promoting well-being, enhancing lives

NIU FacilitiesScientific labs American Sign Language Laboratory – Wirtz Hall

Medical Laboratory Sciences Laboratories – DuSable Hall

Dietetic Intern Resource Room – Wirtz Hall

Foods laboratory – Wirtz Hall

Nursing Teaching Laboratory – Nursing Building

Nursing Human Patient Simulation Laboratory – Nursing Building

Nutrition Assessment Laboratory – Wirtz Hall

PT Teaching Laboratory – McMurry Hall

Teaching Methods Laboratory – McMurry Hall

Textiles Laboratory – Wirtz Hall

Clinical practice sitesChandelier Room Catering – Adams Hall

Child Development Laboratory – Gable Hall

Ellington’s Dining Room – Holmes Student Center

Family Therapy Clinic – Wirtz Hall

Physical Therapy Clinic – Family Health, Wellness and Literacy Center

Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic – Family Health, Wellness and Literacy Center

Museum collections Historic Costume Collection – Wirtz Hall

Did youknow?

• In 2012, Medical Laboratory Sciences students achieved a 100 percent pass rate on their licensure examination, which is necessary for employment in the field.

• In 2012, three of the 18 summer internship po-sitions at the Mayo Clinic went to students in the NIU Medical Laboratory Sciences program.

• The Doctorate in Audiology program, the Speech-Language Pathology program and the Doctor of Physical Therapy program all are highly ranked with outstanding pass rates on licensure exams.

• The nurse practitioner graduates’ pass rate on the American Nurses Credentialing Center certification exam is above the national average.

• NIU undergrad nursing students can be admitted as freshmen. Most other programs only admit at the beginning of the nursing courses.

• NIU nursing students are assigned faculty advisers for professional issues in addition to course plan-ning advisers.

• NIU nursing students are active in the leadership of National Student Nurses Association.

• The School of Nursing and Health Studies owns a state-of-the-art Human Patient Simulation labora-tories.

• The Child Development Laboratory is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and was recently recognized with the highest quality rating. Only six other centers in the state of Illinois have met the criteria for this level of recognition.

• Since 2000, FCNS has offered a National Council on Family Relations approved Certified Family Life Educator program.

• As one of only two COAMFTE (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Edu-cation) accredited programs in Illinois and the only state funded, the Specialization in Marriage & Fam-ily Therapy has been training high quality Marriage and Family Therapists since the early 1980s.

NIU’s College of Health and Humans

Sciences offers 12 undergraduate majors

(including an interdisciplinary major), 10

minors, three certificates of undergraduate

and graduate study, teacher certification

and a wide menu of graduate programs,

including doctoral degrees.

Due to the high quality of NIU’s programs

and market demand, many graduates

from the College of Health and Human

Sciences are employed before or shortly

after graduation. Graduates of our programs

hold leadership positions in national and

international organizations, working to

pave the way for outstanding services and

best practices.

Full listings of academic programs are

available online:

• Undergraduate: catalog.niu.edu

• Graduate: niu.edu/gradcatalog/

Student Opportunities

Did youknow?

• NIU has offered a

nationally accredited

Master of Public

Health (M.P.H.) degree

since 1997. The latest

innovation provides

the same high quality

courses, all available

online, in the health

services management

specialization. With

potential completion in 18

months of actual course

work, this degree is one of

the most reasonably priced,

fully accredited M.P.H.

degrees offered.

ResearchResearch RookiesCHHS faculty members team with undergraduate students in the Huskie Research Rookies program. Students are linked with faculty mentors in their major or area of interest to conduct a small-scale research project. The results are presented at the annual Undergraduate Research and Artistry Day. (niu.edu/urad/)

USOARNIU’s USOAR program funds student-generated research projects, whether the study is conducted on campus, somewhere else in the United States or overseas. Students whose proposals are selected are granted up to $2,500 to carry out their projects.

For example, public health major Jeffrey Lamble explored the lives of open landfill scavengers in Central America.

An estimated 4,000 “waste pickers” in Guatemala City turn small profits by rifling through the 40 acres of trash for reusable items that they can pocket and sometimes sell. This includes food.

Unfortunately, their labors expose them to environmental health hazards with adverse effects. Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane gases harm their lungs.

Neighbors within close proximity of the landfill who aren’t actively digging through the its waste are vulnerable to the air pollution and the high concentrations of lead and other poisons that seep into the municipal water system.

“Dr. Conklin went above and beyond in assisting me with my research project. Even though she was extremely busy, she always managed to make time to meet with me at least once, sometimes two or three times a week.” — a Research Rookie

Mentoring

CHHS mentoring programs offer new students the

opportunity to interact with

experienced students and gain

knowledge about their program

of interest. CHHS mentors

provide support for areas

such as social skills, program

navigation, academic skills

and professional involvement.

Mentoring also assists CHHS

students in developing career

paths.

Sally Conklin, a professor

in the School of Nursing and

Health Studies, was honored

with the “Faculty Mentor of

the Year” award during NIU’s

third annual Undergraduate

Research and Artistry Day.

This honor is bestowed on

faculty mentors who have

demonstrated a special

commitment to ensuring

a successful experience

for students. Conklin’s

research interests include

advocacy for comprehensive

sexuality education, youth

asset development, cultural

competence and social justice

regarding diversity and sexual

orientation.

Mentoring

The Hospitality Administration Mentor program pairs industry

mentors with selected

students whose interests

match mentors’ professional

areas. The experience from

the mentor program helps

students transitioning

from academic life to the

workforce. Students receive

real world industry advice and

experience from their mentors

through visits, job shadowing,

and networking opportunities.

Health Professions HouseDouglas Hall’s Health Professions House, a joint venture between the college and Housing & Dining since 2001, is home to about 240 students interested in health- and service-related majors and careers. This endeavor began with the vision to foster professional, academic and personal relationships among students and faculty in a residential living environment. Residents of the wing are offered exclusive opportunities to enrich their college careers through academic, social, and services activities and special programming. “Dine and Discuss” dinner sessions welcome faculty and local professionals.

Field Experiences/Study Abroad/Internship OpportunitiesMost CHHS majors require some experiential learning, which can include clinicals, field experiences, student teaching, practicums, and others. These experiences help students apply theories learned in classes to real-life applications under the guidance of faculty and supervisors who hold appropriate credentials in their practice area. Study abroad opportunities abound for CHHS students in such interesting places as Indonesia, Belize and London.

The Military Science Department offers an internship opportunity for nursing cadets through the Nurse Summer Training Program. Cadets spend three to four weeks at a major military medical center in either the United States or abroad, where they work side-by-side with experienced Army nurses in one of several medical care specialties.

CHHS has more than 400 external practicum sites. Strategic affiliations with prominent health care

organizations allow students in the schools of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences, Allied Health and Communicative Disorders, and Nursing and Health Studies to gain real-world experience during internships with many of the region’s premier employers.

Student GroupsCHHS Student Groups

are a great way to meet new

students who have like-

minded interests. CHHS

Student Groups encourage

students to engage in

community outreach and

have positive experiences

while serving the community.

The following are some

examples of CHHS student

groups.

Communicative Disorders Student Association (COMDSA)

• Volunteers visit DeKalb County homeless shelter Hope Haven weekly to read books, play games and make crafts with the children who live there.

• COMDSA participates in the “Book Drives for Better Lives” program with Better World Books. By collecting all kinds of books, the group saves books from landfills, sends books to Africa and generates funding for literacy organizations.

Fashion Industries Organization• The Fashion Industries Organization is designed for students interested in fashion or in the fashion industry. It is especially

helpful for those students in Textiles, Apparel and Merchandising major and minor. During the year, special trips are planned to give students a background in the industry.

Student Dietetic Association (SDA)

• SDA is a community-based, non- profit organization composed of more than 100 students of various majors. Its mission is to educate the community about health and nutrition and to apply nutritional knowledge into community service projects. SDA participates in Crop Hunger Walk, Empty Bowls, healthier bake sales and the NIU Wellness Fair.

Student Nurse Organization (SNO)

• SNO designed to support the intellectual and professional interests of undergraduate nursing students. SNO is a venue to promote professional networking among nursing students. Students have the opportunity to become involved in the state and national Student Nurses Organization and to become involved in community service.

Living/Learning Communities

Both undergraduate and graduate nutrition students are involved in public service projects, such as providing food demonstrations and handouts at the Aurora’s Saturday Farmers Market.

Kohl’s Corp. provides NIU’s Textiles,

Apparel and Merchandising

program with educational classroom

presentations as well as funding

for course-embedded student

competitions, a yearly fashion show

and professional development

programs for students. Funding

from Kohl’s also supports the Kohl’s

Merchandising Laboratory, which

houses computer technology for

student learning and includes

equipment and software applications

that specifically support the Textiles,

Apparel and Merchandising program.

Kohl’s also funds a graduate

assistantship to support integration of

this technology into the classroom.

Did youknow?

Professor Long was one of those rare teachers who always seemed to

leave me with more questions than answers, with an insatiable desire to

know more and do more. (He) continuously challenged me to challenge

myself, and in doing so, enabled me to develop deeper trust in my own

abilities, courage to use my voice and a refreshing zest for advocacy and

empowerment. —former student Lisa Gagliano

Faculty excellenceGreg Long, professor of

Rehabilitative Counseling

within the School of Allied

Health and Communicative

Disorders, has spent a lifetime

advancing the civil rights

of people with disabilities.

He has spent much of his

academic career working to

lift barriers around higher

education, and has instilled

social justice thinking and

advocacy skills in students

from all majors who enroll in

his popular general education

course “Disability and

Society.”

His leadership of the

Presidential Commission

on Persons with Disabilities

successfully promoted

American Sign Language

as a path for students to

fulfill foreign language

requirements. He has pushed

to make NIU more accessible

for all by changing attitudes

that remove obstacles.

As a teacher, he books guest

speakers who tell compelling

stories of their failures,

hardships, achievements and

happiness. He introduces

“disability etiquette” and

“person-first language”

to help students grow

more comfortable in their

interactions with persons

with disabilities.

Jim Ciesla, professor of

Public Health within the

School of Nursing and

Health Studies, specializes

in evaluating outcomes

of programs that provide

services to people in

disadvantaged groups. His

evaluation projects have

assessed such things as the

effectiveness of substance

abuse treatment services,

technology literacy and

access programs and public

health planning.

He routinely includes

students in his field work,

and has forged important,

long-standing partnerships

with organizations and

individuals throughout

NIU’s service region.

Dr. Ciesla has been the

most influential educator of

my adult life. He involved

me in field work with the

Broadband Technologies

Opportunity Project, and I

learned about the struggles

and barriers faced on a

daily basis by those with

low income, the elderly and

people with special needs. I

could not have imagined it

before because of my limited

view of the world.

— student Daniel Focosi

Sarah Cosbey is

associate professor

of Textiles, Apparel

and Merchandising in

the School of Family,

Consumer and Nutrition

Sciences. Professor

Cosbey strives to make

learning a positive,

pleasurable experience,

which is an important

part of her teaching

philosophy: Learning is

not only an academic

endeavor, but a personal

one. She values clear

and accessible teaching

methods while

encouraging students

“to hold themselves

to a high standard of

performance.”

Beverly Henry is

associate professor of

Nutrition and Dietetics

in the School of Family,

Consumer and Nutrition

Sciences. Henry published

21 articles and has

supervised 20 master’s

theses since joining the

faculty eight years ago.

Her primary research focus

is to enhance a person-

centered focus to delivery

of health care. She took

sabbatical leave as a research

consultant on a large grant

received by Northwestern

University’s Feinberg School

of Medicine. Her research

centered on how patients

perceive their medical

team’s communication.

Sherrill Morris is

associate professor of

Communicative Disorders

in the School of Allied

Health and Communicative

Disorders. Her philosophy

of service is ex-pressed

in her mentoring and

teaching of students, her

service to the American

Speech-Language-Hearing

Association, and her

service within NIU.

Faculty excellence

“Through learning, we also discover who we are, and what is important to us as individuals.” —Sarah C

ResearchFaculty in the College of Health and

Human Sciences work to solve real-

life problems and share what they

discover with our students in the

classroom. Many projects directly

impact the health of people in our

region, but many also improve

quality of care on national and

international levels.

StrokeJamie Mayer, assistant professor in the School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders, systemat-ically tests the feasibility and effica-cy of computer programs designed to maximize and/or rehabilitate brain function for stroke survivors. This line of research is especially crucial given that (1) neuroplasticity research has demonstrated that re-covery from stroke occurs months to years following stroke, well beyond the point at which most therapy ser-vices (e.g., speech-language therapy) have ceased, and (2) many of the “brain fitness” programs available to the general population are designed for neurologically intact individuals rather than stroke survivors.

Traumatic brain injuryOne area of focus within the School of Allied Health and Communica-tive Disorders is research leading to rehabilitation services to specif-ically help U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with the complex traumatic brain injury issues is of critical need. Called the “invisible wound” – a very serious injury can be sustained without visible indicators – TBI has been named the “Signature Wound” of the War on Terror. Shock wave blasts from improvised explosive devices, rocket propelled grenades and land mines are the leading cause of TBI for active duty military personnel in combat zones. Reports indicate that

up to 20 percent of returning vet-erans exhibit symptoms of having sustained traumatic brain injury.

NutritionThe Northern Illinois Food Bank received a grant from Ronald Mc-Donald House Charities and Feeding America. This provided an oppor-tunity for Amy Ozier, a faculty member from the School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences, to work with a team of students, community members and NIFB staff to implement the “Whole Grains for the Whole Family” nutrition educa-tion program.

Diverse populationsWendy Bostwick, assistant pro-fessor in the School of Nursing and Health Studies, studies health dis-parities among LGBT populations. Bostwick is interested in the ways in which experiences of discrimi-nation, stigma and prejudice can affect mental health and well-being, including substance use behaviors.

Cancer treatmentDonna Plonczynski, associate professor in the School of Nursing and Health Studies, works with an

interdisciplinary team that includes researchers from nursing, public health and kinesthesiology. The group, which collaborates with three regional hospitals on health promo-tion techniques for women undergo-ing treatment for cancer, is evaluat-ing outcomes of an activity program on quality of life and fatigue.

FamiliesJane Rose Njue, associate professor in Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences, is conducting an interna-tionally focused program of research focusing on family strengths. Family strengths research focuses on how families succeed in the face of life’s inherent difficulties, believing that families are resilient and can work to overcome their challenges. Njue has collected data about families in both Kenya and Mongolia and has presented her data in a variety of global venues.

Northern Illinois University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, status based on the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA) or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran. Further, the Constitution and Bylaws of Northern Illinois University provides for equal treatment regardless of political views or affiliation, and sexual orientation. Inquiries concerning application of Title IX, Section 504, and other statutes and regulations may be referred to the Affirmative Action and Diversity Resources Center, 1515 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, IL 60115, telephone (815) 753-1118. Printed by authority of the State of Illinois. www.niu.edu 3/13 3.6M E056

Welcome from the DeanWelcome to the College of Health and Human Sciences at Northern Illinois University.

The College has dynamic programs in three schools (the School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders, the School of Family,

Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences, and the School of Nursing and Health Studies) and the Department of Military Science. Students gain appreciation of multiple perspectives in their preparation for professional and career fields in health and human sciences.

Our faculty and staff are committed to excellence in teaching and service to our students. Faculty are accomplished in professional practice and share their expertise in classroom and experiential (clinical) teaching/learning. As researchers, they actively contribute to advancements in their professional areas.

The College of Health and Human Sciences has 17 dedicated teaching laboratories and clinics and over 400 external practicum sites. Eleven of our health related programs are accredited, an important measure of program quality. The pass rate for our graduates in areas requiring licensure and/or certification has consistently been at or above the national mean. Because of the quality of our programs and market demand, many graduates from our college are employed before or shortly after graduation.

Because programs offered within the College are in high demand, admission into many majors is competitive and based on academic performance. Please feel free to contact us with questions at chhs@niu.edu.

Derryl Block, Dean College of Health and Human Sciences

Accreditations• ACEND – Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

• CAA - Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology

• CAA - Council on Academic Accreditation in Speech Language Pathology

• CAEP - Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

• CAPTE - Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education

• CCNE - Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

• CEPH – Council on Education for Public Health

• COAMFTE – Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education

• CORE - Council on Rehabilitation Education

• NAACLS – National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

• NAEYC - National Association for the Education of Young Children