TSOPHE Fall 2015 Call For Abstracts

Texas Society for Public Health Education

www.txsophe.org

Fall 2015 Conference

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

Health Education: Building Partnerships for Prevention and Empowering Communities

Friday, October 23, 2015

J.J. Pickle Research Campus

University of Texas at Austin, Austin Texas

SUBMISSION DEADLINE –Monday, June 15 by 12pm CST

 

The Texas Society for Public Health Education (TSOPHE) invites you to submit a proposal for a concurrent session or a poster presentation at the TSOPHE Fall 2015Conference.  The conference will be held at J.J. Pickle Research Campus, The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas on October 23, 2015.

Abstract Sub-Themes:• Advancing Health Education through Technology and Innovations • Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: Health Needs of the Future Generation • Culture, Diversity, and Health: Local and Global Perspectives • Disparities and Inequity: Health Education and Promotion for Social Justice • Systems, Policies, Research, and Practices: Current Trends and the Future of Health Education

Goal: By the end of the conference, participants will gain an understanding of current trends in health education and upcoming changes impacting the field of public health education including healthcare reform, new policies, innovative technology, advocacy, research and health coaching.

Conference Objectives:

§ Identify emerging trends and challenges surrounding health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan.

§ Explore evidence-based methods and strategies for improving health through community engagement and empowerment.

§ Examine cross-sector collaborations in public health education that promote health equity in minority or under-represented populations.

§ Incorporate innovative health communications and technology to improve health promotion outreach, research, teaching, and practice.

§ Advocate for public health education by fostering improvements in individual and population health in order to advance the profession.

Audiences: Health educators, public health professionals, health communicators, researchers, academicians, students and other professions who provide health education

NOTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION

You will be notified by email when your proposal has been received and whether your proposal was accepted or declined.  All accepted proposal recipients will receive a letter of acceptance from TSOPHE along with conference registration information.

Abstract Types:

§  Concurrent/Plenary Session -This type of presentation is 20 minutes for each presenter panelist.  This single session may include a panel of up to three speakers.  Proposals must include:

Title, 1-2 learning objectives, 300 word limit abstract, audio/visual needs, and a brief biosketch (one paragraph) for each presenting author.

§  Poster Session - Poster sessions will illustrate research findings/projects during lunch/breaks. Poster abstract must include: Title, 1-2 learning objectives, 300 word limit abstract, and a brief biosketch (one paragraph) for each presenting author.

In order to help the review committee better understand and appreciate the purpose and value of your proposed sharing session, please complete the abstract form on the next page.  If additional space is needed, attach additional pages.  SUBMISSION DEADLINE – Monday, June 15 by 12pm CST

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Valentino or Patricia Horace at email: laurasvalentino@gmail.com or phorace@mdanderson.org.


Link to full document coming soon!

Spotlight - Interview with Justin Gerstenberger, Coordinator of Academic Advising

Justin Gerstenberger

We had the opportunity to sit down virtually with  Justin Gerstenberger at the TWU Pioneer Center for Student Excellence. Justin graciously took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few of our questions so we could get to know him a little better as well as talk about some of the services the Center offers.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background? 

I recently assumed the role of Coordinator of Academic Advising at TWU after advising for 8 years at TCU, UNT Health Science Center and UT-Arlington. I’m in the process of completing my Doctorate Degree at TCU in Educational Leadership focused on Higher Education. I did my masters at UNT in Education focusing on Higher Education and my Bachelor’s at UT-Arlington in Interdisciplinary Studies.

What do you do as Coordinator for Academic Advising?  

As the Coordinator of Advising I work with the advisors on professional development and working to help create a common advising experience for students and advisors on our campuses.

Can you tell us more about academic coaching?  

Academic Coaching is a program that is available to assist students with test taking, note taking, and study skills as well as help student learn about the different types of learning styles and the resources available to on campus to help them be successful. Sessions are typically about a half hour to an hour and students can meet with their coach up to 6 times a semester.

What types of services does the Center offer for online students?  

Our academic coaching services are offered to students online. Students can indicate that they are an online student and through the use of technology in the Center we can do academic coaching sessions via skype to allow online students the same experiences as on campus students in regards to academic coaching.

As many of our students know, we like to have fun in Health Studies. We have held themed orientations complete with alter egos such as Mo Solo, Hoda Fett, and Dee Dee Wan Kenobi from our Star Wars orientation. We also had a Mission Impossible orientation with passports and top secret missions. Sometimes we even make up code names for each other.  Who would your alter ego be or what would your code name be?  

I would have to say that my code name would be Sterling, which also happens to be my coffee name. I’m a big fan of the show Archer, which is where the name comes from. But, I would be all about a Star Wars themed orientation or alter ego!

What is your favorite quote and why? 

“I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant” – Alan Greenspan. This quote sticks out to in our age of technology where we communicate online. It is easy for words and meanings to be misinterpreted through our technology so it is important to be cognizant of the things we say and send online because we never know if the person on the other end is going to interpret it the way that we said it.

Thanks, Justin! We are glad we got a chance to chat with you! 

  

You might also like:

Spotlight - Interview with Kurt Krause, Coordinator of Experiential Learning at the Pioneer Center for Student Excellence

Spotlight - Interview with Dr. Joshua Adams, Executive Director of the Pioneer Center for Student Excellence 

Guest Post - Turn Your Interview Into an Offer

Soft Skills are Important Too

First of all, what are soft skills and how to they make a difference in a career? Soft skills are the combined personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social charm that a person possesses. Employers look at soft skills to see if the person is compatible with the office/work environment. Also, research has shown that soft skills are just as significant indicator for job performance, which is exactly what employers look for in a candidate (Lorenz, 2014). In other words, soft skills are essential for any job because they demonstrate how you work rather than what learned in college. Examples of soft skills are: Strong work ethic, positive attitude, good communication skills, time management abilities, problem-solving skills, acting as a team player, self-confidence, ability to accept and learn from criticism, flexibility/adaptability, working well under pressure, critical observation and conflict resolution.

Bill Coplin wrote 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College and it focuses on the soft skills employers want to see in college graduates.

1). Establish a good work ethic. Meaning employees need to be honest, manage time and money.
2). Develop physical skills. Employers want their employees to stay well and appear professional.
3). Communicate verbally. This means employers want employees to be able to hold a conversation and present information to groups. This also means employees have to effectively communicate with clients as well.

4). Written communication. Employees should be able to effectively communicate via email, write well, edit, proofread, use a word processor and be able to send information electronically.

5). Work directly with people, which means build good relationships, work as a team and teach others.

6). Influence people. Yes, that means leading effectively and managing efficiently.

7). Gather information by searching library holdings, searching databases, conduct interviews, use surveys, keep and use records.

8). Use quantitative tools. This means using numbers, graphs, tables, spreadsheets effectively in the workplace.

9). Know how to ask and answer the right questions by paying attention to detail and evaluating actions and policies.

10). Know how to identify problems, develop a plan, and launch a solution.

According to the Career Advisory Board, there is a skills gap between how hiring managers rank importance of a job skill and how entry level job seekers rank the skill. Hiring managers thought that the most important skills were their employees’ ability to work with others,  flexibility and interpersonal skills. On the other hand, those who were entry-level job seekers thought high integrity, problem solving and strong communication were the most important soft skills (Morgan, 2014).

The great thing about the Department of Health Studies is that students learn all of these things through the coursework, especially the working well with others. Since health educators need to work with a variety of groups, group projects play an important role in the programs. The curriculum for programs offered by the Department of Health Studies is designed to help students be prepared for the workforce. In particular, the undergraduate program has an Internship Preparation course as well as a required Internship.

Whether you are a current TWU Health Studies student, an alum, or a community member and find yourself needing help in refining your soft skills, there are curriculum and activities that can help you. Check out the Office of Disability Employment Policy and they have activities to improve soft skills. If you are a student, you might want to contact the Pioneer Center for Student Excellence or the TWU Career Services.

References

Buhl, L. (2014).  Six soft skills everyone needs. Retrieved from http://career-advice.monster.com/career-development/getting-promoted/six-soft-skills-everyone-needs-hot-jobs/article.aspx

Coplin, B. (2003). 10 things employers want you to learn in college. New York: Ten Speed Press.

Lorenz, K. (2014). Top 10 soft skills for job hunters: People skills and relationship-building are key to success. Retrieved from http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/01/26/top-10-soft-skills-for-job-hunters/

Morgan, H. (2014). Job search help for new college graduates. Retrieved from http://careersherpa.net/job-search-help-new-college-graduates/#.U3t246yn-qc.facebook

You might also like:

Insights on Internship: Interview with Cheyenne Peluso
http://twuhealthstudies.blogspot.com/2014/03/insights-on-internship-interview-with.html

Guest Post: Get Involved! by Laura Valentino
http://twuhealthstudies.blogspot.com/2014/05/guest-post-get-involved-by-laura.html 

Time Management for Success
http://twuhealthstudies.blogspot.com/2014/06/time-management-for-success.html

 

Professionalism 101- Interviews by TWU Career Services

This is our part two of the Professionalism 101 series.We are covering interviews this time. Last time we discussed the ins and outs of resumes and CVs.  You presented your polished resume/CV and now you have a job interview. Do not panic. We have help from TWU Career Services once again to help you prepare for a successful interview experience. Review their valuable information to get on the right track.



1. What should I wear to an interview?

For women, suits, tailored clothes in classic designs and neutral colors are best for interviews. Skirt lengths should be moderate – not above the knee nor ankle length. Wear clean medium to low heel shoes. If you wear jewelry, keep it modest and to a minimum. It is suggested that you do not wear perfumes or after-shave lotions to the interview. Hair should be clean and neat and hairstyle should be professional.

For men, a suit or jacket and slacks in a neutral color (gray, navy, black, beige) with a well-coordinated tie and polished black or brown shoes is always appropriate. See the pictures below for the interview attire dos and don'ts.

2. What are the most frequently asked questions during an interview?

• Tell me about yourself.
• Describe your strengths and weaknesses.
• Why do you want this job?
• Tell me about a difficult scenario at work and how you dealt with it.
• What do you know about our organization? 
• Why should I hire you? 

To review further interview questions, please check out https://twu.interviewstream.com/default.aspx.


3.Would a thank you email be just as effective as a thank you card?

A thank you email can be just as effective as a thank you card. There are a lot of pluses when sending a thank you email. For one, you can send it the day of the interview to show how eager you are. It’s important to send a thank you note within 24 hours after the interview, while you are still fresh in the interviewer’s mind. Usually with handwritten thank you cards there is a delay and the possibility that it may not make it to the interviewer. Secondly, with a thank you email the interviewer may be more likely to respond to your email, ask you a follow-up question, or continue the conversation.

In the end, it may not matter too much if you write a thank you email or a thank you card, as long as you made the effort to take some time to reflect on the interview and thank the interviewer for the opportunity.

4.What services does your department provide for interviews?  
We provide various services to assist students and alum practice their interviewing skills. Students can schedule a one-on-one mock interview or a telephone interview with a Career Services staff member. Students can also utilize InterviewStream, an online program that simulates the interview experience, and allows them to practice their interviewing skills anywhere, anytime. The instructions are listed on the Career Services webpage: http://www.twu.edu/career-services/practice-your-interviewing-Skills.asp.


5.What should I do before the interview?  

• Preparation is key; the better prepared you are the greater your success during the interview process.
• Know yourself; you will be asked to describe and share information about yourself. Be able to clearly articulate your strengths/ weakness and why you are the idea candidate for the position
• Research the company; it’s not uncommon for the recruiter to ask “Tell me what you know about our company” Discuss their products, services, customers, reputation/image, organizational structure, employees. It’s not necessary to discuss all but do have a clear understanding of who and what the company is and does.
• Understand and research as much as you can to learn about the position. This will help you to understand and articulate how you can be an asset to the company.
• Organize and prepare what you plan to wear to the interview; conservative attire is always the requirement.
• Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. At the end of an interview, the recruiter will ask “Do you have any questions”. Your answer should be “Yes, I do have questions prepared.” This makes you look interested, prepared and it reinforces to the recruiter that you are organized and have time management skills.
• Drive to the interview location beforehand so that you can get a clear understanding of where you are going and the traffic patterns. You Do Not Want To Be Late For An Interview!!!!!

6. What should I bring to an interview? You will need, extra résumés, paper/pens, list of references, and required documents (social security card, driver’s license, copies of certifications, portfolios are examples).

7. What should I not bring to an interview?  
 You should not take your cell phone, or any friends, children, family members, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend or pets.

8. How can I better prepare for an interview?
Practice…. Practice…. Practice!
With your TWU email address and a web cam, practice interviewing by using InterviewStream at www.twu.interviewstream.com. This software will give you a video of your mock interview for review and to share with others to receive their feedback. You are able to practice as many times as you would like. Mock interviews are also available with Career Services Department, appointments required.

9. Interview Tips

• Be enthusiastic, energetic, honest, and show interest.
• Be pleasant, friendly, courteous, flexible and tactful.
• Maintain good eye contact and greet with a firm handshake.
• Listen carefully and answer the question asked.
• Do NOT discuss personal information or issues. Being married with kids has nothing to do with how competent you are and this information may be used against you screening you out as a possible candidate for the position.
• Keep answers brief and to the point unless specially asked to elaborate.
• Thank the recruiter for the opportunity and ask what’s the next step in the interview process.
• ASK FOR THE JOB! – What I have learned today during this interview process has reassured me that (Company’s Name) will be an exciting company for me to (start or advance) my career. I would love to be a member of your team!

10. What should I do after the interview?

• Obtain the interviewer’s business card.
• Assess what you did well and what you would like to improve on for future interviews.
• Use the information from the interviewer’s business card to send a Thank You Letter. This will ensure that you have the correct contact information, that you spell the interviewers name correctly and use their appropriate title.
• If you do not hear from the interviewer, conduct a follow up telephone call or email to inform the interviewer of your continued interest in the position and to inquire about the status of your application. Also ask if there is any additional information that you can provide. 

If you need more help finding job, writing a resume, or practicing your interview skills, feel free to contact the TWU Career Services Department.  They will be more than happy to help you achieve your goals. Thank you to TWU Career Services Department for their help in writing these blogs on professionalism.





 You might also like:

Guest Post: Get Involved! by Laura Valentino 

http://twuhealthstudies.blogspot.com/2014/05/guest-post-get-involved-by-laura.html

The Write Site at TWU

http://twuhealthstudies.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-write-site-at-twu.html