William Penn University faculty and staff members were recognized for achievement and years of service at an employee picnic this spring. The picnic was also a time for employees to celebrate the end of the school year.
      Recognized for five years of service to the university were: Angela Crist, cataloger; Linda DeJong, housekeeping; Stacy Pridgen, administrative assistant for PROJECT TEACH/IMPACT; Charlotte Stangeland, assistant professor of education; Anthony Stevens, coordinator of assessment/adjunct faculty; Kymm Stokke, Ames site manager and academic advisor for the College for Working Adults; and William Utter, admissions counselor. Recognized for 10 years of service were: John Eberline, director of alumni relations; Julie Hansen, librarian; Pat McAdams, assistant professor of geology/registrar; and Mary Lou Sedrel, cashier. Raymond Holdsworth, who will be retiring this year, was also recognized for his 18 years of service to William Penn. He works in campus support services.
      Academic Dean for the College of Arts, Sciences and Professional Studies, Dr. Fred Allen, recognized the faculty members listed below for publications and presentations during the 2007 - 2008 academic year.
      Dr. Jared Pearce, assistant professor of English, will have published “Jamie Wants a Root Beer Float,” in The Louisiana Review; “Dad Asks for a Haircut,” published in “Creosote;” and “Moving (2),” also published in “Creosote,” all in the spring of 2008.
      Dr. Guillermo Gibens, associate professor of communications, is writing chapters on Venezuelan media and Univision and Telemundo as the leading Spanish-language networks in the United States in the “Handbook of Hispanic Media;” and served as an Official Respondent for Dialoguing “Latinidat”: honoring Alberto Gonzalez at the NCA Annual Convention. Gibens also spent spring break studying and researching the relationship between Venezuelan media and President Hugo Chavez's government. Gibens was invited to present his research at the “Media Issues in Latin America” conference at the University of North Texas in April. 
      Mike Moyer, instructor of religion, will present “Professor as Change Agent?” at the Woodbrook Quaker Study Center in Birmingham, England, this summer. Moyer's topic will address the idea of college professors imposing personal values and beliefs upon students.
      Sarah Kercheval, director of the Academic Resource Center and instructor of communications, presented the paper “Las Ninas de Mercedita,” at an academic conference for creative writing and cultural issues at Truman State University in April. 
      Judy Williams, assistant professor of applied computer science, has been invited to serve as a Question Leader for the College Board Advanced Placement Computer Science reading in June. 
      Jennifer Stewart, instructional services librarian, served as a panelist at the conference, Critical Multicultural Education in Iowa - Moving Beyond Fun, Food and Festivals, sponsored by the Iowa Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education at Iowa State University. Stewart was also a co-presenter with Penn faculty members Dr. Pam Martin and Dr. Jobi Lawrence, assistant professor of education, EASL PROJECT director, discussing “Distance Education - Bridging the Equity Gap.”
      Dr. David Porter, Louis Tuttle Shangle professor of history, published the book “Michael Jordan: A Biography;” and published “March 2, 1962: Chamberlain Scores 100 Points in a Professional Basketball Game;” and “October 8, 1956: Larsen Pitches a Perfect Game in Baseball's World Series;” in Robert F. Gorman, ed., “Great Events from History: The 20th Century, 1941 - 1970.”
      Dr. Hamid Kazeroony, associate professor of business, served as a peer reviewer for Journal of Global Management, Academy of International Management and Academy of Management during the 2007 - 2008 academic year. He is currently working on a chapter in “Management through Collaboration: Teaming in a Networked World,” titled “Change at All Levels and Speed.” Kazeroony also published an article about Sears in “Gerson Lehrman Group.” In August Kazeroony will present “Making Large Global Collaborations Succeed;” “New Dimensions of Value in Management E-media: Questions and Issues;” and will serve as the session chair for “Organizational Relations: International Networks and University and Corporate Exchange” at the 2008 Academy of Management Annual Meeting, all in California.
      Dr. Pam Martin, education division chair, published “Great Beginnings: Getting the Year off to a Good Start” in the “Academy for Teaching Excellence.” She is also working on co-authoring an article with Stewart discussing Education for Success Class and how students can develop a plan for success in the program.
      Dan Coffey, instructor of communications, published the short story “My Ressurection” in Wapsapinicon Almanac in January 2008.
      Dr. Rick Vogel, associate professor of communications, chaired a panel on collaborating one-time only student television and radio events at the Broadcast Education Association in Las Vegas, Nevada. The panel featured election coverage, special concerts and covering news events.
      Kathryn Roe, assistant professor of education, made three presentations at the Academy for Teaching Excellence in Council Bluffs during the 2007 – 2008 academic year. The first was titled “Backwards Syllabus Design,” the second “WebQuests,” and the third “Scavenger Hunts and Guided Tours.” Roe also published “Sometimes you have to Call it Quits,” in the “ASCD Express in November. Roe was also the recipient of the President's Excellence in Instruction Award, which was presented in recognition of effective work in the classroom and with individual students and had the opportunity to address graduates at Commencement exercises at William Penn University on May 3.
      Dr. Noel Stahle, humanities division chair and associate professor of English, presented “Crossing the Magical Vault of Distance: Necessary Departures and Urgent Returns,” at the American Comparative Literature Association Conference at the University of California in April. In October Stahle presented “Dutch Post-war Depression: The Anti-heroes of Dutch and Flemish Fiction,” at the European Studies Conference at the University of Nebraska. Also in October Stahle presented “Dissident Afrikaans Fiction as Restorative Justice: The Anti-apartheid Novels of Andre P. Brink, Jan S. Rabie and Elsa Joubert,” at the Global Studies Conference at the University of Nebraska. 
      Allen presented “Quaker Women and Leadership” and “Understanding Islamist Hatred of America” at Indian Hills Community College in April.