University of La Verne faculty members presented research covering a vast array of topics Tuesday in the Ludwick Conference Center atop the Abraham Campus Center during the eighth annual "Research and Professional Activity Day: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity."

What Makes Them Tick

• by University of La Verne
• November 30, 2011

Outside the Ludwick Conference Center doors, a hand-drawn sign set the tone for faculty research day: “Name Tags. Make One.”

Inside, such informality helped create a free-flowing discussion of some very formal and serious research by University of La Verne faculty. More than a 100 participants filled the Campus Center Tuesday to learn more about the variety of research projects that were highlighted at the University of La Verne’s Eighth Annual “Research and Professional Activity Day: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity.”

“It’s natural to think of the university as an intellectual place,” said David Werner, associate professor of English. “While looking around, you can see that the research and work here makes up the heart of the university.”

In one corner of the Ludwick Conference Center atop the Abraham Campus Center, Don Pollock and Shane Rodrigues from the Communications Department played videos produced in the past year. In the opposite corner, Dr. Seta Whitby displayed results of her students’ assignment to design their own curricula. In between, business professor Issam Ghazzawi talked about one of his latest publications, “Transformational Leadership and Organizational Commitment: The Case of Turkey’s Hospitality Industry.”

The event consisted of students and faculty sharing ideas and viewing numerous displays, manuscripts, articles and pieces of art. A total of 124 works were presented by more than 80 faculty/administrators and 29 students from 20 departments representing all four of the University’s colleges.

An example of such work was an article by Professor of Education Dr. Janice Pilgreen, entitled, “How Come They Got Books? A Study of the Reading Habits of Incarcerated Adolescents.” Dr. Pilgreen spent more than a year-and-a-half researching the reading habits of teens in juvenile hall facilities only to learn that many of the students were not using the books as an escape from hall’s walls, but rather to learn new things, for inspiration and to prepare themselves for the future.

“I feel incredibly motivated and impressed when I look around the room at the many research projects being highlighted,” said Dr. Pilgreen. “What our colleagues do in every area, in every division, is unbelievable. This day makes me so proud.”

Professor of Business Administration Janis Dietz agreed. “It’s fascinating to see all the work that makes up this room,” she said.

The event was very well attended — President Devorah Lieberman, Executive Vice President Phil Hawkey, Vice President Jean Bjerke, Provost Greg Dewey, Vice Provost Homa Shabahang. All the deans — Jonathan Reed, Mark Goor, Allen Easley, Abe Helou. Students. It was the place to be.

Faculty will have another opportunity to show their moves at Book Day on April 12 in Wilson Library.  At that time all books published in the preceding 24 months will be celebrated and introduced.

 

 

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