The Bulletin - April 30, 2025

​​Student/Faculty/Staff Updates

​School of Education

Raine Dawn Valentine Graduates from the National Art Education Association’s 2024 School for Art Leaders Program

Raine Dawn Valentine, Associate Professor at Notre Dame of Maryland University and a celebrated Baltimore County Public Schools middle school art educator, has graduated from the 2024 School for Art Leaders, a prestigious program of the National Art Education Association (NAEA). The graduation took place on March 22, 2025, during the NAEA National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.

Valentine was one of only 25 art educators selected from across the United States to participate in this highly competitive leadership program. Over the course of ten months, she engaged in intensive professional development focused on cultivating visionary leadership in arts education through collaborative learning, mentorship, and strategic planning.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized at the national level,” said Valentine. “My students inspire me every day to continue evolving as both an educator and artist. This award is a celebration of them and the power of art to transform lives.”

To learn more about Raine Dawn Valentine’s work, visit www.linktr.ee/rainedawn

Master's Program Completer

Tara Segree, associate faculty, master's program completer, and former site coordinator in one of the SOE's Professional Development Schools, recently published her first book, "Bringing Mindfulness Into the Classroom: Easy Ideas You Can Try Tomorrow." This life-changing book has strategies and tools to use to foster a culture of peace in the classroom, throughout schools, and in communities. It includes a 30-Day Classroom Challenge to bring 10-minute mindfulness sessions into classrooms and a 7-Day Teacher Challenge to help educators find their own inner peace.

National Association for School University Partnerships (NASUP) Conference

Four School of Education members, one former School of Education member, and one school-university partner traveled to New Orleans, LA for the National Association for School University Partnerships (NASUP) Conference from March 6-8, 2025. From left to right (without masks): Dr. Joanna Newton, Dr. Stephanie Savick, Ms. Lauren Watson, Dr. Patty Silver, and Ms. Molly King, Dr. Kristine Larson. From left to right (with masks): Ms. Lauren Watson, Dr. Joanna Newton, Dr. Stephanie Savick, Ms. Molly King, Dr. Kristine Larson, Dr. Patty Silver. They participated in four presentations combined: 

·                Fostering College Access Literacy for Students and Educators in School-University Partnerships: Dr. Stephanie Savick and Dr. Kristine Larson

·                Promoting Faculty Collaboration to Support School-University Partnerships and Increase Coaching Self-Efficacy: Dr. Stephanie Savick, Dr. Patty Silver, Dr. Kristine Larson, Mr. Henry Green 

• 'Make It Safe': The Impact of an SUP Professional Development Cohort on Trauma-Responsive Instruction in K-5 Elementary School: Dr. Joanna Newton

·                From Para-Educator to Successful Certified Teacher: The Reflections of the Majority Latina Para-Educators' Journey in an Apprenticeship Model: Dr. Patty Silver, Ms. Molly King, Ms. Lauren Watson

On April 29, the English Department hosted its annual Sigma Tau Delta Induction Ceremony and Damozel launch. 

The induction ceremony was hosted by the Alpha Alpha Chapter President Hailey Guerrier.  Three students were inducted into Sigma Tau, the International English Honor Society:  Rebecca Becraft, Taylor Lockley, and Chelsea Martin. 

The Damozel Launch was hosted by editor Holly Hand, representing co-editors Amanda Grant, Hailey Guerrier, Holly Hand, Chelsea Martin, and Kameron Woodrum, as well as to alumna Editor and Advisor, Katie Cardinal, ’20.  Three students read from their publications in Damozel, the campus literary magazine: Alisson Suarez, Spirit Jones, and Julia Taylor, as well as four English alumnae: Katie Cardinal, Amirah Arafat, Katherine Martinez, Jessica Profilio, and Katherine Martinez, all Class of 2020. 

Congratulations to our honor society inductees and to our student writers!

Our Damozel 24-25 issue can be read here:

https://issuu.com/damozelndmu/docs/damozel_2024-2025_literary_magazine

LitCon Young Adult Writing Workshops

Dr. Jeana DelRosso, Director of the University Writing Center, and Writing Center tutors Hailey Guerrier and Nwanneka Udolisa,  participated in the LitCon Young Adult Writing Workshops hosted at Loyola University in March.  Our Writing Center representatives hosted a writing room, guiding high school authors through drafting and revision workshops.  This was the NDMU Writing Center’s first (but not last!) collaboration with the Loyola Writing Center. 

School of Art, Sciences & Business

Great Turnout at the 2025-26 Eichner Women Writers Series

Dr. Jeana DelRosso, Sister Maura Eichner Endowed Chair of English, hosted writer Lauren Groff in the 7th annual Eichner Women Writers lecture. Groff generously met with students, gave a reading and talk, and shared in conversation and community. Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and The New York Times–bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won The Story Prize, the ABA Indies’ Choice Award, France’s Grand Prix de l’Héroïne, and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Her work has been translated into thirty-six languages, and she was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people of 2024.

View Photos

NDMU Biology Faculty Present at 10th Maryland Collegiate STEM Conference

On April 12, 2025, Dr. Meenu Vikram, Assistant Professor of Biology at Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU), attended the 10th Maryland Collegiate STEM Conference. The event provided a platform for students and faculty to publicly showcase STEM-focused research and educational innovations.

Dr. Vikram, along with co-authors Debra F. McLaughlin and Gro Torsethaugen, presented research supported by their SoTL Fellowship awarded last year. Their contributions included:

• A poster presentation titled "Assessing Student Perceptions of Virtual Laboratory Experiences Using End-of-Course Evaluation Surveys."

• A faculty presentation titled "A Natural Language Processing Approach to Leverage End-of-Course Evaluations to Improve Student Learning Experiences in STEM Laboratory Courses."

Dr. Jason W. Labonte, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry

Recently had an article published in Protein Science: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pro.70021

Library Updates

Peace Meadow Nature Walk 

5/2, 1:30-2 pm, Meet in Learning Lobby near NDMU side entrance  
Take a walk through the Peace Meadow on campus and learn about native plant species and wildlife with Michelle Williams, LNDL’s Access Services Operations Supervisor. Michelle is a committed environmental steward and a certified Weed Warrior with Baltimore City. 

Reading is Innovative: Sublimation Notebooks 

5/2, 4 pm – 5:30 pm, LNDL IDEA Space  
Learn about the science behind sublimation with a dry ice demonstration, then customize a notebook cover with a photo or drawing with the help of the sublimation printer and heat press in the Innovation Station. All materials provided! This class is capped at 10 students. 

VR Meditation Drop-In Session 2

5/6, 2pm – 3 pm, VR Classroom 
Explore LNDL’s virtual reality meditation experiences. 

Reading Is Creative: Graduation Cap Decorating Session 2

5/7, 4 pm – 5 pm, IDEA Space 
Graduating this semester? Drop in between 4 and 6 to decorate your graduation cap with supplies from the Messy Cart! Feel free to bring your own supplies, too.

Conference and Auxiliary Services

Updated Dining Information​

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