Dr. Haley Zettler has received a portion of a $350,000 grant funded by the Urban Child Institute to study the effectiveness of mental health services on the children.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, a level-one trauma center,...
Dr. Sarah Moore is one of only 15 faculty from around the nation chosen for the elite opportunity. 
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dr. Sarah Moore, assistant professor in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service...
What: University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service 2022 Master of Public Administration Annual Alumni-Student Conference
When: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. April 8 (Friday)
...
Faculty and students presented research, took part in events and won awards at the annual state convention and exhibition, one of the largest of its kind in the nation.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Many faculty and students from the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology headed to Fort Worth to attend the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) annual convention Feb. 24-26.
While attending, UNT students and faculty received a variety of prestigious awards. In the Praxis Bowl, a competition between more than a dozen speech-language pathology (SLP) programs in Texas, UNT placed third. The team was made up of students Celinda Acosta, Sidney Moore, Janessa Guzman and Amber Moon, and Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Director Stacy Nunnelee coordinated. At the awards...
O
livia Montou has been selected to attend the Boys Town National Research Hospital Research Training Program in Omaha, Nebraska.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Olivia Montou, an AuD student in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Department has been selected for the Boys Town National Research Hospital Short Term AuD Research Training Program. It’s a three-month, full-time clinical or translational research training experience in the hearing sciences. She will work with Dr. Elizabeth Heinrichs-Graham in the Cognitive and Sensory Imaging Laboratory. Dr. Heinrichs-Graham is a cognitive neuroscientist by training whose work utilizes advanced neuroimaging methods such as magnetoencephalography (MEG)...
Leslie Roberts has been named the 2021-22 UNT Foundation Outstanding Lecturer. DENTON (UNT), Texas
Leslie Roberts, principal lecturer in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service Department of Public Administration, has earned the coveted UNT Foundation Outstanding Lecturer Award. She was surprised with the designation, which is the university’s highest honor for a full-time lecturer and recognizes her for her “significant and sustained contributions to the university as evidenced by quality of teaching and service”, during a class on January 27.
“Ms. Roberts is in the elite group of faculty in the college who I would consider our best instructors. She is dedicated to her students’ success while also expecting rigor and hard work,” said Dr. Nicole Dash, dean of the college. “While it would be easy to expect students to learn and demonstrate the mastery of facts, she moves beyond that to instill a breadth of knowledge based on choices and behaviors. Her students are her priority, and as a result, she spends...
David L. Garlock was sentenced to 25 years for killing his childhood abuser, but since his release, he’s become an advocate for an effective and equitable justice system.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – David L. Garlock’s childhood wasn’t easy. He and his brother were raised in a dysfunctional home. After his parents’ divorce and custody issues with both parents, there were multiple actions that put them in contact with a man who began to sexually abuse both children.
“The first time that I saw my mom in two years was supposed to be a joyous time, and it was for a while until the abuse began,” Garlock said. “At 11 years old, I lost my innocence and who I really was. I had to create masks so no one could know what was happening to me.”
The brothers suffered in silence – until the fateful night they decided to take matters into their own hands.
“The sexual abuse turned into severe physical abuse – this man beat the crap out of us daily and tried to kill us numerous times,” Garlock said. “...
The project, titled “Music and Hearing Conservation,” is geared toward area band and orchestra students.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dr. Amanda Labue, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and doctoral student Lauren Davis have developed a presentation that covers the following topics:
- General overview of the profession of audiology
- Facts about noise exposure and potential hearing damage that can be caused by repeated exposure to musical instruments
- Ways to help prevent or slow hearing damage by using proper ear protection including custom fitted Musician’s Ear Plugs (MEPs)
They have been visiting North Texas high schools to share the information in hopes of preventing hearing loss in young musicians.
“I hope that the students we...
In 2019, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported about 20 million people in the United States indicated struggling with a substance use disorder the prior year.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – The new bachelor of science degree in Addiction Studies in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services prepares students for careers working with people with addiction, those at risk, those in recovery and allies. Opportunities in the profession exist in hospitals, community agencies, schools, the judicial system, state and federal government organizations, recovery homes, detoxication programs, and private and public treatment programs.
“Sadly, addiction is not declining, so the need for counselors and auxiliary staff to treat the disorder is greater than it has ever been,” says Paula Heller Garland, addiction studies program coordinator and senior...
More than 50 percent of college students report feeling concerned about their mental health. Dr. Sharma says minimizing stress can help.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – According to Inside Higher Ed, 58 percent of college students say they were “moderately,” “very” or “extremely” concerned about their mental health. Dr. Rachita Sharma, interim chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services (RHS) in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service says managing stress can help improve mental health and well-being. Dr. Sharma offers the following tips for UNT students to help manage stress.
Tip 1: Learn to manage your time wisely.
“Feeling overwhelmed or imbalanced by all your responsibilities? Develop good time management habits to avoid procrastination and make the most of your minutes,” Dr. Sharma says. “Having a detailed...
A new camp geared towards teaching young adults with disabilities about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) kicked off this week at the University of North Texas.
Funded by the Texas Workforce Commission-Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the camps are part of a collaboration between UNT WISE, a program based out of the College of Health and Public Service, and the College of Engineering.
"UNT WISE’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. We know that STEM careers offer great opportunity, so we want to increase students with disabilities access to STEM education. Our ultimate goal is to open up their world of possibilities and get them excited about in-demand occupations where their experience and...
We’re excited to sponsor the UNT Food Pantry presented by Kroger this month!
Please join us in supporting our students by dropping off any of the following items to Chilton Hall, Suite 289, the UNT Food Pantry in the University Union, Suite 409, or donate money online at this link.
There’s also a UNT Food Pantry Amazon Wish list if you’d like to donate there instead: https://bit.ly/UNTFoodPantryWishList
For more information on the UNT Food Pantry presented by Kroger, visit https://studentaffairs.unt.edu/food-pantry
Thank you for helping us support our students and...
The language-literacy program at the UNT Speech and Hearing Center, located at 907 W. Sycamore St. in Denton, helps prepare children for entry into kindergarten and first grade.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dr. Theresa Kouri, principal lecturer and clinical director for speech-language pathology in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, is using evidence-based multi-sensory and traditional educational practices that have been proven highly effective in preventing reading delays and strengthening pre-literacy skills. The training strategies are appropriate for children regardless of their reading...
Jose Garcia is one of two HPS students to earn this honor that only six students received university wide.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Jose Garcia, who’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service, has earned the esteemed UNT Golden Eagle Award from the Division of Student Affairs and Multicultural Center. It is the most prestigious award that UNT bestows on a student leader. Recipients are those who show a tremendous commitment to co-curricular activities and enhance campus life at UNT by engaging in considerable service and displaying great leadership, all while achieving excellence in the classroom.
“I could not have achieved this award without the support of my family, professors, student organization advisors and classmates at UNT. As a non-traditional student, it can be challenging to make sure everything is taken care of at home, school, student organizations and volunteering,” Garcia said. “However, being part of student organizations at UNT,...
Ivalis Guajardo is one of only six students to earn the honor.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Ivalis Guajardo, recent audiology and speech-language pathology graduate in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service, has earned the esteemed UNT Golden Eagle Award from the Division of Student Affairs and Multicultural Center. It is the most prestigious award that UNT bestows on a student leader. Recipients are those who show a tremendous commitment to co-curricular activities and enhance campus life at UNT by engaging in considerable service and displaying great leadership, all while achieving excellence in the classroom.
“The experience UNT has given me has allowed me to transform the many organizations I was part of, cultivate relationships with staff and peers that have changed my life, and ultimately finish a degree I am passionate about,” Guajardo said. “This award encapsulates my last four years here and I am so grateful to receive it!”
Only six undergraduates in the university received the...
DENTON (UNT), Texas – U.S. News and World Report has named two concentrations in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) number one in Texas on its 2021 list of Best Graduate Schools – local government management, and homeland security and emergency management.
“These rankings show our college's continued dedication to excellence and to providing our students with a top-tier education,” said Dr. Nicole Dash, dean of the college. “While we know rankings aren't everything, it's always an honor to have outside entities recognize our achievements."
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program specialization in local government management is ranked no. 12 in the nation and it is also ranked in the public financing and budgeting category, where it sits at no. 31.
“The UNT MPA program is proud to again be recognized as one of the top degrees in the nation. With a placement rate...
A new dean, associate deans and new chairs are all part of the shift in leadership.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – The University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) named Dr. Nicole Dash the new dean of the college in September 2020. Dr. Dash has served as academic associate dean of HPS since 2010 and has been instrumental in integrating health programs and growing the college’s enrollments. Under Dash’s leadership, the college has added master’s degrees in applied behavior analysis and emergency management and disaster science, as well as expanded its undergraduate offerings to include new and growing concentrations in public health, urban policy and planning and nonprofit leadership studies.
“I know the college and its people very well, and I couldn’t be prouder of all that we’ve achieved—both as individuals and as a collective,” Dr. Dash said. “I’ve witnessed firsthand the hard work it’s taken to become what we are today. Our graduates are doing research and going into professions that make a difference in their communities and the world.”
Dr. Dash served as...
DENTON (UNT), Texas — A researcher in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service is studying how the continuum of care for homeless people, which includes the social, medical, public health and education sectors, has changed during COVID-19.
Hee Soun Jang, an associate professor and graduate coordinator for the Department of Public Administration, and Jesus Valero, an assistant professor at the University of Utah, have been researching services for homeless people that are run at a local level and often involve multiple agencies known as Continuum of Care (CoC).
“Continuum of Care is a premise that is unique to improving a fragmented service system for homelessness,” Jang said. “There are innovative and interesting examples of individual agencies providing successful interventions for homeless populations. But, because agencies do not always coordinate services and information with one another, it is difficult to capture comprehensive knowledge of...
The funding will provide case management services, housing and meal plans for the UNT students.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – The Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation granted $50,000 to the University of North Texas Persevere UNTil Success Happens (PUSH) program, which helps young adults who age out of foster care achieve educational success at UNT by focusing on academic, financial and career achievements, as well as the social well-being of each student. The generous grant will be used to provide programming and college transition services to incoming freshmen and transfer students who are part of PUSH from Spring 2021 to Spring 2022.
“Supporting students who have experienced foster care presents a lot of challenges, especially during a pandemic. It absolutely takes the university and community village to provide the resources students need to be successful,” said Brenda Sweeten, clinical associate professor of social work, PUSH advisor, UNT foster care liaison officer and director of social work...
DENTON (UNT), Texas — University of North Texas students are working with the Women’s Storybook Project to make the holidays a little brighter for children whose moms are incarcerated.
Senior Julia Langlois and 29 of her classmates in the College of Health and Public Service Social Work program chose the organization to support this semester as part of a long-standing tradition in the department to assist a group that needs some extra help. With COVID-19 restricting many activities, the Women’s Storybook Project was a great fit, as it allowed the fourth-year social work students to make an impact without in-person contact.
“When we were contacting organizations to see who might need help, they said that any help this semester would be great, since there’s a lot more people in the prisons wanting to participate during the holidays,” Langlois said.
The Women’s Storybook Project originated in 1994 and allows women who are incarcerated in state prisons to record themselves reading a story and offer a short greeting...
D
ENTON (UNT), Texas — University of North Texas Emergency Management and Disaster Science associate professor Tristan Wu is studying evacuees and the emergency response from Hurricane Laura to create new protocols for emergency managers facing mass evacuations in the time of COVID-19.
Wu said he and his colleagues had the idea to study mass evacuations and COVID-19 in March, but funding wasn’t available. After Hurricane Laura hit Louisiana and Texas in August, they resubmitted the idea to the National Science Foundation and were awarded a Rapid Grant.
“During hurricane events, households usually evacuate together. Their evacuation behavior was solely due to the risk perception of the hurricanes,” Wu said. “This time around it’s very different with the COVID pandemic. They might not want to evacuate or they might evacuate separately because of COVID concerns. If they evacuated, they might be less likely to go to a hotel or an evacuation shelter. We...
Hadidja Nyiransekuye, an assistant professor of social work in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service, has won the prestigious Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers that honors a member of the organization that exemplifies top-tier values and achievements.
Nyiransekuye, a refugee from Rwanda and a survivor of genocide along with her four children, specializes in policy advocacy focusing on the refugee crisis that affects communities across the globe.
“I know what it feels like to not have a home,” she said. “There are people who have helped me and opened their homes to me, for that I am grateful. I owe it to humanity to do what I can to help others.”
Nyiransekuye’s research demonstrates the problems faced by refugees that are global issues, including acts of violence and loss of freedom.
“If we don’t address...
DENTON (UNT), Texas — A University of North Texas professor, who studies the role of land buyouts in disaster recovery and hazard mitigation, has been recognized as one of the nation’s top scientific leaders researching ways to improve the wellbeing of coastal communities and ecosystems. Elyse Zavar, assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, is one of the 20 fellows selected as a 2020 Early-Career Research Fellow by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Her research focuses on buyouts – federally funded land purchased to relocate residents out of high-risk areas like floodplains or hurricane-impacted coastlines – and the challenges and successes of open space land management by local governments, most recently in areas of Harris County hit by Hurricane Harvey.
“I am honored and incredibly excited to be selected as one of the 2020 fellows. This is a tremendous opportunity that will further my research, which in turn, directly informs my...
UNT faculty and students took home a variety of awards.
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Over 40 graduate students from the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology headed down to Houston to attend the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) convention. The annual convention, held between February 20 and 22, is one of the largest of its kind.
While attending, many UNT students received awards. In the Praxis Bowl, a competition among 18 speech-language pathology (SLP) programs in Texas, UNT placed third.
The Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation presented awards to individuals, with UNT’s Erin Bellue (SLP supervisor), Benjamin Kirby (assistant professor in audiology), and Rebekka Cassidy (graduate student in SLP) receiving honors. Bellue received the Award of Honors, Kirby received the Presidents’ Research Award and Cassidy received a Sandy Friel-Patti Research in Language International Travel Award.
The department’s...
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Federickia Washington, Ph.D. graduate of public administration and management from the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service has received a tenure track job offer from the Department of Public Administration at Tennessee State University (TSU).
Dr. Washington is enthusiastic about the position, where she will be able to show her talents.
“I am incredibly excited to have been offered a tenure track job opportunity at TSU in Nashville,” Dr. Washington said. “I am looking forward to being able to take my talents to TSU where they value educating and empowering leaders/future leaders in the public sector.”
For Dr. Washington, the position offers her the opportunity to put the rich knowledge and skills gained at UNT into action.
“This new position means that I will continue to be able to teach students and follow with my scope of research,” Washington said. “This is all very exciting.”
Dr. Hee Soun Jang, associate professor and graduate coordinator in the department, says she...