The MOU was agreed in order to encourage student, faculty and staff exchanges between Niagara University and Mary Immaculate College, Ireland’s largest Catholic college of Education and the Liberal Arts and an affiliate of the University of Limerick.

The agreement was reached by Dr. Tim Downs, vice president for academic affairs at Niagara, and Michael A. Hayes, president of Mary Immaculate College.

Both institutions offer curricula in teacher education that are intertwined with programs in the arts and sciences.

“Having studied the impressive list of majors and minors available at Niagara University, I am excited about our many areas of mutual interest and the potential for both the students and staff of our two institutions to flourish. This partnership is in direct accordance with one of the core objectives of Mary Immaculate College’s Strategic Plan 2012-2016, which is to bring an international dimension to all college activities.” Hayes said.

Added Dr. Downs: “We understand that providing our students with an excellent education that is global in perspective is critical as businesses continue to integrate operations worldwide. Partnering with highly regarded institutions like Mary Immaculate College illustrates one of the many ways that we are accomplishing this goal.”

Niagara University offers 150 study abroad experiences in 30 countries, which can range from a full semester to a few weeks. For more information, please call 716.286.8360 or visit www.niagara.edu/sap.

The announcement was made by the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Dr. Tewksbury joins the approximately 1,100 Fulbright Scholars from the U.S. who will travel abroad next year. The flagship international educational exchange program is designed to increase mutual understanding between people of the U.S. and other countries.

“This is a wonderful and well-deserved honor for Dr. Tewksbury, a young professor who already possesses an impressive background in scholarly research, service learning and social justice,” remarked Dr. Timothy Downs, vice president for academic affairs.

As a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Globalization and Cultural Studies, Dr. Tewksbury plans to investigate the use of social media as it relates to the Canadian Occupy Movement and the recent student protests in Quebec. He’ll spend a few weeks in each city, conducting interviews and ethnography work, and making field visits, while also collecting social media data.

“I’m captivated by how social and mobile media build online-offline community amongst organizations that have no center, no hierarchy and no formal structure, but still are able to construct a consensus-based movement,” explained Dr. Tewksbury, a resident of Niagara Falls, N.Y. “It’s such a new form of protest and new form of technology, and we still don’t know a whole lot about how these movements’ members worked together, or how they were able to organize and communicate with each other in the way that they did, especially with their social and mobile media uses. I’m interested to find out.”

A 2001 graduate of Vanderbilt University, Dr. Tewksbury earned a master’s in media studies from Suffolk University, where he also worked closely with faculty and undergraduate students to increase community service and civic engagement, in addition to teaching workshops on social justice and social action. He later earned a doctorate from the College of Communications at The Pennsylvania State University, before joining the Niagara University faculty in 2009. Dr. Tewksbury has been a driving force in the communication studies department’s integration of topics related to social justice into its curriculum.

“Fulbrighters enrich the educational, political, economic, social and cultural lives of countries around the world,” wrote Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Chairman Tom Healy in a congratulatory letter to Dr. Tewksbury. “We expect that you, too, will become involved in the community while on your Fulbright exchange. In so doing, you will demonstrate the qualities of service, excellence and leadership that have been the hallmarks of this program for more than 60 years. As a representative of your country in Canada, you will help fulfill the principal purpose of the Fulbright program, which is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of the more than 150 countries that currently participate in the Fulbright program.”

For information on Niagara University’s programs in communication studies, please call 716.286.8285 or visit www.niagara.edu/communication.

Dr. Ireland succeeds Dr. Nancy McGlen, who will retire in June after serving for 15 years in the position.

As dean, Dr. Ireland’s primary responsibility will be the general administration of the college, and also to foster and nurture the growth and academic excellence of the college in accordance with Niagara’s mission. He will accordingly be tasked with recruiting, evaluating, retaining and promoting quality faculty; offering leadership in curriculum innovation, development and assessment; monitoring the evaluation of students; supervising and distributing the allocation of college resources; and working with other sectors to sustain and increase enrollments, among other duties.

“We were very pleased to be able to identify the most qualified individual for this critical position from within our university community,” stated Dr. Timothy Downs, Niagara’s vice president for academic affairs. “Nancy has done an incredible job in bringing the College of Arts and Sciences to its current level of excellence, and the person succeeding her has some sizable shoes to fill. We are very confident that Tim, with his credentials and experience at Niagara, will be that person.”

A professor in NU’s department of criminology and criminal justice since 1996, Dr. Ireland earned a B.S. (English literature) from St. Bonaventure University, an M.S. (criminal justice) from Northeastern University and a Ph.D. (criminal justice) from SUNY Albany.

Dr. Ireland’s research interests are diverse. For a number of years, he has been affiliated with a longitudinal research project (The Rochester Youth Development Study), which has allowed him to explore the causes and consequences of exposure to family violence. He recently finished work as a co-principle investigator on a National Institute of Drug Abuse grant. An article Dr. Ireland coauthored on intergenerational continuities and discontinuities in intimate partner violence was selected as one of the 10 best violence research publications of 2011 by the Psychology of Violence multidisciplinary research journal.

To learn more about the programs offered through Niagara University’s College of Arts and Sciences, please call 716.286.8060 or visit www.niagara.edu/coas.

The NU Summer Academy is a program designed for students entering the 11th and 12th grades in fall 2013, as well as incoming NU freshmen, who want to get a head start on their college careers.

Participants will attend classes in a college setting, learn from some of the best instructors on campus, as well as guest lecturers, and, perhaps most importantly, earn valuable credit hours by completing just two weeks of summer classes.

Running July 22 – Aug. 2, successful completion of one of the seven classes is worth three college credit hours.

• Summer Course Offerings
• Introduction to American Sign Language and Deaf Studies
• Forensic Science
• Theatre Appreciation
• Computer Hardware Design
• Introduction to Sociology
• Introduction to Digital Media Production
• Twentieth Century Art

Courses are held Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The course fee is $300 for day students or $895 for those wishing to reside on campus. The cost includes all class fees, meals and field trips and, in the case of resident students, accommodations, meals, linens and evening activities.

To download the brochure and application, please visit www.niagara.edu/nustep. For additional information, please call the NUSTEP Office at 716.286.8411.

Two weeks ago, Niagara’s “What’s On Your Mind?” advertising campaign earned a silver medal in a national competition of college and university marketing materials. Yesterday, the university was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, making it the only Western New York institution to have made the list every year since it was launched in 2006.

And now, Niagara University has been lauded by the Higher Education Marketing Report for the outstanding quality of its undergraduate marketing materials. HEMR awarded NU and its creative partner, TWG Plus, a silver medal in the Total Recruitment Package category for schools with 2,000‐4,999 students.

“There are so many characteristics that differentiate Niagara from other institutions, from our picturesque campus to the outstanding success of our students and alumni,” said Tom Burns, associate vice president for public relations, communications and marketing. “We are confident that if we can entice a prospective student to simply browse our materials and schedule a visit, they’ll be impressed with the very high quality of our campus, faculty and programs.”

Items submitted by Niagara included the junior and senior viewbooks, the viewbook envelope, as well as postcards and other literature tailored to specific events (travel/college fairs) and topics (financial aid).

This was the 28^th annual presentation of the Educational Advertising Awards, sponsored by Higher Education Marketing Report. According to its website, the Educational Advertising Awards is the largest educational advertising awards competition in the country. This year, close to 3,000 entries were received from more than 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools from all 50 states and several foreign countries.

A total of 425 gold and silver certificates were awarded.

Judges for the Educational Advertising Awards consisted of national panel of higher education marketers, advertising creative directors, marketing and advertising professionals and the editorial board of Higher Education Marketing Report.

The Higher Education Marketing Report, a monthly publication, is also in its 28^th year, and is read by thousands of higher education marketers at colleges and universities throughout the country.

That’s now seven years in a row for those counting at home.

The Catholic and Vincentian university received notice Monday that it was once again recognized among the “institutions that achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve,” making it the only college or university from Western New York to have made the list every year since it was launched.

The honor roll, established in 2006 by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), annually highlights the role colleges and universities play in solving community problems and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement. It is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement.

“Niagara University has achieved an excellent record of community engagement, and we are most grateful for this,” said the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., president of Niagara University. “As an institution, we remain committed to carrying on the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, who taught us to serve those most in need, which we strive to do daily – both on campus and especially within our local community.”

The 2013 Honor Roll recipients were announced at the American Council on Education’s 95th Annual Meeting Leading Change on March 4, 2013, in Washington, D.C.

“We congratulate the awardees and the students for their dedication to service,” said Wendy Spencer, C.E.O. of CNCS. “These institutions have inspired students and faculty alike to roll up their sleeves and work alongside members of the community to solve problems and improve their neighbors’ lives.”

College students make a significant contribution to their communities through volunteering and service, according to the most recent Volunteering and Civic Life in America report. In 2012, 3.1 million college students dedicated more than 118 million hours of service across the country – a contribution valued at $2.5 billion.

Through Learn and Serve Niagara, one of Niagara University’s core programs, students contribute more than 56,000 hours of service annually as tutors in local school districts and as interns and volunteers in more than 40 social service agencies and organizations in Western New York and southern Ontario. Niagara University also recently announced the opening of its Institute for Civic Engagement, an initiative conceived to strengthen existing community partnerships and form new town-gown relationships.

“Communities are strengthened when we all come together, and we are encouraged that these institutions and their students have made service a priority,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Civic engagement should be a key component of every student’s education experience. Through reaching out to meet the needs of their neighbors, these students are deepening their impact, strengthening our democracy and ultimately preparing themselves to be successful citizens.”

A total of 690 higher education institutions across the country were named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

To view the full 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/2013_hr_list.pdf.

For more information on Niagara University’s commitment to community service, please visit www.niagara.edu/serving-the-community.

The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

Since its founding, the Honor Roll has helped to increase the public’s awareness of the contributions that colleges and their students make to local communities and the nation as a whole.

The free event begins at 9:30 a.m. A continental breakfast will be offered to all attendees.

Graduate School Open House is an excellent opportunity for prospective students and their families to learn more about NU’s accredited graduate degree programs in business administration, sport management, criminal justice administration, teacher education, counseling, educational leadership and interdisciplinary studies as well as Niagara’s Ph.D. program in leadership and policy.

Attendees will be able to speak individually with university faculty and staff members about course offerings while representatives from Niagara offices of financial aid, career development and other student services will also be present to answer questions. In addition, current NU graduate students will be on hand to talk about life on campus.

To request more information and/or register, please contact Niagara University’s Office of Graduate Admissions at 716.286.8700, 800.462.2111 or log on to www.niagara.edu/april.

A 2001 NU graduate, Villnave joined her alma mater as an admissions counselor in 2003 before being promoted to her current position in 2007.

A quote from one of her supervisors said, “Sara takes her job to heart. She works diligently toward the success of every event she undertakes….is meticulously organized and follows through on every detail. She keeps the rest of the office in line and on task during these often complex events. She is also a very compassionate counselor who always goes a bit further in advocating for applicants with a story.”

With regards to Villnave’s commitment to the Niagara community, a supervisor said, “Her work recruiting, meeting with families, planning events and all of the follow up has been exceptional this year. In this time of great stress and turnover in the office, Sara has taken on more and has been very successful realizing our need.”

In describing Villnave’s work, her supervisor added, “She interacts with the entire campus and has to work around all the obstacles and limitations involved when setting up these events and making them successful. She is always pleasant to work with and she always treats people with respect.”

Villnave’s Vincentian values were described in another nomination, stating, “As an alumna of Niagara, Sara not only learned the Vincentian values as a student, but carries out service to others daily in her job. She is the epitome of a professional and treats all people she encounters with dignity and respect. She is the type of person Niagara is proud of, both as a graduate and staff member of this community.”

Another nomination spoke of her commitment: “Sara is always positive, she is an alumna as well as a dedicated employee and takes great pride in the quality of her work, and the opinion others have of it means a great deal to her.”

Nominations for the quarterly award are made by NU employees, students, alumni, parents, or other persons who come in contact with NU employees. Honorees are eligible to receive gift certificates to area amenities, movie passes, two days off during the next quarter, NU athletics tickets and a universal parking tag that can be used in any non-handicapped parking spot on campus.

Please join us in congratulating Sara Villnave as the Outstanding Employee of the Quarter!

As part of this agreement, Niagara University will host the play-in and semifinal playoff games at the Dwyer Ice Arena on the university’s campus in Lewiston, N.Y. The championship game will then be played at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y.

“This venture will allow for our boys to be able to showcase their talents at one of the best college facilities in the east,” said Brian Kiszewski, executive director of the MMHSAA. “Our teams will play on the same surface that one of the best college hockey programs calls home.”

Schedule for the 2013 MMHSAA ice hockey playoffs at Niagara University:

• Play-in Game – Tuesday, Feb. 12, 9:05-11:05 p.m. – Auxiliary Rink
• Semifinal Game #1 – Tuesday, Feb. 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Main Rink
• Semifinal Game #2 – Tuesday, Feb. 12, 8:30-10:30 p.m. – Main Rink

In addition to the playoff contests, Niagara will also host the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association championship game in 2013, and every-other-year moving forward. This year’s state championship game will be played on Saturday, March 2, at 7 p.m.

Founded in 1973, the NCLEA was originally formed to serve the police agencies of Niagara County, but is now assisting law enforcement departments in Erie, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston counties as well. Last February, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the Niagara Falls Police Department announced that the NCLEA would be relocated from Niagara County Community College to Niagara University, making NU the only 4-year, private college in New York to host a full-time police academy. Its first class graduated in August.

Administered through Niagara University’s Office of Continuing Education, the NCLEA trains sworn officers and has been approved by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to train pre-employment recruits. It is designed for current civilians throughout New York state who are interested in entering the law enforcement field.

Due to the typically high volume of applications and the limited number of openings for the academy, interested individuals are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

For more information about the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy at Niagara University, please visit the website (www.niagara.edu/nclea) or email moc.ytnuocaragainnull@aelcn.

Veterans and/or active military personnel who would like to inquire about using family benefits to enroll in the NCLEA should contact Robert Healy, NU’s veterans’ services coordinator, at 716.286.8341 or ude.aragainnull@ylaehr.