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 Paige Kohn (law) who was invited by the Southern Illinois University Law Journal to give a virtual lunch presentation to SIU law students and faculty about her upcoming law review article, Ending the Cycle: A New Approach to Decriminalize Mental Illness. The article develops a new approach to stopping the criminalization of mental illness.
Three Capital University faculty, Hoyun Cho (education), Paul Hopkins (education), and Anna Stewart (social work) were selected to participate in the OhioLINK OER Course Redesign Grant Program. This competitive program supports faculty across Ohio in redesigning their courses through the integration of Open Educational Resources (OER) to enhance accessibility and reduce student costs. As part of the program, Cho and Hopkins will collaborate with the OhioLINK Affordable Learning team to align course content in education courses with high-quality open and library-licensed materials. Stewart’s work will focus on identifying and incorporate OER into an existing social work course. Stewart reflected on this opportunity, “The dynamic nature of the social work field requires course materials to be current, inclusive, and reflective of real-world practice. Traditional textbooks can quickly become outdated and financially burdensome. By adopting OER content, we can be better equipped to tailor courses with the latest research, culturally responsive frameworks, and evidence-based tools, all while significantly reducing costs for students. The transition to OER promotes equitable access to high-quality educational content.” Congratulations to Cho, Hopkins, and Stewart for engaging in this important work!
Additional Kudos to Anna Stewart (social work) who presented Cultivating “Collective Effervescence:” Black Women Graduate Students Experiences of Joy at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in Denver, Colorado. During the presentation, participants learned about qualitative study results focused on Black women graduate students' perception of whether joy can contribute to healing from race-based trauma. During the presentation, attendees considered ways to expand this research and apply the findings to supporting students with minoritized identities.
Congratulations to Justin Breidenbach (business) who presented The State-Legalized Cannabis Industry: Current Developments and Professional Implications at CoreCon the Accounting and Finance Conference. The presentation provided an overview of the evolving cannabis industry within the United States, emphasizing recent legal and regulatory developments that impact accounting and financial professionals. Discussion topics included the implications of recent U.S. Tax Court rulings, key challenges in financial reporting and compliance, and ethical considerations when providing professional services to cannabis-related businesses. The session also explored practical guidance for accountants navigating complex state-federal conflicts and maintaining professional integrity in this emerging field.
Accolades to Robyn Walsh (education) and graduate alumni Lisa Pontius (’24) and Darin Billiter (’24) who presented Survive and Thrive: Insights for New School Counselors at the Ohio School Counseling Conference. The group explored insights about the first year as a school counselor. According to Walsh, “Both students were nervous at the start, but got wonderful feedback following the presentation, and already want to do it again next year!”
Kudos to Chad Peyton (music) and students Beaux Baldwin, Max Kramer, Maya Carpenter, Luke Bolyard, Drew Hartley, Kennie Silber, and Isaac Fleece who represented the Capital University’s Conservatory of Music Voice Area at this year's Ohio NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) Competition. Students prepared 3 or 4 selections in each of their categories and sang for judges from around the state. Peyton declared "Congratulations to all our participants in this year's OH NATS Competition! Capital University continues to do well at this competition, bringing home a total of 10 awards this year. As part of those awards, Beaux Baldwin (senior Vocal Performance major) also won the Richard Miller Award for Fine Singing, which is considered the grand prize of the event and voted all by all members in attendance at the winner's recital."
Congratulations to Capital University’s Academic Success program and Rachel Mace (Academic Success), Bruce Epps (Academic Success, retired), and Erin Smith (Academic Success). Capital University’s Peer Tutoring program has once again been awarded certification as a Level I certified tutor training program by the internationally recognized College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). Capital University’s Peer Tutoring program previously held CRLA certification from 2017 to 2020, and Capital has regained this recognition after redevelopment and renewal. For more than thirty years, CRLA has been a leader in learning assistance, reading, and academic support programs, with almost 1,300 members and over 2,000 certified training programs worldwide. Over the last five years, the Academic Success team has worked diligently to design a tutor training program that meets CRLA’s rigorous standards and successfully completed the International Tutor Training Program Certification (ITTPC) peer review process. Achieving certification means that Academic Success has met CRLA’s high standards for tutor selection, training, direct service, and evaluation as an integral part of our overall tutoring program.
Kudos to Gregory Hall (law) who’s article A Negligence Standard by and for WE THE PEOPLE was accepted for
publication by the Southern California Interdisciplinary Journal of Law. Social life is inherently risky. Who should bear the costs of accidental harm? Hall argues for a new approach to that question, namely democratic standard theory. That theory argues that legal negligence in tort law must be determined through a value-sensitive inquiry. In that light, negligent breach occurs when conduct falls below the standard supported by the values of the most individuals at risk. Practically, democratic standard theory can be implemented immediately—without any formal reforms—by leveraging the reasonably prudent person jury instruction as an empty vessel. To fill it, attorneys can use the recommendations of democratic standard theory to structure advocacy around values-based argumentation. In doing so, attorneys advance democratic ideals as well as employ a practice-tested, winning strategy, as demonstrated by eminent litigators.
Congratulations to Saurav Roychoudhury (business) who presented The Economic Impact Study of Data Centers in Ohio at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Commissioned by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation, this study by Roychoudhury and three collaborators evaluated the economic and fiscal impact of Ohio’s fast-growing data center industry. In less than a decade, Ohio has become one of North America’s top data center markets, attracting over $40 billion in private investment and earning the name “Silicon Heartland.” Using IMPLAN input–output modeling and data from 2017–2024 with projections through 2030, the report shows that data centers are now a cornerstone of Ohio’s economy and provides a roadmap for sustainable growth through strategic investment in infrastructure, environmental management, and community trust. This work was also covered or cited by ABC6, NBC4i, Spectrum news, MSN, Columbus Dispatch, USA Today, and Yahoo Finance.