“Donna Zimmerman, Associate Professor, Automation & Robotics Technology (AART), has been selected as the 2017 recipient of the annualPresident’s Award for Excellence in Instruction for Ivy Tech Community College Southwest,” said Ivy Tech Southwest Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel. Ivy Tech Community College has selected 14 full-time faculty members across the state to receive the award. In a tradition that began in 1983, one full-time faculty member will then be selected to receive the Founder’s Award, previously the Glenn W. Sample Award for Excellence in Instruction, the College’s highest honor for faculty.

Zimmerman began at Ivy Tech as an adjunct faculty member 12 years ago, and now has nearly 10 years of full-time teaching with the college. She has led the Advanced Automation and Robotics program for the past five years.

She has been the recipient of numerous other awards and honors including most recently the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award. Donna also received an Award for Excellence from Indiana Career and Technical Education for the AART Service Learning Program in 2016. Other awards include: Ivy Tech Community Engagement Award, 21st Annual Celebration of Leadership Award for the AART program’s service learning component, Ivy Tech Academy for Instructional Excellence in 2009 and was also nominated for the President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction, 2008 and2009.

“Zimmerman is known for her innovative approaches to education,” Weinzapfel said. She has presented a proposed virtual trainer design to a national audience in Lexington, Ky., as well as in San Antonio, Texas. She has given brown bag presentations on lean manufacturing and soft skills and has written about the “I-Learn Generation,” as well as been mentioned in the book “Library Robotics: Library programs to teach Technology Literacy and Reading.”

She teaches service learning to four classes and engages them in many opportunities. Some of the more recent activities include modifying a wheelchair, along with the robotics, welding and automotive programs, and Toyota, and Easter Seals Rehabilitation, so that a disabled student can stand to work on cars in the Automotive Technology Program; has adapted toys for use by the disabled; and collaborated on an autonomous lawnmower with Pike Central High School.

New Twitter account for USI press releases, media information

University Communications has established a new Twitter account, @USInewsroom, dedicated to sharing and promoting news releases, updates on upcoming events, interview opportunities, and additional information for media members. This account will serve as a supplement to the main USI Twitter account, @USIedu, which will focus on community engagement and may not include all releases and information.

6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 and 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, April 29

Spring Commencement Ceremonies

The University of Southern Indiana will hold five Spring Commencement ceremonies over two days, April 28 and 29, in the Physical Activities Center (PAC) on the USI campus. The Graduate Ceremony for master and doctoral degree candidates from all of USI’s colleges will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28. On Saturday, April 29, the undergraduate ceremony for the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education will begin at 9 a.m.; the College of Nursing and Health Professions at noon; Romain College of Business and Outreach and Engagement at 3 p.m., and the College of Liberal Arts at 6 p.m.  Members of the graduating Class of 2017 will join the USI Alumni Association, which, following Spring Commencement, will number more than 40,000 alumni across Indiana, the United States and the world. Read More

TONIGHT –  7 p.m. Monday, April 24

USI Jazz Ensemble to perform at Wired Coffee House

The University of Southern Indiana Jazz Ensemble will present its last spring concert at 7 p.m. Monday, April 24 at Wired Coffee House and Music Venue located at 111 NW 4th Street in downtown Evansville.  The program will include both classic jazz standards and hip modern arrangements. Opening for the Jazz Ensemble will be USI’s Irish music band: jigs, reels, fiddles, whistles and all. For more information, contact Tom Drury at 812-492-7502 or twdrury@usi.edu.

Now Through Wednesday, April 26

Southwest Indiana AHEC co-sponsors “African Americans and the Disability Experience” exhibit

Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC) is partnering with the Evansville African American Museum for a special exhibition, African Americans and the Disability Experience: From Colonial Times, Desegregation, Advocacy and Achievement, April 7-26. Read More

Now through April 30

47th Annual USI Juried Student Art Show

The 47th Annual University of Southern Indiana Juried Student Art Show will be on display April 2 – 30 in the Kenneth P. McCutchan Art Center/Palmina F. and Stephen S. Pace Galleries, located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center on the USI campus. Juror Arthur Fields has selected 172 artworks from over 400 entered to be exhibited. Read More

Ivy Tech Student Gets Fitted for Adjustable Wheelchair

To be able to repair automobiles

When: Today, Noon-1 p.m.

Where: Welding Lab, (Come to Room 140 a few minutes before and we will take you to the lab)

Background:  Ivy Tech students in the Advanced Automation and Robotics Program and Welding classes have partnered to build a specialized wheelchair for a fellow student in the Automotive Technology program. The student has Spina Bifida and needs the support of a wheelchair for mobility. But, because it is so low to the ground – he has trouble standing to work on cars. Today at noon, an Easter Seals Engineer will be meeting with the student to fit cushions for the wheelchair.

Contact at the Event:  Donna Zimmerman, Advanced Automation and Robotics program chair.