2019 News

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  • OWLS students and faculty

    On December 12, 2019 the OWLS department had the privilege to hood our graduates students at the College of Applied Arts hooding ceremony. All the students have exemplified hard work and dedication into their degrees. We are looking forward to the future successes of all OWLS aulmni.

     

    Congratulations to our 2019 Fall graduates from our Masters and BAAS program!

     

    Dr. Springer standing with Dr. Biggs
    Left to Right: Dr. Springer, Dr. Biggs

    In honor of Dr. Springer's 35 years of dedicated service, the OWLS department had the US flag flown at our nations capital in Washington DC.  To commemorate Dr. Springer's achievements, he was presented the flag at this year's Fall 2019 hooding ceremony. Dr. Springer will be retiring at the end of this semester.

    Congratulations on 35 years of service!

  • OWLS Grad Student Amy Jiang Receives Love of Learning Award

    amy jiang
    Amy Jiang (Picture from Texas State Staff Council Website)

    Congratulations to Amy Jiang for being selected as a recipient of a Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award.  This is a tremendous achievement and a testament to her outstanding academic abilities. Her story will be featured on the Grad College website and announced on the University News website. 

     

  • Old main through trees

    Congratulations to Mr. Jeff Novak, this year’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2019. Mr. Novak graduated in 2015 with his Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (B.A.A.S) from Texas State University. As a former NFL Player and founding partner/president of Novak Brothers, LLC, he has continued to inspire students and others around him towards reaching their goals and dreams. He is also a 2015 Hall of Honor Inductee with Texas State Athletics.

    The Department of Organization Workforce and Leadership Studies congratulate Mr. Jeff Novak in his accomplishments and for being this years Distinguished Alumnus. 

  • Old main through trees

    Ms. Summer Salazar was featured with Dr. Mary Jo Biggs on 930 AM where they discussed the OWLS department and what all the B.A.A.S degree has to offer to students. Ms. Salazar talked about her experience while being a student in the B.A.A.S program to now teaching OWLS students while working in career services at Texas State University. Her expertise has helped many students finish their degree and land the next steps after graduation.

     

    Tune in to the interview here.

  • Flier for ACCEYSS Summit, for more information www.acceyss.org/registration or email acceyss@gmail.com

    ACCEYSS will be having their 2019 Central Texas Leadership Summit October 4th, 9am-5pm and October 5th, 9am-12pm at the LBJ Student Center  in San Marcos, TX. The room number will be announced very soon.

    The summit hosts will be Dr. Kristy L. Daniels, Dr. Dana M. Garcia and our very own Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd.

    To register for this event go to www.acceyss.org/registration or email acceyss@gmail.com for more information.

     

    Come join to see how STEM education is making an impact in underrepresented communities.

  •  

    Our new name affected August 26th is the Department of Organization, Workforce and Leadership Studies. We look forward to what this new name represents for both our faculty and students.

  • Dr. Stephen B. Springer
    Dr. Stephen B. Springer

    Our very own Dr. Stephen B. Springer was recognized for 35 years of service at this year's University Convocation and Annual General Faculty Meeting at the University Events Center (UEC).

    Congratulations on 35 years of service Dr. Springer!

  • Dr. Biggs, Kasey Williams and Dr. Singh
    (Left to Right) Dr. Biggs, Kasey Williams and Dr. Singh

    Congratulations to Ms. Kasey Williams for her achievement!

  • Dr. Brett Lee
    Dr. Brett Lee (Picture from TXST Newsroom)

    Dr. Brett Lee, a lecturer in the Department of Organization, Workforce and Leadership Studies, has recently been featured for his work in helping Texas teachers afford classroom help through crowdfunding.

    "Lee’s doctoral dissertation centered on the growing popularity behind crowdfunding, and specifically how teachers are using DonorsChoose.org to make up for budget shortfalls." - Texas State Newsroom

    Great work Dr. Lee!

    Please find his featured stories below:

    KXAN

    TXST Newsroom

  • Books on their side in a shelf

    Dr. Mary Jo Biggs and her guests Dr. Stephen Springer, Cory King and Patty Karshis were interviewed Saturday July 6th, 2019 about Parkinson's Disease and ways to help the family member or friend with Parkinson's and the caregiver. They were able to talk more about our PLA program and how work life credit can count towards your degree, specifically veterans and the working adult. You can listen to the interview here.

  • Dr. Shailen Singh
    Dr. Shailen Singh (Headshot)

    Congratulations to Dr. Singh who successfully completed the 2018-19 Scholarship & Teaching Excellence Program (STEP).

     

    "The program strengthens the teaching and scholarly missions of the university, creates awareness of various university policies and resources, addresses the tenure and promotion process, and instills a sense of academic community among the participants. Completing STEP represents a substantial commitment of time and effort."- Dr. Candace Hastings, Director of Faculty Development

    Keep up the great work Dr. Singh!

  • 2019 Distinguished BAAS Alumni Winner

    Congratulations to Mr. Jeff Novak, BAAS, Applied Arts and Sciences, '15 for being one of this year's winners of the 2019 Distinguished Alumni awards!

  • TEXAS STATE & GSMP PARTNER TO IDENTIFY TRAINING NEEDS OF GREATER SAN MARCOS REGION

    "Texas State University’s Department of Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies (OWLS) department and the Greater San Marcos Partnership (GSMP) have partnered to study and identify the workforce training needs throughout Hays and Caldwell Counties." - Greater San Marcos Partnership
     
    Read articles here: 
     
     

  • Ms. Portia Gottschall has been selected to serve as the CAA member of the Environment and Sustainability Committee beginning in the fall. The term is through 2022.

    Congratulations!

  • Picture of Dr. Springer sitting in his office in a gray blazer and a blue/white flannel

     

     

    Dr. Mary Jo Biggs and Dr. Stephen Springer were interviewed on Saturday May 11, 2019 by San Antonio's 930 am THE ANSWER about the Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies Department at Texas State University. They were able to talk about our PLA program and how work life credit can count towards your degree, specifically veterans and the working adult. You can listen to the interview here.

  • oldmain at night

    Please check out Dr. Ashford-Hanserd's Research Portfolio here.

  • Dr. Ashford-Hanserd smiling

     

    Dr. Ashford-Hanserd is a computer scientist, social entrepreneur, and scholar-activist that is igniting pathways to prosperity for women and underserved communities of color. With 13 years of experience as a management consultant and global training program manager at Fortune 50 companies such as General Electric, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Dell Technologies, she has led international projects across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Japan. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies at Texas State University.

    Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, has participated in the "2019 STEM for All Video Showcase"! watch her video here.

    As Principal Investigator of federally-funded (e.g., National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture) community-engaged research programs, situated in urban-rural “opportunity zones” centrally located in the Austin-San Antonio High-Tech corridor, Dr. Ashford-Hanserd’s Research Group is a top producer of evidence-based solutions and best practices with the potential to transform communities, cities, and nations.

    Read more about her Research Group on "Igniting pathways to prosperity for women and underserved communities of color." 

    ACCEYSS (Association of Collaborative Communities Equipping Youth for STEM Success) is an NSF INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilot at Texas State University (TXST) that is building a sustainable ACCEYSS Network and culturally-responsive and evidenced-based Model to prepare underrepresented and underserved youth to pursue undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees and career pathways in the Greater San Marcos region of Texas.

    For more information on ACCEYSS click here.

  • Ashford-Hanserd

    Name:  Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd
    Affiliation: Texas State University
    Degrees: B.S. in Computer Science – University of South Florida, M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies – Texas State University, Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Career and Workforce Education
    Years in the Evaluation Field: 7 years
    Joined AEA: 2015

     

    Why do you belong to AEA?

    I was first introduced to AEA by one of my mentors, Dr. Liliana Rodríguez-Campos. As part of my doctoral studies at the University of South Florida, I enrolled in Dr. Rodríguez-Campos’ evaluation certificate program, and I’ve been a member ever since.

    When I first joined, I was intrigued by the plethora of connections and resources that AEA provides, which convinced me to remain a member. I have had the opportunity to meet prominent scholars, thought leaders, and book authors in the field of evaluation. I also enjoy the numerous opportunities for networking during and after AEA conferences, and the online AEA community, which provides numerous resources for practitioners, educators, and researchers alike.

    What is the most memorable or meaningful evaluation you have been a part of? 

    I had the opportunity to conduct a metaevaluation at a youth technology literacy program that focused on bridging the digital divide of at-risk youth.

    Since metaevaluation is an evaluation of an evaluation, I used the Program Evaluation Standards developed by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation to determine how well the standards were met (i.e., feasibility, propriety, and accuracy). I was enriched by this experience because I had the opportunity to utilize my knowledge and experiences as a certified evaluator to make a judgment, based on defensible criteria about sound and accountable contributions of an existing program evaluation. Since I have 13 years of experience in the IT industry as a training program manager and consultant, I also glean from my industry experiences to inform evaluations of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs.

    What advice would you give to those new to the field?

    I highly recommend that all new members take full advantage of the resources and networking opportunities that AEA offers at the annual AEA conference, AEA summer institute, and the AEA 365 blog. I also encourage new and existing members to seek mentorship opportunities as they become available.

    These AEA 365 blog has a wealth of knowledge shared by evaluators. They can learn about new and current evaluation practices and gain access to resources that may be used in their everyday work.  Additionally, I have learned so much at AEA conferences and the Summer Evaluation Institute by attending pre-conference workshops and workshops presented during the AEA. Most recently, I attended the AEA Summer Evaluation Institute 2018 and pre-conference workshops during the Evaluation 2018 conference while serving as AEA Minority Serving Institution Fellow, which is a program led by Dr. Arthur Hernandez. I had the opportunity to attend a workshop on culturally-responsive evaluation (CRE) facilitated by Rodney K. Hopson and Karen E. Kirkhart.
     

    The Face of AEA features the association's members - sharing their background, why they joined and what some of their most memorable experiences have been. Know someone who should be interviewed? Email the AEA editor, Kristin Fields, at kfields@eval.org.

  • "This is a unique model that we're utilizing."

    Dr. Ashford-Hanserd in a white blazer with short hair, smiling

    Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, assistant professor in the College of Applied Arts’ Department of Occupational, Workforce and Leadership Studies (OWLS), is leading a research-practitioner partnership to help obtain cultural district designation for the San Marcos’ Dunbar Historic District, encompassing the historic African American Dunbar neighborhood.  Dr. Ashford-Hanserd is working with a research team comprised of Dr. Eric Sarmiento and Dr. Colleen Myles, assistant professors in the Department of Geography, and Dr. Steven Rayburn, assistant professor in the Department of Marketing. The project is in collaboration with OWLS and Department Chair Dr. Mary Jo Garcia Biggs. The #ReclaimDunbar Research Team will host a Dunbar Community Conversation to obtain input for the project on Monday, May 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cephas House, 217 W. Martin Luther King Drive in San Marcos.

    The San Marcos City Council renewed its support for the creation of the Dunbar Arts, Cultural and Innovation District on Tuesday night. Dr. Ashford-Hanserd from the Department of Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies is leading the support for the creation of the Dunbar Arts, Cultural and Innovation District. 

    For the full article click here

  • Dr. Springer and Dr. Biggs

    The Department of Occupational, Workforce and Leadership Studies honors Dr. Stephen Springer for Outstanding Service and Dedication to Texas State University. Congrats Dr. Springer!

  • Soldiers prepare for their future in education, changes are coming to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, that supports them and their family members in achieving their higher education goals.

     

    Watch the full video

    Read the full article

     

    Sign says: Education Services College Fair
    Photo Credit: Central Texas News Now

  • Jennifer Wood and Dr. Biggs

    Jennifer Wood's study, New Student Orientation Experiences of First Generation Hispanic Students, examined the new student orientation experience of first-generation Hispanic students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The study adds students voices to the literature, addresses the literature gap in orientation experiences of first-generation Hispanic students, and offers implications for practice and ideas for future research.

    The Department of Occupational, Workforce and Leadership Studies congrats Jennifer Wood on this recognition!

     

  • Kassey Wiliams and Dr. Biggs

    Kasey Williams practicum video presentation titled Developing an Early Childhood Educator into a Curriculum Coordinator can be viewed down below.

    Her practicum experience took place at the University of Texas Child Development Centers over the course of eight weeks. In so doing, she had the opportunity to gain hands on learning and exploration in the role of a curriculum and training coordinator in the field of early childhood education.

    The Department of Occupational, Workforce and Leadership Studies congrats Kasey Williams on this recognition!

     

  • Noel Fuller has been elected the new Staff Council Chair and has accepted his new position.

  • Dr. Steve Springer presented “Public Managers Going Above and Beyond Legal Requirements to Assist Special Needs Employees” at this years CPM conference. 

    "...With candid and humorous insights, Dr. Springer related the personal impact possible (for both employee and employer) when we build relationships with persons with disabilities, rather than simply “checking the box” and meeting the letter of the law."- Texas CPM Conference Website

    Dr. Springer’s PowerPoint presentation may be accessed here.

  • irish scholars and faculty

    (Pictured Left to Right: Dr. Brian O'Donnchadha, Ms. Lindsey Wilson, Dr. Omar Lopez, Dr. Niamh Nolan, Dr. Mary Jo Biggs, Ms. Nuala Mc Guinn and Dr. Todd Sherron)

    In April 1st the OWLS Department welcomed Ms. Nuala McGuinn, Dr. Niamh Nolan and Dr. Brian O'Donnchadha from the Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development NUI Galway, Nuns' Island Galway, Ireland.

    The scholars visited in aim to learn more about our program and workforce development in Central Texas. The US visit project is titled 'Development of Pedagogical Frameworks for Work- Based Learning'.

    The project visit aims to explore innovative approaches to and identify best practice methodologies in the design and development of teaching programmes which seeks to develop work-based learning/ apprenticeship style education within the higher education sector.  Such programmes provide an opportunity for employees to upskill while in employment, but also provide employers with an opportunity to identify specific skills sets necessary for the development of their workforce.  The project visit aims to identify the following elements in course design and delivery:

    • An innovative pedagogical framework which supports work-based learning programmes and apprenticeship-style education;
    • Tools used in the development of occupational profiling and competencies necessary for specific roles and industry sectors;
    • Innovative tools for assessment, collaborative learning and the development of online communities of practice;
    • Methods of course delivery which incorporate the employer within the workplace as a co-deliverer of training;
    • Recognition of Prior Learning providing routes of accreditation for training undertaken in the workplace which may be recognised as part of a higher education award;

    Development of models of work-based learning which incorporate opportunities for students to work internationally either through short work placements abroad and/or through virtual communities of practice.

     

  • Dr. Omar Lopez received the Wilson Latin American Research Award to help support his research.

    Dr. Omar Lopez

    "The purpose of the Latin America Research Scholarship is to provide a means for Texas State University to engage with universities, agencies, and research centers that function in Latin America for the purpose of collaborative research, teaching, and outreach."- International Office Website

    CONGRATULATIONS DR. LOPEZ!

  • Reclaiming Lost Voices in Historic Communities of Color

    Dr. Shetay N. Ashford-Hanserd, Assitant Professor in the Department of Occupational, Workforce, and Leadership Studies gives a call to action for community and scholar activists to “#ReclaimDunbar”. For more info click here.

  • The OWLS Department has partnered with the Agriculture Department to sponsor a promotional booth at the San Antonio Rodeo this February 2019. 

    It provides the department the ability to reach out to potential students and network! Proceeds from the raffle tickets and booth sponsorship benefit the Junior Livestock Auctions (some of those students will be attending Texas State) San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo dates-February 7-24th, 2019

    Picture Left: The OWLS Department Chair, Dr. Mary Jo Garcia Biggs, is seen below representing the department at the booth. Picture Right: The OWLS Department Chair, Dr. Mary Jo Garcia Biggs, with the Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Sid Miller, talking about OWLS initiatives and projects including College Credit for Heroes. 

     

    sidmillerboothbiggs

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