Polly Olson
NDSU Academic Director
Happy New Year to RC alumni, students, and friends! There are a few changes ahead for the allied health programs in 2006. First off, we’ll have a new home! The process to approve a change in the name of the College of Pharmacy to the College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences is underway. That means we’ll be leaving the College of Science and Mathematics and Biological Sciences’ department. I expect to physically move my office, and therefore "Department of Allied Sciences" by February 1. My new address will be Sudro 118T. Though I’ll miss my neighbors and friends of nine years in the Biological Sciences’ department, we can look forward to forging relationships with colleagues and interacting with students similarly interested in health care. There are plans to hire another position to assist with the allied health programs in summer 2006. Some of you may remember the Univ 189-Skills for Academic Success course that you took as a freshman at NDSU. Beginning Fall 2006, there will be a Univ 189 section specifically designed for allied health freshman.
NDSU continues its transformation into a contemporary land-grant university with proven economic benefits for North Dakota. For 2005-06, NDSU has the largest freshman class in the state with 2,023 and graduate enrollment has risen to more than 1,600 students. The number of RC majors on campus is also at its highest (65) since 1995. This growth is true for the other allied health programs too; I now advise approximately 220 RC, CLS, and Radiologic Science majors. Dr. Donald Schwert became the new Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics this September. Dr. Will Bleier will be stepping down as Chair of the Biological Sciences department this summer. Dr. Bleier has been the primary advocate for the allied health programs during his tenure and extremely supportive of RC as he has represented NDSU on the RC consortial, curriculum, and admissions’ committees and served as a practice interviewer for many years. As the RC program prepares for an on-site accreditation visit, so does NDSU. A site visit team of consultants from the Higher Learning Commission, our regional accreditor, is expected in February.
The Michael Sologuk Memorial Scholarship recipient for 2004 was Amanda Frank and 2005 was Jennifer Nielson. Congratulations! One criteria for selection for this scholarship is an essay describing cystic fibrosis and a respiratory therapist’s role in treating these patients. Michael’s wife, Sally, participates in selection of the recipient and then gets to meet them at the college’s spring scholarship luncheon. She has been impressed by the applicant’s community and campus involvement and grateful for the opportunity to educate more health care providers about CF. Current interns are eligible to apply by April 1; I’d encourage you to do so. For more information, see
www.ndsu.edu/rc, "Scholarships".RC alumni are welcome to submit information about themselves for the annual college newsletter, i.e. your name and/or previous name, address, phone, occupation/title, company and location of work, and other information about your family, volunteer work, awards, additional studies, etc. You can email to me at
Polly.Olson@ndsu.eduTake Care and keep in touch!