Volume 1, Number 2 - Spring 1998

Table of Contents

Director's Notes

by William G. Ludwin

In the inaugural issue of SPEAking of..., I asked for your feedback-suggestions, comments, and criticisms. Well, I guess the first issue was a great success. Three of you told me how much you liked the newsletter and said you wouldn't change a thing. The rest of you must be satisfied since I haven't heard a single word of criticism! But since I haven't spoken with each of you, why not let me know what you think by email (ludwin@ipfw.edu) or by telephone (219-481-6345)? We're novices at this sort of thing and your opinions will help us to know whether we're on the right track.

As you probably know, we rely on a cadre of dedicated associate faculty to supplement our full-time faculty. In this issue we feature three of our best, each a Teaching Excellence Award winner: Tom Bartholomy, Philip Davich, and Charles Pratt. They each have full and rich lives, but give their time (for very little pay) to bring students their perspectives from outside the academic world. We are grateful for their help, and I'm sure their students are, too.

You will also notice a note about a phone solicitation in May or June. Please consider giving a tax-deductible gift to our scholarship fund or for general student and faculty purposes. As these funds accumulate, you will be able to have a measurable affect on the teaching and learning in SPEA at IPFW. The size of the gift is not as important as your participation. It says you care about education at SPEA-IPFW. When you're contacted, please be sure to designate your gift to SPEA.

On Friday, May 1, we will hold our annual graduating-student recognition and alumni reunion at the Pine Valley Country Club. Mark your calendars and expect an invitation in the mail. We invite you to congratulate your friends who are graduating and renew friendships with fellow alumni. We will also have a "match the picture with the name" game (we have acquired pictures of faculty and alumni that they would probably rather forget). And as usual, we will present awards, graze on hors d'oeuvres, and raise our glasses in good fellowship. Please come and join the celebration.

Associate Faculty Highlights

Thomas M. Bartholomy

"Let me start by saying that I am a Fort Wayne boy who started working in my father's restaurant when I was nine. That combination is usually enough to scar you for life or make you leave home at an early age." 

Thomas Bartholomy began his career with the Better Business Bureau in 1982 and was elected president/CEO in 1986. "The BBB is an exciting place to work," he says, "especially when a new scam comes along that we can expose and alert consumers to." The Fort Wayne BBB has become nationally recognized for excellence, having won six awards in various aspects of bureau work. In 1994, Bartholomy was elected chairman of the Bureau Operations Committee-the highest elected office in the BBB system. This opportunity allowed him to work side-by- side with the presidents of some of the nation's largest companies.

Outside the BBB, he has been active on a number of local boards and is involved with the Advertising Association, St. Vincent's School, Anthony Wayne Rotary, and Pine Valley Country Club, where he just completed two years as their board president.

Bartholomy received a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Master of Public Affairs at IPFW. Upon graduating, he was honored to be inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha.

In 1989, he accepted a position as an associate faculty member in SPEA, where he alternately teaches three courses-Managing Government Operations (V368), Introduction to Public Affairs (V170), and Ethics in Public Administration (V450). He created the ethics course after nagging William G. Ludwin that SPEA was lacking without it. "This course is one of the things in my life that I am most proud. It is a subject I deeply believe in and I was given the freedom by Dr. Ludwin to teach it as I saw fit." His efforts on the ethics course were honored in 1997 with the IPFW Faculty Teaching Award for associate faculty. He also earned the division's Teaching Excellence Award for associate faculty in 1993 and 1997.

"All work and no play would be no fun at all, so my family (wife Terri and son Paul, age 10) enjoy golfing, playing tennis, and basketball, as well as most other sports."

Philip C. Davich

Philip Davich has been an associate faculty member in SPEA since fall 1992, teaching Statistical Techniques (K300) and Introduction to Government Accounting (V346). "I really enjoy teaching for SPEA," Davich says. "I find my job and my teaching assignments mutually reinforcing. I'm able to bring illustrations to class from my daily work, which help students with their comprehension of the material, and just as often I am able to take some example from class-many of them from my students-back to the office. And I'm genuinely enthusiastic about the subject matter, which students, while finding it a little strange perhaps, nonetheless appreciate."

Davich won the division's Teaching Excellence Award for associate faculty in 1994.

When he's not teaching at IPFW, Davich works there as manager of accounting services and coordinator of fiscal systems, a position he's held since October 1996. "The job is part accountant, part information specialist, and part office manager. It's a good blend. I work with a knowledgeable and supportive staff, and have access to some of the latest and best information technologies for financial analysis and communications. And the university is just a great place to work."

In addition to his university job, Davich is a city council member in Woodburn, Indiana's smallest city. "The motto, while true, is really just a technicality," he concedes. "There are smaller communities than Woodburn, but none that are incorporated as a city. Being on the city council has been a two-fold blessing. It has allowed me to apply aspects of my SPEA degree that my university job doesn't afford-things like urban planning and policy development-and it has given me even more practical examples of the concepts I covered in my SPEA classes."

Away from work, Davich enjoys music, computers, and reading. He is married to Tammy Davich, SPEA secretary. The Daviches have two children. Chad is a freshman at Woodlan High School and Ashley is in sixth grade at Woodburn Lutheran School.

Charles F. Pratt

Peering across the desks of a classroom in Neff Hall listening to a lecture by C. James Owen is an experience familiar to many. More than 20 years ago, when SPEA was in its IPFW infancy, that same classroom episode was replayed on numerous occasions for one of the school's present part-time instructors, Magistrate Charles Pratt.

In the mid-1970s, Pratt was a student at IPFW and attended several courses on urban politics taught by Owen. Pratt, student-body president during the 1975-76 school year, graduated with distinction that same year with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. In 1979, he graduated cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis. During the years of law school, Fort Wayne and IPFW continued to play a role in Pratt's life. During his summer vacations, he served as an intern employed with the Fort Wayne Department of Community Development and Planning under the direction of Owen.

Since his graduation from law school and admission to the practice of law, Pratt has served as a law clerk for the Allen Superior Court, as a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney, and as the first judicial referee for the Allen County Small Claims Court. Since 1985, Pratt has been a magistrate in the Allen Superior Court Family Relations Division. In that judicial role, he has presided over juvenile delinquency and child-abuse cases, divorces, and child-custody and paternity hearings. He coordinates the court's annual Conference on Youth and is a member of the Indiana Judicial Conference Juvenile Bench Book Committee.

Despite his other responsibilities, Pratt has continued to maintain his IPFW connection. Since 1989, he has taught courses for SPEA. In 1995 Pratt earned the division's Teaching Excellence Award for associate faculty. Pratt is married to Roxanne (Hill) (A.S. '92) and has two children, Katharine, 12, and Andrew, 8. The Pratts are active at their church, Emmanuel Lutheran, for which Pratt is the congregation chair. Pratt enjoys gardening and collecting American history artifacts including documents and materials from the Civil War.

Alpha Phi Sigma

Below is a list of our criminal justice majors who have 3.0 GPAs cumulatively, and a 3.2 GPA in criminal justice courses, which qualifies them for membership in the criminal justice honor society, Alpha Phi Sigma.

M.P.A.-Criminal Justice

SPEA is presently determining interest in the M.P.A. with a criminal justice concentration. If enough interest exists, we hope to implement the M.P.A.-CJ within the next academic year. If you have received a survey and not returned it, please do so as it would be a great help in determining interest in the program. If you have any questions, please call David C. May at 481-6531.

New Course for Fall 1998

Not sure where you're headed with your degree? Enroll in SPEA V352 Personal Career Planning, offered noon-12:50 p.m. Wednesdays in Kettler 117. This course will be taught by Vicki Bandor Braun, assistant director for placement services at IPFW.

Speaking of Alumni

Vicki Bandor Braun received a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1991 and a Master of Public Affairs in 1996 at IPFW. Bandor Braun began her career in the employment and training field as a liaison between the public and private sectors, which involved job-trainee admissions, placement, and employee outplacement. She worked with at-risk youth and adults for the Job Corps program of the employment and training arms of the U.S. Department of Labor and managed outplacement services for the federally funded, state-administered Job Training Partnership Act of Northeast Indiana. After receiving an M.P.A from IPFW, Bandor Braun directed and assisted in the development of an innovative young-adult employment program in conjunction with Job Works. The program provided for paid training and employment for at-risk young adults. The academic piece of the employment puzzle brought her back to IPFW in a professional capacity. Her current position as assistant director for placement services at IPFW brings her full circle.

As assistant director, Bandor Braun assists students in identifying career directions, aids students and alumni in transition professionally through résumé preparation, interviewing strategies, and using creativity in the job-search effort. Career Services, the umbrella department for placement services, provides a wide array of resources and services instrumental in serving the IPFW community and the community at-large. As liaison between employers worldwide and the students and alumni of the university, Bandor Braun bridges the gap between education and employment.

Bandor Braun has been involved with state and regional initiatives that include the "One-Stop" collection of state services, board member of the regional School-to-Work committee and Welfare-to-Work effort. Additionally, she is a member of the community-based mediation organizations Common Ground and Education for Conflict Resolution, and is a board member of the IPFW Alumni Association. She is also a trained mediator.

Bandor Braun is supported in every way by her family including her husband Tom; sons Wes and Cliff; and step-sons Mike, Steve, and Dan.

My Internship in Washington D.C.

by Dan Bobilya
SPEA Fort Wayne student
B.S.P.A. 1998

During the summer months of 1997, I had one of the most exciting experiences of my life. I was fortunate enough to have been selected to work as an intern in the Washington, D.C., office of Indiana's Sen. Richard Lugar. For approximately three months, I was able to gain firsthand experience on the day-to-day operations of our nation's government from one of its most respected senators.

As an intern, I was called upon to assist the senator and his staff in several different areas. The interns would alternate on a daily basis between such departments as legislative assistance, press, executive assistance, and correspondence. I had an opportunity to work in each department on several different occasions. In doing so, I was exposed to many of the public policy aspects of a congressional office.

One of the most interesting tasks was to work in legislative assistance. While aiding the senior legislative assistants, I was often called upon to do extensive research on different legislative issues. Usually, a full-time staff member would ask for detailed summaries of current legislation and our personal opinion regarding the implications of the bill in question. It was also quite rewarding to know that some of my own research and reporting was actually submitted directly to the senator for his review. Many times, the research we did was done in an effort to solve constituent concerns. The senator receives thousands of phone calls and letters each week from Indiana residents. I was often called upon to investigate constituent problems and attempt to provide the constituent with a resolution to their dilemma. I was granted access to literally every known research source.

I was also involved in some press-related duties. These often included aiding in the preparation and distribution of press releases. In addition, I was able to attend some nationally televised public engagements with the senator. Another duty I performed as an intern was to handle incoming correspondence. This process usually involved sorting the mountains of mail sent to the senator, but also involved drafting responses to concerned constituents.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire experience was just exploring our nation's capital. I spent a great deal of time exploring the capital building and the related congressional offices. I would often walk the halls with national leaders such as Newt Gingrich, Ted Kennedy, Trent Lott, and Strom Thurmond. Most of the members of Congress were actually quite willing to engage interns in conversation, and many photo opportunities were available. The internship experience enabled me to get a feel for the magnitude of responsibility that our elected officials have. Unlike the negative stereotypes that people often associate with politicians, most are actually extremely dedicated and hard-working individuals. I saw no blatant corruption or lack of compassion at all. Every congressman and congresswoman I came in contact with was extremely genuine and cared a great deal about the people he/she represents. I think anyone who has the slightest interest in politics would love Washington, D.C. I can't wait to go back.

Congratulations to Mariah Rosie, B.S.P.A. student, SPEA-Fort Wayne, who has been accepted as an intern in the SPEA Washington Leadership Program for fall 1998.

Summer I Courses

SPEA V365 Urban Development and Planning and SPEA V563 The Planning Process will be taught 10:00 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays by C. James Owen. This survey course in planning assumes no previous planning course work. Emphasis is on land use in an urban setting. Other planning elements considered are: environmental planning, economic development, neighborhood development, and social planning. Students conclude the semester with a general knowledge of planning organization, authority and functions, and an understanding of the planning process in a democratic society.

SPEA V450/V550 Constructive Conflict Management will be offered 5:30-8:50 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at the Lincoln National Learning Center, 915 S. Clinton St., by Carol Steinhaus. This class has filled quickly and resulted in long waiting lists in recent years, so register early. In the past, conflict was seen as a negative situation which should be resolved. More recently, the positive aspects of conflict have become apparent, and conflict is seen as something that should be managed, not eliminated. This class is intended for anyone who has ever had a disagreement or who has needed to negotiate a solution to a problem. The course will be particularly useful to students intending to be supervisors, managers, teachers, or parents. While the reading load is not heavy, classroom attendance is very important because the course is very experiential, involving class discussions and exercises. Join us to improve your skills in managing the ever-present conflict in your life.