Purdue University Global honors faculty and staff for impact, innovation, best practices and measurable outcomes

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Hundreds of Purdue University Global faculty and staff are committed to their work in teaching and supporting the university’s wide array of adult learners. On Tuesday (Nov. 16), a select group received recognition for their impact, innovation, best practices and measurable outcomes with G.L.O.B.A.L. Distinction Awards.

Awards were presented in three areas: Great Leaders, Organization Builders and Accomplished Learners. A seven-member selection committee made up of university staff picks the recipients from a pool of nominations.

“The opportunity to recognize members of our faculty and staff, who have been recommended by their peers, is one of the highlights of the year,” Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley said. “It is the efforts of individuals and teams like these, and so many more, who have helped Purdue Global continue to prosper. They are symbolic of the passion demonstrated by all our employees, and it is a pleasure to honor them.”

Here is a look at the honorees:

Great Leaders Award – for promoting a culture of excellence and expanding the vision of making Purdue Global a great place to work.

Individual Recipient: Kathy Bishop, adjunct faculty member, School of Health Sciences. An ordained Buddhist priest, Bishop practices meditation and shares her skills with Purdue Global. Over the challenges of the last year-plus, she has led 60 weekly meditation sessions for faculty, with 395 seats filled and 71 unique attendees. Faculty have used the techniques Bishop shares in their classes, and she also uses her meditation practice with her students. Previously, Bishop, of Delray Beach, Florida, voluntarily created meditation podcasts for Purdue Global.

Group Recipient: Immersive Learning Team – Leigh Dunning, Abbey Elliott, Tom Hoover, Jessica Manning and Dee McNamara. During the COVID-19 imposed lockdown, this group designed and wrote a curriculum to provide School of Nursing online learners the skills and materials needed to adapt to a virtual reality platform. Students were able to learn and practice skills wherever they are located and not travel to a specific location to perform them. Utilizing online learning also provided Purdue Global with the opportunity to share what was already in place and work with other schools and universities that did not have online learning. This team created 25 simulations within a six-week period to meet board of nursing objectives and requirements.

Organization Builders Award – for celebrating significant growth in Purdue Global from an innovative standpoint.

Individual Recipient: Larasz Moody-Villarose, assistant dean of students, Concord Law School. Soon after coming to Concord, Moody-Villarose, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, was appointed co-chair of the Purdue Global Diversity and Inclusion working group, which has developed into the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She has continually spearheaded new initiatives to help promote retention of students and improving cultural competency amongst various constituencies. She initiated and organized a schoolwide “regional mixer” event, allowing students and alumni to meet and network with each other and with locally based faculty The collective effect of her efforts has helped the growth of Concord and the ability of Concord to integrate more closely with the rest of the university.

Group Recipient: Registrar Articulation Team – Ron Maggitt and Caroline Marsh. These two created a credit pathway for Walmart employees enrolling in Purdue Global classes via the university’s partnership with Guild Education. From July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021, the credit offerings that came out of the Walmart articulation process helped 525 students make progress toward completing their degree with Purdue Global. Those students earned credit for 663 courses, totaling over 2,500 credits, while saving them over $950,000 in tuition costs by giving them credit for what they already know.

Accomplished Learners Award – for creating positive student momentum at Purdue Global via curricular enhancements, faculty initiatives or technological advancements.

Individual Recipient: Shannon Cianelli, assistant director, Federal Work Study, Center For Career Advancement. Cianelli, of Maugansville, Maryland, has worked tirelessly to make the Federal Work Study program a great resource for Purdue Global students. She knows how much it can benefit students and is passionate about using the available funds to assist them however possible. Her work has developed and bolstered the program by encouraging students and employers to participate. The qualified federal companies and nonprofits participating have opened the door for students to gain experience in their field of study.

Group Recipient: School of Nursing Clinical Placement Team – Jason Butler, Alaina Castillo, Meghan Coles, Colleen Geehan, Emily Gustin, Christine Holmes, Aaron Page, Rene Painter-Claypool, Angelina Rimmler and Sarah Schmanske. This group faced extraordinary challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many clinical sites closed their doors to students, many of whom already had a clinical course and rotation in progress. The team implemented solutions that ultimately helped many students move forward in their clinical rotations and successfully complete their programs. Furthermore, the number of graduate nursing students in clinical placements has increased 20% year-over-year and 39% over the last two years.

About Purdue University Global

Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations – no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue University’s flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit purdueglobal.edu.

Media Contact: Tom Schott, 765-427-1721, tschott@purdue.edu

Sources: Frank Dooley

Amy Hawkinson