California University
Volume 17, Number 5 mArCH 23, 2015 Read the JouRnal online: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Students Applaud Airman at Convocation
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Participants and spectators prepare for RECYCLE RUSH, this year’s challenge for the Greater Pittsburgh Regional FIRST® Robotics Competition.
Despite Snow, Robots Heat Up Convocation Center
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olling onto the playing field, 120-pound robots grabbed plastic totes, stacked them high, and topped the stack with a recycling bin stuffed with litter. The game was RECYCLE RUSH, this year’s challenge for the Greater Pittsburgh Regional FIRST® Robotics Competition. A heavy snow fell March 5 as more than 1,200 high school students from six states and Ontario, Canada, loaded their robots into the Cal U Convocation Center. But once inside, the atmosphere heated up as 54 teams put their custom-built robots to the test.
Television crews from KDKA-TV were on hand to film the excitement. Highlights of the tournament will be shown in a 30-minute TV show that airs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. In each round of the three-day competition, two alliances of three robots each rolled onto the 52-by-27foot playing field and raced to stack up totes. Bonus points were earned for “coopertition,” the blend of cooperation and competition that marks every FIRST contest. Meanwhile, in the “pits,” the teams fine-tuned — and sometimes repaired — their robots between
tournament rounds. Mascots roamed the floor and fans cheered, sang and danced in the stands, creating a highenergy atmosphere that persisted throughout the event. In keeping with the theme of this year’s challenge, local teams and the FIRST organization will reuse or recycle all game pieces at the end of the season. MARS team member Bertalan Czinege, a senior from University High School in Morgantown, W.Va., said RECYCLE RUSH was somewhat simpler than the challenges — Continued on page 2
tudents at the Spring 2015 Student Convocation rose to applaud a classmate who recently returned from active duty in Afghanistan. Technology education major Daniel J. Hart, a senior airman with the 201st Redhorse Squadron of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, received the Presidential Patriotic Service Medallion at the gathering Feb. 26 in the Convocation Center. Interim President Geraldine M. Jones and Capt. Robert Prah, director of Veterans Affairs, presented Hart with the award, which honors current students who return to their studies after active military duty. Hart missed the Spring and Fall 2014 semesters while participating in Operation Enduring Freedom from March through September 2014. “I was amazed by how accommodating Cal U is to its veterans. It’s been nice to come back to campus and easily fall right back into classes,” Hart said as he thanked his fellow students. “I challenge you to keep up this wonderful support (for service members). It is certainly appreciated.” In her State of the University address, President Jones urged the students to engage with high school students and parents who are visiting campus. “I am asking you, our students — our best ambassadors — to get involved in our recruiting efforts,” she said, echoing a theme she also sounded at the spring Faculty-Staff Convocation. “People remember when you go out of your way to be friendly … and they certainly remember exchanging a few words with a Cal U student. These prospective — Continued on page 3
Cal U, WCCC sign transfer agreement
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nterim University President Geraldine M. Jones and Dr. Tuesday Stanley, president of Westmoreland County Community College, signed an agreement March 6 that will allow students enrolled at Cal U to complete the diploma or associate degree they began at WCCC. This is the first “reverse transfer” agreement between Cal U and any community college. It benefits students who earned college-level credits at WCCC but transferred to Cal U before completing the requirements for a community college diploma or an associate degree. “By using this reverse transfer process,
students can finish the degrees they started at WCCC while they are enrolled at Cal U,” explained Terrie Greene, executive director of the Office of Articulation and Transfer Evaluation at California University. “Credits that transfer students have earned while working toward their bachelor’s degree will be sent back to the community college and evaluated for possible credit toward the completion of the associate degree requirements.” To be eligible for the reverse transfer program, a Cal U student must have transferred to California University with — Continued on page 3
Dr. Tuesday Stanley, president of Westmoreland County Community College, and interim University President Geraldine M. Jones sign the reverse transfer agreement.
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mArCH 16, 2015
Students Demonstrate Vocal Techniques
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our Cal U students and two faculty members gave presentations at the Estill World Voice Symposium in Melbourne, Australia. Founded by the late Jo Estill in 1988, Estill Voice Training™ is an innovative system for developing masterful control of the human voice. Students Jason Capello, Molly Malady, Clayton Rush and Sarah Martik, a December 2014 graduate, presented a workshop on “Finding the Voice in Character Creation” with Dr. Michele Pagen, chair of the Theatre and Dance Department, and theater instructor Brian Eisiminger. Pagen, Eisiminger and Martik also presented “Estill Voice Training Across the Curriculum at the Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy,” a University-hosted program that gives students ages 8-17 an opportunity to study musical theater. They were joined for the presentation by former Cal U voice instructor Esther Benack-Spodaro, retired choir director from Ringgold High School. The Cal U students were the only undergraduates at the symposium, Pagen said. “The fact they attended and presented at an international symposium is a big feather in our cap. Our students had to plan an activity, communicate that activity to people from different countries and get all the Estill rules across. “We went from a 15-minute presentation to a 45minute workshop.” Capello, an environmental studies major with a minor in theatre and dance, offered two monologues from his role as Fred Gailey in the holiday musical Miracle on 34th Street. He played the same role in his junior and senior years. Estill Voice techniques allowed him to portray a more authoritative and confident Gailey in the latter performance, he said. “Because I had gotten better in Estill, by knowing the figures and moving the different mechanisms in my voice I was able to portray him accurately the second
Cal U students (from left) Molly Malady, Sarah Martik, a December 2014 graduate, Jason Capello and Clayton Rush present a workshop at the Estill World Voice Symposium in Melbourne, Australia.
time. It sounded vastly different.” Malady, a senior majoring in theatre and dance, played Ivy Weston, a 44-year-old woman, in Cal U’s production of August: Osage County. At the symposium Malady showed how she manipulated her voice to create an older character. “I was raised in southwestern Pennsylvania, and we have a very distinct style of speaking,” Malady said. “Taking the Estill classes and learning how to manipulate my voice in a way that sounds more appealing … is very helpful. “I am not slurring my words in class as much as I used to, and I’m not saying ‘Dahntahn a’nat’.”
Actors and singers aren’t the only professionals to use Estill techniques, Pagen explained. Many speech pathologists use the training to help patients repair and protect damaged voices. “I already have what we did at the symposium on both of my resumes,” said Capello, who plans to use Estill techniques for his role in Cal U’s production of the satirical musical Urinetown April 23-25. “At this point Estill Voice Training is really critical to our process as actors and performers, because it diversifies your tool box so much from a speaking, singing and health perspective. You really can protect your voice with this.”
Despite Snow, Robots Heat Up Convention Center — Continued on page 2 of previous years. “Instead of having a variety of things to be good, at there are one or two things that you better be very, very good at to beat other teams,” he said. “Being part of this inspired me to learn much more on my own.” FIRST Robotics competitors develop skills in science, technology, engineering and math, along with project management, problem solving and teamwork. Gail Dixon, an information technology and engineering teacher at Battlefield High School in Haymarket, Va., said the FIRST Robotics experience is life-changing for students, who have the opportunity to develop skills with direct ties to the workplace. This year’s challenge “is manufacturing related, and that aspect of it we had not covered in previous years with FIRST,” she said. “It’s nice to rotate through the different industries and find a solution that’s applicable in that environment.” Tom O’Neil, a mentor for the Cat Attack team from Holland, Ohio, said every challenge is a learning experience. “It’s … teaching the kids engineering,” said O’Neil, an engineer for the team’s industry partner, Dana Holding Corp. “It really does not matter what the game is. … The students are still learning to work with drive trains, controls, wiring, mechanics and things of that nature.” In addition to the on-field competition, FIRST competitors create business plans, conduct community outreach initiatives, market their teams,
Isiah Lloyd from Grandview Heights High School in Columbus, Ohio, programs his team’s robot prior to competitions at the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition.
raise funds and present their project plans to a panel of judges. Each team works from an identical “kit of parts,” which can be supplemented with additional materials or parts from past competitions. Once the season’s unique challenge is announced, the students have just six weeks to design, fabricate and test their robots. “We’ve worked so hard, and it all comes down to this,” said Josh Smith, a sophomore drive team member from Northern Garrett (Md.) High School, a member of the tournament’s winning alliance. “We just have to be focused and do what we can out there, but the main
thing is also have having fun while doing it.” Smith added that meeting and working with mentors outside the school is more valuable than winning the competition. “Working with our mentors gives us the opportunity to work with people in private companies that do these kind of things for a living,” he said. “To have a firsthand experience, make contacts and form relationships with them is priceless.” The students “driving” the remotecontrolled robots get help from their teammates. That was one of several duties Wade Ogburn handled for the Titanium Titans, whose members come
from schools in Washington County, Pa. “I stand behind the driver during the competition, giving him pointers and helping him see the field clearly, because it’s pretty stressful out there. I can be his extra set of eyes, so he can make decisions better suited for the game,” said Ogburn, a senior from Peters Township High School. “It’s been a great time for us. The process of building the robot has been the best experience for me.” Team mentor Mark Leng, an engineering manager with Aesynt, in Cranberry Township, Pa., said much of what the students do translates into the real world. “As an engineering manager, I have engineers who work for me who are doing a lot of the same things these kids are doing,” he said. “These students have something that will carry them beyond college and into their careers.” Dr. Jennifer Wilburn and Dr. Mark Bronakowski, both in the Eberly College of Science and Technology joined the panel of industry professionals who served as judges. In all, nearly two dozen awards were presented, including honors for industrial design, entrepreneurship, team spirit and “gracious professionalism,” a hallmark of the program. After more than 100 rounds of competition, an alliance of teams from Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio came out on top. They will join winners from other regional and district contests at the FIRST Robotics national championship April 22-25 in St. Louis, Mo.
mArCH 16, 2015
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Trustees Meet Despite Looming Snowstorm At its first quarterly meeting of 2015, the University’s Council of Trustees heard updates on the governor’s budget plan, the external review of the football program, new academic programs and the University’s five-year capital construction plan. Because of an impending snowstorm, the meeting was held at 5 p.m. March 4, two hours earlier than usual. Six members attended the meeting via conference call, and vice presidents omitted the videos that typically accompany their reports. In her report to the Trustees, interim University President Geraldine M. Jones spoke briefly about Gov. Tom Wolf ’s March 3 budget request, which included a proposal to restore to the 14 state-owned universities 50 percent of the cuts in state appropriations made during the previous administration. President Jones called that “good news,” but she pointed out that in return Wolf has asked Pennsylvania’s stateowned universities to freeze tuition. “This strong demonstration of support is appreciated, and our Chancellor and Board of Governors will continue to work with the governor’s administration, the General Assembly and other leaders as the budget process continues,” she said. President Jones also reported on The Compliance Group’s review of the football program, which included 32 specific recommendations for bringing the football program into better alignment with the University’s expectations and ideals. Thus far, the President has outlined the University’s expectations in a face-to-
Cal U has added five new academic programs, including a first-of-its-kind bachelor’s degree in Sociology:Deviance.
face meeting with all student-athletes and coaches, a meeting she intends to hold once each semester. Programming for student-athletes is under review, and legal counsel is working with the University to formulate a self-disclosure policy requiring student-athletes to report arrests. “We are making some necessary changes that will benefit our entire campus community while enhancing the well-being of our student-athletes, the integrity of our athletic programs and the reputation of this University,” she said. President Jones concluded her report by explaining how Cal U’s five new academic programs will attract new students. In addition to a first-of-its-kind bachelor’s degree in Sociology: Deviance,
applications are being accepted for graduate-level programs in conflict resolution, Applied Behavior Analysis, cybersecurity and applied mathematics. “The work by our faculty in developing these new, top-quality programs is absolutely essential if Cal U hopes to continue to attract high-caliber students — especially those who have their eye on the 21st-century job market,” President Jones said. In other business: • Dr. Bruce Barnhart, acting provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, reported on Cal U’s successful Winter College session. The online program attracted more than 1,300 students, who chose from a menu of 47 online courses. • Robert Thorn, vice president for
Administration and Finance, made his annual presentation of the University’s five-year capital spending plan. It includes renovations to Coover, Morgan and Keystone halls, and construction of a science building that will replace Frich and New Science halls. • Dr. Nancy Pinardi, interim vice president for Student Affairs, touched on the success of Cal U’s athletic teams, as well as the many community service opportunities for Cal U students. Among them is the annual “Big Event” on April 8, when students offer cleanup and home repair services to borough residents. The Student Government Association and the Center for Civic Engagement have been teaming up since 2007 to participate in this nationwide day of service. • Craig Butzine, vice president for Marketing and University Relations, explained the University’s use of creative media options to reach potential students. One of many successful online promotions included reaching nearly 13,000 fans of the TV hit “The Blacklist” with information about the new Sociology: Deviance concentration. Program director Dr. Emily Sweitzer is a consultant for the show. • Tony Mauro, associate vice president for University Development and Alumni Relations, reported that his office has raised $2.1 million in donations and pledges in the fiscal year that began July 1, 2014. He also reminded the Trustees of upcoming dates, such as the President’s Showcase and Homecoming Day, set for Oct. 23-24. The Council of Trustees is scheduled to meet again on June 3.
Cal U, WCCC Sign Transfer Agreement — Continued from page 1
Cal U student Daniel J. Hart, a senior airman with the 201st Redhorse Squadron of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, gives remarks at Student Convocation after receiving the Presidential Patriotic Service Medallion from Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones and Capt. Robert Prah, director of Veterans Affairs.
Students Cheer Returning Airman — Continued from page 1 students will be more likely to join our campus community if they feel welcomed and valued, right from the start. … That welcoming feeling from our students is the best kind of connection.” Before fielding questions, President Jones asked Larry Sebek, associate vice president for Student Affairs, to report on the progress of renovations at the Natali Student Center. The two-year project was initiated by students, who approved the upgrade and expansion through a 2011 referendum. In addition to improving the building’s infrastructure, the project will expand the center by more than
31,000 square feet, providing nearly 129,000 square feet of “student space.” The Office of Student Affairs, Women’s Center, Career and Professional Development Center, and Internship Center will be housed in the renovated student center this summer. Services for commuters and nontraditional students, as well as campus media, also will be housed in the renovated building, where there will be 10 conference rooms available for club meetings and other activities. Sebek said the project is on track for completion by July 15. The all-youcan-eat Gold Rush and retail food court are expected to reopen in Natali at the start of the fall 2015 semester. “This project will make the student center a true hub for student-focused
activities,” President Jones said. “The building has undergone a remarkable transformation, and I know that you are eager to explore every corner of the new and improved Natali.” Senior Samantha Krestar, a social work major and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority, finds a benefit in attending student convocations. “I enjoy hearing my fellow students bring up their concerns and hearing the President’s plans on how to fix them,” she said. President Jones reminded the students about Campus Talk, another opportunity for them to ask questions about issues of concern. The next Campus Talk session is scheduled for 11 a.m. April 7 in the south wing of the Convocation Center.
WCCC as the last school attended, earned a minimum of 15 credits at WCCC while maintaining at least a 2.00 grade-point average, and attended WCCC within the past five years. “Being recognized for earning an associate degree encourages students to continue on and complete their bachelor’s degree,” President Jones said. “This agreement also strengthens the relationship between Cal U and the community college.” WCCC’s Stanley called reverse transfer “a tremendous benefit to our many (WCCC) students who transfer to Cal U.” University officials agree that an associate degree is a marketable academic achievement. Because employers value the credential, a student may be able to land a better job, or advance in the workplace, while continuing to study for a four-year degree. Earning an associate degree is also an educational milestone. Research indicates that students may be more likely to stay on track toward a bachelor’s degree if they are recognized for completing the two-year degree along the way. Students who wish to transfer to California University or learn more about the reverse transfer agreement with WCCC may contact Cal U’s Office of Articulation and Transfer Evaluation in Dixon Hall, Room 210. To learn more, visit www.calu.edu/transfer. For an appointment, call the office at 724-938-5939 or e-mail transfer@calu.edu.
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mArCH 16, 2015
History Day Spotlights Student Research Retired police chief Chuck Drago delivers the keynote address during Cal U’s 8th annual Conference on Homeland and International Security.
Conference Speakers Address Security Gaps
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ore sweat in training, less blood on the streets.” That’s how retired police chief Chuck Drago concluded Cal U’s eighth annual Conference on Homeland and International Security, held Feb. 27 in Steele Hall. Drago, president of Drago Professional Consultants, delivered a keynote address that focused on strategies to reduce officer-involved shootings. This year’s theme was “Human Security: Assessing the Security Gaps in our Criminal Justice System.” Preceding Drago as conference speakers were David Hickton, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and two faculty members from the Department of Criminal Justice: Dr. Aref Al-Khattar and conference coordinator Dr. Michael Hummel. Drago’s talk had added weight in light of high-profile incidents such as the death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
He presented a 2011 study showing that about half of all individuals shot by police have mental health issues. “The cops are trained well, but that training needs to be broadened to include matters such as dealing with those who are mentally ill and written policies about shooting into motor vehicles,” he said. Police are most likely to respond using methods they are familiar with, Drago added, so training in nonlethal techniques is important. An overall lack of data about police shootings is another drawback. “We need to … do the analysis,” he said. “We need to figure out what could help prevent many of these shootings.” U.S. Attorney Hickton spoke about building better relationships between police and community members. He praised Pittsburgh’s new police chief, Cameron McLay, for reducing barriers through dialogue with city residents. Hickton urged communities to take a stand against crime and violence, saying
he believes most residents want to work with police. “Crime follows a lack of educational opportunity. The best investment you and I can make is to educate our citizens.” The conference was organized by the Department of Criminal Justice in collaboration with the Mon Valley NAACP and the NAACP State Conference Criminal Justice Committee. The event was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Burrell A. Brown. George A. Simmons ’65, president of the Mon Valley unit of the NACCP, introduced interim University President Geraldine M. Jones as the conference opened. “The most important thing for civil rights is your individual diligence,” he told the students in attendance. Added President Jones: “Every citizen deserves to be served and protected under the law, but at the same time each of us must play a part in creating a safe and orderly community environment.”
Audiences Will Love ‘First Plight’
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college love triangle is at the heart of “Love @ First Plight,” onstage April 2-4 in the Gerald and Carolyn Blaney Theatre in Steele Hall. The play puts a modern spin on a Shakespearean-style comedy as four college freshmen find themselves flirting with the ideas of fate and love at first sight. Audience members watch as the characters discover their own personal insecurities and the importance of first impressions while they search for love and happiness. The play is written by Drew Aloe and produced by the Department of Theatre and Dance. The performance contains subject matter that may not be suitable for young children.
The cast includes Cal U students Katie Cerda (“Flow”), Tristan Gould (“Rich”), Autumn James (“Daisy”), Shylyn Prentice (“Phil”), and Jake Reed (“Spools”). Students Emily Lorence and Kellee Cohlhepp handle the duties of director and stage manager, respectively. Curtain time is 8 p.m. April 2-3, with shows at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. April 4. Cost is $12 for adults, seniors and children. Cal U students with valid CalCards pay 50 cents, plus a $5 deposit that is refunded at the show. For ticket information, or to charge tickets by phone, call the Steele Box Office at 724-938-5943.
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iddle and high school students from five school districts gathered Feb. 25 for the eighth annual Cal U Primary Sources History Day contest in the Convocation Center. Sponsored by the University’s Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program, in collaboration with the Department of History and Political Science, the event is modeled after the National History Day™ competition. This year’s theme was “Leadership and Legacy in History.” For many students, the Cal U contest was a warm-up for the March 14-15 regional competition at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. One of those students was Jessica McClintock, an eighth-grader at Belle Vernon Area Middle School who researched “Barney Dreyfuss: Personification of the American Dream.” Her display depicted Dreyfuss’ 32 years as owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team won six National League pennants and two World Series under his ownership, but Dreyfuss also is remembered for building one of baseball’s first modern steel and concrete parks, Forbes Field, in 1909. “He really raised the team’s reputation by taking them from a bad area of the town into Forbes Field,” McClintock said. “I love baseball and found this research intriguing.” She added that History Day “helped me so much in understanding how to do thorough research.” Although he was nervous at the start of the competition, Elliott Salvatori, a seventh-grader at Trinity Middle School, spoke with considerable knowledge about “Joshua Chamberlain: Life and Legacy of a Civil War Hero.” Chamberlain’s leadership at the battle of Little Round Top was key to the Union’s victory at Gettysburg, and ultimately the Civil War. “While he was the governor of Maine, he made important decisions regarding prohibition and capital punishment,” Salvatori said. Since its inception, the Cal U History Day event has brought more than 800 secondary students to campus, said TPS director Dr. Michael Brna. This year the Cal U Center for Innovation at Southpointe, the a cappella group Vulcanize and the Department of Theatre and Dance provided opportunities for the visiting History Day students to experience various facets of campus life.
The California Journal is published by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Geraldine M. Jones Interim University President
Christine Kindl Editor
Dr. Bruce Barnhart Acting Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Nancy Pinardi Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance
Craig Butzine Vice President for Marketing and University Relations
Office of Communications and Public Relations
250 University Avenue
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Bruce Wald Wendy Mackall Jeff Bender Writers
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wald@calu.edu