TechNews

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Standing: Phil Marks, Department Chair Architectural Building Engineering Technologies
Sitting L-R: Dr. William Ferrante, Associate Provost, and Curt Lamb, Vice President for Education, Boston Architectural Center

Architectural academic transfer agreement

Earlier this year, Phil Marks, Department Chair for the Architectural Building and Engineering Technology program, signed a formal agreement with the Boston Architectural Center. The "Academic Transfer Agreement" will guarantee admission with advanced standing of New England Institute of Technology's Architectural Building Engineering Technology Bachelor of Science degree graduates into the Master of Architecture program within the Boston Architectural Center. According to Phil, "This agreement is the culmination of a year of work and negotiations between the two institutions and a momentous point for both the ABT program and NEIT." Additionally, the agreement provides a clear path to professional registration for those students who seek it. It also allows New England Institute of Technology to be a competitor among other professional schools offering architectural degrees. The formal agreement signing took place February 26, 2004. We look forward to following the candidates who take advantage of this opportunity!

Automotive grad breaks new ground for women

With her years of waitressing behind her, Liz Dunnam is now ready to be the first female graduate from New England Institute of Technology to enter into the BMW Step Program for automotive technicians. Liz was drawn to the automotive industry because she knew it was an exciting career path that she would still be interested in 10 - 15 years from now. Becoming an automotive technician was not a far stretch for Liz having a grandfather who was an Army mechanic and a father who is a chief engineer on a merchant ship. She knew she had her work cut out for her entering into a predominately male field. However, Liz considers herself a "very determined person who gets things done. I really love this field and am very excited about moving on with my career goals."

Liz decided to enroll in NEIT because she saw the value of obtaining her associates degree versus a certificate program in automotive. Early in her program she set her sights on BMW, and with the help and guidance of her instructor, Mike Isabella, she will see her dream fulfilled this fall when she starts the STEP program in Orlando, Florida. Liz received her associate degree in June and completed the program with a 3.53 GPA. She credits her success to the "awesome instructors who were extremely knowledgeable and easy to get along with." We wish Liz much success in her future with BMW.

Standing, from left: Brian Butler, Liz Hoch, Tara Tortoro, (sitting) Andrea Kelly and Seth Kurn

Davies Career and Technical High School signs articulation agreement with NEIT

Davies Career and Technical High School signs articulation agreement with NEIT

Ms. Victoria A. Galliard, Director, has announced that students at Davies Career and Technical High School will have the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school.

Under the newly formed articulation agreement between New England Institute of Technology and Davies Career and Technical High School in Lincoln, Rhode Island, students taking courses in the Business Technology Program at Davies Career and Technical High School may earn college credit through the Advanced Tech Program at the college.

"By transferring credits, students may receive advanced standing and reduce the costs of tuition," said Erin Flynn, Coordinator of High School Programs at New England Institute of Technology. Brian D. Butler, Assistant Director, said, "Earning college credit while in high school is an outstanding opportunity for students planning to pursue careers in the technical fields."

Students taking specific courses in the Business Technology Program at Davies Career and Technical High School may earn up to sixteen (16) college credits toward an associate degree in Computerized Business Management Technology at NEIT.

Andrea L. Kelly, Human Services/Information Processing Coordinator at Davies Career and Technical High School, worked together with NEIT's Elizabeth Hoch, Associate Professor and Computerized Business Management Chair; and Tara Totoro, Assistant Coordinator of High School Programs, to develop the articulation agreement.

Advanced Tech credit is also available to students at Davies Career and Technical High School in the following associate degree programs: Automotive Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, Information Technology, and Marine Technology.

"Advanced Tech will offer students an opportunity for a head start in a career area and also get them involved in a post-secondary education with a specific direction in mind," said Ms. Flynn. "We congratulate the administration and faculty at Davies Career and Technical High School for offering this opportunity to their students.

OTA workshop offered to local practitioners

On June 9, 2004, when most Rhode Islanders were heading to the beach to escape the
90-degree weather, 20 occupational therapy practitioners from our region attended a dynamic workshop organized and presented by the Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology (OTA) faculty and staff.

Christine Smith, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, organized the afternoon and provided a comprehensive program for fieldwork educators. The accreditation standards for OTA education requires all accredited programs to provide two distinct, 8-week, full-time fieldwork experiences. "While providing our practitioners with a greater understanding of fieldwork education and planning, we had the opportunity to also meet new practitioners currently not engaged in providing fieldwork education to the NEIT OTA students at this time," stated Christine. Workshops of this nature are necessary for the OTA program to meet accreditation standards that require collaboration with and training of the fieldwork educators.

Carol Doehler, OTA Department Chair and Associate Professor, explained a method to plan, implement and collect evidence for continued competency. Occupational therapists/occupational therapy assistants are required by state law and national certification to complete a professional competency plan in order to continue to identify themselves as a certified OTA, registered OT and licensed practitioner. Using New England Institute of Technology's format of portfolio development, Carol offered a simple way for practitioners to meet their professional competency required for practice.