Staff Member Offers Presentations to State, National Audiences

Published 11.24.2008

News
Faculty & Staff

Jeremiah C. GeeThis fall, Pennsylvania College of Technology staff member Jeremiah C. Gee, assessment coordinator for the School of Integrated Studies, facilitated professional-development opportunities for state and national audiences.

Gee was invited by Kathleen Gnall, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections' deputy secretary for re-entry and specialized programs, to lead a panel discussion for the Re-entry Seminar for County Officials. The seminar, held Sept. 10 in State College, was one of the first that the Department of Corrections has orchestrated to examine the issues surrounding successful re-entry of those formerly incarcerated at the commonwealth's county correctional facilities.

As one of the few researchers specifically focused on county corrections in Pennsylvania, Gee was asked to guide a panel discussion for an audience of more than 100 officials representing counties throughout the state. Part of a daylong event focused on assessment and evaluation of effective practices, the panel examined the similarities and differences of challenges faced by rural and urban counties.

"An overarching theme is that "˜community' is the secret word for uncovering valuable ways to address the issues surrounding incarceration and its effects," Gee said.

From his work in correctional programs, Gee sees an important corollary to outcomes assessment in higher education. "Overall, we're asking the same thing regardless of the venue," he said. "What value do students gain by engaging in an educational experience, and how can we enhance what we're doing for them?"

At the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis, Gee took program evaluation and outcomes assessment to an audience of more than 65 faculty and administrators from institutions of higher education across the nation.

The institute, hosted Oct. 26-28 by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, is a yearly event focused on outcomes assessment in higher education, for which presentation slots are highly contended. Presenting his session titled "Continuous Improvement Tools 101," Gee led the attendees through a streamlined method to simplify the process of outcomes assessment.

He spoke about the purpose of outcomes assessment, its focus on student learning and the establishment of partnerships between administration and faculty.

Gee earned a master's degree in education from Mansfield University and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Nyack College Manhattan Center. He is pursuing a doctorate in adult education from The Pennsylvania State University.

To learn more about the academic programs offered by the School of Integrated Studies at Penn College, call (570) 327-4520 or visit online . For more information about Penn College, visit on the Web , e-mail or call toll-free (800) 367-9222.