healthy connections winter 2012

College of Health Sciences • Georgia College • Winter 2013

Healthy Connections I Winter 2013 I 2

Dear Alumni, Friends and Colleagues:

With great pleasure, I present you with theCollege of Health Science’s (COHS) annualprint publication Healthy Connections.This issue highlights some of the manyaccomplishments of our gifted studentsand outstanding faculty. Despite fiscalchallenges, we have been movingforward, challenging our students withrigorous academics and providing themwith real world hands on experience infield-based settings, working with ourclinical partners.

While managing transitional and ongoingfiscal challenges, 2011-12 was also a year

of significant opportunities. Several key COHS driveninitiatives came to full fruition. These very tangibleaccomplishments are the result of a sustained effort ofmany, including a strong COHS leadership team andhighly collaborative efforts of our COHS faculty and staff.These sentinel accomplishments included:

1. Completing construction and operationalizing theprogramming of the new Georgia College Wellness andRecreation Center

2. Achieving Southern Association of Colleges andSchools (SACS) implementation approval for our Doctor ofNursing Practice program

3. Implementation of Master of Art in art therapy

4. Achieving Association for Experiential Education (AEE)accreditation re-affirmation of our outdoor educationprograms.

In addition, Georgia College welcomed its 11thpresident, Dr. Steve Dorman, this September. Dr. Dormancame to us from the University of Florida, where heserved as Dean of the College of Health and HumanPerformance. He is a nationally known health educator,and we are very pleased to have him at the helm here atGeorgia College.

On behalf of the COHS faculty, staff and students, Iextend our appreciation for your support both past andpresent. We ask that you will continue to support ourefforts to repare top level health professionals for thestate and the region through your advocacy andphilanthropy.

Please feel free to send us your news. We encourage youto visit us if you get the opportunity to be near thiswonderful community of Milledgeville. We would behappy to give you a tour around our newly renovatedfacilities on the main campus and our new Wellness andRecreation Center. Thank you again for your continuedsupport!

Yours in Health,

Dean Sandy K. [email protected]

Dean’s Welcome

Inside this issue: College of Health Sciences:Deans welcome.....................................2

Welsome Doctor of Nursing Practice Students! .................................3

Meet the DNP Trailblazers ...................4

Survive and Thrive:................................6

Georgia College’s CancerWellness Program .................................8

Students Explore Healthin Belize..................................................9

COHS Honors Students......................10

Faculty Honors ....................................12

Center for Health andSocial Issues BattlingChildhood Obesity..............................14

Music Therapy ClinicServes the Community .......................16

FNP Students Benefit fromNew Patient Simulation ......................17

Art Therapy Degree Now Offered........................................18

Outdoor Education earns Continued Accreditation ....................19

DeanSandra Gangstead

Associate DeanMartha M. Colvin

Healthy Connections EditorJulie N. Collis

ContributorsKirk Armstrong, Julie N. Collis, Anna Hiscox, Rasheda Jones, Jim Lidstone, Debby MacMilan, Judith Malachowski, Dave Terrell

Photo CreditsKirk Armstrong, Julie N. Collis, Sharon Daniel, Jim Lidstone, Jess Tanner, Tim Vacula, Katie Whipple

3 I Winter 2013 I Healthy Connections

The “Trailblazers”: From left to right in photo (Standing) Laurie Parkman, Chioma Okereke, KeshanaSnead, Kay Brooks, and Carol Boyer. Seated from left to right: Beth Sipper and Sandra Copeland

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Welcome Doctor of Nursing Practice Students!

Georgia College School ofNursing welcomed its firstcohort of students to the

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)program this May. The inaugural 2012cohort spent a week during Maygetting to know each other and theirfaculty at the Macon Graduate Center.During the week students had anopportunity to meet with InterimPresident Stas Preczewski and ProvostSandra Jordan at a luncheonsponsored by the dean of the Collegeof Health Sciences, Dr. SandraGangstead. The students were alsowelcomed by two honored guestsfrom the nursing community: Ms. JudyPaull, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) ofMedical Center of Central Georgiaand Dr. Melinda Hartley, CNO ofHouston County Medical Center. Ms.Paull and Dr. Hartley shared theirresearch projects in which they wereinvolved during their Doctor ofNursing Practice programs. Theintensive week of learning ended with

a faculty and student dinner where Dr.Donna Ingram shared her DNPCapstone Project with the students.

The DNP is a professional terminaldegree with an applied nursing focus.The program is committed toeducating advanced practice nurseswho possess the knowledge, skills andvalues necessary to contribute to andlead in the efforts to improve thehealth care delivery system of thenation. Students are trained foradvanced science-based practice andpractice-oriented research in private-and/or public sector careers to includeclinical practice, health education,research application, leadership, andanalysis of health care outcomes. TheDNP is a versatile degree thatprepares nurses to provide leadershipin public and private organizations;assess health care needs; develop andimplement new health care practices,and evaluate health care outcomes;recommend health care policy; and

interact with other health careproviders and agencies at diverselevels.

The Post-Masters DNP programconsists of 37 credit hours and 540clinical hours. The programcompletely online and is offered full-time for five semesters. Guided by theAACN Essentials for DoctoralEducation for Advanced NursingPractice, sequencing of courses allowsthe development of content expertiseprior to the initiation of the clinicalproject and experience core. Acapstone practicum allows for roleimmersion and competencyintegration. The first cohort willgraduate in December 2013.

For more information visitnursing.gcsu.edu or contact Dr. Debby MacMillan at 478-752-1074or [email protected].


The DNP trailblazers are the first DNP class at Georgia College.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Meet the DNP TrailblazersCarol Boyer RN, MSN, PsychiatricClinical NurseSpecialist

Carol Boyer ofMilledgeville,Ga. graduatedfrom ValdostaState Universitywith a Bachelorof Arts inSociology. Ms.

Boyer also obtained a Bachelor ofScience in Nursing, Master of Sciencein Nursing, Master of Science in PublicAdministration, and Post–MastersNursing in Psychiatric Nursing fromGeorgia College. Psychiatric nursinghas been the focus of Ms. Boyer’stwenty-eight year career at CentralState Hospital. She currently serves asan Associate Nurse Executive overNursing Services and StaffDevelopment.

“I want to expand on the knowledgeand experience that I have gained inmy twenty-eight years of nursingpractice working with thedevelopmentally disabled, adultmental health, child and adolescentmental health, and staffdevelopment,” Boyer noted. “All ofthese experiences have made memore aware of the need for nurses tobe involved in the development ofevidence-based nursing practice andin the design of health care delivery.The DNP will assist me in moving tothe next phase of my career:educating the next generation ofnurses or helping to develophealthcare policy for the population ofpatients that I serve. Also, as aGeorgia College alumni, I am honoredto be a part of this exciting newprogram.”

Sarah Kay BrooksRN, MSN, Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

Sarah Brooks ofMilledgeville,Ga. graduatedfrom GeorgiaCollege in1988 with aBachelor of

Science in Nursing and in 1994 with aMaster of Science in Nursing. Mrs.Brooks has focused her nursing careeron providing care for patients at Cen-tral State Hospital. During her careerat Central State she has worked in thefollowing areas: Georgia War VeteransHome, Comprehensive Healthcare Di-vision, Nursing Home, and PsychiatricTreatment and Forensic Services. Shecurrently is the chief nursing officer atCentral State Hospital. “I acceptedthis role as a leader for nursing be-cause I want to make a difference forthe clients and their families, alongwith the nurses and staff at this re-markable hospital,” Brooks stated. “Icontinue to push forward each daywith the many challenges that presentthemselves to ensure our client popu-lation is provided a safe and therapeu-tic environment at all times.”

Additionally Mrs. Brooks is employedby Georgia College as a part-time fac-ulty member for the School of Nurs-ing, where she teaches in theundergraduate nursing program. Sheis a member of the Theta Tau Chapterof Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society ofNursing. Additionally she serves onthe Live Healthy Baldwin committee.She chose to return to Georgia Col-lege to pursue her Doctor of NursingPractice (DNP) degree. “I feel attend-ing Georgia College for the DNP pro-gram will assist me in demonstratingthe highest level of clinical expertise in

the field of nursing and will prepareme to design evidence-based strate-gies that will improve healthcare out-comes for the client populations Iserve.”

Sandra CopelandRN, MSN, Family NursePractitioner

SandraCopeland ofJuliette, Ga.graduated cumlaude fromWesternCarolinaUniversity with

a bachelor degree in nursing in 1991and received her Master of Science inNursing and her Nurse PractitionerPost-Masters from Georgia College.She has worked in various areas innursing including: staff nurse,management, research, andeducation. Currently, Mrs. Copelandworks as a Nurse Practitioner at aprivate practice in Barnesville, Ga. andin a supportive role at the MedicalCenter of Central Georgia (MCCG).Additionally Mrs. Copeland isemployed by Georgia College as apart-time faculty member for theSchool of Nursing, where she teachesboth in the undergraduate andgraduate nursing programs. Shevolunteers in her community as acamp nurse, CPR instructor, andrecently worked at a medical clinic inHonduras for the underserved.

The College of Health Sciences offers a variety of graduate

programs that will provide the additional education you need to

accomplish your goals.

See page 20 for more details.


Keshana SneadGoddard RN, MSN, Family NursePractitioner,Psychiatric NursePractitioner

Keshana SneadGoddard ofMilledgeville,Ga. graduatedfrom MaconState College

in 2005 with a Bachelor Degree inNursing. Mrs. Goddard received herMaster of Science in Nursing in 2009from Georgia College and her Post-Masters Certificate in PsychiatricMental Health in 2012 from GeorgiaState University. She is dually certifiedas a Family Nurse Practitioner and aPsychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Mrs.Goddard’s nursing career has focusedon caring for the psychiatric client. Sheis currently employed as a nursepractitioner at River Edge BehavioralHealth Center and Care ImprovementPlus House Calls Program.

Mrs. Goddard is interested in the useof motivational interviewing as atherapeutic approach to making adifference for her clients. The patientpopulation she serves is often inGeorgia’s rural and medicallyunderserved areas.

Chioma OkerekeRN, MSN,Family NursePractitioner

Chioma Ok-ereke of Ac-worth, Ga.received bothher Bachelor ofScience inNursing (1999)and Master of

Science in Nursing (1996) from Kenne-saw State University. She currentlyowns her own private practice, Well-ness Family Clinic, in Marietta, Ga.,where she cares for families as a familynurse practitioner.

“As a primary care provider, I have de-veloped the skills and knowledge tocare for an entire family across their

life spans and to provide that care in aholistic approach,” Okereke said.“One of the most rewarding aspectsof my practice is observing infants gettheir first immunization, then seeingthem meet each milestone.

“I decided on the Georgia CollegeDNP program because they offer thecurriculum that is necessary to achievemy goal with an online approach. As aresult, I am able to continue working inmy practice. This makes for an excel-lent combination.”

Laurie EadyParkman RN, MSN, CertifiedRegistered NurseAnesthetist

LaurieParkman ofDublin, Ga.graduatedfrom GeorgiaCollege with

a bachelor degree in nursing in 1994and received her nurse anesthesiadegree (CRNA) from Medical Collegeof Georgia in 1999. During her nursingcareer she has specialized in caring forpatients in the telemetry unit,intensive care, emergencydepartment, and has worked as a staffCRNA. Presently, she is employed atthe Medical Center of Central Georgiaas a CRNA. Mrs. Parkman choseGeorgia College for her Doctor ofNursing Practice program because ofthe history of excellent nursingeducation and the online classes. “Iliked the idea of being in the firstDoctor of Nursing Practice programoffered by Georgia College. My careerbegan with a degree from GeorgiaCollege, which has served me well,and I look forward to continuing thetradition.”

Elizabeth SipperRN, MSN, Nurse Educator

Elizabeth Sipperof Louisville, Ga. received herBachelor of Sci-ence in Nursingin 1994 and aMaster of Sci-ence in Nursingin 2006 from

Georgia College. She returned toGeorgia College in 2007 to completePost-Masters courses for Nursing Edu-cation. Ms. Sipper currently is an Assis-tant Professor of Nursing and SatelliteDirector at Darton College. When sheheard that Georgia College was offer-ing the DNP she knew this was whereshe wanted to apply because there was“no other place for her.” She ex-plained, “The accidental placement ofmy name on a layoff list changed thecourse of my life. That simple clericalerror twenty-two years ago gave methe courage to reach for the impossi-ble. I had given college a try twodecades earlier. I was an impoverishedhigh school dropout armed with a gen-eral education diploma, and I realizedin short order how ill prepared I was.Too old to go back and claim my threelost years of high school, I joined theWomen’s Army Corps and set off on ajourney of high hopes. Seventeen yearslater, in the wake of my name acci-dently appearing on the layoff list, Istood before an incredulous GeorgiaCollege nursing advisor who wanted toknow if I really wanted to be a nurse.The dismal grade point average dis-played on the dated transcripts beforeher made that lifelong dream of mineseem highly improbable. Four yearslater I graduated with honors, presidentof Georgia College nursing Class of1994.”

Ms. Sipper was diagnosed with breastcancer during the summer semesterand has taken a medical withdrawalfrom the program. She plans on return-ing to the program as soon as her treat-ment is completed. She asked to beincluded in the DNP 2012 Cohort biog-raphies because of her intense pride inbeing selected for this inaugural DNPcohort.

For more information visitnursing.gcsu.edu or contact

Dr. Debby MacMillan at 478-752-1074 or

[email protected].


Georgia College’s Cancer Wellness ProgramSurvive and Thrive is a freeoncology recovery pro-gram at Georgia College’sWellness and RecreationCenter for newly diag-nosed cancer patients.The program combinesexercise, education,mind/body activities andsupport to assist peoplewith cancer in returning totheir fullest physical andemotional potentials. Theholistic approach incorpo-rates all aspects of a per-son’s health andwell-being and focuses onimproving quality of life.The program meets atremendous medical needin Milledgeville-BaldwinCounty and the surround-ing area. According toDave Terrell, director ofthe Wellness and Recre-ation Center, “The pro-gram is one way theuniversity’s College ofHealth Sciences reachesout to the community todeliver needed health-re-lated services.”

Survive and Thrive is grantfunded and has receivedgrants from The MedCenCommunity Health Foun-dation in Macon, theAmerican Cancer Society,and the Susan G. Komenfor the Cure Foundation.The program is supportedby local oncologists whorefer their patients to theprogram. It is free to can-cer patients who havebeen diagnosed within thelast year and/or currentlyundergoing primary activetherapy.

The goal of Survive andThrive is to improve qual-ity of life by addressing fa-tigue, depression, nausea,

pain, stress and other sideeffects of cancer and itstreatment.

Patti Weimer, who hasbeen in the program for14 weeks, commented onthe program’s effective-ness. “I am so amazed atthe level of fitness I haveaccomplished with thehelp of the staff at theWellness Center. Westarted out slow with justbeing able to walk a cou-ple of laps before I had torest because of the numb-ness and burning in myfeet. Yesterday, I walked acomplete mile withouthaving to stop at all.”

Another program partici-pant, Terri Lingold, con-curred. “Because of thekind, caring instructors ofthis program, I have theenergy that the cancerand treatments hadrobbed me of. I wouldhighly recommend thisprogram to any and allcancer patients that wantto take back control oftheir life.”

During the first hour ofeach two-hour session thesurvivors participate inprofessionally prescribedand supervised exercisesbased on therapy restric-tions and energy level. Asignificant amount of re-search has been done todemonstrate the effective-ness of exercise as a qual-ity of life interventionfollowing cancer diagno-sis.

During the second hour ofthe program, a variety ofeducational topics such ascoping skills, stress man-agement, nutrition, and

side effects of medicationsare discussed. The secondhour also includesmind/body programmingsuch as meditation, yoga,journaling, music therapy,art therapy, guided im-agery and more. TheAmerican Cancer Society’s“I Can Cope” educationalseries is part of the educa-tional component.

According to the Ameri-can Cancer Society, theseries can help dispel can-cer myths by presentingstraightforward informa-tion and answers to cancerrelated issues, including:

• Diagnosis and treatment

• Side effects of treatment

• Self-esteem and intimacy

• Communicating con-

cerns and feelings

• Community resources

• Financial concerns

• Pain management

• Nutrition and physicalactivity

• Cancer related fatigue

• Keeping well in mind,body, and spirit

Measuring outcomes is animportant part of the pro-gram. A variety of fitnessparameters and quality oflife assessments are ad-ministered when a partici-pant enters the program.After 12 weeks of partici-pation, the parameters aremeasured again. Clinicaloutcomes related to qual-ity of life are assessed anddocumented for each

Patti Weimer (l) being evaluated by Wellness and Recreation Center staff Tyler Rawlings

Survive and Thrive


I am so amazed atthe level of fitness Ihave accomplished

participant and their physician.Early results demonstrate a signif-icant reduction in fatigue and de-pression, and an increase inself-esteem.

Program Coordinator, LauraChilds, and Graduate Assistant,Liz Hathaway, are both CertifiedCancer Exercise Specialists.

The program, which meets mid-morning three times per week,also provides experiential learn-ing opportunities for College ofHealth Sciences students study-ing Exercise Science, CommunityHealth, Music Therapy and ArtTherapy. These students gethands-on experience workingwith this special population. Sur-vive and Thrive is part of GeorgiaCollege’s commitment to be astrong partner for creating a bet-ter community, and similar to theCollege of Health Sciences logo,Survive and Thrive helps to con-nect mind, body and spirit.

For More Information, contact:Laura [email protected]

Dave [email protected] gcsu.edu/wellness

Top and Middle: Survive and Thrive participants take part in a Music Therapy drumming circle designed to reduce stress and aid in relaxation.Bottom:Program participants doing weight and balance training


School of Nursing Receives Outstanding Department AwardThe School of Nursing received theGeorgia College Outstanding Pro-gram/Department award for 2012.The School of Nursing was evaluatedon five criteria: (a) excellence in teach-ing and service to students; (b) depart-mental/unit policies that encouragecollaborative faculty efforts; (c) an on-going process for reviewing and re-

shaping curricula; (d) exemplary pro-grams for advising, mentoring, recruit-ing, and retaining students; and (e)successes of department’s or pro-gram’s students.

The activities of students, staff, andfaculty contributed to this honor. Thereputation of the Bachelor of Sciencein Nursing (BSN) program is wellknown throughout the state of Geor-gia and the Southeast. Pass rates onthe licensing exam for this programhave averaged 97.8 percent over thepast four years. Twice during this time,pass rates have reached 100 percentfor two cohorts, well above the mini-mum benchmark (80 percent) requiredby the Georgia Board of Nursing. Inaddition, the School has increased thenumber of new students to 56 each se-mester and is retaining 98 percent ofeach cohort. Also, the Master of Sci-

ence in Nursing (MSN) Family NursePractitioner (FNP) program boasts a98.27 percent pass rate on the FNPnational certification examination dur-ing the past five years.

Faculty efforts over the past four yearshave resulted in the establishment of aDoctor of Nursing Practice program,the first doctoral program in the uni-versity’s 123 year history. The first co-hort was admitted for Summer 2012and will graduate in December 2013.Nursing faculty continue to work col-laboratively with faculty across campusand in the community at-large in work-shops and subsequent mentoring rela-tionships.

The award was given at the GeorgiaCollege Faculty Awards Ceremony inApril 2012.

School of Nursing Faculty: Front row l to r: Dr. Judy Malachowski, Mrs. JoAnne Raatz; Second row l to r: Dr. Flor Culpa Bondal, Mrs. Sheryl Winn, Dr.

Martha Colvin, Mrs. Jeanne Sewell, Dr. Susan Steele;Third row l to r: Mrs. Erin Weston, Mrs. Carol Bowdoin;

Fourth row l to r: Dr. Debby MacMillan, Dr. Debbie Greene, Dr. Leslie Moore, Dr. Carol Sapp

Nursing Hosts Accreditation VisitThe Georgia College School ofNursing is hosting an accreditationvisit by the National League forNursing Accrediting Commission(NLNAC) for the BSN and MSN pro-grams on February 5-7, 2013.

Interested parties are invited to sub-mit third-party comments to the vis-iting team. Please note that thecomments must address substantivematters related to the quality of theprofessional nursing education pro-grams offered and should specifythe party’s relationship to the institu-tion and/or program (i.e., graduate,present or former faculty member,employer of graduate).

There will be a time for the NLNACvisitors to meet with various commu-nities during the site visit. More in-formation will be available atnursing.gcsu.edu at the beginning ofJanuary 2013.

Mail your comments to:

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission

3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850Atlanta, GA 30326


Health Science students setabroad for the adventure of alife time this past May in Dr.Kirk Armstrong’s course, “Ex-ploring Health Perspectives inBelize: Medicine, Health, Soci-ety, and Culture”. The nature ofthe course was to experiencevarious aspects of Belize (located in Central America)through the perspective ofhealth. Using this unique per-spective, students experiencedthe history, culture, and otherdevelopmental initiativesevolving in Belize.

In the health sciences, servingothers constitutes a large com-ponent of professional prac-tice, either encouragingpatients or clients through ther-apeutic benefits or serving theprofession itself. This courseemphasized the importance ofservice within the health sci-ences and how serving othersor the profession was beneficialto personal and professionalgrowth.

During the program, studentslived and learned through in-teracting with native Belizeans.Most of their time was spent inSan Ignacio, the capital of theCayo district of western Belize.The last few days were spent inHopkins, a Garifuna communityin the Stann Creek district onthe eastern coast. Both localeswere not only geographicallydistinct, but the culture of thenative Belizeans were alsoquite unique.

In San Ignacio, students com-pleted six different servicelearning projects, accumulatingmore than 50 service learninghours per student. Highlightsof the service projects in-cluded:

• Sacred Heart High School: During the school day, students were paired with a “host teacher” to spend time getting to understand and

experience students in the Belizean education system. After school, the students facilitated a coaches clinic for more than 12 coaches (including track, soccer, soft-ball, basketball), discussing injury prevention and man-agement, basic first aid, and nutritional considerations for athletes.

• Barzakh Falah: Barzakh Falah is a sustainable home for orphaned, abused, neglected, or forgotten children of Belize. Under construction, Barzakh Falah is literally being built from the ground up. The students spent two days building a hexagonal playset (including low rope line and tire swings) and a meditation structure with prayer benches.

• Octavia Waight Centre: The Octavia Waight Centre is the elderly care facility of the Cayo district, serving 27 live-in residents. The staff of the Octavia Waight Centre includes a cook, care staff, and Registered Nurse who provides therapy and rehabilitation to the residents. Here, students cooked lunch for all of the residents and staff, worked with residents in completing therapy or sat and played various games with the residents.

Daily activities concluded withdinner and a reflective de-brief-ing of the day. Much time wasspent differentiating the eventsof the day to life back in theUnited States. A considerableamount of time was also spentmaking connections to how theknowledge and skills obtainedduring service learning projectscould be applied to futurepractice in a health scienceprofession.

In addition to classroom andservice learning projects, stu-dents visited a variety of arche-

ological, historical, health re-lated, and cultural sites of im-portance in Belize. A fewnoteworthy stops during thetrip were Xunantunich, an an-cient Mayan archeological site;Actun Tunichil Muknal, an an-cient Mayan cave with religiousand sacrificial backgrounds;and the San Ignacio Market,where native food and wares are sold.

Student Explore Health in Belize

Founder of Hot Mama’s Hot Sauce Factory (center left), stopped to talk withGeorgia College students during their tour of the hot sauce factory in San Igna-cio, Belize. Pictured: Front Row: Bailey Harrison, Hot Mama, Jillian Lisiakowski,Toni Gray, Tour Guide, Erin Kelly; Back Row: Micah Davis, Dr. Kirk Armstrong,

Ian Thomas, Brittany Maddock, David Gibson

Students get a birds eye view of theXunantunich ruin site outside San

Ignacio, Belize, being able to climb tothe top to see the view that the royal

family once had more than 1,500years ago.

Students Jillian Lisiakowski and Bailey Harrison pulled bark from one of the support beams of the Challenge Course at Barzakh Falah Children’s Home

STAYCONNECTEDAlumni Updatesgcsu.edu/alumni

Givingfoundation.gcsu.edu

Sharon Daniel, senior community health major, was awarded a $4,600 internshipstipend from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Next Generation (NextGen) non-profit leaders program. This award will assist Ms. Daniel with finances while fulfillingher internship requirement for her major. These stipends help Nonprofit LeadershipAlliance students complete their nonprofit internships. The stipends are funded by agrant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

Ms. Daniel will be interning Spring 2013 in Honduras at a faith-based orphanagecalled Miques 6:8 (Micah 6:8) for abused, abandoned, and neglected children. Theorphanage currently has 39 children. During her internship she will work as an Englishtutor and will assist orphanage management with initial planning for an orphanageschool.

Daniel joins two previous students, Lindsay Ayers and Britton Tuck, in receiving thisnationally recognized honor. Community Health Coordinator, Dr. Barbara Funke,notes that “these students have been among our best and brightest and it is gratify-ing to know that the College of Health Sciences is helping launch future leaders whowill champion health-related initiatives in nonprofit settings.”

Exercise Science Professor BecomesNational ‘Educator of the Year’


Community Health Major Receives Next Generation Leaders Award

Georgia College professor Dr. Mike Martino has earned the 2012 Educator of theYear Award by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for hiscontributions to the fields of exercise science and human performance.

Martino became this year’s recipient for his leadership and commitment to the edu-cation of general strength training and conditioning, exercise and sport science andenhancement of the discipline through the NSCA.

Martino also serves as coordinator for Georgia College’s Exercise Science Programand NSCA’s Southeast Region.

NSCA is an international nonprofit educational association that includes more than30,000 members in 52 countries. The association develops and presents the most ad-vanced information about strength training and conditioning practices, injury preven-tion and research findings.

Jeanne Sewell, assistant professor ofnursing, was awarded the 2012 MERLOTDistinguished Service Award. This isMERLOT’s highest honor.

MERLOT is an acronym for Multi-mediaEducational Resource for Learning andOnline Teaching. It is an online highereducation community that shares peer-reviewed online learning materials andpedagogy.

Recipients of the Distinguished ServiceAward are selected because of theircontributions and dedication to MER-LOT. Former Distinguished ServiceAward winners and MERLOT manage-ment select the winner.

Mrs. Sewell has been a member of MER-LOT since 2000 and has served as theEditor of the MERLOT Health SciencesEditorial Board since its inception. TheHealth Sciences Editorial Board covers avariety of areas including but not limitedto pharmacy, sports medicine, medicaltechnology and nutrition.

Mrs. Sewell is nationally certified in nurs-ing informatics and has co-authored atextbook entitled Informatics and Nurs-ing. It is currently in its fourth edition andis the leading textbook in nursing infor-matics. She maintains active consultationin nursing informatics with clinical facili-ties and institutions of higher learning.

Sewell Receives MERLOT Award

College of Health SciencesFaculty Honored

Excellence in Scholarship Award

Dr. Scott Butler, assistant professorof community health, Department ofKinesiology, received the GeorgiaCollege Excellence in ScholarshipAward. Receipt of the award isbased upon scholarly merit of publi-cations, contribution to the field or discipline, and recognition toGeorgia College.

Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. Kirk Armstrong, assistant profes-sor of athletic training, Departmentof Kinesiology, received the GeorgiaCollege Excellence in TeachingAward. Receipt of the award isbased upon excellence in classroomteaching, continued professional de-velopment, and contributions to theoverall institutional goals of GeorgiaCollege.

Laurie Hendrickson McMillanFaculty Award

Dr. Leslie Moore, assistant professorof nursing, School of Nursing, re-ceived the Laurie HendricksonMcMillan Faculty Award. This isawarded to non-tenured faculty em-ployed at Georgia College teachingin the College of Business andSchool of Nursing for less than fiveyears. Award selection criteria isbased upon teaching, research andcampus and community service.



Center for Health and Social Issues Battling Childhood Obesity

In 2010, the Center for Health and Social Issues at the Col-lege of Health Sciences received a grant from the RobertWood Johnson Foundation to battle childhood obesity inMilledgeville/Baldwin County. Milledgeville/BaldwinCounty is one of only 49 communities across the nationworking with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to re-verse the childhood obesity epidemic through policy andenvironmental change, aimed at improving access tohealthy, affordable food and increasing opportunities forphysical activity. The name of the project is Live HealthyBaldwin. Now in the third year of a four year project, LiveHealthy Baldwin has six initiatives it is pursuing.

Live Healthy Baldwin Initiatives

1. Installing community and school vegetable gar-dens where families can grow, harvest and share healthy food.

2. Establishing policies and procedures to accept electronic SNAP (food stamp) benefits at the local farmers markets.

3. Working with Baldwin County Schools to establish a farm-to-school program to get more local,fresh food into the school nutrition program.

4. Establish a regional Food Policy Council to influ-ence the food system so fresh, local food is more affordable and accessible to those who need it.

5. Working with Baldwin County Schools to imple-ment a Safe Routes to Schools program to encourage students, faculty and staff to walk and bike more on the Baldwin County School campus.

6. Introduce and pass a Complete Streets policy forMilledgeville and attain Bicycle Friendly Commu-nity status from the League of American Bicyclists.

Significant progress has been made on these initiatives inthe past 12 months. A community garden on the south sideof Milledgeville at the New Beginning Worship Center (siteof the old Southside Elementary School) has been estab-lished. There are also community/school gardens at Creek-side Elementary, Midway Elementary, Eagle RidgeElementary and Oak Hill Middle Schools (Garden on theHill) which involved students in planning, planting, harvest-

ing and sharing healthy food. Live Health Baldwing has alsoworked with the Milledgeville Housing Authority and theBaldwin County Commission to establish gardens in theGraham Homes neighborhood and at the Collins P. LeeCenter in the Harrisburg neighborhood of Milledgeville. Inaddition, a grant for $13,350 was received from the Com-munity Foundation of Central Georgia to build a garden,outdoor meeting space, and an “edible” walking trail (fruittrees and berry bushes) at the Collins P. Lee Center.

After months of hard work, the Fall Line Farmer’s Marketwill be able to accept SNAP benefits. Beneficiaries will beable to swipe their benefits card at the market and receivetokens that can be used to purchase fresh food from thelocal vendors. The vendors will then turn the tokens in forreimbursement from the market manager.

Over the summer, Live Healthy Baldwin provided supportto the Baldwin County Schools in writing a $38,000 USDAPlanning Grant to develop a five year vision and one yearplan for implementation of a Farm-to-School program. LiveHealthy Baldwin also worked with the Bicycling Club ofMilledgeville to draft a Complete Streets policy. It is nowawaiting consideration by the Mayor and City Council ofMilledgeville. A Complete Streets policy affirms that when

Lesly McGiboney, Live Healthy Baldwin summer intern (second from left) workswith Baldwin County students to prepare and plan the children’s garden at the

Milledgeville Community Garden.


new roads are constructed or when exist-ing roads are renovated, the needs of allusers (pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, indi-viduals with disabilities, etc.) will be con-sidered in the planning, design andconstruction of the streets. The goal is tocreate a more “livable” downtown areathat is accessible by alternate forms oftransportation. A Complete Streets policywill be essential to attaining the BicycleFriendly Community designation from theLeague of American Bicyclists.

Also, this summer, Live Healthy Baldwinworked with the Georgia Health PolicyCenter at Georgia State University tosponsor and host a Regional andStatewide Food Policy Council Summit inMacon. The two-day event brought to-gether people from all over the state todevelop plans for influencing the state andlocal food policy system to make healthyfood available and affordable for all. Themeeting was facilitated by national foodpolicy council expert, Mark Winne, whoseparticipation was made possible by thesupport of the Georgia Food Policy Coun-cil and Live Healthy Baldwin. Lesly McGi-boney, a Georgia College communityhealth student and Live Healthy Baldwinsummer intern, and Jessica Lowery, aGeorgia College health promotion gradu-ate student and Live Healthy Baldwingraduate assistant were instrumental inplanning and coordinating the event. Thenext step is to establish a regional FoodPolicy Council for Central Georgia withrepresentation on the State Food PolicyCouncil.

Finally, Live Healthy Baldwin will be repre-sented on a committee to revise the Bald-win County Schools Wellness plan.Farm-to-school and safe routes to schoolwill be significant components of the plan.In 2011, Live Healthy Baldwin, collaborat-ing with Baldwin County Schools, receiveda $500,000 Safe Routes to School grant tocreate a network of sidewalks and trails onBaldwin County school campuses to en-able safe walking and bicycling betweenand among the various school buildings.Construction on that project is slated tobegin in early 2014.

For more information about Live HealthyBaldwin initiatives, please contactDr. Jim Lidstone at 478-445-2133 or [email protected].

Live Healthy Baldwin staff at the Georgia Food Policy Summit in June. L-R: Jessica Lowery, Live Healthy Baldwin Graduate Assistant;

Mark Winne, Food Policy Council Expert; Dr. Jim Lidstone, Live Healthy Baldwin Director;Tiffany Mathews, Milledgeville Community Garden Manager;

Lesly McGiboney, Live Healthy Baldwin Student Intern

Georgia College graduates Bobby Jones (center) and Chelsea Losh (right) display their fresh produce at the Saturday Fall Line Farmers Market

at First Presbyterian Church

Music Therapy ClinicServes the CommunityThe Music Therapy Clinic, part of the Depart-ment of Music Therapy, is dedicated to provid-ing quality music therapy services to individualsin middle Georgia, while offering an opportu-nity for music therapy students to acquire anddevelop therapeutic skills and abilities. TheClinic offers music therapy services to adults,adolescents and children with or without speci-fied disabilities. In addition, the Clinic collabo-rates with the Life Enrichment Center, anonprofit community agency located inMilledgeville. The Life Enrichment Center fo-cuses on providing services to individuals withdevelopmental disabilities. Through the collab-oration, music therapy students work with LifeEnrichment Center clients in their Creative Ex-pressions program. This program enablesclients to participate with music therapy stu-dents in the performing arts through three mu-sical groups: Jungle Royale, a rock-n-roll band;Harmonettes, a hand bell choir; and Good Vi-brations, a drumming group.

For more information about the Music TherapyClinic, please contact Rasheda Jones at 478-445-2645 or via e-mail [email protected] information regarding the Life Enrichment Center can be found atwww.baldwinlec.org/index.html.

Jungle RoyaleSelena Wiggins (right), and music ther-apy student Crystal Pratt (left) practicefor an upcoming performance. SelenaWiggins is the newest addition to theCreative Expressions Jungle Royaleband and has been exploring the musi-cal elements of the xylophone in anoriginal piece entitled, Cat in the Hat.

HarmonettesHandbell player, Mamie Wells, andmusic therapy student accompanistEsther Kim rehearse in the GeorgiaCollege music therapy clinic. The Har-monettes handbell choir utilizes anadaptive lighting system designed byDr. Chesley Mercado, music therapydepartment chair. Ms. Wells is watch-ing for her light that cues her to playher bell.

Good VibrationsMusic therapy student Laura Bentz(left) and Good Vibrations percussion-ist Latesha Sapp (right) rehearse theirparts on the bongos for their perform-ance of “Feliz Navidad” at last year’sholiday concert. Latesha is part of theCreative Expressions Studio programwhere she works on honing her art andmusical skills. Drumming and spend-ing time with the college students areher favorite parts of the program.

>>

Outdoor Education Earns AccreditationThe Accreditation Council ofthe Association for Experien-tial Education has grantedcontinuing accredited statusto Georgia College’s OutdoorEducation programs for thenext 10 years.

“This achievement reflectsexceptional compliance withall national standards setforth by AEE for operations ofOutdoor Education academicprograms,” said Dr. Sandra K.Gangstead, dean of the Col-lege of Health Sciences. “Wewill continue to work hard tosustain the strong reputationthis program has nationallyand internationally, knowingthe unique contribution the

Outdoor Education programmakes to the liberal arts mis-sion of Georgia College.”

Georgia College outdoor ed-ucation programs preparestudents for careers in recre-ation, education, training anddevelopment and therapeuticsettings in which outdoor ad-venture activities are a pri-mary vehicle for helpingindividuals, groups and or-ganizations grow.

The Georgia College pro-grams are one of 10 universityprograms in the nation ac-credited by the Associationfor Experiential Education, aninternational association ded-

icated to furthering learningthrough experience. Addi-tionally, the Georgia CollegeOutdoor Education Center isone of only two universityoutdoor education programsin the nation that is jointly ac-credited for academic andservice programs.

During 2006 the Georgia Col-lege programs and outdoorcenter were awarded theAEE's highest honor — Orga-nizational Member of theYear Award. AEE presents theaward annually to an organi-zational member who has pi-loted and implemented anew experiential programand/or initiative.

For more information regard-ing the Outdoor Educationprogram, please contact Dr.Jude Hirsch at 478-445-1226or [email protected].


It’s official: Harvey, thecardiopulmonary patientsimulator, has checked

in for an extended stay atthe Georgia CollegeSchool of Nursing MaconGraduate Center Lab. Har-vey is the first patient simu-lator to be permanentlyhoused at the Macon Grad-uate Center. The simulatorarrived just in time to helpeducate the largest familynurse practitioner classever admitted to GeorgiaCollege. A full-time twoyear program has beenadded to the already exist-ing part-time three yearprogram. This summer, 10full-time students and 26part-time students beganthe family nurse practi-tioner program. Harvey isno dummy and will keepthe students on their toesas they master the skill toassess the 30 heart condi-tions he can mimic. Thesestudents completed a fourday orientation and face toface learning experience atthe Macon Graduate Cen-ter and began their onlineclasses using Collaborate,an interactive classroommanagement system thatallows students and facultyto see and talk to eachother in real time, evenwhen they are geographi-

cally miles apart.

Assistant professor LoraCrowe, PhD, FNP-BC willwork with newly admittedFamily Nurse Practitionerstudents as they learn theadvanced assessment skillsnecessary for their newrole. Harvey and a team ofstandardized patients wereready for the students asthey returned to campus inJuly for 45 hours of inten-sive clinical. The use of sim-ulation and speciallytrained real patients enablestudents to learn new skillssafely and to receive feed-back from not only theirfaculty but from their pa-tients as well.

Harvey is the latest additionto the school’s upgradedsimulation laboratories andthe newest member of theSim Fam. These lifelikepractice manikins, includingSim Man, Vital Sim Manand Sim Baby, give nursingstudents hands-on experi-ence without the anxiety ofworking with actual humanbeings. “The addition ofHarvey adds the next levelin simulation education,”said Deborah MacMillan,assistant director of gradu-ate programs at the Geor-gia College School of

Nursing. “Now both ourundergraduate nursing stu-dents and graduate nursepractitioner students canassess a wide range of car-diac conditions, from thesimplistic to the complex.”

Harvey realistically simu-lates nearly any cardiac dis-ease at the touch of abutton, with varying bloodpressure, pulses, heartsounds and murmurs. Thesoftware installed in thesimulator allows users totrack history, bedside find-ings, lab data and medicaland surgical treatment.

In addition to Harvey, theGeorgia CollegeMilledgeville campus has aSim Man and a Sim Baby.Sim Man and Sim Baby canbe used to assess bloodpressure and radial, carotidand femoral pulse read-

ings, as well as basic heart,respiratory and abdominalsounds. Sim Man also hasmore-advanced featuresthat allow his use in role-playing scenarios; speakers,for example, allow the pa-tient to talk to students. Hecan also be given CPR, de-fibrillated and intubated inemergency situations. SimBaby performs many of thesame functions as Sim Man.The Milledgeville lab alsohas a virtual IV that allowsstudents to realistically getthe feel of starting an IVand to master this skill be-fore performing this skill ona real patient.

For more information, con-tact Dr. Debby MacMillan at478-752-1074 [email protected].

FNP Students to Benefit from New Simulator

Top: Family Nurse Practitioner studentsBottom: “Harvey”, the cardio-pulmonary patient simulator


Oustanding Students

College of Health SciencesHonors Students The College of Health Sciences

honored students for theiracademic accomplishments onFriday, April 20, 2012.

1.

3.

2.

4.

5. 6.

1. College of Health Sciences Outstanding StudentJulia Borland • Major: Excercise Science

2. Outstanding Athletic Training MajorsJordan Vaughn • Outstanding MajorMichael Benfield • Outstanding JuniorAdriana Acuna • Outstanding Junior Clinical PractitionerNot PicturedDavid Patch • Outstanding SeniorWill Mathis • Outstanding Senior Clinical Practitioner

3. Outstanding Exercise Sciences MajorsMatthew Murphy • Outstanding Junior PractitionerJulia Borland • Outstanding Major Excercise Science

Outstanding Department of Kinsiology MajorLaura Kight • Outstanding JuniorBrien Lee • Outstanding Senior PractitionerSloan Williams • Outstanding Senior

4. Outstanding School of Nursing MajorsShelly Lord • Junior Nursing Star AwardKayla Albright • Pre-Nursing AwardValrie Sinchak • Outstanding MajorNot PicturedKalli Trepanler • Shooting Star Nursing AwardKatie Intorcia • Senior Nursing Star Award

5. Outstanding Music Therapy MajorsMark Toole • Outstanding Graduate Clinical Research StudentStephen Montgomery • Graduate Clinical AwardSean Richardson • Outstanding MajorMiquel Garland • Leadership AwardTing Ting Chang • Outstanding Equivalency StudentCrystal Pratt • Outstanding Second Year StudentSarah Scott • Spirit AwardNot PicturedJulia Splittorff • Outstanding First Year StudentEsther Kim • Undergraduate Clinical AwardLinda Ingles • Gray Nursing Home, Community Partner AwardCoral Karsky • Outstanding Graduate Student

6. Outstanding Communiy Health and Human Services Majors

Tyler Rawlings • Outstanding MajorLindsey Ayers • Outstanding SeniorNot PicturedWill Long • Outstanding Major

7. Outstanding Outdoor Education MajorsNot PicturedSarah Canatsey • Outstanding Graduate StudentMark Schleier • Outstanding Junior Dan Horseman • Outstanding SeniorCorey BeVier • Outstanding Major


Georgia College is the first university in the state to offer amaster’s degree with a major in art therapy. This is a collab-orative degree program between the Department of MusicTherapy and the Department of Art. After students com-plete the program, they will be eligible to apply for licen-sure and certification.

Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art which involves theprocess of making art, focusing on the art product, recog-nizing metaphor and symbols and fostering the client’s co-gent interpretation to assist in decreasing and/oreliminating symptoms related to stressful life challenges,depression or other mental health conditions. The goal ofthe art activity must be therapeutic, and it may include di-agnosis, treatment and interaction with a multidisciplinaryteam of professionals.

Art therapists are Master’s level clinicians who are trainedboth in art and therapy. As mental health professionals, arttherapists must know about art material, the nature of sym-bols, and the creative process. They must know how to as-sist clients to create and to express feelings through the

use of art, bypassing language skills. Therefore, art thera-pists must also know about art education. However, teach-ing clients about the elements of art is always secondary.Art therapists think in terms of the client’s issues, diag-noses, primary conflict and behavior(s), and treatment anddevelopmental interaction with art materials. The artprocess becomes the vehicle of expression and therapeuticintervention.

For more information, please contact Anna Hiscox at478-445-2646 or [email protected].


Art Therapy Degree Now Offered

Pictured l to r: Students Theodore Windish, Robyn Musto, Janine Van Natta,and Assistant Professor of Art Therapy Anna Hiscox.

Theodore Windish

Theodore Windish is a Georgia Collegealumna and gradu-ated with a B.A. instudio art with a con-centration in Fiber

Arts and Museum Studies. After grad-uation, he moved to New York Citywhere he worked as a gallery registrarand later as an art consultant.

Wanting to take a new direction withhis passion for the arts, he started toexplore new career fields and foundart therapy meshed his passion for artand his interest in psychology. Whenhe heard that Georgia College was of-fering a masters degree in art therapy,he quickly applied, knowing that wasthe direction his life needed to go.

Janine Van Natta

Janine Van Natta describes her artistic beginnings as a self-taught artist who became a graphicdesigner in college.

Her inspirations are vast as nature itself.

Ms. Van Natta has a diploma ingraphic design from the Art Instituteof Ft. Lauderdale, a BA in Art/Psychol-ogy from Norwich University and aMAT in Special Education from Val-dosta State University. She continuesto return to education to polish newskills and use her skills freelancing inpackaging, publishing, promotionsand multi-media events.

Robyn Musto

Robyn Musto received her BFA in painting from theAtlanta College ofArt in Atlanta, Ga.While in school, she

spent her last semester of schoolstudying abroad in Cortona, Italy ex-ploring print making, paper making,traditional book binding, and learningthe process of painting fresco murals.

She has also exhibited work in groupshows at the ACA Gallery and CloveGallery in Atlanta. After taking psy-chology courses and learning of arttherapy, she became interested in ob-taining a masters degree in this field.She currently lives and works in At-lanta.

Meet Our Students

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCESCampus Box 64Milledgeville, GA 31061

Phone: 478-445-4092Fax: 478-445-1913E-mail: [email protected]

Change Service Requested

www.gcsu.edu

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 73

Milledgeville, GA

For information regardingadmissions and programs offered contact:

Kinesiology

Dr. Lisa Griffin, Chair [email protected]

Music Therapy

Dr. Chesley Mercado, Chair [email protected]

Nursing

Dr. Judith Malachowski, Director 478-445-5122 [email protected]

Outdoor Education

Dr. Jude Hirsch, Chair 478-445-1225/1226 [email protected]

Kinesiology (M.Ed. and M.A.T.)kinesiology.gcsu.eduM.Ed. in Kinesiology• Health Promotion - 100%

Online• Human Performance• Outdoor Education AdministrationMaster of Arts in Teaching (MAT):Kinesiology/Physical Education

Department of Music Therapymusictherapy.gcsu.edu• Master of Music Therapy• Master of Art Therapy

School of Nursingnursing.gcsu.edu• Master of Science in Nursing:

Family Nurse Practitioner• Doctor of Nursing Practice - 100%

Online

Continue Your EducationThe College of Health Sciences offers a variety of graduate programs that will provide the additional education you need to accomplish your goals.

Win a College of Health Sciences Prize Pack!Go to http://bit.ly/SH5pWJ

and enter your name for a chance to win.WIN!

healthy connections winter 2012

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