May 2016
Psychology alumna joins Brown University's faculty
Dr. Kristina Monteiro, a Psychology alumna from the Class of 2010, earned her Behavioral Science Doctor of Philosophy in Research Methods and Statistics from the University of Rhode Island (URI). She is now the Assistant Director of Assessment & Evaluation at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She also recently gained a faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor of Medical Sciences.  "I am so happy to have found the career of my dreams right after finishing my PhD program," Monteiro said. "There are so many students at Alpert Medical School with diverse interests that I get to learn about so many new areas, while helping them to build their research design methodology." 

Earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2010 and her Master of Arts in Psychology in 2012, Monteiro found UMass Dartmouth to be an integral foundation for her career.  "I was able to work closely with faculty members as a research assistant in my undergraduate and graduate years," Monteiro said. "And the coursework provided the necessary skills for my work in advanced statistical methods, which provided the ground work I needed to complete the research design and statistics track at URI."

In her current position, Monteiro provides students and faculty with the tools they need to evaluate their research projects. In the short time that she's been consulting, she's learned that it is really valuable to have an advanced set of methodological skills in research design and statistical analysis.  "Without my core coursework at UMass Dartmouth, I would not have had the foundation to build upon these skills in my doctoral program at URI," she said.

Originally a pre-med student, Monteiro transferred into the Psychology department, and it was the best choice she made as an undergraduate.
"The goal of college should be to provide you with the skills you need to critically evaluate information, discover your values, and to give you the tools you need to obtain a career that fits those goals," she said. "If a liberal arts degree fits your goals and values, then go for it." 
Professor Morgan James Peters (aka, Mwalim) awarded the Faculty Civic Leadership Award 
Associate Professor of English and Black Studies and Director of the University's Black Studies Morgan James Peters (aka, Mwalim) was recognized for his commitment to civic engagement during the Dr. Robert Lawrence Civic Engagement Summit at the University's Woodland Commons. The Faculty Civic Leadership Award was awarded to Professor Peters (aka, Mwalim) because of his success in creating learning opportunities that benefit university students, alumni, and the community. "It's always nice to be acknowledged for your work," he said. "But what's really important to me is the program and the opportunities that the LeDuc Center provides for meaningful interactions between the students, faculty and the greater community."
 
Peters comes from a family where both sides have a long-standing tradition of community engagement and public service. Barbados has been an independent nation for 50 years and a self-governed colony for almost 200. His mother's family has been part of that structure socially, politically, and economically. The Mashpee Wampanoag are a sovereign people, and his family ran the town government from the incorporation of the town in 1870. "We are all connected to the communities that we come from and/or live in," Peters said. "An understanding of this connection is integral to the education of our students."
 
As an artist, writer, and filmmaker, Peters joined the faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences and became a master teacher to his students. Many of Peters' students have professional aspirations in the arts and performance, but there are no opportunities to study or engage in these activities through traditional courses. "The opportunity to study and apply the methods of creating your own opportunities for performance and showcasing your work, as well as cultivating a collective of like-minded artists in your community, seems to appeal to students," Peters said. "Service-learning and civic engagement provides training and experiences in cultivating the relationship between artist, venue and audience." 
A Multidisciplinary Collaboration Between Professors And Departments
UMass Dartmouth's Alpha Eta Alpha Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi recently inducted new students into the International Honor Society in Education. The society is a network of educators working together to support quality education for all.  It began in 1911 as the Illinois Education Club, and it was incorporated as the Honorary Education Fraternity, Kappa Delta Pi. In 1984, the title became K appa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in Education. In 2001, the title was shortened to Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. 
The International Teacher Educator Honor Society at UMass Dartmouth is one of only a few of its kind. UMass Dartmouth is only the second campus in the UMass system to have such an honor. Dr. Sheila Macrine serves as Alpha Eta Alpha's Chapter counselor, and she has been passionate and influential in the establishment of UMass Dartmouth Kappa Delta Pi chapter.

Chartered in 2013, UMass Dartmouth's chapter recognizes outstanding student contributions to education. Members must maintain a high degree of professional fellowship and be committed to achievement in their educational studies. Undergraduates must attain a 3.25 GPA and graduate students a 3.5 GPA for consideration into the honor society.
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