Dominican College Launches Effort to Become a Tobacco-Free Campus

Students Gianluca Barecchia and Ashley Sainvil recently attended a Truth Initiative Conference in Crystal City, VA.

Dominican College has joined a national movement to address smoking and tobacco use at college campuses. The College will receive funds and technical support from Truth Initiative®, the nation’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to making tobacco use a thing of the past.

“Dominican College is committed to making our environment safer, healthier, and more productive,” said Director of Student Health and Project Leader Lynda Chesterman. “Students, faculty, staff, and administrators will be asked to support the adoption of a 100 percent tobacco-free or smoke-free policy.”

Co-leader Jenna Tacinelli Hach, Clinical Education Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Athletic Training, added, “Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in this country.  In addition, secondhand smoke exposure causes cancer and cardiopulmonary diseases.”

Dominican College has formed a Taskforce for a Tobacco-Free Campus to assess tobacco use, identify a treatment plan for current smokers, and draft a smoke-free or tobacco-free policy. Two students on the task force will develop and lead educational efforts among students. The policy ultimately must be approved by the President’s cabinet before being enacted.

“With 99 percent of smokers starting before age 26, college campuses are critical platforms for preventing young adults from starting tobacco use, aiding those current tobacco users in quitting, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke for all,” said Robin Koval, CEO and president of Truth Initiative. “We are looking forward to supporting Dominican College’s efforts to make smoking and tobacco use a thing of the past.”

Background:

A 100 percent tobacco-free policy prohibits the use of any tobacco product, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, small cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco (otherwise known as dip, chew, snuff, spit and snus) and other smokeless products. It can also include electronic cigarettes. A comprehensive tobacco-free policy could also address tobacco sales, marketing, sponsorship, and investments at colleges. A 100 percent smoke-free policy is one that prohibits the use of smoke-producing tobacco, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, small cigars, pipes and hookah, as well as e-cigarettes.  Both policies apply to anyone on campus and on any campus property. For more information on model campus policies, visit the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

Dominican College Launches Effort to Become a Tobacco-Free Campus

Students Gianluca Barecchia and Ashley Sainvil recently attended a Truth Initiative Conference in Crystal City, VA.

Dominican College has joined a national movement to address smoking and tobacco use at college campuses. The College will receive funds and technical support from Truth Initiative®, the nation’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to making tobacco use a thing of the past.

“Dominican College is committed to making our environment safer, healthier, and more productive,” said Director of Student Health and Project Leader Lynda Chesterman. “Students, faculty, staff, and administrators will be asked to support the adoption of a 100 percent tobacco-free or smoke-free policy.”

Co-leader Jenna Tacinelli Hach, Clinical Education Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Athletic Training, added, “Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in this country.  In addition, secondhand smoke exposure causes cancer and cardiopulmonary diseases.”

Dominican College has formed a Taskforce for a Tobacco-Free Campus to assess tobacco use, identify a treatment plan for current smokers, and draft a smoke-free or tobacco-free policy. Two students on the task force will develop and lead educational efforts among students. The policy ultimately must be approved by the President’s cabinet before being enacted.

“With 99 percent of smokers starting before age 26, college campuses are critical platforms for preventing young adults from starting tobacco use, aiding those current tobacco users in quitting, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke for all,” said Robin Koval, CEO and president of Truth Initiative. “We are looking forward to supporting Dominican College’s efforts to make smoking and tobacco use a thing of the past.”

Background:

A 100 percent tobacco-free policy prohibits the use of any tobacco product, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, small cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco (otherwise known as dip, chew, snuff, spit and snus) and other smokeless products. It can also include electronic cigarettes. A comprehensive tobacco-free policy could also address tobacco sales, marketing, sponsorship, and investments at colleges. A 100 percent smoke-free policy is one that prohibits the use of smoke-producing tobacco, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, small cigars, pipes and hookah, as well as e-cigarettes.  Both policies apply to anyone on campus and on any campus property. For more information on model campus policies, visit the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

College Offers Additional Career Fair for Healthcare Students

The College held its first Healthcare Career Fair on April 3, 2019 in the Granito Center.

Students met with company recruiters, applied for jobs and internships, and polished their networking skills at two Career Fairs in April.  For the first time, the College held a Healthcare Career Fair to cater to the College’s many healthcare students.  The annual Career Fair, which is open to the public, took place on April 2, 2019. The Healthcare Career Fair, which better accommodated students who had clinicals, was held a day later.

“Our first Healthcare Career Fair was a huge success,”  said Internship Coordinator/Career Counselor Rose Macom, MSEd.  “Students took advantage of the opportunity to meet and network with healthcare employers.  The two hours went by very quickly.  Employers gave us excellent feedback and we learned about new externship opportunities for our students.”

The annual Career Fair also was successful with a 20 percent increase in the number of students who attended.  Macom said that recruiters at both events were impressed with how well prepared the students were,  based on their resumes and knowledge of the companies.

 

College Hosts Multigenerational Workforce Forum

Nicole Leon of Con Edison (left) and Maureen Mack of Mercer Consulting Services were panelists at the Multigenerational Workplace Forum

Local business leaders learned about Harnessing the Power of a Multigenerational Workforce at a Palisades Institute Forum held on January 17, 2019 in the Lawrence Room of Rosary Hall.

The panelists discussed how employees from different generations have different expectations and priorities. Panelist Maureen Mack, a Partner with Mercer Consulting Services, said she hoped those attending the forum walked away with a better understanding of workers in different generations.  “There’s no right or wrong way to approach anything,” she said. “We all bring our own perspective and can work together.”

Panelist Nicole Leon, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Con-Edison, Inc. said businesses need to tap into workers’ talents and strengths and help them develop their weaker skills.  “We have regular training programs that help people with presentation skills, communications skills, leadership, managing, and time management,” she said.  “At the same time, I think it’s imperative that businesses not only work internally with their employees, but also mentor.”

The panelists stressed that there are many different work cultures and employees should be open to new ideas and improving the way things are done.

Annual Healthcare Symposium Focuses on Groundbreaking Cancer Treatment

Former trustee and cancer survivor Jon Prusmack, Dr. David S. Siegel, Chief of the Division of Multiple Meloma, Hackensack University Medical Center and Dr. Joel W. Beetsch,  Vice President, Global Patient Advocacy, Corporate Affairs, Celgene Corporation (shown left to right) were speakers at the 6th Annual Healthcare Symposium at Dominican College.

The 6th Annual Healthcare Symposium focused on CAR T-Cell Therapy – a groundbreaking new cancer treatment that has had promising results in clinical trials.  Former College Trustee and cancer survivor Jon Prusmack is one of just 20 people nationwide to take part in a clinical trial using CAR T-Cell Therapy to treat multiple myeloma.  One year later, Prusmack is cancer-free.

Prusmack opened the health symposium by telling his success story.  He started the clinical trial after his cancer mutated and chemotherapy, which he had been on for 15 years, was no longer effective.  “The end result is no chemotherapy.  You live a normal life.  Does it work forever? Nobody knows.  It’s still in clinical trials.  But for the one year, that I’ve been on it, it’s been terrific: live a normal life; work hard; no chemo; energy.  I just feel terrific,” he said.

The speakers at the October 5, 2018 event were Prusmack’s physician, Dr. David S. Siegel, Chief of the Division of Multiple Myeloma, Hackensack University Medical Center, and Dr. Joel W. Beetsch, Vice President, Global Patient Advocacy, Corporate Affairs, Celgene Corporation.  Celgene has worked on developing this new therapy.

Dr. Siegel said CAR T-cell Therapy is an enormous step forward for all oncology.  So far, the therapy has been tested only on blood cancers, however, clinical trials are beginning for treating solid tumors.  The therapy involves removing T-cells from the body and modifying the cells in a lab to be able to identify cancer cells. The modified T- cells are grown and expanded and then injected back into the patient.  The CAR T-cells bind to cancer cells and kill them.

The Health Symposium was held in the Fury Lecture Hall in the science center bearing Prusmack’s name.

OT Students’ Invention Moves Ahead in Statewide Competition

Recent graduate Amanda Fortuna is shown here building a prototype of a battery-powered reacher. The invention was selected as a semi-finalist in a statewide competition.

An invention of Dominican College Occupational Therapy (OT) students has been chosen as one of 25 projects to move ahead in a New York State Department of Health (DOH) competition.   The DOH Aging Innovation Challenge encourages New York students to develop innovations to assist aging New Yorkers and their caregivers in completing activities of daily living.

Recent OT graduate Amanda Fortuna took the lead in submitting the idea for a battery-powered reacher, which was conceived with some of her classmates during an Advanced Practice OT course.  “Typically in field work or clinical scenarios that we’ve been in, we’ve seen that people are given reachers, but they don’t have the grip strength to maintain a grasp to pick up an item,” she said.

In order to become a semi-finalist, Fortuna had to submit a written proposal. For the next phase of the competition, Fortuna and former classmate Samantha Kromer are developing a prototype.  They must submit a video demonstrating the use of the battery-powered reacher for bathing, dressing, and meal preparation by November 1.  Five finalists will be awarded $5,000 and the developers of the top innovation will be awarded $25,000.

College Welcomes Class of 2022

Our Welcome Team of upperclassmen helped new students move into Hertel Hall on Freshman Move-In Day

The Class of 2022 has arrived on the Dominican College campus.  The new students moved into Hertel Hall and Rosary Hall during Freshman Move-In Day on Thursday, August 23.  They then attended a two-day orientation with many activities, including sessions on leadership and academic success, a game show, and a barbecue.

Melissa Grau, Director of Community Engagement and Leadership Development, said the Freshman Orientation is all about connections. “It’s about connecting with new people. It’s about connecting with this campus and it’s about connecting with themselves so that they are really able to find their place and succeed here academically, socially, and in every way,” she said.

There are 294 registered students in the Class of 2022.  The most popular major among freshmen is nursing, followed by biology, teacher education, management, and criminal justice.

 

Live Stream: Commencement 2019

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Students Celebrate Earth Week

During a ceremony in her honor, Dr. Kathleen Hinge — the 2018 Friend of the Earth Honoree — helped plant a tree outside the Granito Center.

Students and faculty participated in a week of activities leading up to Earth Day on Sunday, April 22.  One of the highlights of the week was the planting of a tree in honor of Physics and Mathematics Professor Dr. Kathleen Conlon Hinge.  Dr. Hinge received the 2018 Friend of the Earth Award.

Chancellor of External Affairs Sr. Kathleen Sullivan, O.P., said Professor Hinge was chosen to receive the award because of her accomplishments as Science Department Coordinator. “She has introduced new courses and a minor in Earth Science and Environmental Sustainability,” said Sr. Kathleen. “ She also arranged for a visit to campus by a renowned environmentalist and Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow who spoke to many classes and groups on “The Last Chance for the Earth:  Why Scientists and Citizens Must Act Now.”

Some of the other Earth Week activities included a campus seed planting, a sustainable cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Aarti Sequeira, a campus cleanup, and participation in the United Way Spring Day of Caring.

 

English Professor Voted Most Spirited Faculty Member

English Professor Dr. Ellen Dolgin was named Most Spirited Faculty Member during Spirit Week.

Dr. Ellen Dolgin, Professor of English, was voted Most Spirited Faculty Member during Spirit Week at the College.  The Spirit Awards were announced at a March 15th  Pep Rally in the Hennessy Center.

Student Christine Ditzel ’19 said Dr. Dolgin is kind, caring, and incredibly passionate about her work.  “Dr. Dolgin deserves the honor of being named Most Spirited Faculty Member because her Charger Pride shines through in all she does for Dominican College students,” Ditzel said. “She truly embodies the mission and four pillars of the College by challenging our minds and celebrating our spirits.”

Dr. Dolgin’s literature courses frequently feature the arts of the eras surrounding the readings, and she encourages her students to incorporate this multi-disciplinary vision into their oral presentations and written assignments.  Her areas of research and conference presentations include modern drama, with particular emphasis on the early 20th century, and contemporary multicultural women writers across genres.

For more information about the English program at Dominican College, visit: https://dc.edu/academic-divisions/division-of-arts-and-science/english/

 

 

First Student to Graduate With New Theater Minor

The first student with a Theater minor will graduate the end of January.  Jamilya Williams said she has always loved the theater and has been backstage working on costumes at Dominican College’s Spring Musicals since she was a freshman.

“I thought the Theater minor would be a good idea because I plan to be an elementary school teacher and I’d like to do plays with the kids,” she said.

Jamilya will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Theater  minor.  She plans to attend graduate school before working as a teacher.

For more information on our Theater minor, visit https://dc.edu/academic-divisions/division-of-arts-and-science/theater-minor/

 

 

Parents of “The Man with the Red Bandanna” Speak with Education Students

Professor Diane DiSpagna presented Alison and Jefferson Crowther with a study guide for a biography about their son. The study guide was written by students in DiSpagna’s Literacy class.

Education students who read about the 9-11 hero known as “the man with the red bandanna” met for more than two hours with his parents to discuss Welles Remy Crowther’s incredible life.  Welles is credited with rescuing 18 people from the World Trade Center on 9-11, while wearing his signature red bandanna.  His parents, Jefferson and Alison, have traveled all over the country sharing his story.  Alison said she enjoyed the discussion on December 14, 2107, with students in Professor Diane DiSpagna’s Literacy Class.  The students had read a biography about Welles called “The Red Bandanna” by Tom Rinaldi.

“To me, it’s the most wonderful thing to see these young people inspired by Welles, embraced and excited by his story and them wanting to share it,“ said Alison.  “And these are future teachers who developed from what I see is a beautiful study guide.”

The students presented the Crowthers with a study guide they wrote for the “The Red Bandana” for grades 4 through 12.  The guide includes suggested classroom activities and comprehension questions for teachers to use when assigning this book.