College of Health and Human Services
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Upcoming Events
Healthcare Jobs for Chicago Southland Employment Boot Camp and Job Fair — May 16-17, 2013 at GSU!
Governors State University's Health Care Jobs for Chicago Southland (HCJCS) Project will host an Employmment Boot Camp and Job Fair on May 16 - 17, 2013. The Employment Boot Camp willl be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013, from 5 to 9 p.m. in the E Lounge of GSU. The Job Fair will be held on Friday, May 17, 2013, from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. in the Hall of Governors at GSU. The event is free and open to the public.
The Employment Boot Camp & Job Fair offers expert knowledge and industry insider tips for your job hunt.
If you’re looking for a career as an: Occupational Therapist, Nurse, Community Health Worker, Speech-Language Pathologist, Physical Therapist, Health Administrator, Social Worker, Addiction Counselor, and other positions in the health care field, you won't want to miss this event.
Health Care Jobs for Chicago Southland (HCJCS) Project is an equal opportunity employment and training program offering an entry level to an advanced workforce pool.
For more information, call 708.534.6985, or e-mail hcjcs@govst.edu
Click here for a Registration form.
This workforce solution is funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.
Third Annual Run 4 Rehab Held May 11, 2013
GSU's Third Annual Run 4 Rehab, a 5k (3.1-mile) run and 2-mile walk sponsored by GSU’s Physical Therapy Student Association (PTSA), was held Saturday, May 11, 2013. Approximately 30 individuals, including 17 runners, participated in this event.
Serving as co-directors of the 2013 Run 4 Rehab were Amy Flaherty and Andy Jellema, second and third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students, respectively.
The Run 4 Rehab serves as a benefit to raise funds for the Miami-Marquette Challenge, a national competition between physical therapy schools to collect and distribute money for physical therapy research grants around the country. This year funds were also raised for two other charitable organizations: $200 was raised for the Spinal Cord Injury Association and $100 was raised for Backbones, a not-for-profit organization that provides free support for individuals with spinal cord injuries and their families. Additional funds raised from the Run 4 Rehab go to GSU's Physical Therapy Student Association (PTSA). In all, a total of $1,250 was raised at this event.
For a complete list of race results, click here.
The purpose of the PTSA is to strive to familiarize and enhance the students with knowledge of and participation in professional organizations such as the American Physical Therapy Association, Illinois Physical Therapy Association, and other physical therapy-related special interest groups; develop and augment leadership skills in students; promote service learning through community outreach programs; and enhance students’ and the public’s knowledge of the physical therapy profession and Governors State University’s physical therapy program.
Mindfulness and Higher Education: 2nd Annual Symposium Rescheduled for October 18, 2013
The 2nd Annual Symposium on Mindfulness and Higher Education will be held Friday, October 18, 2013, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Hall of honors. The event is sponsored by the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Education.
Research shows that mindfulness practices lead to greater calmness, enhanced concentration, reduced stress, strengthened immune functions, and decreased depression and anxiety.
Explore how to incorporate mindful meditation and practices into academic, clinical, and social settings through presentations, panel discussions, workshops, keynotes, and experiential exercises.
Six CEUs are available for psychologists, counselors, and social work professionals.
To register, visit www.govst.edu/chhs/dsw/msw/default.aspx?ekfrm=45503.
For more information, contact Dr. Maristela Zell, mzell@govst.edu.
To register for this free event, click here.
Mindfulness and Psychotherapy Program
The first of its kind in the Midwest, GSU’s Mindfulness and Psychotherapy Certificate Program is a two-year, 18-credit-hour program designed to teach post-master’s level practitioners and advanced graduate students how to integrate mindfulness-based interventions into their clinical practice.
More and more research studies indicate how mindfulness and meditation-based practices help clients achieve emotional regulation, modulate anxiety and depression, lower blood pressure, enhance the immune system, and increase concentration and attention span.
Current master’s-level GSU students enrolled in clinically-oriented programs who are in their final year of advanced clinical practicum are eligible to enroll. In addition, social workers, psychotherapists, addiction counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other allied health professionals who work in clinical settings can benefit from enrollment in this program.
In addition to meeting faculty and other prospective applicants, those attending the Open House will receive a program overview and learn about program goals, the admission process, eligibility requirements, and approximate cost of the program. Light refreshments will be served.
To obtain additional information, contact Dr. Maristela Zell at 708.235.2235, or mzell@govst.edu
Omicron Beta Chapter of Phi Alpha National Honor Society Holds 2013 Induction Ceremony
The GSU chapter of Phi Alpha — the National Honor Society for Social Work students — is Omicron Beta. The purpose of Phi Alpha Honor society is to provide a closer bond among students of social work and to promote humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.
The motto of Phi Alpha is "Through Knowledge — the Challenge to Serve." 
The 2013 Induction Ceremony for the Omicron Beta Chapter of Phi Alpha was held March 29, 2013.
Maristela Zell, Ph.D., LCSW, Associate Professor in the Social Work Department at Governors State University, serves as faculty representative for the GSU chapter of Phi Alpha.
National Qualifications for Individual Membership (Undergraduate)
An undergraduate student is eligible for membership after achieving the following national requirements and meeting local chapter requirements:
- Declared social work as a major
- Achieved sophomore status
- Completed eight semester hours or 12 quarter hours of required social work courses
- Achieved an overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Achieved a 3.25 grade point average in required social work courses
National Qualifications for Individual Membership (Graduate)
A graduate student is eligible for membership after the following national requirements and meeting local chapter requirements:
- Completed one term of course work with the minimum number of social work credits as determined by the local chapter
- Achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 based on a 4.0 scale
Eligibility Criteria for Omicron Beta Chapter at GSU (for both Graduate and Undergraduate students)
Demonstrated service to, or leadership in, the community or university in the last two years.
More Information
For more information about Phi Alpha, please visit their website www.phialpha.org, contact Dr. Maristela Zell at 708.235.2235, mzell@govst.edu, or fill out a Phi Alpha Omicron Beta Chapter Request for Initiation form, and return it to Governors State University, c/o Dr. Maristela Zell, Social Work Department, 1 University Parkway, University Park, 60484.
Headlines
Historic Hooding Ceremony Held for First Doctoral Candidates from College of Health and Human Services
It was quite an historic evening. Twenty doctoral graduates from GSU's College of Health and Human Services — the first in GSU's 41-year history — were honored June 10, 2010, in a Hooding Ceremony celebrating their academic achievements. At the University's Commencement Ceremony on June 12, the doctoral candidates wore their hoods as they marched across the stage at Tinley Park Convention Center to receive their degrees.
Recipients of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree include Shirley Comer of Griffith, IN, and Patricia Martin of Frankfort.
Recipients of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree include: Tanya Anders of Crete, Patrica Barker of Orland Hills, Megan Bryce of Willowbrook, Scott Bullard of Tinley Park, Michelle Gibbons of Chicago, Emily Harn of Sauk Village, Kristina Jones of Country Club Hills, Shannon Kleinfelder of Manteno, James Lagoni of Evergreen Park, Andrew Lange of Orland Hills, Cheryl Luif of Lynwood, Cari O'Donnell of Shorewood, Bradley Phillips of Bourbonnais, Megan Schneider of Champaign, Joshua Velarde of New Lenox, Justin Velarde of New Lenox, Jena Zientek of Oak Lawn, and Gregory Zukowski of Riverdale.
The Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Doctorate in Nursing Practice programs elevate graduates to new levels of expertise and qualifications in their respective fields. The professional doctorate focuses primarily on the knowledge graduates need for advanced or entry-level practice.
"The practice doctorate gives professions the versatility to meet several challenges," noted Dr. Linda Samson, Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. "For example, it will soon be the entry-level degree for physical therapy practice. In nursing, the degree will help put nurse educators in the classroom and assure the skill set of advanced practitioners.
"The degree candidates for DPT and DNP reflect GSU's commitment to educational access and our belief that we as an institution must provide our constituents the opportunities to achieve in the professional practice world," Dr. Samson said.
Addressing the graduates at the Hooding Ceremony, Dr. Samson said, "You have journeyed long and hard to sit here this evening . . . my message to you — make someone's life better by challenging yourselves and each other."
Pictured (top photo) are the very first recipients of practice doctoral degrees from the College of Health and Human Services — 18 Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduates and two Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates. Above left, GSU President Dr. Elaine P. Maimon addresses the graduates at the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony; at right, Dr. Linda Samson, former Dean of the College of Health and Human Services, serves as Master of Ceremonies for the event, with Interim Provost Dr. David Curtis looking on.
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Make Someone's Life Better Magazine (formerly Annual Report)
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“Advancing Professional Practice: An Expert Discussion on the Professional Practice Doctorate”
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