Category Archives: Education

Where to Study on Campus – Revealed!

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Written by: Nicki Sanchirico Exsc/Kines ’18, DPT ’21

During graduate school, it is important to have a space where you can study effectively. My study style continuously changed throughout my undergraduate and graduate time at Scranton. Where I choose to study each day depends upon the material I am learning and the weather outside. Luckily, Scranton offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor study areas for students. Even after being at The University of Scranton for seven years, I still love all the study areas that our campus has to offer! Below are a few of my favorite spots to study on a cold Winter’s day:

The Library

  • The 1st floor of the library offers an active study environment. It includes PCs, duel screen MACs, comfy seating, and group study areas. Via the student portal, my friends and I reserve a group study room whenever we know a big test is approaching. The study rooms include flat screen TVs, as well as a chalkboard or white board wall. Sometimes my friends and I connect our laptop to the TV screen to project practice problems. Then, we race against each other to correctly write the answer on the wall. For me, this is a useful way to practice quick information recall, learn from classmates and have friendly competition! The TV screens can also be used to practice group presentations or to simply review notes with friends.
  • In contrast to the 1st floor, the 5th floor is used for quiet study sessions. The 5th floor is split into two areas. One area has beautiful mural panels painted around the perimeter. It features natural lighting with views of sunsets and a ceiling that creates a relaxing background noise on rainy days. Large study tables give students ample room to spread out notes, and comfortable couches give students a cozy spot to read. The other area of the 5th floor has books, cubicles, and Brody chairs. Brody chairs are giant comfy chairs with a tray table for work, outlets for laptops, and dividers between chairs for focus. My friends and I compare them to first-class airplane seats! Since the chairs can be reserved for two-hour time blocks, and the 5th floor library is one of the quietest spots on campus, this area provided the perfect environment for my online exams this past Fall!

    Picture of a student using a Brody chair in our University library!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward Leahy Jr. Hall (Leahy)

  • In Leahy, there are PT/OT/Kinesiology practice labs, group study rooms and seating by Einstein Bros Bagels (referred to by students as simply “Einsteins”). As a physical therapy student, I often study in the labs; however, the seating by Einsteins has consistently been one of my favorite study spots on campus ever since Leahy was built (during my sophomore year)! Einsteins provides tables where I can spread out my work, as well as a space where I can chat with my friends during my study breaks. Plus, who doesn’t love studying by warm bagels and hot chocolate on a cold Winter day? Both the group study rooms and Einsteins are open to all students. In fact, many of my friends in other academic disciplines also study here with me!

    Picture of students studying near Einsteins!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loyola Science Center

  • Loyola Science Center (LSC) is where I spent most of my study time during my undergraduate years. LSC offers labs for a variety of majors within the College of Arts and Sciences, student study tables/chairs, group study rooms, and Bleeker Street Café. All the study rooms in LSC have a chalkboard and floor to ceiling windows. My favorite part about the study rooms is that the windows provide gorgeous views of campus, and students can write on the windows using dry erase markers! Studying always seems much easier when I am overlooking freshly fallen snow and have a warm croissant from Bleeker in hand.

    Picture of a student studying in an LSC study room!

  • LSC is also the home to the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE). The CTLE provides services to students who have disabilities and peer tutoring to any student who requests it. If students are interested, they may apply to be tutors in subject areas they excelled in. I personally tutored for Statistics, Nutrition, and Kinesiology! Currently, my roommate works as a tutor for the Writing Center, assisting both undergraduate and graduate students through various stages of the writing process. The CTLE is a great resource for students who need a little extra academic help or for those who want to gain experience in teaching others.

The University has such a wide variety of study spots that it was hard for me to just chose a few favorite ones!  The library has multiple other areas that my friends describe as “hidden gems” on the 2nd through 4th floors. Besides Leahy and LSC, all the other academic buildings have areas that I enjoy studying in. Even as a physical therapy major, one of my other favorite study spots is in Brennan Hall (the home to the Kania School of Management) on a couch outside the Pearn Auditorium!

Once you come to campus, you can explore and find which areas work best for you. Regardless of your studying preferences, you are sure to find a study spot that fits your needs!

P.S. Once the warm weather begins, stay tuned for a post about some my favorite outdoor study spaces!

What Questions do you have about Obtaining a PA Teaching Certification?

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Education Department Certification Q & A’s

Question #1: Why should I get the Pennsylvania certificate?

Answer: Even if you never plan to teach in Pennsylvania, it makes certification in other states easier to obtain. Please refer to the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement.

Question #2: Is certification automatic?

Answer: Certification is not automatic. As students near graduation, they are to complete a formal application for certification. Certification is not a University of Scranton function. It is a state (Commonwealth of PA) function that requires an application.

Question #3: When do I apply for certification?

Answer: As students are approaching graduation, their next step is to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for their Pennsylvania Professional Educator Certification.

Question #4: How do I apply for Pennsylvania certification?

Answer: There are two processes required when applying for a Pennsylvania professional educator certificate. Students must

a) complete the required University of Scranton paperwork and
b) complete the Pennsylvania Department of Education Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) online application process.

Question #5: How do I access the Pennsylvania Department of Education Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) online application?

Answer: Students can access TIMS through the following web address.

Question #6: How do I use the TIMS system?

Answer: Students must register with TIMS by indicating their name, physical address, email address, username, password, and answers to security questions. It is strongly recommended that students view the TIMS online users guide for applicants, which can be viewed here.

Additionally, a certification information seminar is held once per semester by the certification officer at the University of Scranton. This seminar provides students with detailed directions on how to submit the online application as well as pertinent paperwork for the process. The certification officer is also available for one-on-one appointments to answer student questions and assist with the certification process.

Question #7: What about certification in other states?

Answer: There are two processes for pursuing certification in other states. They are the following:

  1. a)  Credentials review which involves a virtual checklist of required courses. This could mean trouble unless you planned carefully.
  2. b)  NASDTEC Interstate Agreement which is an agreement between states that
    1. covers only curricular requirements
    2. accepts Pennsylvania Curriculum as meeting theirs
    3. non-curricular requirements not covered- Workshops
      – Tests

Question #8: Whose responsibility is it to apply for certification in states other than Pennsylvania?

Answer: Students need to obtain the application and complete the forms. The certification officer will complete only those forms required as part of the interstate certification compact by the other states. It is strongly recommended that students who wish to obtain certification in a state other than Pennsylvania remain abreast of the certification requirements for the state(s) in which they wish to pursue certification. They can begin by reviewing the respective state department ofeducation’s website(s). Although the certification officer at the University ofScranton is happy to assist with this process, state certification requirements change frequently, and it is not possible for the certification officer at the Universityof Scranton to be aware of each state’s requirements.

Question #9: Who is responsible for certification at the University of Scranton and how may I contact the certification officer?
Dr. Vanessa Talarico is the certification officer at the University of Scranton. Her contact information is:
Dr. Vanessa Talarico
141 McGurrin Hall University of Scranton
800 Linden Street
Scranton, PA 18510
vanessa.talarico@scranton.edu
570-941-5810

PT and Primary Care: Should they be Linked?

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Take it from Bill Boissonnault, PT, DPT, DHSc, FAPTA, executive vice president of professional affairs at APTA – Physical Therapists could make a very strong career in primary care. See some of what he has to say below:

“That ‘primary care culture’ starts in DPT programs, where students are being trained to provide that necessary broad level of service,” he says. “Students get academic grounding in differential diagnosis and medical screening necessary for patient triaging responsibilities.” Boissonnault adds, however, that “the more exposure students can get to primary care models during their clinical rotations—as in the VA model—the better, so they can see this type of care delivery in action and be fully appreciative of the possibilities and opportunities that exist for PTs in primary care.”

The bottom line, Boissonnault says, is that primary care presents “a huge opportunity for physical therapists, the profession, and the health system in terms of producing better care outcomes, ensuring optimal utilization of resources, and decreasing costs. There’s a gap in the provision of primary care that PTs are the best-trained providers to fill.”

Check out the full story from the American Physical Therapy Association’s PT in Motion.

APTA is an individual membership professional organization representing more than 100,000 member physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students.

Visit our website to learn more about the DPT program at The University of Scranton!

Award Winning Professor of Education!

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Dr. Julie Cerrito, Director of the Graduate Program in School Counseling at the University of Scranton, received the Partner in Education Award by the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC).  This award was presented at the annual PACAC conference at the Kalahari Resort in Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania.

The PACAC Partner in Education Award was created to enhance awareness about the association by recognizing someone outside the membership for outstanding contribution to, and support of, post-secondary education. This award represents the collaborative spirit needed to foster a commitment to educational equity and access for all. Individuals, institutions, and organizations may be nominated to receive this award.

As the Director of the School Counseling Graduate Program, Dr. Cerrito regularly works with school counseling graduate students in finding innovative ways to assist school-aged students, particularly high school students, in reaching their postsecondary education and career goals. Drs. Julie Cerrito and LeeAnn Eschbach, faculty members in the Department of Counseling and Human Services at the University of Scranton, have collaborated with local high school administrators and practicing school counselors to create special district-wide and multi-district events such as “Post-Secondary Education Readiness Night”, “College Application Night”, and “College Signing Day”. These events invite both high school students and their parents to their respective neighborhood schools, where graduate students in the field of school counseling share vital information (ex. how to select a major, how to apply to college, how to visit a college, etc.).

These topics are important when it comes to navigating what comes next after high school and the steps one should take in planning successfully for college and a future career. Research has indicated that first-generation college students, racially and ethnically diverse students, and students from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds often lack the resources and support needed to navigate the many unknowns of the future. These events attempt to reach out to those student populations, level the playing field, and help them gain the confidence they need to be proactive in planning for the future. Graduate school counseling students frequently comment on the direct benefit of increased “learning through doing” as well as the opportunity to impact youth positively in the local area. They see how their future work as school counselors connects to really making a difference in the lives of school-aged students and their families.

To learn more about the School Counseling Program, click here.