Search Results for “covid”

COVID-19 crisis presents opportunity to serve community for UIndy student

April 22, 2020

Amy Rohr ’20 (public health) ’21 (master of public health)

Many University of Indianapolis faculty and students are contributing their time and expertise in the fight to stop coronavirus (COVID-19). Amy Rohr, who graduates in May 2020 with a degree in public health, is also working towards her master of public health, which she will receive in 2021. Rohr has gained hands-on experience during the program through various internships, including the Indiana State Department of Health’s (ISDH) COVID-19 Call Center, where she answers questions from the general public as well as healthcare providers.

“The general public is mostly calling in and requesting information or wondering if they can be tested. We also answer general public calls that are just needing assistance on resources, such as the Critical Industry Line, Unemployment, 2-1-1, and the OSHA Compliance Line. The healthcare providers call in for many different reasons such as guidance on protocols or authorization requests to give the COVID-19 test,” Rohr explained.

“It has been interesting to watch how the calls change each week. I have been working at the call center since the beginning of March and each day there is something new. We get updates nearly every day on protocols, testing, results and recommendations. It seems like a turbulent situation, but I knew what I was stepping into. The field of public health is always changing and that is what I love most about it,” she said.

One of the key components of the public health program at the University of Indianapolis is applied and experiential learning. Rohr’s work at the call center has sharpened her focus on the value of sharing accurate medical information with the public.

“My view on the importance of proper health communication has definitely heightened from this situation. I find it very interesting to see where the callers are getting their information. To me, the information has been pushed by the media, but unfortunately, that is not always appropriate or accurate. In order to be an effective health educator/communicator in the call center, I ensure that I am staying calm, giving evidence-based information, and listening to the individual’s concerns and questions,” she said.

For Rohr, it’s an opportunity to give back to the community and put the University motto, “Education for Service,” into action.

“I have genuinely loved helping the public during this time of crisis,” Rohr said. “Of course, I love all things public health, but helping others is very important to me. I always try to remember that these individuals are scared and worried during this time and some just need someone to talk to. If I can be that person for them, even for five minutes, I feel that I am doing my job.”

Rohr is grateful for the mentorship of faculty including Heidi Hancher-Rauch, director of the Public Health Program at the University of Indianapolis.

“Dr. Rauch has gone above and beyond as a mentor. She is a professional that I look up to as a role model. She has helped me develop my love for policy and advocacy, which is what I want to work in in the future,” Rohr said.

Rauch commended Rohr, who serves as president of the honorary society, Eta Sigma Gamma.

“Amy provides amazing leadership within the Public Health Program and for the ESG members, in particular. She consistently brings great ideas forward to share with others,” Rauch said.

Rohr has completed a number of volunteer internship experiences, including the Southside Quality of Life Initiative where she examined the eight SoIndy neighborhoods using GI mapping, using the information to create and analyze maps of recreational areas and how they relate to public health. She also interned with the Indiana Youth Services Association of Indiana in their Trafficked Victims Assistance Program where she created an onboarding tool for new volunteers, helped with advocacy and awareness events, and created documents used for administrative purposes.

Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, Rohr was interning with the ISDH’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation department, where she compiled and analyzed data, helped with policy and advocacy efforts, organized datasheets, and created fact sheets. Rohr also serves as a Health and Wellness Educator for the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis and a Community Health Advocate for Community East Hospital.

After completing her MPH degree, Rohr plans to work in public health policy and advocacy, and hopes to pursue a law degree in the long-term.

“I have nothing but great things to say about the Public Health program. Not only are we getting practical experience and quality instruction, but this program is also like another family to me,” Rohr said. “The hands-on experiences and courses are definitely prepared for the next steps in my career.”

Learn more about the Public Health Program at the University of Indianapolis.

School of Nursing adjusts to aid in COVID-19 support

April 7, 2020

The University of Indianapolis is finding innovative ways to ensure continuity for students as well as to support the local community during the COVID-19 crisis.

Since hospitals began admitting COVID-19 patients, School of Nursing students have been prevented from completing their required clinical hours in person. To remain in compliance with the accreditation requirements for the SON, students have been allowed to substitute clinical hours with virtual experiences. Normally, those hours would be a maximum of 25% of the total hours for each course in the undergraduate program as prescribed by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (ISBN). With the current COVID-19 crisis in effect, the ISBN is allowing schools to fall back on national guidelines which allow up to 50% of hours in simulation. With that change, the SON has contracted with Kaplan to provide virtual simulation for the remainder of the semester. These virtual experiences will be used in conjunction with guided case studies to meet the required hours.

“Changes in how we deliver clinical education will allow students in the undergraduate nursing programs to satisfy more of their required clinical hours virtually rather than in person,” said Dr. Norma Hall, dean of the University of Indianapolis School of Nursing. “This is especially important for senior students who are set to graduate this May.”

Hall also noted that keeping students on schedule using virtual experiences will allow students to continue their training and enter the workforce this summer as registered nurses. As the cases of coronavirus continue to rise, there will likely be workforce shortages.

“Our graduates will be entering the workforce at a critical time to alleviate staffing shortages that COVID-19 will cause within area hospitals,” said Hall. “The knowledge and skills our nursing graduates gained at UIndy will be taken into the workforce to care for the sickest of the sick at a time of great need. I couldn’t be more proud of our faculty and students for remaining flexible and resilient during these trying times.”

The School of Nursing has also been proactive in trying to aid local health organizations in their fight against COVID-19. The School of Nursing organized the donation of some materials on-hand to local hospital networks, including Community Health Network and Franciscan St. Francis. The donations included 8,500 pairs of gloves, 30 surgical gowns, 450 surgical masks, 150 thermometer probe covers, and 10 stethoscopes.

The School also made the decision to forgo their shipment of gloves for the month of April (and potentially beyond) so that they might be given to those who need them more.

Art & Design faculty adapt amidst COVID-19 challenges

April 6, 2020

You can do a lot with a little. That was the perspective Katherine Fries had as she migrated printmaking classes to an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic. The circumstances were less than ideal, but, she decided, it was a perfect opportunity to instill in her students adaptability, improvisation, problem-solving, and creativity – valuable skills that will translate beyond their education at the University of Indianapolis. Afterall, Fries pointed out, what student leaves their undergraduate career able to afford a fully stocked art studio?

“Printmaking at its core is paper, pressure, and some kind of ink. We can create stencils and stamps from pretty much anything,” said Fries.

Fries collaborated with colleagues from around the country to identify ways students could continue engaging the creative process using affordable supplies they’d likely have at home. The content of each class remains the same, but the projects were adapted for functionality. Plans for a complicated carving now involve scissors and foam material, for example. And instead of touring the National Library Bindery Company of Indiana, she’s created online tutorials for a bookbinding project using a needle and thread.

Because many students left their personal supplies on campus during spring break, she also shipped about 25 miniature art kits to students for projects during the last four weeks of the semester.

“This is not the ideal situation, but we’re doing our best to make these classes meaningful for students even though we can’t be together,” Fries said.

WICR adapts to pandemic restrictions

May 26, 2020

WICR news director Taylor Woods ’21

We’ve all heard the saying, “The show must go on.” University of Indianapolis students learned firsthand how to keep the show going when coronavirus (COVID-19) struck in the middle of the spring semester. WICR, the student-run radio station that broadcasts from campus, has remained on the air throughout the pandemic, thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking and a lot of collective hard work.

WICR (88.7 FM/HD) is Indianapolis’ only jazz and classical music station. It’s also a fertile training ground for Department of Communication students, with many successful careers launched at the station. Faced with a dual obligation—to students who rely on WICR for experiential learning, and to the general public who tune in every day—general manager Scott Uecker knew he’d have to get creative in order to meet everyone’s needs. And he required a solution immediately.

“We couldn’t wait because we had to keep the radio station on the air,” Uecker said.

Working with the radio station staff, Uecker decided to pay a limited number of students who felt comfortable performing essential functions in the studio facility. Keeping social distancing restrictions in mind, most student air shifts switched from in-person to pre-recorded voice tracks. 45 students contributed voice tracks, which a skeleton crew loaded onto a server to get them on the air.

Uecker noted that University of Indianapolis broadcasting alumni working at radio and television stations across the country had to resort to similar strategies recording from home, just as WICR worked out its own solutions.

“We’re teaching the students to persevere and use the technology they have at their disposal,” he said. “I’m very thankful for the UIndy administration and the leadership in human resources for working with us to find a way to get students who were essential to our operations on campus, but we also had to make a number of changes to keep them safe while they were here.”

Uecker and his staff coached students on best practices for recording themselves while maintaining professional standards. Even as students dispersed mid-semester when in-person instruction shifted to remote or alternative delivery methods, they were still able to access the opportunity for hands-on learning. WICR listeners may not have known it at the time, but they were listening to contributions from students across five states and three countries—besides the United States, international students from Russia, Colombia and Brazil also participated.

WICR’s news director Taylor Woods ’21 (electronic media communication major, political science minor) adapted to producing remote newscasts from home. She also had to instruct and manage her team remotely, which involved Zoom editorial meetings.

“Not only are we delivering remote newscasts but so are news stations across the country. This shows how much technology has really prepared us all for crises and unprecedented times such as this,” Woods said.

Promotional events, on-air contests and live newscasts in the afternoon drive have been temporarily suspended. WICR-FM/HD1 has staffed only the essential live on-air shifts since mid-March, while the station’s HD 2 and 3 channels have operated in a fully automated mode since the end of the semester. Student management staff and a limited number of student volunteers designated as essential continue to be responsible for on-air, production and programming tasks.

WICR Operations Manager Aaron Duvall ’20, recording from home

Aaron Duvall ’20 (communication) took on the role of operations manager in May after serving as the station’s production director for the past two years. He said working through the pandemic has taught him patience as he and his student colleagues adjusted to the new normal. He also has a newfound appreciation for the role of the broadcasting industry in society.

“One of the bigger takeaways I have from working through the coronavirus pandemic is how much impact radio and local media really has on its community. You hear about it all the time, but seeing it firsthand really makes it feel like we have an impact,” Duvall said. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to come in and do something I love and also add something to the audience’s day.”

UIndy service project supports University Heights neighborhood during coronavirus lockdown

May 18, 2020

A student volunteers during a service project to bring 200 care packages to University Heights neighbors during the coronavirus lockdown.

At a time when joining together is a challenge, the University of Indianapolis is finding innovative ways to rally around our neighbors. Students recently participated in a drive to organize and deliver more than 200 care packages to residents of the University Heights neighborhood.

“The University of Indianapolis has long been recognized as a southside anchor, and we care deeply about the well-being of our community,” said Andy Kocher, associate vice president of alumni engagement. “With that responsibility in mind, we were looking for ways to support our neighbors and provide them with resources to help them cope during the crisis.”

Kocher serves as a chair on the University’s Coronavirus Task Force. As the University takes steps to re-engage campus, Kocher’s subcommittee is strategically planning to engage the neighborhood surrounding the University.

“The response has just been tremendous, both from the perspective of students who want to give back and from community members who were excited to receive a package. We’ll be looking at more ways to support our neighbors in the coming months,” Kocher said.

Social distancing measures were followed carefully during every stage of the service project.

Social distancing measures were put in place for the student volunteers, who worked in shifts throughout all three UIndy Halls to assemble the masks and organize each care package. The packages contained a mask, cookies donated from Books & Brews, flower seeds, snacks and a UIndy resource care guide with 24/7 support numbers and the Student Counseling Center website for access to the “How to Make A Mask Video” and other COVID-19 mental health resources.

Kelly Miller, director and staff psychologist at the University of Indianapolis Health & Wellness Counseling Center, had already been collecting resources for students during the coronavirus pandemic, and was eager to expand those efforts to reach the surrounding community when she joined the subcommittee. She also sees the drive as a way to help students who might be struggling emotionally during the prolonged lockdown period.

“The Counseling Center is seeing students who are experiencing a lot right now in this isolation. So we thought, true to our motto of Education for Service, let’s provide an opportunity for students who want to volunteer in a safe way to develop these care packages for the University Heights neighborhood,” Miller said.

A student assembles care packages for a service project to support the University Heights neighborhood during the coronavirus pandemic.

Volunteers assembled the care packages over two days in late April, all while keeping 12 feet apart and working in limited numbers. Organizers then coordinated with the neighborhood homeowner’s association to create pick-up stations around the neighborhood in front of volunteer homes. Volunteers also left care packages on doorsteps of houses located farther away from campus, all while maintaining best practices for social distancing.

“One of the best parts of the whole project was getting to talk to different neighbors who were outside as we dropped off packages, including students who live in the neighborhood,” Miller said. “It really warmed my heart. It was so inspirational to see the reactions.”

Volunteers assembled no-sew washable masks to include in the care packages.

The project brought benefits for participants as well as recipients, who spanned in age from three years old to a man in his seventies. Neighbors were grateful for the caring gesture, while students got the chance to overcome their isolation.

“We all have a need to do something purposeful. Whenever we help other people, we gain a sense of satisfaction and control,” Miller said. “For those students who participated, this gave them something to rally around. Reaching out and helping others helps with mental health in general.”

Learn more about the Student Counseling Center

UIndy Road to Re-engagement

UIndy mourns passing of Connie Mikuski-Demory ’13

May 11, 2020

The University of Indianapolis was saddened to learn of the passing of Connie Mikuski-DeMory ’13 (masters in occupational therapy) on April 24, 2020 due to complications arising from COVID-19.

After graduating from Western Michigan University with a degree in business administration, Mikuski-DeMory’s work in customer service helped her discover her passion for working with people. She wanted to commit herself to a career where she could make a daily impact on people’s lives, which led her to the field of occupational therapy.

Her time at the University of Indianapolis was marked by active involvement in the School of Occupational Therapy, where she left an impact on all who knew her.

“I remember her as spirited, passionate and determined,” said Dr. Lucinda Dale, professor in the School of Occupational Therapy, “She was a real asset to our research group. She had a great sense of humor and witty sarcasm that always made us laugh. She excelled with her attention to detail, helped keep the group on track and actively contributed to see our project to publication.”

As part of her graduate research, Mikuski-DeMory was one of the authors involved with Dr. Dale in publishing the article, “Outcomes of a pilates-based intervention for individuals with lateral epicondylosis: A pilot study,” in the Journal, Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation.

“Our hearts are heavy as we think about Connie’s passing and our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends,” said Dr. Kate DeCleene Huber, associate dean of the College of Health Sciences and Chair of the School of Occupational Therapy. “Her personality and sense of humor brought so much energy to the classroom and to our profession. Connie’s dedication and passion for occupational therapy will forever be inspirational.”

Mikuski-DeMory remained in Indianapolis after graduating and pursued her career as an occupational therapist at a skilled nursing facility, where she became the Director of Rehabilitation. She was also a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and continued her learning by attending multiple AOTA conferences. Connie’s passion for improving others’ lives as an occupational therapist was shown through her interaction with patients, bringing a smile to their face when providing care and even dancing with them when the moment was right. She was able to share her love for life during any situation. She was settling into her home in Indianapolis when she married her husband, Michael, in November 2019.

“She will always be remembered as a person who stayed true to herself even when life placed some of the hardest obstacles to overcome,” said classmate Kristy Ulm ’13 (occupational therapy). “She was someone you could have fun with and laugh with, while also being serious and genuine when needing someone to listen and talk to during difficult situations.”

Ulm reflected that Mikuski-DeMory would often say, “Follow your heart,” when offering advice on making a difficult decision or trying to overcome something that seems impossible.

“She was someone who never gave up on living and loving life and bringing that to others’ lives through her career as an occupational therapist,” said Ulm. “Connie was a true example of what it means to overcome the most difficult obstacles and really ‘living life to its fullest.’”

Special thanks to Dr. Lucinda Dale, Dr. Kate DeCleene Huber, Kristy Ulm, Lindsay Emery, Trisha Donaghey, and Tyra Shantz for sharing their memories of their student, classmate, colleague and friend, Connie Mikuski-DeMory. Also, thank you to the UIndy MOT Class of 2013 for their generous gift in Connie’s honor towards occupational therapy student scholarships.

2020 UIndy Engineering Business Pitch Competition goes virtual

April 24, 2020

The R.B. Annis School of Engineering (RBASOE) successfully held its 2020 Engineering Business Pitch Competition virtually on April 21, 2020. As part of the RBSAOE’s unique DesignSpine curriculum, students in the third year of the program work in interdisciplinary teams to design and pitch a product, process or service in collaboration with industry mentors.

This was the second year for the School to host the event, which was conducted via Zoom due to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. Although it was an inconvenience, students took this opportunity to be innovative and entrepreneurial. Faculty responded by involving the student teams in the process of assessing each project’s progress and in determining what aspects of the project could be continued even though there will be no access to campus resources like labs and workshops. Based on the assessment and mutual agreement between the faculty and students, the projects were continued virtually.

There were over 60 participants who participated in the competition. Five multidisciplinary teams pitched their engineering projects and business models to eleven judges consisting of leaders from industry and UIndy.

“I enjoy working with the students and I am always impressed with their creativity and how polished their presentations are. I wish there was a program like the R.B. Annis School of Engineering when I was in engineering school,” said mentor Richard Calvert (Citizens Energy). The Indiana startup ecosystem was represented by judges from Elevate Ventures and Innopower.

The event showcased the strong collaboration between the RBASOE and other units in the University, including the Department of Art & Design.

Dr. David Olawale, assistant professor of engineering, said, “It has been great working with Prof. Rhonda Wolverton and her students from the Art & Design Department. The collaboration provided the engineering students the opportunity to work with students from a completely different discipline. They got to experience the value that other disciplines bring to the product development and commercialization process. They got to learn how to communicate effectively with other experts from a different discipline and they also developed an appreciation and respect for other disciplines. The contribution of the Art & Design teams in designing the logos, slide decks and websites brought the business aspects of the project to life for the technically-minded engineering students.”

Wolverton agreed, citing that “The engineering project has allowed my students to experience a portion of each of these steps.”

The top three winning teams pitched ideas for a food produce preservation system, a motorcycle head display system, and body cooling wear.

While the engineering student teams focused on customer discovery, design, prototyping, testing and business model development, they were ably supported by their colleagues from the Art & Design Department who worked on the branding and marketing aspects of the projects. This created a great experiential learning experience for all the students.

Alysa Epperson ’21 (industrial and systems engineering major, mathematics minor) discussed how “over the past nine months our team has been working on developing a personal cooling vest…We decided to focus on cooling athletes and outdoor workers. Students from the Department of Art & Design helped us create a name for our company, a logo, and other on-brand materials. The name we decided on was Arctic Lock. Arctic Lock was designed to be lightweight, fashionable, affordable, and to offer rapid and prolonged cooling.”

Marko Tasic ’21 (industrial and systems engineering major, mathematics minor) summed up his experience by crediting the competition with giving him the confidence to pursue his own ideas and identify and solve problems in the world. “My biggest takeaway from this project is that entrepreneurship is not some intimidating venture that you have to embark on alone. It’s a step-by-step process that you do with a team around you,” he said.

R.B. Annis School of Engineering donates PPE to Indianapolis healthcare workers

April 12, 2020

Healthcare workers at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis model face shields manufactured by James Emery, lab manager at the R.B. Annis School of Engineering.

Healthcare workers at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis model face shields manufactured by James Emery, laboratory manager at the R.B. Annis School of Engineering.

The R.B. Annis School of Engineering is putting expertise and resources towards the fight against COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). James Emery, laboratory manager for mechanical systems, is printing face shields for St. Vincent Indianapolis emergency room healthcare workers.

“I asked some friends who are nurses if their emergency room would be in need. They are parents that I met through Indiana FIRST while mentoring a team,” Emery said. He has also been approached by a local fire department.

The design was provided by a 3D printing machine manufacturer that is producing the shields for local hospitals in Europe. Emery researched the need for face shields during the COVID-19 crisis and notes that the design has been vetted. He has registered with national initiatives to assist in the manufacturing of personal protective equipment for first responders.

“During this pandemic, there are so many nurses and doctors who are working tirelessly to help the population,” Emery said. “I found that the 3D printing community was stepping up in huge ways to try and help.”

Emery had enough materials to manufacture about 50 face shields. He delivered them to St. Vincent in April.

“As we are left at home while the first responders, doctors and nurses are out every day trying to help the individuals that have been infected with this virus,” Emery said, “I wanted to do my part to help them.”

Emery is continuing to produce face shields and is planning to donate more as he is able to manufacture them.

Paul Talaga, assistant professor of engineering, donated 3D-printed “ear savers.”

Paul Talaga, assistant professor of engineering, used a 3D printer to manufacture “ear savers” for healthcare workers on the frontline. The device attaches to the elastic straps of the mask to alleviate discomfort. To reduce the danger of contracting the disease, healthcare workers must wear a mask at all times when working with patients.

Talaga has delivered 100 ear savers to four Indianapolis-area hospitals.

A nurse at an Indianapolis-area hospital wears one of the “ear-savers” produced by Paul Talaga.

School of Education adapts to e-learning

April 8, 2020

Thanks to faculty support and innovation, students in the School of Education are gaining valuable technical skills that are sure to come in handy in the age of e-learning. Here are a few examples of adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Dr. John Somers and Dr. Nancy Steffel have been working with partner school districts (MSD Decatur Township and MSD Perry Township) to support their students and teachers as they transition to e-learning. In turn, they are showing elementary education students how to create lessons on their respective learning management systems.

Dr. Somers is teaching ELED 202: Universal Design for Learning: STEM to sophomore students. He is working with four fourth-grade teachers at West Newton Elementary in Decatur Townships who are now using Zoom to connect with the class. Collaboratively, they are building a kid-friendly lesson and a teacher lesson (“How to Build a Mars Land Rover”) with tiers for students with low, medium and high readiness. These lessons will be posted and returned on Canvas, Decatur’s Learning Management System.

Dr. Steffel is teaching EDUC 336: Teaching Literacy in the Intermediate Grades to juniors. She is leading an exercise that involves having the students create mini-video lessons and post them for fourth graders at Blue Academy in Decatur Township. She is using Zoom in her class daily and the students are posting their lesson on Canvas, Decatur’s Learning Management System. Greyhounds are being asked to consider the production value of their videos in addition to the content of the lesson.

Dr. Angie Ridgway and her son Nate Ridgway ’14 (history and special education), co-authors of Don’t Ditch That Tech, have been offering support for K-12 teachers from across the country related to their need to transition to remote learning and remote teaching. They are offering virtual office hours and additional conference presentations, in addition to resource materials on their blog (teachingfromtheridge.com).

School of Education adapts to e-learning

April 7, 2020

John Somers and Nancy Steffel have been working with partner school districts (MSD Decatur Township and MSD Perry Township) to support their students and teachers as they transition to e-learning. In turn, they are showing elementary education students how to create lessons on their respective learning management systems.

Somers is teaching ELED 202: Universal Design for Learning: STEM to sophomore students. He is working with four fourth-grade teachers at West Newton Elementary in Decatur Townships who are now using Zoom to connect with the class. Collaboratively, they are building a kid-friendly lesson and a teacher lesson (“How to Build a Mars Land Rover”) with tiers for students with low, medium and high readiness. These lessons will be posted and returned on Canvas, Decatur’s Learning Management System.

Steffel is teaching EDUC 336: Teaching Literacy in the Intermediate Grades to juniors. She is leading an exercise that involves having the students create mini-video lessons and post them for fourth graders at Blue Academy in Decatur Township. She is using Zoom in her class daily and the students are posting their lesson on Canvas, Decatur’s Learning Management System. Greyhounds are being asked to consider the production value of their videos in addition to the content of the lesson.

Angie Ridgway and her son Nate Ridgway ’14 (history and special education), co-authors of Don’t Ditch That Tech, have been offering support for K-12 teachers from across the country related to their need to transition to remote learning and remote teaching. They are offering virtual office hours and additional conference presentations, in addition to resource materials on their blog (teachingfromtheridge.com).

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