Hansen featured speaker at student writing celebration

Novelist Ron Hansen

Nationally renowned novelist Ron Hansen will headline Bellevue University’s third annual Celebration of Student Writing and Research on Monday, May 18. In addition to Hansen’s keynote address, the University will honor more than 80 students for excellence in academic writing. The event starts at 11 a.m., inside the humanities center auditorium on main campus, 100o Galvin Road South.

Hansen, an Omaha native, has published eight novels and numerous short stories and essays. His 1983 novel, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” brought him widespread acclaim and earned him a finalist nomination for the PEN/Faulkner Award. The book was adapted for the screen in a 2007 film starring Brad Pitt. Hansen was nominated for another PEN/Faulkner award, as well as the National Book Award, for his 1996 novel, “Atticus.” He currently is a professor at Santa Clara University in California.

Of the more than 80 honored students – all of whom were nominated by faculty - Bellevue University will honor five students in particular for their writing in the following categories: Research paper; analytical essay; personal essay; master’s thesis; and Kirkpatrick Signature Series capstone. The Signature Series is a three-course cluster that all undergraduate students must complete.

The honorees are invited to a private luncheon in the student center following the auditorium portion of the event, which is open to the public and will include student speakers in addition to Hansen’s keynote address.

Recent grads chosen for DoD internship program

The U.S. Department of Defense has chosen four recent Bellevue University alumni to participate in its PALACE Acquire Internship Program. This year, the DoD chose only 10 interns from schools nationwide.

The Bellevue University representatives chosen were Dusti Grady, Kim McGlade, Casey Aden and Dave Stubbendeck. All are recent graduates of the Master of Science in Security Management program and applied for the internship while students at Bellevue University.

The DoD chose Bellevue University as one of eight schools to participate in the internship program based on the strength of its undergraduate and graduate Security Management programs. Bellevue University has the largest combined undergraduate-graduate Security Management program in the country.

As part of the PALACE Acquire Internship Program, participants work for three years inside the DoD, rotating among more than 20 different positions. Interns start at an annual salary of about $40,000, with the ability to earn full-time employment at the end of the program.

Beischel honored for leadership in online learning

Dr. Christine Beischel led the University's online programs during a time of tremendous growth and innovation. This week she was honored for her visionary work.

The United States Distance Learning Association on April 28 presented its 2009 Outstanding Leadership by an Individual in the Field of Distance Learning award to Dr. Christine Beischel of Bellevue University. Dr. Beischel received the award during the USDLA’s annual conference, in St. Louis.

“This really is a tremendous honor, both for me and the University,” Dr. Beischel said.

Dr. Beischel led the University’s College of Distributed Learning from 1998 to 2009, during which time the College and the online programs it oversees experienced tremendous growth. Bellevue University offered its first online program in 1996 to seven students. The University now serves more than 8,000 online students annually, from across the country and around the world.

But it’s not only the size of the University’s online enrollment that serves as evidence of Dr. Beischel’s leadership. She recognized early that success in online learning would come from faculty training, online student support and innovative instructional design. Under her leadership, Bellevue University won USDLA awards for Best Teaching Online (2006) and 21st Century Best Practices in Distance Learning (2007).

Dr. Beischel is now using her experience and expertise in online learning in a new role for the University, as a senior-level Research Strategist for the Strategic Initiatives Department. Beischel works with Strategic Initiatives, as well as the University’s Human Capital Lab, to conduct research on the bottom-line impact of the University’s learning interventions with its many corporate partners, which include Verizon Wireless and The Home Depot.

Art student honored for ‘Turkey with Gravy’

A Bellevue University art student recently beat out more than 100 entries to win first place at the 2009 Nebraska Independent College Foundation/O’Keefe Elevator Company Art Show in Omaha. Senior Julie MacDonald won the Best of Show 2-D Award, which brought with it a $300 prize. Her piece is a photo collage, titled “Turkey with Gravy.”

The O’Keefe Elevator Company donated $2,000 in prize money for the student artists. Entries were judged by art instructors from Creighton University and Metropolitan Community College. The art will remain on display through April at the O’Keefe Gallery, located at 1402 Jones Street in Omaha’s Old Market. The gallery is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MacDonald will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art. Bellevue University offers bachelor’s degrees in Art Management, Studio Art and Graphic Design.

Global Festival 2009 is April 25

Bellevue University and its International Programs Department on Saturday, April 25 will host “Global Festival 2009,” a celebration of cultures from around the world that will include a variety of ethnic foods and entertainment.

Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., inside the Margre H. Durham Student Centeron the University’s main campus, 1000 Galvin Road South, Bellevue. Live entertainment – which will include music and dance – begins at 7 p.m., inside the Hitchcock Humanities Center auditorium.

The event is open to the public. Admission for the event is $10, free for children under 12 and current Bellevue University students.

Conference educates girls on opportunities in science, math

Bellevue University on Friday, April 17 hosts the 2009 “Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science” conference. The half-day event is intended to encourage girls in grades 7 through 9 to pursue further education and careers in math and science.

Bellevue University is the event’s primary sponsor, along with the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The conference, which typically attracts about 100 girls from throughout the metro area, begins at 8:15 a.m. and runs through 1 p.m. Guest speakers – all women – include employees from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, science professors, a researcher from UNMC, a horse breeder and a police officer.

Mary Hawkins named new President of Bellevue University; John Muller appointed Chancellor and Foundation CEO

Mary Hawkins, Ph.D., has been named the University's new president, effective July 1, 2009

Michael H. Simmonds, chairman of the Bellevue University Board of Directors, announced today that Mary Hawkins, Ph.D., will assume the role of president of the university beginning July 1, 2009. As president, Dr. Hawkins will direct all strategic and operational activities of the university, reporting to the Board of Directors.

The leadership change comes in the midst of the university’s strongest growth phase in its history – and, in fact, one of the strongest growths of any university in America. Founded more than 40 years ago to serve adult students, Bellevue University has affirmed this commitment with a vision to be the nation’s foremost university in adult education.

Dr. Hawkins has served as provost of the university since 2000, responsible for academic standards and operations. During her tenure, the university has grown an average of 12% a year, doubling its enrollment nearly twice. Today, Bellevue University is the largest private university in Nebraska and one of the fastest-growing non-profit universities in the country.

“Mary Hawkins was an obvious choice for the presidency,” Simmonds said. “It takes extraordinary leadership to run an organization as innovative, fast-growing and student-oriented as Bellevue University. Mary has shown that leadership.”

“I am honored by the board’s decision and look forward to capitalizing on our momentum with continuing innovation and focus on students and the communities we serve,” Dr. Hawkins said.

John Muller, Ph.D., current president, will be named chancellor as well as CEO of the university’s foundation. As CEO of the Bellevue University Foundation, Dr. Muller will initiate a new, more aggressive fund-raising activity for the university, concentrating on initiatives such as the Human Capital Lab and the Center for American Vision and Values, as well as other initiatives that align with the university’s vision of being the foremost American university in adult education.

When Dr. Muller arrived at the university 24 years ago, he focused new services and programs around the learning needs of working adults. His innovations included accelerated bachelor’s degree completion programs; career-relevant bachelor’s and master’s degrees, supported by advisory boards of professionals; Cyber-Active®Learning – the university’s innovative online learning platform; the American Vision and Values series; and the Human Capital Lab.

Dr. Muller also introduced a new business operations model that was radically innovative in post-secondary education at the time. Bellevue University does not rely on fund-raising from the private sector or government funding for its operating income. It is entirely tuition supported.

“This approach mandated efficiency in operations, while being market-driven,” Dr. Muller stated. “It required us to concentrate on understanding our markets, teaching and serving students, and making sure they had access to our services. Our extraordinary growth rate demonstrates that we have achieved a measure of expertise in these areas.”

University hosts third annual Latina Women’s Conference

Bellevue University on Friday, April 10 will host its third annual Latina Women’s Conference. This year’s conference theme is “Developing Leadership through Collaboration.”

The conference begins at 8 a.m. with welcoming remarks and concludes at 4 p.m. More than 60 women are expected to attend. The conference is intended for college and high school students, as well as community leaders.

Keynote speeches and workshops will deal with a variety of issues, most of them related to leadership. Attendees can attend workshops divided among three tracks: Careers, Leadership, or Personal Growth.

Lynda Shafer, Manager of Leadership and Workforce Development for the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, will deliver the morning keynote presentation, “Leadership = Collaboration: Strengthening Partnerships for Success.” Her presentation is 8:15-9:05 a.m., inside the Margre H. Durham Student Center.

Dr. Lourdes Gouveia will deliver the lunchtime keyonote, “Developing Your Leadership – Lessons Learned.” Gouveia is director of Latino/Latin American Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The conference also will include a “speed networking” session from 2:05 to 2:35, and a fashion show at 2:45. All events will be held inside the student center.

University delegation to speak about diversity at national conference

A University delegation will travel to Phoenix next week to share its expertise on diversity issues at the American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention.

The presenting group consists of Dr. Mary Hawkins, provost; Russ Lane, senior director of community partnerships; Jose Lemus, South Omaha admissions specialist; and Flor Flores, current student and South Omaha Outreach Program scholarship recipient. Their presentation – “Investing in Diversity: How to Successfully Recruit and Retain Latino Students” – is 8:45-9:45 a.m., April 7.

The Bellevue University contingent will talk, in part, about the success of the South Omaha Outreach Program. Since the program’s inception, the University has increased its Latino enrollment by more than 1,000 percent. The program’s goal is to enroll, retain and educate residents of South Omaha and Bellevue, a culturally and economically diverse section of the greater Omaha area that includes many Latino and low-income families.

Overall, Bellevue University continues to be among the most diverse universities in the state and region. In fall 2008, more than 32 percent of Bellevue University’s 8,278 students are minorities. Minorities, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, include the following groups: black, non-Hispanic; Hispanic; Asian/Pacific Islander; and American Indian/Native Alaskan.

The largest minority group at Bellevue University is black, non-Hispanic, with 1,037 students. Next is Hispanic, with 526, and Asian/Pacific Islander, with 191. 

The university’s minority student population has grown steadily during recent years, from 30 percent  in 2007 and 25 percent in 2006. One key factor to this growth is the university’s surging online student population, which pulls students from 48 states and countries worldwide. More than 80 percent of the university’s students now take online courses.

Student vets group to be honored at State Capitol

The State of Nebraska will honor Bellevue University’s Student Veterans Organization during a special ceremony April 8 at the State Capitol in Lincoln.

Gov. Dave Heineman has declared April 8 “Student Veterans Organization Day” in Nebraska, which is intended to specifically honor the recently formed Bellevue University SVO – the first in the state. Gov. Heineman will be out of town that day, so Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy will read a proclamation at 10:30 a.m. in the Warner Chamber in the Capitol.

Bellevue University formed its Student Veterans Organization in February. The student-run group, a chapter of the Student Veterans of America, already has 160 members.