Left to right are as follows: Catherine Godlewsky, Jon Munoz, Dr. Sharon Decker, Courtney Butrymowicz, Abe Rexrode.

Four Centenary University students have been selected to present at the Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky from March 29, 2017 through April 1, 2017.

Sigma Tau Delta is an International English Honor Society that was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. There are over 880 active chapters located in the United States and abroad. There are more than 1,000 faculty sponsors and approximately 9,000 members inducted annually. Sigma Tau Delta also recognizes the accomplishments of professional writers who have contributed to the fields of language and literature.

This opportunity allows hundreds of members and sponsors from around the United States and beyond to gather in one locale, share experiences and expertise, be recognized for their achievements and participate in the official proceedings of the society. The convention also provides opportunities to discover new ideas in English and English-related disciplines, while engaging with speakers, presenters, and texts that members might not otherwise encounter.

To read more stories about Centenary, scroll down:

A Centenary Alumna Makes Special Needs Advocacy Her Mission
An Unhealthy Bubble – by David P. Haney, president of Centenary University

“I am so pleased that our students have been chosen to present at the national convention,” says Dr. Sharon Decker, Associate Professor of English, Chair of the English and Foreign Languages Department at Centenary University, and one of Sigma Tau Delta’s advisors. “This recognition of their academic efforts is well-deserved, and will help propel them as they pursue their professional careers as writers and scholars.”

The students and topics are as follows:
Courtney Butrymowicz – “Can the Birmingham City Jail be the City on the Hill?”
Catherine Godlewsky – “Misapplied Sense: Emma’s Resistance to Education”
Jonathen Munoz- “Broken Bonds, Shattered Smiles”
Abe Rexrode – “Creating a Man” and “Open the Door Butterfly”

In addition, Jonathen Munoz was selected as editor for the 2017 edition of Mind Murals in the drama category, which is one of Sigma Tau Delta’s literary journals.

“I am beyond excited to be presenting at this year’s conference and working with the staff of Mind Murals,” says Munoz. “These experiences will undoubtedly open the door for many opportunities in the future. I am so glad that the English and Foreign Languages Department has made these experiences possible through their support and encouragement.”

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary
University is an independent, coeducational liberal arts and career studies university
distinguished by an accomplished faculty, small class size and diverse student body. Centenary is the only baccalaureate and master’s degree granting institution in northwest New Jersey.

Centenary University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County). The Centenary College School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in two locations: Parsippany and Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey. The School of International Programs recruits international students for study at Centenary and Centenary students for study abroad.

A Centenary Alumna Makes Special Needs Advocacy Her Mission

A Centenary University 2015 alumna has made it her mission to share her teaching insight with other educators regarding methods to boost the self-confidence of special needs children.

Kathryn Nieves

Kathryn Nieves, a resident of Newton and a teacher at Sparta Middle School, recently published “Using Technology to Empower Students with Special Needs” on the education website Edutopia.com. Nieves talks about how teachers of middle grade special needs children can infuse passion into the learning process. Nieves discusses bringing student interests into the resources room by using different technological products such as Google Classroom. She advocates spending 20% of class time on the creation and completion of passion projects.

“I wanted to bring more awareness to the importance of maintaining and boosting the self-esteem of middle grade students who have special learning needs,” says Nieves. “I feel like this population is underrepresented, so, in addition to writing this article, I have been speaking at conferences about this subject. I have made it my mission to pass my insight along to other teachers.”

She has presented about Google and differentiation at several conferences, including the Garden State Summit and the New Jersey Teacher’s Convention in 2016. In 2017, Nieves has plans to present at the New Jersey Educational Computing Cooperative at Montclair State University and at the Evolving Educators Conference “Tomorrow’s Classrooms Today” at Rider University.

Nieves is a Google Certified Educator and runs a technology-integrated classroom. One of her biggest educational passions is differentiation for both need and choice in her classes while still aligning to the curriculum and the standards. Other passions include adding more choice to the curriculum and providing students with the modifications they need for success without compromising their self-esteem. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts with Elementary Education from Centenary University.

Dr. Sharon Decker, Chair of the English Department at Centenary, is a strong supporter of Nieves: “Having shared several classrooms with Katie, I can attest to her strong speaking skills, her passion for sharing knowledge, and her intense commitment to helping others. She is one of the best and the brightest minds in the classroom today.”

An Unhealthy Bubble

We in higher education need to provide a diverse and inclusive environment that challenges people to stop surrounding themselves only with other whose views match their own, writes David P. Haney, president of Centenary University

Read the full article on the Inside Higher Ed website