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NEWS:

Former Massachusetts State Senator
Cheryl Jacques to Speak at WSU Next Week

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NOTEWORTHY:

Robert C. Fink's (Business Administration & Economics) article "Customer Perceptions of Dependency in Customer-Supplier Relationships" has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Strategic Marketing. Professor Fink co-authored the article with Professor William James, Hofstra University and Professor Kenneth Hatten, Boston University.



Chief Rosemary Naughton (University Police) was elected Vice President of the Massachusetts Association of the College Law Enforcement Administrators (MACLEA). This association meets monthly and discusses and promotes best practices of the current college and university law enforcement issues.



The Nursing Department is pleased to announce that they had a 100% pass rate for the NCLEX exam this year. The graduating nursing Class of 2010 took this NCLEX exam over the summer as required by the Board of Registration of Nurses. This pass rate indicates that all the students passed the first time taking this exam. The nursing faculty are proud and excited over this accomplishment. We have worked hard with revamping our curriculum, expanding our lab practices, and starting our nursing students in the clinical area as early as first semester of their sophomore year. Many health care providers in the community have expressed repeatedly how well prepared the WSU nursing students are upon graduation and are amazed at the clinical experiences they have experienced.



The Nursing faculty would like to congratulate Dr. Ellen Rearick. She successfully defended her dissertation titled "Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed with T1DM (Type I Diabetes): Experiences with Social Support and Family Management." In December she will receive her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Worcester.

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AROUND CAMPUS:

Invisible Children Film Makers Visit WSU

Brenda Akello of Northern Uganda tells the audience about her escape.

Representatives of the non-profit organization Invisible Children, Inc. told a Worcester State University audience last week of their campaign to end the victimization of children in Northern Uganda and the Congo through the exploitation of Rebel leader Joseph Kony. Attendees viewed the film, Invisible Children; Rough Cut which chronicles Kony's reign of terror including massacre of villages and abduction of young boys who are then forced to serve as soldiers in his army. Following the film, two young women who escaped Kony's attacks told their stories. The film and talk were sponsored by the WSU Honor's Program.

Brenda Akello was able to escape her village prior to a Kony attack by an advance warning from a hunter outside of her village. While fleeing, her father suffered a heart attack and subsequently died in a hospital on her fourteenth birthday. She dropped out of school, and with no money, her prospects were bleak. But, after obtaining scholarships, she finished high school in 2006 and is now graduating from college and speaking about her experiences with Invisible Children. She was joined by fellow survivor Benna Lanyero. They both urged students to spread the word about the film and the website. In addition to producing the film, the organization is working to raise funds to build radio towers in the Congo to set up an early warning system so more people can be aware of Kony's movements. To raise money, the organization sells DVDs, bracelets and t-shirts. The t-shirts are made from cotton from the region and the bracelets are made in the region as well. The hope is to create a sustainable revenue stream from the region to help create long term economic stability.

To learn more, visit: www.invisiblechildren.com


Alum Speaks to Entrepreneurship Class

On Wednesday, October 6, Professor Maureen Stefanini's Entrepreneurship class welcomed guest speaker Craig Bovaird '78, CEO of Reliance Engineering and Built Rite Tool and Die, Inc., who shared some of his experiences in growing a company in a down economy.

Bovaird prepared excellent hand-outs for the class that demonstrated some sophisticated moldings. One of the parts is used in batches of 1600 as part of the electrical workings of jets. Others are extremely sensitive as they consist of many parts that have to be assembled and encased in watertight moldings, because they are used in submarines.

He also shared the financial statements of his company for the past five years so students could actually see the growth in the business. He is most generous with his time and invited students to visit his manufacturing facilities if they email him for an available time.

Bovaird is the vice president of the WSU Foundation Board and was named Massachusetts Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008.


President of Eastern CT State University Speaks About Closing the Achievement Gap
Catch the Dr. Elsa Núñez lecture on YouTube

Eastern Connecticut State University President Dr. Elsa Núñez told students, faculty and staff last week that closing the achievement gap for students is a complex challenge requiring attention to education, health care and poverty issues. Her talk, "The Achievement Gap: No Excuses" was part of Worcester State University's (WSU) celebration of Latin Heritage month.

In outlining data to support her point, Dr. Núñez explained, "If you test three babies: a white baby, a black baby and a Hispanic baby, at nine months of age, you will find that all three babies have the same level of mental acuity." But as they progress through school, the gap widens. Forty-five percent of Hispanics do not have a high school diploma in the U.S.; 14 percent for white students and 23 percent for black students. "How can this be, she asked, "that while they were attending school, they gap widened?"

Dr. Núñez said the issue is largely due to poverty and that a comprehensive approach is needed. "We need to address health care, nutrition, crime and racism. This is not just an education reform issue," she said. She also suggested supporting early childhood education. "Children who begin an early childhood education program at age 3 are 30 percent more likely to graduate high school." She urged WSU students and faculty to be part of the solution by volunteering their time and tutoring math and English in local and regional public schools.

Dr. Núñez is serving her fifth year as president of Eastern Connecticut State University. She has also served as a senior administrator at the University of Maine System and City University of New York. Under Dr. Núñez's leadership, Eastern Connecticut State University has received several major national recognitions, including being named one of the top 100 Regional Universities in the North by U.S. News and World Report; being recognized for the second year in a row by the Chronicle of Higher Education as a "Great College to Work For"; being named to President Obama's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, also for the second year in a row; and being included in The Princeton Review's list of Best Colleges in the Northeast.

Dr. Núñez received her B.A. from Montclair State College, an M.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a doctorate in linguistics from Rutgers University.

In addition to serving on the American Council on Education's Commission on Women in Higher Education, Dr. Núñez also serves on the boards of such organizations as the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, the Mark Twain House and Museum, and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, for which she also serves as chair of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

The lecture was sponsored by the Latin Heritage Committee, comprised of representatives from the following WSU offices; the President's Office, Third World Alliance, Diversity & Affirmative Action, Office of Multicultural Affairs, World Languages Department, Latino Education Institute, Center for Human Rights, Institutional Advancement and Public Relations and Marketing.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Tickets on Sale for Julius Caesar
Tickets are now on sale for JULIUS CAESAR, Worcester State Theatre's fall production. Performances are Nov. 18, 19, 20 at 8:00 pm, and Nov 21 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $14 General Admission, $10 Seniors, $7 Students and are available at the Fuller Theatre Box Office (Mon/Wed 10:00 ? 2:15 and Tue/Thu 11:30 ? 4:00) and at the Student Center Info Desk. For reservations and information call x8843.

Call for Nominations: Alden Excellence in Teaching Award
Due November 1, 2010
Worcester State University began as a teachers' college and recognizes that teaching is still at the heart of what we do. Through the George I. Alden Excellence in Teaching Award, the University has a public way of acknowledging the role of good teachers in students' lives by honoring those who have most inspired them and contributed the most to their success through teaching excellence. For more information and a nomination form, visit www.worcester.edu/alden.

Singing Birthday-Grams
Need a unique gift for someone? Want something they'll remember? Better than a birthday present! Singing Birthday-Grams by members of the WSU Chorale. The WSU Chorale will sing a Birthday-Gram for you. A 4-part harmony arrangement of Happy Birthday they will never forget. Price: $15 on WSU Campus; $30 Off campus (within 20 miles of Worcester). To arrange call Steve at 508-251-2303, or email wscbirthdays@gmail.com

Pumpkins for a Purpose Coin Drive
The SGA Auction Committee is having a coin drive to raise money for three local charities: Abby's House, Sherry's House and the Mustard Seed. The two dates for the drive have been set for October 18 and 20. The drive will be taking place in the Sullivan T both days from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Your donations help people in need of a variety of services, so please come out and support these great causes, and maybe even pick up a treat.

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WSU IN THE NEWS:
Please note: Due to new policy at the Telegram & Gazette, access to some articles may require creating an online account at Telegram.com.


College Town
Telegram & Gazette
Worcester State University will host "Art Works: A Public Forum on Creative Economies in Central Massachusetts," with Mayor Joseph C. O'Brien, Antonio Fonseca, Steven Corey, Carol B. Donnelly and led by ...


Players add depth to Worcester State
Boston Globe 10/12/10
The 1-2 punch of sophomore cornerback Graham Asum and junior linebacker Cameron Jones is a big reason the Worcester State football team (3-2) ...

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