" while Dr. Page presented "Electromyographic evaluation of transverse plane instability balance training exercise, "Clinical Interpretation of Inferential Statistics," and "Musculoskeletal Clinical Practice Guidelines Recommended Therapeutic Interventions."

Dr. Phil Page, Research Director for the DPT program, authored a textbook chapter, "Impaired posture and function" in the 4th edition of Musculoskeletal Interventions: Techniques for Therapeutic Exercise published by McGraw Hill.

He also presented a webinar for the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy in September 2021. The webinar was designed to help those interested in performing peer review, and to help writers understand what reviewers look for.

Director of Campus Ministry, Tammy Vidrine, MRE, was a recent guest on local television program Catholic Life 396 and spoke about her faith life and Campus Ministry at FranU.

Dr. Michele Blackwell, Associate Professor for Nursing, presented her research "Examining Nursing Student Dropout Behavior Using Event History Analysis" on March 19-20, 2021 at the Virtual Conference on Nursing Education and Healthcare, an international conference sponsored by Inovine & hosted by Georgia Southern University.

She also presented her research "Using Event History Analysis to Identify Nursing Student Attrition Risk" on June 26-30 at the 2021 NASPA Virtual Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education. This national conference, hosted by NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education had three tracks, with her presentation being included in the Assessment, Persistence, and Data Analytics track. The other tracks were Dismantling Systemic Barriers to Student Success and First-Generation Student Success.

Dr. Susan Steele-Moses, Professor in the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program, recently published an article that was chosen as a feature in Nursing Management: The Journal of Excellence in Nursing Leadership

Dr. Phil Page, Director of Clinical Education for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, recently published an editorial in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, "The Need for Critical Thinking in Rehabilitation Research"

Dr. Lindsay Mullins, Endowed Chair of Gerontology, was invited (and accepted) to join LA Health Care Quality Forum’s Serious Illness Coalition, which continues work of the LaPOST Coalition & Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Advisory Council. Serious Illness Coalitions occur to identify community needs and address them together. She was also invited to join Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Ad-Hoc Committee to explore and if determined so, develop/implement GSA Student Chapters for gerontology and health professions education programs.

Tinicia Turner, MRE, Director of Career and Leadership, co-authored a chapter in the book Critical Race Studies Across Disciplines, which argues that critical race theory (CRT)—which originated within Legal Studies during the 1970s—has permeated multiple academic disciplines and informs the ethical commitments of scholars in diverse fields of study. The book includes essays by scholars of African American studies, who directly and indirectly incorporate CRT through signaling a commitment to scholar-activism or scholactivism. The contributors challenge racism, centering the stories, perspectives, and counter-narratives of African American soldiers, teachers, students, writers, psychologists, and theologians who continually defy and resist oppression in myriad ways.

In memory of her beloved niece Raven, Dr. Paulette McClain, Associate Professor for Nursing and a Louisiana native, introduces to children the importance of African-American history. As a Nurse Educator for over 20 years and Nurse Practitioner, Dr. McClain is dedicating time to educate in a different way by teaching children history through stories inspired by memories of her adorable niece Raven (affectionally remembered as Rae Rae). As a wife and mother of two young adults, who stressed the importance of reading, she wishes to inspire children to learn more about historical events and topics that they may not learn about in school. Dr. McClain also wishes to share great stories that might create meaningful moments for both children and their parents.

Kathryn Fakier, Director of Nutritional Sciences, received her PhD in Nutrition and Food Sciences with a concentration in Human Nutrition from LSU on Friday, August 13, 2021.

Phil Page, PT, DPT, Research Director and Assistant Professor for the DPT program, was invited to perform biomechanical evaluations of injured athletes for the Tulane University football team in New Orleans this month. His analysis helps the athletic training staff and coaches understand different movement patterns in athletes to return them quickly and safely to participation.

Phil Page, PT, DPT, Research Director and Assistant Professor for the DPT program, made 2 presentations at the ICCUS Society meeting at their meeting in July. ICCUS is an honor society for sports rehabilitation clinical researchers. In addition to coordinating the meeting, he presented "Making the Case for Modalities in Sports Rehabilitation" and "Biomechanical Analysis of a Collegiate Running Back after ACL Revision"

Dr. Rhoda Reddix, Dr. Valerie Schluter, and Tammy Vidrine presented at the AFCU Franciscan Friday on Integrating Franciscan Mission and Catholic Tradition in Curricular and Co-Curricular Programs Across a Commuter Campus. This topic was originally to be presented at the AFCU Symposium 2020. Dr. Schluter discussed cross disciplinary ethics education and shared its integration in the nursing, theology, and philosophy programs to educate and form servant leaders in communion with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Included in her discussion was information on the Teach to Reach program for faculty and staff and the certification program for students. Dr. Reddix presented on the service-learning modules in courses across campus and the integration of the methodology to form servant leaders of all faiths, integrated thinkers, and faith-filled citizens. Tammy Vidrine facilitated the presentation and discussed the co-curricular programs, beginning with recruiting and other Enrollment Management and Student Affairs programs. She concluded with speaking of campus ministry's role in providing events, such as Agape, Finding Common Ground, retreats, and the pilgrimage, to help students live out the gospel message as witnesses of Christ.

Cindy Schneider, Assistant Professor for Nursing, was recognized with the Baton Rouge District Nursing Association (BRDNA) Celebrate Nursing Award at the BRDNA Celebrate Nursing Banquet on Monday, May 3, 2021.

Dawn Simms, Assistant Professor for Biology, co-authored an article published in the Journal of Young Investigators, entitled Fomites in the Fitness Center: Fitness Equipment Harbors Antibiotic Resistant and Pathogenic Bacteria. This article was a join effort between Dawn Simms and work completed by Pierce Prevost (then an undergrad Biology student, now a FranU alum) as part of her Laboratory Assistant Biology Stipend (LABS) program.

Qunicy Futrell, MRC, MPH, RRT, Assistant Profession of Respiratory Therapy, was elected the 1st African American President of the Louisiana Society of Respiratory Care. Founded in 1969, this is the state and regional professional association for respiratory care.

Dr. Phil Page, Research Director of the DPT program, was co-author on two international research publications in January 2021. A study on the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in Chinese office workers was published in collaboration with the 6th Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou China. He also collaborated on a study of military veteran amputees with Memorial University in St. Johns, Canada.

Dr. Phil Page, Research Director and Assistant Professor for the DPT program, recently co-authored an international collaborative publication on strength training in older adults with chronic back pain. The publication was entitled, "Applying a menthol pain reliever prior to strength training reduces chronic low back pain and increases functional capacity in overweight or obese older adult" and was included in the Journal of Human Sport & Exercise.

Dr. Rhoda Reddix, Director of Service Learning, served as Special Issues Editor for the inaugural issue of the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, which was released electronically in mid-November.

Dr. Phil Page presented a 2 hour online lecture on COVI-19 implications for physical therapy at the Louisiana Physical Therapy Association Fall meeting. His presentation focused on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of COVID as well as physical therapy management of COVID survivors with neuromusculoskeletal impairments.

Phil Page, PhD, PT, Research Director and Assistant Professor for the DPT program, was recently interviewed for an article on Insider.com on the benefits of stretching.

Dr. Lindsay Mullins, FNP-BC, Associate Professor and Endowed Chair of Gerontology, appeared on "Catholic Life" in September to speak about Gerontology.

Hobart, an online literary journal, has begun serializing Professor Angus Woodward's graphic memoir, Words Fail. The first installment appeared in early September, and subsequent installments will go live at least once a month.

Nicole Scott, MSN, RN, Instructor and Faculty Manager for SETH, and Quincy Futrell, MPH, MRC, RRT, Assistant Professor for Respiratory Therapy, were recently featured in an article by the Advocate entitled, "FranU faculty heed the call to service to treat COVID-19 patients".

Christy Sevier, MLOD, Director of Admissions, and Tinicia Turner, MPA, Director of Career and Leadership Initiatives, were both recently featured in an article by the Advocate outlining the importance of education and brand-building in the face of economic uncertainty due to COVID-19.

Phillip Page, PhD, PT, Assistant Professor and Research Director for the DPT program, was interviewed by the Washington Post for a story on exercising at home with resistance bands.

Shaun Blanchard, PhD, Assistant Professor for Theology, published several essays on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the First Vatican Council. He also participated in a Zoom conference, “The Enlightenment and Reformkatholizismus in German-speaking lands,” during which he presented one of his essays for a panel in Germany.

“Settling Old Scores: Pastor Aeternus as the Final Defeat of Early Modern Opponents of Papalism,” Newman Studies Journal 17.1 (Summer 2020): 24–51.

“Balance and Imbalance: The Papacy and the Contested Legacies of the Vatican Councils,” Horizons 47.1 (June 2020): 25–32 (contribution to roundtable on 150th Anniversary of the First Vatican Council).

“The Twists and Turns That Led to the First Vatican Council,” Church Life Journal (Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame), 1 July 2020, 6700 words.

“Is the Pope Still Infallible? Reflections on the 150th Anniversary of Vatican I’s Definition,” Reality (Irish Redemptorists magazine), Part One: May 2020, 12–17; Part Two: June 2020, 18–19.

Quincy Futrell, MPH, MRC, RRT, Assistant Professor for the Respiratory Therapy program, was chosen as the FranU Healthcare Hero for the week of August 17 and was interviewed on Eagle 98.1 and 100.7 The Tiger radio stations.

Tammy Vidrine, MRE, Director of Campus Ministry, facilitated and designed a retreat, Joined Together with Love, for the faculty, staff and administration at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School. The retreat included practical ways that the campus can live out the theme for the academic year by adopting habits and daily practices in working with children, parents, eachother and the community.

Cathy Denison-Robert, PhD, MBA, Director of the Business Administration (BBA) Program and Associate Professor, was honored to be an expert providing an interview for the 4word, Christian Women in the Workplace organization's July blog article, entitled, Shining Your Christ Light as a Business Owner - Faith at Work.

DPT faculty members Jaime Caillet, Michael Ludwig, and Jeffrey Thompson recently received news that their poster presentation entitled "Intervertebral Disc Hydration for Management of Low Back Pain: Theory, Science, and Application" was accepted by the Louisiana Physical Therapy Association (LPTA) Research Committee. Their poster will be presented at the LPTA 2020 Fall Meeting on Friday, August 28 and will support their research agendas for accreditation.

Phillip Page, PhD, PT, Research Director and Assistant Professor for the DPT program, was interviewed for a research podcast on evaluating the quality of scientific articles.

Grub Street Literary Magazine recently published three short graphic narratives, "The Summer House," "Susan and Sarah, 1965," and "Boys and Hands", by Professor Angus Woodward, MFA. Woodward, A. (2020). Boys and hands. Grub Street Literary Magazine 69.

Professor Angus Woodward's short graphic narrative, "Half-Mast Summer," appears in the current issue of Slag Glass City, an online literary journal. Woodward, A. (2020). Half-mast summer. Slag Glass City 6. Retrieved from http://www.slagglasscity.org/dispatches/mean-streets/half-mast-summer/

Tinicia Turner, MPA, Director of Career and Leadership, published a 34 page coloring and activity book designed for children. The book grew out of her belief that "children are better equipped to identify successful paths when they start the career exploration process at a younger age." It is the first product developed in her “I Can Achieve it” line.

Phillip Page, PhD, PT, Research Director for the DPT program, co-authored an international systematic review on resistance training across the lifespan, published in the journal Culture, Science and Sport. The work was entitled, "Effects of strength training with variable elastic resistance across the lifespan: a systematic review." Culture, Science & Sport . 2020. 15(44), 147-164.