Summer 2024 Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award Recipient

Columbus, OH (September 6, 2024)

Franklin University celebrated its 177th Commencement on Sunday, September 15. Along with honoring the graduates, Franklin recognizes Dr. Scott Ebbrecht and Laurie Crawford from its faculty as recipients of the distinguished Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award.

Laurie Crawford began teaching at Franklin as an adjunct instructor in 2001. She currently serves as lead faculty for computer science and continues to teach regularly. Laurie is passionate about teaching adult learners and mastering best practices in adult education and online instruction. She strives to be the best for her students. Early in her career, Laurie worked as a member of technical staff at AT&T Bell Labs, where she developed switching system applications and held various roles including programmer, customer liaison and technical manager. She earned a master's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master's degree in executive management from Ashland University, and a bachelor's degree in computer science and engineering from The Ohio State University.

Dr. Todd Whittaker promoted to Assistant Dean for Computing Sciences & Mathematics

Columbus, OH (September 9, 2024)

The significant growth in students, faculty, and programs prompted a review of the organizational structure and leadership within the college. With 15 programs under CSM's umbrella and a rapidly expanding portfolio, the need for additional support and leadership has become increasingly apparent. Dr. Whittaker, who has and continues to lead a successful team of 11 faculty, has brought to fruition several successful projects and initiatives for the university. Under his leadership, CSM has implemented and expanded our F-1 International partnerships and developed five new programs that align with the rapidly changing technology landscape. He has also been instrumental in integrating the key STEM-focused specializations of data analytics and cybersecurity in majors outside of CSM.

Dr. Whittaker's deep expertise in technology, curriculum development, and commitment to the university's mission and strategic initiatives make him exceptionally qualified for this role. This promotion will enable me to leverage Dr. Whittaker's strengths in ways that benefit the entire university, allowing him to concentrate on high-impact areas, such as increasing F-1 student enrollment and fostering cross-functional partnerships with marketing, IT, and other academic departments.

Summer 2023 Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award Recipient

Columbus, OH (September 1, 2023)

Franklin University celebrated its 174th Commencement on Friday, Sept. 8. Along with honoring the graduates, Franklin recognizes Prof. Roger Engle as the graduate faculty recipient of the distinguished Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award.

A three-time winner of the Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award, Roger W. Engle Jr. has been teaching in Franklin University's Computer Science Department since 2002. Roger combines his belief in lifelong learning, his professional experiences, his academic legitimization, and his sincere desire for every student to reach their dream to create an atmosphere for learning in the classroom.

Summer 2022 Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award Recipient

Columbus, OH (September 7, 2022)

In continuing Franklin's 171st Commencement celebration, the University is thrilled to present its Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award graduate recipient: Dr. Chunbo Chu.

Dr. Chunbo Chu has been a lead faculty of computer science at Franklin University since 2008. He currently chairs the B.S. Computer Science and the M.S. Computer Science programs.

Read more about Dr. Chunbo Chu and the Robert L. Bailey Teaching Award at https://bit.ly/3D3Rn1z. Watch his acceptance speech here.

Graduate Speaker

We are thrilled that our own graduate, Jonathan Ransom, has been selected as the Graduate Speaker at Franklin's 169^th Commencement Ceremony.

Jonathan is currently a team leader for a leading business process outsourcing organization, and is graduating with his M.S. in Information Technology. Jonathan earned his associate degree in computer science from Columbus State and a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Franklin University.

During Jonathan’s time with Franklin University, he has found a deeper understanding of himself, as well as his professional and academic capabilities. He credits Franklin with helping him to progress in his mastery of the IT concepts, communication and leadership skills necessary to help others understand the possibilities that educational perseverance can yield.

He hopes to apply his knowledge to build educational platforms in IT literacy, financial, professional and personal growth. He is a current member of Hebrew Baptist church where he is part of a team developing IT literacy classes for all ages. In a world where so many people feel hopeless, he is dedicated to providing hope and avenues for change.

Jonathan wants to thank his mother, Bernice G. Isbell; his wife, Shasta; and his family for believing in him.

Recent Faculty Publications

Dr. Chunbo Chu presented the paper he co-authored with Dr. Jiang Li: "Learning Analytics Finds That a Shared Course May Improve Technology Students Retention" at the 29th annual conference of the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, Central Plains. April 21, 2023.

Drs. Bilge Karabacak and Todd Whittaker have their research paper "Zero Trust and Advanced Persistent Threats: Who Will Win the War?" accepted to be presented at the 17th International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security.

Dr. Ladorian Latin published "Collecting student feedback on the use of ALEKS and Hawkes Learning in College Algebra to inform course redesign" at The National Organization for Student Success - Ohio Help Me to Help You Conference. Nov. 3, 2021.

Faculty Awards

Hasan Abu-Rayyan
Software Engineer, iaso ai

Before making a career transition as a software engineer, Hasan started out in finance. He began as a Java developer for ETL systems and then gravitated towards development and operation work. Hasan found his true passion while working on a cloud provisioning team, designing software solutions for distributed systems. Since that opportunity, Hasan has worked closely with many product teams ensuring their software applications can remain highly available across multiple platforms and clouds.

Hasan completed his bachelor's in computer science at Franklin, and has continued his education, pursuing a master’s in computer science. When asked about his Franklin experience, Hasan shared, “Franklin has amazing faculty with real world experience. The classes are full of hands-on exercises that really allowed me to not only understand the concepts but apply them as well.”

During his time at Franklin, Hasan has found a way to give back by founding the Franklin University Technologist Club. Hasan resides as its president, working diligently to help students connect and grow their networks, while discovering valuable skill sets to explore.

Colin Moran
Software Engineer at Axon

Like many of our Franklin students, Colin held a full-time position as a software engineer at CAS, while completing his computer science degree. Within that position, he supported CAS’ ETL system facilitating the curation of scientific information. Upon graduating from college, he went on to advance his career through his company’s Technology Talent Acceleration Program (TTAP); utilizing his computer science skills developed at Franklin, he paired this opportunity with his CAS career to springboard his growth, and in return, gained a breadth of knowledge over a two-year span of time.

The following opportunities helped Colin achieve his dreams of becoming an architect. The TTAP program afforded him the ability to experience: full-stack development, DevOps for a data mesh architecture, solutions architecture work, and cloud-based tools. After completing the program, Colin is proud to share his acceptance as a member of the enterprise architecture team, leading the area responsible for aligning its choice of machine learning and automation-type services.

Now as a master’s student in Franklin’s Computer Science program, Colin is sharpening his skills to become a highly qualified technology leader in today’s industry. If his story inspires you, take the next step and inquire more.

Joe Johnston
Senior manager, IT, SK Food Group

An experienced IT professional, backed by his master's from Franklin University in Information Technology, Joe's day-to-day includes ensuring IT systems run smoothly for his organization at SK Food Group, while also preparing for IT emergencies. With 20 years of IT experience, including nine years at SK Food Group, Joe’s extensive experience also includes project management and infrastructure management. He currently manages significant projects such as building distribution centers and expanding the organization’s network in existing facilities.

In previous roles, Joe oversaw the deployment of technology in various locations nationwide and supported his teams with their IT needs. As a proud United States Marine, Joe developed vital skills throughout his time in service, which he practices today, including leadership, communication, and problem-solving.

As an eagle scout, former sergeant, and senior manager, Joe has experience leading teams with his vast knowledge and dedication in the following areas: project management, network setups, backup and recovery, and cloud technologies -Microsoft Teams and Azure. Applying his IT expertise and master’s knowledge, Joe’s goal is to manage innovative IT solutions to improve business efficiency and productivity.