Submitted by Karl Besel, Assistant Dean and Director, School of Public and Environmental Affairs

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) had an exceptional 2017-18 academic year. Awards for faculty, achievements for alumni, grants for research and great attendance for clubs were among the accolades to tout. It takes a team of dedicated and talented staff, faculty and advisory board members to experience such success.

Here is a rundown of SPEA’s pride points over the past year:

FACULTY ACCOLADES

SPEA hit a grand slam with regard to the number and scope of awards earned by our faculty members this academic year, including:

Monica Solinas-Saunders
Chancellor’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Community Engagement
This award recognizes Dr. Solinas-Saunders’ efforts in creating a continuous reciprocal exchange among the state of Indiana, the community of Northwest Indiana, the community of students, and the University.

Joseph Ferrandino
Distinguished Research Award
The award recognizes Dr. Ferrandino’s research endeavors with regard to using GIS software to prevent and mitigate crime within Northwest Indiana. His efforts have been heralded by local law enforcement officials and academic journals alike. Dr. Ferrandino has also employed this research approach to foster better economic development strategies within our service area.

Susan Zinner
Distinguished Service Award
This award recognizes Dr. Zinner for her significant service to the university and community during the year.  Zinner was just re-elected to a second two-year term as Faculty Organization President, serves on over 30 IU Northwest committees and oversees 25 Faculty Organization committees.  She is a full professor in SPEA and is celebrating her 20th anniversary at IU Northwest this year.

Monica Solinas-Saunders
Trustees Teaching Award
Dr. Solinas-Saunders was awarded the second Trustees Teaching Award for her commitment to teaching courses that focus on student’s engagement in the community through research and direct interactions with agencies under the Indiana Department of Corrections.

Ellen Szarleta
Diversity Champion Award
This award recognizes Dr. Szarleta’s work in developing an innovative program or project to advance diversity, her leadership in diversity work, and her support of diversity efforts.

NOTABLE ALUMNI

The success of SPEA’s alumni speaks volumes about the quality of the programs. Here are a couple of go-getters who have achieved great things:

Amy Blaker
Amy Blaker, who earned her master’s in public administration (MPA) made the NWI Times’ “20 Under 40 Class of 2017.”

Jesse Watts
For the first time at its recent hooding ceremony, SPEA awarded a service award. The honoree was Jesse Watts, chief of police for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). A 17-year veteran of NICTD, Watts saved a woman from a heroin overdose.

Shaunna Finley
Shaunna Finley, of East Chicago Central High School, was named a High School Principal of the Year.

INNOVATIONS

SPEA’s Graduate Program Committee laid the groundwork to initiate a joint degree program with the School of Business. The Masters in Healthcare and Business Administration (MHBA) degree program is going through the initial approval processes.

STATS AND MORE …

Articles published by SPEA faculty members have been cited a total 1,066 times, according to Google Scholar reports as of April 2018.

• The Criminal Justice Association club’s membership increased to over 50 students this year; the largest club size in over three years.
• SPEA faculty members secured over $300,000 in grants this year, ranging from federally funded projects to IU system-wide grants.
• SPEA faculty members continue to assume many leadership positions within the university, as well as the community and beyond. These roles range from Faculty Organization President (Susan Zinner) to United Nations Environmental Policy Council member (Kalim Shah).

The Office of Marketing and Communications invites other schools and departments to submit summaries of their accomplishments for the spotlight series. Please email submissions to erikrose@iun.edu.