AU News
- President Greg Weiner Announces 2023 Presidential Award WinnersPresident Greg Weiner Announces 2023 Presidential Award Winners oe.boudreau Wed, 11/22/2023 - 08:55 For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidential Awards and Employee Appreciation Ceremony was held in the Tsotsis Family Academic Center Ballroom on November 16th. During the ceremony, four faculty and staff members were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Assumption community. President Greg Weiner opened the ceremony with a speech recognizing not only the hard work of those four individuals who received awards, but also the efforts of all faculty and staff that help to make Assumption thrive. “We acknowledge today and express our appreciation for those who have dedicated their careers to advancing our university’s mission and to providing an excellent education to our students,” he said. “Each honoree recognized this afternoon has not only contributed their time, but has also invested passion, expertise, and energy for the betterment of our community.” The winners of the Presidential Awards for 2023 are as follows: Dr. Samantha Goldman, Associate Professor of Special Education, has received the Paul Ziegler Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship. “Receiving this award is a huge honor, and it means so much to have my scholarly work recognized by the Assumption community,” said Goldman. “My research is focused on access to services for students with disabilities and their families, as well as teacher preparation/training. It is a great feeling to know that others also recognize and value the importance of this area of scholarship. I am extremely grateful to my colleagues in the Education department who nominated me, but also to all the students, families, and educators who have participated directly in my research.” Ms. Melanie Demarais, Associate Vice President of University Advancement, has received the Kathleen M. Murphy Presidential Award for Excellence in Contribution to the Mission. “I was very humbled when I got word that I was going to receive this award,” said Demarais. “I want to congratulate my fellow awardees, because I feel like I am in a very special class of individuals. I’d like to thank my nominators, and of course our University Advancement team. They are great. We are mighty, and we try to support this university as best we can. I want to thank the Assumptionist fathers, brothers, and religious sisters, and they are great friends of mine, and I do try to sparkle whenever I am with them.” Dr. Christian Williams, Assistant Professor of Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies, has received the Michael O’Shea Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. “I am filled with gratitude and reflection as I think about my time at Assumption. My journey within the Assumption community began many years ago, not as an educator, but as a student. Today as I share this space with my former professors, my esteemed colleagues, and my students, the future of this great institution, I am filled with gratitude,” Williams said. “This award is not just a recognition of my work. It symbolizes the collective effort of our community, in nurturing minds and in shaping futures. I thank Assumption University for shaping me as a student, for inspiring me as an educator, and for allowing me to honor and contribute to the journeys of our students. The shared mission of fostering a lifelong journey of learning, passion and purpose is what makes this institution extraordinary.” Mr. Thomas Burke, Media Services Supervisor and Lecturer in Television Arts, has received the Presidential Award for Service. “It is an honor to be recognized with the 2023 Presidential Award for Excellence in Service,” said Burke. “I sincerely appreciate the nomination along with endorsements received from colleagues, students, alumni, and the Assumption University community. I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support.” Along with these four honorees, faculty and staff were also honored with years of service awards, ranging in five-year increments from five to 50 years of service. One faculty member, Kevin Hickey, Chair of the Global Studies minor, was recognized for 50 years of service and employment at Assumption University. MicrosoftTeams-image (8).pngDr. Samantha Goldman, Dr. Christian Williams, Ms. Melanie Demarais, Mr. Tom Burke, and President Greg Weiner at the Presidential Awards ceremony.General Olivia Boudreau
- Students Dante Bachini ’24 and Katy Cannistraro ’24 Present Research at Annual National Organization for Human Services ConferenceStudents Dante Bachini ’24 and Katy Cannistraro ’24 Present Research at Annual National Organization for Human Services Conference oe.boudreau Tue, 11/21/2023 - 14:22 The National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) Conference was held in Alexandria, Virginia, from November 10th through 13th, and Assumption students Katy Cannistraro ’24 and Dante Bachini ’24 both attended and presented their research relating to the field of human services. In addition, Katy Cannistraro ’24 was awarded the NOHS Outstanding Human Services Student Award. NOHS is an organization with members involved in the human services as educators, professionals, practitioners, and students. The conference is held in order to connect those involved in the field to resources and conversations that will enrich their work. Workshops at the conference include research presentations, workshops on human services pedagogy, and best practices in the field. Many of the Assumption University faculty in the Human Services department are involved in the NOHS, including helping with the planning of the conference, as editorial members of the organization’s academic journal, and sitting on the Board of Directors. “We have great participation in the NOHS. We are represented on the Board of Directors, as editorial staff on the Journal of Human Services, and at the conference itself,” said Cinzia Pica, Chair of the Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies department. “I am so proud of our students who are being highlighted at the national level. It speaks to their strengths as well as to the quality education and preparation they are engaged in both in our department and across our institution.” “The conference is where everyone comes together and tries to look forward five years,” said Dante Bachini, a health sciences major with a focus on patient advocacy. “We ask questions like, ‘what are we doing now?’, ‘What’s the new research?’, ‘As a profession, are we moving forward to not only support our patients and clients, but each other?’, ‘How are we trying to maintain the highest ethical standards for our patients?’” Bachini gave a presentation at the conference on the interviewing methods used by primary care physicians and their patients with chronic illness. “In the chronic disease world, providers are unable to really get all the knowledge about what’s going on,” he said. “What we’re seeing is that the patient and provider are on separate thought processes and have different information understandings which create a large barrier to care.” Bachini’s work is focused on how an interdisciplinary approach between human services strategies and clinical strategies can be used in clinical spaces to promote patient wellness. “My research found that the human services field, though not focused on being a clinician, has key enduring strategies which promote the wellness of chronic disease patients,” he said. “These strategies include patients’ stories, their lived experience, and their knowledge into the picture. This informs the interventions the provider can use to create a better and more comprehensive care structure for their patients.” Katy Cannistraro, a human services and rehabilitation studies major, gave a presentation on the gender gap in mental health. “I started the research about a year ago in my psychiatric rehabilitation course,” she said. “I had noticed after looking at these mental illnesses that there was a recurring gap in the statistics between male and female prevalence rates. I wanted to figure out why this gap existed; my project looks at how gender roles affect our emotional expression and what we see as far as emotional disorders and help-seeking behaviors.” On top of presenting her research, Cannistraro was also presented with the NOHS Outstanding Human Services Student Award, which is presented to one student member of NOHS who has “demonstrated a significant contribution to the field of human services during the time of his or her degree completion,” according to the NOHS website. The student who receives this award also then serves as the student member of the NOHS Board of Directors.Katy Cannistraro '24 receives the NOHS Outstanding Human Services Student Award, with NOHS President James Stinchcomb and Professor Christian Williams. “By no means had I ever defined myself as an ‘outstanding student,’” she said. “Professor [Christian] Williams (of the Human Services department) helped me realize that it’s not necessarily about my GPA, but about all the other work I do outside of that. Oftentimes, we emphasize the importance of having a high GPA and I understand that, it’s super important, but I think there are so many different aspects to a person that make them, I guess, ‘outstanding’.” Along with her meaningful work on the gender gap in mental health services, Cannistraro is also a part of AU Allies, and has a large focus on advocating for students of the LGBTQ+ community on campus and has minors in both secondary education and women’s studies. Bachini and Cannistraro both highlighted how meaningful it is for them to be involved with the human services department at Assumption and how it has shaped them as individuals. “Not enough people know about the human services program,” said Cannistraro. “It has changed my life and the whole trajectory of what I want to pursue in the future. I am grateful for all of the professors…they’re extraordinary, and I don’t think they get recognized enough for all the hard work they do and their dedication to the students. It’s incredible.” “Our department makes you a unique candidate for grad school or the workforce because it blends together your strengths that you may not be aware of,” said Bachini. “It makes you want to reach out, makes you able to reach out, and I think that’s a really unique trait to our program and speaks volumes to the level and type of practitioner Assumption is creating.” Pica believes that the futures of the human services department at Assumption and the future of the field of human services itself are bright. “I’m thrilled because I see that we have several students who are both accomplished in terms of academics but also because of their service to our profession,” said Pica. “This emphasizes the quality of students and young, aspiring professionals that we have amongst our ranks.” NOHS-pic-katy-dante-large.jpgAssumption students Dante Bachini '24 and Katy Cannistraro '24 at the National Organization for Human Services Conference.General Olivia Boudreau
WHO News Updates
- Fiji becomes the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problemIn a landmark public health achievement, Fiji has been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) and the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, no longer poses a public health threat in the country. Trachoma is the first NTD to be eliminated in Fiji. Fiji is the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem and the 58th country globally to eliminate at least one NTD. “WHO congratulates Fiji and its network of global and local partners on reaching this milestone,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Future generations of Fijians have been given a precious gift in being set free from the suffering that trachoma has inflicted on their ancestors.” Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through personal contact, interactions with contaminated surfaces and on flies that have been in contact with eye or nose discharge of an infected person. Repeated infections can lead to scarring, in-turning of the eyelids, and ultimately blindness. Globally, the disease remains endemic in many vulnerable communities where access to clean water and sanitation is limited. Fiji’s success story “Fiji’s success in eliminating trachoma is a beacon of what’s possible when communities, governments, and partners unite behind a shared goal”, said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “This is a celebration of the power of Pacific leadership and the impact of sustained investment in health. WHO congratulates Fiji and is committed to supporting countries across the Region in advancing health for all so that no one is left behind.” Trachoma was once a significant public health problem in Fiji, with medical reports from the 1930s and community-based surveys in the 1950s documenting widespread disease and risk of blindness. By the 1980s, the condition had declined markedly, with cataract and refractive error emerging as the main causes of vision loss. Concern however was renewed in the 2000s, when rapid assessments suggested high levels of active trachoma in children, prompting the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to launch a comprehensive programme to better understand the situation and take necessary action. Since 2012, Fiji has undertaken a series of robust, internationally supported surveys and studies, including population-based prevalence surveys and laboratory testing, to understand the local epidemiology of trachoma and distinguish it from other causes of eye disease. This sustained effort, integrated with school health, water and sanitation initiatives, and community awareness programmes, has confirmed that trachoma is no longer a public health problem in Fiji and that systems are in place to identify and manage future cases. “Fiji’s elimination of trachoma is a defining moment for health equity in the Pacific,” said Honourable Dr Ratu Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu, Minister of Health and Medical Services of Fiji. “This achievement reflects years of coordinated action – across villages, health facilities and regional platforms – demonstrating unwavering commitment of our health- care workers, communities leading the change. As we celebrate this milestone, we call on our donors and partners in the Pacific and beyond to continue supporting accelerated action of neglected tropical diseases to address other diseases not only in Fiji, but across the Pacific”. Contribution to global progress Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of diseases and conditions associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences. They are mainly prevalent mostly among impoverished communities in tropical areas. WHO estimates that NTDs affect more than 1 billion people. The targets included in the Road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 cover the prevention, control, elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups by 2030. Since 2016, 13 Member States in the Western Pacific Region, which covers 38 countries and areas, have been validated by WHO for eliminating at least one NTD. Of these, six (Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Viet Nam) have successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma elimination is part of broader progress on NTDs in Fiji and the rest of the Western Pacific Region. WHO continues to support countries in their efforts to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs, ensuring healthier lives for all, particularly the most disadvantaged.
- Health Works Leaders Coalition launched to promote health system investments and spur economic growth, job creationThe World Bank Group, the Government of Japan, and the World Health Organization officially launched the Health Works Leaders Coalition. This global alliance brings together health and finance ministers, philanthropic organizations, business leaders, leaders of global health agencies, and civil society representatives with the aim of promoting investments in health systems as a strategy for economic growth, job creation, and improved resilience. The Leaders Coalition is central to Health Works, a broader, global initiative led by the World Bank Group and partners to help countries reach 1.5 billion people with quality, affordable health services by 2030. The Coalition aims to mobilize domestic and international investments, catalyse reform, and align partners behind scalable, government-led priorities. The Coalition is not a funding mechanism, but rather a coordinated effort to drive bold, high-impact action on health reform globally. During the inaugural meeting, held during the World Bank Group Annual Meetings, it was announced that an initial group of 21 countries will develop National Health Compacts – government-led agreements that will lay out bold reforms, investment priorities, shared accountability and unlock resources for expanding access to quality, affordable health care. Reform priorities range from free health checkups and expansion of health insurance in Indonesia to developing a pharmaceutical strategy in Mexico aimed at creating 60 000 jobs through private sector partnerships. The first compacts, representing a range of income levels and geographic regions, are scheduled for formal launch at the UHC High-Level Forum in Tokyo in December 2025. The Government of Japan also announced the first group of eight countries participating in the inaugural programme of the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo – a new platform designed to support national policy-makers from developing countries through capacity-building and knowledge sharing. “Strengthening health systems in developing countries depends on cultivating health financing expertise within both health and finance ministries,” said Atsushi Mimura, Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Finance. “Through targeted training programmes, the UHC Knowledge Hub will share Japan’s experience to build institutional capacity and support tangible reforms in health financing.” “Sharp cuts in overseas aid are impacting health services in many nations,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “But affected countries are rising to the challenge, shifting from heavy reliance on overseas assistance to greater ownership over their health systems and futures. We must support countries to mobilize domestic resources for their health systems, especially for primary care services, and to protect the poorest from financial hardship by reducing out-of-pocket spending.” “Our goal is ambitious: to help countries deliver quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030. No single institution, government, or philanthropist can achieve that alone,” said Ajay Banga, World Bank Group President. “But with aligned purpose and shared effort, it is possible. If we get this right, we can make real impact – improving health, transforming lives, strengthening economies – and creating jobs. This effort is as much an ingredient of our jobs agenda as it is a health initiative.” Health Work Leaders Coalition Members: Egypt Ethiopia GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance Indonesia Kenya Nigeria Philippines Seed Global Health Sierra Leone Saint Lucia The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation United Kingdom WACI Health Wellcome Trust National Health Compact Countries: · Bangladesh · Cambodia · Cote D’Ivoire · Egypt · Ethiopia · Fiji · India · Indonesia · Kenya · Mexico · Morocco · Nigeria · Philippines · Saint Lucia · Sierra Leone · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Uganda · Uzbekistan · Zambia Initial UHC Knowledge Hub Countries: Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Philippines