Our Free Classifieds Work

In his recent national bestseller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell describes connectors as “people with a special gift for bringing the world together.” Indeed, the ACC’s classified ads’ staff meets this definition in our community, and here is my story of a recent delightful and rewarding experience.

In March 2006, LeaAnne DeRigne placed a free ACC ad soliciting expertise in “logistic regression using SPSS software.” As a faculty in the Department of Research Methodology at Saint Louis University, I receive many telephone and email requests for similar assistance, but had never encountered such a focused a newspaper ad and replied.

LeaAnne needed to complete her doctoral dissertation. She knew what she wanted to investigate and had the data for her research. She merely needed assistance in preparing the data and running the analyses in a computer software package called, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Other students in her PhD program at George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University had strongly suggested that LeaAnne use SPSS software for her dissertation analyses, but unfortunately, LeaAnne had not received any training on how to use SPSS.

Once I was able to understand the extent of her logistic regression and analytic needs, I put LeaAnne in contact with one of my graduate students, Stacie Metz. Stacie was also at the final stage of finishing her PhD program in the School of Public Health at Saint Louis University, and is extraordinarily proficient in both the use of SPSS and logistic regression techniques. Moreover, Stacie has a master’s degree in social work, and was currently teaching as an adjunct instructor in the School of Social Work at SLU.

The synergy between these two young women was apparent from their first meeting onward. They were both coffeehouse goers and planned their tutorial meetings in different local coffeehouses to provide interest and relaxed easiness for each session. As their professional and personal friendship grew, LeaAnne gave a guest lecture in Stacie’s SLU Social Work course on LeaAnne’s efforts as a legislative lobbyist to provide more services to children with special health care needs. LeaAnne completed her dissertation and successfully defended it on July 21, 2006 to complete her PhD program requirement. Congruently, Stacie also completed and successfully defended her dissertation one day before on July 20, 2006. These graduates finally had an opportunity to relax and celebrate with friends, colleagues and each other on Saturday, July 22!

In August, LeaAnne will continue teaching at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the Department of Social Work as a Visiting Assistant Professor, and Stacie will start a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at in the Department of Health at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. Congrats to LeaAnne and Stacie for the “photo finish” of their respective doctoral programs, and to the ACC for this wonderful connection and service to the community through your free classified ads!

Kathy Wyrwich