Cal U Journal - April 6, 2015

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California University

Volume 17, Number 6 APrIl 6, 2015 Read the JouRnal online: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal

Vulcans Win National Championship A season of both heartbreak and resilience ended in triumph as the women’s basketball team clinched the 2014-2015 NCAA Division II National Championship. About 800 Vulcans fans watching a live broadcast in the Convocation Center erupted in cheers as the championship game ended with an 86-69 victory over California Baptist at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. “I’m so proud of our women’s basketball team,” said interim University President Geraldine M. Jones, who was in the stands for the Elite Eight Tournament in South Dakota. “They are an impressive and amazing group of young women. Coach Jess (Strom) and the other coaches did a marvelous job working, coaching and mentoring the team through a challenging year. And their hard work, determination, and commitment earned them the national championship.” Cal U’s remarkable run produced the program’s second NCAA Division II national title. This year’s team joins the 2004 women’s basketball and 1997 and 1998 softball teams as the only varsity athletic teams in school history to win NCAA Division II national championships. The Vulcans rallied after the loss of senior Shanice Clark to finish the season with a 32-4 overall record. Clark died on

The Cal U women’s basketball team celebrates moments after defeating California Baptist 86-69 to win the NCAA Division II National Championship on March 27 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Jan. 18 from complications of sickle cell trait, a blood disorder. Her teammates wore her No. 44 jersey during warmups throughout the season and raised their fingers to signal “44” after every win. “We always say she’s with us, and it made us closer,”said Strom, fourth-year

head coach. “We probably shouldn’t have won some of the games we did, but somehow, some way, she helped us out. “I’m so proud of how these ladies fight. Throughout the playoffs they had a refuse-to-lose attitude.” This is just the third time that Cal U

women’s basketball has finished the season with 30 or more victories. The only other PSAC women’s basketball team to reach the national finals was runner-up Shippensburg, in 1996. This was the program’s 12th NCAA — Continued on page 2

Research and Creativity Focus of Spark Conference

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Nine members of the California Singers are being used as featured extras for a scene in ‘Love the Coopers,’ the tentative title for the CBS Films production set to open this November.

Movie Cues Cal U Carolers

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he Christmas caroling season stretched into spring for nine members of the California Singers, who expect to be part of a motion picture scheduled to premiere in November. The Cal U students performed as featured extras for a scene in “Love the Coopers” the tentative title for the CBS Films production. Filmed in Pittsburgh, the romantic comedy follows the exasperated members of an extended family as they attempt to gather for their annual holiday celebration. Students Justin DiPerna, Charles Heiser, Allison Killen, Hannah Kovscek, Laura Moeller,

Matt Shorraw, Kate Sickels, Eric Streshenkoff and Mia Zazac were part of a scene shot at The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. Dressed Dickensian-style costumes, they sang the holiday tunes “Carol of the Bells” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” “Being an extra in a movie has been on my ‘bucket list’ for years, so it was great that this opportunity practically fell in my lap,” said Kovscek, a freshman honors student with a dual major in elementary education preK-4 and special education. Hollywood came knocking at the carolers’ — Continued on page 3

conference on “research, scholarship, creative activity and application” will highlight the efforts of Cal U’s academic community. The Strike a Spark Conference, “Innovation: From Peer to Public,” will take place from 9 a.m. -4 p.m. April 14 at the Convocation Center. This year’s theme focuses attention on the unique, creative and entrepreneurial aspects of teaching, research, creative expression and application practiced across campus. The conference will include presentations and posters prepared by faculty, by students or by faculty-student teams showcasing their engagement in research, scholarship and creative activity. Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones urges the campus community to invite alumni and University friends, members of the local business community, teachers and students from area schools, and others who might be interested in Cal U’s academic mission. “I know they will be impressed with the depth and breadth of the research, scholarship and creativity on display,” President Jones said. “At various events such as faculty-staff, and student convocations, I have spoken about the pressing need for all members of the campus community to become actively engaged in the life of our University. The inaugural Cal U conference on research, scholarship and creative activity provides an opportunity to do just that.” Light refreshments will be provided throughout the conference. For more information, contact Dr. Gregg Gould at gould@calu.edu.


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