From Long Island University’s Westchester Graduate Campus to China,
Mount Vernon Teacher Gets Ready to Introduce Chinese Language to Grade Schoolers
- Rita Kwan wins award to study Mandarin in China this summer –
Purchase, N.Y. – This summer, Rita Kwan, a recent graduate of Long Island University’s Westchester Graduate Campus, gets to study in China so that she can better teach Chinese to her students at Grimes Elementary School in Mount Vernon this fall.
The 48-year-old Pound Ridge resident is one of just 15 teachers from around the country who have won an award to participate in the Chinese Intensive Summer Language Institute at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, China. Sponsored by the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the professional development initiative is offered by the American Councils for International Education to promote teaching of high-needs languages in American schools.
“The application process was difficult and competitive,” says Kwan, who in January 2008 received a master’s degree in education at the Westchester Graduate Campus, completing a dual certificate program in middle childhood and adolescent education and teaching languages other than English. She credits the experience with contributing to her success in the rigorous application process.
“The training that I received at the Westchester Graduate Campus was first class,” says Kwan, “especially on the technology-assisted language teaching methods.”
Kwan is a native of Guangzhou, the capital city of the Guandong province in southern China. She grew up speaking Cantonese, and is fluent in the Cantonese dialect. However, Mandarin is the dialect most commonly used in mainland China, so she will focus on improving those language skills during her all-expenses paid, six-week immersion experience. She also will partake in cultural exchanges such as visits to local schools. The goal is to foster mutual understanding between the United States and China while developing a pool of teachers who can prepare the next generation of Americans for the demands of an increasingly global economy.
“I will be able to bring back a lot of firsthand Chinese culture and language,” Kwan says. Kwan first arrived in the United States in the 1980s, and has taught Chinese to non-Chinese students at the Mount Vernon school since September 2007. She previously taught at the Northern Westchester Chinese School, a heritage school for Chinese students, for eight years.
Located in Purchase, New York, the Westchester Graduate Campus offers graduate and certificate programs in teacher education, school counseling, school psychology, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, and library and information science as well as a Master’s in Business Administration degree.
For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (718) 488-1015.
Free Open House Information Seminars
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Join the growing number of professionals who are pursuing exciting careers in teacher education, school counseling, school psychology, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, business administration (M.B.A.) and library & information science. Share refreshments with colleagues, meet our faculty, and get information on our graduate programs at one of our Open House events at our campus in Purchase, N.Y.
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Open House Schedule for our Graduate Programs in:
Business Administration (M.B.A.), Teacher Education, School Counseling, School Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Library & Information Science.
Open House Dates are:
Thursday June 26, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Thursday August 21, 2008 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday October 15, 2008 7:00pm
Thursday January 8, 2009 6:00pm
Wednesday March 11, 2009 7:00pm
Tuesday April 28, 2009 7:00pm
Tuesday June 23, 2009 7:00pm
Thursday August 20, 2009 6:00pm
Phone 1-800-GRAD-LIU or e-mail westchester@liu.edu to learn more about our Open House or to reserve a seat.
The Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University is located adjacent to the Dance Building on the grounds of Purchase College in Purchase, NY.
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News & Events
RefWorks
Learn how to create bibliographies with a press of a button. Refworks is an online citation maker available through the LIU online database. For a quick presentation describing how to access and use Refworks, please click here.
Professional Writing Workshop
The class will meet on five Wednesdays – October 1, 15, 29, November 12, 19 – from 4:30 to 6:00PM. See attached flyer for details.
Teacher Education Portfolio Workshops in August
Wednesday, August 20 – 4:30 to 6:30PM and Wednesday, August 27 – 10:00 to 11:30AM. Click here for more information.
Ordering Textbooks
Ordering textbooks in the future are listed on the website in the Westchester homepage.
Art of Writing Workshop in June
From June 27- July 3, 2008 from 9:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m., twenty-five Westchester-area youngsters, in grades 4-6 will draw inspiration from museum visits to develop their writing skills during the fifth annual "The Art of Writing” workshop at the Westchester Graduate Campus. The summer writers’ workshop encourages young students to express in writing their personal discoveries about works of art from daily visits to the Neuberger Museum. For more information contact Dr. Rebecca Rich, Director of Literacy Programs, at 914-831-2714.
Child Abuse & Violence Prevention Workshops
School Counseling & School Psychology Students: Child Abuse & Violence Prevention Workshops will be offered on the WGC Campus on January 2009. Check back for actual dates. Registration forms are available at the Campus reception desk. The cost is $30.
Promoting Wellness Course
Teacher Education Students: Promoting Wellness, a one-credit course that includes the Child Abuse & Violence Prevention Workshop will be offered on Campus on Tuesday July 22 and Tuesday July 29, 2008 from 7:10pm-9:40pm. Students may register for this class in person, by fax (914) 251-5959, or by lisa.dorado@liu.edu.
New School Code for FAFSA
The Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University has been assigned a new school code. Beginning with the Summer 2007 semester, when applying online for a FAFSA federal direct loan, students must enter the school code 002751. Also, all students seeking any scholarship or tuition award offered at the WGC must fill out an online FAFSA application in order to be eligible for an award.
New Scholarships for Teacher Education at the Westchester Graduate Campus
● Career Ladder Scholarship for Teacher Education
This scholarship is designed to support the efforts of those paraprofessionals and teaching assistants in the New Rochelle, Yonkers and White Plains, New York School Districts who already hold bachelor's degrees and want to become certified teachers. The Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University offers a 25% tuition discount for qualified paraprofessionals and teaching assistants who are matriculated into master's degree programs leading to teacher certification. Individuals receiving this scholarship must remain in the employ of one of the three named districts in order to retain the scholarship, provide a letter from their supervisor on letterhead stationery that states their job title, provide proof of employment each semester to the university's admissions office.
● Independent School Teacher Scholarship
This scholarship provides a 25% tuition reduction for a nine credit block of teacher education graduate credits in literacy, special education, early childhood or ESL. Teachers, paraprofessionals and teaching assistants employed in independent (private or religious) schools in Fairfield, CT., Westchester and Bronx, NY counties who wish to pursue graduate study are eligible. To be eligible for this opportunity, the teacher, paraprofessional or teaching assistant must be recommended by either a building principal/head.
● Advanced Certificate Scholarships For Westchester Public School Teachers
A full-time, certified classroom teacher from a Westchester County public school who holds a master's degree and wishes to acquire a new area of certification will receive a 25% tuition reduction for every credit earned toward that certificate at the Westchester Graduate Campus. A candidate for this tuition reduction must be recommended by either his/her building principal or district superintendent.
● Deanna Giordano Special Education Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a current special education master's degree student with a GPA of 3.8 or above. The student must have completed the majority of credits toward a special education masters degree and the final selection will be made by the Academic Oversight Committee and approved by the Provost of the Westchester Graduate Campus.
Faculty News
Dr. Iris Goldberg, Director of Early Childhood and Childhood Programs at the Westchester Graduate Campus, spoke at the 28th Annual Ethnography in Education Research Forum that was held at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in February. She was a participant on a panel that addressed the topic: "Outsiders/Insiders, Special Subject and Special Service Staff in Schools as Learning Communities."
Dr. Goldberg co-presented with adjunct professors Drs. Mor and Jennings, at the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children's annual conference in Rye Brook , N.Y. in May on the topic: "Can I Be Your Friend? Exploring the Social, Emotional and Language Competencies of 'At-Risk' Kindergarteners." Their workshop explored the range of social, emotional and language skills that kindergarten students need in order to interact appropriately with their peers.
Dr. Lynn Johnson, our M.B.A. program director, spoke to the Westchester Chapter of the American Society for Training & Development in April on the topic "The Emotionally-Intelligent Manager: A New Paradigm for Business Leadership.” The ASTD meeting and lecture was held at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains, N.Y.
Dr. Lynn Haley-Bañez, assistant professor of Counseling, Psychology and Therapy, at the Westchester Graduate Campus presented a peer-reviewed workshop on "The Operationalization of the Diversity Competencies for Group Workers: From Knowledge to Action" at the American Counseling Association's national conference in Detroit, MI. in March. Dr. Haley-Bañez has researched this topic extensively and she received the Association for Specialist in Group Work Presidential Award in 2000 and the ASGW's Most Significant Contribution Manuscript Award in 2003 for her work in this field.
Dr. Beth Weiner, We are very excited to have Dr. John Desrochers as one of our adjuncts. Besides being named as the School Psychologist of the Year at the 2007 National Association of School Psychologists Convention, Dr. Desrochers has also been the editor of the Communiqué, the monthly NASP newspaper. Professor Marilyn Jablonski attended the NYSSCA Convention in Syracuse this past November 2007 and represented both the Westchester Graduate Campus and WPRCA there. The Westchester Graduate Campus hosted the WPRCA Mentoring Program for new HS/MS Counselors on November 29th. A former WGC School Psychology student, Ellen Aspland, was mentioned in the acknowledgement page of a new book “Parenting a Bipolar Child” by Drs.Gianni Faedda and Nancy Austin. These internationally known experts have been frequent guest lecturers in Dr. Weiner’s Developmental Psychopathology class and they were impressed by our students and hired two as research assistants.
Council for Exceptional Children: "New Rules, New Roles"
The Council for Exceptional Children, Chapter 615, met on May 7th at at the Westchester Graduate Campus in Purchase, N.Y. The topic, discussed by a panel of experts and the audience, was "New Rules, New Roles" and focused on the shifting roles of special educators, literacy specialists and school psychologists as schools begin to implement their plans for Response-to-Intervention.
Marc Miller:
Two New Master's Degree Programs: Mental Health Counseling & Marriage and Family Therapy
The Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University in Purchase, New York is offering two new master's degree programs: Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy. Both programs equip individuals to work in mental health and social service agencies, clinics, hospitals and in private practice. Students are trained to be multiculturally competent and sensitive to the needs of diverse populations. For information about these programs contact Dr. Beth Weiner at 914-831-2717 or Dr. Lynn Haley-Banez at 914-831-2718.
M.B.A. Post Master's Advanced Certificate
The Post Master's Advanced Certificate is designed to provide M.B.A. graduates the opportunity to acquire additional expertise in either Finance or Management. This advanced certificate requires the successful completion, with a grade of B or better, of 12 credits (four advanced courses) in a specific concentration offered in the M.B.A. program. With the approval of an adviser, students may develop a plan of study specifically tailored to their career objectives. To be admitted into this Post Master's program, applicants must provide an official transcript of a conferred M.B.A. from an accredited institution. For more information contact Dr. Lynn Johnson at lynn.johnson@liu.edu or 914-831-2711.
New York State Education Department Pass Rate Data List
According to the most recent Pass Rate Data List issued by the New York State Education Department, the Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University - offering nationally accredited teacher education programs - was one of a small number of NYS institutions whose teacher certification program completers scored 100% across the board on all three New York State Teacher Certification. Examinations.
Emergency and Snow Closings
Each faculty member will set up and initiate emergency notification telephone chains so that students can be speedily notified if a class must be cancelled due to inclement weather or any other emergency. If a class has not had its first meeting, the main office will notify the students listed on the class roster. Be sure to indicate both your day and evening telephone numbers when completing the emergency notification form.
The radio station WCBS, 880 AM will broadcast any weather related closings or delays.
Also, students can check for school closing announcements at the Westchester Graduate Campus' main telephone number, (914) 831-2700 or on this Web site.
Dates & Deadlines
New Student Orientation-Tuesday, August 26, 2008
New student orientation will take place on Monday, August 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Westchester Graduate Campus. Students who are new for the Fall 2008 semester should make every effort to attend and learn about the extensive online LIU library system and how to access it from off-Campus. Students will also have their photographs taken for their LIU identification cards and fill out a parking permit request.
Degree
Application
● Application For Degree forms are available on the display rack in the reception desk. The completed application form must be submitted to Margaret Evans. Missing the application deadline will result in the postponement of the conferral of a graduate's degree. For September 2008 graduates, the deadline to submit the Application for Degree form is June 1, 2008. For additional information and future deadline information contact Margaret.Evans@liu.edu.
School Counseling Comprehensive Exam
School Counseling students: if you are planning to graduate Spring 2009 or the following semester, make sure to register for the comprehensive examination which will be administered on October 18, 2008. A form to register for this exam is available at the Campus reception desk. Please leave the completed form and your check for the $15 fee with the receptionist to the attention of Ms. Sheila McCluskey.
Teacher Education Portfolio Guidelines
The portfolio, a requirement in all teacher education master's programs, is to be submitted for the first time when approximately 12-15 credits have been completed. The final submission is due the semester prior to a students' last semester.
Click here to download (pdf) and print the portfolio guidelines for the teacher education programs.
1-2-3 Teaching/Counseling
Teaching or Counseling - It's as easy as "1-2-3"
“1-2-3 PLAN for School Counseling” - earn New York State Certification and be eligible to work as a School Counselor in as little as one year. For more information about the 1-2-3 Plan for School Counseling contact Dr. Beth Weiner.
“1-2-3 TEACH” - leads to a full-time teaching position in a high-needs school in as little as eight months and a masters degree in education by the end of twenty months. Only a small number of very well qualified and highly-motivated students are accepted into this program. For more information about the 1-2-3 Teach program contact Janet Stander.
Click here to print a pdf document with details about "1-2-3- Teach."
First-Step Program for SUNY Purchase College Students
Purchase College students interested in becoming teachers may take six graduate credits at the Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University at a 50% graduate tuition reduction. These credits will apply towards both the student's undergraduate degree at Purchase College and the M.S. Ed. degree at the Westchester Graduate Campus. For more information contact the Admissions Office at westchester@liu.edu.
Click here to read and print a pdf with a more detailed description of the First-Step Program.
Early Admit M.B.A. Program for SUNY Purchase College Students
Purchase College students interested in a career in business may take six graduate credits at the Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University at a 50% graduate tuition reduction. These credits will apply towards both the student's undergraduate degree at Purchase College and the M.B.A. degree at the Westchester Graduate Campus. For more information contact the Admissions Office at westchester@liu.edu.
Click here to read and print a pdf with a more detailed description of the Early Admit M.B.A. Program.
The Westchester Graduate Campus of Long Island University
735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577
Phone: 1-800-GRAD-LIU | 914-831-2700
Fax: 914-251-5959
E-mail: westchester@liu.edu
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