Reflections Magazine Issue #50 - Spring 1999 | Page 5

From the Campuses Michele Buku‘74 and her husband Michael Buku ‘82 celebrate graduation with their daughter Holly Buku Brielmaier ‘99. 5 Trustees approve new social work degree Coming to Siena Heights as the new Dean of Students is Carolyn Brightharp, who is currently finishing her Ph.D. in higher education administration at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Her student affairs experiences include work at the University of South Florida, the University of South Carolina, and Lander University. She will begin full-time work at Siena Heights in August. Carolyn received her master’s degree in student personnel services from the University of South Carolina and her bachelor’s Siena is very pleased to have attracted such an outstanding candidate, Artman added, noting Carolyn’s “energy, her commitment to helping students grow and develop, her warm and engaging personality and her ideas for the future of our student development programs.” Carolyn will marry Jim Ridgill this summer. “Carolyn and Jim will be a wonderful addition to the campus and Adrian communities,” said President Artman. Siena around the world Art department revives Italy trip The art department will revive Siena’s foreign study tradition with a three-week trip to Italy offered in spring 2000. While briefer than the Italy Semester that Sister Jean Agnes Klemm coordinated in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the trip will be similar to the Paris Program offered by the department in recent years. Details are still being developed but the new Italy trip will have an art history focus with an optional studio art component for students interested in earning credit in those areas. Participation will be open to students, faculty, staff and others, space permitting. For information, contact art faculty Peter Barr ([email protected]) or Chris Reising ([email protected]). n “I am grateful for her outstanding service,” President Rick Artman said. “We will miss her contributions and we hope she will return to Siena in some capacity in the future.” “I am looking forward to the contributions Carolyn will make to our management team,” said President Artman. “She and I are kindred spirits, with our student affairs backgrounds and degrees in higher education administration. We will work well together.” Master’s program will partner with Chinese university Bob Gordon, dean of graduate studies and lifelong learning, visited the University of Science and Technology of China in Heifei this spring to finalize details of a joint program between Siena Heights and USTC, making the Master of Arts in Human Resource Development available to students in China. Students in the program will spend two semesters at USTC, three at Siena. The first students may enroll in fall 2000, arriving in Adrian in spring 2001 if things go according to plan. n Prior to accepting responsibilities as dean in fall 1995, Michele served as an academic advisor and tutor coordinator at Siena Heights. degree in biology from the College of Charleston. n fter four years as Dean of Students on the Adrian campus, and 30-plus years studying or working at Siena Heights, Michele Minier Buku ‘74 has decided to spend more time as a mother, wife, community volunteer and student (to finish her master’s degree). She begins a one-year leave of absence this summer; after a year, Michele and the University will consider alternative options, without obligations for either. tudents on the Adrian campus now can earn the professionally oriented Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. The Board of Trustees voted in May to change the social work program from a Bachelor of Arts degree with a social work major to the more focused BSW. Curriculum components for the degree already are in place and the University is seeking professional accreditation. Accreditation is a necessity for social work majors seeking professional positions after graduation. Accreditation also is becoming a requirement for acceptance into graduate study programs. About 40 current students on the Adrian campus have declared social work majors. Siena’s curriculum already mee