Focus on Faculty
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we spoke to some of Berkeley’s dedicated professors to get their insights on timely topics such as what excites them about their roles, the ways in which students inspire them, and their advice for the next generation of leaders. We thank them for their commitment and the important part they play in preparing our students for success and continuing the reputation of Berkeley College.
Faculty Accomplishments
Larry L. Luing School of Business® Faculty Accomplishments
Barbara Cohen – On May 2020, she completed the State University at Stony Brook Advanced Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. August 2020, she passed the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Board Examination administered by ANCC. December 2020 and January 2021, she completed 24 CLE credits to maintain law licenses in New York and New Jersey and continues as an active member in the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, the Transcultural Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, and The International Honor Society of Nursing and as a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, Nursing Section.
Darshan Desai organized and chaired a session, "Applications of Datamining, Machine learning, and Artificial Intelligence in Business and Finance" at Informs Annual Meeting, 2020. At this session, she presented her research "DataMining COVID crisis: Implications for BFSI Sector". She also collaborated with Diane Maglio to conduct an interactive workshop on multilogues about exploring the balance of aesthetics and emotions with analytics and artificial intelligence in the fashion industry and curriculums at a virtual event, Digital Multilogue on Fashion Education, organized by the American University of Paris, Paris, France. In addition, she served as a guest speaker for FXB Climate Advocates' Artificial Intelligence and Climate Advocacy online immersion program.
Michael Kipness earns DBA, Reflects on Path to Graduation Success on February 19, 2019, Professor Michael Kipness, defended his dissertation to earn his Doctorate of Business Administration at Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Alabama. His dissertation titled, “The Effectiveness of Advergames: A Quantatitive Study," is an experimental research study to examine the relationship between advergame play and purchase intention under the theoretical framework of the AIDA model. He stated that there is a lack of knowledge regarding Advergames, a technique that marketers construct purposely for advertising promotion combining video games and entertainment, and the relationship effect and purchase intentions of players studied under the model. The findings of this study added to the body of knowledge and could serve as a foundation for Advergame design. He is thankful to have made it despite many obstacles. "When I started my doctoral journey, I was a newly dad, paying for classes, working full-time.” He mentioned, “I dreamed of this my whole life, and during my 10-year graduation journey, I challenged myself by choosing a research area that is new. That choice became a personal goal to achieve on the path.” He mentioned with the completion of his research and graduation, his secret to success is to never give up your dream and always continue to work toward your graduation goal.
Diane Nolan was presented with the Excellence in Teaching Award at the annual Faculty Recognition Dinner on January 30, 2020 at Club 101 in Manhattan, New York.
Louis Piermatteo completed the Marketplace Simulation Virtual Workshop on Train-the-Trainor in October 2020. Quality Matters: Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR), Quality Matters: Peer Reviewer (APPQMR).
Paul Pensabene was an invited panelist for the Non-Profit Conference. He was a contributor writer for the publication New Jersey Business "The student entrepreneur.” He was also the contributor to NYN Media "Now Technology Has Changed Everything for Non-Profit”. He submitted and presented his research paper "Egalitarian Leadership as an Optimized for the Present" to IMAB and completed a second book "Dealing with Difficult Employees.” He continues education of the Business simulation to enhance his certification as a certify simulation trainer.
Jimmy McCarty was a consultant for the 2019-2020 Nonprofit Organizations Juniper Street Bible Church and Allied Health and Human Services Institute. He has recently completed the following college courses at MCCC -Social Policy and Ethics in Human Service, Theories in Group Counseling, Theories in Individual, Counseling, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Processes, Volunteer Administration.
School of Health Studies Faculty Accomplishments
Berkeley College faculty members were recognized for various accomplishments during recent months. Here are the highlights:
Diana Amos, an adjunct faculty member in the Surgical Technology program in the School of Health Studies, was presented with the Adjunct Faculty-of-the-Year Award during the Faculty of the Year Recognition Awards dinner held on January 30, 2020, at Club 101 in New York, NY.
Josephine Rodriguez, a full-time faculty member in the School of Health Studies Nursing Department, recently earned the Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education from Saint Peter’s University.
Meta Wongkar-Gut, an instructor in the School of Health Studies Medical Department, recently earned the Doctor of Business Administration degree in Health Care Administration from Northcentral University.
Division of General Education Faculty Accomplishments
Berkeley College faculty members were recognized for various accomplishments during recent months. Here are the highlights:
Danielle Sonnenberg completed all academic requirements to receive the degree of Ph.D. in Human Development from Fielding Graduate University on February 23, 2021. Her successfully defended dissertation title is: The Emotional Challenges of Teaching Online.
Heidi Hoefinger published two peer-reviewed academic journal articles based on the SEXHUM Project, as well as contributed to the SEXHUM Policy Report, and presented the final US findings at a conference. The two articles are: Jennifer Musto, Anne E. Fehrenbacher, Heidi Hoefinger, Nicola Mai, P.G. Macioti, Calum Bennachie, Calogero. Giametta, Kate D’Adamo (2021) “Anti-Trafficking in the Time of FOSTA/SESTA: Networked Moral Gentrification and Sexual Humanitarian Creep”, Social Sciences (Special Issue: Sociological Perspectives on (Sexual) Humanitarian Governance of Migrant Sex Work), 10(2), 58. And P.G. Macioti, Eurydice Aroney, Calum Bennachie, Anne E. Fehrenbacher, Calogero Giametta, Heidi Hoefinger, Nicola Mai, Jennifer Musto (2020) “Framing the Mother Tac: The Racialised, Sexualised and Gendered Politics of Modern Slavery in Australia”, Social Sciences (Special Issue: Sociological Perspectives on (Sexual) Humanitarian Governance of Migrant Sex Work), 9(11), 192.
Julie Porter in January 2021 participated in the online workshop offered by Middlebury College’s Office of Digital Learning and Inquiry. This year’s theme was “Digital Equity and Inclusion in a Pandemic.”
Michael Rotundo earned the Master of Philosophy degree in Psychology with a specialty in Education from Walden University.
Marc Shur participated in an invited panel on “Anthropology Intersections” at the annual conference of the American Anthropological Association in in Vancouver.
Jonathan Weidenbaum gave a presentation, “To Laugh in a Pluralistic Universe: The Relevance of William James for the Philosophy of Humor,” at the American Philosophical Association meeting. He also published an article in an edited volume: “With Open Doors and Windows: Doing Theology in the Spirit of William James.” In Theology Without Walls, edited by Jerry Martin.
Filippa Modesto is working on Chapter One of her new book, a study on the affinities between the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and the Italian philosopher, Giacomo Leopardi.
Patianne Stabile was recently elected Secretary of New York College Learning Skills Association (NYCLSA). Dr. Stabile presented a paper at the National Organization of Student Success (NOSS, formerly NADE) entitled "Establishing An Embedded Tutoring Program in Writing Classes," in Nashville, Tennessee.
James Pacello presented a workshop, “Three Key Methods to Improve Student Writing and Learning Across Curricular Contexts," at the Teaching for Learning Conference. Dr. Pacello published the following articles: "Developmental Writing and Transfer: Examining Student Perceptions" in Journal of Developmental Education, Spring 2019 and “Cultivating a Process Approach to Writing: Student Experiences in a Developmental Course" in Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, March 2019.
Byron Hargrove, together with Jennifer Moschella, presented on "Trans-FORMing Our Classrooms: How to Use Microsoft Forms to Engage Students and Assess Learning in Social Science, Accounting, and Writing Courses." The presentation was a virtual session at the “Innovation Summit” of the Association of Proprietary Schools. Dr. Hargrove had an article published in eCampus News in March of 2020 under the title: “5 ways a team strategy helps boost student engagement.”
Bradley Jenkins presented to acting Licensed Professional Counselors from around the country about his research gleaned from databases on "Building Resiliency in a Cohort of College Students". The conference took place via Zoom through California Southern University, Costa Mesa, CA.
Kirk Johnson published “Racial Equity: A Pedagogical Approach.” Transforming Health Care Education: Applied Lessons Leading to a Deeper Moral Reflection." and “Implementing Racial Equity Training in Medical School Curriculum.” in Transforming Health Care Education: Applied Lessons Leading to a Deeper Moral Reflection by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Hui-Wen Tu and Gregory Hotchkiss presented at the Lilly-Bethesda conference that ran online this year due to COVID-19. Their work was on "The online instructor’s roles and influence on students’ learning experiences."
Jason Gulya published his book chapter “Teaching with the Pilgrim’s Progress Video Game” in Adapting the Eighteenth Century: Pedagogies and Practices (University of Rochester Press, 2020).
School of Professional Studies Faculty Accomplishments
Berkeley College faculty members were recognized for various accomplishments during recent months. Here are the highlights:
Moya Bansile was appointed Co-Chair of the Diversity Equity And Inclusion Task Force in August 2020, served as Moderator at Women Entrepreneurship 2020 “Change Leaders: Women Recalibrating the Future” presented by Berkeley College and City & State New York on October 7, 2020, Co-Presented with Patricia Greer at the North Jersey Chamber of Commerce on “Diversity in the Workplace” Seminar on November 6, 2020, completed CLE credits to satisfy New Jersey and New York Law Licensure requirements, and published in the American Bar Association Student Lawyer, November 2020, article: “Professor Teaches From Her Experiences.”
Moya Bansile and Patricia Greer were co-presenters at the North Jersey Chamber of Commerce on Diversity in the Workplace Seminar on November 6, 2020.
Moya Bansile, Charlane Brown, Judith Corbett Carter, Traci Dingle and Jamal Lopez represented the Justice Studies and Legal Studies departments as panelists in a virtual Town Hall: “A Time to Heal: A Conversation About Race, Policing and Social Justice.” The event highlighted the background and expertise of both full-time and adjunct faculty within the School of Professional Studies and their dedication to the College and interest in social justice.
Charlane Brown wrote a blog article “Living While Black Blue and Pink” and was the moderator for a webinar on June 1, 2020, for a related event under the same title.
John Link was asked to be the lead instructor at the Passaic County Police Academy.
Gary Krulish represented the Justice Studies and National Security majors with a surprising food donation to a former graduate (Margaret Porco), who is on the frontlines of the pandemic effort working as a police officer for the Wayne Police Department. The School of Professional Studies and the College delivered 50 hot meals to the entire police department as a thank you for their service.
Patricia Greer appeared on Steve Adubato’s One-on-One broadcast in March 2020. During the broadcast, Professor Greer was interviewed by Mr. Adubato and discussed how Berkeley College prepares students for law-related careers through its new Online Certificate Program.
