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Eileen Jevis, public relations manager at University College of Syracuse University, was recently awarded the Commander’s Award for Public Service by the U.S. Army. The award recognizes exceptional public service that contributes significantly to the accomplishment of the mission of an Army activity, command or staff agency. Jevis coordinated the University’s Veterans Day Ceremony on campus on Nov. 11, an event that included a major program in SU’s Hendricks Chapel with Whitman School of Management Dean Melvin Stith delivering the keynote address. This was followed by a wreath and flag ceremony on the Quad, and a luncheon for 250 people. A special guest at the event was well-known country singer Michael Peterson, who sang the National Anthem and his popular solo “You Could Hear a Pin Drop” in Hendricks Chapel.

The Commander’s Award is the fourth highest honor the United States Department of the Army can bestow upon a civilian, ranking directly below the Outstanding Civilian Service Award. It can only be approved by a commander with the rank of colonel and above. Lt. Col. Susan Hardwick, commander of the Army ROTC program at SU, nominated Jevis for the award.
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“Eileen’s leadership in executing this first ever Veterans Day Ceremony at Syracuse University created an awareness about veterans on campus and allowed the University to honor those who serve in the military,” says Hardwick.”The ceremony was extremely well done, honoring past and present veterans of Syracuse University in a very respectful, dignified and moving way. Eileen’s passion, energy, and work ethic in organizing this event were tremendous.” The award was approved and signed by Col. Glenn H. Goldman of the 2nd (Freedom) Brigade at Fort Dix, N.J.

Hardwick, a career officer, Iraq War veteran, and chair of the Department of Military Science at SU, noted that Jevis had no precedent from which to draw plans and ideas for the event. “Everything had to be done from scratch,” says Hardwick, “but she was able to bring together many different people on campus for committee meetings, which resulted in a very successful program. Already there is talk about planning for next year’s Veterans Day Ceremony. Eileen has started a legacy at Syracuse that will now be an annual event.”

Jevis, a Camillus resident who joined the University College community five years ago as public relations manager, expressed gratitude for the extraordinary tribute. “I am humbled and honored to receive such a prestigious award,” she said. “I accept it with great appreciation for the recognition that must be shared with so many others across campus who assisted in the planning and execution of this inaugural Veterans Day event.” She added, “It is very gratifying to be able to honor the students, faculty, and staff who have served our country with such allegiance. To witness their pride of country, dedication to mission, and willingness to sacrifice is truly humbling. They are the ones who deserve our thanks.”

Jevis noted that she received assistance and guidance from various departments on campus as the event planning progressed, especially from Hardwick, her staff, and the ROTC units on campus. “I learned a lot about military protocol and was impressed with the depth of knowledge I found right on campus,” says Jevis. “It was a pleasure to work with Lt. Col. Hardwick and members of the ROTC. In the true spirit of collaboration , the Office of Special Events, the Marketing Department at University College, and many others came together to make the event successful and memorable.”

The Dec. 16 session of Thursday Morning Roundtable (TMR) features Linda Wright, executive director of the Salvation Army; Anthony Discenza, housing program coordinator for the Community Development Division of Onondaga County; Michael Melara, executive director of Catholic Charities; and Sarah Merrick, social services program coordinator for Onondaga County Department of Social Services.

The panel will discuss reasons for the increase in the homeless rate from 2008 to 2009, how the demographics of the homeless have changed in recent years, and how the current economy impacts the social service programs in Onondaga County.

TMR meets from 8:15-9:15 a.m. at Drumlins, 800 Nottingham Rd. For further information, contact Sandra Barrett, director of community programs, (315) 443-4846. The TMR program is broadcast on WCNY-FM, 91.3 on Sundays at 8 p.m. and at http://www.wcny.org/tmr.

On Thursday, Dec. 16, the Institute for Retired Professionals (IRP) will host members of the Syracuse New Horizon Music Ensemble, who will present an interactive program. In addition to music selections, members of the group will lead a discussion centered around music participation by senior citizens. Jean MacLeod-O’Leary, owner of the Greater Syracuse School of Music, and Don Goodness, music director of the ensemble, will raise awareness of the important role that music plays in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

MacLeod-O’Leary received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, and a master’s degree in education from SUNY Oswego.

Goodness earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oswego and a master’s degree in music from The Catholic University of America. He completed advanced study at the Eastman School of Music.

The Institute for Retired Professionals, established by University College of Syracuse University, provides opportunities for retired people to stay intellectually active, to expand interests and make new acquaintances. Presentations are made by Syracuse University faculty and specialists within the community.

The program is free and open to the public. Meetings are held the first and third Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Syracuse, 5833 E. Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville. Several times each year, members may take part in special activities such as day trips, tours and luncheons.

For more information on this program, call University College of Syracuse University at (315) 443-4846.

A delegation of professionals from the Singapore Workforce Development Agency and the Employment and Employability Institute will visit Syracuse University on Thursday, Dec. 9, and Friday, Dec. 10. At Syracuse, the delegation is interested in the design and use of adult learning spaces, use of technology to support adult learning and practical environmentally friendly and sustainable building designs. Additionally, the delegates will meet with Tom Hadlick and Andrea German-Willis, director and assistant director of the WorkKeys Center at University College; Carol Hill, director of Workforce Solutions and Community Relations at Center State CEO; Dave Wall, director of Corporate and Public Partnerships at Onondaga Community College; and Karen DeJarnette, director of Workforce Development Initiatives at Empire State Development Corporation. The Syracuse based Work Keys and workforce administrators are interested in learning more about the Singaporeans’ job analysis process and how that relates to the development and delivery of adult education/training, particularly in the foundational skill area, and to see if they share many of the same challenges as their counterparts in the United States. In turn, Mohamad Latiff, deputy director of the campus project office at the Singapore agency stated, “I would also like to learn how SU establishes connections with and support from business and industry, as we are using online instructional programs for building foundational skills. I am interested in seeing what models you are exploring and showing you the system we are using.” Michael Frasciello, director of Information Technology Systems at University College, will also meet with the group to explain the use of smart technologies and classrooms. He will share information on the online platforms used by students, as well as the online support services provided for students. The group will also meet with Peter Weinhold, assistant dean for Information and Technologies and Michael O’Mara, computer consultant from the S.I. Newhouse School of Publications, to learn about the development challenges and achievements of the recently built Newhouse III building, followed by a tour of the facilities. From there, they will be transported to the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems for a tour of the facility. The delegation will also visit MIT, Northeastern University and Smith College.

Seeking refuge from ongoing military conflicts in their home country of Sudan, Mary Mayom and her five children spent eight years in refugee camps in Kenya and Nairobi before coming to the United States through the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Mayom and her family arrived in Connecticut in 2001 and Mayom secured a job as a part-time housekeeper at the YMCA. It was difficult for her to support her family working part time. “I came to Syracuse for the celebration of the Sudanese Independence Day,” says Mayom. “Things are different here than in Connecticut. I have an American friend here who took me shopping. The grocery stores are cheaper and there is a church here I could attend. I have found a sense of congregation here.”

Mayom found a job at a local hotel, but during the winter months when business was slow, her hours were cut to two days a week. She applied for and received a housekeeping position at St. Joseph’s Hospital. After working nine months on a part-time basis, she was hired as a full-time employee.

Flora Ayobo and her three children migrated from Southern Sudan to Northern Sudan trying to escape violence. She and her family were transported to a refugee center in Cairo. She was fortunate to find work as a housekeeper for the German Consulate in Cairo, where she worked for three years, before being sent to the United States through the U.N. Refugee program. Like Mayom, Ayobo was hired by St. Joseph’s Hospital in the housekeeping department.

Both Mayom and Ayobo were exemplary employees, but felt they could do their jobs even better if they could acquire stronger reading and math skills. When St. Joseph’s volunteered to participate in a pilot Vocational English Second Language program sponsored by the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce/CenterState CEO, both jumped at the chance. After eight weeks of basic English Second Language Instruction provided by the OCM BOCES, Mayom and Ayobo, along with five other employees, were selected for advanced Vocational English Language Instruction delivered by the WorkKeys Center at Syracuse University.

The WorkKeys Center uses an online, self-paced, independent learning curriculum developed by WIN Inc., based on the WorkKeys skill metric that enables participants to acquire the skills for high-wage, high-skill jobs. The online curriculum was supplemented by individualized homework packets provided to participants in their native language. Prior to the program, jobs with participating employers were analyzed to establish the level of reading and math used on the job.

“It was an honor for us to play some small role in assisting these immigrants and former refugees in achieving the American dream,” says Tom Hadlick, executive director of the WorkKeys Center.” Hadlick explains how inspiring it was to watch Mayom and Ayobo succeed. “They fled from their homeland suffering hardship and persecution, overcoming barriers of culture and language to become contributing members of society,” he says.

ICM Controls in North Syracuse is another employer that participated in the Vocational English Second Language program. Tatjana Cukalevska from Macedonia has worked in quality control there since she came to the United States four years ago with her husband and two children. Cukalevska was one of 13 employees at ICM who completed the WorkKeys program in October and earned a silver certificate of Workplace Competency. The silver certificate means that Cukalevska now has the knowledge and ability to learn the skills of 65 percent of the entry-level jobs available in today’s market.

Ralph Taylor, a retired director of manufacturing operation, has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry. He is an instructor for the WorkKeys Program and was on hand to present the certificates. “Because of this program, communication barriers have been overcome,” says Taylor. “These people now ask questions if they don’t understand instruction. Before, they wouldn’t ask because they didn’t understand the answers.” Taylor congratulated the group and encouraged them to continue learning, using the modules that are available to them even though the official program was over.

Leonid Danielyan moved to the United States from Armenia 14 years ago. He has been employed as a printer at ICM for 13 years. Danielyan entered the WorkKeys Program to become more fluent in English and raise his level of computer literacy. He is committed to practicing his computer skills at home so that he will have broader access to music, movies and news.

In addition to St. Joseph’s Hospital and ICM Controls, Loretto and Anaren Corp. also participated in the program. “All four employers reported that program participants made remarkable gains in their communication skills and self confidence,” says Hadlick. “Performance on the job increased and the participants began to participate in group meetings, respond in detail to questions from supervisors, and even left notes to help the incoming shift.”

Hadlick saysthat the project evaluation revealed that 90 percent of program participants acquired the level of work-related foundational skills necessary to perform all the tasks of their current job, and 71 percent acquired the skills necessary for the next job on the career ladder. In addition, 82 percent were awarded the Syracuse University Certificate of Workplace Competency.

“Several participants enrolled in college, three passed the U.S. citizenship exam and several were promoted,” says Hadlick. “That’s a remarkable achievement in the current economy. For me, the award ceremonies at Loretto and St. Joseph’s Hospital said it all. Each person voluntarily stood up and spoke eloquently about their positive experiences in the program.”

The program, funded by the New York State Department of Labor, also included supervisory training provided by the Westside Learning Center to help the employer develop a better understanding of the challenges facing immigrant and refugee employees.

To date, more than 4,000 individuals (job seekers, students and incumbent workers) have been assessed and/or trained by the WorkKeys Center and more than 50 employers have benefited from the project. The center is housed at University College.  For more information, contact Hadlick, or Andrea German-Willis, assistant director, at (315) 443-5241 or workkeys@uc.syr.edu.