Pictured l. to r.: Chikongola Linton, Jasmine Stocks, Latrina Bowman, Vanessa Mndolo, Assistant Professor Carla Barqueiro, Bijan Davis, Elizabeth Mohamed and Randa Collins. (graduates not pictured: Christophe Mazur and Jessica Wightman)

On Friday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 12, the fall 2015 graduates of the masters programs in Negotiations and Conflict Management (CNCM) and Global Affairs and Human Security (GAHS), gave their final capstone presentations in the Wright Theater of the Student Center to an audience of faculty, classmates, family and friends. The presentations were based on individual research papers developed throughout the semester as part of each program’s capstone course, taught by Adjunct Professor Kevin DeBell (CNCM) and Assistant Professor Carla Barqueiro (GAHS). Topics ranged from assessing effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution initiatives in the federal government to analyzing the impact of educational reform in Ghana to assessing responses to human trafficking in Thailand.

Following the presentations on Saturday afternoon, graduates and their families from both programs attended a celebratory dinner organized by the Global Affairs and Human Security Student Association headed by Latrina Bowman, and the Negotiations and Conflict Management Student Association led by Adnan Hameed. Associate Professor Sascha Sheehan, who is the director of both graduate programs, congratulated all of the graduates, thanked faculty, and highlighted the role family members and friends played in providing support and encouragement to the graduates throughout their studies. The CNCM and GAHS graduates will receive their degrees this Wednesday, Dec. 16 at UB’s fall 2015 commencement ceremony.

Pictured l. to r. : Donna Glenn (graduate), Dr. Renita Seabrook, LeShone Stevenson (graduate) and Roshanna Turner (graduate).

On Monday, Dec. 7, friends, family, distinguished guests and members of the UB community gathered to honor and celebrate the third graduating class of the “Reasoning & Rehabilitation 2 For Girls and Young Women” (R&R2) program. Donna Glenn, LeShone Stevenson and Roshanna Turner were honored for their successful completion of the R&R2 class, which is part of Helping Others 2 Win (HO2W), an experiential learning environment that gives pre- and post-release adult female offenders the necessary tools for successful reeentry. The HO2W program was established by Renita Seabrook, associate professor in UB’s School of Criminal Justice, as part of her fellowship with the Open Society Institute-Baltimore. Seabrook’s HO2W program is an extension of Alternative Directions, Inc., a Baltimore non-profit that helps men and women in prison and those leaving prison, become independent, responsible citizens.

The ceremony included a welcome and closing by Dr. Seabrook, remarks from College of Public Affairs Dean Roger Hartley , comments from the graduates and an inspiring message of hope and encouragement delivered by guest speaker Senator Catherine E. Pugh.

Senator Catherine E. Pugh served as guest speaker at the “Reasoning & Rehabilitation 2 For Girls and Young Women” graduation ceremony on Dec. 7.

Dean Roger Hartley was super excited to be presented with the 2015 Bowphy!

Thanks to all of the generous donations made to the College of Public Affairs during UB’s Giving Tuesday campaign known as #BowOnPoe, Dean Roger Hartley brought home the coveted Bowphy for being the college that received the highest number of gifts. Way to go CPA!

A global movement observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday is the kickoff to the charitable season when many people focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Last year, UB decided to join the movement and launched it’s own Giving Tuesday campaign, #BowOnPoe, a day that celebrates and supports giving back to the University. And for every gift made that day, we put a blue bow on the Edgar Allen Poe statue on UB’s Gordon Plaza. All contributions made to the #BowOnPoe campaign on Giving Tuesday will provide direct, student-focused support for each of UB’s four schools—the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, and the School of Law. But there can only be one Bowphy winner–and this year, it’s us! 🙂

Efrain Solis, B. S. ’10, M.S. ’12

School of Health and Human Services alum, Efrain Solis, B.S. ’10, M.S. ’12, has been named to the Board of Examiners for the 2015 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award by The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The Baldrige Award is the nation’s highest honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence.

Solis, a Senior Project Manager at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land in Sugar Land, TX, was appointed to the board by the NIST Director. The examiner board is comprised of more than 350 leading experts competitively selected from industry, professional, trade, education, health care and nonprofit (including government) organizations from across the United States, and is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the Baldrige Award, as well as other assessment-related tasks.

School of Health and Human Services Executive Director Tina DiFranco (front row, second from left) and Lecturer Alan Weisman (back row, second from right) joined Health Systems Management students at a Maryland Association of Health Care Executives networking and career development event held at Camden Yards.

On Thursday, Nov. 19, students from the Health Systems Management program attended a Maryland Association of Health Care Executives (MAHCE) networking and career event held at Camden Yards. The event included a cocktail reception, dinner and tour of the ballpark, a networking hour and a presentation on career development by Bill Haylon, CEO of Leaders for Today.

Also in attendance were School of Health and Human Services Executive Director Tina DiFranco, and School of Health and Human Services Lecturer Alan Weisman, B.S. ’71, M.A. ’91. “UB was very well represented and the students networked the entire evening,” DiFranco said. “So proud of them!!”