SCPS Distinctions

Dr. Tatum Thomas, Associate Professor, SCPS Dean

·       Appointed to the DePaul Institute for Restorative Academic and Civic Engagement Planning Committee.

·       Published “Shaping the Future of Higher Ed with Short-Term Credentials”, appearing in The Evolllution:  A Modern Campus Illumination  (03/17/2021).

·       Presented with colleagues J. Blossey, J. Harris, R. Mackinnon, S. Pardys, and M. Selph, “Women in business: Overcoming challenges in the workplace [Panel discussion]. Driehaus College of Business. May 11, 2021

·       Presentation with Alex Hernandez and Dr. Shelia Thomas, on the topics of education using cutting-edge benchmarking data, fueled by the UPCEA Center for Research & Strategy.  Virtual presentation, hosted by the UPCEA Annual Conference, UPCEA Institutional Representatives Annual Briefing: The Pandemic's Domino Effect on PCO, April 7-9, 2021, Washington, DC 20036.

·       Presented at the 2020 Marketing and Enrollment Management Seminar, in collaboration with Suzana Diaz Rosencrans and Stephanie Platteter.  12/2/2020.

Patrizia Acerra, MA, SCPS Assistant Director, Academic Advising

• Launched an 11th annual festival of plays in translation on International Voices Project of Chicago. 

• Fall production, Twice, Thrice, Frice, was nominated for two 2020 Jeff Awards (Chicago's highest theatre awards). Patrizia was the Director of the play.

• Panelist at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education 2020 Conference in July titled “Drama Across Borders”.

Dr. Marisa Alicea, Professor

• Appointed Interim Director of SCPS Undergraduate Program

• Proposal submitted in Spring for the BA in Nonprofit Management degree, was approved by Committee on Curricular Programs (CCP). SCPS now offers this course.

• Awarded an Undergraduate Research Assistant grant:  Research project titled -Reframing Radicalism: Women leaders in Chicago, Puerto Rico, the Yucatan and Kenya.

Joseph Cunniff, Adjunct Professor celebrates 36 years of teaching in the arts for DePaul and his 40th year of writing about the arts in Chicago.

Susanne Dumbleton, Professor Emerita

• Spring publication, “Isn’t it time everyone had enough?” appeared in the in the Chicago Sun Times, May 2020. 

• Taught at the Newberry Library: "Little Women: Lots of Troubles; Jolly Stories."

Christine Hayda, MS, Program Manager, Academic Services

• SCPS representative at the ILACADA annual conference, September 11, 2020:  “Best Practices in Advising Adult Students in the Time of Covid”.

Dr. Dan K. Hibbler, Associate Professor

• Appointed by President Esteban to the President’s Diversity Advisory Committee

Dr. Deborah Holton, Professor Emerita

• Co-hosted with Dr. Catherine Marienau, Professor Emerita, six monthly sessions on Aging Solo-together for the TTN-Chicago chapter, exploring ways to ‘feed well-being with self-care.’

• Hosted series of eight TTN-Chicago chapter sessions centered on Martha Beck’s self-help text, Finding Your Own North Star. 

• The AARP Foundation highlighted Deborah’s “Comfort Club” in its Cultivating Entrepreneurship annual report.

Dr. John Kimsey, Associate Professor

• Received the SCPS's Excellence in Teaching Award at the Fall 2020 Academic Convocation.

Dr. Caroline Kisiel, Associate Professor

·       Published “Designs for embodiment and soul: Offerings for adult learners in the twenty-first century college classroom”, in Phenomenologies of grace: The body, embodiment and transformative futures. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. (2020)

·       Awarded a Dean’s Innovation Grant to facilitate three virtual Community Engagement Network (CEN) events in Summer and early Fall 2020 in collaboration with DePaul colleagues and emeriti:

In collaboration with Dr. Marisa Alicea, and John LittleJohn, Adjunct

Faculty, Director of SCPS Adult Men of Color Initiative:  “A Front Porch Conversation about Adult Men of Color as Learners,” (July 27, 2020); “A Tribute to Arthur W. Checkering (April 1927-August 2020)” (September 25, 2020), moderated by Professor Emerita, Dr. Catherine Marienau; and “Empowering the Vote in Communities: Awareness, Understanding and Action” (September 28, 2020), a collaboration with DePaul Associate Professor, Dr. Christina Rivers.

Labor Education Center

• Hired its first student worker, Makayla Jackson.  Makayla is a student at DePaul majoring in Psychology and minoring in African and Black Diaspora Studies. She is also a DePaul Leadership Scholar.

• Awarded $48,000 from the Regina V. Polk Scholarship Fund for Labor Leadership to run LEC’ youth programs.

Dr. Catherine Marienau, Professor Emerita, hosted several podcasts:

Reimagining Law

Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

Brain-based Adult Learning

Dr. Zoab Mirza, Adjunct Faculty

• Paper entitled, “Development of Good Human Beings” was accepted by International Forum on Teaching and Study (IFOTS) - American Scholar Press, to be published in the Fall.

• Featured as an "Influential" Educator, InTheir20s.  Link to the interview is here.   

Doug Murphy, MA, Adjunct Faculty

• Appointed Dean of Operations and Special Educational Initiatives at the Moody Bible Institute.

Dr. Susan Reed, Professor Emerita

Published article, My Take: The fight for Lake Michigan, in the Holland Sentinel newspaper.  May 2020

Telisa Robinson-Davis, Retention Coordinator

·       Nominated for Supervisor of the Year. Telisa was recognized for her mentorship, interest in employee development, and contributions to the DePaul community as a DePaul supervisor for peer mentors.

Leyfane J. Thomas, MA Communications Coordinator

·       Appointed to the Faulty and Staff Alumni Committee, (August 2020).

·       Re-appointed to the University’s Student Commencement Speaker Selection Committee (September 2020).

·       Earned certifications in Project Management, Social Media Strategies and Marketing, Marketing Communications, Instagram, Facebook Foundations and Pivoting to Virtual Events.

R. Craig Sautter, Adjunct Faculty

Recently published his second book of poetry. The Sound of One Hand Typing.   It is available at Amazon.com