Bilingual Grant

The Bilingual Doctoral Fellowship Grant in Educational Leadership was awarded by the Office of Bilingual and Minority Language Affairs of the United States Department of Education.

The five students will be selected from among 30 doctoral students currently enrolled or admitted to the Doctor of Education Program in Educational Leadership. Each will receive full tuition and fees, a $250 travel allowance, and a $300 book allowance for up to a three year period.

"We expect through this program to recruit leaders or potential leaders and prepare professionals committed to serving language minority student needs, as well as their families," said Beverly J. Irby, the grant's author and director.

Jimmy Merchant, director of the doctoral program, and Michelle Hewlett-Gomez, affiliate doctoral faculty member, assisted in the grant application process and will assist Irby in making candidate selections. Genevieve Brown chairs the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling.

Irby is a widely-published author and frequent presenter at national meetings and a researcher in the areas of bilingual program development, parental involvement issues, women's issues and leadership preparation.

Additionally, she is developing the Hispanic Bilingual Gifted Identification Screen Instrument, the only such instrument in the nation. She has been instrumental in securing more than $4.5 million in grant funds for a variety of programs in these areas.

COBA Gets High Marks

Eight hundred alumni responded to the survey, which addressed such areas as communication skills, analytical skills, and overall preparation for their careers.

Almost 96 percent of those responding said that SHSU met or exceeded their career preparation needs.

In the functional areas or accounting, finance, management and marketing, more than 90 percent said that the college met or exceeded their career preparation needs, with 80 to 90 percent so indicating in the areas of economics and production.

In the evaluation of communication skills, the college got high marks in writing (93 percent) and listening (91 percent). More than 75 percent agreed it met or exceeded expectations in formal oral presentations.

The college also received 85 percent or higher ratings in the areas of business ethics, interpersonal skills and legal environment.

R. Dean Lewis, dean of the college, said that the college has created a new course to improve communication skills, and expects to see its lowest rating area (68 percent in management of information systems) become one of its strengths.

Management of information systems is a high growth area concerned with the interaction between management and computer systems.

Writing Reception

Outstanding student papers/publications and faculty publications will be displayed, and the student who has written the best freshman composition for the 1997-'98 academic year will be recognized. The winner will receive a plaque and cash award.

The reception, which is a yearly event to honor all faculty and student writers, is sponsored by the Student Government Association, Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society, and the Across-the-University Writing Program.

Judges for the writing award were Bill Fleming, Jeannine Hirtle, Teri Lesesne, Kristi Schober and Jennifer Haffemann.

Ag Teams Win Honors

The Beef Cattle Show Team repeated as winners of the Herdsman Award at the Houston Livestock Show, receiving a silver bowl and $50 for their efforts.

The Meat Goat Show Team finished fourth in the Herdsman competition, showing animals judged 1st, 4th, 6th (2), and 8th. That team will compete at the American Boer Goat National Show in Kerrville June 11-13.

Beef Cattle Show Team members included Mark Tesch and Greg Hart (co-captains), Natalie Herring, Melissa Broussard, Brian Martin, Jason Dawson, Stephanie Herring, Tera Rogers, Chris Veselka, Margaret Little, Ben Burkhalter, Jason Galan and Chris McKee. The team is coached by Stanley Kelley.

The Meat Goat Show Team members are Christy Hames, Rusty Hames, Tamra Webb, Adam Lira, Mandy Smith, Heather Milam and Crystal Stewart. It is coached by Barbara Ward.

New Degree

The degree is a Master of Arts in Counseling with a special track in Substance Abuse Counseling. It is a 54-hour credit program leading to licensed professional counselor eligibility.

For more information, contact Dashiel Geyen at (409) 294-3859 or in care of Sam Houston State University, P. O. Box 2119, Huntsville, TX 77341.

Learning Assistance Lectures

The sessions are expected to be of special interest to History 164 students and others interested in United States history.

Bernadette Pruitt, graduate teaching assistant, will give the hour-long lectures at 1 and 2 p.m. both days in Room 117 of the Learning Assistance Center of the Newton Gresham Library.

On Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. Tara Dicaire, study skills tutor in the center, will conduct a session on "Studying & Memory." She is also available by special appointment.

For information on either presentation, call the center at 294-3682.

Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
April 5, 1998
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