SBU Physical Therapy Professors Earn National Recognition by ABPTS

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications

417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University Department of Physical Therapy would like to formally announce that two faculty members have earned national recognition by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Dr. Tom Sneed is now a Board Certified Orthopaedic Specialist (OCS) and Dr. Layman is now a Board Certified Neurology Specialist (NCS). The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) has certified 11,527 individuals who have demonstrated advanced clinical knowledge and skills in physical therapy specialty areas [ http://www.abpts.org/home.aspx ].

In order to earn this prestigious honor, candidates must submit a professional portfolio and application demonstrating advanced skill and clinical competence in the specific practice area. After review of the materials, the candidate is then either allowed to proceed to the examination phase or rejected. If allowed to proceed, the candidate must then sit for a specialist examination and must pass the examination before they can be recognized as a specialist.

With the formal recognition of Dr. Sneed and Dr. Layman by the ABPTS, the SBU Doctor of Physical Therapy faculty now has a complement that holds seven such specialist credentials and one fellow status as recognized by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists [http://www.aaompt.org/ ].

Tom Sneed, PT, DPT, OCS, is an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and has been part of the SBU faculty since 1997. He has earned degrees from Oklahoma University, Chapman University and Creighton University. Teaching responsibilities for Dr. Sneed include content related to musculoskeletal dysfunction, kinesiology and diagnostic imaging. Dr. Sneed has led several evangelical health care mission trips for physical therapy students to India.

Joshua Layman, PT, DPT, NCS, ATP, is an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy and has been part of the SBU faculty since 2010. He has earned degrees from Ozarks Technical College, Missouri State University, and Southwest Baptist University (’01 and ’07). Teaching responsibilities for Dr. Layman include content related to neurological disorders and physical therapy clinical sciences. Dr. Layman has led an evangelical health care mission trip for physical therapy students to Peru.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

SBU Announces Summer 2012 Commencement

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications

417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – SBU’s Summer Commencement Ceremony will be 7:00 p.m., Friday, July 27, 2012, in Pike Auditorium located in the Mabee Chapel building (next to the bell tower). Graduates will line up in the Meyer Recital Hall located in the Casebolt Music Center west of the Mabee Chapel building.

Graduates:

Graduates need to report for lineup at 6:00 p.m. dressed in their graduation attire.

A graduation information letter was mailed to the graduates on June 7. If you have not yet received a letter, contact the Office of the Provost immediately at 417-328-1601.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

SBU Announces Spring 2012 Graduate/Honor Roll Lists

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications

417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Since its founding in 1878, SBU has enjoyed a legacy of excellence in academics along with an intense passion for building Christ’s kingdom.

Follow the link below to see the Spring 2012 graduation list:

http://www.sbuniv.edu/news/graduates/index.html

Undergraduate students will graduate with honors according to the following GPAs. In order to be graduated with honors, students must have earned a minimum of 45 semester hours of credit at SBU prior to the semester of graduation.

Summa cum laude 3.850-4.00

Magna cum laude 3.700-3.849

Cum laude 3.500-3.699

Spring 2012 honor roll lists: http://www.sbuniv.edu/news/HonorRoll/index.html

Honor Roll
To be listed on the semester's honor roll, students must carry at least 12 hours of college work at Southwest Baptist University and earn at least a B (3.00 GPA), with no grade below C.
Trustees’ List ..................... 3.85 - 4.00 Deans’ List......................... 3.50 - 3.69
President's List ................... 3.70 - 3.84 Honor's List........................ 3.00 - 3.40

SBU graduates have gone on to excel at Harvard, Notre Dame, Dartmouth, and other Ivy League schools. Our graduates have served and are serving in national, local, and state government. They have had successful careers with companies such as Cerner, Smith Barney/CitiGroup, Hallmark, Proctor & Gamble, Dannon Inc., New York Life, Bayer, Eli Lilly and Company, John Deere, Boeing, Motorola, Intel and Microsoft.

Many SBU graduates have been chosen to pastor churches, lead worship, and serve as missionaries in North America and around the world. SBU is a leader among private universities in the Midwest in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students as servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

SBU Social Work Program Granted Second Year of Candidacy

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications

417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation voted in its June meeting to grant Southwest Baptist University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program a second year of candidacy status.

A second year in candidacy is the next milestone in the four-year accreditation process. A series of benchmarks and site visits must be achieved before the program is granted full accreditation. The program will be eligible for full accreditation in June of 2014.

In February, a site visitor met with the University’s president, provost, dean of the college of education and social sciences, chair of the department of behavioral sciences, social work faculty and students, and social service agency representatives. Additionally, both the visitor and other designated members of the COA reviewed the Benchmark II and program response documents submitted to CSWE.

“Being granted a second year of candidacy is an affirmation that the program is in line with CSWE’s policies and standards” said Christine Saladino, the BSW program director. “I am grateful for the continued support of the university administration and the Bolivar community as we go through the accreditation process.”

The BSW program admitted its first cohort of nine students during the fall of 2011. Those students will begin their second year of the program in August of 2012. Students in their second year will complete 450 hours of practicum in local social service agencies. Amanda Keys, SBU’s director of field education, will supervise students in their placements.

“Amanda has done a tremendous job laying the foundation for our field education program this year” said Saladino. “Much of the success in this latest CSWE benchmark is directly attributable to her dedication and efforts.”

A new cohort of students will be admitted this fall. The BSW program expects to see an increase in the number of students enrolled. Additionally, the program is continuing to see increased interest in the social work major from prospective students.

The BSW program at SBU will prepare students to be professional social workers who will be able to work in many different practice settings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, the profession is growing faster than average for all occupations, especially in the areas of aging and health care services. There are currently more than 640,000 professional social workers employed in the United States.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association representing more than 2,500 individual members, as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in this country.

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats

SBU Announces Accreditation for Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

SBU Announces Accreditation for Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Southwest Baptist University News Release

Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications

417-328-1803 / ssmith@sbuniv.edu

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University College of Education and Social Sciences announced its accreditation for a new doctoral program, and applications are being accepted for the fall 2012 cohort of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership degree.

The new doctoral degree specifically prepares leaders and administrators for service in school administration and other leadership roles in various non-profit or church-affiliated organizations. The program has been developed and approved under the guidelines required by the Higher Learning Commission.

Dr. Pam Hedgpeth, director of the new degree program, said, “The SBU Ed.D. program has been designed from a practitioner’s perspective, supported by current literature and with input from local, state and national educational leaders. This unique program provides coursework and authentic experiences that stretch students to re-think the role of leadership in creating and facilitating a true learning organization that is highly responsive to current educational challenges and opportunities.”

“The addition of the Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership in the College of Education and Social Sciences at Southwest Baptist University will strengthen the mission and vision of the department,” said Dean Linda Wooderson. “It is our desire to produce administrators who are caring, effective practitioners in today's schools.”

Dr. Wooderson continued, “The program seeks to engage faculty and students with the intention of working collaboratively toward effective schools, vital communities, and a re-invigorated state. It is a specialized program in advanced educational leadership practice and is tailored to the needs and interests of targeted students.

The program involves learners in a variety of educational experiences including discussions of current research and leadership practice, self-reflection, innovative technological applications, simulations, field-based learning, professional seminars and other experiences deemed current and appropriate.

The program employs a cohort model to provide a number of benefits to students including support, group feedback, peer mentoring, networking, and collaborative insights. Advisors are assigned to students the first semester of their coursework with the purpose of providing ongoing guidance and facilitation for the individual directed research project.

The expectation for those completing the Doctor of education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership program will be to expand their skills as servant leaders who can demonstrate essential knowledge and processes capable of creating a positive culture, increasing organizational/student performance, and facilitating the development of a highly successful learning organization.

Department Chair Dr. Jim Truelove said, “SBU has a strong tradition of preparing students to be servant leaders.  To further this mission, SBU has implemented this new doctoral degree program. An integral part of the degree is the opportunity it affords students to develop expertise in providing transformative leadership for our schools.  We are excited about this new frontier for SBU and the possibilities it will create for our students.” 

For more information, please call toll-free 1-800-792-4191 or visit www.SBUniv.edu/EdD

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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. At SBU, the faculty and staff create a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.

SBU’s Office of Marketing and Communications is available to news media 24 hours a day at (417) 399-7918.

www.Twitter.com/SBUniv

www.Twitter.com/SBUbearcats