CHCS Perspectives Summer/Fall 2013

PERSPECTIVES • SUMMER-FALL 2013 – Page 6 CHCS 2013 Distinguished Faculty and Staff Awards O n April 23, the College of Health Care Sciences an- nounced the winners of the Second Annual CHCS Dis- tinguished Faculty and Staff Awards at the Leadership and Management Commencement Ceremony in the HPD Chancellor’s Dining Room. Awards were presented to faculty members to recognize their superior professional achievements and encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence in three impor- tant facets of a faculty member’s tenure at NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences. Through the awards, the college proclaims its pride in the ac- complishments and personal dedication of its faculty members. The awards are conferred upon those who have achieved local, na- tional, and/or international prominence and have earned a distin- guished reputation through significant contributions in the areas of scholarship, service, or exceptional instruction. The CHCS Dis- tinguished Staff Employee Award of Excellence provides an op- portunity to recognize staff members for their contributions, dedication, and commitment. The award acknowledges the efforts and contributions of staff members for outstanding service and achievements. The award’s purpose is to encourage excellence in university service, recognize and reward significant achievements and contributions, engage employees, retain top talent, increase morale, and maximize performance. After receipt of all faculty and staff nominations, awards were presented in the following categories: EXCELLENCE IN FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP Melba Ovalle, M.D., associate program chair and medical director OUTSTANDING FACULTY SERVICE Brianna Kent, Ph.D., assistant professor of health science EXCEPTIONAL FACULTY TEACHING Jennifer Canbek, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical therapy DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR Harvey A. Feldman, M.D., FACP, professor, physician assistant DISTINGUISHED STAFF EMPLOYEE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE Susan Deck, B.S., administrative assistant, physician assistant (Orlando) Dr. Ovalle earned her accolade due to an impressive record of scholarly achievement. She recently published an article entitled “The Many Faces of Lupus” in Clinical Medicine and Diagnostics and served as a guest speaker at the Winter Florida Academy for Physi- cian Assistants. In addition, she has arranged webinars with the Physician Assistant Education Association and Exam Master on testing student-learning outcomes and how to serve as a mentor to junior faculty members. Dr. Ovalle’s record of scholarly activity sets the bar high for other faculty members as she also maintains a full teaching workload while functioning as a prolific scholar. Dr. Kent was honored for her continued dedication to service in the department, college, university, community, and profession. She has served as a member of the Broward Human Trafficking Coali- tion, CHCS Research Committee, and College Evaluation Com- mittee and is a member and co-founder of Project HEAT (Health Educators Against Trafficking). Dr. Kent has been a tireless volun- teer and has distinguished herself as a leader in the profession. Dr. Canbek has consistently demonstrated excellence in teach- ing by creating innovative options for learning in her courses, which have led to consistent student reviews at the highest levels. She has designed and implemented a variety of teaching strategies grounded in evidence-based practice with demonstration of how that data may be used in practice. She has also created a series of interactive Web-based content reviews delivered through Black- board that encourage student participation and active learning. It is for these reasons she was awarded the Golden Apple in 2012 and was chosen as the recipient of this year’s Exceptional Faculty Teaching Award. Dr. Feldman’s outstanding research, teaching, and service in the College of Health Care Sciences has earned him the recognition of Distinguished Professor of the Year. He is an author of 21 pub- lications and has been an invited speaker at the annual sessions of the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants, the American Acad- emy of Physician Assistants, CME at the Beach, and the National Kidney Foundation. He serves on the Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice Editorial Board and reviews manuscripts for the Annals of Internal Medicine . Within the Physician Assistant Program, he serves on the Testing and Admissions Committees. Deck, who works in the Physician Assistant Department, has consistently demonstrated an outstanding commitment to main- taining a high level of performance by accepting additional re- sponsibilities during periods of staffing shortages. When the position of clinical director was vacant for nine months, Deck took on the role and singlehandedly managed the clinical year, including preceptor issues and student placement. She has worked many weekends and long hours to serve as a counselor to students and has demonstrated a flexible and accommodating manner to all stu- dent and faculty requests. Each faculty and staff winner received a $250 gift check, a cer- tificate of appreciation, and recognition at the college level with his or her name listed on the College of Health Care Sciences’ Wall of Honor. By Chrystal Randle, B.A., Administrative Coordinator, CHCS Office of the Dean