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Dr. Constance Swenty Named Interim Dean Of USI College Of Nursing

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The University of Southern Indiana has named Dr. Constance Swenty, Associate Professor of Nursing, as the Interim Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, effective Monday, January 3. She previously served as Assistant Dean of Nursing for the College. Swenty succeeds Dr. Ann White, who will retire at the end of the Fall 2021 Semester after 32 years of service to USI.

A member of the USI faculty since 2006, Swenty entered academia after serving as a school nurse, staff nurse and childbirth instructor in Missouri, California and Florida. In 2014, she was the primary investigator for a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to build collaborative teamwork into the nursing and health professions curriculum.

Swenty holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Drury University, a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Clarkson College, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from USI, where she is a member of the inaugural class of graduates from the DNP program. Her primary research areas are wound care and nursing education, and she has been published in The Indiana Bulletin, International Journal of Human Caring, Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice and The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, among others.

A national search to fill the dean position will begin this Spring.

The College of Nursing and Health Professions, one of four colleges at the University of Southern Indiana, has a global influence in health, healthcare and healthcare education with over 1,900 students from 31 states enrolled in 12 academic programs. The College offers baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs in nursing, and programs in dental assisting, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography, food and nutrition, health informatics and information management, health services, health administration, occupational therapy, radiologic and imaging sciences, and respiratory therapy. The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, a doctoral degree in nursing practice, and post-graduate APRN certificate at USI are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Will Named Interim Executive Director Of Human Resources

Sarah Will has been named the Interim Executive Director of Human Resources at USI, effective immediately. She will report to Steve Bridges, Vice President for Finance and Administration.

Will, who was previously the Associate Director, joined USI Human Resources in 2010. In her tenure, she has served as a Human Resources Generalist, Manager of Employment, and as Assistant Director.

Prior to arriving at USI, Will was a Human Resources Manager at Shoe Carnival. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from USI.

A national search for the Executive Director of Human Resources position will begin this Spring.

The Human Resources executive director is responsible for leading the University’s human resources team, which provides faculty/staff recruitment and onboarding, employee relations, benefits design, negotiation and administration, compensation administration and performance management, payroll, immigration services, training and development, and legal compliance, including campus-wide Title IX compliance and non-discrimination for more than 2,500 employees and more than 9,000 students.

Spreading Goodwill Throughout Vanderburgh, Posey Counties

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Spreading Goodwill Throughout Vanderburgh, Posey Counties

Sharing our blessings with those in need is a great way to spread joy and kindness during the holidays.

Food pantries are always seeking donations and volunteers as they work hard to feed families. In Vanderburgh and Posey counties, the Tri-State Food Bank and Evansville Commission on Food Security help thousands of people, and the demand increases for hot meals as it gets colder and as we near Christmas.

Evansville’s Holly’s House provides services to victims and survivors of intimate crimes and is in need of volunteers and donations. Check out thelist of needed items.

University of Evansville leads MVC in Graduation Success Rate

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Aces Finish With Top Total In The League

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – On Thursday, the NCAA released Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data and the top score in the Missouri Valley Conference belonged to the University of Evansville.  This marks the fourth year in a row that UE has led or tied for the top conference score.

With a score of 97, the Purple Aces paced the MVC with two schools finishing just behind with tallies of 96.  The NCAA GSR report gives graduation information for students and student-athletes who entered college in 2014, the most recent class for which the required six years of information is available. It also breaks down the GSR by sport, using a four-year class average (2011-2014) called a cohort rate to provide a big enough sample.

“This recognition is a testament to the coaches and student-athletes at the University of Evansville,” UE Director of Athletics Mark Spencer said.  “As a department, we are committed to providing a student-athlete experience that is second to none and the scores that our department has achieved are a reflection of that commitment.”

Beginning in Spring 2020, a portion of Division I revenue was distributed to member schools based on the academic achievement of student-athletes. The model allows schools with higher graduation rates and academic success to qualify for more funds.

Evansville had multiple sports finish with perfect scores of 100.  Those programs included men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s cross country, and track and field, women’s golf, softball, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and diving, women’s cross country, and track and field along with volleyball.

“We are quite proud of this achievement sitting atop the MVC for a fourth consecutive year,” UE Senior Associate AD for Internal Operations Sarah Solinsky exclaimed.  “This is accomplished with the commitment of our coaches recruiting high-quality student-athletes and our University’s team effort in supporting our student-athletes in their pursuit of academic excellence.”

 

THE CRITERIA
A school earns an academic unit by meeting any ONE of the three standards.

  • The graduation Success Rate for the most recently available year is equal to or greater than 90 percent. The average of single-year rates for all teams is used.
  • The difference between student-athlete and student body percentages in the most recently published Federal Graduation Rate is equal to or greater than 13 percentage points.
  • The Academic Progress Rate for the previous year is equal to or greater than 985. The average of single-year scores for all teams is used to determine eligibility for this standard.

 

EPA Announces Water Infrastructure Funding For States Through The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced funding that states, Tribes, and territories will receive in 2022 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding, provided through EPA’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, will create jobs while upgrading America’s aging water infrastructure and addressing key challenges like lead in drinking water and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. In a letter sent to Governors today, the Administrator encouraged states to maximize the impact of water funding from the law – an unprecedented nationwide total of $50 billion investment – to address disproportionate environmental burdens in historically underserved communities across the country.

“With President Biden’s leadership and congressional action, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has created a historic opportunity to correct longstanding environmental and economic injustices across America,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As leaders, we must seize this moment. Billions of dollars are about to start flowing to states and it is critical that EPA partners with states, Tribes, and territories to ensure the benefits of these investments are delivered in the most equitable way.”

EPA will allocate $7.4 billion to states, Tribes, and territories for 2022, with nearly half of this funding available as grants or principal forgiveness loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across rural America and in urban centers. The 2022 allocation is the first of five years of nearly $44 billion in dedicated EPA SRF funding that states will receive through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For more than 30 years, the SRFs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. However, many vulnerable communities facing water challenges have not received their fair share of federal water infrastructure funding. Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, states have a unique opportunity to correct this disparity.

Administrator Regan recently completed a “Journey to Justice” tour across the American South where he heard from families and advocates about their struggles with exposure to water pollution in their communities. For children, exposure to lead can cause irreversible and life-long health effects, including decreasing IQ, focus, and academic achievement. At the same time, families that live near high levels of contaminants such as PFAS or “forever chemicals” are at risk to develop adverse health outcomes.

The implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law calls for strong partnership, and EPA stands ready to work with states to ensure that communities see the full benefits of this investment.

USI Track & Field Opens Early Bird Slate Saturday

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University of Southern Indiana Track & Field opens its 2021-22 schedule with a pair of early bird meets during the next two weekends.

The Screaming Eagles will be sending a select number of distance runners to compete at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Open Saturday in Allendale, Michigan. USI finishes its early bird slate with the Eastern Illinois University Early Bird December 10 in Charleston, Illinois, when its sprinters, jumpers and throwers take center stage for the first time this year.

USI’s women are coming off a strong 2020-21 campaign that saw them finish in a tie for 23rd at the NCAA II Indoor Championships before closing the year with a fourth-place finish at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Outdoor Championships. The Eagles’ men sent competitors to both the NCAA II Indoor and Outdoor Championships and finished seventh at the GLVC Outdoor Championships last spring.

Following the holiday break, the Eagles resume their indoor season on January 21 at the Bellarmine Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky. The GLVC Indoor Championships are February 26-27 in Indianapolis, Indiana, while the NCAA II Indoor Championships are March 11-12 in Pittsburg, Kansas.

The Eagles are slated to begin their outdoor schedule March 25-26 at the Margaret Simmons Invite in Murray, Kentucky. The GLVC Outdoor Championships are May 5-7 in Bolivar, Missouri, while the NCAA II Outdoor Championships are May 26-28 in Allendale, Michigan.

THUNDERBOLTS PREPARE FOR HUNTSVILLE TRIP, RETURN TO HOST BULLS 

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 Evansville, Ind: After splitting the past weekend’s games in Macon, the Thunderbolts prepare for their first meeting of the season against the first-place Huntsville Havoc in Huntsville on Friday, before returning home to face the Birmingham Bulls this Saturday night.

Week In Review: 

On Friday night, Peter De Coppi, Zane Jones, and Tanner Butler scored a goal each, while Kai Edmonds stopped all 18 shots faced as the Thunderbolts opened the weekend in Macon with a 3-0 shutout victory.  On Saturday night, goals from Jones and Austin Plevy kept Evansville afloat by a 2-1 score until the final two minutes of regulation, where Macon stormed back with two quick goals to swipe the victory away from Evansville, as the Thunderbolts were forced to settle for the weekend split.

The Week Ahead: 

The Thunderbolts will be in Huntsville to take on the Havoc this Friday night, faceoff at 7:00 pm CT.  Friday’s game can be viewed on SPHL TV with a subscription through HockeyTV or can be listened to for free through the Thunderbolts Radio Network; at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com/Fan-Center/Listen, or on the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel.  On Saturday, the Thunderbolts host the Birmingham Bulls, faceoff at 7:00 pm CT.  For tickets, call 812-422-BOLT(2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office.

Scouting the Opponent: 

  • Huntsville Havoc: 
    • Record: 14-1-0, 28 Points, 1st Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Rob Darrar (12 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Jacob Barber/Sy Nutkevich (26 Points Each)
    • Primary Goaltender: Max Milosek (10-1-0, .930 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 21-22 Record vs HSV: 0-0-0The Havoc continued their outstanding start in the past week, defeating Birmingham 4-1 at home on Thanksgiving Day, off goals from Rob Darrar, Nolan Kaiser, Jacob Barber, and Tyler Piacentini, along with a strong 33-save performance from goaltender Hunter Vorva.  Huntsville went on to defeat Pensacola 5-2 at home on Friday night, as Piacentini, Barber and Kaiser scored once again, supplemented by goals from Cole Reginato and Sy Nutkevich, along with another 33-save effort, this time from starting goaltender Max Milosek.
  • Birmingham Bulls: 
    • Record: 2-9-4, 8 Points, 9th Place
    • Leading Goal Scorer: Russell Jordan (6 Goals)
    • Leading Point Scorer: Russell Jordan/Mike Davis (12 Points Each)
    • Primary Goaltender: Hayden Stewart (1-5-1, .881 Save %)
    • Thunderbolts 21-22 Record vs BHM: 2-0-0Unlike their Northern Alabama counterparts, the Bulls lost both games this past week, starting with the 4-1 loss in Huntsville, with the lone goal scored by Jake Cass.  The Bulls would then suffer a 2-0 defeat in Knoxville on Friday night, despite a strong effort from goaltender Austin Lotz, who only allowed a single goal on 35 shots faced.  The Bulls play tonight, December 2nd, at home against the Macon Mayhem, and host the Knoxville Ice Bears on Friday, December 3rd, before traveling to Evansville on Saturday.
    • Call-up Report 

      – Kyle Thacker (Cincinnati Cyclones – ECHL) 
      – Games Played: 8 (5 with Iowa Heartlanders, 3 with Cincinnati) 
      – 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 1 Point, 4 PIM

      Cooper Jones (Idaho Steelheads – ECHL) 

    •              – Games Played: 4 (1 with Jacksonville IceMen, 3 with Idaho) 
      – 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point, 0 PIM

 – Cole Stallard (Iowa Heartlanders – ECHL) 
– Games Played: 8
– 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Points, 23 PIM

– Kai Edmonds (Tulsa Oilers – ECHL) 
– Games Played: 0
– 0-0-0, .000%, 0.00 GAA

Transactions:  

Wed. 12/1: Ryan Edquist signed to a contract
Mon. 11/29: Kai Edmonds loaned to Tulsa (ECHL)

The Thunderbolts are currently competing in their fifth season in the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League).  Season tickets are less than $9 per game.  To order your tickets for this season, call 812-422-BOLT(2658).

Volleyball earns milestone win to open NIVC

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Aces pick up 20th win to advance to second round

 CHICAGO – The first trip to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship started off as an outstanding success for the University of Evansville volleyball team, who defeated Sam Houston by a 3-0 final on the campus of Chicago State University.

With the victory, the Purple Aces clinched win #20 of the season, the first such campaign since 1988 and the sixth time UE has done so in program history.  Evansville advances to Friday’s second round, which will begin at 7 p.m. CT against the winner of tonight’s Bradley/Chicago State match.

“Our team played great tonight.  Our message throughout the whole week was that we had to go back to our game; we were focusing too much on our opponents,” Aces head coach Fernando Morales said.  “Clinching a 20-win season is a great step towards our long-term goals.  We look forward to making a run in the NIVC.”

MVC Freshman of the Year Giulia Cardona led the way with 21 kills while recording 9 digs and 3 aces.  An efficient hitting effort saw her finish at .405.  Alondra Vazquez earned 18 kills and 9 digs while Melanie Feliciano posted 7 kills and 9 digs.  Taya Haffner totaled 42 assists and 8 digs while Blakeley Freeman had the top tally for UE with 13 digs.  Sam Houston was led by Catherine Krieger’s 12-kill performance.

 

Set 1 – UE 25, Sam Houston 21

Alondra Vazquez recorded five kills in the opening set to help the Aces grab the early advantage.  Kills by Giulia Cardona and Melanie Feliciano put UE on top by a 3-1 score to open before Sam Houston came back to tie the set at 8-8.  A 6-4 stretch by the Bearkats gave them their first lead at 14-12.  Consecutive aces by Cardona put the lead right back in the Aces hands at 15-14 before Sam Houston came back to tie it up at 18-18.  A pivotal stretch by Evansville saw them take a 24-19 lead before winning by a 25-21 final.

 

Set 2 – UE 25, Sam Houston 21

Once again it was Evansville with the strong start, posting four of the first five points with Cardona and Vazquez adding two kills apiece.  The Bearkats got within a pair at 9-7 before UE extended its lead to a high mark of seven points.  A 4-0 spurt got things started with Vazuqez adding three more kills before an ace from Taya Haffner made it a 16-9 game.  Sam Houston chipped away at the UE lead, cutting the gap to a pair at 19-17, but Evansville countered and it was two more kills from Vazquez that finished off another 25-21 UE win.

 

Set 3 – UE 25, Sam Houston 21

For the third game in a row, UE had the upper hand in the early going.  Kate Tsironis along with Cardona picked up two kills each in a 6-2 run to open the set.  In a set that mirrored the first two frames, Sam Houston fought back in the next segment, embarking on a 3-0 run to knot the game at 12-12.  In this instance, they were unable to get over the hump to take a lead.  Evansville responded with four in a row in a run that would see them score seven out of eight tallies to go up 19-13.  Cardona got it started with a kill before Vazquez capped it off with one of her own.  The Bearkats never relented and made a final rally to cut the gap to 21-20.  It was Vazquez who had the point to get her squad back on track before an ace by Laura Ruiz capped off the third 25-21 decision of the night.

 

Eagles hold on to defeat Stars, 64-52 Polakovich leads the way with 28 points, 12 rebounds

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University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball built a 20-point second half lead and had to hold on late to defeat the University of Illinois Springfield, 64-52, Thursday evening in Springfield, Illinois. USI goes to 3-2, while Illinois Springfield falls to 2-5.

The Screaming Eagles spotted the Prairie Stars a 5-0 lead before senior guard Mateo Rivera (Indianapolis, Indiana) hit a jumper to ignite a 26-4 run that was capped off by an alley-oop dunk by freshman guard Elijah Jones (Chicago Heights, Illinois). USI was a blistering 12-of-17 as a team from the field during the run and was led by Rivera and junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) had seven points each during the run.

The Stars would out score the Eagles, 6-4, in the final minutes of the half, but USI left the court at the break with a 15-point lead, 30-15.

USI would continue to the rally into the second half extending the lead to 20 points, 56-36, with nine minutes to play in the contest. The Stars, however, were not done as they would outscore USI, 16-4, in the next seven minutes and cut the Eagles’ advantage to 60-52 with 2:10 remaining.

The Eagles’ defense would shutout the Stars over the next two minutes, while the offense would finish the game at the free throw stripe. Junior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan), senior guard/forward Clayton Hughes (Jackson, Tennessee), and Rivera combined to convert four-of-six free throws to shut the door on the 64-52 victory.

Polakovich led the way for the Eagles, doubling up the Stars with career and season-highs. He posted a collegiate career-best and USI career-high 28 points (topping the 17 point performance for the University of Indianapolis versus Truman State University in 2019-20) and grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds for his first USI double-double. The junior forward recorded his 28 points by dropping in nine-of-16 from the field and 10-of-14 from the line.

Rivera joined Polakovich in double-digits with 11 points, hitting a blistering four-of-five from the field, including a pair of three-pointers, and one-of-two from the stripe.

COMING UP FOR USI:

USI rolls to 13-point win at Illinois Springfield Eagles have five in double-digits

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University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball rolled to a 13-point, 98-85 victory over the University of Illinois Springfield Thursday evening in Springfield, Illinois. USI goes to 6-1, while Illinois Springfield falls to 5-1.

The Screaming Eagles took command midway through the first quarter when they used an 11-3 run over four minutes to lead with 3:03 on the clock, 18-8. Senior forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) led the USI surge with six of the 18 points as the Eagles were four-of-10 from the field.

Illinois Springfield had a mini-burst at the end of the quarter as the Eagles finished the first 10 minutes with 22-15 advantage.

USI increased the lead to 11 points (28-17) when senior guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) dropped in a lay-up 2:15 into the second quarter. The Prairie Stars, however, began to chip away at the Eagles’ lead, closing the gap to three points twice before the end of the half (35-32 and 37-34) and a USI offensive explosion.

USI rallied in the final minute, forcing three-straight turnovers that detonated a 10-0 explosion to post its largest lead of the half, 47-34, at the break. The 10-0 explosion was capped off by long-range three-point bomb by freshman guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) one second on the clock.

The Eagles continued the first half run to 12-0 before the Stars could stop the bleeding to start the third quarter. Illinois Springfield rebounded after USI’s 12-0 run, cutting the margin to six points, 53-47, with 6:04 left in the quarter.

USI regained its footing in the final six of the third quarter with an 18-8 run, finishing the third 10 minutes with a 15-point, 71-56 margin. Sophomore forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana), eight points, and DeHart, seven points, combined for 15 of the 18 points during the surge.

The Eagles extended the margin in the fourth quarter to a game-high 19 points, 85-66, before putting the contest on cruise control for the 98-85 win.

Individually, DeHart led five players in double-digits with 21 points. The senior was seven-of-13 from the field and seven-of-eight from the stripe, while making a season-high six steals.

Freshman guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) followed DeHart with her second-straight double-digit game, posting a season-high 14 points. Shafford was five-of-10 from the field, including a pair of two three-pointers, and two-of-two from the stripe.

Brown and Raley added 13 points, while junior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and completed a double-double with 10 a team-high 10 rebounds.

As a team, USI forced Illinois Springfield into 20 turnovers, resulting in 30 points.