Jaimie Bell

Jaimie Bell is in her first year of the MA Psychology program with an emphasis in Clincal Science.  She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato in May 2009.  After graduation, she continued working as a second-assistant manager at HyVee in Mankato until moving to Cedar Falls and becoming acquainted with the city she now calls home.

Jaimie's role in the Graduate College focuses on co-editing the Graffito and planning events, including "Thinking About Graduate School?" (TAGS) for UNI undergraduates considering further education after graduation. Contact her with information, issues, ideas, and events you would like to share with the graduate community.

Jaimie standing with a horse-drawn carriage while visiting Cheyenne Frontier Days in July 2009

Jaimie enjoys a wide array of things in her spare time.  She enjoys spending time with her family especially her niece and nephews, golfing (weather and finances permitting), travelling to warmer climates, attending concerts, plays, and shows, and chatting with friends over coffee.  Upon graduation, Jaimie hopes to be accepted into a PhD program in Geropsychology, which is a specialized field in psychology that deals with specific psychological issues of the elderly.

As an undergraduate at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Jaimie participated in the Honors Program in her psychology department.  As part of the requirement of being in the honors program, she had to write a thesis under the supervision of a faculty mentor.  The title of Jaimie's thesis was "The emotional context of verbal exchanges between certified nursing assistants and residents with dementia."  From her data, Jaimie conluded that commands given to residents with dementia are most effective when kept short, concise, and straight forward. Her data was gathered from three separate types of facilities including an assisted living facility, a nursing home, and a veteran’s affairs hospital.  She presented her findings at the Minnesota State University, Mankato Undergraduate Research Conference in April of 2008.

Jaimie Bell

Katherine Brown

Katherine Brown is in her second year of the MA TESOL program. She is also working on teaching licensure in ESL with a Secondary English Endorsement through the College of Education. She received BAs in English and Theatre Arts with a Vocal Music Minor from the University of Iowa in 2003. After graduation she moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania for a year-long theatre internship doing educational outreach. For three years she worked at the Sellersville Theater 1894 as the Production and House Manager.

Her role in the Graduate College focuses on editing The Graffito. She also serves on the Graduate Student Advisory Board and works with Jaimie and Ken on various events and activities. Contact her with announcements, achievements, events, and general interest stories related to Graduate Student Life for inclusion in future issues of The Graffito.

Katherine in Genoa, Italy

Katherine is currently the Web Developer for the Center for Multicultural Education. Around campus she is part of GSAB, GSSN, the Multicultural Teaching Alliance, and the Graduate Student Association of Polyglots. She plans on teaching English abroad after graduation. Katherine sings, acts, and helps behind the scenes at the local community theatres whenever time permits. She continues to work on improving her French, Italian, and Chinese language skills. During her undergraduate work she studied for a year in Hull, England.

In May and June, Katherine was a member of a Group Study Exchange team from local Rotary District 5970, including most of Northeast Iowa, to Rotary District 2030 in Northwest Italy, including the regions of Valle d’Aosta, Piemonte, and Liguria. The exchange was a cultural and vocational exchange. The team was made up of four non-Rotarians from around Northeast Iowa and one Rotarian Team Leader. Vocational visits included universities, music academies, and elementary schools. Highlights included hiking the terraces of Cinque Terre with a guide, descending into a talc mine near Turin, touring a tassel and fringe factory and the Martini & Rossi museum and factory near Chieri, watching children perform in an opera, and, first and foremost, the wonderful, leisurely meals and meetings complete with delicious Italian pasta, risotto, seafood, and wine.

Katherine (standing in the back, in pink) with a group of Italian Rotarians and her American Group Study Exchange teammates in Portofino, Italy

Ken Nesbett

Ken Nesbett is in his second year of the Post-Secondary: Student Affairs program. He graduated from the University of Toledo in December 2007 with a BA in History and a BE in Secondary Education. At UT, he served 3 years as a senator with the undergraduate Student Government Experience, wrote columns for the student newspaper, and was a member of Kappa Delta Rho fraternity. Ken is also a 6 year Camp Adventure veteran.

Ken is the Coordinator the Graduate Student Social Network (GSSN). Talk to him about social events and graduate student community service ideas.

Ken at the 18th hole on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland

Ken is currently the coordinator of the UNI Student Personnel Association. He chose UNI because it “felt like the right fit.” He was impressed that UNI is ranked second in the Midwest top public comprehensive universities by U.S. News and World Report. In his spare time Ken enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, watching sports, and planning his next adventure.

In May, Ken traveled to the United Kingdom to participate in a study tour of British universities. The trip was coordinated through Bowling Green State University’s College Student Personnel Program in Bowling Green, Ohio. Ken was the only UNI student on the trip, which included students from BGSU, Michigan State, Canisius College and Kent State University. For 14 days, Ken had the opportunity to experience higher education and student affairs in the British context. He traveled through England and Scotland visiting various universities, speaking with administrators, meeting faculty, and interacting with students.

Highlights of the trip included visiting three of the four oldest English-speaking universities in the world (#1 University of Oxford, #3 University of St. Andrews, and #4 University of Glasgow), spending two nights in Alnwick Castle (nicknamed “The Harry Potter Castle” as several scenes from the movie were filmed there), seeing the Old Course at St. Andrews (considered the “Home of Golf”), and touring sites in London the last two days of the tour.

Ken near Tower Bridge in London

Congratulations to Brock Holman, 2008-2009 Graduate College Assistant!

Brock with Ron Gillet, Chair, HOBY Board of Trustees and Paul Mims, Treasurer, HOBY Board of Trustees

This August, during the annual Training Institute (for Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, aka HOBY) awards banquet in Houston, Brock was honored as one of two recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award, selected from nearly 4,000 field volunteers. Brock has served with HOBY for eleven years as Facilitator, Section Leader, and in multiple Director roles. During those eleven years, Brock served eight years with HOBY’s World Leadership Congress, four years with the Training Institute, and two years on an advisory committee to HOBY’s Board of Trustees. HOBY's Mission is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. Brock received his MA this past May in Post-secondary Education: Student Affairs. Congratulations, Brock!