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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Prachee J. Devadas, President/CEO
Remembering Glen Fischer
No season evokes memories of those who’ve affected our lives more than the advent of a new year.
As we at SEI begin 2009 and celebrate 5 years in business, we reflect on a special contributor to our success—former SEI Vice President Glen Fischer, one of our first employees. Although we lost Glen
unexpectedly to illness in 2005, we have never lost touch with the role he played in building the solid foundation that has brought SEI continued growth and success each year. Fischer, an expert mental
health and substance abuse trainer and counselor and community health activist, was largely responsible for establishing our lasting service relationship with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA),
which has led to many other important opportunities. Equally significant, his spirit of generosity and community involvement continues to inspire SEI’s dedication to “giving back” and finding ways to improve
the quality of life for local individuals experiencing various types of need. In December, through the Glen Fischer Award, we honored him at our annual employee recognition event and we continue to cherish memories of his
unwavering impact on our personal and professional lives.
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Devadas Nominated as Washington Metro District SBA Person of the Year
Prachee J. Devadas, president and chief executive officer of Synergy Enterprises, Inc. (SEI),
marked 5 years in business with the nomination of her career—Washington Metropolitan District Small Business Person of the Year. Devadas was nominated for her intellectual curiosity, humanitarian nature, and
dedication to client satisfaction by Christopher Jones, a business development specialist of the Small Business Administration. More>>
Patricia
Hammer Receives Annual National Rural Education Award
Patricia Cahape Hammer,
director of communications at SEI, was awarded the 2008 Stanley A. Brzezinski Rural Education Research Award at the National Rural Education Association’s (NREA) Annual Research Symposium and Centennial
Convention. Hammer, who served on the Editorial Board of Rural Educator, the association’s journal, was selected by the NREA Research Committee among a select group of
rural education researchers across the nation who have conducted educational research on rural issues and thereby contributed to the knowledge base of rural education.
More>>
SEI
Manages HUD HOPE for
Homeowners Training Conference
In the midst of our
nation’s housing crisis, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assembled housing industry experts for the HOPE for Homeowners (H4H) Training Conference. SEI, under contract to HUD,
provided logistical support for the Federal Housing Administration training conference, held from November 13 through 14 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. More>>
Evaluation
of IES Attracts National Attention
A newly released report concluded that the
Institute for Education Sciences has surpassed its predecessor, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, in its ability to tie relevant research to the field and to place emphasis on rigorous
methodology. Synergy Enterprises, Inc. (SEI) conducted the evaluation under contract with the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES), and in conjunction with the Center for Evaluation and Education
Policy (CEEP) of Indiana University. More>>
NEW STAFF, NEW EXPERTISE
Senior Management Staff Join SEI
The year
2008 was one of continued growth at SEI and with growth comes the need for additional leadership to manage new projects and staff. During the past quarter, SEI hired two new division directors and a senior
program associate with expertise in educational policy.
SEI CARES
Deputy Project Director Jessica Mitchell Participates in Charity Golf Tournament
For the fourth consecutive year, SEI was
proud to support Jessica Mitchell, deputy project director, as she participated in the Annual Timmer Classic charity golf tournament. She placed an SEI sign at one of the holes on the golf course in our
honor. Thanks to donations from SEI and other sponsors, almost $14K was raised to sustain a Nicaraguan clinic that services impoverished women and children in Esteli, one of the country’s poorest cities. For
more information about the sponsoring organization, Hope Clinic International, click here>>
Accounting Assistant Herman Livingston Celebrates 9 Years Mentoring Male Youth Through Little League
Football
At least 3 days a week, Herman Livingston, an accounting assistant at SEI, replaces the tie
around his neck with a whistle to serve as a coach and mentor to 10- and 12-year-olds of the Pop Warner Football League. For the past 9 years, Herman has used his free time to make sure young males are
involved in positive activities that help build minds and promote commitment. He describes it as the most fulfilling job he’s ever performed. “I didn’t have a Dad and a coach did it for me and my friends.
For years they made sure we were okay, so I am just giving back,” says Herman. As well as teaching the fundamentals of the game, Herman, who played the position of quarterback as a youth, reinforces
leadership skills and maintains regular communication with parents and teachers. “The most rewarding thing is when a kid achieves a goal, and the child and the parents say thank you,” says Herman. This
season, the Metro Bengals, Herman’s team, had a record of 5-3. Although they did not walk home with a trophy, the team made it to the semifinals of the playoffs. Keep up the good work, Herman!
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NEW CONTRACTS
SEI to Support 21st Century Community
Learning Centers Professional Development Module
SEI was selected by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to design and develop a Professional Development Module for the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers Program to be delivered via a Web portal that uses a hybrid of distance learning techniques. More>>
SEI to Support the National Regulatory Commission’s Annual Regulatory Information
Conference
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Nuclear Regulatory Research selected SEI to provide expert services in planning,
implementation, reporting, and evaluation of its upcoming Regulatory Information Conferences (RICs) and other smaller meetings. More>>
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