Forbes School of Business and Technology Celebrates the Esteemed Fulbright Specialist Placement of Assistant Dean Dr. Katie Thiry and Associate Faculty Dr. Diane Hamilton

In warmest congratulations! Katie Thiry, assistant dean of the Forbes School of Business and Technology® at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), and Diane Hamilton, associate faculty member and former MBA program chair at UAGC, have received the prestigious distinction of being included on the Fulbright Specialist Roster. This esteemed recognition, awarded for a distinguished tenure of three years, is presented by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and World Learning, highlighting the exceptional knowledge and dedication exhibited by these outstanding academic leaders.

This recognition is a testament to their incredible dedication and knowledge in the academic world. Selected through a highly competitive peer review process, Katie and Diane are now poised to embark on collaborative projects with institutions in over 150 countries worldwide. This is a true testament to their expertise and UAGC’s potential to forge international educational and cultural partnerships & create international opportunities.

Katie’s bio:

Dr. Katie Thiry is the Assistant Dean for Organizational Studies and Professor in the Forbes School of Business and Technology® at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Dr. Thiry is committed to transforming the higher education landscape and proactively acquires new tools and strategies to generate equitable outcomes for all students through extensive, continuous study and practice. Dr. Thiry earned the “Ensuring Equitable Student Success in Higher Education” certification from Harvard Graduate School of Education to gain a deeper understanding of student success. Dr. Thiry is a founding Board member for the Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) established by the Forbes School of Business and Technology® to provide a community for networking and professional development. Dr. Thiry is also a recognized expert in the HR field having earned the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Talent Acquisition Specialty Credential, and the Workplace Investigations Specialty Credential from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Committed to continuous learning, Dr. Thiry also completed the SHRM People Manager Qualification (PMQ). Thiry is also a Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) through the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI), and a Certified Professional in Learning & Performance (CPLP) by the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

Dr. Thiry is a founding Board member for the Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) established by the Forbes School of Business and Technology® to provide a community for networking and professional development. Dr. Thiry co-established the CWL Mentoring Program to support the Center's vision of a world in which all women are empowered as leaders. She holds a PhD in Education, with a specialization in Training and Performance Improvement, from Capella University; a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Diane’s bio:

Dr. Diane Hamilton is the Founder and CEO of Tonerra, a consulting and media-based business. She is the former MBA Program Chair at the Forbes School of Business and Technology. She is a keynote speaker and author of multiple books required in universities worldwide, including Cracking the Curiosity Code: The Key to Unlocking Human Potential and The Power of Perception: Eliminating Boundaries to Create Successful Global Leaders. Thinkers50 Radar, considered the Academy Awards for Leadership, chose her as one of the top minds in management and leadership.

Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) Studies GRIT in Graduates

Center for Women's Leadership
By Dr. Brandy Havens

As part of their ongoing commitment to bridging gender gaps and promoting equity in organizational leadership, the Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) at the Forbes School of Business & Technology (FSBT) recently conducted a study to assess the role that GRIT, comprised of elements of passion and perseverance, plays in the success of women working-parent students.

At the UAGC May 2023 graduation in Phoenix, Arizona, representatives of the CWL surveyed more than 100 women graduates, 68.6% of whom identified as parents, and were graduating with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. These graduates responded to ten prompts, originally developed by Angela Duckworth and published in her 2016 book, GRIT, the Power of Passion and Perseverance, designed to measure their GRIT based on the level to which they agreed with or identified with each prompt.

The results showed that parent graduates were slightly “grittier” than nonparent graduates in both passion and perseverance. Younger parents, those between 25 and 34 years of age, scored highest on the perseverance scale, while older parents, those between 55 and 64 years of age, scored highest on the passion scale. Perhaps the most interesting result occurred in a specific perseverance prompt: “Setbacks don’t discourage me.” Both parents and nonparents scored notably lower on this prompt compared with the other perseverance prompts, with parents scoring 37.3% lower and nonparents scoring 31.1% lower.

Understanding how passion and perseverance influence the success of women students places the CWL in a much better position to offer the resources, development opportunities, and community support that will be most beneficial for women students at UAGC.   

2023 University Fellows Program Roundtable Session 4

2023 University Fellows Program Roundtable Session 4

Each UAGC University Fellows Program Roundtable highlights one critical student goal and three recently completed UFP projects. Thursday, September 21st at 11 AM PT Critical Student Goal: Enhance students’ economic return Brandy Havens - Promoting GRIT in Online Women Students Karen Ivy - Applying Artificial Intelligence Toward Student Success Kelly Olson Stewart - Culture of Care: Exploring Perceptions of Support from UAGC Doctoral Students.

University Fellows Research Roundtable Recordings (UFP) 2023

University Fellows Program offers up to $100K in grants per year for faculty engaged in research. The findings from such research support the University’s critical student goals such as

1. Retaining students during their first year of enrollment.

 
2. Supporting completion of programs and educational goals driven by student-based timelines.

 
3. Offering high value credential with marketable skills.

 
4. Enhancing students’ economic return.

The grants can be used for research assistants, materials and supplies, equipment, software, conferences, travel expenses, publication fees, and other research-related activities.

2023 UFP Roundtable Session 1

Video Description: Each UAGC University Fellows Program Roundtable highlights one critical student goal and three recently completed UFP projects. Thursday, August 10th at 11 AM PT Critical Student Goal: Retain students during their first year of enrollment Stephanie Fink - Making the C.A.S.E. : ePortfolio-Driven Design in the Liberal Arts. Holly Ourso - Live Learning Mathematics Expansion to Required Virtual Live Learning Mathematics Holly Lopez - ECE Retention Project

 

2023 UFP Roundtable Session 2

Video Description: Each UAGC University Fellows Program Roundtable highlights one critical student goal and three recently completed UFP projects. Thursday, August 24th at 11 AM PT Critical Student Goal: Support completion of programs and educational goals driven by student-based timelines Dan Tinianow - Expanding on immersive experiences for students and faculty Clifford Blizard - One Small Step to Lifelong Learning: Assessing the Short- and Long-Term Impacts of an Environmental Footprint Reduction Project on General Education University Students Wendy Conaway - Preparing for the Oral Defense: Enhancing Doctoral Students’ Public Speaking Skills.

2023 UFP Roundtable Session 3

Video Description: Each UAGC University Fellows Program Roundtable highlights one critical student goal and three recently completed UFP projects. Thursday, September 7th at 11 AM PT Critical Student Goal: Offer high-value credentials with marketable skills Tanya Mooney - The Impact of Student Study Hours: Perceived Perception of First-Year Student Success and Persistence Dan Tinianow - Supporting student success with interstitial skills courses Hwangji Lu - The Effectiveness of Implementing ePortfolio in a Capstone Course: A Case Study

Congratulations to Dr. Karen Ivy – Fulbright Specialist

 “I don’t focus on what I’m up against. I focus on my goals, and I try to ignore the rest.”—Venus Williams

 Venus Williams and I share a winning passion in life… we focus on our goals!

I am excited to have recently received approval to be a Fulbright Specialist. This prestigious  awarded is granted by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and World Learning!  The Fulbright Program is a United States Cultural Exchange Program with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills.  

The Fulbright Specialist Program is a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week, project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe. This is a prestigious award, and I feel blessed to be chosen to represent the United States!

“As a Fulbright Scholar, I feel honored to have the opportunity to provide global impact on academic transformation for a host country!  This Fulbright collaboration aligns well with our UAGC mission and provides potential directions for future global collaborations for UAGC.”

My project focus with the host country will provide opportunities for global collaborations between UAGC students and students from the host country.  Structured with intent, my Fulbright program will support retention of students in their programs, enhance global  leadership skills, and provide global experiences and collaborations toward career preparation.

Dr. Karen Ivy

What do I look forward to during my time in the host country? Working on global teams with impact to academic transformation and student success!

 

     When we see the global world as one… we can achieve magnificent goals together!

            – Dr. Karen Ivy,  Fulbright Specialist

 

Want to find out more about the Fulbright Program, visit: https://www.fulbrightprogram.org/

Announcing UAGC Research Grants from the 2023-2024 University Fellows Program (UFP)

The research fellows Dr. Murad Abel, Dr. Hwangji Lu and administrator Stephanie Tweedie are proud to announce the 2023-2024 Grant Cycle!

UFP offers an annual funding allocation of $100,000 to support and promote faculty research and scholarship endeavors. It is essential to note that the grants awarded under this program are subject to a maximum limit of $10,000 per application or project.

2023-2024 Grant Cycle

24 proposal submissions

12- CAS

7- FSBT

5- SGS

$171,00+ in requested funds 

15 Grants Awarded

Coffee Shop Lecture | ‘Words of Wisdom’ by Sarah Steinberg, Ed.D. (Interviewed by Dr. Murad Abel)

Dr. Steinberg shares her 'words of wisdom' to provide heartfelt advice to students. The production is part of the Coffee Shop Lecture at Forbes School of Business & Technology MBA Club as an avenue of connecting industry and academic knowledge to enhance student learning.