Each month, Capital University takes immense pride in showcasing the remarkable accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students. These achievements, ranging from groundbreaking research and innovative projects to significant contributions in various fields, reflect the vibrant intellectual community and commitment to excellence that define our institution. Join us in applauding these milestones and the individuals who are not only advancing their respective disciplines but also shaping the future of our university and community.
Congratulations to Capital’s Social Work department for successfully completing the 2nd Benchmark for MSW Program Accreditation with the Council on Social Work Education, Board of Accreditors. This moves the MSW program one step closer to the Initial MSW Program Accreditation in October 2027. Renda Ross, the Social Work department chair stated, “Our students' passion for advocating and serving others continues to inspire us.”
Kudos to Chad Payton (music) for presenting Beyond Technique: Teaching Students How to Learn at the OH NATS Spring Workshop. An annual meeting for state NATS members, this year's conference moved online and featured presentations on movement techniques, cognitive science and learning strategies, entrepreneurial tips for private studios, and how trauma impacts teaching and learning. According to Payton, “Presenting and attending the OH NATS Spring Workshop is a great opportunity to share and learn from peer educators throughout Ohio. We continue leaning into shared experiences that help faculty and private studio teachers adapt to current learners and their learning needs.”
Congratulations to Tracy Hoag (nursing) and Kathy Fernandez (nursing emerita faculty) for presenting Exploring Early Career Experiences of Bilingual Nurses: Advocating for Supportive Workplace Culture at the Sigma Theta Tau Creating Healthy Work Environments conference. This qualitative research focused on the transition-to-practice experiences of Spanish-speaking nurses who learned English as a second language. This work is part of Hoag’s dissertation research and highlighted the need for supportive workplaces and understanding of the unique transition-to-practice experiences of bilingual nurses.
Honors to Baiju Markose (seminary) for receiving the Marion McFarland Award for the best research in the area of Religion, Ecology, and Sustainability from the American Academy of Religion, Midwest Region annual conference for his paper Phytography and Planetary Solidarity: Insights from Subaltern Oiko-autobiography. The paper advances a compelling dialogue on plant writing (phytography), the shared agency of more-than-human life forms, and the ethics of planetary belonging in a time of ecological crisis. This honor marks the second time the Academy has recognized Markose’s contributions to the field, following its previous conferral in 2017. Markose said "Receiving the Marion McFarland Award is an honor that deeply energizes my commitment to exploring the intersections of religion, ecology, and sustainability. This recognition provides vital momentum for my ongoing research, fueling a continued commitment to fostering planetary solidarity in our shared ecological future."
Congratulations to Jon Stadler (mathematics) for publishing Using the Floor to Catch a Dropped Juggling Ball Theorem in the April 2026 issue of Math Horizons. This work also was presented at Gathering 4 Gardner in February 2026. The work outlines formula for the number of balls in a juggling sequence in a new theorem called the Floor Theorem. The Floor Theorem can be used to prove the Average Theorem in a more direct manner than other proofs of the theorem. The Average Theorem is a well-known theorem the also calculates the number of balls in juggling sequences.
Congratulations to Rachel Mace (Academic Success) and Erin Smith (Academic Success), the Academic Success Supplemental Instruction (SI) program has officially been re-accredited through the International Center for Supplemental Instruction (ICSI). Our SI program has been accredited since 2023, and we are pleased that this accreditation will continue through 2029. In addition to the recent CRLA Level I Peer Tutor Training Certification received in 2025, these are huge, milestone accomplishments for Academic Success in the 2025-2026 year. Mace explained “This re-accreditation speaks to the top-tier quality of academic support that students can expect from the Capital experience. Our SI Leaders work diligently to inspire students to embrace the power of collaborative learning and to empower them to achieve their potential. This ongoing accreditation exemplifies just how much our SI program has imprinted itself as an integral part of Capital's curriculum and will continue to promote students' excellence on campus.”