School leaders in today's global economy must be agents of change and committed to instructional excellence, cultural diversity, and collaboration.  The iLEAD Principal Preparation Program at the University of Indianapolis engages candidates in a variety of experiences that prepare them to confront the complex realities of educating students in a rapidly changing world.  Fall 2009 course work began on September 12, 2009 for the three cohort groups in our graduate education leadership program.  Cohort VI will complete the masters degree in education in May, 2010 and will be eligible to pursue an Indiana Building Administrator License.  Cohorts VII and VIII will finish in December 2010 and May 2011.

Our hybrid program currently includes students from throughout Indiana.  Clicking on the attached link will lead to a locator map of the districts represented in the iLEAD masters degree in education/principal leadership program: uindyilead.org  The executive or hybrid program helps you achieve your professional goals in a project-based leadership curriculum with field experiences to research and solve problems.  You interact with clinical faculty, current practitioners, and proven school leaders who possess a wealth of inside knowledge and expertise.  You complete online assignments in collaboration with your cohort group.

Information will be posted throughout this semester about our iLEAD activities and how to apply to join Cohort IX who will begin their classes in June, 2010.  If you have questions or need more details, visit our website at education.uindy.edu/iLEAD and learn more about our dynamic program.  In the next blog, we'll talk more about the iLEAD program and the new mentor cadre roundtable.

The University of Indianapolis, or UIndy, is a comprehensive, independent, student-friendly institution located just minutes from a thriving city center.  Our faculty and staff are committed to helping you become more effective in your daily work with students, to maximize your potential, and to prepare you for leadership.  UIndy is distinguished by highly respected undergraduate programs in teacher education, communications, and the health sciences, nationally ranked graduate programs, and Centers of Excellence focusing on aging studies and education reform.  Personal attention, small, interactive classes, and flexible programming are the rule rather than the exception.

In December 2009, ten Doctor of Physical Therapy students and two faculty members (Renee VanVeld and Stacie Fruth) from the Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis will be participating in a service-learning trip to provide medical and educational services to the underserved population of Pommern, Tanzania. The goal is for the participating DPT students to return to the U. S. with a renewed enthusiasm for service, increased creativity for solving problems with few resources, a heightened appreciation for cultural differences, and a newfound appreciation for medical resources in the U. S.

The 2009 trip to Tanzania will incorporate a formal qualitative research study involving students on campus as well as those traveling abroad. DPT students traveling to Africa will apply skills learned in the classroom when they are performing physical therapy services including the evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary and cardiopulmonary conditions. In addition, students will assist in the rudimentary medical clinic with conditions including malaria, tooth extractions and intestinal worms. Students will conduct well-baby clinics for mothers who travel great distances in order to have their children weighed and vaccinated in order to reverse striking national statistics of infant mortality and malnutrition. Students will also have the opportunity to teach in a local school, assist with local construction projects and participate in cultural sharing.

A qualitative research study is being conducted on the students who are traveling to Tanzania to determine what changes may occur with regards to cultural understanding and appreciation, the level of interest in international service, resource management and personal struggles encountered. Data for the study will be gathered one month before departure, immediately upon returning, six months and one year post trip by students in the Class of 2012 by means of interviews and journal reviews. The students collecting the data will then be studied to determine whether or not participation in the study increases a desire to participate in future studies in international health.

Participating in this project will catapult theses students into a journey focused on international health. KSPT students participating in this experience will take away in experience more than they could ever give to the people of Tanzania. According to Assistant Professor and trip organizer Stacie Fruth, "myself and others I know who have been on similar trips know that, upon returning home, you definitely feel like you received far more than you gave. I guess I can't say that's my goal for these students, but I do hope it happens."

The University of Indianapolis MBA program has recently added International Business to the available certificates in the MBA program.

The International Business concentration includes courses in international business and marketing and travel.   A global business seminar offers students the opportunity to travel and study abroad. This seminar provides participants an opportunity to develop insight into the cultural, economical, and political environments of each country to be visited.

Other certificate areas include; Finance, Marketing, Global Supply Chain Management, Organizational Leadership and Technology Management.  www.mba.uindy.edu

Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, visited the University of Indianapolis EDUC 605 (Using Data to Build High Performing Learning Cultures) class in the iLEAD principal leadership program on Saturday, March 21st.  Dr. Bennett's presentation was an excellent opportunity for students in our graduate education program to hear his reflections on his first months in office and ask questions to enhance their ability to develop sustainable plans for increasing student achievement.  Cohort VI includes 23 students who began their masters degree in education/licensure course work in September, 2008 in an executive-style program with personal attention and small class sizes.

During his conversation with Cohort VI, Dr. Bennett reviewed his goals for student achievement and his focus on student needs.  He expressed strong support for the value of mentors in graduate education programs, citing the impact experienced administrators had on his skill developmdent.  Dr. Bennett emphasized his continuing efforts to create "multiple pathways to do the job," a concept which resonates with UIndy's varied options for a rewarding masters degree in education and certification opportunities.   

Cohort VI students were enthusiastic about the chance to interact with Indiana's educational leader.  Following the presentation, Dr. Bennett toured the School of Education department and visited with seniors participating in the Kappa Delta Pi Candidate Practice Interview Day for our teacher education program.  He also greeted State Board members for the Indiana Council for Exceptional Children who were meeting at the University of Indianapolis on March 21st.   All of these activities reflect the UIndy focus in our teacher education and our principal preparation programs on providing interactive experiences for personal growth to help you become more effective in your daily work with students, to maximize your potential, and 
increase your leadership skills.  

If you have questions or need more details, please visit our web site at http://education.uindy.edu/iLEAD, or contact Chemain Arens, School of Education Graduate Programs, at (317) 788-6098.

The University of Indianapolis jazzes up the culture in Indianapolis this week, as our second annual Jazz Week kicked off last night with a great show by the UIndy Jazz Ensemble and special guests Steve Allee and Rich Perry.

The concert was the first in a week of jazz performances that will conclude Feb. 28 with the United Trombone Summit featuring legendary Indianapolis artist Slide Hampton. He will be joined by Steve Turre, Curtis Fuller and Bill Watrous.

Perry and Allee will be back on the stage of the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall this week as well. Perry's solo show is Wednesday at 7:30 and Allee will return with his big band Thursday at 7:30. Cincinnati's Blue Wisp Big Band will take the stage Friday night at 7:30.

Jazz Week is a great way for UIndy to leave an impact on the arts in Indianapolis! For more info, check out our Arts Site!

UIndy is happy to head into February with a lot to add to the arts in Indianapolis.

A new piece by UIndy's own John Berners, assistant professor of music, will premiere tonight in the Faculty Artist Series concert Telemann to Berners on Period Instruments. His piece, “Moon-rays on Marin,” features a baroque flute and two modern flutes. Other pieces in the program will feature period instruments, such as the fortepiano.

Also adding to the variety of culture in Indianapolis, artist Henk Pander, whose work is currently on display in UIndy's Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Gallery, will give an artist lecture tonight at 7 p.m.

Check out our arts site to find out about other UIndy events that enhance the arts in Indianapolis.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the University of Indianapolis is ready to help you feel like it! Join us either Friday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. (or both, if you'd like!) for our annual Christmas Celebration concert.

This Christmas-time favorite features vocal, instrumental and handbell ensembles and will include a candlelight processional. The audience will be invited to join in on selected pieces. Tickets, available through the box office at (317) 788-3251, are $10 or $6 for students and seniors. Both performances will be held in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center's Ruth Lilly Performance Hall.

The arts in Indianapolis offer a variety of holiday entertainment options. For more details on this and other UIndy cultural events, visit our arts site!

Looking for a little culture in Indianapolis that isn't Christmas themed? This weekend is your final opportunity to check out the University of Indianapolis Theatre Department's latest production Spike Heels. A contemporary comedy that puts a new twist on the Pygmalion concept, the play tackles changing expectations about gender roles through three days in the lives of a volatile working-class woman (Chelsey Wood) and three upscale Boston types: a writer (LaMont Hendrix), a lawyer (Alex Oberheide) and a fiancée in sensible shoes (Chelsea Anderson).

Productions are scheduled for 8 p.m. Dec. 4-6 in the Studio Theatre, located in the lower level of Esch Hall. Tickets, available through the box office at (317) 788-3251, are $10 or $8 for students, seniors and groups of 8 or more. For more information, visit our Arts site!

The University of Indianapolis' latest art exhibition, Seeing the Land, is now open in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center Gallery. The exhibition, which explores the use of both urban and rural landscape in contemporary art, will run through Dec. 5.

Seeing the Land includes nearly 25 pieces from 18 artists from Indiana and surrounding states. Breathtaking paintings, photographs and mixed media pieces detail beautiful images of rolling farm fields, peaceful nature scenes and urban scenery.

Pieces for the juried exhibition were chosen by members of UIndy's Department of Art&Design. Admission is free to the gallery, which is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays. For more information on this and other arts and cultural events at the University of Indianapolis, check out our Arts site!

Tonight UIndy's acclaimed Faculty Artist Series will feature an annual favorite concert, "Chamber Evening." Guest violist Michael Isaac Strauss, a member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, will join UIndy faculty and guests for an evening of classic works of the 20th century by composers from around the world. The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall.

UIndy's Faculty Artist Series, now in its 28th season, is one of many ways UIndy contributes to the arts in Indianapolis. The cultural climate in Indianapolis continues to grow, and UIndy is proud to be a part of it with more than 110 music, theatre and art events scheduled each year, many of which feature talented student performers from the many small classes and ensembles on campus. For more information, visit UIndy's arts site.

The University of Indianapolis Kellogg Writers Series will feature two award-winning authors this week, part of UIndy's growing calendar of arts and cultural events.

Tonight, Kevin Young, a leading African American poet, will speak at 7:30 p.m. in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center's Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. Young is a National Poetry Series winner whose works are often drawn from African American history.

On Saturday, Peabody Award-winning author Richard Rodriguez will talk at 8 p.m., also in Ruth Lilly Performance Hall. A Pulitzer Prize nominee, Rodriguez has made frequent appearances as an essayist on PBS's "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer."  Both events are free.

Visit our Arts site for more details on the speakers and to see what else is coming up at UIndy. With more than 110 arts-related events such as these each year, UIndy is proud to contribute to the vibrant arts scene in Indianapolis.

The China Experience:
An Educational and Clinical Exchange of Eastern and Western Physical Rehabilitation Practices
Authors: Petrosino, C., Shurig, MA., Bryant, S., Flora, V., McGowan, J., Wahl, A.

A delegation of four Doctor of Physical Therapy students and one faculty member from the Krannert School of Physical Therapy (KSPT) at the University of Indianapolis traveled to China in May of 2007. A community-based capstone project was conducted with a mission to observe and document cultural experiences while providing a mutual educational exchange for the KSPT delegation and Chinese students and faculty. Presentations on spinal stabilization given by the delegation provided current evidence-based trends of the Western physical therapy profession. Development of the interactive educational sessions included a thorough literature review of the culture, preparation of culturally sensitive presentations for select audiences, and the collection of data throughout the experience for analysis.

Study Description
A literature search was performed on the history and culture of China prior to the trip. The students focused their research on cultural sensitivity, traditional Chinese medicine practices, and current rehabilitation techniques in China. Funding for the trip was sought through University grants and private fundraising. From the initiation of the project, each group member independently documented their experience during the literature review, collection of funds, development of lectures, travel arrangement planning, experiences in China, and return from the trip. Data collection of observations while in China gave rich descriptions of the experience while reflective field notes gave individual interpretations. From the collected data, all information was transcribed into a Word document for analysis in a computerized qualitative assessment software program (NVivo 7.0). Common themes were developed from the observations and reflective notes of the delegation. A manuscript was produced reflecting the interactions, experiences, and knowledge exchanged between the KSPT delegation and Chinese students and faculty members. Through individual analysis by group members and coding of textual data into convergent and divergent themes, followed by aggregating convergent themes by group consensus, the most salient findings were elucidated.

Discussion & Conclusions
Exchanging knowledge and gaining understanding between Western and Eastern healthcare methods exposed both parties to specific treatment techniques and philosophies of care that will potentially lead to more effective, integrated treatment approaches to physical rehabilitation. As a community-based project for professional program students, the invaluable cultural experience enabled students to glean greater insight of and appreciation for diversity and culture that will influence their personal and professional endeavors. This project can inform future community-based, service learning, and cultural experiences for professional program students and faculty.

For more information about the College of Health Sciences at the University Indianapolis, please see http://healthsciences.uindy.edu/.

The University of Indianapolis is a private university in Indiana, and ranked among the best universities in the Midwest. It offers a range of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs, as well as accelerated degree programs for adult learners seeking a bachelor’s degree through Indiana night classes, or for students wishing to complete an Indianapolis MBA program through Saturday classes. The university is a favorite choice among students wishing to attend Indiana nursing schools, physical therapy programs in Indiana and occupational therapy programs in Indiana; all three are ranked among the best of these programs nationally.

Gary Karp will speak to occupational and physical therapy students on Friday, April 4, 2008 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, Ruth Lilly Performance Hall at the University of Indianapolis. This event is free and open to the public.

From http://www.garykarpspeaks.com/speaking.html
Gary Karp is an internationally recognized public speaker, corporate trainer, facilitator, author, and editor.

He has been living — fully — with a T12 spinal cord injury since 1973 when he was injured in a fall from a tree at the age of eighteen.

For his unique and extensive contributions to disability awareness, in 2007 Gary was inducted into the Spinal Cord Injury Hall of Fame as a disability educator.

Since his injury, Gary has earned a graduate degree in architecture, worked for eleven years in the presentation graphics industry as a designer and production manager, then began providing ergonomics training and consultation services to companies in the San Francisco Bay Area where he lives with his wife Paula and their yellow Labrador Retriever, Nava Leah.

A very highly-regarded speaker, Gary is sponsored in part by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center, which funds his speaking in rehabilitation settings and to university students of physical and occupational therapy.

As a corporate trainer on disability and employment Gary makes the business case for working with employees with disabilities. He creates a safe and interactive environment to discuss what some find an uncomfortable topic — and in the process helps bring workplace culture up to speed on the dramatic emergence of people with disabilities — as candidates, and an existing employee's capacity to stay on the job or return more efficiently.

For more information about the College of Health Sciences at the University of Indianapolis, see http://healthsciences.uindy.edu/.

The University of Indianapolis is a private university in Indiana, and ranked among the best universities in the Midwest. It offers a range of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs, as well as accelerated degree programs for adult learners seeking a bachelor’s degree through Indiana night classes, or for students wishing to complete an Indianapolis MBA program through Saturday classes. The university is a favorite choice among students wishing to attend Indiana nursing schools, physical therapy programs in Indiana and occupational therapy programs in Indiana; all three are ranked among the best of these programs nationally.